2026 Flight-AECEA Living Moments of Pedagogy Award

The submission will demonstrate how the nominee:

• Embeds Flight into their daily practices by:
  • Seeing children as mighty learners and citizens—strong, capable, and resourceful, highlighting the dispositions to learn presented in Flight.
  • Using co-inquiry (notice, name, and nurture) and/or responsive environments (time, space, materials, and participation) to shape emergent learning and care experiences.
  • Considering the holistic play-based goals for planning and documentation.
• Engages in reflective practice and ongoing learning by:
  • Continuously reflects upon and refines their practice.
  • Applying professional learning meaningfully in their work.
• Makes a positive impact on children, families, and communities by:
  • Building meaningful relationships with children.
  • Engaging families as partners in responsive ways.
  • Collaborating with community partners to enrich early learning and care experiences.
• Documents children’s learning effectively by:
  • Using documentation to make children’s experiences and learning visible, and to provoke pedagogical reflection and inquiry.
  • Sharing documentation with children and families to foster co-learning, co-researching, and co-imagining possibilities.
• Upholds inclusion and responsiveness by:
  • Honouring and reflecting the diverse identities of children and families in their work.
  • Implementing inclusive practices that ensure all voices and experiences are respected and valued.

The successful applicant will receive a custom Flight certificate, with artwork featuring the Great Horned Owl, an original piece created for Dr. Lee Makovichuk by Sandra Garcia of Art & Anvil, public recognition, and acknowledgment in the field.

To be eligible, nominees must:

• Hold a current AECEA professional membership.
• Have a minimum of two (2) years of early learning and child care experience in Alberta.
• Hold a Level 1, 2, or 3 Early Childhood Educator certification in Alberta.
• Be a resident of Alberta.
• Acknowledge the Award Nomination application and consent to the public sharing of their application for recognition purposes.
• Have completed the Flight course.

The Flight-AECEA Living Moments of Pedagogy Award is administered in accordance with the following guidelines. By participating in the nomination process, nominators and nominees are deemed to have read and understood these requirements.

Eligibility of Nominators

• Nominators must:
  • be a resident of Alberta
  • be 18 years of age or older
  • not be related to the nominee
• Nominators must have direct knowledge of the nominee’s contributions to the field.
• Individuals may nominate an educator on their own behalf or on behalf of an Alberta-based organization or agency.

Nomination Requirements

• Nominations must be submitted with the digital consent of the nominee.
• Nominations must be complete and submitted by the stated deadline.
• Nominations that are incomplete or do not comply with these guidelines may be disqualified.

Submission and Materials

• All nominations and supporting materials become the property of AECEA and will not be returned.
• AECEA is not responsible for incomplete, inaccurate, lost, or late nominations.

Privacy and Use of Information

• Selection and publicity related to the award will be conducted in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act.

Consent and Participation

By digitally signing the nomination form, each nominator and nominee:

• agrees to abide by the guidelines that govern the Flight-AECEA Living Moments of Pedagogy Award
• consents to having their photograph taken for award-related publicity purposes
• consents to the use of their name, community, photograph, and nomination materials in any award-related publicity carried out by the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta
• consents to participate in award-related activities and functions, including the award ceremony, if selected as the recipient

• The award recipient is chosen by the 2026 Award Selection Committee, composed of representatives from the AECEA Board of Directors and representatives from the Flight Practice Advisory Council.
• Decisions made by the Award Selection Committee are final.