This is one of a series of blogs featuring first-person accounts from early educators across Massachusetts.

*

My name is Lesley Byrne, and I work as a pre-K teacher in the Lowell Public Schools. I had worked in early childhood education for seven years when, in 1993, the Lowell initiated the first pre-K programs in its schools. I knew this was where I wanted to be, as I have always believed that providing a positive, first-school experience for families can lead to future school success. I was excited to work toward offering these experiences for children and families. 

For a few years, I was involved in The Family Literacy Program, a collaboration between the Lowell Adult Education program and the Early Childhood Education program. Imagine you’re a parent who is new to this country. You don’t understand English or American culture. Now imagine sending your child to a “foreign” school! The Family Literacy Program aimed to support these families. The program offered classes in English as a Second Language to parents of pre-K children. As one of the pre-K teachers at this time, I got to use my skills not only to educate and support the children in my class, but also to work with parents on how to support their child’s learning at home. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my teaching career. 

I am most proud of my work cultivating children’s social and emotional development. I feel strongly that without intentional teaching in this area, children can have difficulty problem-solving, focusing on academic concepts, and thinking critically. A good early childhood program, with an emphasis on play, is the perfect environment to support social, emotional, and academic development.

My favorite part of the school day is reading with the children. It’s fun for them, and it gives me time to learn so much about my students, from their vocabulary knowledge and concept understanding to how they connect emotionally with pictures, words, characters, and situations.

I consider myself a lifelong learner who has always loved education. I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Elementary Education in the 1980s. Some years later, in response to the huge influx of new immigrants to Lowell, I completed a master’s program in ESL Curriculum and Instruction. This enabled me to work more effectively with second language learners and their families. It also inspired me to work in my spare time with adults in the Lowell Adult Education program.

I have taken advantage of many professional development opportunities in an effort to meet the various needs of the diverse student population that I teach. Some of the topics include: early literacy, math development, modifying curriculum, understanding childhood poverty and trauma, yoga for kids, and many more. Whether it is acquiring new information or validating my own work, I enjoy the shared experience of learning with others!

Being an early childhood educator is hard work that has many rewards. However, the field of early childhood education is often not recognized for its merit or compensated adequately. As I near the end of my teaching career, my hope for the future is that teachers and parents will continue to work together to influence policymakers to provide educational opportunities for all young children and to adequately fund early childhood programs and educators.