A Look Into the Work Lives of Early Childhood Education Professionals

A Look Into the Work Lives of Early Childhood Education Professionals

EdSurge has been exploring the work lives of early childhood professionals, unpacking their pathways to professional learning, how they engage with families and the opportunities they have for increased compensation. These stories document practitioners’ experiences and reveal why they are committed to their work despite significant challenges and complexities.

What We Learned About the Challenges and Commitment of Early Childhood Educators
Early Learning

What We Learned About the Challenges and Commitment of Early Childhood Educators

Cindy Decker had big plans when she began her job as executive director of an early childhood education program in Tulsa, Okla. She was excited to ...
By Rachel Burstein

Professional Learning

What professional learning and formal education opportunities exist to support early childhood educators to advance their careers and improve learning outcomes?

This District Not Only Supports Early Childhood Educators. It Helps Advance Their Careers.
This District Not Only Supports Early Childhood Educators. It Helps Advance Their Careers.
Early Learning

This District Not Only Supports Early Childhood Educators. It Helps Advance Their Careers.

By Emily Tate Sullivan
Here’s How Head Start Parents Are Building Careers As Early Childhood Educators
Here’s How Head Start Parents Are Building Careers As Early Childhood Educators
Early Learning

Here’s How Head Start Parents Are Building Careers As Early Childhood Educators

By Rachel Burstein
How This Apprenticeship Helps Educators Achieve Once Out-of-Reach Career Goals
How This Apprenticeship Helps Educators Achieve Once Out-of-Reach Career Goals
Workforce Training

How This Apprenticeship Helps Educators Achieve Once Out-of-Reach Career Goals

By Emily Tate Sullivan
Serving Mixed Ages Is Hard. Here’s How One Child Care Provider Makes it Work.
Serving Mixed Ages Is Hard. Here’s How One Child Care Provider Makes it Work.
Early Learning

Serving Mixed Ages Is Hard. Here’s How One Child Care Provider Makes it Work.

By Emily Tate Sullivan
How Free Online College Courses Are Changing the Game for Early Childhood Educators
How Free Online College Courses Are Changing the Game for Early Childhood Educators
Early Learning

How Free Online College Courses Are Changing the Game for Early Childhood Educators

By Emily Tate Sullivan
Running a Home-Based Preschool Is Tough, and Support Is Meager
Running a Home-Based Preschool Is Tough, and Support Is Meager
Early Learning

Running a Home-Based Preschool Is Tough, and Support Is Meager

By Wade Tyler Millward

Family Engagement

How are schools supporting practitioners in engaging and communicating with families effectively?

Inside a Preschool That Treats the Youngest Victims of the Opioid Crisis
Inside a Preschool That Treats the Youngest Victims of the Opioid Crisis
Early Learning

Inside a Preschool That Treats the Youngest Victims of the Opioid Crisis

By Emily Tate Sullivan
Behind the Story: Healing the Youngest Victims of the Opioid Crisis
Behind the Story: Healing the Youngest Victims of the Opioid Crisis
Early Learning

Behind the Story: Healing the Youngest Victims of the Opioid Crisis

By Emily Tate Sullivan
As More Children Show Symptoms of Trauma, Head Start Programs Expand Support Services
As More Children Show Symptoms of Trauma, Head Start Programs Expand Support Services
Early Learning

As More Children Show Symptoms of Trauma, Head Start Programs Expand Support Services

By Emily Tate Sullivan
Want to Support Early Childhood Education? Start With the Parents.
Want to Support Early Childhood Education? Start With the Parents.
Early Learning

Want to Support Early Childhood Education? Start With the Parents.

By Tony Wan
Home Visits Are Effective. Here’s Why They Still Make Some Teachers Uneasy.
Home Visits Are Effective. Here’s Why They Still Make Some Teachers Uneasy.
Early Learning

Home Visits Are Effective. Here’s Why They Still Make Some Teachers Uneasy.

By Rachel Burstein

Compensation and Structural Changes

How can early childhood education institutions use compensation, benefits and structural changes to advance educational quality, practitioners' work experience and wellness?

Why Aren’t We Paying Early Childhood Educators What They’re Worth?
Why Aren’t We Paying Early Childhood Educators What They’re Worth?
Opinion

Why Aren’t We Paying Early Childhood Educators What They’re Worth?

By Rhian Evans Allvin
This Program Is Building a Pipeline of Special Education Teachers
This Program Is Building a Pipeline of Special Education Teachers
Voices

This Program Is Building a Pipeline of Special Education Teachers

By Jeanne Alter
This Observation Tool Is Helping Teachers Improve Their Interactions with Children
This Observation Tool Is Helping Teachers Improve Their Interactions with Children
Early Learning

This Observation Tool Is Helping Teachers Improve Their Interactions with Children

By Sharon Lurye
Are Early Childhood Teachers Happy and Healthy? This Research Study Will Find Out
Are Early Childhood Teachers Happy and Healthy? This Research Study Will Find Out
Voices

Are Early Childhood Teachers Happy and Healthy? This Research Study Will Find Out

By Kyong-Ah Kwon
Why These School Districts Serve Children Beginning at Birth
Why These School Districts Serve Children Beginning at Birth
Early Learning

Why These School Districts Serve Children Beginning at Birth

By Sharon Lurye

This EdSurge Research series is made publicly available with support from Imaginable Futures, a venture of The Omidyar Group. All stories are editorially independent. (Read our ethics statement here.) This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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