Sharing Web Resources

Name of Organization:  International Step by Step Association

                                            Tipa Tipa/Step by Step Haiti

 Website:  http://www.issa.nl/

 Organization’s Focus: offers quality and modern education opportunities to children from disadvantage environments, using an individualized child-centered approach.  This association also encourages participation from the families and local communities.

          This week we have been discussing issues about demographics and diversity and how it meets the needs of our students in the classroom.  This program has deliberately chosen children and youth as its target group and has great ambition to provide access to knowledge, books, internet, and the opportunity to all for life as equal citizens.

          ISSA (International Step by Step Association) reaches out to children and families without access to quality preschool programs. For many communities, a range of creative, flexible strategies can provide parents with the knowledge, skills, and practices needed to support their children’s development.

          I was surprised to learn that these classrooms were organized around developmentally appropriate learning and activity centers.  The main concern on peer learning is that it ensures that children have the opportunity to make decisions each day.  Particularly, the Step by Step program works to develop self-initiative, empowerment, shared control, respect, and appreciation of differences.  It also helps develop partnerships with special education institution and a teacher training institution.  Some of the areas are as followed:  

 

1.    Early Childhood (birth to age 6)
2.    Primary School
3.    Equal Access 
4.    Teacher Education
5.    Civic Participation in Education

          The ISSA topics below are covered in the International Step by Step Association site and support a wide collection of programs that provide a complete set of educational services for families and children from birth through primary school.  It has been said that these standards are important values to be followed by the professionals and administrators and provide the greatest support to children and their families.

1.    Interactions

2.    Family and Community
3.    Inclusion, Diversity, and Values of Democracy
4.    Assessment and Planning
5.    Teaching Strategies
6.    Learning Environment
7.    Professional Development

One resource I found to be useful on the site is ISSA’s Online Community, it is useful and you can join free of charge and is able to read relevant news about ISSA and also have access to the online library.  Also, you can join professional groups, discussion forums, and collaborative initiatives around topics of interests. To become a full time member, you also can have full access to the entire range of services and initiatives provided by ISSA.

                                                                       Reference:
International Step by Step Association. (2010). Retrieved on January 13, 2013 from http://www.issa.nl/