International Contact Reflection

Post at least three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your professional and personal development (any format, any length

This semester in my ECE studies I was afforded the opportunity to make connections to professionals internationally. I found that it really wasn’t very easy to establish reciprocal relationships with the professionals I reached out to as I had hoped, but the awareness and information I learned while attempting to, as well as the research that lead me to more and more possible connections still gave me insight into a great deal.

I focused my exploration on the Reggio Emelia approach to Early Childhood Education and explored professionals in the approach from around the world, but primarily those in the town of Reggio Emelia in Italy. Through this exploration I learned…

• There are so very many different approaches to learning and teaching that are affected by your culture, heritage and geography. I have seen through this research that there are many other countries that have a more organic, experiential way of learning – which ultimately aligns with my belief systems on how children best learn.
• It isn’t until you make a connection with a person doing something you are not or passionate in something that is foreign to you, and you take the time to understand their perspective, that you are really able to broaden your horizons as a professional. Just because we have different approaches, beliefs or ideas doesn’t mean that one or both of us are wrong.
• Culture defines so much of who we are, how we approach tasks and relationships and how we view the world. If we approach each individual child the way I had to approach each individual international contact, we would be so much more respectful and kind to children despite their differences from ourselves.