Post one goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations.

One goal I have for myself is to stay in touch with the different schools in Germany and finds ways we can support one another when it comes to education. I have stay in touch with one teacher and have enjoyed all the different ideas we have shared with one another that can be used in the classroom.

To stay the best teacher that I am remaining on top of all the different trends and issues around us is very important. A good teacher is always finding out new knowledge about what is happening around her.

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your professional and personal development

1. communication
2. patient
3. Support

GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS

We have been trying to connect with many different schools from many places around the world. I have manage to stay in contact with one of the teachers that works on an army base in Germany, so I was able to get her feedback to the questions below.

Me: What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?

Betty: Issues that come up are not that much different from all teachers. We all want more pay for the job we do everyday. Even though I work on an army base does not mean children have the best quality childcare, we are also in need of better materials for our children. Qualified teachers are hard to find we run into ones that are and the pay is not enough so sometimes we are short and I have to work late.

Me: What opportunities and/or requirements for professionals development exist?

Betty: Teachers are required to take training to keep up with things that are changing everyday. All teachers must hold some type of degree to teacher children and must be able to work with children.

Me: What are some of your professional goals?

Betty: To earn my Masters Degree in special education and to some day open up a home for children and parents that need help.

Me: What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?

Betty: My hopes are to be able to help all children develop what they need to be a successful adult in society. My dreams are to help each and every child reach their developmental goals, and my challenges are be able to reach every child so this is why I take as many courses in education that I can. No two children are alike so I must know how to reach each one.

Me: Thank you for taking the time to share with me.

Betty: Your welcome.

 

 

 

 

 

SHARING WEB RESOURCES

 

“Inclusive education is concerned with removing all barriers to learning, and with the participation of all learners vulnerable to exclusion and marginalisation. It is a strategic approach designed to facilitate learning success for all children. It addresses the common goals of decreasing and overcoming all exclusion from the human right to education, at least at the elementary level, and enhancing access, participation and learning success in quality basic education for all.”

Resources:

http://www.eent.org.uk

http://www.migrationpolicy.org

http://www.german-way.com

http://www.gspdx.org

These are sites to look at different schools in Germany

http://www.ukgermanconnection.org/kids-school-day

http://www.gspdx.org/Blog

EARLY CHILDHOOD IN GERMANY

Schools and child care – Make it in Germany

Preschools

The German word for preschool is Kindergarten – perhaps you are familiar with it, since it is also used in English. In Germany, preschools are for children between the ages of three and six. More and more, preschools are focusing on satisfying the curiosity of these young children, in addition to providing plenty of opportunity for active play. Simple experiments and play-based instruction teach them about nature and technology as they hone their thinking and language skills. The preschool day usually begins in the morning and ends either at noon or in the afternoon, depending on the specific facility. Preschools are run by cities, churches, associations and other private entities. As with nursery schools, prices vary widely. Some preschools charge no fees at all, while others may cost several hundred euros per year, depending on the parents’ income and the region.

Germany’s school system

If your children are at least six years old, they are required to go to school, since attendance is compulsory in Germany. A large majority of German schools are run by the state; there is no charge for your children to attend. In addition, of course, there are private and international schools, which charge fees.

The individual states are responsible for education policy. This means that the school system will vary somewhat, depending on the region where you and your family are living. Children do not always learn the same subject matter in every state, and textbooks may differ as well. Individual states also have different types of schools. Basically, however, the German school system is structured as follows:

Primary school: Normally, six-year-olds begin their school careers with primary school, which includes first through fourth grades. It is only in Berlin and Brandenburg that primary school extends through sixth grade. At the end of primary school, you and your child’s teachers will decide where your child will enter fifth grade, depending on your child’s performance. The most common types of secondary schools are:

• Hauptschule (non-academic secondary school for grades five through nine or ten)
• Realschule (mid-level secondary school for grades five through ten)
• Gymnasium (academic secondary school for grades five through twelve/thirteen)

Hauptschule and Realschule: Young people who have successfully completed the Hauptschule or Realschule are eligible for vocational training or can transfer to a Gymnasium.

Gymnasium: At the end of the 12th or 13th grade, students receive a diploma upon passing the Abitur examination. This entitles them to study at a university. However, they may also choose to undergo vocational training and enter the job market directly.

How to recognise a good school

As a rule you are free to decide which school in your city your child is to attend. So it is a good idea to take a look at a few schools. One sign of a good school is that it not only provides high-quality instruction, but also offers extracurricular activities such as theatre, sports, language and music clubs, and school trips. A good school also encourages parent involvement. In addition to finding out whether the school has room for your child, you should also ask about extracurricular options.

