By Gittel R. Goodman, Director, Gan Outdoor Preschool in San Rafael, CA
Some of the most important adults in our communities are also the least visible: early childhood educators. They hold children’s big feelings, guide families through uncertainty, and help children learn to navigate the world in healthy, grounded ways. In doing so, they help build the foundation for our future leaders. Yet their own care and wellbeing is rarely part of the conversation.
In recent years, the emotional demands on educators have grown dramatically. The pandemic reshaped daily life in schools, and the stress many people have carried since October 7th has only deepened the emotional load teachers hold, both for themselves and for the families they support.
Recognizing this need, we applied for a microgrant from Jewish LearningWorks to support staff development. Our goal was simple but powerful: to provide consistent, individualized support so teachers could carry less of their own emotional burden and step into our Gan environment fully present, grounded, and ready to focus on the children in their care.
At Gan, our work is guided by Torah values and a RIE-inspired approach that sees children as capable individuals and relationships as the foundation of learning. When teachers feel supported in their own wellbeing, they are better able to model calm, attentive presence. That presence becomes the foundation for strong classrooms and for the next generation of thoughtful, capable, values-driven human beings.
Thanks to the generous microgrant from Jewish LearningWorks, we piloted a wellness initiative offering weekly therapeutic support to our lead teachers. One teacher shared, “For the first time in my career, I felt like my wellbeing mattered as much as the work I do.”
Teachers reported renewed energy, deeper self-awareness, and a stronger classroom presence. These changes ripple outward, directly affecting the children and families in their care.
Perhaps the most unexpected outcome was how profoundly this support transformed the classroom environment. When educators feel seen and cared for, their presence strengthens not only their own practice but also the empathy, relationships, and emotional safety of the entire community.
Caring for teachers is not an extra. It is how we strengthen and elevate early childhood education. When educators are supported and whole, the children they guide today grow into the thoughtful leaders our communities will depend on tomorrow.
Gittel R. Goodman is the Director of Gan Outdoor Preschool, an independent Jewish preschool in Marin County. She is passionate about supporting educators and building early childhood environments where children, teachers, and families can thrive.
