Mirella Trozzo

Education and Qualifications:

Early Childhood Educator; First Aid Certified; Food Safe Certified and a Mother.

Occupation in FFNS:

Early Childhood Education (ECE)

a bunch of white flowers on a white background

About the Educator:

My name is Mirella Trozzo. I was born in Italy and travelled across the Atlantic Ocean by boat with my Mamma when I was 3 months old, arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia, three weeks later. From there, we travelled by train to Guelph, Ontario, where I was raised. Italian is my first language, and I am very proud of my heritage.

I am the oldest of five children and grew up helping care for my younger siblings. My Father always had a large food garden, and my Mamma was both a wonderful cook and a talented seamstress who inspired me greatly and taught me about different fabrics, creativity, and homemaking.

In 1981, I moved to British Columbia and quickly fell in love with the mountains, forests, and the Pacific Ocean. I met my husband, Frank, while working in Vancouver in 1994, and we later settled in Qualicum Beach. We have two adult sons, Luigi and Anthony, who both live and work in Victoria.

Before entering the childcare field, I operated a commercial kitchen from our garage for 20 years, wholesaling products and selling at local markets while also being a stay-at-home mom. I obtained my Early Childhood Education Certificate through Pacific Rim Children’s Institute and have been working in childcare centres since January 2021.

I am very passionate about working with children and witnessing their growth and development. I love creating warm, inviting spaces where children feel encouraged to express themselves through play, art, creativity, and nature.

Philosophy:

I believe children are capable, curious, and competent learners in all environments, especially in nature. Being free to move, explore, and experience the outdoors allows children to connect with their sense of wonder and engage all of their senses.

I practice the Reggio Emilia philosophy, where careful observation of children’s play helps guide my understanding of each child’s development. Through these observations, I strive to create meaningful learning opportunities that support the whole child and build upon their interests and natural curiosities.

I strongly value both literacy and numeracy and enjoy incorporating them naturally into the children’s day through play and everyday experiences. I enjoy offering open-ended materials and sensory experiences such as clay, weaving, beading, fabrics, fibres, paint exploration, playdough with essential oils, provocations, and small world play.

I have spent many years collecting resources that I use both in the classroom and while caring for children in my home. I especially enjoy creating process art experiences and hands-on invitations that encourage creativity, exploration, and imagination. In our backyard, I have created a potion station that children love to engage with and explore.

I feel immensely privileged to work and live within our beautiful Pacific Northwest community and the Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. I look forward to fostering children’s growth and development in all areas while helping them build confidence, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.