Is there a difference in credentials for those who educate children? Of course - BA, Masters, PhD, CDA, NAFCC accredited, QRS, and so on. Why is it so important to call some of them teachers and others not? Are we saying that the only way we can call someone a teacher of preschool children is if they have a post-secondary degree? Why this resistance to calling those who educate our children "teachers"?

The problem I have is that making this distinction between those who are "teachers" and those who are not is that by doing so we devalue the work that preschool teachers do. This is particularly disturbing when we know that children learn the most before they become schoolagers!

I'm not trying to devalue the work of school age teachers. I'm not disagreeing that some preschool teachers do a terrible job. I'm saying that what is important is that we recognize the importance of educating preschool children. This work is so important that the least we can do is call them teachers. If this raises the expectations of what preschool teachers should be doing, so be it.