Words of Inspiration and Motivation

There have been and still are many hard workers that have left a lasting impression on Early Childhood Education.  As an Early Childhood Educator I find it inspirational to read over their thoughts and writings. Here are just a few of the quotes that I have found that inspire me to be a Master teacher.

Doug Lemov the author of "Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College" said in an interview Neal Conan (2010).

" When you tell a student to pay attention, does the student know that that means sit up, get your eyes on me, and put your feet on the floor? So, if you give them more specific directions - sit up, get your eyes on me, put your feet on the floor - you're actually teaching the kids who don't know what to do. You're eliminating the ambiguity that lets some of the kids sort of exploit that, and you're making it much, much harder - a kid really has to willfully decide that they're going to defy you."

This is helped to remind me about the importance of giving students specific directions in a way that is not degrading or disrespectful. I know from personal experience that students like to know what is expected of them. Most of the students want to meet your expectations, they just have to know what they are.

In this same interview (2010) Doug Lemov continued to talk about teachers. Here is what is said,

"You know, I think this is the other thing that really excited me about this work, which is, you know, some people say, like, well, is this a formula? And the answer is, no, it's not a formula - that behind every artist is an artisan, that you learn the techniques, you master the tools. You know, I use an analogy in the book of a sculptor. That to be a great sculptor, first you have to learn to handle a hammer and a chisel. There are concrete techniques you have to do to make the chisel run across the rock. But then to be a great artist, you apply it with discretion and mastery. And great teachers deliver this technique in a way that it doesn't belittle students, that shows the respect of them."

I found this to be encouraging because teachers are not crafted from the same mold. We are all different and each one of us will take the 49 techniques and apply them to our classroom in a way that we as an individual can do. Teacher's do not have to be the same. We should all be using the same tools, but the finished project can look differently. If I work hard to keep sharping the tools that I use then I will be able to make a difference in the lives of my students.

Lemvo continued to tell Neal Conan (2010),

"This is what I see great teachers, game-changing teachers, do. So the work starts with what they do. And when you watch them in action, you see that yes, it's possible. Yes, you can make a difference. Yes, you can have a classroom that changes your kids' lives."

 Doug Lemvo is not the only person working hard to make their mark in Early Childhood Education, but Virginia Buysse has also been working towards change.

Virginia Buysse is a strong activists for giving Early Childhood Educators better resources to help students with special needs. In her article, "Program Quality and Early Childhood Inclusion Recommendations for Professional Development (2009)" she stated,

"... early childhood programs should provide a core curriculum and intentional teaching for all children as well as more specialized instructional approaches for some children who need additional supports to learn."

It is crucial for me as an Early Childhood Educator to make sure that I am receiving the proper education to make sure that I am giving my Kindergartens the best education possible.

 Virginia Buysse (2006) says,

"The transition to kindergarten increasingly is viewed by early childhood experts as a key component of school readiness, largely because school entry is a critical time in childrens development and a primary influence on their school careers (p. 15)."

I am a Kindergarten teacher and this encouraged me to know that what I am doing is important and it does matter.

As a teacher I have a deep passion to help my students. Here are some quotes from educators about passion:

Louise Derman- Sparks (Laureate Education inc, 2010) said,
" I had a built in passion that it was important to make a real contribution in the world and to fix all the injustices that were in the world and I wanted to do that through teaching."

Sandy Escobido (Laureate Education inc, 2010) says,
" Passion extends from personal experiences growing up."

Raymond Hernandez (Laureate Education inc, 2010) mentioned that,
"Passion comes from intrinsic motivation I have for the work that I do. Every day that I go to work I look forward to it because I know that the services I am providing for the children is to their benefit. Not anything that is going to benefit me, it's more to benefit them."

Renatta Cooper (Laureate Education inc, 2010) said,
"My passion has been involving through the years. Its an on going process. Its like a ripple... It grows."

Not only does passion play an important role in the lives of educator's, but motivation does also. Here are some quotes from people in the Early Childhood Field about motivation.

Sandy Escobido (Laureate Education inc, 2010) says that her motivation stems from wanting to,
"Train parents to learn how to advocate for their children.

Raymond Hernandez (Laureate Education inc, 2010) believes that,
"Passion comes from wanting to make a difference ... I truly believe that I'm not here to save the world. I am here to make a different in the community that I am working in. To me making a difference may sometimes mean helping one child to be able to be successful in the classroom. That one little sparkle will make a difference for me throughout the whole day"

Our passion will lead us to motivation. Having motivation and passion will lead us to gain wisdom of our field. Here are some quotes about wisdom:

Renatta Cooper (Laureate Education inc, 2010) said,
"I learned that it's not all about you. You have to take you ego out of it and think what's best for this child. And you care about them enough to help them transition to what comes next and what's best."

Louise Derman-Sparks had gained wisdom about preschoolers.
 "The pre-school years are critical. They are the first fundamental period. When children are noticing who they are, and the attitudes, and the stereotypes."


References

Buysse, Virginia & Hollingsworth, Heidi L. (2009, March 5). Program Quality and Early Childhood Inclusion Recommendations for Professional Development. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education Online First, doi:10.1177/0271121409332233. Retrieved from http://life.comm.fsu.edu/LIFEArticles/PD/Topics_ProgramQuality.pdf

Coleman, Mary Ruth Ph.D., Buysse, Virginia, Ph.D., &  Neitzel, Jennifer, Ph.D. ( 2006, May 1). Recognition and Response An Early Intervening System for Young Children At-Risk for Learning Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/11394/

Conan, Neal (Interviewer) & Lemvo, Doug (Interviewee).  (2010). Good Teaching Is About Hard Work, Not A Halo [Interview transcript]. Retrieved from National Public Radio Website http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124532654

Laureate Education inc. (Producer). (2010). Foundations: Early Childhood Studies [webcast]. The Passion of Early Childhood. Baltimore, Md: Author Unknown.