Unfortunately, I never received feed back from any of the International contacts that I emailed. Thank you Dr. Klein for the alternatives websites and podcast.
Three Consequences
*One consequence would be the affect poverty have on children, not just here in America but all around the world. China, and Africa are two other countries that have issues with poverty and lack of heath care. When we think of Issues and Trends in the early childhood area, we think about what is going on right here at home. Never does it cross our minds that children/families in other countries are suffering from the same issues that Americans are suffering from also. Poverty is a Worldwide issue and not just one nation issue. We must join toughener to end this epidemic.
*It was not until I entered Walden University and enrolled in Early Child Development field; were I have been introduced to many issues and trends that affect the lives of many families across the country.You don't really understand what children/families endure until you read, research and gain knowledge of the issues that come a long with being a early childhood educator. One thing that I have learned in this field is to never judge people, for we never know how their lives are outside of the center. It is very important to treat people according to the way you want to be treated. We must take off our blind folds to children and families who do not share the same cultural as ourselves. We all are unique and have something to give and take from other nationalities. In this field, we as educators must always make sure we stay as professional and productive as possible. Children and families should always be able to look up to us and not look down on us; for we play a very crucial role in their lives.
*Health care is a another major concern with children and families around the world. If children are not able to be provided with the proper healthcare; which can cause lack of immunizations than we are looking for nonproductive children in the future to come or more children dying from lack of proper health care. We must advocate to politicians for the well-fare of all children around the globe.
Goal
We as early childhood educator's maybe in different parts of the country, but share many related issues and trends in the early childhood field. It is good to know what is going on in other parts of the world pertaining to issues and trends in the early childhood field. My goal is to continue to reach out to other's in different parts of the country to relate, understand, and collaborate in hopes of making a difference to help change policies, and procedures that affect the lives of children in other countries as well as my own country.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
My Thoughts on the EC Field...
I just wanted to share with Dr. Klein and colleagues a major issue/concern that is being addressed under the TN Licensure Law for the well-fare and well-being of children in Memphis, TN.
*Issue regarding quality and early childhood professionals being discussed where I work:
One of the local issues that have been a major concern in the City of Memphis is Corporal punishment. In the last six months to a year there have been complaints from children and parents around Memphis, TN area, stating Children are being neglected, mistreated and corporal punishment has been inflected on some children. The City of Memphis Licensure has sent out emails and flyers with policies, procedures and guidelines when disciplining a child under the TN Licensure law. Now this is another issue on top of tunes of inequality children and their family has to endure, when enrolling their child/children in childcare in TN.
*What opportunities or requirements for professional development exist:
With child abuse and neglect towards children has always been a major concern for me, I feel that teachers “NEED/MUST” be screened and background checks should be mandatory in every state. And when I say screened, I’m talking more along the lines as psychological screening. Many EC educators that are not experienced or have the education to understand/work with children or not equipped to handle the challenges that comes along with the job. Professionally speaking; extended training and highly effective training should be giving at least once a year for educators to continuously understand the ever changing field.
*My Professional goals:
I have many professional goals, but my major professional goals would be to continue working hard to make EC development fun and exciting for children. Always remember that the job I do is not about me, but all about children and their families. I look forward to many changes in this field; some good and some bad, but I will take the good and make do with the bad, to strive for a better future when working with children. My long-term professional goal; would be contributing as much as I can so that children and families will benefit from it. As Dr. Vasquez stated, “contribution today will pay off for tomorrow.”
Professional Hopes, Dreams, and Challenges:
I hope that one day the early childhood field want be so complex; reasoning being research and studies has shown that children need to be introduced to early child education, so that they can develop high cognitive, social and emotional skills. EC education is so important in a child’s life.
My dream is to see the early childhood field prosper and recognized like any other field/career. And that children and families across this nation will be respected and welcomed into EC programs because we all want what is best for our children; and cultural has nothing to do with that.
