ExchangeEveryDay Past Issues

With friends like these, do we need ememies? The friends we need are those who thoughtfully wish to promote the appropriate principles of Early Childhood Education within the structure of public school systems. With the push for universal pre-k programs, quality pre school education is be burried by those who equate " hard core" academic curricula with early childhood education. To our friends we should say, " thanks, but no thanks!"

AS long as pre school educated is being co-opted by those who really don't understand it, programs in the public school systems will continue to "miseducate" young children. Nothing will be gained, and a whole lot will be lost!

I have education, training and 38+ years of solid experience in the field of Early Learning. During all these years, I actively advocated for, and I have patiently waited for, this country to get onboard to value, respect and support this important work. Finally (finally!) the field is coming into its own and, as Bonnie & Roger pointed out, we have friends in high places and lots of new money. I agree that these are good people with the best intentions who sincerely want to create systems to support parents and providers so that all of our children are prepared for school and for life. The disconnect is that parents and providers are not valued or invited to participate in either the research or the systems development. High level, well funded researchers present us the results of their oh-so-scientific studies (which are conducted without ever having stepped foot into a real classroom of real young children!) as if they have, in all of their brilliance, unlocked the secrets of previously undiscovered knowledge and wisdom. I feel like raising my hand and saying "Hello, you could have just asked me. I could have told you the exact same thing (from experience!) and then we could have used all that money for parent education, professional development and increased pay for providers, and classroom materials for the children." After all these years, I am feeling more disenfranchised and undervalued than ever. Go figure.

The article is all too true. I have been a director in child care since 1972 and have experienced many changes in the amount of government involvement in private centers. I can agree that those invovled in the decision making process do believe that they are doing the best for the children. However, most of their decisions are based upon 'research' instead of actual invovlement in centers, with center staff or with the children and their families. In 35 years I have found that not all pre-school children can adjust to a center setting. How much more difficult will it be for them to adjust to a large school setting?

I think the article is somewhat sad but true. Even if we cannot all "agree" on ECE policy, let's at least continue to work towards what we feel is best. I hope and pray that we'll all "meet in the middle" at some point. It is the children that miss out when adults are arguing or debating about what works and what doesn't and it's a wast of time.

We as educators and child advocates must prevail and remember THE CHILD!

We are going through many of the issues noted in the letter. I brought it to our directors meeting and also forwarded it to our executive board members. The saying misery loves company is not far from the point. Many of us are facing more challenges from more sides than ever before. It used to be we worried about getting the parents to pay the tuition. Now we worry about how we are going to pay qualified staff enough for them to stay with us, meet even more licensing requirements mandated by the state, compete with after school programs offered at public schools, and have tuition rates that affordable for our parents. We appreciate that South Dakota, faces the same hurdles as the rest of the nation.