Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.
– Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 1933-2020, U.S. Supreme Court Justice

In a recent ExchangeEveryDay we wrote about the Association of Early Learning Leaders (AELL) recently launched Words Matter campaign, and asked you to share your thoughts. Thanks to everyone who shared what words matter to you and how they impact your professional identities.

Here are some of your responses:

“If I was able to teach a child to say ‘Help, May I, Please, Thank You, Excuse me’ …kind words of respect, then I would say I’m on the right track of guiding the children in their early development. Kind words of respect can make a difference in how every human being responds in society.”
— Rosalie Maglanque, Winnipeg, Canada

“It matters that early educators are seen as ‘real teachers’ in the eyes of the parents and public. Teachers who have CDAs, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and beyond. They care deeply and are knowledgeable. It’s been 55 years since I began in the early education field and we are still talking about calling early educators ‘babysitter’ or ‘day care’. Some in this field even call themselves by these words. Change comes slowly but we won’t ever quit advocating for teachers of our youngest.”
— Lisa Uhl

“It is vastly important that those working with young children are recognized as qualified professionals. I think that they are educators and that they provide relationship and care as the foundation of all learning. I think the entire K-12 system should be more like early care and education – built on active, experiential, strength based learning as opposed to requiring all children to do essentially the same thing, at the same time, in the same way. Perhaps ‘early care and education’ best describes the work performed by ‘early childhood professionals?’ (inclusive of family child care, home visiting, and center based care).”
— Amanda Bryans, Maryland

“I think the words – phrase- that does incredible damage to our field (no, we are NOT a profession) is ‘school readiness’. This should be attacked on every front, and we need to change it to mean, ‘the SCHOOL is ready for every child!’
— Francis Wardle, Denver, Colorado

“Recently, I was given brief feedback from my supervisor that left me confused. I was told to reduce the conversations have with my team members. But in the next breath I am told to develop a positive and supportive relationship. I have attended the Conscious Discipline Training on ‘building a school family’ with the focus on the staff. I felt it was to help me improve my communication and share those strategies with the team. I saw it as an opportunity for the team to use the same language with each other that we use with students.

The team of 28 teachers and assistant teachers were engaging and ready to implement. However, it is not going to change at once. It requires the team members to be willing to practice the language and use self-regulation tools when they are triggered.

Head Start is viewed in our community as a childcare center. As this childcare center we are expected to provide a safe and secure place for children while parents/caregivers work or attend to other life issues. This is done, but we are more than that based on our Head Start Performance Standards. It is critical for us to develop structure and routines, developmental age appropriate educational skills, provide the students with the beginning tools for social emotional development, and a safe environment. Teacher sensitivity is vital when engaging with the student(s) and how teachers are meeting their needs.

Unfortunately, teachers need ongoing training in personal social emotional tools but they need to recognize that it exist within themselves.”
— Terri Robinson, Palm Beach School District Head Start

“I really resonated with this. We did some Instagram posts about this in the past. I really love this work and appreciate you bringing this forward!”
— Jennifer Slack, Charlottesville, VA

“After 20 years of working in NAEYC accredited early childhood education centers, I switched to the Child Care Resource and Referral world, where the words ‘child care provider’ are the norm. I am working to change how refer to early childhood educators in the agency where I am employed, and I wish that the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies would focus on changing that language as well.”
— Anonymous, North Carolina

Want to add your voice to the conversation? You can still submit your responses.