Transcript Slide 1

The Importance of Teacher Quality and
Principles of Quality Pedagogy
ISSA’s Tools for
Developing and Nurturing Excellence
Chisinau, 12 April 2012
Rationale for Developing
the ISSA Principles of Quality Pedagogy
We know that
educators make
a difference,
but what makes
a difference
in educators?
Rationale for Developing
the ISSA Principles of Quality Pedagogy
The quality of services and learning environments for
young children is a burning issue for a growing number
of countries.
Access is no longer considered sufficient if it is not
accompanied by quality, supported by motivated and
competent individuals, as well as adequate systems
and frameworks.
At the core of ISSA’s activities are the beliefs that:
* all children need stimulating quality early childhood
development experiences that honor their unique
characteristics and provide love, warmth, and strong
foundations for positive and successful learning
experiences throughout the life.
* high quality of care and education is a prerequisite
for sustainable results and success for an individual
child and the whole society, and can be achieved
through ongoing support to professionals and raising
awareness of all society about the importance of the
early years.
Aims for Using the ISSA Quality Tools
• Operationalizing quality and competences and building shared
understanding of the meaning of high quality practice
• Supporting self-reflection and independence in educators, as well as
interdependence among educators within learning communities
• Providing a framework for dialogue on quality education with children,
parents, peers, decision-makers, professionals and the wider society
• Promoting the profession of early childhood educator by demonstrating
how complex it is and how much it should be respected
THUS, CHANGING:
THE IMAGE OF THE CHILD,
THE IMAGE OF EDUCATORS,
THE IMAGE OF PARENTS
THE UNDERSTANDING OF EDUCATION
ISSA Pedagogical Standards
•
•
•
•
Developed with the support
of OSI, by a group of
professionals from the
CEE/CIS region with input
from key experts from around
the world
Introduced and used in the
region since 2001
Supported by instruments
and a system for selfassessment,
ongoing
mentoring and certification
Revised/updated 2008-2009
A Bit of History
Revised as ISSA Principles for
Quality Pedagogy
• Reflect latest research findings
about quality pedagogy
• Aligned with international trends
and policy documents
• Used for building learning
communities
• Offer instruments to improve
quality of child’s well-being and
learning, especially for those from
vulnerable groups
What Inspired the ISSA Principles
– ISSA’s previous resources and
experience
– ECERS (Early Childhood
Environmental Rating Scale)
– NAEYC Early Childhood Programs
Standards and Accreditation and
Criteria
– Well-being and Involvement in
Care Settings: A Process Oriented
Self-evaluation Instrument
– CLASS: Classroom Assessment
Scoring System Manual
– ACEI Global Guidelines for the
Education and Care of Young
children in the 21st Century
– The DECET Principles
– Latest and most relevant research
on ECD
– International documents :
• UNCRC,
• OECD Starting Strong
Reports, and
• Key Competences for Lifelong
Learning – A European
Reference Framework
What is in the
ISSA Quality Resource Pack?
1.
ISSA’s Definition of Quality: Competent Educators of 21st Century –
Principles of Quality Pedagogy
2.
Putting Knowledge into Practice – A Guidebook for Educators
3.
Professional Development Tool for Improving Quality of Practices in
Kindergarten/in Primary School
4.
An Online Video Library on Quality Pedagogy
5.
Instrument for Assessing Quality Practices in ECE Services
6.
An Online Course for Kindergarten Teachers
The resources in ISSA’s Quality Resource Pack have been developed
with generous support from the Open Society Foundations.
How to Access
the ISSA Quality Resource Pack?
The ISSA Principles are available for downloading in English,
Russian and French on the ISSA website: www.issa.nl/qrp.html
The accompanying set of resources are offered to members, as
part of the services provided by ISSA, in close connection with
ISSA’s strategic goals. Members are supported to utilize the
resources in their work at the country level.
ISSA and its member organizations develop partnerships with
other stakeholders who are interested in working with these
resources to improve the quality of practices in early childhood
education services.
