JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two topics Childcare industry leaders continue to work on are how to make childcare more affordable and get teachers the pay they deserve.
A conference in Jacksonville lets teachers and industry leaders meet to talk about what's working in the classroom and what's not. It's called The Florida Association for the Education of Young Children, also known as FLAEYC, and each year it's a chance for early childhood educators to step away from the kids and families they serve diligently daily to sharpen their skills. They also let loose a bit and have fun!
“They get to be in a room full of people who understand exactly what they're doing, what they're going through; they're trading what's working with their kids, they're learning from the latest research, and I think it's just getting to be reminded that the work that they do matters a lot," said Makayla Buchanan, the Chief of Staff at The Children's Movement.
The conference is October 16th through the 18th, and industry leaders and experts are on hand to help educators bring new ways of teaching to their classrooms come Monday morning. They also learn how to advocate for what they need through policy changes and new laws.
“What does that look like? Who are the people who can help you with an issue or a challenge that you have in your classroom? And how do you tell that story in an impactful way," said Wendy Occhipinti, the Executive Director of FLAEYC.
That's critical since it's teachers who are on the front line of an industry that’s a lot of take… and not a lot of give.
“Early learning is the infrastructure. It's the workforce behind the workforce. It is everything that keeps Florida running," said Laurie McCracken, the owner of Baby Fox Academy in Sarasota.
And it’s a competitive time in Florida, which is why breaking down what’s needed in an easily digestible way is key.
“Everybody's going after the same thing. Everything is important, and when you're competing with roads and tourism and whatever it is that you can imagine the legislators are hearing, it's really important that we're an easy space for them and a safe space for them so that we don't come in as one more thing they have to deal with," said Erin Smeltzer, the President and CEO of The Children's Forum.
You can still sign up for the conference if you're interested in going. Click here for the details.
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