We have been embedding and practicing slow pedagogy, finding ways to find time and slow down  our practice. 

• We removed time stamps from routines

• we removed any unnecessary transitions

• stopped using 'time language'

• reflected on our routines from children's perspectives to find areas for improvement

Evidence below

Our QIP journey through 2024 led us to the implementation of slow pedagogy. This goal was originally listed under Quality Area 5, but on further reflection we feel that Quality area 1 element 2, practice, encapsulates this goal more. 

Our center’s journey exploring slow pedagogy has been an evolving process aimed at creating a more thoughtful, reflective, and sustainable approach to teaching and learning. Slow pedagogy emphasizes the importance of taking time, fostering deeper engagement, and nurturing meaningful connections between educators, learners, and the content. Initially, the center we focused on experimenting with alternative teaching methods that valued reflection over speed, allowing space for learners to engage more thoroughly with the material. This included adapting our documentation styles and quantity with families to create time and space for educators to purposefully slow down and focus on interactions. As the journey progressed, there was likely a conscious shift towards prioritizing quality interactions over the rapid pace of traditional education models.

Through collaboration, professional development, and inquiry-based practices, our center has embraced practices that support the individual learning process, rather than rushing through a prescribed curriculum. The exploration of slow pedagogy also involved a rethinking of assessment methods, the classroom environment, and community-building, where relationships became as central to learning as the subject matter itself.

Ultimately, this journey has led the center to embrace the core values of mindfulness, intentionality, and respect for the diverse paces at which children learn. By grounding education in these principles, our center has fostered a learning culture that nurtures curiosity, deep thinking, and long-term personal growth rather than focusing solely on outcomes or efficiency.

Our goals for slow pedagogy in 2025:

• continue to research and explore current theories

•  complete Abecedarian training to deepen interactions between educators and children

• explore impacts of slow pedagogy on programming (look at programming goals for 2025)

• Create centre-wide universal embedded routines and rituals