Strengthen the Bonds of Collaborative Learning

Learning from my colleagues in Trinidad and Tobago showed me that even though we might be on different continents as early childhood professionals we are still struggling with the same issues.  It makes me realize that the issues we are dealing with in Oklahoma are really global issues.  That helps me better grasp the fact that these issues are hard and they don’t have simple solutions.  They are struggling with quality services for 3 to 5 year olds and dealing with transitions from preschool to public school.  They are also grappling with creating partnerships, which is one of the same issues happening here in the United States nationally.  The US is attempting to help states create partnerships between child care, Head Start, and Public School. 

            The similarities in professional goals between me and my colleague Dominique are fascinating to me.  His goals are to develop a professional cadre of childhood practitioners and to create new curricula that meet the needs of the practitioners.  We are both committed to the professional development of teachers.  It is also very important to both of us to cultivate relationships with other professionals.  Again understanding this has expanded my thoughts to be more global versus just thinking about my state or my country.

            Developing these connections has broadened my perspective.  I thought that I was very aware of other countries because my husband Jairo is originally from Venezuela so that has helped me to be more global in my thinking, but this experience has helped to realize that I was still thinking very shallow and narrow about early childhood.  It was if I knew those other places existed, but they were not impacting me personally.

            My goal is one that I share in common with my colleague Dominique from Trinidad and Tobago universal access to early childhood educations holds the key to equity in the education system as more young children are better prepared to benefit from high quality programs.