A world beyond ourselves.

Work to have the ability to understand the world beyond yourself. By interacting with others in the world, we all become stronger.

(Yo-Yo Ma, 2005)

A recent story I heard involving adolescents hacking into a school s computer system prompted me to think about many things, including the apparent lack of an adult presence in these kids' lives and the need for better communication among parents, teachers, and students.

As a parent, grandparent, teacher educator, and President of ACEI, I see opportunities for collaboration with families as a major issue/obstacle facing teachers and school districts everywhere. As children grow and learn to live independently as citizens of the world, they need support from home, plus support for those at home. A feature article in Time (February 21, 2005) describes the power struggles between teachers and parents in classrooms where teachers are portrayed as knowledgeable, hardworking and polite, but parents are described as people who "behave badly, hover about the school, become aggressive and threatening and generally undermine core values." As a teacher, I have experienced dreadful situations with some parents; yet as a parent, I have had nightmarish experiences with some teachers. I know that parents, teachers, and other educators look to ACEI members for leadership in the work toward building the best world possible for children. ACEI is the oldest professional organization in the world dedicated to the development of the whole child, from birth to early adolescence. We are an organization of teachers, teacher educators, preservice teachers, and parents whose primary purpose is to promote the inherent rights, education, and well-being of children in the home, school, and community.

As teachers, what opportunities do we have to interact with others? Carol Seefeldt and Kristin Denton (1997) remind us of the following:

Years ago, teachers were a part of children's communities. They lived in the same neighborhoods, shopped in the same stores, and attended the same churches and synagogues as the children they taught. Because they did so, it was easier for them to place children's learning at school in the context of their learning through family and community. Today, because children and teachers often live in very different communities, with very different experiences, it takes more effort to ensure that school learning is not isolated from what takes place in the family. (p. 82)

Today's teachers need not live in the same neighborhood to learn about their students' lives. Walking or driving along neighborhood streets and visiting the neighborhood library can give teachers opportunities to gain a sense of the children's physical environment. Informal conversations with families can provide teachers with insights into cultural similarities and differences, as well as local traditions and celebrations.

To support their fellow teachers, many specially trained ACEI members devote countless hours analyzing elementary teacher education programs. The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) ensures the quality of teacher programs through complex review procedures. The ACEI/NCATE Elementary Standards emphasize that teacher candidates should "know the importance of establishing and maintaining a positive collaborative relationship with families to promote the intellectual. social, emotional, and physical growth of children." As seen from that standard. ACEI strongly supports teacher education that provides for understanding of different family beliefs, traditions, values, and practices and involves families as partners both inside and outside the classroom (NCATE Program Standards, 2004, p. 29).

To further illustrate ACEI's support of families. ACEI is committed to promoting and supporting the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 29 is specifically relevant to knowing children and their parents in a vast world:

Article 29: Aims of Education

(c) The development of respect for the child's parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and rot civilizations different from his or her own: (d) The preparation of the child for responsible life in a tree society, in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin. (Castle, 2000)

Since 1995, ACEI also has sponsored the Week of the Classroom Teacher to honor the dedication and professionalism of classroom teachers. This event encourages students, parents, and the general public to recognize the difference that teachers make in the lives of children, their schools, and the community. Each October, ACEI also joins over 100 countries in recognizing the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESCO) World Teachers' Day. When communities worldwide participate in the Week of the Classroom Teacher, everyone can focus on becoming involved in the education of children. When parents help with activities that applaud special teachers, children recognize the value of education, and educators feel that other adults are supporting them: thus, a world of understanding may flourish. Every. member of ACEI can become a stronger advocate for children by collaborating with others. Parents and teachers can celebrate and work together for the well-being of the children.

The library where I take my young grandson displays a poster bearing a worthy sentiment: "What is popular is not always right: what is right is not always popular." While I am sure that each and every one of us could launch quite a discussion based on-these themes, my real hope is to do the right thing as a leader in ACEI. As I imagine an ideal world where every, child could have opportunities to be literate and healthy. I look forward to working together so that ACEI can become stronger. With your constructive criticism, thoughtful insights, and hard work, 1 believe that we will become stronger by working to understand the world beyond ourselves.

Kind regards, Jeanie Burnett ([e-mail])

References

Castle, C, (2000) For every child: The rights of the child in words and pictures. New York: Dial Books

Gibbs, N. (2005, Feb. 21). Parents behaving badly. Time 165(8), 40.

National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2004). Program standards for elementary teacher preparation. Washington, DC: Author.

Seefeldt, C. & Denton K. (1997). The family as a resource for learning. In B. Hatcher & S. S Beck (Eds.), Learning opportunities beyond the school (2nd ed., pp. 81-82). Olney, MD: Association tot Childhood Education International.