Influential Quotes

The two people that I found who truly made a difference in the Early Childhood Education Field were President Lyndon B. Johnson and Dr. T. Berry Brazelton.  They both impacted the field in various ways and have left lasting marks on how we teach our students.  Below are a few quotes which stuck out to me.

President Lyndon B Johnson -

 

Quote from a speech about the beginning of the Head Start program:

“This means that nearly half the preschool children of poverty will get a head start on their future. These children will receive preschool training to prepare them for regular school in September. They will get medical and dental.”  Working in the Head Start program and seeing how much the children are benefiting from it, it is extremely warming to know how much the program is helping them get the push that many of the students need in the right direction.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=26973

This is another quote from President Lyndon B. Johnson.  Although it does not deal with education, I felt it was important to share with my fellow women.  “The women of America represent a reservoir of talent that is still underused. It is too often underpaid, and almost always underpromoted.” (Remarks at the Federal Woman's Award Ceremony at the White House; March 2, 1965)

http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/prespgs/lbjohnson.html

Dr. T. Berry Brazelton -

Quotes from Dr. T. Berry Brazelton during an interview about child’s self-esteem and development:

“Feeling loved no matter what does not fill us with illusions about how wonderful we are, but helps us to tolerate our imperfections.”  I personally feel as though this quote speaks volumes about how important it is to nurture out children, both at home and in the classroom.  We do not know exactly what their home life may be like and by us as their teacher giving them the positive encouragement that many of them crave will assist them develop properly.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/dr-brazelton-on-self-esteem-discipline-and-learning-from-your-kids/

One quote that I found from the media segment is by Louise Derman-Sparks; “I had a built in passion to make a real contribution to the world, to fix the injustices that existed in the world, and I wanted to do that through teaching.”  Louise knew what she wanted to do even as a child.  She may not have realized it but teaching was something that motivated her, even in play.  This quote makes me see how much teachers try to fix the world’s problems, one small classroom at a time.  By us having the passion and wisdom to help our students, we in turn are passing on knowledge that will help them become better people.

Course Media: "The Passion for Early Childhood"