Getting to Know Your International Contacts- Part 3

I have learned so much from exploring international resources and attempting to find out how they are improving the culture of early learning around the world. UNESO help to improve on the health, nutrition, security and learning with a holistic approach to development.

Many participating countries decided to support the importance of early learning programs and wanted to expand and improve early childcare and education. The government was encouraged to support equitable access to quality early learning programs for the most disadvantaged children.  The central government are encouraged to promote alternative services to disadvantaged children when the resources are not available for the mainstream early childhood services.

Cross-sectoral coordination is not easy at the national level. This is a huge challenge that the government faces in developing and developed countries and the idea is to promote the holistic approach. Many countries are in attempt to remove the problem by integrating sectoral responsibilities. For some countries the responsibility of early learning is divided by policy administration and they become more effective when they focus on a particular early childhood program.

Sharing Web Resources

              I decided to reflect a little further on the website National Institute for Early Education Alliance. This website expands on topics such as Assessments, Economics and Fianance, English Language Learners, Government and Accountability, Quality and Curriculum, Special Education, State Pre K Evaluations, and much, much more. Within this site I decided to go a little further and access their section on Assessment and Preschool Assessments and how they are professionally performed. Professor Shannon Riley-Ayers from San Antonio Association for the Education of Young children (SAAEYC) talks about formative assessments and the Early Learning Scale. Many of the studies preformed are to evaluate a preschool child’s readiness to enter into kindergarten. While searching this website I did learn how important these issues of quality and excellence is too the field of early learning. Assessments is an effective way to find out where changes need to be made and what kind of changes should be made to certain materials used in the early learning classroom. While searching further I noticed some more information  that discussed the importance of inclusion in the early learning setting noticed an and when this is a part of the environment it makes for a more effective learning environment.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

I decided to look deeper into “Science of Adversity and Resilience” (SAR) this area of study shows us how genes, experiences, and environmental influences can effect children during stages from prenatal stages until adolescent development. This can have long term effects on a child’s behavior and their learning habits. This area gives information on Toxic Stress and the lifelong health effects it can have. It also gives information on resilience in people and communities. While also displaying some strategies of intervention which can help to improve the outcome of disadvantaged children . Also while viewing the Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” I also learned about the science of neglect in children and it’s effects on the child’s development. We would call this unresponsive care and we will learn about Occasional inattention, chronic stimulation, severe neglect in a family context, severe neglect in an institutional setting.  I learned about the three core concepts in early childhood and what they have to offer. What a child experience helps to stimulate the brain and their development, also there is something that helps to shape the brain waves and the brain circuitry, and finally we this areas shows how toxic stress can derail healthy deployment.  I was also able to learn about the “ Frontiers of Innovation” (FOI)  this area of study gathers it’s information to assist children and families who are in true need because their children needs are not being meant. This website shows us how and why a child may development at a particular speed and rate. This area also teaches us how to improve the outcome of the students. I learned so much from this website about resources.

Sharing Web Resources

I decided to explore The National Black Child Development Institute and this organization has been steadfast in their mission of improving and protecting the quality of life of children, youth and families in the Greater Greensboro community. I read a poem on this site that really spoke to the mission of helping impoverished children of all races. This poem made me think of how important it is to improve the system of early childhood. When I read this poem I see the black child as the system of early childhood and all that it will offer.

I am the Black Child
All the world waits my coming
All the world watches with interest
to see what I shall become

Civilization hangs in the balance
What I am, the world of tomorrow will be

I am the Black Child
You have brought me into this world
about which I know nothing
You hold in my hand your destiny
You determine whether I shall succeed or fail

Give me a world where I can walk tall and proud
Train me to love myself and my people
to build and maintain a great nation.

            This site made me think of the economist theory of the “early payback” in terms of giving more through the events such as “Back 2 School, College Zone and Freedom School. They offer in a way that says the more you give or put into our efforts early on will have positive effects in the future of what we can offer to this society as long as you feed the seed now.

            This website also made me think about issues and trends of  the challenges that some children face every day in their community and one of the issues that they addressed was gun control and many children spoke of the changes they would make in their community if they could. This was very insightful speaking from the minds of the children.

Getting to Know your International Contacts- Part 1

I have been unsuccessful in establishing any contact with my international communication but I decided to research the poverty level for children in Mexico, about 25% of Mexican children live in conditions with food poverty, this means they live in homes were the income is not enough to buy the basic food necessities. Almost 24% of children live in unsanitary housing conditions with 5 or more to a room with dirt floors. Over 5% have no access to any sanitation and over 14 % of Mexico’s children under the age of 5 years old are stunted in their growth and their development caused by malnutrition. These rates are increased in many of the rural areas and can reach almost to 35% and this is among indigenous children. Children suffer from means of inequality in child rights and labor laws.

I understand poverty and how it can have a detrimental effect on the mental and physical well being of children. I understand that it is wide spread across the world and affects our children the hardest. We must find ways to minimize the effects that poverty can hold on our children if we let this continue in increasing numbers around the world. We need to put more into the early education systems to improve the results of education early and attempt to prevent the increasing number of individuals that drop out of school and continue the cycle of poverty rather than working hard to prevent it.

Sharing Web Resources

The organization that I choose to reflect on was “The Global Alliance for the Education of Young Children” this organization shares its commitment to all children and their education. They share information worldwide and provide materials on different programs and services of childhood resources. This organization supports high quality care and offers trainings to ensure this goal is obtained internationally. They offer a five day intense training that support the goal “ of linking research, policy and practice in early care and education.

I also chose to reflect on “Association for Childhood Education International” this organization is an advocate in support of higher standards being implemented and to promote the well being of all children in their environment. There motto is “bright futures for every child in every nation” One thing that stood out to me was they offer an International Mother Language Day and this observes linguistic and cultural diversity. I can really appreciate this because I am learning a lot about how to add diversity into the classroom and how important it is to do so.

Establishing Professional Contacts

In my attempt to establish professional contact worldwide with early childhood organizations I decided to reach out to The Global Alliance of NAEYC, I have sent an e-mail message explaining my purpose and am waiting to hear back from someone, I think I should hear back from someone soon. I will also explore the alternate assignment and listen and try to communicate with the World Forum Radio because I am fascinated in Radio and have a communication background. I am expanding my resources by following www.NAEYC.org along with Association for Childhood Education International and see how they are related and how they can help deepen my understanding for the field.