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 self-criticisms 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.