Consequences of Establishing International Contacts

When I first read the assignment description regarding establishing international contacts I will admit to feeling very overwhelmed. I was unsure that I would be successful, wondering if anyone would take the time to help a student in the US with their studies. I was concerned that with so many of us reaching out to the same reference list our odds of establishing contact would go down, with that in mind I decided to take an alternate route to finding connections through my Linkedin early childhood groups. I reached out to at least five group members and received only two initial replies. When I initiated specific course related discussions Godfrey, from Kenya, was the only one to reply. Thank you again Godfrey.

Three consequences that resulted from establishing this contact are:

•   Gaining a more developed world view of early education and care.
•   Gaining an understanding that many of the problems and goals of the US education system are shared by other countries.
•   Establishing a professional relationship that can be a valuable resource throughout my career.

As I shared last week, it is my hope and intention to remain in contact with Godfrey, he agrees we have much to learn from each other. I have had the opportunity to share my opinion and knowledge with others in the Linkedin groups I belong to, establishing contact with early childhood educators around the world. A goal to continue to share knowledge about quality and equity in early care and education on an international level is one I would not have pursued on my own but have found very rewarding.

Thank you to all my fellow classmates for your thoughtful comments and interesting posts!