If your children are not yet fluent in German, make sure that the school offers German classes, usually referred to as “German as a foreign language.” Here the teachers will make sure that your child understands classroom instruction and will be able to keep up.

PDF Download

SHARING WEB RESOURCES

Since we are talking about poverty I decided to look up the highest part of Germany that poverty affect more.

Germany

Poverty in Germany at its highest since reunification

Poverty in Germany is at it’s highest since German reunification in 1990, according to a new study. Some 12.5 million Germans are now classified as poor.

Speaking in the German capital Berlin on Thursday, the chief executive of Germany’s Equal Welfare Organization (paritätischem Wohlfahrtsverband), Ulrich Schneider, also warned that the gap between rich and poor states is growing ever-wider.

“Poverty has never been as high and the regional disunity has never run as deep,” Schneider said in reference to the 25 years which have past since German reunification.

Within a year, poverty in Germany rose from 15 percent to 15.5 percent in 2013. The charity defines “poor” as people whose household earns 60 percent less than the average income.

According to the report, the states most affected by poverty are Bremen, Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. At the other end of the scale are Baden-Württemburg and Bavaria – Germany’s second and third richest states according to their GDP.

The only German states to see a small decline in poverty were the eastern states of Saxony-Anhalt and Brandenburg.

“Overall the state ranking shows a ragged republic,” Schneider said, adding that a significant increase in state welfare rates and a massive expansion of public employment would be necessary to combat the growing problem.

Last month in Berlin, German Labor Minister Andrea Nahles announced plans to create thousands of jobs for disadvantaged people in Germany.

The plan, which will use 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion) from the European Social Fund (ESF), plus 4.3 billion euros from within Germany, involves the creation of 26 programs in the country until 2020.

Almost 40 percent of the money will be invested in “the promotion of social integration and the battle against poverty,” the Labor Ministry said.

The groups currently most at risk of poverty are the unemployed, single mothers and people without education.

http://www.euronews.com/2015/02/20/highest-number-of-germans-below-poverty-line-since-reunification

One resource that I found to help people all over the world was UNICEF and Save the Children

 

INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS

This is a link that was sent to my email it gives you an idea of what some of the trends and issues that are taking place in Germany. Mrs.Lett could not send me pictures of her direct class so these are some of children I found on line. She works at the school on the army base so it was only so much she could share.

http://germanyglobalissues.weebly.com/major-social-issues.html

  A lot of children come from army families.

ESTABLISHING CONTACT

This Ramstein Air Force base located in Germany. I reached out to a teacher that is a preschool teacher at the present time she have not reached back out to me. Hopefully I will hear something this week. The center is from infant to school age children.

 

I chose save the children India

Education is a gift for life. We help children reach school and stay there.

We help children unlock their potential and realize their dreams.  We believe that every child is extraordinary and can scale great heights if provided with the right learning opportunities.  With regular and generous contributions from our supporters, we are able to march steadily towards achieving these goals.

We are committed to ensure that all children, irrespective of their origin, are able to go to school, play, interact and learn with other children of their age. We help children with limited means hone their creativity and skills under the guidance of trained teachers and make persistent efforts to enable them to secure a life of dignity for themselves, their families and the community at large.

In nine states of India, Save the Children runs programmes to support the education of the most disadvantaged children of India in different ways.

SHARING WEB RESOURCES

Community Support Services for Greater Hartford | The Village for Families and Children

 

HISTORY

The Village was one of the first agencies in the country to provide homes for neglected children. Today, we continue to achieve our mission, “To build a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children,” by providing a full range of behavioral health treatment for children and youth, foster care and adoption, and community support services for children and their families in the Greater Hartford region

The Village was one of the first agencies in the country to provide homes for neglected children. Today, we continue to achieve our mission, “To build a community of strong, healthy families who protect and nurture children,” by providing a full range of behavioral health treatment for children and youth, foster care and adoption, and community support services for children and their families in the Greater Hartford region

 

History of Serving Children and Families in Greater Hartford | The Village<!–

2014

Today’s Village Vision

The Village has spent 200 years bringing creative solutions to our community. This year, we took time to reflect on how well we’re meeting our goals. We asked our partners and funders. And we will hone in on ways to improve. Our strategic direction: integrate services even better so that the entire family is strengthened…for lasting change. We will continue to meet them where they are – at home, in school and in their neighborhood.

 

Publications – The Village<!–

The 2014 annual report, So Every Child Believes in Tomorrow, highlights the complex needs of many of the families we serve and how their lives can really turn around with the right mix of services and support. Meet families who, with our help, are in a much better place – and also those who give of their time and other resources to help others

 

https://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu