Sharing Web Resources

The National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators ((http://www.naecte.org/) is the organization that I chose.  The title caught my interest; after all, I am an early childhood teacher.  I read the Fall 2011 and Winter 2012 journal.  The Fall 2011 journal was, for me, more informative.  The Winter journal dealt primarily with NAECT’s up-coming conference.  Unfortunately, it is too late for me to submit a proposal (boo-hoo!).  I was, however, interested in the new teacher research text titled, “Early Childhood Teacher Research” written by Kathryn Castle.  According to the journal, the book touches upon “the important issues every early childhood teacher should know, the uniqueness of early childhood teacher research, reasons for doing it, and hot to do it.”  There was a link to request a COMPLIMENTARY copy of the book, which I have done!  The book has arrived, and I’m excited to begin reading it.  I’ll keep you posted!  In addition, I am interested in a new Pre-K and Kindergarten curriculum text from Doris Frombert.  It is inclusive, and although I do not believe that one curriculum will work for all children, it seems fresh and innovating.  Definitely worth looking into further!  For me, finding two new early childhood resources made this assignment worthwhile.  On the flip side, I was surprised that there was at the limited scope of the organization’s newsletter.  Specific issues were not individually addressed, although there were specific happenings from various states.  For me, it wasn’t educational enough, and thus, although I may consider membership, the newsletter did not fulfill my needs.  I continued my search by listening to two separate webcasts from the World Forum Radio. 

Mr. Yora

This week, through the World Forum Radio, I listened to two very different podcasts (http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/current-work/world-forum-radio/).  The first, Episode 6, featured Meridas Eka Yora, the founder of an institution for Islamic education.  Although I read an article on the actual school, Fajar Hidayah, I was most enthralled when Yora spoke about the children orphaned after the 2004 earthquake, many of whom are now attending one of the boarding schools from this project.  At first, he hired psychologists to work with the orphans, but then, he realized that the best psychologist for the children was their teacher (demonstrates the impact that teachers have on children of all ages).  Yora felt that the educators need to be mother and father before they could successfully be a teacher.   His staff worked side-by-side with the children, with many of the older children taking on the roles of brothers and sisters.  He strived to bring a feeling of community and family to the children who have lost their families; in order to give the children a sense of family, their culture would have to be valued.  Some of the children, however, still cannot accept what happened (I don’t blame them) and are receiving special treatment; his wife has taken several children home with her.  Currently, there are over 6 schools, taking on a holistic perspective with their students.  Over 20,000 teachers have been trained throughout Indonesia, South East Asia, and Srilanka.  Free extended education is offered for poor families with children age 4 to 15 in the surrounding neighborhood of every school (poverty is being addressed).  Scholarships are offered for orphans and students wishing to attend higher education.  Free life skills’ training is available for orphans or poor families, in addition to free family counseling.  I’ve always wanted to visit abroad, and I would like nothing more than to have the opportunity to share with the children and their families who are currently attending Fajar Hidayah schools; what a remarkable experience this would be!

Barbara Jones (B.J.)

School building

Next, I listened to a radio podcast of a conversation with Barbara Jones, who opened Pine Grove Montessori School in Maine 25 years ago.  Her journey is as fascinating as the pictures of the actual school that I located.  She was definitely an alternative thinker (she said so herself), and Montessori was different; it caught her attention.  She found a boarded up building one day in Maine, although the owners were not looking to sell.  Several years later, the owners, who saved her contact information, reached out to her, and she used the building for her Montessori school.  She claimed that the building was in need of some TLC, but she was determined not to destroy its history.  Looking at the front of the building, I would think it was an inviting, quaint home with a porch (I really want a porch).  The inside pictures were quite astonishing for me, because I never would have expected the rooms to be so large and airy.  After listening to B.J. speak, I expected something out-of-the-box, but the rooms just far-surpassed what I had expected.  There’s probably more of a chance that I will visit Maine, rather than Indonesia, and if so, I would be honored to visit B.J.’s Pine Grover Montessori School (which is saying a lot because I’m not totally sold on Montessori). 

School's nature courtyard

Inside one classroom

I must mention that I have personally tried to contact both Meridas Eka Yora and Barbara Jones… still no response, but you never know…