I dream of the day when all the schools are designed keeping in mind that these spaces are for active, inventive, creative children, full of life.
I dream of the day when all the schools include a school yard garden and when all the children are served fresh, organic, healthy foods, three times a day.
I dream of the day when parents are given enough time to bond with their newborn children without the fear of losing their jobs or a paycheck.
I dream of the day when all teachers and home care providers get the training they need, the financial compensation they should have and the respect they deserve.
I dream of the day when bilingual children are given credit for preserving their home language and culture, instead of being placed in special education classes under the assumption that they suffer from a language delay.
I dream of the day when young children are given the opportunity to express their knowledge and understanding not only through the spoken language, but also through the language of painting, drawing, music, movement, poetry, sculpture, photography and many other languages.
I dream of the day when education in the early years is a memorable, enjoyable, exciting experience for children and their families.
I dream of the day when schools are the place where children, families, and educators see themselves as both teachers and learners with the power to both acquire and generate new knowledge.
I dream of the day when schools for young children are considered cocoons, where creativity finds its wings, and where no child is bullied for being different.
I know that if we work together, today is the day when we can start making some of these dreams come true.
What are your dreams?
Isauro Michael Escamilla, M.A., an Early Childhood Education Teacher Researcher from the San Francisco Unified School District, spoke at the closing session of NAEYC’s Institute for Professional Development in San Francisco this year. We are pleased to be able to share a particularly moving excerpt below.
