Leading Ourselves: Our Future as Early Childhood Educators Hailey Paschold September 15, 2026

What does it mean to establish a profession? To be a member of a profession? What does it mean for a profession of early childhood educators to lead itself?

Vermont’s Legislature plans to take up the ECE Profession Bill again in 2027. Meanwhile, other states are taking similar steps. This ECE-led, interactive workshop is designed to help early childhood educators and early childhood education students understand what a profession is, and what it means to lead ourselves. We’ll discuss:
-The components of a profession
-The knowledge, skills, and ethics shared by members of a profession
-The benefits of creating and belonging to a profession
-How we can ensure everyone in our field is included and supported