Advocacy

There is more to caring about children than simply devoting myself to the welfare of my own children, or even those of my larger circle of friends or community. It's more than volunteering in my children's schools, or getting them to appointments and lessons, or sending them to camp. In order to really stand up for children, I must advocate for the welfare of all children.

Advocacy for children as an Early Childhood Education (ECE) professional or parent includes not only advocating for the children in one’s home, classroom or center, but advocating for all children. Though I am not currently teaching, I keep informed as to the issues regarding early childhood care, and contact my legislators as appropriate. I read books, websites and newspaper articles on issues related to early childhood, and discuss them with my friends, my children’s teachers, school administrators and community leaders. I write and call my elected representatives, at the national, state and local level. I vote in every election. Children cannot vote, so it is up to concerned adults to keep these issues in the public eye. We now know so much about the importance of ECE issues, since these are critical learning years for children’s futures, Since so many children are in some form of child care or preschool now due to more mothers in the workforce, it is incumbent on all of us to advocate for quality early childhood programs. It is also cost effective for society, since every dollar spent on high quality, research-based programs saves many more dollars in the cost of later interventions.

Best qualities in early childhood teachers...

Here again I put on my early childhood educator hat, and share some thoughts about what makes a good preschool teacher. There are many important qualities that a great early childhood teacher must have, but two of the most important, in my opinion, are caring and flexibility.

To be a caring teacher means to really see each child as an individual, and to try to connect with him or her as a person. We must look below the surface and see what makes each child unique. We must get to know their gifts and their challenges (for every one of us has both), and help them have the best class experience possible. Preschool is often their first school experience, and may set the tone for everything that follows. In order for them to see school as a positive place where they are valued and their specialness is treasured, we must exhibit caring every day. This is far more important that whether they leave knowing how to count to 20, or naming all the colors. It is said that, even with adults, in every interaction, people may forget what you said, but they remember how you made them FEEL. Another person suggested that being a good listener is important, and I believe this is part of caring, too. To really listen to a child is a gift. So often in life we are busy, busy, busy, and it is hard to stop and truly listen, but it may be the most powerful thing we can do.

Another important quality is flexibility, so that we can adapt our teaching to the situation, work with different learning styles, and create lessons around ideas that emerge from the students themselves. Every class is a little bit different than every other class, and every child is unique. Many factors can affect the climate of a particular class, and we need to be ready to adapt. Also, individual children may need different things from us. A child who is very shy may need to be drawn out gently, while a child who is boisterous and active may need help settling down at quiet times. A lonely child may need help learning how to make friends, and a child who is going through a family crisis may need extra nurturing. In every case, we need to be ready to be flexible enough to make the most of every situation.

A great school is one where a child feels welcome, where there is developmentally-appropriate curriculum, and where the child and the family feel like members of a community. Some studies I’ve seen have revealed that when a child feels a connection with the teacher, learning is enhanced and social skills improve. It is important that every child feels valued.

An early childhood educator's response to stress.

In my forum here today, I take a break from telling the stories of my own life, and address in a more general way various issues that have to do with early childhood. This is something I wrote for a class I took on building self-esteem in young children. It is written from the perspective of an early childhood educator, and is a discussion of the warning signs of stress in children and what teachers or caregivers can do to respond to a child's stress.

Many things cause stress in life. As adults, work, relationships, money, and the time crunches we all experience can cause stress. In my own life, some of the things that help relieve stress are getting out in nature, walking or biking, playing with my kids (unless they are the ones causing my stress!), getting involved in a hobby (mine’s scrapbooking), reading a good book, or calling a friend.

Many kinds of things, large and small, can cause stress in a child’s life. Stress can be caused by death or serious illness in the family, divorce or custody changes, moving (across town or around the world), getting a new sibling, family money troubles, parents arguing a lot, being bullied, learning a new language, having a learning disability or developmental delay, being abused (mentally, physically, sexually), witnessing abuse of another, not having the “right” clothes, being excluded, feeling shy, not knowing new routines, a parent leaving for a business trip, toilet training, a friend moving away, or many other reasons. A child experiencing stress may become withdrawn, act aggressive, seem depressed, have toilet accidents (when previously able to stay dry), regress to babyish behavior, be unusually clingy or whiny, cry more easily than usual, act overly silly, be quick to anger or take offense, be unable to sit still, or want to hide. It seems to me that any uncharacteristic behavior may be a sign of stress (a quiet child who suddenly gets loud, or a loud child who suddenly acts very quiet, for example).

Appropriate ways of helping a child experiencing stress would depend on the nature and severity of the stress, and on the personality of the child. Showing caring and empathy would be a beginning. Listening to the child and really letting the child feel heard and cared about is important. Books can help introduce uncomfortable subjects, and let a child know that s/he is not the only one to experience a particular situation. Dramatic play can be a “safe” way to explore feelings—playing a character, or having a puppet speak, may allow children to say things they are uncomfortable expressing as themselves. In some cases, a child may be experiencing a level of stress that warrants professional help, and in those cases, the family may need to be referred to the appropriate agency or professional (using the utmost confidentiality and tact, of course). In some cases art may help express difficult feelings, and other children may need active outdoor play to “blow off steam” when they are feeling stress. Some children may need extra hugs and nurturing, or to be given a classroom job to feel important and needed. Structure and routine may be very comforting to a child experiencing upheaval in their home life. In short, the response must be tailored to the child. We may not always even know what is causing the stress, but we can provide a safe haven in the classroom where they can experience a brief respite.