My German educational partner for this Blogging journey, Charlotte Freidrich, comes from a family of professors and teachers, meaning she was destined from an early age to follow on the educational vocational track. While some of her peers were destined for the medical field, others for mechanic training, this meant that Charlotte was within a set group of students who took education-based courses as young as six years old. Charlotte remembers taking a class on how to teach counting when she herself was barely old enough to grasp the concept of multiplying and dividing. Charlotte holds firm that this type of education better prepared her for her career as an educator, yet to American standards, having a child enter vocational training at such a young age that basically determines their career over a decade later, seems strange. In terms of equity, however, this educational approach could be considered both positive and negative. While children are given real-life training and educational services for their vocation, what happens if a child decides they no longer are destined to be an engineer, but perhaps a professor instead? Could it be considered equity if the child does not have the opportunity to follow a different track?
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Excellence and Equity in Germany
Germany's school systems are based through vocational training. From a young age, children are pushed onto a track for a certain type of career, usually based on their family background. This means that from an early age, German children are learning and are immersed in specific schooling and educational practices that are meant to guide them on an educational path motivated by their future career. It would be as if the assignment most Kindergartners were given that has them describe "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up" actually put them in vocational training to begin their path for that carreer.
My German educational partner for this Blogging journey, Charlotte Freidrich, comes from a family of professors and teachers, meaning she was destined from an early age to follow on the educational vocational track. While some of her peers were destined for the medical field, others for mechanic training, this meant that Charlotte was within a set group of students who took education-based courses as young as six years old. Charlotte remembers taking a class on how to teach counting when she herself was barely old enough to grasp the concept of multiplying and dividing. Charlotte holds firm that this type of education better prepared her for her career as an educator, yet to American standards, having a child enter vocational training at such a young age that basically determines their career over a decade later, seems strange. In terms of equity, however, this educational approach could be considered both positive and negative. While children are given real-life training and educational services for their vocation, what happens if a child decides they no longer are destined to be an engineer, but perhaps a professor instead? Could it be considered equity if the child does not have the opportunity to follow a different track?
My German educational partner for this Blogging journey, Charlotte Freidrich, comes from a family of professors and teachers, meaning she was destined from an early age to follow on the educational vocational track. While some of her peers were destined for the medical field, others for mechanic training, this meant that Charlotte was within a set group of students who took education-based courses as young as six years old. Charlotte remembers taking a class on how to teach counting when she herself was barely old enough to grasp the concept of multiplying and dividing. Charlotte holds firm that this type of education better prepared her for her career as an educator, yet to American standards, having a child enter vocational training at such a young age that basically determines their career over a decade later, seems strange. In terms of equity, however, this educational approach could be considered both positive and negative. While children are given real-life training and educational services for their vocation, what happens if a child decides they no longer are destined to be an engineer, but perhaps a professor instead? Could it be considered equity if the child does not have the opportunity to follow a different track?
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Sharing Web Resources
My chosen organization this semester was the International Step by Step Association which conducts international research that directly relates to the early childhood field. This organization is a data-driven association that aims to provide real information and resources to the international early childhood community.
One section that stood out to me is the Call for Evidence to Inform Landscape Anaylses on the Early Childhood Workforce that ISSA published this week. In this study, ISSA is working with the Results for Development Institute (R4D) and launched the Early Childhood Workforce Initiative (ECWI). This initiative is a global effort has the sole responsibility of determining the challenges members in the early childhood field are experiencing. As I am still a new member to the field, I find it both interesting and important to understand what challenges I might face in the field and how they relate to other members on a global scale. A few areas that they look into are competencies and standards; training and professional development; monitoring and mentoring; and recognition of the profession. As each area encompasses more than just the early childhood field professional, this study builds upon the influence of economists, politicians, and others in relation to the field as a range of income, status, and EC landscapes are studied.
It is important to view the challenges EC members face, especially at a global level. We can determine how challenges can be overcome and manage the future of the field by studying other areas. With the data and resources I obtained through studying this initiative this week, I believe that I will have a better understanding as I continue in the field and put more years on my Early Childhood member time card.
One section that stood out to me is the Call for Evidence to Inform Landscape Anaylses on the Early Childhood Workforce that ISSA published this week. In this study, ISSA is working with the Results for Development Institute (R4D) and launched the Early Childhood Workforce Initiative (ECWI). This initiative is a global effort has the sole responsibility of determining the challenges members in the early childhood field are experiencing. As I am still a new member to the field, I find it both interesting and important to understand what challenges I might face in the field and how they relate to other members on a global scale. A few areas that they look into are competencies and standards; training and professional development; monitoring and mentoring; and recognition of the profession. As each area encompasses more than just the early childhood field professional, this study builds upon the influence of economists, politicians, and others in relation to the field as a range of income, status, and EC landscapes are studied.
It is important to view the challenges EC members face, especially at a global level. We can determine how challenges can be overcome and manage the future of the field by studying other areas. With the data and resources I obtained through studying this initiative this week, I believe that I will have a better understanding as I continue in the field and put more years on my Early Childhood member time card.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
International Introduction
My connection in Chemnitz, Germany is Charlotte Friedrich. As she was once my professor in my undergraduate career, I know her teaching style and the care that she shows her students. Having worked in post-secondary education, Charlotte completed her Masters in Early Childhood in the United States and returned back to her hometown to teach Early Childhood. According to Charlotte, over 12.5 million Germans are below the poverty level. That high of a number has not been seen since Germany's reunification in 1989 and the early 90s. In the small town of Chemnitz, which is a city in East Germany, there are quite a few families that fall under the poverty line, mainly due to the rural lifestyle this city has adopted. With a busy city center, the villages surrounding the main city are mostly farms that grow just enough to sell in the markets in order to survive. Many of Charlotte's students miss a lot of school during the harvest months which puts their education as risk and usually results in a high drop-out rate.
I relate to Charlotte as I have a high Hispanic population of students who miss school during the harvest months as families pull children out to help harvest in order to earn extra money. As an educator, it is heartbreaking knowing these children are missing essential concepts and information that will help them succeed, but as Charlotte says, "when it is a matter of survival, education means nothing".
I relate to Charlotte as I have a high Hispanic population of students who miss school during the harvest months as families pull children out to help harvest in order to earn extra money. As an educator, it is heartbreaking knowing these children are missing essential concepts and information that will help them succeed, but as Charlotte says, "when it is a matter of survival, education means nothing".
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Web Resources
I chose International Step by Step Association (ISSA) because "ISSA champions the right of all children to reach their unique, full potential and welcomes all organizations and individuals who have the same ambitions" (ISSA, n.d.) which is something I hold to my own advocacy. While I have not received a newsletter as of yet, I do follow them on Facebook and a current issue that they are addressing is the childhood statelessness in Europe. As our world faces many struggles and tragedies, children have become the silent victims. Children that are considered statelessness may be for a number of reasons: they may have been born to refugees, born without access to birth certificates, delivered in a time of competing nationality laws, or even children who have been abandoned or orphaned due to war or times of need. Without a nationality, these children are left without access to healthcare and the basic rights granted to those with an identifiable nationality. It makes it extremely difficult as an individual to access the most basic of things and even to travel. So many take our nationalities for granted, yet we do not realize what it gives us in return. ISSA is currently fronting a petition to European states to identify these stateless children and to grant them nationality for survival. I have already signed the petition and have realized how important a nationality is. It is something that I will remember during the election this Tuesday, regardless of the results.
Link to Organization: http://www.issa.nl/
Link to Petition: https://you.wemove.eu/campaigns/end-childhood-statelessness-in-europe?utm_campaign=2ve2HAdFOV&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=member
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