Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/parents-teachers-leaders-the-cycle-of-mentoring-in-head-start/5021864/
When Clara Lopez crosses the threshold into a Head Start center in the La Villita neighborhood of Chicago, greetings ring out in Spanish and English from children and parents and staff. Everyone appreciates the opportunities Head Start has created for them �" and so does she. When Clara first entered a Head Start program in the early 1970s, she had recently come from México with a strong value of education for her two daughters, but limited formal education of her own. Knowing it was important for her children to socialize with their peers, she took the advice of a neighbor and went down to the local center. She had no idea how it would change all of their lives.While her daughters learned and grew, Clara was encouraged to participate in the program and discovered her love for working with children and families. Sharing that experience of joy and competence and achievement with others quickly became her passion. As she puts it, “The experience of comprehensive support gives parents a sense of strength in their ability to advocate and be part of the decision making about their children.” The staff of her Head Start program not only listened, but believed in and ...