Learning About International Early Childhood Education

3         Consequences of Learning About International Early Childhood Education

1.              One of the primary things that I learned while studying the international field of early childhood education was the similarities amongst the countries. From the various articles that I read, it seems that everyone is concerned with providing quality education opportunities. Because of the internet, all countries have access to the research that points to the importance of early childhood education and have taken steps to improve things for their youngest population. Some countries address this issue by raising the base pay for the teachers of this age group. Other countries look to develop better home to school connections in order to increase the learning opportunities available to their children.

2.            The realization of the previously discussed item led to the realization that I had been operating under an unintentional bias. Prior to this class I tended to think about early childhood education as though we in America had cornered the market on understanding the importance of it. I now realize that that was a very wrong perception on my part; countries all over the world not only embrace the importance of educating young children, but are taking steps to improve their lives in a variety of ways. This recognition of my own bias has also made me more sensitive to others’ biases. For instance, when my colleague in Thailand mentioned that she and her co-workers were at odds with the families in her school because the culture does not teach the young children to responsible for themselves, but the teachers were trying to establish this mindset in their classroom. It bothered me a little that, rather than contacting their Thai counterparts to see how they dealt with the issue, they just told the parents that they needed to stop doing everything for their children and make them more responsible for their own care. (Doni had stated that it was not unusual for parents to continue to dress and even feed their children as late as third grade or so.) It seems to me that this shows a disregard for the culture and sends a message that says we know better than the parents. It would be different if this message was coming from a Thai teacher, but because it is coming from American teachers, it could come across as dismissive.

3.            The other thing that I learned in this course is, although information can be accessed quite readily from various countries, communication with people outside of the country is not always easy. Apparently, certain networks do not accept messages from outside of the US as well as others; so it was a learning process to find what would work and what wouldn’t. This learning curve made it more difficult to establish contacts from other countries.

My goal is to establish even more contacts from various countries in order to have a more global understanding of my profession.

Getting to Know My International                                      Contact

I have finally been in contact with a teacher in another country. I would like to introduce you to Doni Weimer. Doni is a new mother and teaches at the International Community School of Bangkok. Although living in Thailand for 5 years, she has only been at her current teaching position for two. Doni has worked in the education field for eleven years.

When I asked Doni about issues that she faces in Thailand, she said that there were two main issues language and self-help/responsibility. Since the primary language in the homes of most of the students at the International School is not English, communication can be a problem. However, when I asked her if this causes a problem when it comes to making connections with the families, Doni said that it is not a huge hindrance because respect of the teachers is part of the Thai culture. The teachers are at odds with Thai culture when it comes to the topic of self-help/responsibility. Apparently, it is not uncommon for Thai parents to feed and dress their children well into primary school; this is the opposite of what the teachers are trying to teach the children.

The following are the questions and answers for this week’s assignment.

What issues regarding quality and early childhood education are being discussed where you are?  “As an international school, we are quite removed from the local schools and their issues. I do know that Thailand is pushing English in their schools. This has put much pressure on the Thai schools because they do not have enough staff to meet the English speaking goals set by the government.”

What opportunities or requirements for professional development exist?  “Each staff member is required to set yearly professional goals. We are also required a specific number of hours of professional development each year. (I am not sure of the number of hours required because teachers are exempt from this during their first year, and now that I am working on my Master’s degree I more than cover the required hours.) The school offers some professional development depending on your curriculum improvement focus for the year. There are many other international schools in Bangkok, so seminars and classes are offered throughout the year at different sites. Online learning is another way we can grow in our professional knowledge. ICS encourages professional development. I am currently completing my Master’s degree online which is being reimbursed by the school.”

                What are some of your professional goals?  “I will complete my Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on Teacher Leadership in May. I would like to continue to develop my understanding of building curriculum and effective instructional practices. In the future I am open to being a curriculum coordinator, instructional coach, or principal.”

Interview by email on February 11, 2015 and February 18, 2015 with Doni Weimer.

Web Resources Continued

            When I originally began this journey, I had chosen the organization National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators; but, as I explored the website more thoroughly, I discovered that I could only access the titles of articles without actually purchasing a membership. So, for the purposes of the assignment, I changed websites and chose National Institute for Early Education Research.

