Community Voices - May 25, 2026

In classrooms and enrichment spaces across the country, play is often the first thing to go when time, funding, or policy pressures mount. But for children—especially those from historically marginalized communities—play is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline. It’s where identity is affirmed, stories are shared, and imagination becomes a tool for healing and growth. In a time when play is increasingly sidelined by rigid standards and fragmented systems, culturally affirming play offers a vital counterforce—one that nurtures identity, belonging, and imagination across the Pre-K–Grade 3 continuum.

From community time in early childhood classrooms to enrichment rotations in out-of-school time (OST) settings, culturally affirming play invites children to see themselves, their families, and their histories reflected in everyday learning across early learning and school-age programming. It’s not just about inclusion—it’s about recognition and resonance.

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I write this article from a multitude of lived professional experiences. My career trajectory has certainly not been the most conventional. My career path has shifted like a sailboat in ever-changing winds, unpredictable at times, but always guided by a love for teaching and learning. You see, I started my career as a classroom teacher and quickly moved into the principal’s office at the age of 29, under the guidance and leadership of my school administrator. In retrospect, I suppose I made the change from teacher to administrator…well, because I could, never really understanding what I was leaving behind. After years of evaluations, state reports, evening meetings, and athletic supervision, I was called back to the classroom.
The classroom called me home. I went back to the kindergarten classroom where I started my career over twenty years ago. Let me tell you, after years in the principal’s office, I was reminded that teaching is no easy task.

It was exciting to establish a community in my classroom once again, and this return helped me more deeply to understand the importance of the transition young children and families experience as they enter kindergarten. Teaching is a daily performance, where you as facilitator not only plan, guide, support, and manage an environment where every child can and will succeed, but also create one where children and their families feel valued, with a sense of belonging.

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The word “value” can carry different meanings in early childhood education. In one light, it brings to mind the quality of care, the relationships built with children and families, and the impact a school has on its community. These are all valid and important aspects of a school’s holistic identity and what ECE professionals most deeply associate with the work they do every day.

At the same time, within the context of ownership and long-term planning, “value” has a more concrete definition tied to the early education business itself, its performance, and its position in the broader market. It reflects how a school functions as an organization and how it would be evaluated by a potential growth partner, investor, or successor.

Both dimensions are significant. And if you’re an ECE owner, understanding your school’s business value is becoming increasingly critical as a practical tool for making strategic decisions amid the complex and evolving childcare landscape.

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