The organization I am investigating this semester is the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE) and can be located at this address http://naecte.org/. This organization focuses on teacher education and providing a variety of opportunities for continuing education. The two largest focuses seem to be their Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education and their annual conferences- which actually occur twice a year in conjunction with the NAEYC Annual Conference and the NAEYC Annual Professional Development Institute.
NAECTE publishes an E-Letter 3 times per year (Spring, Fall, and Winter) and the focus is usually something to do with one of their conferences. There is also a contribution from the current President of NAECTE in each issue. In the most recent issue President Kelly Baker discussed her collaboration with representative from NAEYC and the work they plan to engage in together in the upcoming year.
The Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education is where I located some information that is connected to this week's topic of diversity and changing demographics. Due to this being a publication about teacher education, not about educating young children, please be prepared for a shift of perspective. When we think about diversity and demographic changes we often think of race or ethnicity but cultural changes encompass a wide range of changing realities in our society. One of these is addressed in the article Community-based collaboration for early childhood teacher education: Partner experiences and perspectives as co–teacher educators. When we shift our perspective to include the need for a different approach to teacher education that reflects a parallel practice to how we educate young children (hands-on, community based, culturally responsive, child-directed) we can see the value of a change in the way that higher education institutions address how teacher education is implemented.
Here is a figure from the article which highlights the principals of the field-based (ie. hands-on) teacher education model:
Here are some of the aspects of teacher education and how
the traditional university-based model compares to the Teaching, Learning, and
Leading with Schools and Communities (TLLSC) model:
(I know this is a little difficult to see on the blog but you can read it more easily if you click the link above for the full article)
With the shift in demographics in classrooms, teachers should be educated with communities and partnerships in mind.
We, as Walden students, have access to the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education through the Walden Library. I highly recommend checking out the vast array of articles that are available in the journal.
Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI am happy you choose this organization. While many organizations try to deal with children directly, your organization gives us a new direction: going for teachers. One of the issues in the Early Childhood Education field is the lack teachers who are really prepared to do the job. Here in Panama, most teachers, especially English teachers, are people who did not study anything regarding children. They are just hired because they are bilingual. I am glad the U.S. has organizations like this, committed to professional development.
Thanks for sharing Wendy!
Hi Wendy, Its so nice to connect with you again. I know you are not on my group but I love your post and thought it would be great to connect with you again.
ReplyDeleteI know that this particular site or organization has provided in different resources throughout the semesters and courses we have participated in. I like that you shared this information because it helps leaders success and find resources necessary to continue working with children. AS educators we need to be up today on many things. Changes that continue to happen on a daily basis that affect us as educators or directors ect, but also the children whom are most important. I look forward to visiting your blog.
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog. I am interesting in this organization because it focuses on teacher education as well as a variety of opportunities for continuing education. Thanks,for sharing the teacher education model from the journal. However,this is a great model to understand the principles and strategies of mutually beneficial partnership. I would like follow-up on this organization in order to join. I think this organization would benefit me in the childhood field.
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this information. It is a great post. I agree that the field of early childhood is not consistent with its teacher requirements/preparations. Quality teachers are the key to an effective program. I look forward to reading more about this process.
-Elizabeth Dupin
Hello Wendy
ReplyDeleteGreat and knowledgeable Thanks,I understand that in order to teach a individual education of one self must be done regularly and as the world changes so do knowledge and growth my opinion.The journal information was truly interesting to me due to the fact of the importance of knowledge. I assist students like me with disabilities and everyday is a dissimilar issues and a great/daily challenge.I always say that in order to be successful is to be positively well-informed. I believe this information will assist me continuously Thank You again:)