Professional Goals, Hopes and Dreams. :)

What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?


        Where I work, high turnover rates and program standards, such as safety and interactions amongst the teachers and students are some of the main issues being discussed regarding quality and early childhood professionals. Many "professionals" tend to resign from their jobs because of the very low pay rate. The average childcare professional in my community makes about 9-10.50 an hour regardless of training and educational background. However, my daycare center is blessed to have had the same professionals for 2 years or longer and they seem to have an intrinsic desire to teach, mentor, tutor and provide each child with the individual safety and attention that he or she may need in order to thrive developmentally in all arenas, cognitively, socio-emotionally, and holistically.


What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?

There are many opportunities and requirements  for professional development. Last week, all of the staff and professionals at my daycare center took a 2 hour first aid and CPR course. We are normally closed on Saturday's but I love that everyone was able to make arrangements to receive training in case of an emergency for the safety of our children. For myself, I took a 60 hour Directors certification course, while simultaneously taking courses here at Walden and was able to receive my certification to be a director 2 months ago. I am very excited about my journey and what the future holds for my family and I. We are in the process of opening an additional childcare center. There are many training courses available for professionals, including Dual Language learner courses that focus on support for immigrants and dual language speaking children and families, and family engagement and GELDs, which is Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards which focuses on children and their developmental milestones from birth through age five and what they should be able to do between those years. 

What are some of your professional goals?

& What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?

To first receive my Master's of Early Childhood studies and become a childcare director and advocate for ALL children and families, especially for immigrant and lower incomes. To be able to enlighten them of the many available resources available for their children to receive quality educations from quality programs while providing support and aid. I also plan to be a professional constantly seeking knowledge and constantly connecting with other professionals, locally and globally to bridge many of the equity gaps in the educational system. I am really living in my dreams as we speak. I run a business with my mom and sister that is flourishing, we are not only a childcare facility but we provide love and support to all families regardless of culture, and socioeconomic status. We have provided funding and support to families that have lost babies that have attended our childcare, we have also provided free tutoring and mentor programs to the children of our center. We genuinely love our children and will go above and beyond to provide them with safety, love and support! Our parents LOVE US! AND WE LOVE THEM! Some of the challenges are watching the children grow up and leaving our center. Most of our children have been there since birth and they are now in 1st and 2nd grade! Our summer camps provide some of the best filed trips and activities to keep the children active because play is so important in development. We have accepted many immigrant families and got over language barriers by learning to say and interpret things from their levels of understanding, that is also one of the many challenges faced!