My Role as an Advocate

        I started advocating for children and families when I noticed the level of quality that children were receiving varied across the board.  Some teachers really went out of their way to ensure that children received the best early education experiences, others just showed up for the pay check.  The teachers that were more vested in their classroom, children and the curriculum had more knowledge of child development and an understanding of the issues that children and families face.  They were passionate, attentive and wanted to see children get the most out of their experiences.  They knew how to focus on the individual child as well as the classroom as a whole to scaffold learning and assess how and if children were progressing.  This is the type of teacher that I was and I expect no less from those who work in the field.  Knowing the level of differences in the quality that teachers provide, I want to find a way to ensure that teachers understand the needs of the children and families they serve and know how to connect families to the child’s educational experiences. 

                Advocacy can be an extensive process.  It starts with one person who wants to implement change to benefit children and families in their environment.  This can lead to understanding how services can impact children and families in a broader context.  It is important to acknowledge all efforts to improve the quality of services for children and families because not every issue is known to the public.  To be a community leader on early childhood issues, you have to have knowledge of the issues and want to initiate change for children and families.  Having passion and commitment about early childhood issues is also essential.  Becoming educated on the issue, researching the issues and being a part of a community to want to elicit change is what it takes to be a community leader.

                In order to be a state leader on early childhood issues, it takes being elected by the public “to represent the ideas and interests of their communities; therefore the public has the right and the responsibility not only to know their elected officials’ position on pending policy legislation but also to communicate their ideas, therefore influencing the way they are represented” (Kieff, 2009).  Money is the main resource that a state leader needs to advocate for issues in the community and is in a position to pool other resources and work with organizations to bring light to early education concerns.  Helping others understand the importance of these issues by passing on information and having real life situations that people can relate to helps others get involved.  Understanding the concerns of stakeholders and being able to connect the concerns to the appropriate individuals. 

                Building relationships to connect with others who have the same passion and establishing strong open communication with those involved in the advocacy efforts.  It is important that the messages are the same between advocates and so everyone is on the same page and makes the message that much stronger when it is supported by everyone involved!