Over the span of one's career it is important to expand learning and reflection on practice and quality within the field. For example, my dad found his way to the United States in 1967 when a motorcycle dealership posted an ad for a motorcycle mechanic in a magazine distributed in the UK. During that time, the UK was well known for mechanic specialists in the motorcycle arena. During this course I have found myself intrigued and impacted by such global learning. I have focused my efforts on the podcasts and researching the current trends in the United Kingdom, specifically, England.
I have compared and contrasted the differences in the professional requirements of the early childhood educator in the UK and the US. Because my every day work stems around professional development and counseling others on their education choices in the field, I of course wanted to research this topic abroad. I was happy to find that the UK stresses the importance of training and professional development, just as we do in Ohio.
Through my global explorations, I learned of new programs and initiatives around the world. While listening to podcasts a few weeks ago, I was impressed by Delfina Mitchell, Director of the Liberty Children's Home in Belize City. Her dedication to children and families is prominent through her work and direction at the Children's Home. She ensures that competent staff are working with these children who have no true home. The children find solace in this safe, learning environment.
Lastly, I acquired information on trends in the early childhood field across the world. From the podcasts, to websites like the Harvard University and World Bank, to my chosen website of the British Association for Early Childhood Education, I learned about initiatives, training, and support groups that are offered in different parts of the world. These have all provided me with new eyes on what we could be offering here in Ohio, as well as how we can be proud of what is already being offered and implemented across programs in Ohio.
I wish you all continued success in your educational program and in your professional career. Thank you for your insights and shared dialogue over these past 8 weeks.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The EC Profession in England
While I have not been able to get response from my email inquiries, I continue to learn more about how early childhood looks in the United Kingdom. With our focus this wee on high-quality and professional characteristics of early childhood educators, I researched the qualifications for early childhood professionals in England.
As the early childhood field has evolved, and continues to do so, a new model has been established that introduces the idea of the Early Years Professional (EYP). Lumsden (2010), states, "This new professional in England is being presented as the 'Gold Standard' in early years and every full-time day-care setting should have an EYP by 2015" (p. 173). The Early Years Professional must attend anywhere from four to twelve months of training and education, depending on their current knowledge and experience. I like this model for education because it is individualistic, while meeting a standard as a high-quality educator who is considered professional. In Lumsden's piece on the professional, a respondent on the relationship with teaching stated, "It is about time early years practitioners received professional and financial credit for the valuable work they do...which are the most important years to invest in" (p. 179). We can all agree with this statement.
According to the Competence Requirements document compiled and disseminated by the University of East London and Universiteit of Gent (2011), "The quality of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) depends on the competence of people working with children, families, and communities" (p. 21). In my research of the requirements of early childhood professionals in the UK, I found many commonalities to what we believe and advocate for in the U.S. This document also mentions, "ECEC refers to a holistic approach to education." Furthermore, "quality needs to be considered as an on-going process rather than as something that is achieved or not" (p. 23). Once again, this is similar to what we believe to be true in our country. Through the implementation of quality rating systems, programs are offered guidance, via benchmarks, that have been identified as markers of high-quality care and education. My colleagues and I work diligently every day to assist programs directors achieve, and more importantly, maintain their star rating under Ohio's quality rating system, Step Up To Quality. Providing high-quality, holistic early childhood care and education services requires daily work and dedication to the profession.
References:
As the early childhood field has evolved, and continues to do so, a new model has been established that introduces the idea of the Early Years Professional (EYP). Lumsden (2010), states, "This new professional in England is being presented as the 'Gold Standard' in early years and every full-time day-care setting should have an EYP by 2015" (p. 173). The Early Years Professional must attend anywhere from four to twelve months of training and education, depending on their current knowledge and experience. I like this model for education because it is individualistic, while meeting a standard as a high-quality educator who is considered professional. In Lumsden's piece on the professional, a respondent on the relationship with teaching stated, "It is about time early years practitioners received professional and financial credit for the valuable work they do...which are the most important years to invest in" (p. 179). We can all agree with this statement.
