Consequences of Learning about the International Early Childhood Field from a Professional Development Perspective

           Any time you devote time and energy into learning about a topic, there are intended as well as unintended consequences. By focusing on one topic, you learn a great deal about that one topic or area, and depending on how long and how in depth you study it, you may become an expert(an intended consequence). An unintended consequence of learning about one topic is that you exclude other topics that are relevant to the field.

            During my most recent course at Walden University, we have been studying the early childhood field from an international perspective. One intended consequence of this is that we learn more about what other countries do to address early childhood learning needs, how they fund these learning opportunities, and perhaps learn more about how we can advocate to improve early childhood educational programs and funding in the United States to ensure that all children have access to high quality programming. We also learn that there are many nations that are still struggling to offer universal access to a primary education for their citizens, which results in early childhood taking a backseat. To these nations, I offer a piece of advice suggested by UNESCO- make early childhood education part of primary education, and approach businesses to assist in funding when government funding is limited.

            Another consequence of exploring early childhood education from an international perspective is that you learn about some of the more serious issues faced by children worldwide. One issue I learned about was the fight to ensure the rights of orphaned children, especially their right to grow up in a safe, healthy environment that supports their growth and development while fostering  feelings of love and security. The feeling that they are wanted and that they belong is also an important component of this right. It has also led me to want to explore the differences, benefits of, and consequences of institutional care versus foster care for children without parents. This is both a professional as well as a personal curiosity. Another curiosity related to this is the desire to learn more about the process of becoming a foster parent, the resources available to help foster parents foster the children's development, especially in the case of abuse, neglect or parental death. It also leads to questions regarding the practice of frequent home changes and the risk of negative consequences on children's attachments.

Another intended consequence is that you develop the opportunity to cross physical barriers, such as oceans or mountain ranges, to develop professional contacts outside the United States. While I was unable to develop a personal contact outside the U.S., I was able to learn a great deal about the many organizations that contribute to the early childhood field on an international level, and the many ways they advocate for young children worldwide. Read my previous posts to find out more about the individual organizational websites I was able to explore, and feel free to offer comments or contact me to offer additional resources.

Professional Goal

As a result of this course of study, I have developed a professional goal of continuing to remain abreast of international issues and trends in early childhood education on the international level by visiting related websites at least once per week. Additionally, it is my hope to establish contact with an early childhood professional outside of the U.S. to help me learn more about ECE on the international level.