Longtime readers of my newsletter may have noticed that my weekly notes have been a little less weekly and a little more monthly as of late…
I started these emails when Covid hit as a way to stay in touch with the families in my classes and kept them going as I realized they were such a useful way for me to share more about what this work is all about. Along the way, I’ve shared a little about my life, which is only natural, because the Educaring® Approach is a way of living. And today’s note is another update.
I’ve always loved writing. And writing about something I love is a natural fit. Some weeks the words flow, other weeks they…do not. But either way, they take some time to create. And these days my time is in short supply. You see, that interim position I took with RIE® back in December has blossomed into a permanent role. The RIE Board of Directors offered me the position of Executive Director and I’ve accepted.
This organization has changed my life in countless ways over the past twenty years, from informing my practice as a child care provider to helping me find my voice as a Educarer and as an Associate, to learning to build and run my own business…and now I find my life changed again, taking on this role of Executive Director. While the title makes me nervous, I remind myself that I’ve spent twenty years learning how to share the Educaring Approach with people and this is simply a new way to do that.
RIE is a nonprofit that is just a few years shy of its 50th birthday. It’s grown from one woman’s vision and a few classes in a friend’s garage to an international 501(c)(3) that has 80 active Associates scattered all over the world. And the biggest comment/question/complaint I hear about the organization is essentially “why isn’t there an Associate in my neighborhood?!”
My answer: I hope someday there will be.
The Approach, while still far from mainstream, has always called to people who realize that children are whole people, worthy of being in relationships with. It just takes a little practice to figure out what that means, and how to do it. And that process isn’t something you can rush.
When I first learned about RIE, I simply wanted to understand it. What I’ve learned is that the Educaring Approach is less about understanding and more about practicing. I’ve learned that knowledge comes in asking questions, observing, and being in relationship with others. Over the years, I’ve learned that passion can flame out without practice…without relationships.
At this stage in my learning, I’m grateful for the opportunity to help lead this organization forward, guided by the principles of the Educaring Approach and our Mission and Vision (which I’ve written about before).
This is not a farewell letter…I fully intend to keep teaching classes…that’s where I practice…that is where infants and toddlers (and parents) allow me to discover, manifest, and inspire the best in myself, and in others. They are my why; you all are my why. And I fully intend to keep writing because I truly am profoundly committed to sharing the opportunity to see infants with new eyes… you just may have to wait a little longer between notes.
If you want to learn more about RIE, the organization, or find out how you can help it grow, just let me know. And if you just want to keep learning about the Educaring Approach and how you can grow as a caregiver, I’m here for that, too.
I don’t step lightly into this role, but I do so with intentionality and with an open heart and an open mind.