Research Around the World

The link I chose is Early Childhood Australia: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/ While I was going through the link I discovered that some of the current international research topics are:

Belonging, Being and Becoming- talking about baby and toddler sleeping issues which includes crying settling, safe sleep, feeding, teething, phobia and nightmares

School readiness- talking about what parent need to know about school readiness and how it could be so stressful for the children.

Climate change and its impact on young children- saying that children are the most vulnerable humans that are at the greatest risk from our unsustainable practices even more so because they face greater, and longer, exposure to the worst of the consequences. They made mentioned of some of the ways we could be of help in reducing as professionals in this field. They include:

• Ensure children get to play in quality, natural environments (or, at least, in 'naturalized' outdoor settings) where they can have deep engagement with the natural world.
• Involve children as participants with legitimate ideas, perspectives and creative responses in authentic learning and action around meaningful environmental and social issues.
• Model 'green housekeeping' practices in our early childhood care and education centers and services, such as minimizing waste, and reducing water and energy consumption.

There are some interesting ideas about comparisons I found on the website between the school entry experiences of children schooled in Singapore and their counterparts in Europe and Australia. For children in Singapore, making new friends constitutes an important aspect of starting school, as it helps them to settle happily into the Primary One classroom (Clarke & Sharpe, 2003; Sharpe, 2002). Similarly for children starting school in Australia and Europe, having friends was cited as a feature that made for a positive school experience (Dockett & Perry, 1999; Potter & Briggs, 2003; Pramling & Willams-Graneld, 1993). On the negative aspects of starting school, the Primary One children in Singapore were concerned that some teachers are strict by shouting and scolding children (Clarke & Sharpe, 2003, p. 21). Some felt unhappy and angry on account of harsh treatment by teachers; for example, being spoken to loudly and angrily, and being reprimanded when books were forgotten or when homework was not done (Sharpe, 2002). The concern about unpleasant encounters with teachers was echoed by some children in Australia who noted that one negative aspect of school was having teachers who yelled or screamed at children (Potter & Briggs, 2003).

I was able to learn about Singapore. It is a small island state in South East Asia where education is highly valued by its multiracial populace who are the nation's only natural resource. The highly competitive education system based on meritocracy rewards industry and achievement. Over the years since Singapore gained independence in 1965, the country's education system has evolved from an initial concern with economic survival and nation-building to a very rigorous system committed to nurturing talent and, of late, encouraging a spirit of enterprise and innovation. In such a system, academic qualifications are highly valued, and the typical school-going child in Singapore is tested regularly with examinations at least twice a year from the age of seven when he or she starts school. Preschool education in Singapore, established since the 1960s, ranges from full- and half-day childcare centers to two- to four-hour kindergarten programs for children aged two to six. Although preschool education is not mandatory, the majority of children below the age of seven attend some kind of preschool facility. For Singapore children, the first year of formal schooling is known as Primary One' and begins in the January of the year they turn seven.

Primary education has been made mandatory in Singapore only since January 2003. At the primary level, pupils complete six years of schooling: a four-year foundation stage from Primary One to Four, and a two-year orientation stage from Primary Five to Six. To maximize their potential, pupils are streamed according to their learning ability at the end of Primary Four. At the end of Primary Six, pupils sit for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), which assesses their ability for placement in a secondary school course that suits their learning pace and aptitude. Primary school children in Singapore attend school for five-and-a-half hours every day, either in the morning or afternoon session. The morning session begins at 7:30am and ends at 1pm; the afternoon session begins at 1pm and ends at 6:30pm

Reference:

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/australian_journal_of_early_childhood/ajec_index_abstracts/starting_school_a_singapore_story_told_by_children.html