Fresh Perspectives on ECE Appreciation: An Interview with Anisha Angella

Anisha Grossett • October 2, 2023

Anisha Angella is an entrepreneur, author, Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), and ECE leadership coach on a mission to elevate and empower the ECE community. She has spent years in the classroom, in senior management, and now as the founder and CEO of The Early Childhood Coach. 


In honor of Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day (October 17, 2023), Anisha gives her insights on cultivating a community that supports and appreciates each other today and throughout the year. 


You lead several workshops on appreciation in the ECE community. What makes this topic so meaningful to you? 


Early childhood educators (ECEs) deserve more appreciation for their work. They play a major part in raising children, but society doesn’t acknowledge their essential role. A child might come into a program as an infant and spend 35-40 hours per week with educators until they leave at age 4. Educators have a huge impact in prepping children for school. Kids don’t magically learn to cooperate in a classroom environment; ECEs are building that essential foundation!


We also need more emphasis on showing appreciation in addition to recognition. Recognition is a pat on the back, or a thank you for doing your job, whereas appreciation is individualized and supports people for who they are. Many leaders need help with how to appreciate their team members authentically. You can have the best intentions, but a new approach is necessary if your efforts don’t resonate with staff.


Can you share more about your vision for year-long appreciation?


Celebrating ECE appreciation in October is a great start. But October should be just the beginning! Appreciation becomes more meaningful when it’s not set on a specific day. Leaders can look for spontaneous opportunities to appreciate their staff. ECEs and leaders have lots of conversations about educators’ goals. Goal achievement is the perfect opportunity to say congratulations and acknowledge the amazing job they are doing. 


Another great way to continue year-round appreciation is to involve the whole community. Work with families, children, and other staff members to create multiple avenues of appreciation. The ultimate goal is to build a community of appreciation, but it can’t be done in one day or one month of the year. 



What are some unique ideas for ECE communities and supervisors to show their team appreciation this month? 

  • One of my favorite ideas is having an appreciation wall at your childcare centre. Parents, leaders, and other educators can add sticky notes to it that shout out an employee. This is a great way to get families involved in building a community of appreciation throughout the year.
  • Remember to take time to add personal sentiments to cards so you can tell them how much they are appreciated. 
  • Group outings can be fun, but if you choose an outing to celebrate your educators, make sure it’s something they want to do! 
  • Many celebrations revolve around food. If you have a team member with dietary restrictions or allergies, make sure there is a dish specifically for them to acknowledge that they are an important part of the team. 
  • One of the best (and easiest) ideas is to ask people how they want to be appreciated! 


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How can ECE leaders incorporate more thoughtful ways to show appreciation despite time and budget constraints? 

We have a workshop for that! It’s all about learning the different love languages from books by Dr. Gary Chapman. We introduce his work and translate it into the ECE world. The take-home is that you can make things much easier for yourself if you know each team member’s love language. If their love language is words of affirmation, gift cards are great, but they really want to hear positive feedback from you. 


Many companies spend money on extravagant gifts and expensive events. That might be great for people who love gifts, but gifts might not work for someone who prefers words of affirmation. Even for someone whose love language is gifts, it will depend on the gift! A designer bag will not be meaningful to an educator who doesn’t even carry a purse. 


>> Create a community of appreciation right away with our Love Languages workshop!



What are the fundamental steps educators and ECE staff must take to build a culture of appreciation every day? 

First and foremost, make sure you communicate in ways that facilitate positive change. Leaders are the foundation of a community of appreciation. Aim to make 90% of your communication with staff positive and 10% constructive criticism. Instead of saying, “You didn’t do this right,” use more positive words like, “I’m sharing this information to help you grow,” so they know you support them. 

Leaders can also set the standard of appreciation for educators with each other. Encourage positive language among ECEs as coworkers so they are supporting each other. It’s all about how you approach one another. 


The best way to show appreciation year-round is to be consistent, keep it simple, get everybody on board, and book a workshop so you can understand everyone’s appreciation language!


>> Join the conversation! Head over to our Facebook group and let us know your favorite ways of sharing appreciation. 


As we celebrate Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, let’s vow to build a culture of year-round appreciation in our ECE communities. Implement these ideas today and witness the powerful impact of authentic appreciation!

