The issues and trends presented thus far in the class have really helped me to start to narrow my focus in what I want to do with the rest of my professional career. I know I want to be more active in the early childhood education front, however, time and money are factors that hold me back. I want to also make films about the state of preschools in America and what that means for future generations.
I never heard back from my international contact this week, so I asked another international contact who currently teaches English in China and on weekends volunteers for a non-profit preschool where she is in charge of overseeing some of the workers/volunteers. They run the preschool in a remote, rural part of farm land in China. The residents walk five to six miles to bring their children to the preschool 7 days a week. The children learn English, play games, and are given healthy meals. Here are her answers to the following questions:
What are some of your professional goals?
I really want to go back to school and get my teaching credentials and my Master's I want to teach back in the States. I like the young children so I think Kindergarten is what I want to do. I also would like to one day open my own international child care center in another country.
What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?
Like I said before, I would like to open a center in another country. India perhaps or China. I see how hard it is for foreigners to do this so I think that would be a challenge for me. That and finding money to do it. It is easy to set up a non-profit but it is difficult to get support and money and volunteers. Everyone wants to be paid and no one wants to volunteer long hours with no incentive or compensation.
Kim, I think your contact is wonderfu for wanting to open a preschool in another country. I feel that the best compensation would be seeing the smiles on the childrens faces as the learn new things. I would help.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, wow a film maker too! What a great way to advocate for the rights of children, their families and early childhood education. I wish you every success. I also admire the work your contact in China is committed to within her community and I hope her dreams and yours come to fruition. All the best.
ReplyDeleteKim, I plan to obtain a teacher certification after completing the masters program. A teacher certification will be a requirement to teach my preschool and kindergarten students. The certification and degree in ECE is another high-quality indicator.
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