Challenges: Because EC education has been so complicated for many many years, it will take just as long to fix, reinforce and demand policies and put them into practice to change the stigma/reputation placed on this field. And this is from EC educators pay, politicians laws, to issues with enforcing these laws. The list goes on. There will forever be challenges that we must face in this ever changing field. As EC educators, knowing and staying up-to-date on what is going on locally and internationally is imperative.
Getting to know International Contacts Part 3
Hello fellow Colleagues, unfortunately I have yet to hear from any of the International contacts that I contacted in week 1 of the course. I have been utilizing most of the alternatives web links. I chose to read/review the issues pertaining to monitoring children closely for their well being depends on it; under UNESCO website.
Title: Better monitoring the insight for the well-being of the children.
On September 12-13 around thirty experts around the country joined together in UNESCO to develop a holistic index to improve states on how to help improve progress towards EC care and education (ECCE). This is the first to the Education for All (EFA).
HECDI which stands for Holistic Early Childhood Development Index was created in December of 2010 and includes childhood development experts from the Bernard van Leer Foundation, Un Kilo de Ayuda (Mexico), Save the Children, UNESCO, UNICEF, the WFP, the WHO and the World Bank.
The HECDI intends to overcome the existing fragmented perspectives on EC by adopting a holistic vision of monitoring children from the prenatal period to age eight.
The Following Elements will be measured:
*Integrated aspects of ECCE policy and programming at a national and subnational level
*Legal protection of children * social protection and child welfare
*Social-emotional and cognitive development
*Access and quality of early childhood care and education
*Health and nutrition
Over one hundred members state and other EC educators stakeholders that are participating in this world conference on Early child Care and Education is existing challenges in improving the well-being of young children.
Resource:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/
Title: Better monitoring the insight for the well-being of the children.
On September 12-13 around thirty experts around the country joined together in UNESCO to develop a holistic index to improve states on how to help improve progress towards EC care and education (ECCE). This is the first to the Education for All (EFA).
HECDI which stands for Holistic Early Childhood Development Index was created in December of 2010 and includes childhood development experts from the Bernard van Leer Foundation, Un Kilo de Ayuda (Mexico), Save the Children, UNESCO, UNICEF, the WFP, the WHO and the World Bank.
The HECDI intends to overcome the existing fragmented perspectives on EC by adopting a holistic vision of monitoring children from the prenatal period to age eight.
The Following Elements will be measured:
*Integrated aspects of ECCE policy and programming at a national and subnational level
*Legal protection of children * social protection and child welfare
*Social-emotional and cognitive development
*Access and quality of early childhood care and education
*Health and nutrition
Over one hundred members state and other EC educators stakeholders that are participating in this world conference on Early child Care and Education is existing challenges in improving the well-being of young children.
Resource:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Sharing Web Resources Week 6
I chose this Website because I had never viewed it before. This website had information pertaining to children and poverty and the life long affects it have on the development of children. I thought this would be a very informative site to share with my colleagues.
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) is an interdisciplinary organization of scientists, established in 1933 by the National Academy of Science.
Social Policy Report Food Insecurity is Harmful to Children Development:
Why Does This Matter
In 2009, 21.3 percent of American household with children experienced food insecurity, which means they had limited or uncertain economic downturn even more children may be at risk. Food insecurity is a public health problem with serious consequences for children including greater likelihood of depression, anxiety defects, poor academics performance, birth defects and behavior problems.
Policies Implications
*Reduce Food insecurity and empower ourcomes for children; policy makers should work to assure that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) an entitlement that does not face budget cuts when it's reauthorized.
*Work to reach eligible families and programs; make public food assistance programs for families more accessible and less difficult to administer and reward state for streamlining enrollment and reaching eligible families.
Poverty has been one of the Issues we have discussed in today's society pertaining to development of Early Childhood:
*Society for Research supports efforts to reduce poverty since issues of hunger and uncertainty about food availability often though not always co-occur with poverty.
