Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not

depart from it. This is the famous verse from the book of Proverbs
chapter 22 verse 6.
A pleasant morning to all of you my fellow educators.
As early childhood educators, young children depend on you to support
their well-being and positive development; parents depend on you to act
as role models, provide tender loving care, and influence their childrens
levels of thinking. In other words, you carry with you not a burden but
an opportunity and a blessing to mold children and to inculcate upon
them important values which they will carry on to the future.
With the innovations and technologies brought about by this generation,
the facilitation of trainings and workshops on child development and
early childhood education is made easier, thus, enabling the increase in
the number of competent and experienced early childhood educators,
like you, in our country.
As Dorothy Law Nolte has written, children learn what they live. You,
as early childhood educators, must set good examples to your kids
because they see you as their second parents. Of course, you already
know this but it is worth reiterating because as Ive said earlier, you are
the molder, and they are the clay.
Most of the time, teachers take pride in their students who excel whether
in the academic or in the extra-curricular activities. Weve seen this
happen many times before. Even I couldnt help but express my joy
whenever a former student of mine attains any form of success in his/her
chosen career now. But have we encountered a teacher who takes
voluntary accountability for his/her students negative actions? Only
very few do and most deny such responsibility because the reality is,
people enjoy sharing with others successes but never with failures and
wrongdoings.

A teacher, no matter how competent and skilled he/she is, must never
escape accountability especially when his/her students are at stake. We,
as teachers, are as human as any other professionals, and we commit
mistakes as well. But let us treat these mistakes as constructive selfcriticisms and continue to set good examples to our students.
The roles you play in childrens lives are very vital in their personal
growth and development. Teaching is full of so many responsibilities
and challenges. The holistic approach to early childhood education
requires you to pay attention to childrens physical, personal, emotional,
spiritual well-being and cognitive aspects of learning. Simply put, it
goes beyond academic learning. This, my fellow educators, is a
deviation from the traditional milestones of academic development. This
is your way of embracing change, as change is the only constant in this
world. Do not get discouraged whenever a new perception arises,
instead, face it with enthusiasm. Do not get half-hearted whenever you
struggle with what the change requires or implies you to do, instead, go
along with it and let it lead you. Do not let yourselves get left behind.
Put in mind that you are all innovative teachers and surely you will beat
the odds. When in doubt, remember that you are doing it for the children
and for their future. Use them as inspirations as you are to them.
It is my joy to speak before you today and I will end it with a quote from
Maria Montessori: Free the childs potential, and you will transform
him into the world.