Jasmine was selected as the 2023 Tanner Teacher of the Year, an annual award in recognition of an outstanding Day Early Learning classroom teacher. The award is named after the Gene and Rosemary Tanner Family, long-standing supporters of Early Learning Indiana, in honor of their endowment that supports teacher training and professional development. 

Jasmine was chosen for her exceptional ability to create a safe and inclusive environment for her students and their families. “Her contributions to the school culture are invaluable; she always looks for ways to help others and creates a positive and uplifting culture among the team,” said Kat Christian, School Leader 

Jasmine will celebrate eight years with Day Early Learning this fall. She started as a substitute teacher, filling in at different centers, but quickly found her niche working with babies. She applied for an assistant teacher position at DEL’s Center for Infants and Toddlers and eventually moved up to lead teacher. Jasmine has cared for children since she was a teen, helping during children’s church and babysitting her nieces.

“The infant age is definitely my favorite,” she says. “Watching their development, being the person who helps them get started crawling and sitting up — it’s so much fun to see. I love being a person who they can feel safe with every day. That’s so important at this age.” 

Her favorite classroom activity is anything art related, sharing that the babies love playing with paint and exploring the textures and colors. Jasmine also incorporates music often in her classroom. “The ‘Good morning, [Name]’ song is definitely one that gets stuck in my head,” she laughs. “I’ll find myself singing that one at home by myself sometimes.” 

Jasmine says the Day Early Learning staff and administration have helped her grow and thrive as a teacher. “I feel heard here. If I need help or have a concern, the directors listen and try to understand and make changes.” She notes that her fellow teachers are some of her favorite people she’s worked with in her career. “My coworkers are so helpful and strong — we have a really solid team.”

Jasmine says communication skills are also key to interacting with parents daily. She prides herself on the connections she makes with families while caring for their babies and keeps in touch with many of them, even after their children have moved on. “I still talk to many of my past parents. It’s such an honor that they want me to be a part of their kids’ lives.” 

Outside of work, Jasmine stays busy studying for her early childhood education degree at Indiana Wesleyan.  She’s exploring options for the future but would like to work in child care administration or another capacity where she can work directly with families. She also enjoys bowling with family and friends and relaxing with a good Netflix show.

How did she react to being named Tanner Teacher of the Year? “I was shocked — I cried!” Jasmine said. “Just knowing that my work was noticed and appreciated makes me feel happy to be here. I really do love my job.”

What Can You Do With a Child Development Degree? 10 Rewarding Career Options

Are you considering a Child Development degree? Look no further for valuable insights into the diverse and rewarding career paths it can lead you to. Discover the variety of fulfilling roles for those who are dedicated to shaping the lives of young children. From educators to child care operations managers, from child life specialists to family engagement experts, your future in child development is bright and rewarding.

What Can You Do With a Child Development Degree? 10 Rewarding Career Options

A Child Development degree equips you with a strong foundation to make a significant impact on individual lives and communities. Explore these 10 rewarding career options and find the perfect fit for you:

1. Infant Teacher

Infant teachers play a vital role in nurturing the youngest minds. Creating a safe and enriching environment, you’ll support infants’ early development, forming the foundation for their learning journey.

2. Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher

As a preschool or kindergarten teacher, you’ll lay the educational groundwork for little learners, nurturing and encouraging their growth and curiosity. Guiding them through foundational skills and preparing them for their academic journey, you’ll help shape the minds of future generations.

3. Childcare Operations Manager

Behind every successful childcare center is an operations manager ensuring smooth operations, staff coordination and a safe environment. This role demands leadership and organizational skills to create a nurturing and secure space for children.

4. Family Engagement Specialist

Become a bridge between families and education by fostering strong connections. As a family engagement specialist, you’ll work collaboratively with parents and caregivers to enhance their involvement in a child’s learning journey. Your interpersonal skills and knowledge of child development will be instrumental.

5. Enrollment Specialist

Guiding families through enrollment processes and providing vital information, enrollment specialists contribute to the seamless functioning of educational institutions.

6. Social Worker

Dedicate your career to supporting children and families facing challenges. Social workers provide crucial assistance, advocating for children’s welfare and ensuring they have access to essential resources. Champion the rights and well-being of children and families, advocating for a brighter future.

