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| Cary Larson-McKay |
Small Steps, Steady Vision, and Simple Actions Through Time Achieves Big Dreams
I am impressed and amazed. Truly!
Those in our profession are an astonishingly steadfast group of capable people. They do much with little. They care deeply in the face of great odds. They are passionate about what happens to young children. And, they do what they do because the fate of children is central to their life values.
I just flew halfway around the world to where I found teachers in South Africa, very rural South Africa, who exhibited the same zealous care for their learners that I find here in California, and who shared the same crushing concerns. I also visited preschools in Spain with the same stories.
Shortly after I returned from South Africa I attended the Western States Leadership Network, a week-long celebration of sharing and learning with a group of AEYC leaders from the 13 western states. Before that I attended the NAEYC’s Professional Development Institute. In every single location with every single teacher and administrator the concerns were the same.
Amazing and remarkable parallels and similarities of concerns existed between all the Early Childhood Professionals I had the good fortune to be with during this time. The passion for the learners was the same, and I came away with a strong belief in the connections between us all.
The elements of celebration and the origins of concerns were notable in their equivalencies around the world and across the specific focus of the Early Childhood Professionals.
There is a low level of respect for those who work with and on behalf of young children. There is distressingly low pay for the work they do. There are educational and training challenges that need to be addressed to adequately support those who work with young children. Programs for children are underfunded and under resourced. Families and communities struggle with social and economic issues that impact the children. And then there are the children themselves, dependent on the dedicated few to help launch them on their way to a successful and satisfying adulthood.
Challenged and Inspired!
We are part of this beautiful and terrifying process. I am honored to be in your company. CAEYC is working to find ways to reach out to all our members and to all Early Childhood Professionals in California. As the umbrella organization that has members in all areas of the profession we have the opportunity to support and advocate for the field in a way that other organizations cannot because of their specific focus. We can help in the battle we all face every day.
CAEYC’s work is about helping each and every professional in the field to be the practitioner of strong child-centered values as expressed in our mission statement. The CAEYC Board is an extraordinary group of impassioned and empowered members devoting their time, skills and talents to supporting not only those like-minded members of CAEYC, but all professionals in the field.
I would like to share some of the high points of recent events.
CAEYC hosted the Western States Leadership Network meeting in Berkeley in early August. Leaders from 10 of the 13 western states gathered to share their commitment to the cause of Early Childhood Education by engaging in meaningful dialogue about the future and what to anticipate, about the past and where we have more work to do and the current task of creating a new and more functional association structure. Ideas exchanged, relationships built, collaborations formed, energy renewed and commitments affirmed were the welcome results of staying up too late so we could continue the conversations started during the day, playing together, breaking bread with one another and sharing deeply our concerns for children, along with our commitment to the professionals in the field through the many faceted efforts of each person there.
Invigorated!
NAEYC’s Professional Development Institute provided plenty of food for thought. There are several initiatives being undertaken by NAEYC that compliments the work of CAEYC.
First, a movement to professionalize the Early Childhood Education field is creating opportunities to create a healthier, more respected, and effective environment in which the field can do its work.
Encouraged!
Second, there is commitment to developing a focused advocacy program to share with voters and decision makers the critical issues in early childhood that should inform decisions, direct voting strategies and advocate for the future of children. This supports CAEYC’s increasing focus on public policy and advocacy.
Strengthened!
Third, NAEYC has committed to the reorganization of its structure intended to allow it to better serve its members. This process necessitates the restructuring of each and every Local Affiliate across the nation. We in CAEYC are deep into the conversation about how to make this an opportunity to find better, more effective ways to serve our members and our field.
Reinforced!
CAEYC is reaching out to individual Local Affiliates as they request members of the CAEYC National Dialogue Committee and CAEYC Board Members to come to their meetings to share the information gathered by the National Dialogue Committee. In addition the CAEYC National Dialogue Ad Hoc Committee is holding several National Dialogue Summits around the state to facilitate the transition process. It will take time and effort by all. CAEYC is committed to supporting each Local Affiliate and its members as decisions about the best structure are made for each area. Please contact the CAEYC office if you have questions or would like assistance with your discussions about the changes.
Strengthened!
We are all connected by our belief that what happens to children in the early years is important—very important. Most of us believe that well informed, well supported Early Childhood Professionals will make certain that children get what they need to develop and thrive. We also understand the need for our communities and our society to help us to do the work of helping children thrive in all domains of development. To make this happen we must join together to create a work force that can make this happen within a society that supports those dedicated to the work. Join with CAEYC and become part of the solution to the challenges we face.
We are connected. All of us. Here and around the world.