Getting to Know Your International Contacts -Part 3

For this week’s assignment I selected to review the UNESCO’s website on early childhood. UNESCO has provided a wide variety of information on early childhood. UNESCO advocates on Early Childhood Care and Education by focusing on health, nutrition, security and learning. My professional initial goals from the course “Early Childhood Foundations” was (1) to advocate on behalf of early childhood education; (2) to make positive impact on the lives of practitioners and caregivers and; (3) to help form support groups for parents and guardians. At the end of the course my redefined goals were (1) To advocate for funding to support medicals and nutritious meals for early childhood children within early childhood institutions;(2) To support groups within the early childhood institutions such as the Parent Teacher’s Association by providing with information on health care and developmental stages of children and (3) To create and information booth at a designated area or through the use of the internet to collect information on early childhood. The information on early childhood from UNESCO ECCE is overwhelming, so much to learn, so much to digest and so much to execute or to put into action. UNESCO ECCE discusses topics such as access and equity and quality. As you know quality, access and equity are all early childhood issues that affect us internationally and UNESCO ECCE discusses the initiative they have taken to promote deal with all these issues in early childhood education internationally. ECCE examines factors such as pedagogy materials, personnel training, service setting, parental education and involvement. I believe these factors relate to all of my three goals. One insight I have surely garnered from reading this web site is the sharing of information on quality early childhood education. My goals 2 and 3 relates to information sharing. For the past three and half years I have realize enough is not being done on the local level in my country to promote information about early childhood. I believe UNESCO ECCE has vital information that various stakeholders could use to invest more in early childhood and contribute to policies that will eventually lead to long term positive benefits for early childhood education. I might not have a lot of resources but I can start in my small circle by promoting my goals; making my voice be heard in church groups, PTA's, council meetings etc. about the importance of our children gaining access to quality early childhood education and that early childhood gets the attention it deserves.

Reference

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/quality/

SHARING EARLY CHILDHOOD RESOURCES- WEEK 6

This week’s assignment took me on a journey all the way in Australia. Australia has a number of websites on early childhood but the website I choose to explore is National Quality Standard Professional Learning  Program Newsletter (NQSPLPN). This website has many newsletters that cover a wide array of topics on early childhood. However, after much deliberation and searching I decided to review the newsletter on “Staffing for Quality.” I was particular drawn to this newsletter because of this week’s discussion on “Overcoming Barriers-Awareness, Accessibility and Responsiveness.”  This website also definitely adds to equity and excellence in early care and education.

The quality of early childhood programs are affected by the quality of the programs offered to our children.  According to NQSPLPN “there is now a wide body of evidence showing that early childhood education and care affects a child’s health, wellbeing and competence throughout their lives.”

One of the biggest barrier to quality early childhood care and education is how our early childhood staff responds to our children.  NQSPLPN discusses the evidence that lower child-adult ratios are associated with higher process quality and larger groups are associated with lower process quality. The website also explores the quality of leadership and what quality really should look like. One of the research findings speaks to responsive learning relationships are strengthened as educators and children learn together. Educators are more likely to be responsive, purposeful and thoughtful when staffing arrangements at their service allow them to direct their full attention to their work with children, and when they do not attend simultaneously to other tasks.

I believe as early childhood advocates we need to present more empirical evidence to our policy makers and stakeholders that quality really lies in the kind of staff our children have to encounter with on a daily basis. Many of our children who attend early care programs spend majority of their developmental years in these programs. Much effort should be made to ensure that our children get the best care and experiences. The attrition rate in our early childhood programs and the poorly trained staff will contribute to poor quality programs.

(http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/e-newsletters/)

Reference

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/e-newsletters/

 

Getting To Know Your International Contacts-Week 5

For this week’s post I have chosen to explore the alternative from the website “Global Children’s Initiative.” This website main aim is to focus on child health and development globally. They describe this initiative as “We view healthy child development as the foundation of economic prosperity, strong communities, and a just society, and our mission is to advance that vision by using science to enhance child well-being through innovations in policy and practice” (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/).

