(Porto, Portugal): EECERA 2012 CONFERENCE, INSTITUTO SUPERIOR de ENGENHARIA do PORTO, PORTUGAL
Today, I am at a conference. It is not just any old conference. This is a conference that combines four of my favorite things.
1. early childhood education — My favorite young children are between 1 and 3 years old. I love watching and helping them figure out how to communicate and learn before they have verbal language.
2. research — I love it when we have data! Information that supports or refutes theories and concepts. So much fun.
3. teacher education — I love it when students “get it” and add their own creative spin to ideas that will have an impact on the future generations.
4. international connections — More than 650 conference participants represent more than 35 different countries. English is the official conference language, but I don’t hear it in the hallways or at the lunch tables. And I already met someone from Baku, Azerbaijan!! I love being in the minority for language. Most people are from Portugal, Spain, Great Britain/UK, or Scandinavia. Others are from Greece, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Japan.
From EECERA’s website:
EECERA is an independent, self-governing, international association which promotes and disseminates multi-disciplinary research on early childhood and its applications to policy and practice. EECERA is a non-profit organisation, wholly-owned and subscribed to by its substantial and influential world-wide membership. It generates its own revenue, receives no external funding and thus ensures its independence, radical attitude and innovative openness.
EECERA seeks to sustain and develop the rich tradition of European early childhood thought, the legacy of Pestalozzi, Owen, Froebel, Steiner, Vygotsky, Piaget, Malaguzzi and other pioneers, whilst looking forward to encourage the exploration of new paradigms, methodologies, concepts and applications in the ever-changing context of early childhood studies. Its reach and interest is resolutely international and, whilst wanting to identify with Europe’s pluralist and diverse cultures, it is open to learn of, and to share in, the equally rich early childhood traditions and concepts of the World.