Quotes from Early Childhood Professionals

"We want our children to do more than just learn how to read and write; we want them to learn in such a way that they become life long readers and writers."
Lilian Katz (Parent Magazine, October 1990)


"My passion is to make sure that all children are taught in environments and in ways that truely nurtur their ability to grow and to develop to their fullest ablity."
Louise Derman-Sparks, Professor Emeritus, Pacific Oak College, CA


"We as professionals in the early childhood field have the opportunity to shape a child's life for the better."
Sandy Escobido, Deputy Field Director
Los Angeles Prechool Advocacy Initiative
California Community Foundation

Martha’s Childhood Web

Growing up as a child for me was interesting and fun but different. I came from a very large family of 12.  I was never alone. I always did things with my sisters and brothers.  My entire family did had and still have an impact on my life.

I will start with my Mom:

My mother was the most influential person in my life. She was a strong woman who really kept our household together. Although there were 10 children, we were very disciplined. My mother was very sweet and loving, however “she said what she meant and meant what she said,” and that is all I am going to say about that.  She was supportive and encouraging. She taught me how to cook, sew and do so many other things. Unfortunately, I lost my mother when I was 16. It was very devastating to not only me but also my entire family.  It was the positive things that she taught us that really kept us all together.

My Dad:

My daddy was and still is a minister.  Although he was very busy working to support the family and pasturing a church, he still took time out to spend with us.

Dad would take us for rides, buy us ice cream and we would talk and sing during the entire trip.  He would sometimes, come in the room where we were and walk on his hands.  It is little stuff like that that I will cherish.  Although he was busy, he took time out to spend with us and I will never forget that.

My sisters:

I have six sisters and we are so much alike. It is hard to name just one because each one touched my life in so many ways.  Having so many sisters, I was never alone.  After the death of my mother, my sisters gave me advice and supported me in what ever I set out to do.

My Brother:

I grew up with three older brothers and they were my protectors. They were loving and sweet men unlike the norm.  Although, they loved to tease their little sisters, they looked out for us.  Whenever I needed advice from a male prospective, they provided their honest opinion.

My BFF:

With so many bothers and sisters, it is a wonder that I had a childhood friend but I did.  My childhood friends name is Wanda.  We were inseparable.  She had a very positive impact on my life.  She stayed at my house so much that my parents called her their daughter. Wanda and I did everything together and we talked about everything.  We had so much fun and we are still friends today. It has been 40 years.

One of My Favorite Books:

One of my favorite children book titles is “Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss, it is one of my favorite titles because the story itself talks about the different places you can go when you read. We as educators know how important it is for children to learn to read and do it often, which is a key to success. One of the campaigns that I am working on right now is going around to elementary schools and getting children excited and pumped up about reading.  We are on a mission to raise readers. 

An Unforgettable Moment:

There are times when educators can be very judgmental.  Once I had a student that would come into my classroom each morning and fall asleep during breakfast time.  She would sleep for an hour.  Some of the teachers would make comments about whether or not she was going to bed on time.  Other comments were also made concerning the situation.  However, after meeting with the mother, I realized  that the mother was a good caring mother and was doing all she could to raise her two girls alone.  The reason that the little girl was falling asleep was because the mom had two full time jobs and the girls would stay up until midnight just so that they could see their mom.  I talked to a few people and we all worked to help mom get a job that would pay what both jobs did together, so that she would be able to have time to spend with her girls.  “It takes a Village”

Favorite Quote:

My Favorite quote is “It takes a village to raise a child”.  This saying is so true.  The parents can’t rely on the schools alone and the schools can’t rely on the home alone.  It is going to take the home, the schools, and the community all working together.

Everyone is talking about the high school drop out rate in this country.  What gets me is that they all act as if the solution is so hard.  They are going into these middle schools and high schools trying to figure out what to do. As early childhood professionals, we can give them the answer if they would all just listen. You have to start from the bottom and move up, Early Childhood Education, that is the key!