Final Blog

When I first started this class I was not sure what I was going to learn and how it was going to affect my professional development. Now that we have come to the end and I am reflecting on my journey I realized the significances of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development have changed my mindset on educational development, training and strategic planning.

1.     Educational Development

a.       In learning about international early childhood field I learn that the professional that research and create programs and plan for child who live in some of the poorest areas must understand their community’s needs, families and understand the issues of poverty. In the past I learned about my students needs through surveys and speaking with parents. I realized to understand my students I need to understand what our community needs and what problems that are affecting the growth of families.

2.     Training

a.       In this course we were to connect with an early educational professional from another country. However, I was not able to and I did much of my study of International early childhood field through UNICEF’s where I learned about the effect of poverty and how counties are addressing the issues. Training is important to help develop and grow educators understanding of the needs of child so they can be successful in the future. Through collaboration of research and sharing personal experiences through POD cast, educators can gain the knowledge to better understand problems.

3.     Strategic Planning

a.       The UNICEF shared many stories countries taking action to create food plans to fight poverty and develop educational opportunities. I have learned by understanding your community and selecting educators who can help develop successful educational plans, effective plans can be put into play. Successful plans are delivered through trial and error. These decided educators, policy makers and educators are decided to making change and sharing ideas with the world to make the change they want to see.

One of my goals to continue my own professional development is to get involve through volunteer work and networking with programs that are fighting against poverty in different countries. Through hands on experiences I hope to gain more of an understanding of poverty and develop programs and events that can educate the community regarding current and past issues. Through my college’s replies and post I have learned that each state is fighting to create equal education in the early childhood education level. Because I now understand the progression that needs to take place in early childhood education I feel I can share and be a part of the change in many ways.

International contacts part 3

As I have yet to hear from my international contacts, I have continued to choose the alternative assignment. This week it focuses on the UNESCO’s website. Three insights I gained after thoroughly investing the website include the following:

UNESCO specializes in education on an international level including headquarters in Paris France and an additional 52 field offices. The field offices are located in Iraq, Guatemala, Brussels, Beijing, and Bangkok to name a few. Many are located in areas within Africa that I have never heard of. This struck me as amazing that UNESCO is reaching people everywhere to teach a main goal of the program which is to teach peace, decrease poverty, and about equal rights. Africa is a main area that the organization focuses on as well as gender equality.

One of the organization’s beliefs is that education is a human right for all people throughout life. UNESCO is the only organization in the United Nations mandated to cover all aspects of education and has been trusted to lead the Global Education 2030 Agenda. UNESCO will also launch International Literacy Day 2016 in September. It will mark the 50th anniversary of the event and will take place in Paris, France. The event celebrates the eradication of illiteracy put in place by the World Congress Ministers of Education.

Upon looking further into the website, I found information on how UNESCO is making an effort to educate about HIV and AIDS. As we proceed through this program, we have to stop and think about how important a child’s health is to their education. Through their process, UNESCO is focusing on three key aspects including building country capacity for the knowledge of HIV and AIDS, strengthening HIV and sexuality education, and advancing gender equality. I do not often think of this as an issue in education but it most definitely is. As an educator, I want to help keep our children aware and healthy. I think that UNESCO is doing an amazing job at making the public aware of the issues and putting forth the effort to educate about the lack of education in areas such as Africa.

In regards to my professional goals, I am very interested in the health and education of children and I was amazed to see how much UNESCO has done and continues to do in countries suffering from poverty.

Reference
Unesco. (n.d.). Education. Retrieved from: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources

National Association for the Education of Young Children

www.naeyc.org

NAEYC is a national organization that's main purpose is to help educate young children. NAEYC's mission is to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources(NAEYC, ND).

Once you join this information you receive many member benefits. Some of the benefits include journals, selected books, discounts on conferences and the ability to network and chat with other Early Childhood professionals. 

If you are interested in an international organization there is Global Fund for Children.

The Global Fund for Children 

Website: https://www.globalfundforchildren.org/

The Global Fund  for Children is an organization that focuses on helping children to pursue dreams lost because of their life situation. This organization is about allowing children to live a child's life. The Global Fund for Children's mission is We work to transform the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children. We pursue this mission by making small grants to innovative community-based organizations, and by harnessing the power of children’s books, films, and documentary photography to promote global understanding.

