Thursday night was our last meeting with our global leaders, we met in our North American region and then as a whole group to hear about everyone's project. It seems that everyone's project may change a little. We did some group pics in our regional groups and the entire global leader group. Sara and I went to lunch at The cheesecake Factory which was a nice getaway from the hotel and the restaurants at the hotel. Too full for cheesecake, but a great lunch! We turned in very soon after our night meeting. Friday would be our last day of the world forum.
Friday started with some networking....I have gotten to know a woman named Chris from Nebraska who works with Nature Explore. I am so interested in learning more about what her organization does. She is awesome and I look forward to seeing her again in Miami at our regional meeting.
The final workshop I went to was on Parent Partnerships, it was interesting to hear about partnerships in Fiji and Australia. The speakers all agree that positive partnerships with parents is best for children....however, the value placed on those relationships in where they come from are different. In some of the Jamaican classrooms parents are not allowed as they are seen as a nuisance. In Australia it is highly encouraged. As a matter of fact, in Australia it is written in to their early childhood framework. In Fiji the framework is called "Manola Manticiva" meaning "children our are pearl." The other thing happening sadly in Jamaica is that children are growing up afraid to go to early childhood programs as the discipline allowed there is still hitting. It changed in K-12 classrooms but not in early childhood programs. Teacher's roles as seen by parents is to be the disciplinarian and to teach children how to conduct themselves in public. The teacher's obviously feel very bitter about this as they feel while this is their role in some aspects it is a share responsibility. Another growing issue in some areas is the growing issue of their native languages and cultures are dying. One of the speakers started school in a village over from hers, she spoke only Fijian and when she started school it was an English speaking only school. If they did not speak English they would get hit. So she hated school and just did not speak. This whole discussion was thought provoking.
Following this workshop we headed to the closing ceremony, we saw a series of dances by African dancers and a parade of international representatives. By far one of the best speakers was Lillian Katz about her new book Intellectual Emergencies. I could have listened to her all day! I took pics of a lot of her slides because i could not write fast enough and wanted to absorb as much as possible. Here are some pearls from her speech:
"There is evidence that people teach the way they remember their childhood."
"You can't begin your teaching as a veteran when becoming a new teacher."
"Teach the learner how to tell you where he is."
"Life is a series of errors in which you choose."
Lillian told us a story from when she worked in Head Start in 1965. A parent brought her son and said "Don't let my son play with a doll?" This is known as a type of intellectual emergency. She then said of course this child was naturally attracted to dress-up and babies. She observed a lab school in the Caribbean where there was a 4 year old who would not speak, the teacher like clockwork would go around everyday and offer the children crackers. She said to the little girl "You can only have 1 if you use your words." She then asked us-what would the theorists think? Lillian said to the little girl. "I know you don't want to talk to me today, but I will be over there if you change your mind." She used many examples from her son as intellectual emergencies. She said that insight is important as is the content of the relationships. Her son Steve asks her "Hey, Mom-How do you decide who to Marry?" She responded, "you have to decide whether you can continue growing in the relationship first." She said in that example to think about the content of that relationship.
Lillian was a vibrant speaker with great stories. This was a great one: "mom, does it make you feel good to have people listen?" She replied, "What if I'm wrong?" We come together to share our ideas, to argue, clarify, modify and examine is what she tells us. Her closing points for as we return to work: "Adults know more than what if feels like to be a child."
-Meaningful relationships need content. We have to relate to each other about something.
-In teaching as in life we make decisions to carry errors, we need to look ahead and choose the least worst error."
-we only have our best judgment.
-Coaching involves conflicts, we need to decide what we should make an issue of and take a stand with clarity.
-Speak to children as people with minds-genuine, direct, respectful.
-goal of education is to engage mind of learner
-optimal environment for children must be optimal for teacher and satisfying.
-Never take someones opinion or view more than your own.
-We must care to care for all.
Inspiring to say the least!
No comments:
Post a Comment