International Contact

After 7 weeks, I was finally able to make contact with an EC professional overseas!  I am proud to introduce you to Aleksandra Petrovic!  She teaches preschool in Serbia and she knows a Serbian co-worker of mine.  Here are some things I asked her and her answers to my questions:

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

"The situation in early childhood field is not so bright.  Public childcare centers do not have large capacities and there are usually too many children in one room (sometimes 25 or more with two teachers).  One interesting thing about Serbia is there are no infant rooms because maternity leave in Serbia is 12 months and majority of children start daycare programs when they turn one!"

What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?

"Many early childhood professionals have associate or bachelor's degree in early childhood education.  Also, there are seminars and conferences that might provide additional training for EC educators."

What are some of your professional goals?

"One of my professional goals is to open my own daycare center.  Private daycare centers provide much better service, they are not crowded with children and there are no waiting lists for children to start the program."

What are some of your professional challenges?

"Financial factor is one of the biggest challenges.  Childcare teachers do not make much money.  On the other hand, opening a daycare center requires some money to be invested in it, which might be one of the major challenges."

I was really glad I was finally able to make contact.  It looks like we have some struggles in common.  It appears that the EC field is in very similar places throughout the world.