            The link that I decided to follow that led to outside sources was the News and Events tab. This link allows the visitor to access articles that have been published by NIEER researchers in a variety of publications as well as articles that have been printed in newspapers that pertain to early childhood education. (I later discovered that these could also be accessed from another link on the website.) This tab also lists upcoming events such as webinars, seminars and conferences pertaining to early childhood education.

            The link that I chose to thoroughly explore was the Publications tab. NIEER presents the research in a variety of formats. Research is available as reports, policy briefs, online videos, and newspaper articles. One of the publications available on this tab is called the Yearbook, this publication has been available since 2005 and takes a look at the information available on a state by state basis. The report is broken down into three sections. The first section has a summary of data and trends regarding state-funded preschool. The second section outlines details of individual states in regards to preschool access, and quality as well as the resources available to fund the preschools. The third section contains all related appendices (Barnett, 2013).

            The Publications tab also includes links to articles that have been published by NIEER researchers. These articles have appeared in a variety of journals including Young Children, Science, and Child Development. The online newsletters can be found here as well. The February 2015 newsletter included articles referencing topics such as Obama’s budget proposal, the impact of early learning on special education, Pre - K trends in New York, hope for early childhood education in fiscal year 2016, the importance of learning healthy habits in preschool, and a list of upcoming events. The Publications tab also allows visitors to access videos and titles of books relating early childhood education research.

            I chose look into an article that was included in the January newsletter about the lack of preparation for dual language learners in early childhood education. An article published in the Latin Post points to an apparent lack of commitment by states, and the nation as a whole, to address the needs of early childhood dual language learners. For instance, only 13 elementary schools offer dual language programs in Washington D.C., but the demand far exceeds the capacity of these schools. One of the schools had 1,100 applicants for only 20 spots. This is a good example of lack of accessibility for dual language learners to good programs.

            An article in the newsletter that dealt with equity and excellence in early childhood education came out of Kentucky. The title of this article was “Half of Kentucky’s Incoming Kindergarteners Were Not Ready to Learn in 2014”. When I read the article it pointed out that the largest inequities were in areas where the children lived in poverty. “At Minors Lane Elementary, only 14 percent were ready, compared to 89 percent at Stopher Elementary and 90 percent at Greathouse/Shryock Elementary. At Minors Lane, 96 percent of students qualify for free and reduced-price lunch and 37 percent have limited English proficiency.” Note that Minors Lane Elementary had the lowest percentage of children ready to learn upon entering kindergarten but the largest percentage of children who qualify for free and reduced lunch – meaning they are from low income families.

            Many of the articles that we have read regarding quality in early childhood education point out that teacher’s pay and benefits play a role in the quality of a program. An article from one of the newsletters was about pay for early childhood educators in Canada; apparently, the government is calling for a $1 an hour raise this year and another $1 an hour next year. What I really found interesting was that the raise was only going to affect teachers who earned less than $26.27 an hour. The amount that teachers earn in Canada seems to be much higher than what the teachers in the US make; to me, this indicates more of a commitment to the quality of early childhood education.

                       

National Institute for Early Education Research http://nieer.org/ (Newsletter: http://nieer.org/resources/newsletter/index.php )

Akoukou Thompson, Nicole. "Many Key US States Lack Early Development Plans for Dual Language Learners." Latin Post 25 Jan. 2015. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

Konz, Antoinette. "Half of Kentucky's Incoming Kindergarteners Were Not Ready to Learn in 2014." 21 Jan. 2-15. Web. 15 Feb. 2015.

       I was very excited at the prospect of making contact with professionals outside of the United States to discuss the field of Early Childhood Education – sort of professional pen pals. Unfortunately, this process has not proceeded as quickly as I had hoped. I had received a name of a first grade teacher in Thailand who said she would be willing to communicate with me, but I have yet to hear from her. I had contacted the leader of an organization in Germany similar to NAEYC for possible contacts there during the first week of class; I heard back from her this week, she gave me a couple of names of professionals to try. So….while I wait and see if I hear from anyone, I decided to explore the website for Save Our Children.

