<p>I am a sophomore and an early childhood education major, and was wondering if there are any benefits I would gain to having studied abroad when I become a teacher. My school has certain study abroad programs that are designed for certain majors, but usually any major can join them. They do not have one set for education majors though, so I feel like any program I choose I would be taking classes I don’t need. Do you think it would be better to just vacation abroad instead of studying? Also when would be the best time to do this? </p>
<p>You’d have to share more details about your SA options. Research SA programs through other schools that are pitched to ECE majors to get an idea of what SA coursework/experience might be considered valuable to someone in ECE. See where your options might overlap such. Maybe you travel and do an independent project? Timing would be based upon your major’s sequence of requirements. See your academic advisor about that one. </p>
<p>Nothing can be better than utilizing your time effectively. If you have the option to study abroad then probably doing something constructive and gaining a degree won’t be bad option at all. I mean, you cannot really make a choice between studying abroad and spending a vacation abroad.</p>
<p>Go to the office of international education and ask where they allow education major to “intern” in crèches, nurseries, etc. In most developed countries, you’ll find a dense network of early childhood education structures - in France, they have free, all-day “maternelles” for kids aged 2 1/2 to 6, with a national curriculum promoting growth (with structured and unstructured playtime, recognizing numbers, sifting quantities, raising a pet, story time, coloring, painting, climbing, field trips, etc.) For infants to 3 years old, they have another structure. In the UK, there’s reception and infants school, for kids 3 and 4 years old, and a network of daycares. Spain has Guarderià and Escuela infantil.
Lots of places to go to and spend a day a week observing. Then you could ask and take a class or two with the early education students (easier to do in an English-speaking country though), and then add 2-3 classes in the language and culture of the country.
If your university has several study abroad options, it’d be really too bad not to take advantage of that opportunity.
Finally, studying abroad is nothing like being a tourist, because you’re immersed in the country and the culture.</p>
<p>You’d need to go through the criminal records check process in most places before being allowed to work with children - check that’s not going to delay matters too much seeing as there is an international issue as well.</p>
<p>Not all countries have criminal records checks for weekly interns. I don’t know whether France, the UK, Spain… do, for instance.</p>
<p>The UK is actually really strict regarding such things. You have to have a criminal records check for any job, work experience or volunteering f there is any chance at all you might encounter a child or vulnerable young person (even if they are over 18).</p>
<p><a href=“Check someone's criminal record as an employer: Checks you can make on someone's record - GOV.UK”>Check someone's criminal record as an employer: Checks you can make on someone's record - GOV.UK;
<p>Here’s the real reason to study abroad: <a href=“Traveling Teaches Students in a Way Schools Can't - The Atlantic”>Traveling Teaches Students in a Way Schools Can't - The Atlantic;