Standing Up and Speaking Out: The Need for Well-Qualified, Well-Compensated Directors

McCormick Institute for Early Childhood

BY Teri Talan, Director of Policy Initiatives | December 1, 2006

When I changed careers in 1989 from practicing child advocacy law to directing a child care program, I was shocked to see firsthand how our society devalued this important work. I had experienced only high esteem in my work as an attorney. In sharp contrast, as an early childhood administrator I felt the important work I was doing was marginalized. In frustration, I wrote a Chicago Sun-Times guest editorial in which I stated, “I experience this low regard for the work of early childhood practitioners as a slap in the face.” I have been engaged ever since in working to change the conditions of low respect and low wages that plague the early childhood profession. … Download this resource to read the rest of this story.


This resource is part of our archived Director’s Link newsletter series.


This document may be printed, photocopied, and disseminated freely with attribution. All content is the property of the McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership.

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