Program Participants Group Photo

This third Mano a Mano group (III) was funded as a special merit project based on the success of the initial Mano a Mano programs (2004-2005 and 2006-2007). The first project consisted of four components (week-long summer institute, Annual Tri-Association Educators’ Conference, one Internet course, and a final week-long summer institute). The second project consisted of four components (Annual Tri-Association Educators’ Conference, two Internet courses, and a final week-long summer institute). The third project followed the basic configuration of the second project.  For this project, the two Internet courses were combined into one (longer) Internet course. As in the first and second projects, Mano a Mano III is a professional development model designed to accomplish the following three goals:

  • Equip early childhood teachers with current information for best practices in early childhood education
  • Equip early childhood teachers with the skills enabling them to make changes in their respective programs
  • Equip early childhood teachers with the skills to mentor other early childhood personnel
The Overseas Schools Advisory Council (OSAC) again provided the major funding for this program. The project was the creation of The Association of American Schools of Central America, Colombia, Caribbean, and Mexico which encompasses 12 countries with 64 member schools and 12 invitational schools.

As indicated above, there are three primary reasons for this project. First, early childhood classrooms should look, sound, and feel different than classrooms designed for older children. (Early childhood is defined as birth through age eight.) An Early Years Study (McCain & Mustard, 1999) synthesized existing research from neuroscience as it relates to early development. Five conclusions were reached. First, stimulating and positive interactions with adults and other children are much more important for brain development than previously believed. Second, the years from conception to age six have more influence on future learning, behavior, and health than any other period of life. Third, it is difficult to overcome a deficient early start. Fourth, to stimulate brain development, learning in the early years should involve developmentally appropriate interactions with caregivers and include play-based, problem-solving activities. And fifth, quality early childhood programs benefit all children.

It is essential that all early childhood teachers have an up-to-date knowledge base that is grounded in this research and that they implement current best practices that support these findings. This may (and frequently does) require change(s) in attitude, interaction skills, and teaching methods on the part of the teacher.

The need for change leads to the second reason for this project. Not everyone implements new information in the same way or at the same rate. In order to incorporate new information into the field as quickly as possible, we need teachers who are early adopters of current research-based tools and practices. Early childhood teachers in international schools who are early adopters can use newly-learned information and skills to help facilitate change with those teachers who may be less inclined to do so. The existing body of research provides insight into skills that can assist the change process.

Finally, according to current information on change in education, extended and concrete training aimed at helping specific teachers is more likely to result in change in teaching practices than training provided by outside consultants. Classroom assistance provided by local staff who act as “coaches” or “mentors” accompanied by the inclusion of teacher (protègè) participation in decision-making accelerates the change process. This requires participants to learn the skills to enable them to be effective coaches and mentors. Local mentors or coaches are in the position to understand the systemic and interconnected conditions of the specific international school and community that may influence the school and classroom culture and thus the change process itself. Ultimately the project directors were mentors to the participants, thereby modeling mentoring strategies that the teachers could employ. Such mentoring generally does not result from more typical workshop or course formats.

The project model consisted of three phases applied over a one-year period. The components for this second project included attendance at the annual regional educators' conference followed by a 13-week internet-based course. The final phase was a one-week summer institute in Antigua, Guatemala. Twenty-nine early childhood teachers representing 13 schools and seven countries were selected for the third program; participants earned the International Certificate for Early Childhood Education issued through Buffalo State - State University of New York (SUNY).

Contents of CD-ROM
Information about the project and work of project co-directors and participants is highlighted in this disc. Contents are organized as follows:

Please feel free to adapt and use all information. You can also E-mail the individual document developers. Though the Mano a Mano training has ended for this specific group of teachers, their mentoring efforts will continue. We have laid the groundwork in hopes that this model of professional development for early childhood teachers can be replicated in other regions and international schools.

Acknowledgements

Our sincere gratitude goes to the Overseas Schools Advisory Council (please see Project Development page for current OSAC members and corporations who made this funding possible) for all three funding cycles of this project. We commend the schools the participating teachers represent that provided additional funding to assist with travel expenses to the summer institutes and educators' conference. The project directors also acknowledge the following people who provided invaluable assistance to this project:

Mr. Mike Alvarado – Senior Multimedia Specialist – San Antonio, Texas
Ms. Donna Brooks – Buffalo State – State University of New York
Ms. Carolyn Brunner – Buffalo State – State University of New York
Ms. Ana DeHoyos O’Connor – San Antonio College – San Antonio, Texas
Ms. Denise Humphries – John F. Kennedy School – Mexico
Mr. John Osthaus – U.S. Department of Overseas Schools
Dr. William Scotti – U.S. State Department Office of Overseas Schools
Ms. Aida Tsuji – Colegio Maya – Guatemala
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