"When we strengthen families, we ultimately strengthen the community. Our goal is that parents everywhere work with supportive providers, feel confident in their parenting role, and form strong, resilient attachments with their children. To help achieve this, providers must be responsive to parents, knowledgeable about child development, and eager to see every parent succeed."
T. Berry Brazelton, MD
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"And so we discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. It is not acquired by listening to words, but in virtue of experiences in which the child acts on his environment. The teacher's task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment made for the child."
Maria Montessori on The Role of the Teacher
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"It was the most joyful experience where I felt that everything in me was being called on to teach and also it was very rewarding....It just made me feel whole, it made me feel whole , it made me feel creative and so it became my lifelong work with early childhood education...to make sure that all children were taught in environments and in ways that truly nurtured their ability to grow and develop to their fullest ability...."
Louise Derman-Sparks Professor Emeritus Pacific Oaks College California
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"I think my passion comes from wanting to make a difference, like I said before and I truly believe that I'm not here to save the world, I'm here just to make a difference in the community that I am working in and to me making a difference sometimes means helping one child to be successful in the classroom. You know for me, that one little sparkle will make a difference for me throughout the whole day...."
Raymond Hernandez MS Ed Executive Director School of Early Childhood Education, University of Southern California
I always felt it was better to walk into a classroom and hear the CHILDREN speaking vs. the teacher. When a classroom is silent, I don't feel there is much learning going on.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer, Thank you for your comment. I agree, our voices should not overshadow the children's or their excitement for learning. It's amazing some of the things one will hear and we can learn about the children in our care just from sitting back observing and listening. Cindy
DeleteI really like the quotes that you've used here. I definitely agree by strengthening families we in turn help the community as a whole. I also included a quote from Louise Derman-Sparks, I find her inspiring and she has so much joy for teaching.
ReplyDeleteHi Cathy, Thank you for your comments. The importance of strengthening families has always been important to me, but I think it was my year at Early Head Start that I realized just how much impact that has in comparison to my limited interactions with the child. When a family is able to expand upon their knowledge and understanding it can result in life long improvements for the child. The family has the primary, long-term relationship typically with the child, not us. That is not to say that what we do is any less important, but in a different way. Cindy
DeleteTruly words of inspiration and motivation. Strengthening families will ultimately strengthen the community. That is a positive cycle to begin.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE the last quote- especially about the one little sparkle.. How true! You chose amazing quotes!
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