Stacie Goffin, a nationally renowned author and veteran advocate for the early childhood education field, will be the keynote speaker at an April 20 event in Asheville.
Press release:
Stacie Goffin, nationally renowned author and veteran advocate for the early childhood education field.
What: NEXT: Emerging Leaders Institute, Smart Start of Buncombe County
When: Wednesday, April 20 from 9-10:30
Where: The Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, 67 Broadway, Asheville, NC
Cost: $10.00
For more details and to register: http://buncombepfc.org/event/stacie-goffin
Keynote
Stacie Goffin, nationally renowned author and veteran advocate for the early childhood education field will be the keynote speaker. The keynote message will focus on the importance of advancing early childhood education as a professional field of practice.
Research show that children attending high quality child care are better prepared for school. In order to have a quality child care center, we must invest in the early childhood workforce. Too many of our early childhood teachers worry about their family’s economic well-being. In North Carolina, the median hourly earning for teachers was $10.20 with 22% reporting no health insurance benefits.
Why this matters
Investing in the First 2,000 Days of life is essential. During this time, the majority of brain development happens and learning is rapid and cumulative, building the foundation for school and life success.
Did you know that children spend an average of 36 hours a week with early childhood teachers? In Buncombe County, we have approximately 800 teachers, 4200 children aged 0-5 in licensed care. Adults who provide for the care and education of children birth through 5 bear a great responsibility for their health, development and learning.
“This is a workforce responsible for some of the most important work for our county and state — setting a strong foundation, with families, for children’s success in school and life — yet they are profoundly under-paid,” said Amy Barry, Buncombe Partnership for Children executive director. “To provide high-quality early learning for young children, we must address compensation inequities across early childhood education programs for comparable education, credentials, and responsibilities. “
Research shows that the linchpin of a quality early childhood education program is the knowledge and skills of the teacher to support each child’s optimal development and learning. Consistency of adults in young children’s lives also is an important factor in their positive development. Yet early childhood educators, particular those working in community-based settings, are among the lowest paid of any profession in our country. As a result, there is a high rate of turnover within and out of the early childhood field. Rising expectations for teachers are not being simultaneously reflected by better compensation.
Advancing early childhood education as a professional field of practice is essential to providing quality child care.
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