Words of Inspiration and Motivation

"You have to consider children as individuals, and consider children as members of groups with their own cultural identities." by Susan Bredekamp. (ECT Editorial Staff, April2006)

"If the first three years of life are deprived in terms of stimulation and interaction with warm, nurturing human beings, it's going to be real tough for the child to acquire the depth and breadth of verbal language needed to build reading abilities." by Susan Bredekamp. (ECT Editorial Staff, April2006) 

Early Childhood Today Editorial Staff (April 2006). ECT Interview: Sue Bredekamp & Susan Neuman on Learning to Read.  Retrieved from: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=11922&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22%2Fbrowse%2Fsearch.jsp%3Fquery%3Dneuman%26c1%3DCONTENT30%26c2%3Dfalse%22%3EAll+Results+%3C%2Fa%3E

Both of these quotes stand out to me. The first one stresses the importance understanding that every child is different. They come from different backgrounds and have different values. Children all learn at a different pace. It is our duty to be able to accommodate each child on our care. We must make it our priority to have one-on-one time with young children so we may get to know them and their families. We also must nurture them and gain their trust. 

In the second quote, Susan explains the vital role of exposing a child by the age of three to some type of healthy environment that simulates them and enhances their communication skills. At this age, children are absorbing everything surrounding them. This is why in these early stages of life we provide children with access to opportunities as well as the learning tools needed for success. 

“Know that being proactive is the single best thing that an educator can do to support children who have problem behavior. Being proactive means that you are acting in advance – before a problem occurs.” Ann P Turnbull

Retrieved from: http://kingnadia.blogspot.com/2012/07/my-real-job-as-educator-quote-by-ann.html

Ann notes that as educators we have to stay on top of things. By doing so we alleviate a lot of issues that may arise in dealing with children, especially individuals with behavioral problems. I have taken classes that focused on learning disabilities and children who have problem behavior. They have helped me find solutions and techniques that allowed me to effectively handle an array of situations in the classroom. 

“What keeps me engaged is that we’re not there yet.”

Renatta M. Cooper