Cathy's Story

Cathy’s Distance Education Story.
Cathy and her family recently moved from Eastern Canada, relocating to Yellowknife. Cathy is currently enrolled in her third course in the Early Learning and Childcare program. Her reason for enrolling in ELCC “was to open a day home and so I just wanted to have like a few things under my belt … I'm a mom of four boys … once we got here and I saw there's like a lot of other opportunities.” Although Cathy’s original plans of opening up a day home have changed, she is still interested in pursuing her ELCC certificate. “Yes [I’m still taking courses] … I want the information … [it] help[s] me be a better parent [and] will help me understand what's going on in schools here … I can utilize my previous experience, like I've been home with the kids for seven years. [I] worked before I was a mom, supporting kids and adults with special needs and that's basically what I'm doing in the school is working with exceptionalities … it's definitely challenging but I like a challenge so I'm not bored … I also like … learning I am a lifelong learner … education … keeps me motivated … being in the school was a good environment. I can apply what I'm learning.”
Cathy expressed her reasons for choosing distance education over a traditional face-to-face classroom experience. Cathy says distance education is “very convenient. I would choose this over having to go into the classroom once a week, because it just cuts the time down on getting there getting, getting home you know, and all the other stuff that would go along with meeting and so this just feels easier.” Cathy says, “I liked that option, because then I can do other things and still do schooling at the same time. And I really actually like this model, because I know some other people in town who are doing distance and they don't have [to] meet on Teams, like they don't have a group, a classroom that they think like … they just do group work together. So, I like I can see my instructor, I get to see other people, and I actually really like there are others in Yellowknife, because [it] creates like a community network that there are other people doing the same thing and it's kind of like that support system. One thing that I actually really liked when I wasn't in Ontario, I already knew people [before arriving in Yellowknife] who knew I was coming. [This is] just like a networking thing.”
Engagement.
When Cathy is asked about student engagement she says, “definitely in the classroom, at work and at school, just being able to apply and use what I learned in the course material in the classroom … it helped me with my observation, with assessing, with interacting with the kids.” Cathy’s attributes part of her level of engagement and her success to internal motivation. Cathy says, “I think part of it is my personality, I'm gonna stick to a schedule as much as possible … I find if I don't schedule things, I don't get a break, so I schedule things.” Cathy also adds, “I'm going to do those things [what’s expected of me] because…I want the knowledge not just to being something I know but something that becomes a part of me. And you know, it takes effort and so I'm definitely not someone who's just like, oh, I'm just gonna, like, let that go. No, I'm gonna make sure that they get it done. Yeah, I guess because… I value what I'm learning and so I want to put in the effort to get as much out of it as I can. And I realized too, like this, what I'm learning is a steppingstone to my future. So, I don't know where this is gonna take me, but I know it's going to take me somewhere.”
“I know that knowledge is something that goes with us, you know, again, [I am] very much a very spiritual person. We came from somewhere, we're here for a purpose. We have a certain amount of time to learn and to grow and that is part of why we're here and the knowledge we gain goes with us. Family and a marriage and stuff like that, it happened very later in life for me. I was married at 34 and so now I'm almost 42 and I do want to keep learning and so that is my motivation as to like what can I learn to do that is vital for me now and in the future. I just like learning, I think that's a big part of my success is I enjoy learning.”
Supportive Relationships.
Cathy speaks about the importance of supportive instructors and says, “I've met one of my instructors. Janna has been my instructor for the last course and that piece has also been really key because she also helped me with getting my job, I talked to her about what I was interested in pursuing and she was like, yep, I know this person, this person, this person. These are the names, this is what you can do, and that's what I did and I was like, hired the next day, like it was the best …. So I got hired, I was an EA [Educational Assistant] in the school, which I think pays better and I have the same holidays as my kids and then our home is still our home. So, I was like, this seems like a better fit for now … She’s [Janna is] amazing. She really is an educator. She does like to give it, she gets it to give it, and she knows she gives it like it comes back and that like it grows. And that's the whole point of educating, is that it builds people, builds community.”
Cathy also speaks about the importance of program supports and says, “Elrica she helped me a lot, a lot, a lot, with just you know, when I initially contacted her there was nothing open or available and she just said you know [when] something opens up [I’ll] let you know. That was how I got in just through her keeping an eye out for me at a distance. There's a friend here that we know who is been, much involved in early childhood education. She has a day home and she was my go-to person with all my questions. I also feel supported actually just through the government in terms of like what they're offering people right now with scholarships, you know, incentives for learning and so it really feels like an all around support, and my husband too you know, he's providing for the family because I was at home so he felt the burden even like providing for the family and stuff and I was like I'm home with the kids. I am not giving that up.” Cathy also credits other family members and says, “My mother-in-law is taking care of the baby and the school is like literally across the street. So, I walk five minutes to school and at lunch I come home and nurse the baby and eat and then I go back to school. And the kids and I are home at about the same time so [its] nice.” Cathy also says that having relationships with other students is “great because also one of my classmates is at the same school as me, we get to share, bounce off ideas from the material and then also like what we see in our working life.”
Assessment and Evaluation.
This year the collaborative assessment profile (CAP) has been integrated into the distance education program. Using the CAP Cathy says, “we do way more writing than I was anticipating. We're like writing all the time. Writing our experiences, are reflection … what would be the next [step] if we were to take that learning experience further which is good like that type of learning is important. But that is the grading system and so there's no testing, there's no nothing it's all like that writing piece and so I write. It's still challenging because it takes a long time but I like writing. But for someone that English is their second language and maybe they're not as proficient… that's really, really hard. So, I don't know about that. And then the content; it's really, it's good. I feel like it's up to date and easy to digest. It's coming from people who seem to have their own experience, you know, re-teaching, integrating their personal experience with the content. No, I wouldn't [like to be graded differently]. I would prefer this, I like the system. But again, I think it's because I enjoy writing and I'm also a reflective learner so I like that kind of thing.” “I can see how like a few tests here and there would be good too. But I think the whole point of it is that maybe the reading and reflecting piece helps integrate … a little bit more than just checking a box or something like that.”
Challenges.
Cathy shares her thoughts about the challenges of fitting schooling into family life and says, “I never really get a good chunk of time to do schoolwork. It's here, there. I know that I have to take those little moments so the things will get done. So, sticking to a routine like usually early [to] bed and early … [to] rise like, I'm a morning person. So 5am is my precious time where I everyone's sleeping and I can focus on a few things. So that's how I do it because at night I'm not I'm no good at night, I'm tired, I just want to go to bed. 11 o'clock… I'm done. So, I need to get up early and do stuff.” Cathy also shares about the importance of self-care and says, “It was not just sleep it's also like eating well and exercising and knowing; also having a mindset that you know I can only do what I can do, I do what I can, but it's okay that I can't do it all and so it's the mindset of that's just how it is and that's okay.” Cathy says, “I think I realized at one point like I was too focused on school, not now, like years ago. I did a nursing program in 2012 to 14, and I [didn’t]… have kids or anything at that point and I was still overwhelmed with things and I just realized like, I'm not going to get it all done. I'm going to do what I can do and that's the best I can [do] and so [do] not [get] stressed about it.”
One Word to Describe Why You are Successful.
When Cathy was asked for one word to describe herself she stated “determination. I'm determined.”
Most Important Thoughts from the Interview.
The three things Cathy wants me to remember about our conversation are: 1. [I] “would say like networking is key even at a distance. Like networking with the people in the program at a distance is key and that alone like builds community. 2. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Questions are vital for not only like the individual learning but for everyone's learning. 3. Local people taking a distance program is okay. It's a good thing.”