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!