Final Post

In order to truly understand the issues and trends of early childhood, it is immensely important to take a look from outside of our own personal lens. When we reach out to international contacts and learn about international organizations, only then can our horizons be broadened. Through this course, I was able to immerse myself in the plight of collecting research and data to benefit the early childhood field internationally with the International Step by Step Association (ISSA). I was able to learn about the importance of having statistical facts in order for law and policymakers to hold any form of voice in the advocacy roles. It is is also important for members of the EC field to take into account the need for collective data so that others may draw upon studies and findings to help the children and families they serve.

Through the past 8 weeks, I was also able to connect with an old professor who is now in the same line of profession I am, only a few thousand miles apart in Germany. Through this contact, I was able to get actual quotes and opinions on issues and trends that EC members are facing there. It was also an amazing chance to be connect with students from Germany as I was able to set up a pen-pal program with my Kinder students and Charlotte's Kinder students. Through my connection, I hope that my students will have made a connection that will last a lifetime.

It is so important to continuously research and collect resources regarding the issues and trends of EC. Especially as members who have chosen to further our education, we have made a commitment to ourselves and to our field that we will be advocates for those who cannot. It is my professional goal to be an advocate for the students that enter my classroom, and for those in my community. With this start, perhaps one day I can play a role as an advocate for Charlotte's students or others around the globe.

Issues and Opportunities

 

My international contact, Charlotte, is currently a Kindergarten teacher in Germany. While she completed her undergrad and graduate coursework within the United States, she has aspirations of continuing her line of work with the German school systems. Based on her own upbringing and experiences in education in East Germany, she believes she will create the biggest impact within her own country as an Early Childhood educator. Currently, Germany's field of early childhood which is labeled as Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), has issues regarding the lack of data and research associated with early childhood which impacts policy and lawmakers. With the lack of support that data provides, many law and policy makers are left without a strong foothold to make any true changes. While America and other Anglo-Saxon European countries have a long-record of data regarding ECEC, Germany has a lack of scientific inquiry which affects data needed to make change. Charlotte says that this is mainly due to the disinterest in German politics back in the sixties and seventies which meant a lot of public funding was pulled. Without funding, data-driven research becomes nearly impossible.

Charlotte says that she has been attending Professional Development (PD) courses during the summer months the past two years in Berlin that deal with how educators themselves can conduct their own research for future use. In fact, Charlotte has had to partake in quite a bit of PD on her own time and dime (or Euro, essentially). This is mainly due to the lack of funding her school receives as she is located in a small village, away from any major city. Most of their funding comes from alumni and private donors. As it is a K-12 school, most of the PD is centered towards the later grades as those are seen "more important" as these are the years that students choose their future workforce as discussed in a previous post on this blog. If Charlotte and her Kinder-colleagues wish to further their professional development, they are usually forced to apply for grants from local colleges or donors.

In terms of future aspirations and goals, Charlotte hopes to make an impact in her school system by challenging the lack of attention early childhood educators and other field members receive when it comes to funding and resources. She hopes that she can challenge her colleagues to join her on this journey so their voice may be heard at the national level for the need of funding. However, Charlotte says the first step is obtaining data and research so that their requests are supported with evidence.

ISSA: EC Workforce Initiative

 

Equity of care within Early Childhood has been the main focus of discussion in this week's program lesson. As it be, the website that I chose to follow from the beginning of the coursa, the International Step by Step Association, recently rolled out the Early Childhood Workforce Initiative which focuses on equity of the EC field members. This initiative focuses on the country system and policy level to support and empower the professionals in the Early Childhood field. The initiative is aiming to "bridge gaps in policy and practice and promote high quality, equitable services" (ISSA, 2016) through four main goals.The first being Compentences and Standards: 
 
 "Competences and Standards ensure that there are agreed requirements and expectations for      what early childhood workers should know and be able to do as well as the core principles guiding their work with young children and their families. This also entails professional profiles of different roles within diverse early childhood services and defining competencies at individual, team, institutional, and systems levels" (ISSA, 2016).

The second goal is Training and Professional Devleopment:

"The early childhood workforce is very diverse, and both pre-service and in-service training opportunities need to be up-to-date, evidence-based, and linked to practice so to support a competent workforce. Given the diversity of the workforce, including many volunteers or staff without formal education, it is important to develop career pathways with diverse entry points/levels and a clear progression route" (Early Childhood Workforce, 2016).

The third goal is Monitoring and Mentoring:

"Creating systems for continuous feedback and coaching are important for ensuring that workers receive information they can use to improve their practice on ongoing basis and are linked to pathways for career advancement" (Early Childhood Workforce, 2016).

And the final goal is Recognition of the Profession:

"Currently, the level of remuneration, working conditions, and status of the early childhood workforce is poor, including relative to primary teachers, nurses, social workers and other similar professions. Recruitment challenges, high turnover, and low morale compromise the quality of provision. There is a need to explore ways to improve the attractiveness and perception of the profession and to promote ways to give voice to practitioners in their daily work and in policy discussions, including through collective action" (EC Workforce, 2016)

These goals are aimed to achieve equity for the professionals of Early Childhood by addressing the main four reasons many individuals choose to enter the field, or once in, whether or not to stay. As we have studied throughout this program, many Early Childhood Educators (ECE) and other EC members, deal with low pay, lack of training, and unclear standards to follow. Something like the Early Childhood Workforce Initiative can have a huge impact for EC professionals and highlight the work they do that changes children's lives.

References

Welcome to EC Workforce | EC Workforce. (2016). Retrieved December 03, 2016, from http://www.earlychildhoodworkforce.org/