7. Child Life Specialist

Step into hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare settings as a child life specialist, helping children and families cope with medical experiences. Your expertise in child development will bring comfort and reassurance to young patients.

8. Behavioral Specialist

Help change the trajectory of the lives of children with behavioral challenges by employing your understanding of child development. Behavioral specialists work closely with children and their families to implement effective strategies to teach self-regulation and resilience.

9. Speech Pathologist

Empower children to communicate effectively as a speech pathologist. With your knowledge of child development, you’ll help overcome speech and language challenges, making a significant impact on their future. Unlock the power of communication for children, enabling them to express themselves confidently.

10. Special Education Teacher

Become an advocate for inclusivity and education by pursuing a role as a special education teacher. Your insights into child development will allow you to tailor instruction to meet individual needs, fostering a love for learning.

Benefits of a Career in Child Development

A career in child development offers numerous benefits that go beyond the typical 9-to-5 job.

Stable Career Growth

With the demand for child development professionals on the rise, job security and growth prospects are boundless. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in early childhood education and related fields are projected to see substantial growth in the coming years.

Exciting Work Environment

A child development career is far from mundane. Each day presents new opportunities to make a lasting impact on young minds. Your work environment is dynamic, engaging and full of meaningful interactions.

Make a Lasting Impact

Embark on a journey where your efforts directly contribute to the academic, social and developmental achievements of children. Your influence will help shape their futures and create positive outcomes throughout their lives.

Take the Next Step in Your Child Development Career at Early Learning Indiana

Doing great work takes great talent. Discover your path to a rewarding career that makes a difference. Join Early Learning Indiana and help us achieve our mission of ensuring every child is empowered with the essential skills necessary to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.

To learn more, visit our careers page.

The Fresh Start treatment program uniquely allows children of mothers with substance use disorders to reside with their mother during her treatment. According to data from The Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), parental drug abuse is the second most common reason for the removal of children from custody, second only to neglect. Allowing mothers and young children to stay together during a mother’s treatment reduces the likelihood that these children end up in the foster care system or are otherwise separated from their families when the bond between mother and child is most vital.    

With access to Day Early Learning’s teaching curriculum and vast network of support services, participating mothers and children will benefit from the increased quality care, family engagement wrap-around supports and health and disabilities services.    

This is the first Day Early Learning microsite in which the children and educators will be in one classroom, with the capability to serve up to eight children from six weeks to 3 years old. Currently under construction, the new space is set to open later this spring. We look forward to sharing more about this exciting new partnership after the center’s grand opening.   

This partnership was generously made possible with grant support from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). In March of 2021, the ACF awarded new Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership and Early Head Start Expansion funds to 62 organizations in 32 states and Puerto Rico. As an Early Head Start (EHS) partner, Early Learning Indiana was one of the 62 organizations funded, allowing us to expand our EHS services within select Day Early Learning centers.  

To learn more about Volunteers of America’s Fresh Start Recovery Center, visit voaohin.org. 

Indy Book Project is a 100% volunteer-led nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring all central Indiana children have access to books. Founded in 2018 in Zionsville, the organization provides new and gently used books to schools, community centers, pediatrician offices, Little Free Libraries and other nonprofits. The goal is to get books into the homes of children from birth through 12th grade. Indy Book Project recently announced a major giving milestone, giving away 100,000 books to children. Learn more by visiting indybookproject.org.

As we look forward to a new year, let’s take a moment to look back on the many highlights and accomplishments from 2022. The past few years have taught us countless lessons. The world now has a deeper understanding of the importance of high-quality early care and education. Like no time before – THIS IS OUR MOMENT.  

Here is how we made the most of every 2022 moment to…  

1. CAPTURE THE MOMENTUM   

Gov. Eric Holcomb appoints Early Learning Indiana (ELI) President and CEO Maureen Weber to chair the state’s Early Learning Advisory Committee (ELAC). Her leadership role comes as the state expands the committee’s duties with the Holcomb administration’s launch of an Office of Kindergarten Readiness at the Indiana Department of Education. ELAC works to ensure Hoosier children and their families have access to affordable, high-quality early childhood education programs. Learn more about ELAC.