Competent Educators of the 21st Century:
Principles of Quality Pedagogy
7 Focus Areas; 20 Principles; 85 Indicators of Quality
Structure of ISSA’s Definition of Quality
AREA
1. Interactions
Interactions between adults and children, as well as peer interactions, are of key importance to
supporting and influencing children’s physical,
social, emotional,
and cognitive development. They
DESCRIPTION
WHY
are also crucial in promoting children’s learning
onIMPORTANT
an ongoing basis by encouraging them to develop
IT IS
and exchange knowledge, experiences, feelings, and opinions. It is through interactions that children
develop a sense of self, a sense of being a member of a community, and knowledge of the world.
1.1
The teacher interacts with children in a friendly and respectful manner that supports the
PRINCIPLE
development of each child’s construction of self/identity
and learning.
1.
The teacher’s interactions are warm and caring, expressing appreciation and enjoyment of children.
2.
The teacher’s interactions and expectations of INDICATORS
children are consistent with the process of child development and
learning
Guidebook: Putting Knowledge into Practice
Presents the research and the important international documents that contributed to
the formulation of the Principles of Quality Pedagogy and examples of how to
incorporate them into practice through indicators that describe quality. Can be used
by practitioners, mentors, trainers, learning communities, educational leaders etc.
Structure:
•
Area with Description, Principles and Indicators of Quality
•
Why it is important?
•
Indicators of Quality
– How to Engage in Quality Practice
– Moving Forward
– When teachers’ … then children:
•
Studies and Documents that Support this Focus Area
Professional Development Tool
Provides concrete examples of different kinds of action educators take at
different levels of practice for each indicator of quality as a continuum. Can
be used as a self assessment tool, group assessment tool, an assessment tool
for mentors and as descriptors when rating teacher practice.
Online Video Library on Quality Pedagogy
Provides concrete examples of practice with questions for reflection
regarding different indicators that describe quality. To be used by
practitioners, mentors, trainers and learning communities.
DESCRIPTION –
CONTEXT + FOCUS
DESCRIPTION
ANALYSIS
ANALYSIS REFLECTION ON
VIDEO
ACTION
ACTION – WHAT ELSE
YOU CAN DO…
ISSA’s Definition of Qality Pedagogy: Teachers of 21st Century
Instrument for Assessing Quality Practices in ECE Services
• A condensed version of the Professional Development Tool for
Improving Quality of Practices to rate/assess educator
performance on a select group of indicators, in order to define
what additional professional development is needed in programs
to reach quality practice
• A research/monitoring instrument to assess the results of different
interventions, including training, mentoring, work in professional
learning communities etc.
• The relevance of the Instrument depends strongly on the deep
and comprehensive understanding of the ISSA Principles and
Indicators.
Online Course for Kindergarten Teachers
• An interactive 12-module course based on the ISSA
Principles for individual educators within a cohort of other
participants in a four-month time frame, facilitated by a
moderator.
• A package for distance learning and professional
development that can be provided to educators interested in
applying quality pedagogy in preschool
• Individual modules or activities may be used as professional
development tools, for self-improvement or during trainings
• A platform to improve the quality of pedagogical practice in a
center/school/program using specific modules to work on
specific focus areas they have chosen
The Tools Work Together
Instr. for
Assessing
Quality
Practices
Professional
development
tool
Video Library
Putting
knowledge
into
practice
Online
Course
ISSA
principles of
quality
Expected Results from Using
the ISSA Quality Resource Pack
• serve better the children and their families
by increasing the quality of services,
• support practitioners - preschool, and primary
school educators - to improve their everyday
performance through principles of learnercentered, interactive pedagogy, development
of life-long learning skills, self-reflection and
cooperation with colleagues/peers, families
and communities
• prove and advocate for the complexity of the
early childhood profession,
• inform stakeholders about the need for quality
and engage them in dialogue about quality so
that better systems are put in place.
THANK YOU AND WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US
AT THE ISSA CONFERENCE:
www.issa-decet2012.com.hr
Liana Ghent,
Executive Director, ISSA
[email protected]
www.issa.nl