My three month probation period at work was over the day I flew to Malta. Three months. I learned so much. Some of the highlights included working with researchers, being a supervisor, and having large group meetings with all of the children. We’ve done so much in the past months, it’s hard to imagine I only started in August.

I like working with our researchers because it connects me to my IMEC life and the university. We’re inquiring into practice which is something I’ve always wanted to do. This week we’ve been asked to give feedback on a piece of documentation that was shared by one of the researchers. Asking all of the staff members for their perspectives on the projects is so important. In this way I feel valued and I feel as though I have an impact on the direction we’re taking this investigation.

Being a supervisor of a very new/young team is so nice. August and September were difficult and we’ve really had to bond right away! I think we’re doing very well! We help each other out, we are open to try new things, and we have celebrated a few great successes (such as getting all the kids to sleep, creating a warm and engaging environment for everyone, figuring out some expectations by negotiating with the kids).

The large group meetings with the children have been a hit. We bring up issues such as “toys form home” and “being kind”. The children discussed their concerns about bringing toys form home such as they might get lost… and then they came up with rules, e.g. you can only bring one, you have to share it or leave it in your cubby. Having these group meetings has been fabulous, mostly because this format respects the children’s perspectives on issues important to them. We document these meetings and share them with the families. The families love hearing about our discussions.

What a busy few months I’ve had. I finally feel that I’m not beyond exhaustion when I come home. Or maybe that’s because I just came back from the most amazing vacation?