The Triad Men in Early Childhood Education Conference takes place this weekend in Winston-Salem. The day-long event is spearheaded by Smart Start of Forsyth County.
According to Head Start, male family members and father figures can be important role models in the healthy development of children, especially from birth through kindergarten. Smart Start aims to nurture this through programs focused on caregiving and home involvement, and providing parents of young children with tools and support.
Special Projects Director Juwon Crowell says the goal of this conference is to raise awareness about the importance of men in early childhood education.
"We want to enhance," says Crowell. "We want to engage. We want individuals to collaborate and understand — specifically at Smart Start birth to five — men getting embedded, getting their hands dirty, and understanding the importance of being at home, being in the community, being in the schools, where men matter and can be utilized the most."
Crowell says studies show that when men are engaged in the lives of young children, they benefit socially, emotionally and cognitively.
Director of Research and Evaluation Lesa King Bullins says one of the barriers keeping more men from entering a career in early childhood education is low pay. She says they’re working to change that through a new program called the Career Pathways Initiative.
"And it actually is designed in a way to support them towards high school internships, where they're able to not only be paid for their space in the classroom, but also work towards certifications that will allow them to enter into the field, and an opportunity of higher wages, because they'll have certifications, in the specific areas," she says.
The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness. Guest speakers include State Rep. Amber Baker, Mayors Cyril Jefferson of High Point and Allen Joines of Winston-Salem, and Kaplan Early Learning President Matthew Marceron, among others.