What I learned...

Even though I wasn't able to personal make connections with any international professionals I have still learned a lot through reading my colleagues posts about their connections.  It was informative and truly an eye-opener.  I also learned a lot from the global websites I explored and I am enjoying learning  about all the things that are going on in Latin America. 

 With all these new found connects and information I found that the consequences are all positive.  One consequences was the broadening of my perspective on early childhood studies on a global spectrum.  Each country have different needs and different solutions to their problems but I have found the main goal of every country is helping every child in the world; whether it through education, providing basic needs, or bring social awareness.  Another consequence I found through networking with other countries is be ability to spread the word about each countries issues and working EC professionals working together to solve the problem.  The third consequence of learning about international early childhood is being able to see other early childhood methods that are being used in other countries that may be able to be used here.  These new ideas could help some of our issues that are occurring here in the states. 

 

One goal I have is I recently learned that October 11th is International Day of the Girl Child.  This is a day designated to bring awareness to all the injustices girls face across the world.  I want spread the word about this day and help the cause become more mainstream.  The things some girls have to face in different countries are horrific and they are treated like property and not a human being.  This mindset has to cease and I know it will take a while to get there but I can at the least bring awareness and let people know about the horrific conditions females face globally and let spread the word about Oct 11th. 

Early Childhood Care and Education

I don't know what I am doing wrong.  I have tried every website and even social media to connect with international early childhood professionals and still I haven't received any feedback in returned.  Through my frustration I understand it is a very busy time everyone in the world.  So I am going to talk about a webpage I explored called, Early Childhood Care, and Education (ECCE) provided by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  The first insight I gained from this webpage was their initiative to providing every child in this world with quality education.  Currently, worldwide, 61 million children and 71 million adolescents are out of school. At least 250 million children cannot read and count - even after four years of school - and 796 million people still lack basic literacy skills.  (UNESCO 2011) These figures are mind blowing.  I never knew the severity of the education situation worldwide.  Now that I know I will definitely do my part to help out the UNESCO anyway I can.

The second thing I found interesting was that IIEP Office in Buenos Aires launched a new website that provides information about the current propositions being done to fulfill the rights of young children in Latin America.  This is exciting because along with getting the word out about the events, proposals, and other actions being done to edify EC, they are also providing avenues to teachers to provide the proper education and training.  All this information is available in 19 countries.  I think that is very cool and imagine all the work that will get done because all these countries are working together.

The third thing I found interesting was that October 11, 2012 was the first International Day of the Girl Child.  It's a holiday to celebrate and bring awareness to girls globally.  Girls all over the world are suffering from poverty, social injustices, violence, and horrible inequalities.  Along with these awful conditions internationally most girls don't receive any education.  Having this day is the first step in helping girls everywhere.  I know I will celebrate October 11th every year and spread the news about the injustices girls suffer daily around the world.

P.S.  The EC field suffered great losses of young children and fellow EC professionals on Dec. 14, 2012 in Connecticut.  I am deeply saddened by these horrific events and my heart and prayers go out to the parents and families of everyone in Newtown, Ct.        

NAEYC and inclusion

Through further exploration of The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) website I was able to learn a few new things.  There is an area where NAEYC voices all their core state standards initiative.  I was able to get a deeper understanding about the changes NAEYC wants to bring about and the reason behind their recommendations.  Also they have webinars and articles that focus on each type of preschools, from home-based centers to Title I regulatory that focus on guidance and strategies to having a successful center.   

There is also a place where we as professionals can get involved in helping the early childhood education profession.  They are asking professionals and parents to call into our local senators and ask them to not cut vital EC programs.  Everyone is aware of the "fiscal cliff" and usually educational programs are the first ones to get eliminated and a either a decrease or stop in funding to necessary EC programs too. 

I had been following the issue of inclusion in the classroom and some new information was provided in this issue.  It talked about being sensitive to everyone's religious beliefs during this holiday season.  The two ways they recommended was to either use December holidays as a teachable moment to introduce different traditions and cultural celebrations or don't celebrate any and just have a winter fest.  The main thing that has to be done first is to talk to parents to assure they are accept either plan action.  I found that to interesting because when I was a teacher I didn't think to ask parents and I just didn't celebrate any holiday not even a winter fest.

Harvard's Global Children's Initiative

I still haven't heard back from any early childhood professionals from another country.  I am still trying and hopeful I will hear back from one person before the quarter ends.  I explored Harvard's Global Children's Initiative.  I began with an article on the changes in Brazil.  An organization called Núcleo Ciência Pela Infância (NCPI), is working hard to spread the information about the importance of applying science to Early Childhood and it affects everyone.  The NCPI is using this information to get politicians and policymakers to create better laws and policy that will benefit young children and families.  Also they are using the information to lure investors into investing in Early Childhood programs in Brazil.  

 Also in Brazil politicians, policymakers, public managers and civil-society leaders came together in March of this year, 2012, to recreate a new direction for Early Childhood Studies that will incorporate the science of Child Development.  That way teachers, administrators and other EC professionals will be better educated and provide better services to families. I think that is good and it will ultimately improve the country as a whole. 

Another article I read, "Creating a New Measure of Child Development", focused on a health economist, Günther Fink, assessing children in Zambia.  He needed information on the young children 's development to present his case about effects of Malaria on the country.  In Zambia the major causes of death in children under the age of 5 is malaria and HIV.  When Fink went to gather information he realize he couldn't use the same methods as we use in America.  Children in Zambia don't have toys like we have here.  So Fink and his team had to create instruments to help them assess the children's development.  Once they gathered the information he needed from 2,000 children,  he was able to use the numbers to present to policymakers in order to get needed funding and inform policymakers where children in Zambia are in their development and how they compare to children around world.  I wish the article went further into explain the methods he used in examine the children but it provide me with the realization that children from around the world require different methods when it come to assessments and gathering information on their development.  Every child is different especially ones from different countries so if I get the opportunity to work with children around the world I now know I have to use different methods to assess them.