Farwell

This journey has been so tremendous that it is hard to narrow my learning down to just three areas.  As my knowledge began to deepen in the field of Early Childhood it really began to open my eyes regarding current trends and issues.  One issue that I was not aware of was how great the struggle of providing quality care for children truly is.  Working in the pubic school system I have not had a lot of exposure to low quality educators, as all the educators that I have worked with hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree, if not a Master’s Degree.

This appears to not be the case in our public childcare centers as many of the articles that I read, as well as the discussion posts that I have participated in, indicate that many early childcare providers do not possess college degrees or formal training.  In addition they lack skills of how to manage children with behavior disorders or those who are experiencing developmental delays.

Becoming more aware of this serious problem sparks my passion to provide Professional Development Trainings for childcare providers within my community.  In addition I feel that it is important to work with my local Child Development Services, CDS to strengthen relationships between childcare centers and available trainings and resources. 

Working towards educating others about children seems like the perfect place to start now that I will be receiving my Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Walden University.  Becoming involved in creating and designing training courses to help support teachers who are struggling is something that I am truly dedicated and passionate about.  By informing others we can begin to change the look of preschools and build better, more prepared early childhood educators.

Another area that my knowledge has also grown in is that of the lack of inclusionary child care.  I knew that this was an area of concern for parents across the country. However, I did not truly understand the impact that not receiving high quality pre-school education alongside of their peers, has on these students with developmental disabilities and delays.  As I began to research this area I loved studying the laws behind this issue and now have a better understanding of what drives the decisions for where children with disabilities are placed for early childcare.

As I became more familiar with IDEA, I was really taken back by how loosely it was worded and how it allowed for private childcare centers to make decisions about inclusionary childcare, based on the cost and convenience.  This was shocking to me as there is not a clear definition of what a center deems to “cost too much.”  This is decided by each center independently leaving the opportunity for childcare centers to refuse to care for children who may require more support or supervision.

Clearly, as educators we all know that these children will require early intervention and continued assistance throughout their elementary years.  Is it really fair to take the opportunity of attending their local childcare center alongside their peers away from them?  These children already struggle throughout life to fit in and meet the standard.   By making the child and the family feel welcome we can begin to change the invisible line of separation that already exists for these children and their families.

The third issue that I have deepened my knowledge in is the numerous organizations that are working towards changing the future of early childhood education.  Some of these organizations I was aware of such as NAEYC, CEC, Dept. of Education, CDS and others however, I never realized how many organizations advocate for Early Childhood Education.  With every paper and discussion post I continued to become aware of new organizations that support this area.

In addition to learning about these organizations I have now also created a resource list with these organizations listed as well as their contact information.  As I begin my career working towards inclusionary childcare, being aware of the support that I can gather from these organizations is priceless.  I am truly so happy to begin connecting to my COP and look forward to joining them in moving towards high quality, affordable childcare for all children.

Obtaining my Master’s Degree from Walden University as well as the knowledge that I have gained has prepared me to begin working towards my goal.  My biggest goal is to change the look of childcare centers in my area so that they are better able to care for children with special needs.  My plan includes opening my own inclusionary childcare center in which we care for 45 children ages 3 to 5. 

These children will be both typically developing children and children who are experiencing developmental delays, behavior disorders, Autism and more.  By creating the correct environment all children will be able to learn together and be cared for together.  In addition it is my intent to make sure that therapy services are available to those who need them.  Now having the knowledge of grants and funding that is available will assist me in opening this type of center, while keeping it affordable for all families who wish for their child to attend.

Once my center is up and running I will begin to offer inclusionary trainings to other teachers within my community with the hope of obtaining a greater buy in.  Having a model will allow other centers to observe and understand how this type of care can be achieved, without disrupting the overall program.  As new preschools in my area open it is my goal to begin to see the overall structure change along with the attitude towards caring for all children.

Dear Dr. E. and my fellow colleagues,

This journey has been incredible and the knowledge that I have gained from all of you will stay with me for years to come as I move foreword with my career in Early Childhood Education.  Sharing our experiences together each week has deepened my understanding and knowledge of current issues and trends in early childcare.  In addition your information has expanded my understanding of what direction Early Childhood Education is moving in and what other states across the country are doing to move in the right direction.

As we begin our separate journeys I will forever remember the kindness from my colleagues as well as the continued encouragement from Dr. E.  The weekly guidance and support that I received from each of you through discussion post and blog comments was very valuable and created opportunities for professional growth and self-reflection.  For this I thank each and every one of you and wish you the best as you move towards your passion of advocating for young children and their families.  Thank you for all that you do for children and I hope that our paths will cross again in the future as we advocate and make changes for early childhood education.

                                                                                                            Best Regards,

                                                                                                            Michelle

A  Always

U  Unique

T  Totally

 I   Interesting

S  Sometimes

M Mysterious

Autism is not a word to feared. It’s a child to be loved.  Four Sea Stars

Please remember the importance of these children participating in early childhood education along side of their peers.  The opportunity that each and every one of you can provide for these children can impact their lives in ways that will forever change their future.  Thanks you for all that you do for children.  Michelle