Passion and Purpose: Two CNY Heroines Help Fill the Early Childhood Education Gap

Syracuse Woman Magazine/January 2025

It is well-documented that early childhood education is extremely important to human development yet undervalued due to many factors from unlivable wages to resistant policy to public disinterest. Not surprisingly, there is a shortage of affordable childcare options across the United States, one that has far-reaching effects.

 A June 7, 2024 article from the website www.zerotothree.org states:

As the demand for quality childcare continues to outstrip supply, the ripple effects are felt across communities, impacting the economy and the well-being of families nationwide.

Central New York is no exception, but there are those in our community who are dedicated to making a positive impact. Tanika Jones and Ann Schaefer are two veteran teachers who, operating in different settings and meeting different needs, share a relentless passion for their mission as early childhood educators.

 Tanika Jones’ grandmother was a professor of education at Syracuse University, her mother a long-term public school teacher. Tanika studied social work, originally employed as a community organizer where, among other tasks, she planned rallies and protests. After suffering a big personal loss she became inspired to open her own at-home childcare center. Following her inner compass and deep spirituality, she trusted that “if she built it, it would come.”

 A single mother of two daughters, Tanika understood the need for quality early childhood education in Syracuse city. With her social work and organizing background and possessing a lifelong desire to create new employment possibilities, she was well suited to make change. Exasperation with gun violence and drugs in her neighborhood was the last straw that propelled her to into action and It Takes a Village (ITAV) was born.

 “The message I received was that if I gave back it would all work. My children, my family, my neighbors all bought in. My house became the daycare house. People protected it. I felt on assignment to deliver this service.”

 One of the most important aspects of ITAV is its 24 hours a day, seven days a week schedule.

 “When I think of the economy after 5 PM, I think of the people who keep it running and if they have children and who is providing care for those children, and if they are safe and well cared for… I make SURE that ITAV 24 hour childcare continues to serve families seven days a week, even on some holidays! Non-traditional hours of care is imperative to keep the economy going,” she says. 

 Tanika makes it clear ITAV is not a babysitting club for the many children  in her charge, setting high standards for them and their parents. She provides a positive environment where children are offered an English and Spanish curriculum while  engaging in play and ultimately preparing for school. Below age-appropriate reading levels for black and  brown children is a concern, explaining a deep focus on reading and literacy. A wide and ever-evolving array of activities are offered to engage and inspire - field trips, STEM lessons, cooking, yoga. Tanika’s center is shoes-off with plenty of dancing and singing.  After school, ITAV offers enrichment and tutoring.

 “I have to kick them out at the end of the day. This is a big, happy, fun place,” she  says.

 Tanika and her 20 staff members are lifelong learners, holding themselves to the same high standards they hold their students, constantly engaging in professional development and trainings. People want to work at ITAV because it is a fun, loving, and flexible environment, but everyone employed there  must believe in Tanika’s positive philosophy. She has a no gossiping, bullying, or cell phone policy. Her staff is a team and must be dedicated to the vision of the center.

 One of ITAV’s greatest challenges is the increased number of children with special needs and the lack of input childcare owners have with law and other decision makers.

 “Celebrating 11 years we are proud to say that we have made a huge impact on the community through the childcare services we provide and employment opportunities we have created…This is not just childcare, it is a ministry and it blesses me as the CEO to bless others!”

 Ann Schaefer of Ann Schaefer Childcare in Lafayette, New York also comes from a family of educators and social workers. A former nurse and stay-at-home mother to four children, she became aware of a need for childcare when her own kids were small and began filling it, creating a unique experience for babies and children up to four years old in her rural community.

 Ann’s curriculum is child-led, Montessori-inspired, and nature based. Children spend as much time as possible outdoors.

 “This approach helps children develop physical strength, fine and gross motor skills, spatial awareness, and overall fitness. They grow into strong, independent, and capable little humans,” Ann says.

 “We share a garden, tend to bird feeders, care for chickens, plant flowers for butterflies, and learn about trees and insects. The children climb, jump, and enjoy nature walks. I’ve created special spaces like mud kitchens for sensory play. We also read books, sing songs, and fill our days with rich exploration, fresh air, and meaningfulexperiences.”

 Ann does not have to advertise and does not use a waiting list. Her students come to her by word of mouth. Her bucolic setting and model of education self-selects families who are looking for a nature-based, intentional play curriculum.

 Ann believes passionately in the importance of early childhood education and feels the failures at this level are what contribute to broader issues in education.

 “Teachers are leaving…most of their day is spent correcting behaviors because the early childcare educator is not meeting those executive functioning skills,” she says.

 (Executive functioning refers to a set of higher-level cognitive skills that help planning, organization, self-control, and emotion management, laying a foundation for lifelong learning.)

 Ann sees her mission as having far reaching effects. She believes she can make the change she wants to see in the world child by child.

 “How can I set a foundation for a child who’s eventually going to be an adult and be a part of forming our future society? How can I model how to be a good human and how to be accountable, even at age three? How can I teach them their own self-worth and the self-worth of others? How can I create a conscience?” she says.

 Ann acknowledges the steep hill to climb surrounding these questions.

 “Quality care from educated providers is rare, and the lack of adequate childcare workers, combined with low wages, creates a cycle of burnout and attrition…Simply put, the system is deeply flawed and in need of meaningful reform.”

 For now, Ann continues living out her dream for a better world under the open skies and wide fields of her pre-school in Lafayette. She knows she might never see the ultimate fruits of her vision, but her faith in its value is unwavering.

 “With the current shortage of childcare providers, the experience I offer is not just rare—it’s a unique and meaningful learning opportunity during a crucial developmental period in a child’s life.”