No learner left behind: Prioritizing staff’s professional development needs

Summary of Article's First 150 Words

Total word count: 2068

As early childhood educators, we are in the business of teaching and learning:

— We understand and value the earliest of experiences, the relationships between teachers and learners, and the environments in which time is spent.

— We nurture curiosity, wonder, and engagement.

— We consider individual needs, ensuring the skills practiced and the development opportunities offered are meaningful and appropriate.

— We take pride in each step our learners make on their own, supporting their self-reliance and autonomy as they begin to trust their own decisions and make positive choices in the world.

— We expose learners to a variety of materials and experiences, addressing all learning domains.

— Additionally, we foster teamwork and compassion in an effort to develop social and emotional abilities that will serve our learners well throughout life.

Adult learners

As you read the preceding list it is likely that visions of infants, toddlers, or preschoolers ...