Thursday, October 18, 2012

Telling the Story of ECE



As an ECE professional, you spend most of your day making sure the everyday needs of everyone around you are met, but rarely are you able to take the time to advocate for the big needs of the children, family, staff, and field you serve.  However, an election year provides the perfect time and platform for our field to speak up. 
 
While Early Learning is getting little attention at the national level, education is in general and that gives those of us who work with children everyday the chance to expand the conversation about education to include Early Learning.  You do not have to participate on national television, but just be prepared to advocate for the things you need to make your program better. 
 
Advocate when you see a news story about education by commenting on how Early Learning contributes to children’s success.  You can, also, add your voice about how Early Learning reduces a child’s chances that they will be incarcerated when you hear stories about ways to reduce crime.   Since ECE rarely gets positive press, invite the local media to do a story about your program and how it benefits your families, or just about how much fun the kids are having scrapping out pumpkins.  Share information with your families about the economics of Early Learning.  Share your stories about how the Child Care Assistance Program benefits the families you serve, or how the reimbursements rates impact your ability to operate your program.   Add your story in the comment section of a news report about Early Learning. Send a letter or email to candidates about what you would like them to do for ECE or to thank you them for what they have done.

Advocacy at it’s very essence is about telling short stories, and I am sure you have one that needs to be told and heard.  So speak up, shout it out, write about it.  I am for one can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

With Kind Regards,

Kim


“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
-George Bernard Shaw




 


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