Study abroad with family?

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
So, I've always wanted to do the study abroad thing, but life got in the way -- when I graduated highschool I was supporting myself, but got diagnosed with Crohns Disease before I could travel, then I had Leila.... It's still my dream to live in another country & how awesome would it be for Leila, too?! :D Anyway, I'm learning Italian now & my major is Education so I'm thinking that Italy would be a great place, but I know nothing about doing this & my advisor is pretty inept :eek: (If not Italy, then Scandinavia or Australia would be my other personal preference)

Does anyone have any experience, advice, etc. especially as it relates to raising a child while persuing a Graduate degree abroad :confused:
 
ADS

Morganthe

New member
Hey, I'm all for seeing the world and going to school at the same time. :D I got my master's degree in adult & higher ed. through University of Oklahoma's Advanced programs in Germany. http://gradweb.ou.edu/docs/advprog/index.htm
Italy is a wonderful place to live, although the driving will likely scare the socks off you if you're not used to the Italian's version of road rules. And there are, like Hard red lights vs. optional types (no one in the intersection and miles away from anyone :rolleyes: )

If you do decide on Italy, determine if you want to live in North or south. There is a huge difference between the two in cultures, foods, and attitudes.

Since your major is in education, you might consider looking into working for the DODDS system (Dept. of Defense Dependant Schools). Excellent pay + housing allowances to live over there, especially since the dollar is so weak against the Euro.
1 euro purchases $1.35 right now :(
$1 is worth .73 euro cents.

There's programs to help you out with your education too. Leila would be eligible to attend the American schools.
Northern AF & Army schools are located near Livorno (Camp Darby -- officially Army, but lots of Air Force influence), Aviano (Air Force base between Venice & the Alps), Vincenza (Army post - near Aviano but more central). There's also Naples & Sicily, but those are Navy & Army. I don't know anything about those locations.
http://www.dodea.edu/ is the link if you're interested.
hth & must get dd to bed now.
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
Since you're ECE---I would see if you could get an experience at a Reggio School(Reggio Emelia). An influnce that came after WWII because of all the orphans. It's a very child directed/driven philosophy. I wish I had the freedom to do that in public ed.

Susan
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
Since you're ECE---I would see if you could get an experience at a Reggio School(Reggio Emelia). An influnce that came after WWII because of all the orphans. It's a very child directed/driven philosophy. I wish I had the freedom to do that in public ed.

Susan

Don't forget Maria Montessori - she started working with poor children way- way back.

Maybe would want to look into NAEYC as well. . .

I have several friends that taught or were raised abroad in mission and international schools, but that's probably a different ball game.

Sounds exciting, although, there are many people here in NE that would think the reservation counted as a foreign country :rolleyes:
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Yeah, it's definitely different here on the Rez: a driver's lisence isn't even required :eek: I've seen CHILDREN behind the wheel :(

Reggio Emelia is the driving force behind my wanting Italy (so it'd be Northern Italy, I guess) -- the only other one in the US that I can find is in FL :confused:

& thanks for the info, Marganthe!
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
Don't forget Maria Montessori - she started working with poor children way- way back.

Maybe would want to look into NAEYC as well. . .

I have several friends that taught or were raised abroad in mission and international schools, but that's probably a different ball game.

Sounds exciting, although, there are many people here in NE that would think the reservation counted as a foreign country :rolleyes:


Yes but Reggio is an Italian thing. The whole philosophy includes chefs to teachers. It's really cool.

Susan
 

Morganthe

New member
& thanks for the info, Marganthe!

No prob -- I was really hoping that we'd get an assignment in Italy (or England) for the last 4 years, so I did a lot of research on Darby & Aviano areas.

I'm not certain if you are required to have ties to the DOD military community, but for part time work on your own schedule, substitute teaching is difficult to beat. I worked at one of the high schools for over 3 years as a sub. Starting pay with a Bachelor's degree in 2002 was about $88 per day. Each spring there's a pay raise that matches regular teacher's proportional raise and the backpay to Sept IS quite nice.

There's also the option of teaching English through various business and educational programs to the locals. I remember seeing different places online that specialized in ESL to Europeans. I think one of the headquarters was in Switzerland. A place I'd head to in a heartbeat if I had the income :D

http://www.estripes.com/
Has the Stars & Stripes online if you go down to the side bar. After that, under the current issue is a link to the past 7 days. There's practical info on living overseas in every edition. Every Thurs. is the Travel insert. I still read it almost daily because I find more things out stateside and international than any other newspaper.

Choctaw Management has the contract for WIC and other children/family services. There might be something of interest for you on jobs or education through their link
http://www.cmse.net/

As far as children overseas, there are many links to home schooling movement online that tends to focus on military and expat familes in Europe. Just do a search on google with Home schooling Overseas. There's so much info, I couldn't believe it. So much has changed since I last looked.
HTH and I didn't swamp you :)
tchuss!
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Montessori is an "Italian thing," too, althought it predates Reggio by almost half a century.

Waldorf, OTOH, started in Germany (in Stuttgart, not Walldorf which is where we used to go swimming when we lived in Heidelberg).
 

Lara

New member
(in Stuttgart, not Walldorf which is where we used to go swimming when we lived in Heidelberg).

Way OT here lol. I used to live, and was born in Heidelberg. Love it there, and miss it sooo much! (lived there till I was about 6 or 7 so I still remember it somewhat) I'm hoping in a couple years to take dd back (we went when she was about a year old), but right now pictures will have to do lol.

