As I think about my why, I think about the children I teach. I love making a difference in the lives of children. I enjoy teaching children at the age of four because I consider it a 'border year' between preschool and Kindergarten. It could be a make or break year for some as I strive to insure each child is 'ready' for Kindergarten.
While I am not sure about an area or areas of advocacy just yet, I have looked at high quality preschool programs and their characteristics. For me personally, where I currently teach at a local daycare making an hourly wage with no health benefits, in my previous course, I focused on equal compensation between programs for educators. If we could provide funding for educators regardless of location to be compensated equally, the turnover would lessen, more educators could open more positions, thus more children would be reached and taught and the less children that would be lacking skills going into school.
I hope as this is the last course I have before my capstone, that I can find an area or area(s) I truly want to focus on, increase my knowledge allowing me to be more effective in the classroom, and grow personally as well as professionally through the next eight weeks.
Heidi,
ReplyDeleteHow do you think you could use your personal story to inform policy makers about the reasons it is critically important to increase wages for high quality preschool programs? I think the best way to advocate for some anything is to be able to relate it to a real story that has passion and feelings behind it. You can talk about the need for increased wages because you live with those wages every day. You live without health benefits everyday and those are things that policymakers are not living with everyday. Your story could make an impact I hope that this class helps to you develop you story so that you can share it with policy makers in your state or that represent your state.
Thanks for sharing!
Jill
Heidi,
ReplyDeleteI was glad to read your post since I too am not completely clear on areas of advocacy that I am interested in. I am going to borrow Jill's advice to you...if I can relate a personal story and my passion to an issue, then my voice becomes stronger.
Thanks for posting!
Heidi,
ReplyDeleteWith all of the new educational knowledge requirements for staff in the Early Childhood field, I feel it important to increase salaries and benefits of those who work in the field. Being an elementary and middle school administrator, I do not see why there should be a difference between the pay that teachers get in Early Childhood get versus Elementary and Secondary teachers. To further what Jill has already said, you are not the only one that feels the way you feel. There are others across the country who feel as you do. Maybe you can start a blog to see who else also feels the way you do.
Focusing on a area of early childhood field can be difficult because it is a very broad field. The fact you have a passion for teaching I feel you will excel at any area you chose. Good luck with the course.
ReplyDeleteHi Heidi,
ReplyDeleteBetter working conditions and wages for children is an issue that I would like to learn more about. Having worked for years in the child care centers, I know all too well how low wages, lack of insurance, unpaid leave can make it difficult to provide.