In her article, "Celebrating Teachers and Their Works," which is included in the Exchange Essentials, How to Motivate Staff (which you can download for free today - see below), Margie Carter talks about the challenges of celebrating the great work of teachers in a field withe financial limitations. She offers a number of suggestions including...
"How do we provide a place in our programs, indeed in our communities, which honors the work and contributions of teachers, one which really translates into an internal sense of celebration for a teacher, or a public recognition which is meaningful to the individual as well as the child care profession at large? ... What if teachers got that kind of continued recognition, affirmation, and attention called to their questions, their thinking, projects, and accomplishments? What might it look like?
"I picture walking into a program with documentation and displays of teachers' lives and work, side by side with that of the children's. This would bring about genuine recognition - and also a sense that our programs are really about human development, not just child development. It would serve to connect the daily lives of the children and their teachers - and also build community with the parents as they see the teachers for who they are, as opposed to faceless baby-sitters or lifeless nannies."
Today you can download a free copy of the Exchange Essential, How to Motivate Staff, a $12 value, by clicking here.
Comments (4)
Displaying All 4 CommentsGinaGercenFal
Ohio, United States
Hi I'm Gina.
I'm mother of two wonderful 10 years sons. Their father has left us 8 years ago.
I have a question, maybe some of you can help me?
At what age should a parent teach their son about sex education if there is no father around or would it be better for the child to have a male family member to do this?
It really bothers me because i've found adult magazine in Their room.
Will be happy to hear any advice.
House of Neuville Jewels
Dallas, TX, United States
Many interest stations or centers need to be around the classroom, so that children, during their work/play time (at least 45 minutes per day) can be thoroughly nosy...;) We taught children through their interests, and would do a theme on spiders, for example, if the children found some and were fascinated. We would write class stories about spiders, make spider "everything" covering all content areas, count spiders, draw spiders, paint spiders, make spider hats, sing spider songs, eat children-made spider treats for snacks and so on.
When the spider fever ran it's course, invariably some other child would come up with another discovery we'd go with. All areas of the curriculum were touched upon through the child's interest-driven curriculum. A very specific classroom culture was developed, with each child playing a contributive role based on their interests-just a wonderful experience for parents, teachers and children. So the key to that curriculum was the adults in the classroom really listening and paying attention to each child's interests, to help plan and extend the curious ulum-a very exciting and effective way to teach. There was always a "buzz" in the classroom with the children, as to the day's conversations, what happened at home, pet stories, sibling stories. The classroom was truly owned by the children. The adults were the shared partners in their learning, and facilitators and encouragers of the children's ideas and imaginations!
United States
There is one very special way to honor early childhood professionals and that's with a Bammy Award (www.bammyawards.org). It's a wonderful way to honor someone's contribution to the field and to shine a light on all that is right in American education. Nominations are being accepted for the next 28 days. Sadly, very few have come in for ece program staff. I hope that will change, beginning today.
New Hampshire, United States
In scanning some of this it is nice to know that I do many of these things--one half of my staff of 20 people have been with me over 15 years. Through pay cuts, benefit cuts and all they have stuck with the program because they believe in what we do and I would like to believe, because as their director I encourage them through the bad times as well as the good. It is so hard to be a director--hats off to the directors who can keep their staff members happy and motivated--it is a challenge!! These articles though have given me a few more ideas to get through the next few years before I leave my office to the next director!!
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