*Focus on both the public and private food support programs; with to improve connection between public and private sector programs.
Research says:
Children in food insecure households are at increased risk for physical problems, Academic problems, Psych social difficulties.
The website I chose at the beginning of the course was http://www.worldforumfoundation.org
Because Social Justice is a very important topic all over the "world" when implementing polices, procedures and other important issues pertaining to the betterment of children and families; this information under world forum foundation I found to be helpful from this website.
*The Capacity to Enhance Social Capital and Services Provision for families and young Children:
Worldwide, growing evidence attests to the importance of effective early care and education services. Initiatives such as the Early Excellence Centres in the UK suggest that access to, and awareness and responsiveness of community services are enhanced when the services are integrated. It is also possible that services integration has the potential to build community social capital.
This information presents some of the findings from phase one of a collaborative study between QUT and several government and non-government organizations into establishment and ultimately, effectiveness, of two community hubs are focused on the provision of integrated child care and early childhood services but include family support services, parenting support, health services, community activities and education services. This investigation was underpinned by social capital theory. The data gathered was collected from community surveys and interviews in a rural and urban Queen locality.
Information that added to my understanding of Equity and Excellence and Equity:
This website reminded me that Social Justice and the reinforcement of Excellence and Equity is imperative all around the world. Sometimes we can get caught up with issues and trends right here in America and have a tendency to not be mindful that it's other countries facing the same challenges that we face in advocating for Social Justice and excellence/equity for all children.
Insights:
Understanding that Continuous effort in advocating/fighting for what is right for children and families all around the country is an long time commitment. And to know that we must never give up on making sure children and families who are not being seen or heard, but through our voices as early childhood educators, advocates and etc. I'm believing that fighting for equity and excellence for children and families will come to an end, but until that day comes; we are not to give up our duties, because children early childhood education and future for that matter depends upon it.
Resources:
http://www.worldforumfoundation.org
Society for Research in Child Developmenthttp://www.srcd.org/
The Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) is an interdisciplinary organization of scientists, established in 1933 by the National Academy of Science.
Social Policy Report Food Insecurity is Harmful to Children Development:
Why Does This Matter
In 2009, 21.3 percent of American household with children experienced food insecurity, which means they had limited or uncertain economic downturn even more children may be at risk. Food insecurity is a public health problem with serious consequences for children including greater likelihood of depression, anxiety defects, poor academics performance, birth defects and behavior problems.
Policies Implications
*Reduce Food insecurity and empower ourcomes for children; policy makers should work to assure that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) an entitlement that does not face budget cuts when it's reauthorized.
*Work to reach eligible families and programs; make public food assistance programs for families more accessible and less difficult to administer and reward state for streamlining enrollment and reaching eligible families.
Poverty has been one of the Issues we have discussed in today's society pertaining to development of Early Childhood:
*Society for Research supports efforts to reduce poverty since issues of hunger and uncertainty about food availability often though not always co-occur with poverty.
*Focus on both the public and private food support programs; with to improve connection between public and private sector programs.
Research says:
Children in food insecure households are at increased risk for physical problems, Academic problems, Psych social difficulties.
The website I chose at the beginning of the course was http://www.worldforumfoundation.org
Because Social Justice is a very important topic all over the "world" when implementing polices, procedures and other important issues pertaining to the betterment of children and families; this information under world forum foundation I found to be helpful from this website.
*The Capacity to Enhance Social Capital and Services Provision for families and young Children:
Worldwide, growing evidence attests to the importance of effective early care and education services. Initiatives such as the Early Excellence Centres in the UK suggest that access to, and awareness and responsiveness of community services are enhanced when the services are integrated. It is also possible that services integration has the potential to build community social capital.
This information presents some of the findings from phase one of a collaborative study between QUT and several government and non-government organizations into establishment and ultimately, effectiveness, of two community hubs are focused on the provision of integrated child care and early childhood services but include family support services, parenting support, health services, community activities and education services. This investigation was underpinned by social capital theory. The data gathered was collected from community surveys and interviews in a rural and urban Queen locality.