The main goals of this initiative are (1) Building a unified science of health, learning and behavior to explain the early roots of lifelong impairments; (2) Leaning the design, implementation and evaluation of innovative program and practice models that reduce preventable disparities in well-being; (3) Catalyzing the implementation of effective, science-based public policies through strategic relationships and knowledge; (4) Preparing future current leaders to build and leverage knowledge that promotes the healthy development of children and families and brings high returns to all of society ((http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/).

The three insights that I have learned from this website is (1) the focus is one the earliest stages of child development through the use of science; (2) engaging all necessary stakeholders globally so as to ensure that every one is aware of early childhood development; (3) the formulation of policies and practices that will help to guide the initiatives of the organization.

There is so much we can learn from this global initiative because of the approach they are using to build early childhood development. The “Global Children’s Initiative” first focus is to engage and educate the leadership of key international agencies, publish and disseminate papers to establish a strong scientific framework for global work and conduct systematic communications research and to identify the most effective ways to translate the science of child development for global policy makers(http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/). For the past weeks we have been discussing how important it is for policy makers to be knowledgeable about early childhood development. The Global Children’s Initiative is ensuring that a common framework be established so that all nations interesting in the development of early childhood have the opportunity to participate and gain valuable information that will help to formulate policies that will be relevant and enhance early childhood development.

This kind of initiative will help us to identify resources, save money and eradicate many diseases such as HIV that plague our societies.

Judy

Reference

(http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/),

Sharing Web Resources

For the past weeks I have been making myself familiar with the resource “Zero to Three”. This website has a multitude of information on child development. The website provides information through journals, newsletters, on line forums and brochures etc.

The area that I am most attracted to as an early childhood professional on this website is Public Policy. This section provides us with information on the policies that are used to manage early childhood. I am particular drawn to this area because for the past weeks we have been examining the trends and issues in early childhood. This section focuses mainly on research that helps to guide our policies and practices. This is very important because we need both the information from the past and the present in order to guide future decisions.  I didn’t find any controversial issues but I have definitely developed an appreciation of how much work goes into formulating policies for early childhood.  “Zero to Three” uses a policy framework: “Infant and Toddler Policy Framework” consists of: Good Health, Strong Families, Positive Early Learning Experiences, System.  If we are really going to be serious about early childhood we need to be informed. I believe “Zero to Three” has done their “homework” well because they have left no stone on turned.  Countries that are seeking to improve their early childhood systems can look at these different areas and garner information. However, it is important tthat his information ties into good cultural practices and not be seen as a “one size fit” all. I want explore the policy tool kit because early childhood in my country is still in the basic stages and we are stuggling with the policies and practices.  Too many persons are having a say in early childhood but they really do not know what early childhood is about.  The Early Childhood Commission recently celebrated ten years of service but many issues were revealed about how really effective are we. Everybody seems to want to contribute to early childhood but there are no proper policies and guidelines in place or are enforced to ensure that whatever we do is beneficial. “Zero to Three” focuses on action research and I believe this is very important in formulating our practices and policies. I believe the Commission could take a page out of their book.

Judy

Reference

http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/policy-toolkit/

 

 

Getting To Know Your International Contacts

 I decided to partner  with  Jennifer Holly-Harris who is actually a student at  Walden. She provided me with the website “Children’s Defence Fund” http://www.childrendefense.org/policy-priorities/ending-child-poverty/.  This website provided me with statistical information such as more than 16.1 million Children in America are poor, but they live in working families ” http://www.childrendefense.org/policy-priorities/ending-child-poverty/. This information on the number of persons living in America is very frightening.  No one is really immune to poverty and it can affect any one of us. Many persons believe that the USA is the land of opportunity but from this statistical data we know that developed countries are fighting issues on poverty. The website also presented its vision statement and some of its strategies that are used to fight poverty. Jennifer also shared with me pictures of families that are in abject poverty.  I was surprised to see families in the USA that can’t even buy food and a simple pair of shoes.