     Save Our Children is probably best known for its commercials depicting starving children in Africa. Many people might be surprised to know that they have programs in 120 countries and the United States. Although much of their efforts are spent on fighting malnutrition and disease, they also incorporate programs aimed at fighting poverty and lack of education, as well as disaster relief. While reading through their materials, I discovered that the majority of their efforts in the country of Nepal center on education – specifically early childhood development and primary education. The number of children provided an education as a result of these efforts in 2013 was an impressive 782,720 (Save Our Children). It is encouraging to see organizations such as this recognize that, although there are dire situations endangering the lives of children in the world today, there are also situations – such as a good education – that will affect their entire lives.

Save the Children: A U.S. based non-profit organization working on behalf of children worldwide.
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

            

                                              Professional Contacts From Around the World 

            I was looking forward to making personal contact with early childhood professionals outside of the United States; however, after contacting several people I know who live in other countries, I have been unable to establish contact with anyone who could help with my assignment for class. This is a disappointing turn of events, but I guess this means I will need to follow the instructions for the alternative assignment.

            I am still holding out hope that I will hear back from a teacher in Thailand, so I chose to explore the information available from the World Forum about that country. Thailand has actively been addressing the issue of poverty over the past 40 years. Overall poverty levels have dropped from 21% in 2000 to 8.5% in 2007. The numbers specifically ascribed to the children of Thailand have dropped from 38.7% in 1990 to 10.3% in 2007 (World Forum Foundation).

One thing that may be partially responsible for the drop in the children’s numbers is that there are fewer children in the population. According to the report, the reproduction rate has dropped from 45.1 % in 1970 to 22% in 2007. The prediction made by the World Forum was that it would drop even further by 2011 to about 20%. These numbers are significant because the report pointed out that larger families are more likely to suffer from poverty. Also, the country's leaders realize that this drop in numbers will affect the country's future; this realization has caused a greater focus on the education of the children.

http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/  

                                                 Web Resources for ECE

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators
http://www.naecte.org/
(Newsletter: http://www.naecte.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14&Itemid=29 )

I chose the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators because I think it most closely aligns with my future goals. This is a fairly new group, with a membership just under 400, based out of Wright State University. Their focus is on the training of early childhood educators. Their position statement says: “Teachers qualified to meet the unique developmental and educational needs of children between the ages of 3 and 8 are knowledgeable about the developmental and learning characteristics of these children and use this knowledge to inform appropriate teaching techniques and assessments. Since teacher preparation and certification should be relevant to the teacher’s position, NAECTE recommends that state certification agencies and school districts adopt the following policies: 

• Require an early childhood certificate and/or endorsement for those teaching in classrooms for children five years old and younger in state funded pre-kindergarten and in kindergarten programs. • Give priority in hiring and placement to teachers with an early childhood certificate and/or endorsement for public school classrooms for six, seven, and eight-year-olds (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades).

 • Require that early childhood certification and/or endorsement be based on completion of teacher preparation programs that meet professional preparation standards consistent with those established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (www.naecte.org).”

            One of the topics discussed in their most recent journal was about how to guide new teachers when it comes to guided play. This subject intrigued me; unfortunately, because I am not currently a member, I was only able to read the first of a twenty page article. I began to research the cost of the article/journal and that of a membership, I discovered that it would cost $40.00 to purchase the article, $180.00 to purchase the entire journal (yikes!), or $75.00 for a membership – which included the journal. Obviously, it would make the most sense to pay the membership fee, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to do that at this point. It seems as though I may need to move on to another a group’s site for assignments for my class.

                                         Issues and Trends Week 1 Assignment

            This week’s class assignment was to establish contact with two professionals outside of the United States. Future assignments will require communication with these professionals about current issues and challenges in the field of Early Childhood Education within their respective countries. I chose to contact the leaders of ECE groups within the countries of Germany and Ireland. I explained who I was, what I was looking for, and why. I also contacted a former employer whose daughter is currently working as a nanny in Italy; she is forwarding my email address to her daughter. My thought is that she will be able to give me specific contact information for someone who works in the field in Italy; I will use this information if one of my original contacts falls through. I also have a friend who is a head master at an international school in Thailand who I can contact if another of my initial contacts falls through.

            The second part of this week’s assignment was to choose a website of an early childhood organization to study. I originally thought that I would go with Pre K Now because I have spent most of my professional career teaching this age group; but, after looking at a couple of the other websites, I changed my mind. I decided to go with National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators. Although access to some of the information on the website is limited to those who are members of the association, I found many of the topics that I saw this in site quite interesting.