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What do you most enjoy learning about?

Though I am grateful for having the privilege of higher education, my favorite learning is the kind I do every day in the classroom. The children are constantly providing feedback about what’s working, what’s not meeting their needs, and, most importantly, what is bringing them joy. That’s what gives all of these textbooks and trainings meaning. 

Tell us about a teaching experience that was meaningful to you. Why was it important to you?

In my first year as a lead teacher I had a child in my classroom community with selective mutism. After a lot of hard work both on the child’s part and on his team’s, he finally began communicating verbally in school about 2/3 of the way through the school year. I came up with two strategies based on the child’s interests (animals and mysteries) that were instrumental in this process. The first was a secret language in which the class slowly worked through a core set of 20 often-used words or phrases, replacing each one with an animal sound. The second was an animal habitat center I made myself out of a donated bookshelf turned on its side, found objects, and materials purchased on sale from the craft store. Both strategies were created to encourage social interaction and communication of needs and wants in a safe, no-pressure environment. This child spoke at school for the first time while playing in that animal habitat, and within a few weeks he was speaking freely in our classroom. I’m so proud of this child and I still tear up thinking about them. I really felt the impact that intentionality and creativity can have when it comes to meeting the needs of children; that’s why I do what I do.

What guides your teaching?

I feel lucky to be able to say that I really, truly care about what I do. Yes, my job often involves colorful markers and glitter glue. However, it also involves a carefully maintained, intricate web of deliberation and planning. Every day we are considering the needs of an entire group of children, adapting on the fly to meet these needs as they shift from moment to moment. Yes, we wipe runny noses and mop up pee, but we also give children the self-help tools needed to successfully navigate through their lives. Yes, some days I sing more than I speak and I say things like “I want to remind you that we’re not using bubble butt power as a weapon” or “Let’s find a safe place for the chameleon that’s not in your pants.” But I’m also working on teaching fundamental skills across several domains, fostering positive social-emotional development, and making every child in our community feel seen and loved each day. It’s true, that being an early educator is hard. Exhausting, even. But it’s also critical work. And it’s fun. And it’s gratifying beyond what you can ever imagine. And it’s exactly how I want to spend my days. I get to support the children I hold so close to my heart in learning and growing, while also getting to dig for insects and finger paint, and that is something truly magical.

What does the phrase “advancing the profession” mean to you?

Every day we are fighting so that we, and desperately needed early educators entering the workforce, don’t have to choose between making a living and doing something we care about. There is no denying that some days in this job are incredibly tough. I grew up watching my mom, and now my colleagues, taking on countless roles and working tirelessly to help keep the complex fabric of our field woven together. I have found that the general public has a range of attitudes toward early childhood education, from severe criticism to wholehearted support. This being said, there is one interaction I had as an undergraduate that has always stuck in my mind. During a conversation, a friend of a friend remarked that all my coursework consisted of cutting out construction paper shapes and singing the alphabet. This is exactly the reason that the advancing the profession movement exists. We want to be seen and respected. It’s the reason we fight so hard for not just appreciation but for systemic changes that will bring fair compensation, affordability, and access to early childhood education.

Anything else you’d like to share.

My first taste of being a “real” teacher was becoming a teaching assistant at age 10 in my dance studio. I did not take the role lightly and took great pride in being able to share knowledge of something I loved with people younger than me (getting to mark the little checks on the attendance sheet was also a thrill!). As I grew older and began to find my place in the world, I never lost that feeling. I’m just so grateful and proud to be a part of Vermont’s early childhood education workforce.