Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/cultivating-the-next-generation-of-leaders-in-early-childhood-education/5024480/
“Being a director is a role; being a leader is each individual’s pathway.” -Holly Elissa Bruno
“Enhancing the professional stature of the early childhood education field requires an enormous bounty of good will and trust” (Washington & Gadson, 2016). The current state of affairs in early care and education is challenging. According to Fudge (2017), there is great disparity in the level of compensation for early childhood educators in comparison to public school teachers in New York state. Moreover, the author notes, early childhood educators face many challenges. This article investigates: (1) compensation in the early childhood workforce; (2) pay scales of teachers nationally; (3) qualifications of early childhood teachers; (4) the importance of advocacy in early care; (5) teacher preparation and the workforce; (6) the challenges faced by early care professionals; and (7) the role of leadership.
Equity in the Workplace
For teachers entering the early childhood field, the research reflects that earning potential is dismal (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). The national median wage for early care professionals in the field indicates child care workers earn $28,570 while elementary school teachers earn $54,890 (U.S. Department of Education, 2016). According to a most recent survey by ...