This week was a great week for communicating with my international contact Atica. Atica is currently living in the Dominican Republic and works as an early childhood researcher. She shared with me that she is currently conducting research with a team of colleagues to look at behaviors of children from maternal mothers who have received a college education in comparison to children whose maternal mothers haven't. The purpose of the research is to provide funding for a project that will assist in helping children who are at risk. Atica also shared with me that she often travels to America because some her research team is based in Florida. I asked her what were the education requirements for early childhood teachers because that was the topic that I chose for my week 5 application. Atica shared with me that where she lives, early childhood is not as big as it is in America. A lot of children stay at home with their mothers or grandmothers, first grade is usually the first start of school. Atica mentioned that even though a lot of children stay at home with their mothers or grandmothers, there a a few early childhood programs and they tend to start at the toddler age. When we were talking about teacher education, Atica mentioned that it depends on the location, but degrees are not required until grade school.
It was great touch base with Atica, we are trying to set up a Skype call, but the difference in time, makes it a bit hard, so e-mail is so much easier.
I hope everyone has a good week!
Cierra
Cierra,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing what you have learned from Atica. How interesting to hear that first grade is often the start of school for many. I would be interested to know what kind of skills, both socially and academically, are present, or lacking (in American standards and minds) when those children enter first grade with not previous care or education outside of the home. The requirement of teacher credentials reminds me a bit of Kagan's article we used as a resource this week. There are variations across the states in requirements of teachers working with young children. It sounds as though it is not quite a concern in the Dominican as it is here in the U.S.
It sounds exciting to be on a research team as Atica is. I hope you get a chance to Skype with her, I'm sure that it would be beneficial and rewarding!
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ReplyDeleteCierra,
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised to hear that children are not required to go to school until the first grade. Do you think the children in the Dominican Republic suffer academically from starting later in life than most Americans? Since so many children stay at home with relatives does the Dominican Republic have a large number of in home day cares centers or are the children not being taught at all?
Cierra, Keisha, and Sheymirra,
ReplyDeleteAll of your posts made me think of a paper I did as an undergrad. Most states actually do not require kindergarten here in the USA. In fact most states do not require children attend school until age 6. Which could actually be first grade “According to the Denver-based Education Commission of the States, just 15 states require students to attend kindergarten" (Samuels, 2014). Now I do not think this is a smart choice but it is an option for 35 states. That is a scary thought to me. That children are not getting a formal education until age six or seven. Just food for thought.
Reference: Samuels, C. (2014, September 19). Just fifteen states require students to attend kindergarten. Huffington Post. Retrieved August 2, 2015, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/19/kindergarten-laws_n_5851724.html
Debi,
DeleteI had actually had a brief thought when I was responding to Cierra's post about the requirement in the U.S. I knew I had heard before it wasn't a requirement a while back but wasn't sure where the states are in that now. It is crazy to think that not every state requires kindergarten. Those children are likely to have a slow start to success!
Keshia,
DeleteDid you realize that MI does not require kindergarten? In our state you are not required to go to school until age six. You are right I would hate to see those children if they did not start school until first grade. Even if they had good parents who taught them academics socially they will be behind.
Your international contact is very interesting. The child care and school attendance situation there seems is similar to my home state. While a majority of the child do attend kindergarten, many are cared for at
ReplyDeletehome longer. My home state does offer full day kindergarten but attendance is not mandatory, yet. There is a push for it now in order to closed the gaps in academic achievement.
Thank you for sharing!
CIerra,
ReplyDeleteHow awesome that you have had a chance to connect! It sounds very different than here in the states - and I would love to know her finding on her research!!
Shannon