Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 3

We are nearing the end of this course and this week calls for us to discuss some final thoughts with our international contacts before the course ends. As mentioned previously, I was finally able to establish contact with an international professional in Chile. Nancy is a teacher for a Teach Abroad program. She has taught in a variety of different countries, including Singapore, Japan, and now Chile. Her husband is the IT professional for the Teach Abroad programs in those countries with her. She currently teaches fourth grade at an affluent private school in Chile. Since she felt as though she could not answer all of my questions due to working at an affluent school, she asked two senior student teachers who are from the area and have had experience in all types of schools the questions, as well. Between the three adults, I received responses to each of the following questions:


1. What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work? 

- "Poverty in Chile is an issue in the government schools. One problem is the poverty line here is very low but the line is set so low such as having NO home and being homeless is the baseline so many very poor people get no extra services. The middle class here is actually in need of services, but get no government support. Here our [education] system has three types - public, public and private that receive some money from gov't and grants but still charge and the third is private that fully charge. The public schools don't directly receive gov't money - it goes to local gov't for a city and that money differs depending the results of tests. It's bad that all public schools don't have equity even from the early years without test results. Kindergarten is now mandatory but only since last year so most poor kids did not have any early childhood education before grade one. This is a big year for Chile in that regard. Poor can't easily achieve the same quality of education even if the parents are committed, they are disadvantaged."

- "Now another issue is having police checks that are validated every 60 days to ensure of all students throughout the country. Now that ECC is mandatory the discussion is now around how to ensure a child registered is actually going and the police are sent to the homes but the question is how can this really be managed - this is a very new issue."

- "EC educators face discrimination because they don't have the same prestige as other teachers - and teachers in general for the public schools. If you don't do well in other subjects - you go into Education. However, a new scholarship has come out as an incentive for people who get a certain average to have the degree paid for. It even involves scholarship plus bonus money and an internship abroad. In exchange you have to work at least 3 years in a public school. The problem is that some people are doing this only for the money and leave after 3 years."


2. What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?

- "PD - is not good in the public schools and many are not interested because there is no incentive or requirements. Some do have it but it is not consistent. It is mostly training to pass tests."


3. What are some of your professional goals?

- Sofia: "To get a M. Ed in Montessori in the US and come back to use it for expanding programs such as Montessori and Waldorf and come back and use my expertise in Psychology and Education."

- Maria Jesus: "To be able to teach in the public school system but in reality I can't live on what I earn so at the same time work in the private schools to help transfer the knowledge and system and then go on to further my education to apply my practical experience."


I am so thankful to have established contact and learned so much about the country of Chile. The varying types of schools provide different resources and opportunities for children and families. Early Childhood Care and Education is a newly mandated field, with Kindergarten only. I am glad to hear of the new requirement and hope that they move toward requiring additional early childhood care in the future. Poverty is a great concern in this country, as well. So much has been shared and I feel as though my eyes are truly opened to the similarities and differences amongst the challenges and issues and trends in the field of education as a whole between the countries.

-Ashley