Passionate About Children: Time Well Spent

The scope of early childhood education is very large indeed. Over the years there have been many obstacles in the way of developing truly successful programs. The reality is that it can be overwhelming. This program has been a fantastic way of bringing into focus the complexities of early childhood education programs and then allowing me to step back so as to see the many challenges individually.

What I have learned is that before taking on the collective tasks associated with early childhood education there is a need to recognize individualize and prioritize. I learned to look at the early stages of what has today become an institution. Learning the history of early childhood education has taught me to appreciate how progress is measured and how to proceed with putting my stamp on the field.

With these things in mind one of the most important things I have learned is regarding myself and the passion I have for early childhood education. In order to keep my passion alive I must make use of many forms of motivation. I have come to realize that I can have a profound effect on the children, their parents, and the community. I learned that as a professional I have endless opportunities to influence the attitudes and outcomes for the many people I come in contact with as a result of my field.

I have in particular come to appreciate that the role of inclusion in the field of early childhood education has taken quite some time to reach the point it has; from small beginnings in the mid 1970’s up until 2015. “In the 30 years since the passage of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (PL. 94-142) in 1975 (subsequently the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) special education in the USA as an institutionalized practice has become solidified” (Disability & Society, 2007 p.63). I have learned the importance of seeing to it that every child receives a quality education. It is their right and inclusion is the law.

Yet another thing I have learned is how to form and make use of a community of practice. “A community of practice is a group of people who share a common concern, a set of problems, or interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals. CoPs often focus on sharing best practices, promoting peer learning and creating new knowledge to advance a domain of professional practice” (UNICEF, 2012). Having individuals from different professions, social statuses, businesses, and from parents to those with disabilities will offer my early childhood educational program the variety it needs to accommodate children from all types of circumstances.

As a long-term goal I would like to be involved in changing the pay scale for early childhood education teachers. In most cases, for what they do teachers are already under paid. This is an even bigger issue for early childhood education centers. When teachers receive trainings and degrees they tend to move on to better paying jobs within the school system. I would like to take salary out of the equation. This is so very important because these very early years are the most important time to get children off to a good start.

The early years are the most critical for neurological development, as the most significant brain growth occurs in the first six years of life. This is also the most critical time for building resiliency, and social and emotional foundations. The experiences of early childhood have a profound impact on the overall health and well-being of individuals throughout their lives. (T. A. Partnership, n.d.)

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the instructor, Johnna Darragh Ernst, and all of my colleagues for the wonderful experience I had as a result of this course. As an instructor you made this course challenging and at the same time inviting. I even found myself looking forward to your critiquing of my papers so that I could make adjustments and become better at writing and preparing my assignments. I found myself engaged in this course. I thought I was a little more challenged as a result of having a passion for the same subject (inclusion) as you. But I believe that I came out better able to articulate what I am feeling and thinking in this regard. Again, thank you so much for challenging me to be better. I thoroughly believe I have gotten better.

For my colleagues, with whom I have shared this challenging course, I also want thank you and let you know how much I appreciated your hard work and eye-opening responses not only to my thoughts and ideas but to everyone’s. I took to heart much of what was said by all of you and found myself anticipating what you would say as I was reading your responses. I feel like I know each and every one of you to some degree through your expressions. I also felt a camaraderie between us and believe that we actually made each other better by making us review and reconsider our thoughts and expressions. Since we all share the common thread of early childhood education it would not surprise me if we crossed each other’s path in the future. No matter what road we may take to get to the other side, some of us are bound to meet somewhere along our common journey. Some of us are bound to be the movers and shakers who are in the middle of what gets done in the field of early childhood education. Always remember, “Teaching is the profession that teaches all other professions” (Unknown). Therefore, let’s become good teachers. The staff, community, nation and the world are depending on us. We will no doubt look back and recall this shared experience which has led us to accomplish great things on behalf of those whom we are so passionate about – the children – our future!!!

(Parentbooks n.d.).

Publications like this are particularly helpful for us as we develop our diverse, quality early childhood education programs.

(Virginia Commonwealth University, n.d.)

As early childhood professionals it is up to us to gather a storehouse of information and resources to have readily available for parents, staff and stakeholders so that they can be informed and confident that our methods are tried and tested to be effective and worthy of their consideration and use with their children and the time and assets they provide. “Early intervention practitioners should be familiar with inclusive practices so that they can assist families in identifying high quality early childhood programs and services in their localities. Practitioners can also use these practices to collaborate with and support early childhood teachers and child care providers as they include children with special needs in the activities of their classrooms and home-based programs” (Virginia Commonwealth University n.d.)

(Marin County Office of Education n.d.)

The early years of a child’s life are what will ultimately have the biggest effect on the future of our children. As this course has highlighted now is the time to take what we have learned and make the world around us a better place. It has to start with the children. Years from now, 20, 30, even 40 we will reap fruitage according to what we sow in our children now.

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men” Fredrick Douglass – American Social Reformer, Writer and Statesman, (Success Degrees, 2015)

Inclusion

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops” Henry Adams – Journalist, Historian and Novelist, (Bird, 2012)

“Train a boy in the way he should go; Even when he grows old he will not depart from it” (Holy Bible).

References

Bird, Kendall, (2012). 12 Motivational Education Quotes to Inspire You, Retrieved from http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/12-motivational-education-quotes-to-inspire-you/

Connor, David J. & Ferri, Beth A. (2007). Disability & Society Vol. 22. The conflict within: resistance to inclusion and other paradoxes in special education Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/261593/The_Conflict_within_Resistance_to_Inclusion_and_Other_Paradoxes_in_Special_Education

Holy Bible, Proverbs 22:6. (717 BCE) New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures 2013 Edition, Retrieved from http://www.jw.org/en/publications/bible/nwt/books/proverbs/22/

Marin County Office of Education (n.d.) Building the Future…One Student at a Time.Early Childhood Education. Retrieved from http://www.marinschools.org/ECE/Pages/default.aspx

Parentbooks, (n.d.) ECE Program Planning & Administration, Featured Books. Retrieved from http://www.parentbooks.ca/ECE_Program_Planning_&_Administration.html

Success Degrees: Online Learning That Works, (2015). Inspirational Quotes & Quotations on Early Childhood Education for Teachers, Retrieved from http://www.successdegrees.com/inspirationalquotesaboutearlychildhoodeducationandteaching.html

T. A. Partnership, (n.d.) Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health, Early Childhood Community of Practice Retrieved from http://www.tapartnership.org/COP/earlyChildhood/

UNICEF, (2012) International Step by Step Association, Unite for Children, Community of Practice: Early Childhood Education Quality Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/Erin_Tanner_Community_of_Practice_Athens12.pdf

Virginia Commonwealth University (n.d.). Virginia Early Intervention Professional Development Center, Inclusive Practices Retrieved from http://www.veipd.org/main/sub_inclusive_practice.html