ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

I completely agree with Cynthia's comment. Early childhood is about care and relationships. Learning is a natural part of every child's day---learning is innate. However, the teacher/child care provider needs to care about and relate to the child, and that does not necessarily come from an advanced degree. Early childhood is not a junior version of grade school---we are helping to develop the whole child--this is a huge responsibility.

Dear Friends, When I look at Jung's quote at the top of this page: "An understanding heart is everything in a teacher," I feel it is never more true than in early childhood. It is not something that comes to life according to having a Bachelor's or Master's degree. Until our higher education programs for early childhood recognize the importance of teaching relationship-based care, the importance of touch, the importance of heart connections with children and parents and so much more than is not within the confines of "measureable" regulations, we will miss the mark of what is most important for the care and development of young children.

Dear Friends, When I look at Jung's quote at the top of this page: "An understanding heart is everything in a teacher," I feel it is never more true than in early childhood. It is not something that comes to life according to having a Bachelor's or Master's degree. Until our higher education programs for early childhood recognize the importance of teaching relationship-based care, the importance of touch, the importance of heart connections with children and parents and so much more than is not within the confines of "measureable" regulations, we will miss the mark of what is most important for the care and development of young children.

Agree with the rest of you! Qualifications are not the only difference, did you look at the pay scales? EC Directors cannot be expected to earn a MA degrees when they are paid barely above minimum wage. Also, I believe, for most centers a person with early childhood teaching experience and an Early Childhood Associates or Bachelors degree along some administration credits and experience is appropriate. I would also like to add that there are highly skilled, experienced individuals without degrees who consistently meet high expectations. I hope we do not bump these individuals out of the picture completely.

A Tale of Two Pre-K Leaders reflects a significant element in the comparison between Pre-K Directors and Principals, yet not the entire story. Every State has child care licensing regulations that includes employment and continued employment requires. A simple and straight forward example is the requirement, via law, for Directors in most states to have CPR, First Aid, Child Abuse & Neglect, TB test etc training; not so entering a public school teaching position. Director's, akin to Principals have yearly training requirements that must be completed. A deeper-dive could prove to be insightful. Thank you

One of the main reasons for the discrepancy in education for Directors vs. Principals is the ability to pay those people. For me, as a Center Director, to get my Masters and spend thousands on more schooling, but come out of that still making less than $40,000 a year, is unreasonable. Until it is figured out how to pay Early Childhood teachers and Directors what they are worth, with the extra educational requirements, it will continue to be this way. More and more people are not going into the field because of the amount of education required now, and the lack of pay once they get a job, to recoup those student loans.

Elementary School principals also earn at least 3 times what Preschool directors make. Level that playing field and voila you will have more qualified directors. Same goes for preschool teachers. We cannot be expected to invest time and money into our education for a profession that does not compensate us a living wage and also be expected to do the high quality work that is necessary. This is hard work to do well.

I agree with Joseph.
The qualifications for teachers are not equal either. In MA public schools teachers are required to have an M.Ed.
I am a certified public school teacher and a certified child care director. A public school preschool teacher job offers me a much higher salary than a child care director position. Also, better benefits, more vacation time, a pension, etc.

Interesting information! Although I am a proponent of seeing child care directors having higher degrees, we need to remember that the qualifications for a center director are typically set by monitoring agencies such as DCFS who focus on minimum standards. In most states, I would assume they were set somewhat low in order to allow people to enter that position with greater ease. Now we have much higher stakes (ExceleRate™ Illinois, etc.) systems pushing for higher degrees and credentials for directors. The ECE field has not yet caught up with standards for public educators.

I disagree that a degree makes you more qualified to work with young children. I hired an individually with a master degree. She left her job as an elementary school principal to work as our school director. She failed miserable and only lasted one month. She was totally incapable of handling the duties required of her. I asked her to give the two year old teacher some ideas on how to help with a particular situation in that classroom. She admitted she had no ideas. Shortly after that, I didn't even have to fire her, she resigned. I will never make that mistake again. By the way, I don't set low expectations for anyone in our school, right down to the cook and bus drivers (who seem to do a better job than any public school drivers). I expect all our children to be ready and capable of entering the public school setting. The sad thing is, when they enter kindergarten and first grade, parents tell me their children are teaching the class and helping their fellow peers, not the teacher.

Until funding for quality administrations and continual professional development is a priority, early education settings will lag behind existing institutions of public and private schools.