Way Back When

I received this special gift twenty-five years ago this month. Judy, a teaching partner of mine, made it for me as we completed our first year in the classroom together. I remember the year well because I was a fish out of water for nine months.

I hadn’t planned on serving preschool children directly. My training and my passion had been in family services, but I signed on for my agency’s reorganization. After two years of ECE training, I earned a CDA (Child Development Associate) certificate to complement my degree in Social Sciences. Into the classroom I went.

Along with my young friends I learned a lot: That young children do best academically when they trust you and are engaged, that patience and humor are helpful graces, especially when you grant them to yourself. I discovered that every child learns in their own fashion and at their individual rate and that’s why children don’t fail programs; programs fail children.

Most important, I learned that if we want to assist families, the best plan is to provide services for their children because they will be most appreciated by struggling parents.

After three years I accepted a position outside the classroom and I know I was better prepared because of the time I spent as a teacher. Maybe I was lucky, but my little friends were great instructors.