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more abstract questions, and develops a commitment to the child care profession.
Teachers in this stage need professional journals, opportunities to attend seminars and
institutes, and opportunities to pursue recognition and join professional organizations
(Katz, 2004). Mary did not have any of this necessary support. Mary’s voice was not
listened to. Mary is silenced in the valley of the status quo. To be heard she must accept
the cognitive dissonance that will lead her way up the spiraling path of the mountain to its
peak.
Finding voice.
The deep and everlasting transformation that I have experienced through the
collaborative and constructive process of this research has been profound. I have found a
true and authentic voice which I am no longer afraid to use. I no longer feel the
debilitating effects of the muteness I experienced when I kept my voice silent, because I
did not feel worthy as a teacher or learner. With this research, I now feel empowered to
speak and be heard not only to tell my story, but to tell the stories of the four teachers
who participated in this study. It is their stories that have contributed to my own deeply
personal internal paradigm shift, reframing everything I believe about the field of early
childhood education. While I present my voice within the pages of this dissertation, I also
want to integrate the voices of the four research participants. It is my hope that it is
through the integration of their voice that we may inspire others to carry the banner of
emergent curriculum and change the field.
In order for Mary to find her true an authentic voice, she needs to be in a position
that allows for a full and realistic view of practice. If she continues the climb up the
mountain in a new setting and reaches the top, she will be in a position to see her