2. ELEVATE OUR VOICE   

The sharing of ideas and best practices among early learning providers is a priority for ELI. In 2022, our team members presented at the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Learning Institute, the Indiana Early Intervention Conference and Project Lead The Way Summit in Orlando. Learn About Our Solutions.

3. PARTNER ON CREATIVE SOLUTIONS 

The United Way of Central Indiana awarded ELI $250,000 to support ELI’s Early Learning Works initiative through its Family Opportunity Fund. The funding will help us partner with local employers to find creative solutions for expanding access to early learning services for their own team members or the surrounding community. The main goal of Early Learning Works is to ensure families can go to work and access high-quality child care. Learn More.

4. MAKE CONNECTIONS 

ELI’s external engagement team has been traveling to communities statewide, connecting with our partners and establishing new partnerships. In September, we created an Early Educator Experience at the Junior Achievement JobSpark career expo for over 10,000 eighth grade students. We guided participants to use the Day Early Learning (DEL) Teaching Environment Guidelines to make decisions about learning environments for their mock classroom — just like our teachers do every day. ELI also continues statewide engagement with partners and providers – visiting grantees as they open new seats, speaking with local economic development corporations and discussing child care benefit options with businesses. If you are interested in ELI  participating in your 2023 event or offering a presentation on an early learning topic, contact Natalie Brake.

5. CLOSE THE GAP 

ELI announced the Closing the Gap report update, which closely examines four factors comprising the Early Learning Access Index — capacity, quality, affordability and choice — with a focus on seeking solutions to address crucial local needs. To advance these local solutions, Early Learning Indiana, with generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., provided over $1,000,000 in grants for communities to address their specific gaps in access to high-quality early learning programs. Click here to read the full report.

6. BUILD, LEARN, GROW 

ELI, in collaboration with the Indiana Afterschool Network, led the state-funded Build, Learn, Grow Scholarship program, providing over $68 million in financial support to help Indiana families access high-quality early childhood education and out-of-school care following the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 17,000 children and their families enrolled in the scholarship program, and more than 1,600 providers benefitted.

7. HELP FAMILIES FIND CARE  

Early Learning Indiana launched the new Early Learning Marketplace. This innovative site provides a profile for all Indiana early learning programs and allows families to search for programs within their target geography, filter based on their needs and claim available seats in real-time. The Early Learning Marketplace is supported by Early Learning Indiana, Lilly Endowment Inc. and the Indiana Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning.

8. SUPPORT FAMILIES  

Little learners thrive when they are healthy, happy and supported alongside their families. ELI coordinated the launch of the Family Resource Navigator approach, a two-generational framework that expands Indiana’s Child Care Resource and Referral (CCRR) Network services beyond child care referrals to include connections to organizations that meet families’ needs. Whether these needs are related to health and well-being, social supports or economic assets, CCRRs can now help families quickly find the help they need to thrive.

9. SHOWCASE THE DEL DIFFERENCE 

Day Early Learning is committed to the highest-quality care as well as fostering the best environment for children to learn and grow. Our center teams partner with our families to develop social skills and collaboration, build confidence, strengthen persistence and resilience, encourage expression and collaboration and ignite imagination. Watch this video to see how the DEL Difference comes to life in our centers every day.

10. GROW  

ELI grew the number of children we are able to serve across a total of 11 centers, as we opened the new Day Early Learning at Patty Jischke in West Lafayette and Day Early Learning at Manual on the south side of Indianapolis. 

11. BE STRONGER TOGETHER 

To support Indiana’s early care and education providers for the future, long-term solutions are necessary. ELI, with generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., supported organizations with the development of regional shared service hubs that enable providers to improve their operations, and better focus their scarce time and resources on the business of learning. Two of these hubs presented learnings alongside national partners at the 2022 National Shared Services Conference.

12. SUPPORT PROVIDERS   

ELI engages with child care providers statewide to support their operational practices. Through participation in the Child Care Resource and Referral Network’s Child Care Provider Fairs, local coalition partner networking opportunities and a keynote address at the Montgomery County Early Learning Expo, ELI has shared best practices and new resources with hundreds of child care programs.

