Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/rethinking-stories-that-guide-our-work/5026044/
“Deep change starts with a story that shines light on the truth of the human past and shows a way forward.”
—Van Jones
Before the 2020 global pandemic, our ECE world was already teetering on a precarious brink. Now, as we pick up the shattered pieces, we have the task of examining the stories that have brought us here and discovering the ones we want to shape our future. Of course, we have long known the big stories that are finally shaping the headlines and moving into new bold government proposals—child care is part of our country’s infrastructure; the early years are critical for healthy brain development; poverty, racism, and violence leave many children in an opportunity and achievement outcome gap; if we are to truly provide quality, we need a stable, well-paid workforce.
A deeper examination of the underlying stories that shape our professional beliefs will allow us to root out any thinking that has been misguiding our actions. To play with this idea, I offer an example of uncovering shifts in my own thinking over the years, leading me to now challenge what I used to see as a sacred story for ...