Why Early Years Educators Must Keep Growing
“Teaching is not a talent we’re born with. It’s a skill we nurture, a craft we refine, and a mindset we commit to every single day.”
There’s a long-standing myth in education that some people are just “born to teach”, they’re naturally good with children, instinctively patient, effortlessly creative. While these traits can be helpful, they’re not what makes a truly great teacher.
Because the truth is:
Good teachers aren’t born. Good teachers are trained. And when it comes to early childhood education, this truth is even more critical. The Early Years are complex, not basic. There’s a misconception that teaching young children is “easy.” After all, they’re just playing, learning their ABCs, and singing songs—right?
Wrong!!!!!!
Early childhood education is one of the most delicate, demanding, and developmentally significant phases of a child’s life. It requires deep understanding of child psychology and behavior along with the Knowledge of language acquisition and communication development. Teachers are required to be skilled in managing diverse needs, emotions, and learning styles by keeping creativity. Then, last the endless patience balanced with strategy
Now if we look into these specific areas, none of these are the traits you’re born with.
They’re built through research, reflection, and ongoing professional development.
Even if you’ve been teaching for years, or you “love children” deeply, the classroom of today is not the same as it was even five years ago. New research, new challenges, and new children demand new methods.
What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. And “loving kids” is only one healthy piece of a very large puzzle but not the whole
In a world where children are facing more screen time and less social interaction, the families have higher expectations from teachers and school. Simultaneously, the curriculum frameworks are evolving toward play-based, inquiry-led learning so our skills must evolve too. We must acknowledge that the Professional development is not an option we treat as “extra”, it’s part of our ethical commitment to the children and families we serve.
