The professional status and preparation of early childhood teachers: Recent developments from the former Soviet Union

Writing a paper whose purpose is to explore the current state of the professional status and preparation of teachers of young children in the former Soviet Union is not without serious limitations. The Gorbachev Era unleashed unprecedented openness in all sectors in its attempt to address increasingly difficult social and economic issues which ultimately led to the demise of the Soviet Union in December, 1991. Concomitant with rampant socioeconomic changes prior to this breakup, were rapidly emerging proposals and developments in the area of early childhood education and the preparation of professionals for this field. At the risk of being outdated by the time the manuscript is published, this paper explores the educational system for which teachers of young children are very urgently needed in the new commonwealth nations, current plans to improve the quality of early childhood programs and the professional preparation and status of upbringers/teachers and an update on the progress toward espoused goals prior to the breakup of the Soviet Union.