The Results....

I'm very thankful to those who were able to make and maintain contact with a international early childhood professional because it allowed me to also experience things through their eyes. The first hand information enlighten me about the similarities as well as the differences of the issues and trends in various regions of the world. For instance, the fact that I wasn't aware of the suicide rate in South Korea being related to the judgement of academic performance of children, was a fact that I began sharing with parents in my program. We started focusing on the importance of recognizing the proper way of encouraging children versus scolding them during the process of learning through trial and error. Harsh words and actions can cause mental damage beyond repair (such as suicidal thoughts).

My explorations of the ACEI website has shown me that even if you are unable to personally/professionally have contact with international professionals for the latest and greatest happenings elsewhere, you can still feel well connected by reviewing programs, events, news, and publications that are provided on the webpage. In addition, the articles include globally shared concerns with recommended resolutions as guidance and the option of using already proven techniques. There is a comfort to knowing you are not alone in the struggle of figuring things out. 

I honestly must admit that if not for the challenge of attempting to make contact with a international professional who shares a passion for ECE or to explore a website that addresses topics from a global prospective, I probably would have continued viewing my same faithful websites that provide great information but mostly from a local point of view. Talk about a case of unintended tunnel vision....Yikes. 

I can now honestly say that my goal is to always view things from a broader global perspective, always taking into consideration the affects my decisions will/can have on everyone directly or indirectly involved.