Words of Inspiration and Motivation

As an ECE worker you often have to be your own cheerleader and external motivation. The passion and inspiration you find must remind you daily of the importance of your work as well as who you are doing the work for. Listening to an interview with Raymond Hernandez, the Executive Director of the School of ECE @ University of Southern California, I heard him say something that resonated with me. Mr. Hernadez said, "...as an adult it is now my turn to create opportunities for parents and thier children." This statement illuminated my thinking and reminded me that the best educators and ECE workers where once great students and individuals who had childhood's that left such an impression they had an intrinsic desire to give back. On my most challenging days, I think about the importance of my work in the lives of children and it is just what I need to recharge.

Other quotes to recharge, inspire and ignite...

" Children are not succeeding because they are not given the tools they need not because they don't have the intelligence." (Louise Derman- Sparks)

Dr. Lilian Katz: What Should Children Be Learning? | 92Y Parenting & Family

Dr. Lilian Katz is a renowned leader in Public Early Childhood Education. Here she is presenting on children learning standards and the foundation stage.  My favored quote by her is stated at 33:18 in the video.  "Teacher's tell me they are teaching their children listening skills, by the way, most children already have them just try whispering."   I love the candor and simple honesty in her retort.

Sue Bredekamp Discusses Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)

Dr. Sue Bredekamp Ph.D,  has been a champion of Child Care and ECE education for years. One of my favored quotes from her is, "The fact that not only do you have to consider children as individuals, but you also have to consider children as members of groups with their own cultural identities."  This quotes speaks to the unique and valuable micro, macro and exso- systems that work together to develop and nurture the whole child. 

Taking Kinder's back to happier day's

In efforts to catch up with the east, we in the west  are  reshaping our  educational system that has finally pushed testing all the way down to the early years.   This blog post from Valerie Strauss, begs the question, "Is Kindergarten the new first grade?" and to that question I ask another, "WHY!"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/06/a-really-scary-headline-about-kindergarteners/

Grace for the Journey

Anyone who strives to be parent of any formidable substance, constantly will find themselves questioning their abilities to navigate and guide their children. This parenting devotional is from a great organization,  I follow, and it reminds us that the foundation to great parenting is built on humility and dependance in the Father above.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Parenting-Devotional---Humbled-by-Our-Strengths.html?soid=1101911668885&aid=Ra05UsMOCoo

The Ultimate Goal