Ok back to the regular discussion now lol.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
A basic summary that I learned about the 3 methods (all being very child-centered) is that Montessori is more academic & has been much more widely accepted & moderately incorporated into public school systems, Reggio is more artistic & my local Waldorf is more agricultural.... This article is a really good look at the similarities & differences :)
 
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Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
Sorry to thread jack a tad (study abroad, two thumbs up by the way!) but I'm really curious about your post about kids driving on the reservation. Are you serious, there is no requirement for a driver's license? Yikes! And what about carseat laws, are there none as well? Ay yi yi.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
No worries about highjacking the thread

All the information I have so far is from the hospital staff & it's truly sickening -- toddlers are commonly seen standing up climbing from the back to the front, older children (maybe middle school aged) are driving & the police presence is constant yet arrests seem to be only for having alcohol on the reservation: illegal regardless of whether or not the person is even in a vehicle, let alone driving under the influence.... I haven't had luck finding more specific written legislation, but CPSafety here is pretty much a joke (& yes a "major" highway goes right through the Rez).

The hospital staff helps to ensure a mother gives birth to a healthy baby & yet they allow the baby to be at serious risk of death upon discharge. The only CPSafety training they have is a 2 hour movie -- carseats are given out NIB & they do not make sure that it's even used: I've spoken with a mother whose 4 month old died because she crashed while nursing + driving (the carseat was still in the box inside the trunk) :eek: :(

I'm working on getting my feet in the door to teach them proper CPSafety methods & since my SO is the head of the department we're working on creating another form to be completed regarding actual use of carseat: I'm not an instructor so I can't give them credit hours with the ability to install carseats, but at least they should be making sure the carseats are used & have some more resources to help parents *SIGH*

They also don't have any childbirth education classes here & but there's interest so I'm really hoping that this summer I can get me feet in the door with teaching CPSafety directly to the parents (& also installing their seats!) through being able to start up some childbirth classes under my SO again....

It will be some time before I have my Associates degree still & I want to have that before going overseas -- it will help me with substitute positions for income + I'll have less student loan $ to pay back, although I do plan to eventually teach on a reservation at some point as well since it's such an interesting experience (disturbing & depressing but allthemore rewarding) + they offer great incentives :)
 

flipper68

Senior Community Member
but I'm really curious about your post about kids driving on the reservation. Are you serious, there is no requirement for a driver's license? Ay yi yi.

There are MANY kids that drive in the midwest. Remember, it's a rural area. Often kids as young as 9-10 drive farm equipment, 3-4 wheelers, riding lawnmowers, etc. :eek: While usually it's only on personal property and fields, it's not unusual to see a VERY young person driving on a gravel road or in/around the small towns [of which there are LOTS - ie: my parents' hometown has a population of 240 compared to the 750 in the K-5 school where I teach].

Then there are "school permits" for kids 14 + to drive to/from school, school activities, and work. They are similar to "graduated" licenses in that there are restrictions as to when/where the kid can drive.
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
I understand the rural driving headstart thing. Some of my farmer relatives were driving way before they were in high school, but on private family property, not on public roads for the most part (or so they claimed). I got the distinct impression from Papooses that really young kids were driving on the reservation way before the typical age for a learner's permit, hence my curiosity. :)
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
In NY & CA the graduated lisencing has been moving/moved to later ages -- 16 for permit & 18 for lisence.... Farm equipment is different, although clearly dangerous; a family's got to make a living, but that doesn't mean the law is safe (having a truck bed full of young children on roads traveling between farms is legal in NY but also clearly unsafe).

I'm just ranting, though & hope y'all understand I'm not arguing with anyone here.

When I was a toddler I often got to "help" drive by standing between the adults' knees & holding on the wheel: I've seen very young toddlers doing that here as well :( It's one thing to excuse the past as there being no awareness of the issue (my parents put me in a shield booster back then when they became available & the best they had at the time when my dad started treating children who suffered permanent injury from crashes), but when the issue does have so much awareness on the basics of simply USING a carseat period (correctness & extended RF/harnessing aside) it is deeply disturbing to see very young children still holding onto the wheel in laps + climbing around when it's the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT supplying carseats here :eek: :confused: It's frustrating when NHTSA is federal & IHS is federal yet they're not in the least bit working together for what I personally consider true quality care & even the posters within the premises shows incorrect use *SIGH*

It would work out great for all involved if I could finish my Associates here (with my SO so we're a family together again) online while providing accurate CPSafety info to the midwives + nurses as well as directly to the families & intern at the school here before going to Italy (or Scandinavia) to finish my Bachelors *FINGERS CROSSED* (hopefully I can make an arrangement for my new tenants to buy my house with just enough to pay off my van, too?!)
 

Michi

Member
I have to raise a guilty hand here.
I think I was about 14 when I learned how to drive a stick-shift car on the rural roads of WI (Yikes!) and just about everyone else I knew had been driving 3 and 4 wheel ATV's since they could reach the gas pedals.
At our family reunion ( on a farm) last summer there was a kid ( about 12) driving a John Deere "Gator" around and giving all of the other kids rides. No WAY did I let my kids go for a ride, and this kid's parents kept insisting "But he's a really good driver!"...Um, no thanks!
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
I honestly don't have a big problem with 14 year olds learning on rural roads -- it's the elementary aged kids on the highway here that is so super frightening! Besides, I wish I'd learned to drive stick ... I still can't: the last time I tried I somehow ended up breaking off the handle of the gear shift on my BIL's BMW :eek: :eek: At this point of the game I'm just so nervous that I lose my head, so it might've been better for me (& everyone else) if I'd had someone teach me on back roads when I was younger :p
 

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