Creating Your Own Beloved Community

"Relationships are at the core of all we do," writes Rukia Monique Rogers in an article that provides the foundation for a new Exchange Reflections, "Creating a Beloved Community in Your Organization."

"This belief has influenced the way we design our environment, routines, traditions, and celebrations we develop for our school culture. Drawing on Indigenous and African wisdom, we mentally try to tear down the walls of our classrooms and think of ourselves as a village, rather than individual classrooms. We have moved past thinking of ourselves as professionals who do not get personal in our relationships with families, because how can we be in relationships without making connections with families in very deep ways, knowing their hopes and dreams, their ancestors, and so on?"

Rogers encourages everyone involved in the field of early care and education, from pre-service teachers, to home childcare providers, to administrators and staff of large and small programs, to consider carefully what kind of community they would like to create as they work with families and children. She provides a stirring vision of what could be possible; this new Reflections provides tools for considering how to put that vision into practice.

Speaking of community, the National Association for the Education of Young Children is inviting the early childhood community to engage in A Day Without Child Care: A National Day of Action to help bring awareness to the importance of early care and education programs. Check out the link and let us know your reaction to their many suggestions. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

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

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