Issues and Trends: Final Blog Posting

To my colleagues, I have learned so much from each of you!
To Dr. Giordano, it was an honor to learn from you!
The discussions we have shared have enriched me in leaps and bounds.
Good luck in the next course, and I hope we have a chance to work together again.
It's been an AMAZING 8 weeks!

            I love attending conferences and meeting early childhood educators from around the world.  However, my purpose for this was rather limited.  I hoped to secure a workshop in their area of the world!  While this was great for my business, I was putting business before young child, which is something I advocate against when it comes to the government and large businesses.  Yet, I was wrapped up in this avenue, and this course changed my path.   

            While I will continue to interact with early childhood educators from around the world (probably more so than ever) and while I still want to present workshops throughout the world (really want to go to India!), my perspectives and goals have widened.  I want the opportunity to network with these individuals, learning from them.  While being asked to present a workshop would be the icing on the cake, it is not my sole intent… or I’m proud to say, it is no longer a priority. 

           Although I currently only hear from one of my three international contacts, Sapna, from India, has truly become a friend.  While I was excited to make her contact, I never imagined how much I have learned from her.  First and foremost, I have learned about early childhood in another part of the world… a world far beyond the walls of the United States.  Sapna has opened my eyes to the importance of working outside-of-the-box.  While quality education may be a challenge in India, Sapna taught me, secondly, that you can make a difference in spite of roadblocks that exist.  Her school sounds amazing and in my opinion, is totally developmentally appropriate.  Along with her staff, Sapna has reached out to children to give them a quality education.  In an effort to help the environment, her school is doing away with plastic toys, and instead, teachers are making their own toys.  Of course, this hit home with me, because I believe schools would have so additional money if they made toys… plus homemade toys are pretty awesome!  At times, I believe Sapna is frustrated by the lack of professional development in her area of India, and yet, she has found opportunities to expand on her knowledge.  Although never stated, I know that Sapna shares her knowledge with others in the field of early childhood.

          Finally, Sapna has taught me to open up my world, to listen, and to share, because often, two heads are better than one.  Sapna’s thoughts and visions will become a part of Creative Beginning Steps’ (my company) workshops.  Sapna’s sharing of ideas from her country will enable me to add an international flare during my workshops.  I will share pictures from her school, in addition, to many of her thoughts.  Two months ago, I was oblivious to what is happening in India’s early childhood community, and now, today, I read about India’s education system whenever possible. 

            I have sent Sapna copies of my art and my reading book.  I am super interested in the response of the activities shared in both books.  While they are totally interactive, they are messy and somewhat out-of-the-box, at least I think so.  Sapna will have no difficulty in tweaking them to meet the needs of her students.  It is like a part of what I believe is in these books, and they are now on their way to India.  So, perhaps, without going to India (although I want to go and meet Sapna SO much), I have made a small impact.  Sapna and I have talked about bringing together our viewpoints into a workshop or book… how amazing would that be.

             My friendship with Sapna and my relationships with my colleagues have enabled me to become a better early childhood educator and a better individual.  I wondered how on-line learning would work, because I would never “see” my classmates.  Yet, in reality, I know my on-line colleagues in more depth than students who sat next to be in college.  Of course, within a matter of weeks, I have learned from Sapna in ways that I never understood existed.  Looking back with an open-mind, I realize that my perspective on much in the early childhood field has been altered through my classes at Walden.  I thought I was too old to return to school, too old to learn, and too set in my own ways… maybe change really is possible; I’m certainly proof of the pudding!

Getting to Know Your International Contacts, Part 3

New sign for Sapna's School

It’s interesting how our minds work.  When I was a preschool teacher, my children and I corresponded with preschools throughout the United States and the world.  It was an amazing journey.  Why did I wait until returning back to school to search international contacts?  I believe that Sapna and I will remain in touch long after this class ends, and it is our hope to meet.  How spectacular would that be

Sapna explained that India is not progressive when it comes to professional development.  Then, she stated “the change will come and soon.”  She went to Singapore to take a Reggio Emilie briefing and a play therapy workshop.   She has to pay to attend workshops, which limits many people in India from attending.

My new friend was very hesitant to answer questions about herself.  However, I was somewhat persuasive… I tried!  She has an undergraduate degree in psychology and her masters in educational psychology.  Her master degree is considered “too high” for teachers.   Sapna needed a “bachelor’s education degree.”  However, after doing her master’s, she chose not to get the degree in education, and instead, she did a “one year diploma in nursery teacher training and school administration.”

Homemade toys

Upon receiving her diploma, she started the school that she has been running for the last nine years.  “I kept myself open to courses I could do in and out of India to professionally develop my curriculum.”  This is when she took the Reggio and play courses.