According to the Competence Requirements document compiled and disseminated by the University of East London and Universiteit of Gent (2011), "The quality of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) depends on the competence of people working with children, families, and communities" (p. 21). In my research of the requirements of early childhood professionals in the UK, I found many commonalities to what we believe and advocate for in the U.S. This document also mentions, "ECEC refers to a holistic approach to education." Furthermore, "quality needs to be considered as an on-going process rather than as something that is achieved or not" (p. 23). Once again, this is similar to what we believe to be true in our country. Through the implementation of quality rating systems, programs are offered guidance, via benchmarks, that have been identified as markers of high-quality care and education. My colleagues and I work diligently every day to assist programs directors achieve, and more importantly, maintain their star rating under Ohio's quality rating system, Step Up To Quality. Providing high-quality, holistic early childhood care and education services requires daily work and dedication to the profession.
References:
Competence requirements in early childhood education and care. (2011). Retrieved from ec.europa.eu/education/more-information/doc/2011/core_en.pdf.
Lumsden, E. (2010). The new early years professional in england. International Journal for Cross-Disciplinary Subjects in Education, 1(3). Retrieved from http://www.infonomics-society.org/IJCDSE/The%20New%20Early%20Years%20Professional%20in%20England.pdf
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Sharing Web Resources
Some websites are packed with information and resources that makes it possible to learn something new every time you visit. The British Association for Early Childhood website, http://www.early-education.org.uk, is no different. As I navigated in new sections of the website this week, I learned of branches and special interest group that are facilitated through the association. One such group offered is the Baby Room Group. Within this support group of sorts, they explore ideas and questions such as, "Are you interested in the links between attachment and early language?" This provides a time to examine how the Early Years Foundation Stage (UK standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five) may affect baby room practice. I found it interesting that they referred to infant and toddler environments as baby rooms.
Visiting this site every week keeps me informed of late news and events. It was posted that Early Education, "launched Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), new non-statutory guidance produced by Early Education with support from the Department for Education that supports all those working in early childhood education settings to implement the statutory requirements of the EYFS Framework 2012." The director stated, "Development Matters demonstrates how the four themes of the EYFS Framework and the principles that inform them work together to support the development of babies, toddlers and young children within the context of the EYFS framework."
Lastly, I re-visited the publications and resources link to find that Early Education's own Nancy Stewart wrote How Children Learn: The Characteristics of Effective Early Learning, with a foreward by Early Education President, Helen Moylett. "This book explores effective early childhood learning through focusing on how rather than what children learn." While this is an important topic to the UK in regards to their EYFS structure, this is important to remember when working with young children anywhere. As we have all been studying the process of learning, not what is being taught.
Each one of the examples I provided here addresses the inequity in who teaches young children and tackles issues related to responsiveness. Early Education offers a plethora of resources and supports to early childhood professionals on a variety of topics and issues in the arena of child development and working with families. I hope you take a minute, if you haven't already, to take a look. I'm sure you will find an article that addresses a topic of interest for you.
Visiting this site every week keeps me informed of late news and events. It was posted that Early Education, "launched Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), new non-statutory guidance produced by Early Education with support from the Department for Education that supports all those working in early childhood education settings to implement the statutory requirements of the EYFS Framework 2012." The director stated, "Development Matters demonstrates how the four themes of the EYFS Framework and the principles that inform them work together to support the development of babies, toddlers and young children within the context of the EYFS framework."
Lastly, I re-visited the publications and resources link to find that Early Education's own Nancy Stewart wrote How Children Learn: The Characteristics of Effective Early Learning, with a foreward by Early Education President, Helen Moylett. "This book explores effective early childhood learning through focusing on how rather than what children learn." While this is an important topic to the UK in regards to their EYFS structure, this is important to remember when working with young children anywhere. As we have all been studying the process of learning, not what is being taught.
Each one of the examples I provided here addresses the inequity in who teaches young children and tackles issues related to responsiveness. Early Education offers a plethora of resources and supports to early childhood professionals on a variety of topics and issues in the arena of child development and working with families. I hope you take a minute, if you haven't already, to take a look. I'm sure you will find an article that addresses a topic of interest for you.
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