I Want the Best Teachers in Early Childhood

As we begin a new year, one of my resolutions is a renewed commitment to helping teachers become the best educators for our young children. I was recently celebrating my grandson's first birthday. He is learning so much each day and I started thinking about the teachers that he will have in his life.

There are so many brain connections happening during early childhood years and I want him to have great experiences to help build those brain connections.

I started with a new group of Introduction to Teaching students this week and even though they represent K-12, I always try to put in a plug for strong teachers in the early years. We know children's attitudes toward race and gender become connected in these early years. I was helping in a classroom a couple of months ago and one second grader latched on to me. I found out he had severe behavior issues and struggled in school. He connected with men, but didn't have any in his life. I truly wish I could have gone to the classroom every day, but distance and my schedule prevented me from making the trip every day. I was able to go there routinely until they found other male helpers who could work with him on a daily basis. I so wanted to help him make positive connections while he was still in the early childhood years.

Let's all work together to improve instruction and connections with children in early childhood.