Although she has never attended a conference in the USA, she is hoping, because she wants to do this.  I definitely think she should attend a Creative Beginning Steps workshop (that’s mine!)… or join me at a NAEYC conference (that would be unreal!).  Her dream is attend “Making Math Read” with David Berg.  Has anyone heard of David Berg?  Of course, let’s not forget that she wants to meet Oprah!  This year, Oprah’s boyfriend was the Keynote presenter at the National Head Start Conference! 

Her ending paragraph in her last e-mail was quite enticing… she said that “if we continue to study together comparing samples in India and USA, maybe we could present a paper in one of the conferences.  Think about it.”  Sapna, there is nothing to think about… if you’re game, count me in!

 

Sharing Resources

As I continue to explore the Zero to Three website, I have a better understanding of the uniqueness of the infant/toddler classrooms.  While they are indeed a part of early childhood, they require “special” circumstances due to the unique age of the children.  I, also, feel strongly (stronger than previously, if that is possible) that these young children can be a part of preschool, and at the same time, there needs can be met in a developmentally appropriate manner.  Infant and toddler teachers need to feel a part of the preschool community; they are certainly not babysitters.  Their job is intense and important; they need to be valued.

This week, as I followed several links, I explored various avenues that the website offered.  One link offered advice specifically to parents; without a doubt, this link offers a wealth of information to early childhood educators, too.  I read the article “Using Questions to Support Your Child’s Learning.”  In addition to explaining why questions are important, the article tackled additional questions.  “Can babies and toddlers ask questions before they can use words?” fascinated me; through my observations, I witnessed babies and toddlers talking before they can verbalize comprehendible words.  The article seemed to validate my thought, stating that babies and toddlers ask questions by pointing, touching, reaching, or looking.

Then, as if fate stepped in, I followed a link (although I don’t know which one) and was directed to a brochure of sorts titled “The power of Play.”  The article/brochure was put together by Zero to Three and was definitely geared to parents.  However, it forced me to focus on play at this age, rather than preschool.  My favorite quote is “you are your child’s favorite toy.”  What an amazing responsibility for parents, which would enable them to just have fun playing with their child.  And then, on the last page, it was stated to parents, “Remember… you make a difference in how much your child learns through play.”  Maybe that could be the motto of early childhood professionals.

Finally, I linked to an article from Family Life where “grown-ups talk on growing up.”  This article was called “Encouragement vs. Rewards & Punishment: Does it really make a difference?”   The author asks the question “what’s the difference between adults getting rewarded with paychecks if they do their jobs and punished with termination if they don’t do their jobs?  The difference, obviously, is that adults have developed frontal lobes and are able to problem-solve.  Children need help in developing their problem solving skills, rather than punishment for not having them.  While children are always “good,” at times they make a poor choice. 

I could go on and on, because I kept searching through the site.  I copied articles, some of which I haven’t had the chance to read.  Without a doubt, this web site has opened up my eyes to a group of children that were, basically, off limit in my school.  If I only had the chance to do it all over again… but since I don’t, I can certainly share with early childhood educators today.  

Getting To Know Your International Contacts, Part 2

Maintaining international contacts is challenging, to say the least.  While schooling is a huge priority for me, I need to remember that responding to my questions is not top on my contact’s list of things to do.  Sapna (from India)   is the only one of my three contacts who responded, and I feel as if we are becoming fast friends.  I find her extremely up-to-date on what is developmentally appropriate (although she feels her hands are tied), and I think her creativity is amazing; for the new school year, they are using only home-made toys, and she offered to send me this adorable dog that she created with yarn. 

Her ending comments to me expressed how difficult it was for her to respond to my questions.  She admits to being blunt, only because she is aware that I need the truth.  However, Sapna claims that it hurts her to share what is happening, because in her words, “it’s a very sorry state of affairs.”

While Sapna never described the word quality, it was almost as if there was not such a definition; it was on the back burner.  In her society, it is more important to for all children to get an education… then quality might factor in.  The ministry has state bodies who look into the quality of early childhood education, but the job is not followed through.  A specific uniform curriculum does not exist.  There are different types of schools which house young children, such as state schools, central board schools, private schools, and international schools (most expensive).  I do not quite understand the differences… however, for families who cannot afford to send their children to school, there are municipality and village schools, as well as schools run by non-government organizations.  The quality of teachers in this last school grouping is, as Sapna stated “not always good.”

The teachers need to pass a simple “bed” exam (similar to a diploma exam), and there is basically no follow-up with the teachers once they are hired.  When I questioned Sapna about this, she reminded me that most of the parents are uneducated, so they do not know any difference.  In addition, teachers and parents in the non-government schools have no knowledge as to what the schools should be teaching. 

In rural village India, there are no preschools or kindergartens.  Children start school in the first grade.  In semi-urban or small cities, there are a very few preschool kindergartens (one class with both names).  However, Sapna repeated again that “there is absolutely no curriculum or understanding of curriculum.”

Obviously, these words hurt Sapna, because she knows differently.  She is lucky enough to be working in a private school… but I would agree with her words, “it is a sorry state of affairs.”