Year: 2018 – Province: Quebec
Certificate of Achievement Recipient
Centre de la petite enfance Le Pitchounet
655 avenue Outremont
Montréal, QC H2V 3M8
Telephone: 514-273-6034
Website: http://www.pitchounet.org/ (in French only)
Type of setting: Daycare for children ages 0 to 5 years
Royal Gauthier is one of a kind. Leaving a factory job to go back to school to become an educator was quite a challenge, but one he met with gusto. The touch of madness he carries with him inspires children to learn, discover and find out who they are in fun and creative ways. The relationships he forges not just with his protégés, but also with their parents and the entire community, perfectly embody the saying "It takes a village to raise a child."
Philosophy of care
Royal believes that it is easier for children to learn when they are transported to an imaginary world where anything is possible—what he calls "the trigger." As such, he uses his imagination and the children's to come up with crazy or even outlandish ideas for developing themes and exploring the daycare's learning areas.
Support of child development
- Created the "magic circle," a daily morning discussion during which the children share how they feel or talk about "hot topics" that affect them
- Adapts his approach to the interests of the children in each group he teaches: if they love hockey, Royal is all in and will find any excuse to imagine a skating rink ... even in summer
- Takes children to local sites and shops so they can discover fruits and vegetables, how chocolate is made or the world of flowers
- Pays special attention to children with special needs, boosting their confidence, and helping them accomplish things and develop new skills
Involvement with parents, families and the community
- Solicits parent participation by telling them about the interests their children have been showing and about the world they will be exposed to over the coming months; parents, in turn, contribute by bringing in books, games and disguises
- Merchants and employees of neighbourhood parks look forward to the children's arrival every year so they can do their part to contribute to the daycare's success
- Creates common projects for the entire centre, such as the Bal en Blanc and collecting candy from stores for Halloween; this encourages both colleagues and parents to get more involved
Rave reviews
"Royal often starts with an idea that snowballs and ends up being shared with everyone he meets."