Professional Goals, Hopes and Dreams

One of the new insights that I gained in relation to international early childhood education that relate to my professional goals is to be a leader in my community, for I want to own a daycare center.  That way, all children would be able to receive an education.  According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (2011), “The Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2011 noted that 7.3 million primary school-aged children in Pakistan were out-of-school in 2008 (UNESCO, 2011), the majority of whom were girls” (cited in Mahmud, 2014, p. 6).  Unfortunately, it can be implied that in Pakistan, many children are not obtaining the knowledge they need to move forward in their education.  If I had my own daycare center, I would make sure that every child in my community would receive some type of schooling so that they are not lacking the foundation necessary to aide in their development.  While I plan to take the initiative as a leader in my community, I also want to continue to implement best practices and policies that can positively impact the way young children think and learn.
Furthermore, I am an advocate for installing best practices and policies to assist all children with obtaining the best education possible.  Another insight that I gained in regards to international ECE is that not education in all countries are not created equal.  For instance, at the international level, some educational systems may be more progressive than others, and because of that, some children may be delayed in pursuing an education.  According to Díaz (2016), “…the role of sound public policies is to clearly interpret the overarching policy objective as ensuring the full development of all children” (p. 6).  This means that in other countries, practices and policies in early childhood education are not consistent, and as a result, children’s development can be affected.  If I had my childcare center, I would effect change by establishing rules and regulations that facilitate and promote children’s learning as they mature in early childhood education.  As an EC educator, professional training continues to be a necessary process for giving children the opportunity to a have a high-quality education.
            Moreover, a third insight that I gained from a global perspective in regards to my professional goals is that the concepts of education and care are not considered interdependent upon each other.  To demonstrate, according to Kaga, Bennett, and Moss (2010),
In every country, early childhood care and education (ECCE) services embody two different traditions: care and education. The former was often developed as a welfare measure for working-class children who needed care while their parents were at work; the latter as kindergarten or pre-primary education, providing middle-class or all children with enriched educational activities prior to formal schooling. (p. 19)
Because this paradigm exists, early childhood educators may encounter a problem as they try to balance care and education.  While parents are constantly seeking places to take their children when they have to work, many children are engaged in educational programs that could prepare them to deal with a formal educational setting.  The most important goal for me as a preschool teacher will be to establish a welcoming and supportive learning environment.  As a teacher, I can create positive classroom environments with appropriately-sized tables and chairs, colorful libraries, hands-on activities, alphabets, numbers and quiet places for them to relax.  I believe in simultaneously caring and educating children so that they are not pressured to flourish in an educational setting.  My dream is to finish my master’s degree program at Walden University and open my own daycare center to give back to my community.  I not only want to help families with childcare services, but I want to give them the opportunity to have a support system even if they have children that needed special accommodations.
                                                    References
Diaz, M. I. (2016). Content, Comprehensiveness and Coherence in Policies for Early Childhood:
How the curriculum can contribute. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: International Bureau of Education, (7), 1-57. Retrieved December 15, 2017, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002467/246701e.pdf
Kaga, Y., Bennett, J., & Moss, P. (2010). Caring and learning together: a cross-national study on
the integration of early childhood care and education within education. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 1-141. Retrieved December 15, 2017, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0018/001878/187818e.pdf
Mahmud, M. (2014). Teacher training in support of early childhood education in Pakistan: a case
study of the Teachers' Resource Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 1-39. Retrieved December 14, 2017, from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002265/226563e.pdf





Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 16, 2017 at 12:54 PM

    Teresa,
    Thank you for sharing your insights, goals, and dreams! I think you are on the right track to find a balance between establishing a care and education-centered program. Academic demands have become so rigorous that it is important we don't lose sight of our students' developmental needs. A caring, nurturing environment is the key to this. Best of luck with opening your daycare center!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ONLY A DIVA KNOWS A SHOEDecember 16, 2017 at 2:38 PM

      Teresa,

      Great Blog post!
      Enjoyed reading your future goals, dreams, and insights on the how your goals of one day opening your own Day Care center that focuses on all children receiving a well-rounded fundmental education. As you see yourself now as a great adovcate for ensuring and implementing best practices and policies your confidence will take you to the top. Keep going dreams come true and goal focus makes you a winner all day everyday. Maybe you will be that person visiting Pakistan and opening your center for girls. Best wishes I use to have my own in home day care, that's just one step up to open a day care center. You can Do it!

      Crystal
      https:fortheluvofeducatingourchildrenblog.wordpress.com/

      Delete
  2. AnonymousDecember 16, 2017 at 11:02 PM

    Opening your own daycare sounds very rewarding, my professional goal is to get into a political position and become an advocate for ECE. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 17, 2017 at 9:54 AM

    Hi Teresa,
    Your blog had so much useful information. I learned a lot from it. I just had the opportunity of reaching my goal of opening a preschool. I really wanted a quality program that would be for all children. I watched for too long children being kicked out of preschool and not being able to be individuals. I feel all children should be given the opportunity to learn in their own way. Not everyone fits in the box. Great post!

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownDecember 17, 2017 at 3:19 PM

    Great Post !

    Owning a child care center is a good professional goal. I really like that you are focusing on your culture and providing high quality services in the community. Families need to have their children attend programs that have their best interest and can relate to them. This is all needed to support healthy development.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Final Blog Assignment

There are many outcomes that I gleaned from learning about the early childhood field from an international perspective.  For instance, according to Hale (2014), there are three consequences that early childhood practitioners learn about how the field is enduring overseas.  She writes, The first consequence of learning about the international early childhood field is that as early childhood educators, we live in a world that calls for continuous change, and therefore, information on best practices and best policies can be utilized throughout the world.  The second consequence of learning about the international childhood field is that having an awareness has to be developed.  When early childhood practitioners are unaware of their students, the students’ families, and of themselves, then the opportunity for discussion and growth cannot be established so that all parties understand the willingness to be invested in children’s development and children’s education....
Read more

Examining Codes of Ethics

NAEYC code: I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training. This code is significant to my professional life because field of early childhood education, the best practices and information utilized to educate young children continues to change.  I have been in the early childhood education profession for almost 20 years, and because my professional goal is to own a daycare center, I have to stay informed of the changes in practices and techniques needed in the early childhood so I can provide young children with the education they need to progress in their academic journey. NAEYC code: I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.  This ideal is important to my professional life because as an early childhood education professional, teachers must be able to recognize that   each child is unique and different. When working ...
Read more