Early Childhood Education Commons^™

Honoring Knowledge And Experience: Highlighting Caregiver Voices In A Professional Development Curriculum, Margie Brickley

Occasional Paper Series

Infant/toddler caregivers are often portrayed as undereducated and unprofessional. The same is true for family child caregivers. In this piece, the author describes an approach that takes a different point of view – assuming competence and knowledge - and building on the existing experiences of the people working with infants, toddlers and their families. The philosophy behind the professional development experience is delineated. The voices of the caregivers, instructors, and coaches who participated in this program are highlighted.