Tell the Story!

The strategy that I find particularly useful to influence the political will is storytelling. Dr. David Walsh, a friend and colleague of mine has a saying "Who ever tells the story defines the culture" that I use often. The story all over the nation is about large percentages of children coming to school not ready to be there. This story is a tough one for me to swallow. I went to kindergarten in the fall of 1965. I had never been in childcare, I had never been in preschool. On my first day, my mom pointed me in the right direction to the bus stop. She was holding my little sisters hand and had my baby sister on her hip. My big brother and sister were in middle school. I was ready. Every single one of my classmates was ready. Kindergarten was a wonderful place to learn to get along with others, follow a routine, and learn the basics of being a good student. I was ready for kindergarten because kindergarten was designed for a five year old.

In order to move the social, economic, and political will of the country, policy makers tell a story that links the future work force to skills children learn in preschool. Enough of the narrative is true enough to inspire new policies and influence the political will. Undoubtedly there will be intended and unintended consequences of the story. The story has already begun to change kindergarten from a place to learn to learn to a place where learning is measured.

The part of the work that appeals to me is storytelling. Telling the story about what kids need from their early childhood experiences. To tell a story about play, and imagination and their important role in wiring a brain for learning. To tell a story about the kinds of classrooms that kids need and the teachers in them. The kinds of stories that reclaims early childhood for children. I have a body of work and experience behind me now that makes me a force to be reckoned with, a force for children and their parents to advocate for a childhood that children and the adults who love them can enjoy.

Stories Move Policy

I can hardly watch testimonial videos from parents without crying. I get as emotional as they do when they talk about the difference Head Start made, not just in their child's life, but in the family. The stories families tell are the way we evaluate our work. When families have a great experience in our classrooms, they talk about it. Even if the story is not connected to my classroom, I can relate to them and feel validated by them as an early childhood professional. Personally, as a parent, I get choked up because even though my children's early childhood experience as a long time ago now, I remember it as a tender time. I was so thrilled when another teacher saw the uniqueness and wonder in my small child. As a parent, it takes a great leap of faith to drop off a small child with someone else. When it goes well, when a teacher loved my child, he or she became "family" to me.

Parent involvement matters to children. It speaks volumes to children to see parents attending school. School matters and nothing says that more powerfully than making time for it, even as adults. For families, showing up at school to partner with the staff for the best possible outcomes for a child is essential. When we care for the children we share, the early childhood field is strengthened. Partnering with families helps us understand the child and the context of that child's childhood.

I testified in the Minnesota Senate this week. I always carry family success stories with me. Stories help public policy come to life. Stories also inform when policy and practice causes friction. Stories make policy better. Stories connect the work we do in classrooms to the work done in Capitol cities all across our nation.

When we invest in early childhood programs as a way to give children a hand up out of poverty, the dollars are well spent. When we add parent involvement, engagement, or education to the formula, we compound the investment. That's what I told twenty eight senators this week. I know it's true.

Five Years From Now....

In five years, George here will be in first grade. Early Childhood will look very different in the U.S. because of the decisions we make as a nation in the next year. I believe we are on the cusp of making great strides in our investment in early childhood. Fueled by our anxiety about the achievement gap, public opinion is changing towards placing greater value on educating not only small children, but their parents as well.

Most of us agree that Congress is a mess. It's just a year until election day when we will elect a new Senate. In order to look more favorable to constituents, politicians will seek something, anything to work together on to prove to the American people that they can reach across the aisle and govern. I think early childhood is where they will meet. My own Senator, Al Franken was kind enough to ask me and a University of Minnesota researcher to work with his staff to consult on a bill to include parent education as a requirement of a preschool scholarship. I was thrilled.

Finally, you have certainly all heard of Art Rolnick by now. His work has been fundamental in convincing business leaders that an investment in early childhood is an investment in growing the economy because of the rate of return on each dollar invested. Business leaders have noticed and responded. Note the Chamber of Commerce's six action steps listed below, cut and pasted from their own website. Many of us can see the roots of policy we are dealing with today in the action statement. It's time. The situation is ripe for change. I hope the early childhood community is ready! I know I am!

Six Actions the Business Community Can Take

• Support a mixed provider delivery system
• Encourage alignment between the early learning system and the K-12 system
• Promote early learning policies as part of the economic development agenda
• Encourage the inclusion of early childhood data in the statewide longitudinal data system
• Encourage your state to adopt a Quality Rating Information System
• Encourage business organizations and networks to adopt a policy position in support of public investments for effective, high quality early education programs

For more information on action items, as well as a summary of the economic evidence behind investments in early childhood education, please visitwww.uschamber.com/icw.