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Yes We Can!
May 29, 2009
Give up being right. Instead radiate peace, harmony, love and laughter from your heart.
-Deepak Chopra
-Deepak Chopra
"America has inaugurated a new President, and, thanks to modern technology, we were all there. Actually there should have been a special grandstand for early childhood personnel along the parade route with a poster in front proclaiming: “We helped achieve President Obama’s Victory.” Probably few of the pundits analyzing voting patterns will give the early childhood field much credit for the victory, but we deserve our share. This realization came to me on election night as I watched those exultant young adult voters in Grant Park in Chicago, many of whom were voting for the first time, celebrating their role in the victory. And, indeed, they had a right to do so, as young adults overwhelmingly chose Candidate Obama and helped put him over the top. As I watched their glee I could not suppress the slightly arrogant reaction, “Those are my children, and the children of countless co-workers in early childhood, grown up and functioning as effective citizens.” Granted, not all of them attended one of our programs, but many of them undoubtedly did. And, without the kind of start we helped them obtain, they might not have cared who got elected. We not only believed in them, but we set about designing programs and conducting research to demonstrate the correctness of our beliefs. It was a good feeling, and every worker in the child care and education vineyard should share it. President Obama may not know about our role in his election, but we should be aware of and celebrate it."
Exchange is proud to sell Debra Sullivan's book on developing new leaders, Learning to Lead: Effective Leadership Skills for Teachers of Young Children. Learning to Lead combines accessible leadership theory and practice with important topics and issues such as human development, diversity, anti-bias, work with families, and social change. Each chapter is built around a combination of theories, examples, and reflection questions — all designed to prompt self-evaluation and personal leadership development.
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Comments (9)
Displaying All 9 CommentsChildren\'s World CDC
Alamogordo, NM, United States
The slogan "Yes We Can" "Si Se Puede" Spanish translation, has been used in the country of Mexico for the past 3 decades. It is remarkable how the slogan came to our country. Could it be that we humans think alike when we have a wish?
I don't chare your flare. Mr. Obana has to prove himself before I can have the same opinion of him as you do.
Park Play Daycare
Verona, WI, United States
I did not vote for Pr. Obama and since he has declared death to thousands of preborn children by abortion on demand, without any feeling of remorse, I don't share your enthusiasm. He has yet to prove himself as a person who respects human life.
Taking credit? No Thanks
United States
We are all welcome to our opinions but....
My take on this article is that we should all feel the same way about our new president elect because we are early childhood professionals.
Well as an early childhood professional I choose to think for myself and I feel that Bettye should not assume that we all feel the way she does because of our chosen profession.
I believe this is called independent thinking.
Watch Us Grow Children\'s Village
Menomonie, WI, United States
I am in the Early Childhood field and I for one did not vote for Obama, to state that all early childhood educators voted for him and should be proud of the fact is putting all teachers in one category and that is wrong. We are all individuals with the right to vote for whoever we want, not just because we are teachers we all voted alike.
USC amd SMC
Los Angeles, CA, United States
I really enjoyed reading Bettye Caldwell's piece. As both an ECE director (over 25 years) and an adjunct college instructor (14 years) there are two things that I try to teach/share. The first is "creating awarenes," and once that happens, it is "connecting the dots!" I loved it that Dr. Caldwell did it the opposite way for readers of this article. She connected our history with young children to adults and the who's, what's and where's and then created that piece of awareness of how powerful our work has been. Bravo!
OMEP-USA
Washington, DC, United States
Education and social services have long been controversial issues in the United States. Social Security that everyone now expects to receive was created in 1935; many people who received payments later in life fought against the original legislation as to socialistic.
My point for those who wrote the 3 comments and to my colleague, Bettye Caldwell? Every ECE forum, especially those who publish journals, is a "bully pulpit" (this from Teddy, the other Roosevelt president). Publishers and editors like those at Exchange are eager to hear from the rest of us, the readers, who can disagree without fear of arrest or worse. Advocates interpret, sometimes in wildly different directions, but use their right to speak up. Be thankful that Exchange offers a dialogue, not just a monologue to early childhood educators to speak their minds such a highly political subject as early education. How do Americans "improve education for young children and share new ideas and research," but with political action, i.e., voting for lawmakers who support ECE? Remember, ECE regulations, subsidies, and many research grants to programs for young children are sponsored by state and federal governments.
Kiddie Prep School
Fort Wayne, IN, United States
Once again, Exchange has chose to publish an article that is politically divisive and that is why I refuse to renew my subscription to the magazine.
United States
I agree with the previous post. I too am offended to be included in "celebrating our role" in the election. I thought this forum was about improving education for young children and sharing new ideas and research - not as a political action committee for one candidate.
United States
I am saddened by the narrowminded thoughts of this author. I did not celebrate the election of Mr. Obama, and if you are from the city of Chicago, you understand there is little to celebrate when it comes to education of our children. We need to, as educators, celebrate the process, not the results. If we are celebrating results, than we are putting our personal feeling before our professional responsibilities, and should not be working with children.
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