Building a More Just and Caring Society

02/09/2023

Building a More Just and Caring Society

If I could jumpstart every child's life... I would engage in one-on-one conversation, listen with all my being to whatever the child says, and continue to dialogue for as long as the child engages.
Ann Lewin-Benham, education leader and author, 1939-2023

In a recent article published by NAEYC, Barbara Blender and Eliana Elias* share stories they collected from educators during the pandemic:

It was during this time of fear, pain, and confusion that the two of us began to meet with teachers to exchange stories of resiliency and unfairness…

One of the clearest messages we received from the educators we interviewed is how they see their role beyond the narrow expectations assigned to them by our school systems and society. Often, early childhood education is defined in economic terms: politicians who advocate for comprehensive early care and education frequently use the argument that it will prepare our children to enter school and eventually become more productive workers. In addition, families, particularly women, will join the workforce and make economic contributions to our society.

However, this purely economic emphasis on early learning is not the only vision reflected in the thinking of the educators we interviewed. These teachers see themselves as champions of children’s rights within a more just and caring society—a society that starts being built the minute children are introduced to the community beyond their homes. We found that the standards these educators set for themselves are often much higher than what is attributed to them. They are not, as many think, merely “watching” or “minding” children.

Early childhood educators nurture the seeds of a more democratic and equitable society. Their values and intense commitment to social justice are interwoven into all of the stories they shared with us. As Misa Okayama says: “I have come to understand our work in early childhood education and our everyday life with children as a political act. We are building democracy from the ground up.”

*Elias is an Exchange Leader. She and her colleagues, also known as the Frogs, were featured on the July/August 2021 cover of Exchange magazine.

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