• Today throughout the world we celebrate Teachers’ Day and we honor those who make a change in the lives of children.
• Throughout 2013, more than 30.000 teachers from Europe and Central Asia have benefited from trainings organized by ISSA members.

On this special date for teachers all over the world, ISSA would like to take the chance to honor them for their daily work with young children and for their great efforts in providing the best education possible. More specifically, this is a big thank you to the hundreds of thousands of teachers trained by ISSA members throughout the years, who strive to be high-quality professionals and to make a difference in the lives of all children, including the most disadvantaged ones. For more than fifteen years, ISSA members have been delivering professional development opportunities to educators and other professionals working in Early Childhood Development (ECD). Teachers working with children from birth to 10 receive on-going trainings in a broad range of issues such as high quality child centered practices, programs to provide parenting support, guidelines to work with children with special needs and with young Roma children, families and communities, as well as innovative ways to promote critical thinking, diversity and social justice. One of these teacher of teachers is Marketa Literova, Director of the Step by Step Czech Republic, who explains that “teachers feel involved in our program because it is deeply related to their daily work. They really feel they are getting what they need in order to change their professional lives”. One shared goal inspires the hard work of all these Early Childhood educators. In the words of Cornelia Cincilei, Director of Step by Step Moldova: “Through our experience in working with children we try to convey to them the appreciation for diversity and democratic values; the need to question stereotypes, to think critically, and the desire to learn throughout the entire life”. In ISSA we believe teachers can make a difference in every child’s life by laying the foundations for their wellbeing. Qualified and motivated teachers know that education is more than schooling and teaching is more than transferring knowledge! The key to quality education is in their hands. Happy World Teachers’ Day! ISSA is a vibrant network that connects professionals and non-profit organizations working in the field of early childhood development. Established in the Netherlands in 1999, ISSA’s community today stretches across the globe with its more than 50 members primarily located in Europe and Central Asia. Building upon the Step by Step Program initiated by the Open Society Foundations in 1994, ISSA aims to ensure equal access to quality care and education for all young children from birth to 10 years old. This mission is implemented through three main pillars of action: equal access for all children; promoting high-quality and professionalism in early years services and empowering parents and communities to be part of the children’s development and learning. Learn more about the activities around the World Teachers’ Day at www.worldteachersday.org or read about our work at www.issa.nl. http://www.issa.nl/sites/default/files/Teachers'%20Day_0.pdf