The Profession of Early Childhood Education

On my morning run I was confronted with the headline: Dirty little secrets: Abuse in daycares in one of my city’s largest newspapers. I collected small pieces of information along my route; however, it was not until I entered my office that I had the opportunity to grasp the full impact of this extensive article on the apparent state of child care. The article targeted the worst fear of parents… that each day, while parents work, children are exposed to less than adequate conditions for healthy child development.

As a teacher of future Early Childhood Educators, I am concerned about preparing students to meet the challenges of their profession. Today, I’m concerned about the morale of our students as they consider themselves in relationship to potential colleagues. Here are some of the items I see as crucial in the educational experiences of individuals preparing to be teachers of young children.

• Teach the jurisdictional regulations, yet encourage individuals to provide more than law requires;
• Use professional language (e.g., child care teachers rather than day care staff);
• Visit and evaluate practicum sites prior to placements; visit students regularly as they learn their craft;
• Teach students to always focus on the needs of the children even when it may be difficult or unpopular; and
• Share that “the most important question in the world is, ‘Why is the child crying?’” – Alice Walker

Contributed by Dr. Laurie McNelles - Mothercraft

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