To the point.

Really there is no other question to ask.

Our words.

I do not expect that children will remembered who I am when they leave the childcare centre to explore the rest of their lives. I do hope that I have helped to shape their inner voice and that it is a compassionate one. 

You know your are a Early Childhood Educator if...

Richard's blog

Listen to this man, with in his humour he makes some very good points. Also if you can't laugh at yourself you should not be teaching, especially not be teaching young children.

link to the full key note speech, do watch:
"Early Childhood Professionals: The Heroes of Our Time"

Humour

Paul McGhee talks about preschool humour and its role of humour in children's cognitive development.

I am Somebody!

I am Somebody!

My favourite kid's show passes this message to me in the 70's, I hope I have passed it on to the children I have had the privilege to care for.

Empathy

Empathy

For us as teachers to remember to have it for everyone and to teach the children to have it for others as well as themselves.

Why I teach is because of observations like this one.

A child looks down at my feet and says with a deadpan voice, "You don't have boring socks on today, Quincey." I looked down to see what ones I was wearing that brought on this observation and replied, "You are right they are not boring today, two different coloured stripes are not boring." The left green and brown and the right turquoise and black. Then remembering a conversation from a few weeks ago regarding the colour of the socks we were all wearing. I was wearing "Boring beige."

Never underestimate the observation skills of 3-5 year old children.