 

Back to School Starts with You: Preparing Yourself for a New School Year as an ECE

By Anisha Grossett • August 19, 2026
As summer winds down and a new program year approaches, many early childhood educators find themselves making lists, reorganizing materials, labeling bins, and preparing for a new group of students. Don’t get me wrong, all these things are important. They create an environment where children can thrive. But before your students come through the door, it’s worth checking in with yourself. How are you preparing yourself? Remember, it’s a new program year for you too. Yes, preparing the classroom space and materials are important, but you’re just as important to your students’ learning. The relationships we build, the way we respond, and the curiosity we bring shape children’s experience every day. So, let’s invest time in preparing our mindset, intentions and well-being. Reflect Before You Reset: Every new year offers a fresh opportunity to reflect on the previous one. Ask yourself: What brought me the most joy last year? What challenges did I face? What would I like to do differently? Which routines supported children well, and which could be improved? How did I grow as an educator? Reflection isn’t about dwelling on mistakes. It’s about recognizing what you’ve learning and carrying those lessons forward. Small adjustments can still have a big impact. Reconnect with Your “Why” When schedules become busy and paperwork piles up, it’s easy to slip into simply getting through each day. Before the pace picks up, take a moment to reconnect with the reason you chose this profession. This is a grounding exercise and there’s a reason we talk about it often. Perhaps it’s witnessing a child’s excitement when they solve a problem, or it’s supporting families through important milestones, or creating a place where every child feels they belong. Keeping your purpose at the forefront can help guide decisions through the year and provide perspective during more challenging moments. Prepare for Relationships, Not Just Routines The children in your care won’t remember perfectly organized shelves, but they will remember how they felt in your care. The first few weeks are about much more than learning routines. They’re about building trust. So, let’s be intentional. After all, relationships are the foundation of any learning environment. Think about how you will: Welcome families into your program Help children feel safe and connected Create opportunities for every child to experience success Leave Space for Flexibility It’s natural to want to be organized and prepared before the first day. But don’t forget that some of the most meaningful learning experiences happen when we follow children’s curiosity rather than our own agenda. A well-prepared educator is also a flexible educator. Leave room in your plans for unexpected discoveries, spontaneous conversations, and the interests children bring with them. These moments often become the most memorable because you’ve followed the children’s lead. Check In with Yourself The beginning of a new year or having a new group of students often comes with excitement – but it can also bring pressure. As you care for the children, remember to care for yourself. Are you setting realistic expectations? Do you need to have more recovery time the first few weeks of a new routine? What boundaries will help you maintain balance? Reflection on what helps support your personal well-being. Make a list of people you can turn to when you need support, either in the classroom or out of it. Embrace a Learning Mindset Children aren’t the only learners in the classroom. Every new group of students, every family, and every experience is an opportunity for growth professionally. Rather than striving for perfection or the appearance of perfection, make curiosity the priority. A Fresh Start for Everyone The carefully prepared learning environment is important but so is your warmth, your responsiveness, your patience and your willingness to learn alongside the children in your care. This is what truly creates a place where children can thrive. So, before you organize one more bin in the art cabinet or make another label, take a moment to prepare the most important part of your classroom – you. The year ahead won’t be perfect, and it doesn’t need to be. It simply needs an educator who is reflective, present and ready to build meaningful relationships one day, one child, one family at a time. Here’s to a year filled with curiosity, connection, growth and joy – for both the children in your care and for you. We’ll be rooting for you!

The Difference Between Good Intentions and Impact

By Anisha Grossett • July 29, 2026
As Early Childhood Educators, we enter our classrooms with hearts full of good intentions. We want every child to feel safe, valued, respected, and included. And that matters. Good intentions are often what bring us to this profession. But in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work, there is an important truth we must embrace: Good intentions do not always lead to positive impact. This does not mean our intentions don't matter. They absolutely do! The research on implicit bias reminds us that even well-intentioned educators can unknowingly make decisions influenced by unconscious assumptions rather than their conscious values. In other words, we can genuinely care about children and families while still unintentionally causing harm (Safir, 2016; Staats, 2015). The goal isn't perfection. The goal is critical reflection. To truly support the children, families, and communities in our care, we must move beyond simply meaning well and intentionally pair our good intentions with reflection, awareness, presence, and action. Understanding Unintentional Harm Most moments of unintentional harm are not rooted in malice. They are often rooted in habit, assumptions, tradition, or simply not knowing what we don't know. Unintentional harm can show up in many ways. Below are three examples educators may encounter in their everyday practice. The definitions are informed by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion's (CCDI) Glossary of DEIA Terms , an excellent resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of inclusive language and practice.