Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

These last few weeks have been crazy with communicating with the contacts overseas.  Seems "holiday" time is upon us and everyone is taking time away.  I have loved speaking with my contacts, and have done so far beyond everything I've shared on here.  Beyond the support in the class, I've also communicated with them on a personal level.  Being almost 9 months pregnant (and spending a lot of these last few weeks in and out of the hospital), seeing how they deal with the same situations overseas makes me SO HAPPY to live here in the states during this time! 

What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?
What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?
What are some of your professional goals?
What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?

Kathryn from Ireland, updated Sunday 06.17.12:
Our principal feels that out of all the areas of curriculum, personal,social and emotional is most important; being able to have a conversation with adults and peers, being able to listen and sit for a period of time, having an awareness of self imagine and feelings and being able to express how they feel. And being able to cope with routine changes and new situations. I enjoying seeing 3 year olds develop opinions and ideas and become confidant expressive 4 year olds.

At the minute our education body would like us to be able to train staff to be able to manage more special needs difficulties ourselves with in our setting, we have had staff trained on parenting skills and speech difficulties. I am always up for new ideas and chances to learn something new:) I would be more than happy to continue to work where and how I'm working:)

I asked Kathryn if the teacher renew contracts each year or are they hired until retirement or their choice of leaving?  She said that she has a permanent contract and will remain at the school she is at until she decides she may want to venture elsewhere.  But she seems very happy where she is!

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Crystal from Korea:
As far as private hakwons (their term for students in their school), not much... there is preference now, however, to only hire persons with certification (only receivable in Korea), and/ or an MA degree for public schools. The truth is, however, that within the next 20 years the need for foreign teachers will probably be void, because most schools find the cultural differences rough, and are training up Korean staff to take foreigners positions ie all English teachers will be Korean natives, and it will save a lot of people money, as well. My personal professional goals are not to teach English at all.. I am merely here, because the cost of living in Korea is very cheap, so I can save up well and move to a more impoverished country, and learn more about sustainabble living, and how to meet peoples social needs. From there, I would like to find a mate, start my own non-profit, and church planting team, and raise support for ministry oriented self-sustaining micro/macro financing businesses (which will probably also have an emphasis on education.) I am merely taking this season of my life to dabble in a bunch of options, and to learn a lot about the inner workinigs of business and the eductaional system in foreign settings to prepare myself so that when I am in my 40s-50s, I will be able to head an organization, which is well-rounded smart, and efficient for the sake of the needs of a community. Honestly, I have been thinking about heading to Thailand next to try to learn about women's needs...

I'm not able to connect with my other contacts this week.