Ep. 36: The Many Hats of Early Childhood Educators with Shaneil PJ Yarbrough

I'm chatting with another of our summer keynote presenters today – Shaneil Yarbrough, affectionately known as "PJ" in her circles! You are going to love her.  PJ has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education with a minor in early childhood education from Southern Arkansas University. Her professional career spans over twenty years within the education field, with children at the heart of her work. She is intentional about striving for effectiveness, empathy, and equality for all children and her colleagues.  She is currently a training advisor with the University of Arkansas Early Care and Education Projects (ECEP).  She's a pastor's wife and women's ministry leader as well!  AND she's written three books.  Y'all, she is well qualified and she has such a sweet heart for the Lord.   In this podcast episode, PJ and I discuss the various roles and responsibilities of early childhood educators. She shares the many hats childhood educators wear, including (but not limited to) teacher, nurse, coach, safety supervisor, creator of the environment, promoter of diversity, facilitator of learning, and enjoyer of children. Together, we emphasize the importance of valuing childhood and nurturing the development of young children's brains, relationships, and spirituality. We also hone in on the value of finding balance and relying on God's help in wearing each hat. One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation for me is that it's so important for us to really LOVE being with children – to laugh at their silly antics, to marvel at their unique perspective as they discover their world, to join in on the pretend adventures!  Which hat is the most difficult for you to balance?  For me, it's probably either the Creator of Environments or the Promoter of Diversity.  I can definitely have a good attitude most days, but it's harder for me to create an inviting physical environment that is organized but still fun.  And, if I'm really honest, promoting diversity – really learning about the culture and traditions of others requires more intentionality than I wish it did.  It's pretty easy for me to be comfortable with myself.  It's harder to step outside of that comfort zone and be intentional about celebrating differences and incorporating new traditions.  What about you?  Which of these hats is almost always on – it just comes naturally to you?  And which one do you have to really be intentional about putting on?  We'd love to hear about it.  Send us an email at [email protected] or connect with us on social media!  We'd love to hear from you.   You can find PJ on her website at https://www.shaneilpjyarbrough.com/  As always, we would love to connect with you on Instagram and on Facebook