That’s one super important thing we need more of in the world, support for early childhood teachers.
Yes, I want to support the kids who exhibit “challenging behavior” (kicking, biting, tantrums, yelling, hitting, running out of the classroom and throwing chairs)....but first and foremost my mission is to support YOU.
If preschool teachers don’t feel supported in their work - if they don’t have the time, tools, and resources necessary to be the teachers they want to be - then how on earth can they be truly effective in supporting children who exhibit a little bit of challenging behavior let alone some of the more extreme and chronic behaviors that I know many of you see
In the last decade I have seen so many changes in our field: cities and states allocating money for publicly funded preK…...initiatives to improve the “quality” of early childhood education….a slowly growing public recognition of the importance of the early years.
But yet, how has this helped early childhood professionals?
...the preschool teacher working in a church basement? ...the owner of a small independently owned child care center? ...Head Start teachers and the managers, directors, and coaches that support them? ...our public school preK teachers?
How much of a better world would we have - and how much better off would children be (including or especially those that kick, bite, tantrum, yell, run out of the room and throw chairs) - if, as a field and as a society we truly figured out how to provide daily support to those of you working in our early childhood classrooms?
I’m thrilled that this last year has brought a recognition of the work that so many people in our lives do - grocery workers, warehouse workers, everyone doing the deliveries, health care workers (of course) and the many others we count on day to day.
But in the last year I haven’t seen nearly enough public discourse about the specific and difficult circumstances of teaching toddlers online...or trying to get the three-year-olds to distance and keep their masks on (just to touch on the tip of the iceberg in terms of daily challenges).
Yes, I want you all to get paid more for this unbelievable feat you have taken on in the last year.
...and yes I think the government should step in to make that happen (even before the pandemic)...but also where is the SUPPORT?
...like, true support, time and resources to help you...so that you can help the children and families you serve.
...time to plan, time to rest...time to learn...time to reflect - more out-of-ratio time for all the things.
….and what about training and resources about how to take care of yourself in mind, body and spirit...and training on how to support children and families who are experiencing extreme hardship, economic insecurity, housing insecurity, and so much more.
Where is the funding, training and resources for early childhood professionals to learn about how best to support children who have experienced trauma, who may be experiencing loss and grief...or just simply support and training for how best to talk to children about everything going on in the world...and how best to handle virtual learning with preschoolers and toddlers.
My vision is for all of you who have dedicated yourselves to the children and families you serve (sometimes at your own expense) to have the training, time, support, and resources you want...and need.
If you want that too let me know in the comments what your vision for supporting early childhood teachers looks like…
What do you want or need to feel supported? ...to be the teacher you want to be? ...do you already experience that now? Tell us about it in the comments below.
And, thank you for the work you do.