Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/what-needs-fixing-a-conversation-with-joyce-jackson-and-veronica-reynoso/5024588/
People come into the early childhood field for different reasons, but all share a common desire to better the lives of children. Many are eager to offer what they missed out on in their own childhoods or conversely, to pass on favorite parts of their growing up. People may see the work as service, a calling, or perhaps an avenue for their interest in psychology, sociology, or brain development. Most people employed in early childhood see theirs as meaningful work, despite all the challenges.
I have especially loved discovering all the different ways my ECE colleagues approach working with anti-bias, social and economic justice values. In the various interviews I have done for Exchange articles over the years, you will find some terrific examples.
Working with Families
Julie Olsen Edwards says, “If you care about children, you have to care about their families, and caring about families means you have to care about the conditions in which they live and the context which shapes their lives and parenting.” ECE professionals have shown in a variety of ways how they have come to recognize bias and paternalism embedded in approaches to “parent education,” particularly for families in poverty. They’ve ...