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The social and economic importance of investing in early childhood education is an
urgent matter for communities and governments (McCain & Mustard, 2002). Early
childhood educators teach children during a time in their lives when the greatest window
of opportunity for learning exists. This should make us proud to speak. Theory as a
component of practice should be a desired goal for early childhood educators intent on
development. VanderVen (1993, 2000) has suggested that there is a “breach” between
theory and practice in the early childhood education field. What is required is a
reconceptualization of the theory-to-practice issue. According to Spodek (1995), the lack
of a theoretical base constitutes a barrier to professionalization for the field of early
childhood education. Accepting theory in practice will propel early childhood educators,
as a group, to higher levels of professionalization and, as individuals, to higher planes of
development.
Some teachers may be waiting for external forces to initiate change. If the context
of early childhood education changes, with increased educational requirements and
mandated professional development, those unwilling to change will no longer be able to
resist if there is an alteration in the context of the field. However, to wait for an improved
context is to limit the possibilities and to prolong the situation faced by early childhood
educators with respect to self-image and practice. At the same time, if contextual changes
contribute to higher expectations for early childhood education teachers with respect to
education and professional development, an enlightened teacher may readily and easily
accept new ideas and reframed images. In this future projection, those who are resistant
to change may find their stance as keepers of routine challenged by their own colleagues.