Learning from International Sources

Consequences of Learning about the International Early Childhood Field

• I have learned that our situation in the U.S. is not unique. Other countries are facing the same problems, and have taken different approaches to fixing them. We can learn a lot from studying decisions other countries have made that are similar to our own, as well as completely opposite. We made find inspiration in how an indigenous culture has dealt with poverty or we may find that inspiration in the rigor that the Japanese have taken towards their studies.

• There are international systems that work better than our own; though they do have their own unintended, positive and negative, consequences. I think our job is to learn all we can about their systems and then see how they could influence our own system in the U.S.

• I also came to the realization that when we seek advice from outside our usual comfort zone we may find options that we were unaware of, but that prove to be exceptionally useful.

Goals for the Field

• Continue to learn about different international education systems. Explore intended and unintended consequences of these systems and how their approaches could improve our own education system.

• Implement aspects of various international systems to small areas to gauge their effectiveness in our country.