Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/learning-from-down-under/5015466/
For three weeks this past summer my colleague and co-author, Deb Curtis, and I had the opportunity to work in Australia and visit programs in Hobart, Sydney, and Perth. I wish there was space here to acknowledge all the remarkable generosity and good will offered us by numerous individuals and programs. We felt truly honored and learned a great deal during our time with them.Most of our Australian counterparts told us they feel isolated and eager to learn from other countries; perhaps this contributes to their enthusiasm for professional development. On the whole, we found teachers and directors very thoughtful and inquisitive, as were the university faculty responsible for teacher education. Reflecting on what we saw and heard there, here are some training ideas as we consider putting into practice inspiration from Oz.
Honoring children
Every culture has its own beliefs and practices with children, at home, in schools, and out in the community. Apart from how people talk about children, I find it useful to watch interactions between adults and children in these different places. Thinking in terms of the values underlying different responses helps me keep a mindset of curiosity, rather than assuming things should look like what I already know ...