Information that added to my understanding of Equity and Excellence and Equity:
This website reminded me that Social Justice and the reinforcement of Excellence and Equity is imperative all around the world. Sometimes we can get caught up with issues and trends right here in America and have a tendency to not be mindful that it's other countries facing the same challenges that we face in advocating for Social Justice and excellence/equity for all children.
Insights:
Understanding that Continuous effort in advocating/fighting for what is right for children and families all around the country is an long time commitment. And to know that we must never give up on making sure children and families who are not being seen or heard, but through our voices as early childhood educators, advocates and etc. I'm believing that fighting for equity and excellence for children and families will come to an end, but until that day comes; we are not to give up our duties, because children early childhood education and future for that matter depends upon it.
Resources:
http://www.worldforumfoundation.org
Society for Research in Child Developmenthttp://www.srcd.org/
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Issues pertaining to Equity and Excellence
Children Mental Health has been an issue that been an interest of mine for many years. Mental Health is a concerned that massively under addresses issues that has significant implication for the broader health and development of children and societies. It is an urgent need to identify the scope of the problem across countries (Global Center Initiative, 2006).
Children in Crisis and Conflicts Situation Harvard Humanities Initiative and Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health, both of which have extensive experiences working in emergency situation across the world. The goal is to collaborate their science-base development perspective into assessment and management of child well-being; while focusing immediate circumstances and long-term adaption.
Resource:
“Global Children’s Initiative” website (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/)
Children in Crisis and Conflicts Situation Harvard Humanities Initiative and Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health, both of which have extensive experiences working in emergency situation across the world. The goal is to collaborate their science-base development perspective into assessment and management of child well-being; while focusing immediate circumstances and long-term adaption.
Resource:
“Global Children’s Initiative” website (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/)
The Three focuses around Global Initiative...
1. Reframe the public discourse about EC; by educating high level decision makers about the common underlying science of learning.
2. To support innovation, multidisciplinary research and demonstration projects in certain countries or regions to expand global understanding of how healthy development happens, how it can be derailed, and how to get back on track.
3. To build leaderships capacity in child development, research and policy among individual and institution in low and middle income countries in order to increase the number and influence of diverse perspective that are contributing to the Global movement on behalf of young children.
There are two priorities that Global Children's Initiative focuses on:
1. Is to reach as many people who play a vital role in the investment of EC through scientific framework.
2. Apply new knowledge that addresses the health and development needs of young children in a variety settings.
2. To support innovation, multidisciplinary research and demonstration projects in certain countries or regions to expand global understanding of how healthy development happens, how it can be derailed, and how to get back on track.
3. To build leaderships capacity in child development, research and policy among individual and institution in low and middle income countries in order to increase the number and influence of diverse perspective that are contributing to the Global movement on behalf of young children.
There are two priorities that Global Children's Initiative focuses on:
1. Is to reach as many people who play a vital role in the investment of EC through scientific framework.
2. Apply new knowledge that addresses the health and development needs of young children in a variety settings.
Getting to know International Contacts Part 2
Under the Global Center Initiative I read some very important information regarding the future of our children in the United Sates and on a International level.
Center on The Developing Child was founded in 2006. The purpose of the Global Initiative is to educate all who are involved in making decisions in lives of children. The information presented is to inform how crucial EC development is in children's lives. Children are to reach their full potential to become productive and responsible citizens. "Healthy child development as the foundation of economic prosperity, strong communities, and a just society" (Global Center Initiative, 2006).
Center on The Developing Child was founded in 2006. The purpose of the Global Initiative is to educate all who are involved in making decisions in lives of children. The information presented is to inform how crucial EC development is in children's lives. Children are to reach their full potential to become productive and responsible citizens. "Healthy child development as the foundation of economic prosperity, strong communities, and a just society" (Global Center Initiative, 2006).
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