13. LEARN  

ELI supported early child care leaders by launching two professional development opportunities. The first opportunity is in partnership with the Oaks Academy and provides leadership training and a space for collaboration amongst local child care leaders. The second opportunity is in partnership with Harvard Graduate School of Education. In this program, early childhood educators across the state have been invited to earn a Certificate in Early Education Leadership (CEEL). The program will teach early education providers how to strengthen learning environments and foster quality improvement in early education programs. Help us support work like this throughout the state by donating here.

14. BUILD 

Day Early Learning classroom teams participated in our inaugural center-wide professional development day, made possible by the Gene and Rosemary Tanner Strengthening Teaching Fund. The day focused on building center teams’ professional practice to continue providing the best in early care and learning. The day included a morning all-team meeting, afternoon breakout sessions on topics like creating engaging classrooms and using the arts for learning, as well as time for teams to work together in their classrooms. We will do it again in February 2023. Learn more about our commitment to advancing early learning educators here.

15. MAKE IT MATTER 

Classroom experiences in key areas of math during the preschool years have a powerful impact on children’s school-entry math skills. With the right instructional resources, early childhood teachers can assess their students’ math knowledge and tailor their instruction to meet students’ needs. ELI offered child care programs an opportunity to participate in an effectiveness trial of a curriculum-neutral early math professional learning system, called Getting on Track Early for School Success (GoT).  the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago, an independent research institution, is conducting an effectiveness trial of GoT. Learn More.

16. RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE

Every year, Early Learning Indiana recognizes one of our dedicated and deserving Day Early Learning teachers as the Tanner Teacher of the Year. Day after day, our passionate and caring teachers deliver high-quality early learning to the children in their care while instilling the essential skills young children need to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. The 2022 Tanner Teacher of the Year is Nina Woodbury, a toddler teacher at Day Early Learning Federal Building. To learn more about the Tanner Teacher of the Year award and this year’s winner, click here.

Additionally, the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) hosts a Provider Recognition Award program to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Indiana child care providers. In 2022, five Day Early Learning teachers were recognized as Outstanding Educators.

17. PARTNER WITH PROVIDERS 

In partnership with the state, Early Learning Indiana developed a new Marketing Best Practices Guide. This new tool supplies providers with marketing tips and resources as they launch a new early care and education program. The guide provides resources on communication and marketing principles, public relations and advertising, social media and web tools. Providers are encouraged to choose the tactics meeting their most immediate business needs.

18. ENHANCE COMMUNICATION 

In our Day Early Learning classrooms, a lot happens in a day and we’re committed to partnering with families to help empower children with the essential skills to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. A key to the success of this partnership is providing families with timely and informative communication. The new Day Early Learning (DEL) Family Hub app, powered by LineLeader and made possible in part by the Day Nursery Auxiliary, began launching at our Indianapolis DEL centers to strengthen the connection between families and teachers.

19. CREATE 

Thanks to the generous funding from the Indiana Arts Commission, Early Learning Indiana partnered with Arts for Learning for a series of creative family engagement events. Using grant funding, we hosted art events at our Indianapolis Day Early Learning centers. Each family was able to create a piece of art with their child(ren), and the Arts for Learning artists used them to create permanent installations in each center. Take a look at the photo gallery here.

20. SERVE 

With COVID-19 restrictions lessening, we reopened our doors to volunteers. Early Learning Indiana’s fourth annual Day of Impact, presented by The Hagerman Group, was our most successful yet! Thanks to the generosity of many, we raised more than $60,000 and welcome 80 community volunteers across our 11 Day Early Learning centers. Check out the photo gallery to see the lasting impact.

21. WELCOME 

We were also thrilled to, once again, welcome our Day Nursery Auxiliary volunteers back to our centers. Auxiliary volunteers joined in classroom activities, completed prep work, organized art supplies, refreshed lending libraries and so much more. The Day Nursery Auxiliary also hosted their 34th annual Style Show, celebrating Early Learning Indiana’s expanded footprint to serve our youngest learners. This year’s event set a new fundraising record! These funds will benefit our Day Early Learning centers and families. Learn more about the Auxiliary.

