The NAECTE ... part 3

One last section of the NAECTE website to explore with all of you is their links to related organizations.  Most of the links are to varying organizations related to teacher education, but the first that caught my eye was one titled “Certification Map.”  It took me here. 

“Certification Map is a simple guide to receiving teacher certification and clarifies the steps needed to become a teacher in your state.”  Since I seem to battling this issue right now and trying to find clear information regarding North Carolina, this seems to be the answer!  So North Carolina … But … all the information is for elementary or secondary certification.  Which isn’t any help for me figuring out North Carolina’s new Birth to Kindergarten license.  I strike out again.

The NAECTE also provides links to a few organizations from other areas of the world including Australia, Canada, and Europe.  The organization in Europe is based out of the University of Sweden with the objective “to establish a flexible multilingual transnational forum for the development of teacher education in Europe linking together as many universities and other institutions as possible.”  Not only have the connected a great area of Europe they have members in Canada, China, Israel, Cyprus, Hong Kong, and the US.  But another strike out, the links to the members do not work.

But then … I think I have found the jackpot in the Early Childhood Australia.  Right on their home page “ECA will advocate to ensure quality, social justice, and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children from birth to eight years.”  This is exactly what we are talking about in my current class!  I found a media release from June 2012 stating “Any changes to the funding of childcare should focus on benefiting low and middle income families and on improving the wages and conditions of the people who work in these services.” 

Hmmm sounds like what I have been reading these past few weeks about the U.S.  I guess in some ways it is nice to hear that all countries are dealing with the same things, but overall it would be wonderful to know there is a place in this world that has it figured out.  That there is a country that supports children, values them, and desires the best for them.  

The NAECTE … part 2

The National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) is found at www.naecte.org.  This is my second week discussing this organization and their website.  Check out the first week here. 

I was a bit disappointed on my further inspection of the organization because in order to get my hands on most things of interest, I need to be a member.  At this point, I am not able to afford the membership, so I am left not being able to see most of their resources for teacher educators.

The organization does offer something called ResearchNets to “facilitate scholarly pursuits on collaborative research projects.”  This is a community network to allow access to other’s research while you are working on your own, allowing for collaboration and conversation on the topics.  The two active ResearchNets are “Teacher Research” and “Technology in Early Childhood Education.” 

Other areas of the site that I can access are

• a listing of
books published by NAECTE members,

• awards and grants
presented by the NAECTE to its members,

• The NAECTE Foundation
which raises funds to advocate, support research projects, and offer scholarships,

•  Job Announcements (Which they currently have a great opportunity in Baltimore Maryland…), and

•  Links to related organizations

There is a page containing five documents, which are their position statements, by-laws, and policies.  Happily, the Position Statement reiterates everything that I have learned about early childhood appropriate practice and the importance of certification of our early childhood teachers. 

What I found interesting was their second document: The Early Childhood Teacher Certification Toolkit.  This toolkit is put together to help individuals or groups battle the powers that be in seeing appropriate laws and requirements be put in place to support the position statement.  While we all may not be fighting this particular battle, it is a great resource to read through (or skim), because it provides support and encouragement to persist and know that change happens, even if it seems like a grueling long process…. Something that I need to remember in my current state of unsurity of my future in early childhood.  Now I am going to get back to re-reading that first letter of the toolkit!

Taking a look at NAECTE … part 1

This is my first week sharing information with you about my selected organization.  The National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) is found at www.naecte.org.  NAECTE was created and is sustained by members with a common interest in teacher education.  Their purpose is to promote professionalism, professional growth, advocate, discuss issues, share information, and provide a Journal and Conferences to support  growth and learning in the field. 

I first looked for a newsletter that I could subscribe to and found that they produce a newsletter quarterly.  I was disappointed because I wouldn’t be receiving weekly updates from the organization.  The most recent newsletter is dated Summer 2012 and its main focus is on preparation for the Professional Development Institute from the beginning of June.  The NAECTE meets during the NAEYC’s Professional Development Institute and the NAEYC’s fall conference. The newsletter also included highlights from 3 regional reports.  The highlight for me was the focus on Growing up WILD: Exploring nature with young children.  I had heard about this resource, but their information clarified the purpose of the resource in helping educators bring kids into nature and feel confident in the process. 

My next exploration into this site was their Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education.  Through my studies already, I have used this journal in locating additional information.  The purpose of the Journal is to “provide a forum for consideration of issues and for exchange of information and ideas about research and practice in early childhood teacher education.”  Currently there is a call for papers for a special edition titled “Early Childhood Teacher Education: Why does it matter?  How does it matter?”  This may be one that I need to get my hands on when it comes out!

The primary issue or trend that this organization is focused on is the development of quality teacher education programs.  There are three policies that they state should be included in every certification agency and school district. 

1.      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.

2.      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).

3.      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 (NAEYC).

Stay tuned for more information about this organization in future blog posts!  AND – I did find a professional contact!  Next week I hope to share some information with you from a home-child-care provider in England.

Professional Contacts & Exploring Websites

So this week’s assignment for my new class “Issues and Trends in Early Childhood” has not gone as expected.  We were assigned the job of locating two professional contacts outside the United States to be in conversations about issues and trends they see in the field of early childhood.  While I was hesitant at first, I tried with all my might to find someone to dialog with.  I contacted three prospects and haven’t heard back from any of them.

I tried for England, Madagascar (because of the relationship with friends working there with the Lutheran church), and Australia.  The England contact is an ECE worker who I love reading her blog.  Madagascar contact was through UNICEF.  And the Australia contact was through the University of South Australia.  I was shooting for being well rounded …. Hmmm … didn’t pan out the way I had hoped.  I am going to try a few other possibilities and see what turns up. 

At the same time I will also start pursuing the alternative option and get hooked up with the World Forum.  Let’s see in two weeks what can happen.

The second part of my blogging assignment is to choose an early childhood website to explore and learn.  I have chosen to explore the National Association of Early ChildhoodTeacher Educators’ website.  What was the deciding factor is when I looked at their purpose statement it spoke volumes to me right away.  The two directions I think my journey is taking me is 1^st to teach new teachers; help them learn appropriate practices for the classroom, and/or work to make it more affordable for teachers to gain the needed skills.  2^nd is to own my own childcare center that is faith based yet runs full day and is available for those who aren’t ‘poor’ but need to work full time to make it in our changing economy.  NAECTE seemed to fall right into place with both of those possible paths.  Then again, God still may have something different in store for me….

I can’t wait to hear how my classmates did on finding some professional contacts and which websites they chose!  Here’s to a new journey for the next 8 weeks!  (Sometimes it feels like my life lately is based on 8 week intervals….but it’s all going to be worth it!)