My International Contacts Experience

           I have gained new insights and have clearer viewpoints on the issues and trends that effect children living in other countries. My international contact from Morocco helped me understand how diversity, poverty, inequity, and policy affect her area. The most interesting thing I learned about the field in her country is their emphasis on language. Many countries have a big drive for their children to learn two or more languages at an early age. This is a wonderful thing because the world is growing more and more diverse. Knowing more than one language helps to be successful and communicate with more people.

          Some consequences of learning about the international early childhood field are the new insights gained. I learned new ways to approach teaching. One example Heidi shared with me is that she uses project-based learning and the flipped classroom model. Here is a link to a description of the flipped classroom for anyone who does not know: http://www.forbes.com/sites/pascalemmanuelgobry/2012/12/11/what-is-the-flipped-classroom-model-and-why-is-it-amazing-with-infographic/

          Another consequence is learning about different cultures and the diversity of the world. One resource (that is not an international contact but teaches about parenting in other countries) that I find very informative is the movie Babies. It is a documentary showing the parenting styles and techniques of four families; very interesting to watch.

          A third consequence is gaining a support system of other professionals. It is good to have someone available to give advice and have someone who can relate to you. It is nice to be able to share experiences from across the globe. These experiences can even be share with the children you serve thanks to Skye and other video chat services. It is such a great way to reach out and see more of the world. I have always liked to say that traveling allows one to read the entire book instead of just one page.

          I want to thank every one of my colleagues for sharing their wealth of knowledge with me. I have enjoyed every post in the blogs and discussions. I hope to see everyone in future courses!