Resources:

The Global Fund for Children (2016). The Global Fund for Children's Mission. Retrieved from https://www.globalfundforchildren.org/about-us/

NAEYC ( ND). NAEYC's Mission. Retrieved from naeyc.org

Sharing Web Resources

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families: Learning about Ending Child Poverty Now

In the newsletter I received from Zero to Three, they focused on many different topics the one that is truly effecting preschool is poverty. According the (One of the resources in the newsletter) “Nearly 15 million children in America lived below the official poverty level — $23,834 for a family of four — in 2013, based only on cash income.” Child poverty is due to low wage, poor living environment and social issues. Children’s brains develop for birth to 5 the most because of the plasticity in their brain. However, with a lack of nutrition in a child’s brain does not develop the way it is supposed to. “…More than 1 in 5 children under age 5 living in poverty during the years of rapid brain development” (Ending Child Poverty Now) and without food child will physical and mentally starve.

 This week I will be exploring The Pew Charitable Trusts (PEW) website, these group of dedicated researchers are on a mission to help create high quality education for preschoolers. For the last 10 years PEW has helped congress and educators better understand the needs of the children through extinctive research.   The site is very simple and user friendly and has a section for research/analysis and a media center. They speak about poverty and crime in the research done to better understand the cause and effect of poverty. I choose this site because PEW is fighting for change by continuing research and helping policies to be passed.

Research and analysis

1.      The Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative in Colorado

a.       “In summer 2014, the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative partnered with the state of Colorado to incorporate the Results First approach into the state’s budget and policymaking processes.” (PEW)

The budget created through this partnership will help the state with research “…on adult criminal justice, juvenile justice, and child welfare programs and policies to inform agency and legislative budget decisions by July 1, 2015.” Through planning and budgeting state can learn about how to reduce crime and provide better education for people so they do not move in a negative direction. Crime and poverty have been linked together through research, by gaining knowledge of what have caused criminal activity researchers can look an environment and address issues in communities and break the cycle.

2.      Massachusetts’ Evidence-Based Approach to Reducing Recidivism

a.       “In March 2012, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray, and House Speaker Robert DeLeo invited the Pew-MacArthur Results First Initiative to collaborate with the Special Commission to Study the Commonwealth’s Criminal Justice System. Through this effort, Massachusetts is laying the groundwork for a strong evidence-based approach to policymaking that can decrease criminal justice spending, reduce crime, and improve public safety” (PEW, 2014).

“Recidivism is one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice. It refers to a person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime” (National Institute of Justice). By understanding way people repeat an offence, we can gain the knowledge of when causes a children pick up on criminal behavior. For example, a child’s environment, health and safe of a child, can affect how their behavior. If a child is attending a low quality preschool, the school may not have the ability to provide the resources and have the education to help the student succeed in class because they do not know how to address the social issues that are affecting the child’s lives.  

Media

3.      Arne Duncan: How Pre-K Levels the Playing Field

a.       U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan wants every child — particularly disadvantaged children — to have access to high-quality pre-k programs. Listen to Secretary Duncan speak about leveling the playing field for children with pre-k.

In this media clip Duncan explains 60% of the low income children and 1/3 of middle class children go into kindergarten not knowing their Alphabet. This is information was a shock to me, but it is something that I believe. Rather this be due to poor preschools, no educational background or starting last in preschool, these number are going to affect the achievement gap. If children are not able to attending preschool they will behind and they will be struggling in preschool.  Through this research we can see a need for better educational plans, accountable on educator’s part and parents and developing high quality centers.

4.      Wendy Kopp: All Children Deserve an Exceptional Education

a.       “Teach for America Founder and CEO Wendy Kopp believes all kids deserve an exceptional education. Listen to Kopp speak about how starting earlier with high-quality pre-k can ensure school success and a love of learning for children” (PEW, 2011).

Closing the achievement gap is important, but setting the foundation for children to graduate high school is greatly important. Through the researcher shared preschool set the foundation for a successful educational path. Children who do not read fluently by the third grade are four time more likely to drop out of school and not graduate high school. Create high quality preschool help support the movement to close the achievement gap.

5.      Pre-K Now: Marking a Decade of Pre-K Milestones

a.        “A decade of pre-k policy wins has made a Pre-K-12 education system within our nation's reach. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Teach for America CEO and Founder Wendy Kopp, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Harlem Children's Zone President and CEO Geoffrey Canada and Pew Center on the States Managing Director Susan Urahn talk about why we must re-imagine public education as a system that begins, not with kindergarten, but with quality pre-k and builds on that foundation to raise performance in later grades” (2011).

The video “Pre-K Now: Marking a Decade of Pre-K Milestone touched my heart because Pre-K is in dire need or change and reform. So many of the speakers started speaking and the change that can be implemented now because we have some much research that have been conducted. One of the statements that that hit me the most state… if we want to prepare a child for life, we have to take advantage of their nib minds between birth and five-year-old. This statements reminds me that sometime educators are limiting and not pushing our students to the next level in learning.

