Linda's ECE World

May 25, 2015

                                                       
HALF WAY HOME :-)

                                                                National Communities of Practice

This week marks our half way point of our cap stone class and then it is on to graduation and doing good things.  I am really excited.  It has been a long haul for me, but running the marathon has been worth it.

So my national communities of practice are:

National Association for the Education of Young Children

       Several years ago when I first learned of NAEYC I thought it was just some kind of a rule and regulation organization. I was having none of it.  As a Montessori teacher I just shake my head over some of the rules early learning centers have to abide by that are so counter to what Dr. Montessori noted from her scientific observations of young children over many years.  And those observations could and were replicated in other locations using her methods.  When I began my master's program we used several resources from NAEYC and I heard Ms. Derman -Sparks speak with such passion, humility and compassion about early childhood education I couldn't help but be won over.  Since that ititial introduction I have learned many wonderful things through the NAEYC organization.  I would love to one day be more affiliated with them and learn from them what I can incorporate into a parent and teacher training program I want to develop on early childhood development and education.  As I have investigated employment opportunities in NAEYC the positions I would be interested in are not listed on the web site.  I'd like to work on the national level.  There are many positions for early learning teachers or administrators.  Both are worthy endeavors but I'd like to get in on some of the policy planning and making representing the Montessori perspective.

American Montessori Society/ American Montessori International

    These two organizations are the national organizations for Montessori educators.  While the two entities have often been at loggerheads about how to practice the "Method" both have components that I can appreciate.  One follows the child by making sure there are plenty of developmentally appropriate works on the shelves for the child to choose from.  The other delves into Dr. Montessori's philosophy and method in a deep and thoughtful way.  As I said I have learned a great deal from members of each camp.  I think as a Montessori educator I can use a both/and approach in the classroom and if any program I lead that has to do with early childhood development and education.
My dream job would be in a classroom with an experienced teacher to mentor me for at least the first year of teaching. Since there are no Montessori schools within an hours drive of my home I will use my understanding of the Montessori philosophy in other positions and opportunities I can be involved with. Again parent and teacher training would be something I want to facilitate. It would be a joy to do this and get paid well.  In the last year or so AMS and AMI are working together collaboratively to bring Montessori into the larger context of the public sector.

Montessori Education for Autism

     MEfA is an organization I became aware of when I began researching autism and looking for a Montessori teacher training center.  In 2011 I had the opportunity to do the study abroad class with Walden and went to London UK.  I got to spend 24 hours with Wendy Fidler and see her organization working with both autistic and neuro typical children. She also has a post graduate class where Montessori teachers may get a further certification in this field of study.  I am an adjudicator for her students papers and give them feed back on their work.  The field of special needs and the Montessori Method is wide open for interpretation and I want to be a part of that.
      As an avowed Anglophile I want to go back to the UK and work and tour for a year or two one day. There is so much history there I could not begin to see it all and absorb it all in just a few short weeks. I'd like to work with Wendy for a year however as a Yankee jobs are few and far between in the UK for foreigners.  Guess I'll have to find that money tree in my woods if I am to go.

Well it has been a good run so far.
 
Thanks for dropping by

Peace and all good.

                                                           References

National Association for the Education of Young Children  http://www.naeyc.org/

American Montessori Society http://www.amshq.org

American Montessori International http://amiusa.org/

Montessori Education for Autism http://www.montessorieducationforautism.com/