Consequences to International Professional Connections

During this course I was not privileged to be able to connect with an EC professional from another country; however, I have gained a lot of insight on the international field of early childhood from websites and podcasts. Through the different websites I viewed I was able to learn a lot about early childhood and the educational systems in different countries.  In reading some of the information and listening to the different podcast I’ve gained lots of information that I wouldn’t mind implementing in my current program.  

Having the opportunity to learn about early childhood education in another areas of the world has helped me to realize that there are many places that are successful in their practices that I can study and learn more about.  I have committed my life to working with young children and their families and I am eager to learn as much as I can to help ensure they are getting the care and education they deserve.  By studying information from other countries I am able to gain insight on how some of the top educated countries are dealing with early childhood care and education.  

Another insightful part of my experience with the websites and podcast was simply understanding that as early childhood professionals we won’t always have all the answers. We all have different strengths, levels of expertise, and experiences that makes us different.  In the realm of early childhood I believe that this is very important because like us children are very different as well and this can help EC professionals understand the different needs each child may have.  

My goal is to continue to try and reach out to EC professionals from other countries so that I can gain knowledge and insight from them about the EC field in other areas of the world.  

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

The three insights I’ve gained about issues related to international early childhood education that relate to my professional goals are:

They also strive to promote Access and Equity

Many countries committed themselves to “expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.”

The are striving to promote Quality

They believe that early childhood care and education programs should emphasize the child’s holistic development and extend beyond assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling. 

They also struggle with Investment and Financing

The greatest difficulty faced by countries in their efforts to expand and improve the quality of early childhood care and education is the mobilization of resources.

References

UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” webpage Retrieved April 15, 2014 (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/)

Sharing Web Resources

NAEYC provides many different programs to assist professionals who work to educate young children. They are a leading publisher of educational resources, which include books, videos and posters that can assist in the teaching of young children. NAEYC also publishes two scholarly journals to help early childhood professionals and parents stay informed about the latest research on educating children age 0-8. These journals are Young Children and Early Childhood Research Quarterly.

In 2007, NAEYC also developed Teaching Young Children, a magazine written for preschool teachers. The magazine provides useful, research-based ideas that teachers can use in their classrooms. Every year the NAEYC offers several conferences where participants can learn about and receive professional development in their field as well as focus on the improvements that have been made in the practices, policies and research.

NAEYC goes beyond publications, conferences and videos, and offers a program called “Supporting Teachers, Strengthening Families” that is designed to assist in the fight to prevent child abuse and promote healthy social and emotional development in young children. This program works by teaching the educators how to better communicate with the families of their students.






The following publications are released and sponsored by NAEYC:



Young Children

Young Children is a peer reviewed journal published bi-monthly by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. In this journal, issues are organized around topical clusters that devote special attention to issues in the field of early childhood education.

 





Teaching Young Children

Teaching Young Children is a magazine specifically designed for preschool teachers. It highlights current thinking on best practices in early childhood education, innovations in the field, research and its implications, and interesting ideas for and from preschool teachers. The articles and other features reinforce the accreditation criteria for the NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards on Relationships and Teaching and encourage effective teaching in the preschool years.

 
 
                                      
                                         Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Early Childhood Research Quarterly is a research journal that is published four times a year, and contains current research in early childhood