Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/learning-from-aotearoa-new-zealand/5019328/
I’m living with some professional dis-ease these days and I wonder if that’s true for others. Last February, in search of expanded thinking, I led a group of 20 early childhood professionals on a study tour to Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Our group included two Canadians and two Aussies, with everyone else from the United States. While we knew we had much to learn from the overall system of early childhood education in NZ, I tried to keep our focus on three particular aspects that seem to hold promise for infusing new ideas into our teacher education and professional development efforts in the United States:• Strengthening relationships to strengthen culture and community
• Seeing the environment as a reflection of values
• Understanding documentation as a pedagogical tool
To be sure, the trip was intensely engaging, both emotionally and intellectually, and had a profound impact on each of us. As one delegate, Debbie Lebo put it:
“I learned what early childhood programs can look like when educators and administrators constantly commit to reflecting on, articulating, and living their values. Every speaker and every center visit was a provocation for deep thinking about my vision for children, families, early educators, and professional learning. . . . ...