Position Statement on the Rights and Expertise of Teachers During the Pandemic

The rights of teachers - along with the rights of families and children - are foundational to the Reggio Emilia Approach. The decisions made now about what rights teachers have during the pandemic will have long lasting reverberations.

Also foundational to the Reggio Emilia Approach is reciprocal listening where space is given for all parties to be heard and decisions are made democratically based on the expertise of teachers, parents and children. With this real, focused listening, those most central to the outcomes of the decision are seen as the experts and what they have to say is the primary guide to the decision-making.

Teachers are the people most central to decisions regarding the rights of teachers. Teachers’ voices must be the primary guide in deciding the rights of teachers.

Additionally when it comes to expertise, we have teachers and administrators who have over four months experience working with in-person groups of children in the New Mexican context during a pandemic. Since the initial state shut-down in March, early childhood and out-of-school programs have been learning what works and what doesn’t work in terms of controlling the spread of the coronavirus while working with groups of children in person. This experience and expertise that is specific to our cultural and contextual needs is extremely valuable as decisions are being made as to when and how to open more in-person schooling including in-person public schooling. As a society we are not used to seeing early childhood professionals as experts. We are not used to applying their advice, especially outside the context of early childhood education. It is imperative now that we consult them as the true experts they are.