Final Blog Assignment

I have enjoyed being a part of this class.  I was able to explore new resources and research new ideas from different areas of the early childhood field.  I attempted to contact fellow colleagues from other countries.  However, I was unsuccessful in getting contacting anyone.  I feel this partly is due to the communication barrier and how differently internet connections are as well in other countries. 

Three consequences that I find pose issues involving my professional development include:

* The first consequence, I was unable to contact anyone in the field.  I was able to view international resources.

* The second consequence, I found viewing the websites very informative.  However, I can not help but think that other countries take early childhood education more seriously than the Unites States does.  This is very frustrating because we have more funding than these countries.  We have more resources and we could stronger early childhood education programs.

*The third consequence, is contacting other countries can be problematic due to the communication barriers and internet connections across seas.

One goal, I would like to implement in helping the international community would be to provide information to other about how the international community views and accepts early childhood education.  Maybe share resources with other countries on the United States success and research into the early childhood education profession.

International Contacts-Part 3

Exploring the UNESCO’s, “Early Childhood Care and Education" website:

Three insights that I have gained from exploring this website include:

First insight, would be that it is a world organization that promotes the importance of early childhood education and well-being of young children across the world.  Participating countries committed themselves to “expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children (http://www.unesco.org/).”   It is very heart warming to see that early childhood education has become a world-wide need and that others are advocating the field.

Second insight,  is the UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood and the curriculum that is taught. I found it interesting that they discuss the dilemma in planning a curriculum for teachers to follow.  Due to the lack of education and training that the educators have.  The policy also discusses a curriculum framework in order to meet all children's needs.

Third insight, that I have gained is the amount of resources other countries have for early childhood education professionals.  It does discuss how difficult it can be to find resources to meet all of the demands and aspects of the early childhood profession.  They provide alot of networking amongst the countries.  Also, funding can pose an issue to the amount of resources that is provided.

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

Sharing Web Resources

While exploring the NAEYC website I found an outside link that is affiliated with NAEYC and it SECA Southern Early Childhood Association http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/index.php.  I received a membership to the association when I joined NAEYC but never really reviewed it until now.  However, NAEYC has several organizations that are affiliated with it.

The link I chose to review was Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA). SECA provides several unique entities for instance radio broadcast, newsletters, public policy information, and trainings on the field of early childhood education.  The one thing that I thought was interesting about this website was the radio broadcasts that discuss topics pertaining to the early childhood field.  The radio broadcast provides information that is geared towards parents and teachers. 

I have not received a recent newsletter from NAEYC but I have received one from SECA.  One of the articles was titled, "Keeping the Joy of  Play in your Program."  I felt was pertinent to our classroom discussion on play.  The article talks about play-centered program.  It then gives several insights on why play should be allowed in the classroom.  http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/file/Reporter/SECA_RepFall2011.pdf

In further reviewing, the website SECA I found a article in the Summer issue of the newsletter called, "Two Suitcases and 6 Weeks:  Cyakabiri School Opens in Rwanda."  The article discusses one woman's journey to create a early childhood center in Rwanda.  I feel as though it was a good representation of equity and excellence in early care and education.  http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/file/Reporter/Reporter%20Summer%202011.pdf

The insights that I have gained from reviewing this website is that there are general concerns about the healthy development of children.  But the majority of the issues pertain to equity and excellence in the early childhood education program whether it be through curriculum, classroom instruction, children and families who are in need.  Early childhood education is field that is vastly growing and supports need to be made available to ensure quality is provided.

Havard University's-Global Children's Initiative

The following statement is from Havard University's Global Children's Initiative-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.  This statement serves an depiction of what society would like for early childhood education to be.  As educators, we would like for the education of our children to be meaningful in a sense that we want them to be prepared for higher levels of learning which in return will allow them to be successful as adults.

Three new insights I gained after reviewing this website:

1.) The strategies that in which the Global Children's Initiative plans on helping young children learn. (educating  high level decision-makers on the importance of early childhood education, global expansion of countries or regions on healthy child development, and diverse cultural education of low and middle income families).

2.) The focus points of the Global Children's Initiative portfolio include activities: early childhood development; child mental health; and children in crisis and conflict situations.

3.) The Global Children's Initiative was formed due to global concerns of young children's health and development.

I found this website to be very informative as far as the global concern for children's well-being.  It serves as a reminder that children from every aspect of the country whether it be the United States, Africa, or China they all have a common concern and that is how they are going to foster the development of young children.  The Global Children's Initiative is a program designed by Havard University to research and educate all countries on early childhood education.

Reference:
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children’s initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/

Sharing Resources

My professional organization is NAEYC and they have not released the new October newsletter.  So I went on and reviewed the website for current happenings. 

