By JOANNA ANDERSEN
I know that growing up there were no daycares, home daycares, or anything remotely resembling an early childhood preschool of today. It was your next-door neighbor who did the “babysitting” and plopped you in front of the television set watching cartoons like Bugs Bunny and The Road Runner. Or perhaps you might have been given some crayons and paper and told to simply color. But these days are long gone as research has given way to the importance of an Early Childhood Education (ECE) and the role it plays in children’s development birth to five years old.
We have learned that it’s during these early years that a child will develop 90 percent of their brain growth. If we do not help foster this development, which is more than just learning basic skills, it will be that much harder to learn later in life. Early Childhood Education focuses on so much more. Children exposed at an early age also learn cognitive and social-emotional skills, motivation, self-esteem, and critical thinking; all keys in developing healthy, happy, and successful adults. And isn’t this what we all want to see for our children and all young minds of the 21st century? Research continues to demonstrate that high quality ECE has the chance to close opportunity and wage gaps, and even result in lower crime rates. The long-term impact shows that ECE improves communities, physical health, economies, and overall quality of life. In fact, Early Childhood Education directly relates to a child’s pre-math, pre-writing and pre-literacy skills, affecting school readiness and executive functioning that prove vital to cultivating a strong, innovative work force that can contribute to a successful global economy.
In today’s current economy, jobs in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are more prevalent than ever before and play a powerful role as we move into the future. So, early childhood centers that can incorporate STEM, or STEAM (adding the arts) into their curriculum, is crucial in shaping and giving way to a well-rounded young mind. Offering project-based learning models will also strengthen the child(rens) curiosity, encourage collaboration, and help build on critical thinking skills; all needed for STEM related jobs. This is a big draw for today’s families and has become one of the key ingredients for them to enroll in an early childhood center whose curriculum is embedded with STEAM, and whose atmosphere revolves around this concept. Parents see this as an added benefit that will hopefully inspire their child’s life-long learning and development.
Getting an early start in learning is not the only reason why early childhood centers are so essential in our society today. These centers provide a safe environment for some of our most vulnerable children while parents head off to work. Sometimes the ECE center is also one of the only places where a child(ren) gets at least one healthy meal a day. And having a healthy meal is another crucial element in the child(ren)’s learning. ECE centers become that “home away from home” for a lot of children. It’s a place offering children and families a sense of tranquility and a sense of freedom to explore and learn. Without having a place to bring their child(ren), parents cannot return to the work force as their job may not offer or have a work from home option. Parents want their child(ren) to learn socialization skills, build those long-lasting friendships and have those ever-important routines that create a sense of security and stability in their child(ren) lives as well for the parents. Even during the most difficult of times, parents understand how vital it is for our littlest learners to have this experience.
For an early childhood operator to achieve all of the above, it starts with finding the right candidate, the right teacher or educator who truly has the passion to educate. For without the right teacher in place, all the above, does not matter because families will not stay enrolled if they do not feel the “warm fuzzies,” as I like to call them. Having a positive high-quality educator can mean the difference between positive outcomes, and less advanced development. They become that active ingredient in driving development, as they form essential relationships to scaffold and build upon a child’s learning. Research has shown that consistent, positive childcare has even shown better cognitive function and language development across the first three years of life.
Being an Early Childhood Educator in today’s modern world is not easy. From finding the right place to build, to the right curriculum to implement, not to mention meeting all the regulatory requirements, and finding qualified teachers that like being around children all day. Not an easy undertaking, however, that is what Early Childhood Educators do because at the end of the day we are not in it for the money. We are in it for the love of children and being a part of something bigger than us, making a difference in the life of a child, even if just one.
Our world and environments are ever changing which requires Early Childhood Educators and Early Childhood companies to change and adapt with it or get left behind. For example, people may have concerns about opening a new preschool during a pandemic, why? The reason is simple, CHILDREN. They need this. Though some adults may argue they need it more. Parents want a caring environment where their child will thrive socially, academically, and emotionally. Nobody knows for sure what the future will look like. However, one thing is for sure, our leaders of tomorrow must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate the future. And it starts with an Early Childhood Education. Amazing Explorers Academy wants to continue to be part of something extraordinary, changing the minds and lives of those 21st century learners. Educating them for tomorrow’s world and a future that has not yet been imagined.
Joanna Andersen is the mother of a now 22-year-old son, who grew up in an early childhood center. She is the Director of Business Development and Human Resources for Amazing Explorers Academy and has over 17 years of experience in ECE; starting out as a two-year old teacher. Joanna worked varies positions within the preschool, and eventually became the director of two centers.
