In Praise of Early Childhood Educators

Hi! I’m Joy, and my background is different from most of you who are deeply steeped in Early Childhood Education. While I’m not an expert on kids, I have repeatedly seen what happens when they grow up and haven’t developed critical skills and mindsets early in life.

I spent 35 years working in Human Resources (HR), training and developing adults to be effective leaders and associates for various companies. Over the years, I’ve facilitated hundreds of sessions on subjects like Emotional Intelligence, Being an Effective Team Player, and Cultivating a Growth Mindset – many of the same topics that are taught in preschool.

Often participants in the corporate programs that I facilitated had senior titles and advanced degrees. And yet, it was tough for some of them to stop doing things that were ineffective and adopt more positive behaviors. They were set in their ways and had a hard time changing, even when they were highly motivated to do so.

Fifteen years ago, I had the opportunity to lead a small Montessori school in Indianapolis. Through that experience, I had a blinding flash of the obvious: rather than waiting until people are fully formed adults, the best time to develop their potential is when they’re young and forming their mindsets and social-emotional skills! That realization intensified for years as I continued working in HR.

Fast forward to the summer of 2023 when I took a bold leap. I left my corporate job to explore how I might draw on my extensive experience in professional development to pivot from Leaders to “Littles” – and make a difference for young children and the adults who nurture and develop them.

As part of my journey of exploration, I recently completed the Early Childhood Service Corps training program that included ECE 1011 & 1031 college coursework and firsthand classroom experience in several preschools, and… Wow! I knew that early childhood was important, but now I know how truly critical this period of life is for all of us to thrive.

As I’ve observed Early Childhood Educators through my HR lens, I’ve had some interesting insights:

  • Developing People: When I compare Corporate Training and Development to Early Childhood Education, both fields are focused on developing people. But, in my experience… I’ve never had my participants’ parents second-guess what I was teaching or think that their adult child could do no wrong. (In fact, I’ve never met even one of their parents). And I can honestly say that during my training classes, I’ve never had a participant throw a screaming tantrum or pee their pants (as far as I know)!
  • Challenging Profession: I am impressed by how complex the job of an Early Childhood Educator is!
    • You are responsible for keeping kids safe and healthy.
    • You build relationships and partner with parents from a variety of cultures.
    • You have lots of techniques and ideas in your toolkit and know when and how to use them.
    • You use analytical skills to collect data, conduct assessments, document observations, and plan learning.
    • You must always be on your toes (literally and figuratively) to observe kids, react quickly, and respond appropriately to what’s happening in the moment.
    • You help small humans with their big emotions, while staying calm and centered yourself.

If you worked in corporate America and HR conducted a job evaluation, I have no doubt that your compensation would be leveled much higher than it is – based on the job’s complexity; required level of skill, responsibility, autonomy, and judgment; and its profound impact on kids now and in the future.

  • Going the Extra Mile: A big focus of corporate HR is on associate engagement – in other words, how much “discretionary effort” people are willing to give beyond the requirements of their job. As I’ve watched Early Childhood Educators in action, I’ve seen example after example of your going the extra mile to serve kids and their families. You are generous, creative, and give freely of yourselves. It’s obvious that you are passionate about your work and care deeply for the children you are entrusted with.

Because of your dedication now, the adults of tomorrow will have those critical skills and mindsets they need to succeed.

Early Childhood Educators, THANK YOU!

I honor your commitment and the difference you make each and every day!

Joy Ullrich, MBA, lives in Broomfield, Colorado and is on a mission to help people of all ages discover and develop their potential. She has pivoted her career from Leaders to “Littles” and seeks to empower educators, children, and their caregivers with knowledge from her HR Talent Development background and passion for the spark of learning. She also inspires businesses to support their current associates who are raising children – and invest in their future workforce who are in early childhood now.

You can connect with Joy on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/joyullrich.