22. GIFT UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES  

What. A. Year. Join us in our final moment to give and help us start the new year stronger than ever. You can make unforgettable experiences possible for our Day Early Learning children when you make a gift in support of an enhanced and equitable 2023 Enrichment Program Series – providing memories and skills that will last a lifetime. Watch our video and consider the impact your gift will make.

The Closing the Gap report focuses attention on the relationship between the various factors contributing to early learning access across Indiana and provides communities with a side-by-side comparison of their local early learning supply and demand changes since the report’s development. Community stakeholders, leaders and early care providers can use the report findings to equip themselves with the data needed to make informed and deliberate choices in expanding access to high-quality child care in their communities. 

“Our report confirms that we are making slow, but steady, progress in expanding access to high-quality early learning opportunities, ” said Maureen Weber, president and CEO of Early Learning Indiana. “Even as this work continues in communities across Indiana, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that every early learning classroom has an effective teacher and that families in need can afford the cost of care.” 

The report analysis centers around Early Learning Indiana’s Early Learning Access Index methodology and the change in child care access statewide over the course of a year. This unique index assesses child care availability for families in need of care as well as program quality, affordability and choice. To improve families’ access to care and boost local solutions, Early Learning Indiana, with generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc., is awarding over $1M in grants for organizations to close the gap in their communities.  

The 15 grants impact 14 unique counties in Indiana. In total, their proposals will create 563 new child care seats for 233 infants and toddlers and 330 preschool and pre-K children. These recipients have proposed strategies to address a variety of community-level access issues, including providing high-quality early learning that meets families’ unique needs by offering care options that prioritize capacity for infants and toddlers, an early learning center partnering with Habitat for Humanity to ensure both affordable housing and child care, and creating an intergenerational model connecting early learners to seniors.   

2022 Grant recipients include:  

• Early Childhood Alliance – Allen Co.  
• Grace United Methodist Church /Helen Lieber Early Learning Academy – Blackford Co.  
• Brown County Schools – Brown Co. 
• Clarksville Elementary School (Clarksville Community School Corporation) – Clark Co.  
• Early Learning Center at Hubbard Hill – Elkhart Co.  
• Realife Church STEAM Academy – Hancock Co.  
• Early Childhood Alliance – Kosciusko Co.  
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana – Lake Co.  
• Michigan City Area Schools – La Porte Co. 
• YMCA of Greater Indianapolis (Baxter) – Marion Co.  
• Montgomery County Community Foundation – Montomgery Co.  
• Duneland Family YMCA – Porter Co.  
• Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana – Porter Co.  
• The Children’s Learning Center of Posey County – Posey Co.  
• Starke County Economic Development Foundation, Inc. – Starke Co.  

Notable report findings from 2021 to 2022 include: 

• Indiana saw an increase in the statewide Early Learning Access Index from  —60.6 to 62.2 out of 100, equaling moderate access to early learning and care statewide. 
• Counties with the most growth are Sullivan (+17.2), Grant (+17.0), Brown (+16.6), Jefferson (+13.6) and Wabash (+12.6). 
• The Capacity Sufficiency Rate, (CSR) represents the percentage of children who may need care in an area that can be served through existing local capacity in that same area. – increased from 55.5% to 61.2%. 
• Over 70% of Hoosier children ages 0-5 do not have access to high-quality care and education. This represents an increase from 25.7% in 2021 to 28.4% in 2022. CEven the counties with the most high-quality capacity can still only serve fewer than 50% of children ages 0-5 who may need care.  
• The number of counties with no high-quality infant/toddler care decreased from 14 counties in 2021 to 5 in 2022. 

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About Early Learning Indiana 
Early Learning Indiana is Indiana’s oldest and largest early childhood education nonprofit, providing leadership, advocacy and early childhood education services to continually improve the early learning landscape in Indiana. Today, Early Learning Indiana operates 11 high-quality Day Early Learning centers, a network of premier community-based schools used to advance the science of early learning, train the next generation of teachers and leaders, and instill essential skills in the children we serve. Through regional and statewide programs, the organization enables early learning providers to build capacity, transform operations and improve learning outcomes. Learn more at EarlyLearningIndiana.org.