Questions to Guide Our Work

In Cultivating Curriculum in Early Childhood Organizations, part of the Art of Leadership series, Margie Carter asks some big questions about the purpose of education. She writes:

"Do schools and early childhood programs primarily exist to produce compliant workers for economic function? Or, is the goal to help children grow into their full potential as informed, engaged citizens eager to make a contribution to their communities? We must ask ourselves, 'Do educational goals narrowed to test scores prepare children to be successful in an ever more complex world? Should early education focus solely on children’s futures or does providing enriched childhood experiences give them a better future?'

"The answers to these questions determine the approach to our early care and education programs...Can stronger polices and curriculum mandates really improve learning outcomes? Or should the emphasis be on improved working conditions, salaries and teacher education to support the role of teachers in children’s learning? What are your views on these questions?"

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