Education Essay - Early Childhood Interviews

Early Childhood Education

To gain a deeper understanding of the nature of working in the field of early childhood education, I interviewed two professionals who are working in the field: the director of a licensed day care center and a kindergarten teacher. I asked questions concerning qualifications for both professions, what opportunities for growth exist in each profession, the ethical standards to which they hold themselves, and other related questions. This paper summarizes my conversations with both individuals.

Jane Doe (not her real name) runs the Happy As a Lamb daycare center. Approximately 25 children attend the center, and there are five staff people who work there (three of whom on a part-time basis). The first question I asked concerned qualifications to act as director for a daycare center. Jane told me that when she worked for her first daycare center, not as director but as a staff worker, she needed nothing more than her high school diploma. She added that she did not agree with this, and that she requires her staff people to have CDA credentials at least. This is what was required of her when she changed daycare centers, and in addition to obtaining her CDA credential, she also went back to college to get her degree in child development. That was because she planned to open her own daycare center some day, and she wanted to be as qualified as possible. Jane also noted that this was helpful to her because the path to licensure for her daycare center was long and complicated, and she believes that college helped to prepare her for it.

I asked her about the NAEYC standards, and particularly wanted to know which of the standards she found most relevant in her work with children from a variety of class and racial backgrounds. She said she found all of them to be useful in guiding her work (as well as the work of her staff people), but particularly Standard Two, which is Building Family and Community Relationships. Jane feels strongly that when parents feel involved in their children's educational processes, and empowered to be a part of them, that the children benefit immensely. She believes that schools need to be the ones to extend a hand to parents, not the other way around, particularly those parents who are from disadvantaged groups. With strong relationships, learning is possible in ways that it simply is not when those relationships are absent or antagonistic, she feels.

I asked Jane about growth in her field, and she laughed, saying that I was looking at it. In other words, the growth in this field is that people can open their own daycare centers. She said she earns about $45,000 a year, which is not bad, and that if she wanted to earn more, she could open another in a projected string of daycare centers, but that this was something to think about in the future. She did agree with me that her job was rather secure, as long as she maintained her high standards of quality; the more the bad economy required both parents to work, the more her services would be needed.

The next individual with whom I spoke was Jeremy Johnston (a pseudonym), who is a rare male kindergarten teacher. In fact, the first thing I asked him was what it was like to be a man in a predominantly female field. He said it was wonderful - that he had been welcomed with open arms by the other teachers and principal. He did say that occasionally a parent gave him a bit of trouble, but that such instances were rare and easily resolved.

I next asked him which of the NAEYC standards was his favorite, and he answered, laughingly, that he'd have to look them up first. I handed him my copy, and after a quick read-through, he said the same thing as Jane had said: that building bridges with parents was the single most important thing he did. He said that if you form a solid relationship with a parent, then you've given that child two teachers instead of one, and that is a priceless gift.

Next, I asked Jeremy what he'd had to do to become certified as a kindergarten teacher, and whether or not he'd had to take the PRAXIS as many do. He said that he got his BS in early childhood development, and that afterward he did indeed have to take the PRAXIS in order to obtain a job in his desired state. Jeremy added that he found it interesting that he had to know such advanced mathematics and other topics as the PRAXIS required, in order to teach kindergarten, but that he understood why this was the case; the more educated kindergarten teachers are, the stronger an educational base exists for the children right from the start.

Finally, I asked Jeremy about opportunities for growth as a kindergarten teacher, and specifically asked him if he ever thought about being principal one day. He merely smiled, and said that while he had no doubt he could be principal one day, due to the fact that he's a man in a female profession, it was precisely because of that reason that he wanted to remain a teacher. He feels strongly that very young children need direct care workers who are males, so that they have role models showing them that men can be caring and nurturing, just like women. He feels especially strongly that the boys need this sort of early education, and hopes he never forgets how important this is in the future.

In summary, it was quite educational to speak with both individuals, primarily because I had a chance to see the texts I've been reading be put into motion - brought to life - by educators who are committed to their professions. It was especially illuminating to hear, from two different educators, just how important it is that parents be involved in their children's educations. Finally, it was refreshing to hear just how difficult a job teaching can be, and yet how these individuals wouldn't change their jobs for anything.

References

NAEYC standards for early childhood professional preparation programs. NAEYC.

Kindergarten teacher: Requirements for teaching kindergarten. Education Portal.