5 Promises We Need to Keep to Children to Help Them Become Successful

Becoming an elementary school teacher is a noble goal, for as a U.S. child advocacy organization reports, it is teachers who provide a critical element that children need in order to succeed in life: a quality education that begins in early childhood.

America’s Promise Alliance, a coalition of nonprofit, business, community, and government organizations working to improve outcomes for children, says education is one of the “Five Promises” society must make to children—and deliver on.

“We promise to young Americans that they will grow up with the help and guidance of caring adult relationships, healthy childhoods, safe surroundings, effective education, and opportunities to serve others,” the organization explains on its website. “When at least four of these promises are at work in young people’s lives, they are more likely to succeed academically, socially, and civically.”

Students in Walden University’s BS in Elementary Education (Teacher Licensure) online degree program read about the Five Promises in the course Collaboration to Support All Learners. Bachelor’s degree students examine collaboration strategies that promote the growth and learning of all children in the elementary school classroom, including those with exceptionalities, gifted and talented students, and English language learners.

Walden education degree candidates also examine the role of the school in supporting all learners within the larger community context. They identify factors in the students’ environments that may affect their growth and learning, and explore strategies for effective collaboration with diverse families.

“America’s Promise Alliance is devoted to helping to create the conditions for success for all young people, including the millions currently being left behind,” the organization says. Read along with Walden’s BS in Elementary Education (Teacher Licensure) students to learn more about the Five Promises that can change lives:¹

1. Caring Adults
   Caring adults are the centerpieces of children’s development. They serve as guides, caretakers, and advisors who give positive and productive guidance throughout their development.
2. Safe Places
   To develop intellectually and emotionally, young people need physical and psychological safety at home, at school, and in the community. Without such “safe places”—environments that support and encourage inquiry, exploration, and play without fear of harm—children aren’t able to get support, form positive relationships, and concentrate on school.
3. A Healthy Start
   Healthy and well-nourished children are more able to develop their minds and bodies as they should, and they are far more capable of concentrating, learning, and thriving throughout their school years.
4. Effective Education
   Our increasingly knowledge-driven world demands people who have the education and skills to thrive in a competitive marketplace, and to understand the increasingly complex world in which they live. That means that in order to compete and succeed, all young people will need an effective education that prepares them for work and life.
5. Opportunities to Help Others
   Through service to others, young Americans develop the character and competence they need to be helpful, hopeful, and civically engaged all their lives, regardless of their own life circumstances.

Fulfill a Promise With an Education Degree

If your dream is to become an elementary school teacher, Walden can help put you on the path to earning a degree. Walden designed its BS in Elementary Education (Teacher Licensure) online degree program for working professionals, so you can learn while you continue to work.

In teacher licensure-aligned curriculum, you’ll engage in coursework based on the latest findings, best practices, and teaching strategies for educators. You’ll learn from Walden’s dedicated faculty, which includes more than 150 teachers of the year, and collaborate with peers from across the U.S. in online classrooms.

Walden University helps prepare you for teacher licensure so you can sit for your exams with confidence. And when you step into the classroom, you’ll be ready to do your part to help uphold the Five Promises, delivering quality education to all K–6 learners.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a BS in Elementary Education (Teacher Licensure) degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.americaspromise.org/promises?gclid=CLTZjeGhpNMCFdO4wAodmX4FwQ

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.