My Journey Begins…

Hi! My name is Angielena W. and I am currently a doctoral candidate at Walden University, in a P-20 Design for my EdD in Educational Leadership and Early Childhood Special Education. I reference Early Ed as though it were a person. I met Early Ed in February 1997, when I had my first child while serving on active duty in the Army. When I had my second child only a year later, I struggled to find appropriate care for my babies, so decided then that I would take care of others children, “as if they were my very own.” I researched and became a licensed family child care provider and Early Ed romanced my journey, in and out of my active duty military service and three states, to now. Oh how I love Early Ed!

My Family Influences…

Below is a picture of my dad and my mom (who is pregnant with me at the time). I am a HUGE daddy’s girl and both my mom and dad have been there for me all of my life in one way or another. To the right, are pictures of my maternal grandparents who lived in Mississippi. We visited them almost every summer until my grandmother (maw-maw) passed away when I was 16. They had meager means, living in a wooden, tin roofed shack, with no indoor plumbing. We had to fetch our well water for cooking, bathing and drinking and use the outhouse. It was the best of times though…truly the best and taught me a lot.

From Professionals in the Field...

“Seeing children joyfully, physically, and intellectually engaged in meaningful learning about their world and everyone and everything in it is the truest measure of our success as early childhood educators.” (Copple, Bredekamp, Koralek, and Charner, 2013)

“We need to take a less narrow look at our children’s problems and, instead, see them as windows of opportunity—a way of exploring and understanding all facets of our children’s development.” Stanley Greenspan. (n.d.). AZQuotes.com. Retrieved November 20, 2016, from AZQuotes.com Web site: http://www.azquotes.com/author/26987-Stanley_Greenspan

Renatta M. Cooper, Program Specialist in the Office of Child Care for LA County Child Administrative Offices, inspired me when she acknowledged that not only does the work we do encourage children to be great, but it is “equity work” and “feminist work”. She went on further to say that, “I see early education, rather, all education as a civil rights issue. Every child should have a childhood that leaves you ready for optimal life experiences.” Video: Laureate Education, Inc. (2010). The passion for early childhood. Baltimore: Author.