Linda's ECE World

Two quotes and a thought.

Marilyn Friend is a person of influence in the world of Early Childhood Education.  She discusses the importance of  collaboration in the interview with Mary Brownell and Chriss Walther- Thomas in Untervention in School and Clinic.  Vol 34, No.4 March 2002 (pp 223-228)

Dr. Friend points out that "At the broadest level of collaboration is important in schools because it has become the defining characteristic of society in the 21st century"  She goes on to explain later in the article "Time is such a precious resource in school environments.  Teachers need time for planning and preparation, they need time for joint teaching they need time to share their perspective on the success of their efforts."  As a team teacher I find this to be so true I would also add that the team members have to be committed to spending the time for collaboration or it is a moot point.

Dr Meisels notes in the critique of the NRS "In short this test teaches us very little about young children's preschool skills.  It provides no authentic literacy evaluation and little infor information about math skills."  His critique of the NRS test for young children resulted in this particular part of standardized testing to be eliminated for very young children even from No Child Left Behind standards.    He goes on to note that "because the NRS will be used in making decisions about the continuation of Head Start, it is an example of a test in which indicators of learning can overwhelm learning itself, since potentially successful programs may be classified as failures based on an invalid and poorly constructed test".  As a Montessori teacher I can see how this test especially if administered in a public school setting with a Montessori setting could spell the demise of a ECE Montessori program.

Lousie Derman-Sparks states in the multimedia segment that passion drove her to pursue a teaching career.
"I had a built in passion to make a real contribution to the world, to fix all the injustices in the world. I wanted to do that through teaching."

Now lets us hear from Maria Montessori who was a doctor and scientist and not an educator:
From the Tao of Montessori by Catherine McTamaney Ed.D.
In answer to the question, "Is Montessori a cult this quote is offered.  " And educational method which cultivates and protects the inner activities of the child is not a question which concerns merely the school or the teachers; it is a universal question."

So there you have it quotes to consider as we hone our craft as teachers.
Namaste ~