Reference

Children’s Defense Fund. Retrieved from http://www/childrendefense.org/policy-priorities/endingchild-poverty.

Sharing Web Resources

The organization I am interested in re: issues and trends in the early childhood field is “Zero to Three: National Center For Infants, Toddlers and Families” the link for this website is: http://www.zerothree.org

This organization provides a wealth of information on the current issues and trends in early childhood. The organization is a non- profit organization that provides parents, professionals and policy makers the knowledge and the  know –how of early childhood development. I currently receive information from the website through posts from their blog sites. A current issue that the web site is highlighting is dual language learners with early childhood children.

http://www.zerothree.org

 

The second organization that provides me with information on current trends and issues:

OMEP South African National Committee

The National Development Agency is an organization that provides support to early childhood in South Africa. It highlights many issues that affect early childhood in South Africa. Some of the issues this paper highlights are social and economic inequalities (apartheid).There are similarities between the NDA and the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) that is it looks areas that affect early childhood such as the infrastructure, early childhood practitioners, nutrition, norms and standards and policies.

cecd@iafrica.com

 

The third organization I am interested in is National Institute for Health and Welfare. This organization links you to various blogs and information on early childhood development in Finland. I came across a blog on some issues that are currently affecting children in Finland. I was surprised when I read about these issues because I did not even realize that the recession had also hit Finland and made a negative impact on early childhood. Sometimes it is good to get exposure to what other countries are experiencing in the field of early childhood because you realize that although you are affected by similar issues you are not the worst. I look up to Finland and one day would hope to visit their early childhood institutions but I have come to recognize that no nation whether we are considered first world, second world, third world or even no world the same issues affect. We are not immune to poverty and economic crises and the effects it has on early childhood development. The websites also gives the privilege to gain access to a number of links that provide information on early development partnerships, environment and other guidelines that are used to govern early child in Finland. I did not detect much similarities between what was discussed this week in terms of cultural diversity but I know for sure that the field of early childhood is also changing in Finland due to the current economic issues that is affecting the families.

http://www.thl.fi/en_US/web/en

 

 

Week 1- Establishing Professional Contacts

I found this week’s assignment a little challenging but I eventually made contact with two international professionals in the field of early childhood. Many of the organisations’ websites bounced the mails and some are still on a break from the Christmas term. However, I managed to make contact with UNICEF –Findland  and Eric Atmore of South Africa (The National Early Childhood Development Alliance). I also made contact with my classmate of the USA Jennifer Holley Harris who will be able to provide me with lots of firsthand information on the early childhood trends in the USA.  My contacts were all done through emails.Eric has sent me a comprehensive paper on Early Childhood Development in South Africa which I hope to share with you in my future blogs and Anni Ritari of Findland has also sent me various links that will assist with me information on the trends on issues in Finland.

For part two of the assignment I chose the website ‘Zero to Three’. To be honest it is a bit personal why I chose this website. I have three children and all three children’s development are so different. I am still curious to learn more about the developmental stages in a child between the ages zero to three. I become very defensive when persons try to compare my children to each other in a negative way. I owe it to them to make sure that they received the best care during the very early stages of their lives but I believe my first daughter had it the worst because I knew so little about child development and the persons who were supposed to know were just as ignorant. In my country the authorities place a lot emphasis on what takes place between three to six years and beyond but a part from offering free pre natal care to mothers that is as far as it goes when it comes to this age group (Zero to three). I believe if we just give this area a little more attention it will dispel some of the myths and ensure that this area gets some more attention as it deserves. For too long in Jamaica we have persons in day cares and private places who know absolutely nothing about this age group. I also believe we owe it to our children to know more about this developmental stage so that we can provide the right care. Because ‘Zero to Three’ is an American Website I know my classmates should be able to provide me with more support and information. I am open and ready to welcome any suggestions that will assist me with finding out more about early childhood development and the ways we can improve the lives of our children.

Judy