Invisible Child: A Spotlight on Life in the Shadows
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
Dear Colleagues,
Teachers have the power to transform the world by starting when children are small. The early childhood setting is a forum where we can instill the value of social justice in young learners. Granted, children bring their own backgrounds and baggage to the classroom since “parents possess the original key to their offspring’s experience,” explained child psychologist and acclaimed author Haim Ginott. Still, “teachers have a spare key. They can open or close the hearts and minds of children.” We can make history by changing the future of our children.
And in this issue, we mark Black History Month by talking about the long line of Black teachers whose impact is still felt today. Check out Dr. Calvin Moore’s blog to learn about Charlotte Forten Grimké, who taught newly freed Black children during the Civil War, and Fannie Williams, who set up the first preschool for Black children in New Orleans. Read about Evangeline Ward, who served as the first executive director of the Child Development Associate® credentialing program, along with more of Dr. Moore’s personal heroes. They include his mom, aunt and the many Black teachers who give young Black children the confidence to succeed.
The way we engage with young children speaks volumes about the kind of society we want to live in, as you’ll see in our blog, A Big Dream that Begins Small. Schools are microcosms of the world beyond their walls. Factors like race, culture, class and gender set the stage for what ensues in our schools as learners from diverse groups interact. The conflicts that can arise make it harder to build a sense of community in classrooms. So, we need to take steps to build empathy in children when their minds are most open. The life lessons that early childhood teachers pass on in the microcosm of the classroom can have a macro impact by leading to a kinder, more caring world.
That’s the mission of Flance Early Learning Center in St. Louis, Missouri, says its executive director, Tami Timmer. See how her work goes beyond teaching children to also embrace the community and its families. “We’re working for change and doing everything we can to break the poverty cycle in this part of the city,” she says. So, Flance runs after-school programs for grade-school kids, connects parents with resources they need and provides locals with tons of free veggies from its garden. All these efforts vastly enhance the neighborhood’s well-being and health, though Timmer downplays them as “baby steps” toward a big goal.
Our field can get closer to reaching its own dream of equity in early learning with input from folks like Brionnea Williams-McClary, the new director of public policy at the Council. Brionnea has a background working in low-income communities and shelters for homeless moms, experience in federal policy and expertise in women’s studies, along with years working as an early childhood teacher. “Everything I’ve done,” she says, “has convinced me that you have to look at early care and learning through a multifocal lens that encompasses economics and equity, workforce and women’s issues.”
This broad sense of vision will steer Brionnea’s advocacy work at the Council, including our Virtual Capitol Hill Day the week of March 28. It’s just one of the ways we are supporting our field all year long. And so can you. We urge you to speak out in the community you serve, write letters to news outlets and contact your state officials. People need to know that equity in early learning is essential to advance social justice for all. Do your part to open more hearts and minds.
Keep up the fight for what’s right,
The Council for Professional Recognition
Dasani wakes up before dawn each day at a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, New York. After slipping out from under the covers, she goes to the window. On a clear day, she can see all...
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Chief Operations Officer
Andrew Davis serves as Chief Operating Officer at the Council. In this role, Andrew oversees the Programs Division, which includes the following operational functions: credentialing, growth and business development, marketing and communications, public policy and advocacy, research, innovation, and customer relations.
Andrew has over 20 years of experience in the early care and education field. Most recently, Andrew served as Senior Vice President of Partnership and Engagement with Acelero Learning and Shine Early Learning, where he led the expansion of state and community-based partnerships to produce more equitable systems of service delivery, improved programmatic quality, and greater outcomes for communities, children and families. Prior to that, he served as Director of Early Learning at Follett School Solutions.
Andrew earned his MBA from the University of Baltimore and Towson University and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland – University College.
Chief Financial Officer
Jan Bigelow serves as Chief Financial Officer at the Council and has been with the organization since February of 2022.
Jan has more than 30 years in accounting and finance experience, including public accounting, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. She has held management-level positions with BDO Seidman, Kiplinger Washington Editors, Pew Center for Global Climate Change, Communities In Schools, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization and American Humane. Since 2003, Jan has worked exclusively in the non-profit sector where she has been a passionate advocate in improving business operations in order to further the mission of her employers.
Jan holds a CPA from the State of Virginia and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming College. She resides in Alexandria VA with her husband and dog.
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