International contacts

For my blog this week I want to talk about a serious matter which I have seen a significant increase in. The topic that I am speaking of is neglect. Neglect is being a growing topic in our center and we take is very seriously. As an educator we are mandated reporters and sometime parents can be bothered by this because they do not understand it, one of the first things we tell the parent is we want our children to be safe.

Neglect can come in many forms, it can be seen and observed as well. Children do not have choice where they live or who their parents are, so it is important educators be the voice for students and help provide a healthy environment for the student. The four types of neglect occasional inattention, chronic under stimulation, serve neglect in a family context and

Occasional Inattention

According to Jack Shonkoff (2010)this is when a child who gets regular attention is not knowledge sometime. Shonkoff suggest that this type of neglect is not bad but can actually help with the brain development of a child (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2010). The benefits of occasional intention is children learn to self sooth and explore the environment which build brain development, stated Nathan Fox, who is a child development specialist.

Chronic Under Stimulation

 This type of neglect is damaging to children and can have long term negative effects on children brain development. This types of neglect is more frequent. Adults do not interact with the child. The children who experience this type of neglect are usually ignore and parents may use T.V., electronic and other devices to entertain a child. The social development in a child’s life in important and helps develop the social and emotional development.

However, if provide a learning environment which offers high quality education. Children have the chance to change their behavior and develop health social, emotional and cognitive skills early enough to make change in their life.

Serve Neglect in a Family Context

This type of neglect can be categorized as more visible. Children in this category will be encountered with being ignored, not feed enough, poor hygiene and not having the basic needs that help them to develop. According to Brenda Jones-Harden(2010), states that neglect in the US is a huge problem because of the harmfully effects.  Neglect is a common type of harm that children which effects the brain development of a child. During this stage educators, have to seek out more help for the child and create more strategic strategies to implement to help the children that has suffered this type of neglect.

Serve Neglect in an Institutional Setting (SNIS)

                SNIS is a type of neglect that effect children in group home care, orphanages, transitional care or ware house types of living arrangements. Linda Mayes (2010) one of the speaker’s share that these types of home for children are more frequent then what people think. Dr. Philip Fisher (2010) explains this types of care is the worst of the types of neglect, although they may be cared for, because they different people caring for them, which alters the child development. Children need to have consistently and they need to know they are loved and are going to be cared for.

Reflection

                Neglect is a hard topic for anyone to speak about especially when it comes to children. This podcast was insightful and helpful for me to better understand they types neglect.  In the past seven years, my mother open a transition home for women and children and I have worked with her every step of the way.  I uploaded a spare of the moment video (at family gathering sorry for the poor video) of my mother to talk about one of her residence who had a child that experience serve neglect in a family context and serve neglect in an institutional setting. After many years of this treatment he was placed back with his mother and shared his fear of hunger and his siblings suffering hunger.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX5dVarkfp0&feature=youtu.be

Reference

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children's initiative.

Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/

International Contacts

              In the Zone to Three website is an amazing site that supplies information that is relevant for parents and educators because the information that is found focuses on the brain development of the child. This week the focuses was on Early Language Literacy Development. Literacy development is so important to develop from birth because language will help children communicate their thoughts, feeling, ideas and needs. Although children can communicate their emotions through nonverbal gestures, language is a key point to communication and a child’s success in the future.

            The article brings up three points that pike my interest: One, during the first three years the brain develops traumatically by developing the ability to learn, speak, think, and reason; Two, many low income children are already behind in communication skills and language; Three, “the literacy gap hinders our nation’s ability to create the workforces needed to compete in the global market” (2011, p.1). These areas are a huge concern to me as an educational professional because a strong foundation in language helps students in their future.      

“Studies also show that children from low-income families are both spoken to and read to less frequently than their middle-class peers, which hinders their ability to develop literacy and language skills. This leads to the widening achievement gap or “language gap.” (2011, p.4).

This is an interesting statement made in the article because one side I can understand why children from low income may not have a higher vocabulary then other children who have more resources and may have parents that are more involved with their education. However, this statement feeds into many myths and stereotypes of low income parents. The literacy gap in America seems to be getting wider and I have started wondering “what does the literacy gap look like in my community?”

            Washington state Office of Superintendent of Public Instructor website help teachers to understand the educational requirements for students in different grade levels. They help educators to better align their educational keys points to help students develop the skills they need to meet.

In another article by Zero to Three called Early Literacy states that we need to challenge our idea of what does early literacy look like and mean for toddler and infants. The writer explains that “by focusing on the importance of the first years of life, we give new meaning to the interactions young children have with books and stories” (Schickedanz, 1999, p.1). As we educate our young children we must start focusing on the on the key principles of language and work on language skills with parents and educators.

Reference

http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/policy-toolkit/early-literacywebmarch1-6.pdf