Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 1

I have been fortunate to establish contact with Susan Lyon, one of the professionals listed in the podcast of the World Forum.  Susan Lyons initiated the Innovative Teacher Project in order to create meaningful dialogue among teachers in the context of their work… the school.  They use the school as a place of research and to learn through walking the environment with questions, discussion about specific topics all focused on creating high quality of ECE inspired by Reggio Emilia.  There is a network of schools where the directors of these schools also meet with her once a month to discuss ideas, challenges and learning from colleagues.  The roundtables once a month are a great resource to teachers for ideas, understandings between teachers and schools, common interest etc all having in mind the creativity and research with children that is so important.  The project offers 2x a year Fall and Spring professional development from educators from Reggio or the US that have expertise in areas of interest to teachers  for example... environment, materials, group learning, teacher as researcher, image of the child, parent involvement, documentation, collaboration, organization .... 

I also took the time to discuss with her the issue of poverty.  The following is what she had to say on the issue.

Is your work affected by poverty?

My work includes schools both private and public.  Several of our centers have children from low-income families.  I cannot really say specifically about poverty of the families but we know from the families many are struggling and have difficulties raising the children. 

If so, what measures have been instituted to assist families?

All schools provide breakfast and lunch.  Our solution is to provide the highest quality of care and education in the school for children and always include the dialogue with the families.  We pay close attention to the children in relation to their families.  The teachers plan many initiatives to include the families and this is very successful.  We want the families to feel welcome in the school and use it for dialogue and exchange. There are many different services in the schools that include a nurse, special education teacher and counselor.  However, these are not available in all schools. In my opinion the best measure that one can implement to arrest poverty is to create high quality school or center.

How is it working?

Use that concept of education based on relationship and with each child, each family we develop a strong relationship and in that hopefully the issues of poverty can be addressed ..isolation. 

Is there any other information, you will like to share?

Children in the school deserve interesting environments and engaging projects and play to combat the poverty in their home.  Poverty is not only $$ it is emotional and physical environment.  Our school environments are rich with materials and engagement with the children.  The school can become the place for the family as well as the children.  Maria Montessori created her method of the poorest children in Italy. 

Sharing My Thoughts

It is clear that Ms. Susan Lyons is deeply involved in changing the lives of children, families and by extension society.  I think she is strategically poised to effect change and meeting monthly with fellow professionals is a powerful strategy that will definitely improve practice.  We cannot do it alone so it is a great idea to adopt, utilizing best practices to impact teaching and learning. Poverty seems to affect us all in some measure.  I realize that the problems I encounter here in Tobago are not unique to us.  Ms. Lyons spoke of the unavailability of support services at some of the centers.  It indicates to me that as persons in the field of early childhood, we must be unrelenting in our advocacy drive for improvement in the services our children and families receive.  Providing for the emotional and physical environment is critical in order to minimize the effects of poverty and at the same time assist children in achieving their fullest potential. Moore, Redd, Burkhauser, Mbwana, & Collins (2009) noted that children in poverty are more prone to display behaviorial and emotional problems such as impulsiveness, disobedience and difficulty connecting with peers.

Reference

Moore, K. A., Redd, Z., Burkhauser, M., Mbwana, K., & Collins, A. (2009). Children in poverty: Trends, consequences, and policy options (Research Brief Publication No. 2009-11). Retrieved from Child Trends website: http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2009_04_07_RB_ChildreninPoverty.pdf