Mikaela Deur

EDUC 339
Prof. VerWys
12/15/15

Self Identity as a Christian Early Childhood Professional

I am a Christian early childhood professional. Putting the word

Christian in front of my vocational title is no small gesture. This

identifies me as a teacher and leader whom people will look to and

whom people will watch, accrediting and discrediting my beliefs based

on my what I do with my role as an educator. My faith seeps in to every

piece of my being, and an educator is a huge part of who I am.

Branching out from my vocation, there are several different aspects of

my job in which my faith can be seen. It is showcased in my

interactions with families and coworkers, my ability to advocate for

what I believe in, and my collaboration with the community around me.

Essentially, my interactions with others represent what I believe in.

The relationships that I grow with families are an important piece

of being a successful educator. As I dissect my teacher identity, much

lies within the category of collaboration. The way in which I

communicate with parents is a large part of this. Clear expectations

and communication are one venue through which I can clearly portray

my faith. By being humble, approachable, and open-minded I can

create an environment in which every individual feels valuable. Parents

are an important piece of the classroom, and students should feel like

parents and teachers stand together as a unified front: a team. In order

to do this, I need to be communicating with parents as much as

possible and providing ways to get them involved in the every day life

of the classroom.

In addition to collaboration with parents, professionals need to be

working together toward a common goal. As a Christian, the

interactions that I have with my coworkers need to build them up and

encourage them in the work that they do. This doesnt mean that I

cant offer suggestions for growth, but these ideas need to be

communicated with humbleness and a caring attitude. The

environment which we place children in should be one in which

teachers are collaborating well together for the success of all students.

In order to do this, teachers need to treat others as important and

valued, offering support and love in the highs and the lows, when

things are going well, but also when it seems like the light of day will

never come. By creating this support system among coworkers,

Christian educators have a chance to be a witness through their love

and care.

In this semester, my awareness of my ability to be an advocate

has been at the forefront of my mind. It has become obvious to me

that my position as an early childhood educator is a unique one, which

offers me a platform on which to stand up for my beliefs. My faith

defines what I stand for. It gives me a moral conviction to stand up for

children and advocate for ways in which we can best support their

learning and success. It was almost shocking to me to hear that I was

required by law to be a mandated reporter, because that is something

that, as a Christian, I would have done without thinking twice. Standing

up for the rights of children is one of the ways that I can reflect my

Savior. He was the one who said, Let the little children come to me.

He advocated for children when they were not valued by society and

saw them as an important piece of the kingdom. As a Christian early

childhood educator, I strive to reflect my God and His agape love for

His children.

My collaboration with the community is another way in which I

can be a strong Christian presence in the realm of early childhood. In

my interactions with community agencies, I will be patient and

respectful. I will treat people with love and grace. By referring families

to transformative services in the community, I am making important

connections to further the kingdom of God. When people come

together to better a community, I believe that God is at work through

them, no matter the affiliation of the organization. Working to create a

loving community that supports one another is a kingdom vision.

This semester has equipped me to be the hands and feet of

Christ as an early childhood educator. I have been prepared to work

well with parents, coworkers, and community agencies. I know that, as

an early childhood educator, I am the voice of the voiceless and I have

discovered that there is a fire burning inside me to advocate for the

rights of children, starting in the classroom.