Teacher Love

“An important part of our work is to build relationships with each child who comes to spend time in our program, deep and real relationships in which love is an essential ingredient,” write Bethica Quinn and Rosalina Rodriguez in their popular new book, Treasures in the Thicket. “Asking children to spend their childhood in environments without love is unthinkable. If we are not going to love children in preschool, then we need to close all preschools.

Teacher love is different from parent love, however, and has its own limits and boundaries. Teacher love says to a child: I see you and I delight in who you are today, and I take joy in the chance to help you grow into the person who you will be tomorrow, even though I may never have the opportunity to know that person. We are called upon to form this loving bond with each child, year after year, and to do that we need strategies for seeing each child with delight. Opening our eyes and our hearts to what they can tell us through their art is a powerful strategy.”

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.

© 2005 Child Care Information Exchange - All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Return to Site