Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.
– Maria Montessori

Today’s message comes from Evelyn Wacjer, who reflects on the importance of early care and education teachers. She became interested in the ECE field when she was teaching Literature at a Community College in Montreal. Eventually she and her educator husband, Lawrence Vatch, decided to open their own centres. As Evelyn says, “It has been an exciting and interesting adventure.” Here is Evelyn’s reflection:

Education takes many forms. My father often spoke of the “School of Hard Knocks,” emphasizing the lessons life teaches through struggle and survival. During World War II he survived by hiding in plain sight, posing as a Polish teenager and selling cigarettes to Nazis. My mother’s teenage education was far more brutal. She learned her street skills from sneaking out of the Warsaw Ghetto and illegally smuggling food back in. She thus kept her family alive. She honed her survival skills in the hell of Majdanek, Auschwitz and other concentration camps where you learned fast or died faster. My parents, along with their survivor friends, were my first and most impactful educators.

So here I go again, reflecting on education. This time I am not focusing on my own teachers but on the teachers who work in early care and education. When I decided that I would open my own learning centre, I sought the advice of experienced directors. They warned me of the many challenges I would face. They did not mention how hard it is to be able to pay rent and salaries, which they should have, but mostly spoke about the difficulty of hiring and retaining a good team of early childcare teachers.

I naively assumed that anyone who wanted to spend the day taking care of other people’s children did so because they loved children. Well, all the people I interviewed did say they loved children, but I had to learn not to hire the constant critics, the complainers, the overly permissive or too controlling. Thankfully, I did find many dedicated and hard-working individuals who create loving, safe and joyful learning environments. I owe so much to those who work tirelessly to enrich the lives of the children entrusted to them.

The responsibilities of early childcare educators are immense. They must follow a myriad of government regulations, while working closely with a partner they do not choose. Despite their best precautions and, no matter how safe an environment, they inevitably deal with scrapes, bumps and bruises which they then must explain to parents. Their daily routines include dressing multiple children for outdoor play, creating fun outdoor and indoor activities. They teach children how to listen, to be independent, to socialize, to eat properly, to cough into elbows, to wipe noses and other body parts. They read to, dance and sing with eager children. They know that every activity they plan is an opportunity for growth.

Hugs and kisses from happy children and the appreciation of parents and administrators are motivating factors. However, I believe these admirable teachers are rewarded by knowing that they make a lasting, positive difference in the lives of the most vulnerable and trusting individuals in the world. They model respect and patience, generosity, and compassion. They champion their children and share the pride of both big and small achievements with parents. They hug, comfort, encourage, and inspire. Working with them, my own education is ongoing and never dull.

My parents taught me a fundamental truth: curious, happy and open-minded children who learn to share and live harmoniously with others are the foundation of a healthy society. To achieve this, we must value our children’s early teachers who work hard to help form them into the good adults they will become.

To these wonderful and dedicated people, I  offer my heartfelt  gratitude.

Evelyn Wajcer