Early childhood teachers have it pretty rough. We face all sorts of indignities daily without even getting a hint of the respect we deserve as professional educators.We’re constantly looked down upon, whether it’s coming from the parents of our students, administrators, or even our own peers!With all that going on, it’s easy to drift into negative thinking, which can lead you down a destructive path. And if you go down that road long enough, you’re running the risk of becoming a complainer.I want to show you a different way.It’s not fair, and I get that. Trust me—I’ve been there myself, plenty of times before. Still, if we genuinely want to change how people perceive early childhood education, we first have to make a mindset shift of our own.We need to start believing in our own self-worth as educators. If we don’t - no one else will!My goal for this episode is to help you start thinking like a changemaker. It won’t happen overnight, and it won’t be easy, but I know you CAN do it.You can do hard things! I believe in you!Key Takeaways:- What does it mean to be a changemaker in early childhood education? (00:00)- How to stop falling victim to negative thinking and start believing in your self-worth (02:14)- The many indignities we face as early childhood professionals and how to overcome them (03:56)- The key steps to becoming a changemaker and earning the respect you deserve (05:02)- My experience of going from complainer to changemaker (and why it felt so empowering) (05:52)- I want you to start thinking of yourself as a professional educator and a changemaker! (08:12)Additional Resources:- Visit our website to find tons of pre-K teaching resources here:https://www.pre-kpages.com/- Get my book “Teach Smarter: Literacy Strategies for Early Childhood Teachers” here:https://www.pre-kpages.com/teach-smarter-book/- Learn more about my membership program “Teaching Trailblazers” here:https://bit.ly/join-teaching-trailblazers--Elevating Early Childhood is an early education podcast dedicated to helping Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten teachers teach better, save time, and live more.If you enjoy the podcast, please follow, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.--Onward & Upward!