I found a press release entitled, "U.S. House bill moves the future for children, families, and the nation in the wrong direction: NAEYC urges opposition to H.R. 1"  I felt as though this press release fit into our classroom discussion and it also pertains to my professional development in a sense that early childhood education is something that I hold very dearly to me because I know how it helps children and their families.  I have seen many spectrums of the field.  I would love to be an advocate in bettering the early childhood education field.
This press release could be considered controversial in a sense that money and funding is involved.  And funding for early childhood programs is hard to come by.  We need more money in the field of early childhood education to provide better and stronger quality education.  Early childhood education is a key foundation to a child's early development and necessary skills for their higher levels of learning.  Reviewing this article, has opened my open eyes more on the struggle it has become to provide quality education to young children especially since funding and support so limited.

The NAEYC website provides update information on government mandates, arguments, and bills pertaining to early childhood education. It also provides debate information on the importance of the early childhood education program.  Right now there is different articles that pertain to government funding and the need for early education programs:

http://www.naeyc.org/newsroom/pressreleases/NAEYC_urges_opposition_to_HR_1
http://www.naeyc.org/newsroom/pressreleases/Senators_Brown_and_Hagan_introduce_NAEYC_recommendations_in_ESEA
http://www.naeyc.org/newsroom/pressreleases/Reps_Hirono_Jones_Young_Polis_Introduce_NAEYC_Recommendations_in_Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Act


Other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood education field I gained from exploring the website is numerous resources offers.  One resource I found interesting was coping with disaster and it had article that pertained to 9/11 disaster and how teachers taught it to their children.

Resources offered for coping with disaster:

Disaster planning for early child care programs

Talking to children about disasters

How organizations help children in a disaster

Helping children after a disaster

Including children in post-disaster rebuilding

Families coping with disaster

Post-disaster policy recommendations

9/11 Article:
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/09/remembering_911_bay_county_tea.html

Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 1

Well, after several attempts and intepreting different letters into Spanish to try to communicate with at least one international colleague.  I was unsuccessful and it is a bit disappointing to see that many of the messages were returned to me.  Since, I was so confident that I would get in touch my someone I delayed in communicating with someone through podcast when I finally went to connect I was unable to.

I went on reviewed the website on Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre’s page (http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/).  The country that I chose to research was China.  I have gained some good insights into ways that China is trying to end poverty.  The article indicates that China is making great strides in ending poverty.  It says the decline in poverty is due to the social transition and economic growth.  The article indicates that in the Western parts of China economic growth is slower.  Therefore, poverty levels are higher.  China's transition from a centrally planned to a globalized market economy has helped reduce chronic poverty and disadvantage, but also created new forms of vulnerability and poverty (http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/). Foreign trade and business has helped China's economy especially since they joined World Trade Organization.  Another way China is making great strides in ending poverty is the constant restructuring of state enterprises.  Child poverty has declined over the years.  Education and Health Care levels are higher than countries that have equivalent income levels. 

As the structure of the economy has changed, the social security system has had to adapt to protect people from different forms of poverty (http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/).  They provide services for families who are living in poverty but there is a concern that not enough is being distributed.  The article also discusses those that do not get the assistance and they need it.

This article is alarming, it is very scary to see that poverty levels are bad everywhere not just in the United States.

Sharing Web Resources

I chose to use NAEYC (The National Association for the Education of Young Children)  http://naeyc.org  as one of my web resources since I am a member I already receive their newsletter.

I enjoy staying abreast of the current happenings in the field of Early Childhood Education by researching NAEYC's website, affiliated journals, and newsletters.  One of the things, I like about NAEYC is they address all issues from State to National.  Many state's have their own NAEYC affilated organization and if you join NAEYC they allow you to join in your local organizations automatically.  The main focus of NAEYC is addressing issues and challenges that children and teachers may face in the early childhood field. NAEYC also covers culturally enriched learning environments.  The main goal of NAEYC and their position statement is to ensure all children have the right to quality care and education in a classroom environment that is developmentally appropriate.

I received the September 2011, e-newsletter from NAEYC.  One of the headlines in the newsletter provides Online Q&A:  Supporting Dual Language Learners.  This is a very interesting article, it was interactive and began on September 12-16, 2011.  Educators were able to post questions to Karen Nemeth a contributor to Teaching Young Children.  The article discussed ways and answered questions on supporting children with dual languages in the classroom.  Here is the link if anyone is interested in viewing it http://www.naeyc.org/event/supporting-dual-language-learners.

Another thing I found very informative in the newsletter is the debate that took place on C-SPAN involving NAEYC's executive director Jerlean Daniel and a panel of early childhood professionals at Brookings Institution Center on Children and Families.   The debate is called, "Benefits of Early Education." The discussion focused on the effectiveness of preschool and Head Start programs.  The link to is http://www.c-span.org/Events/Benefits-of-Early-Education-Debated/10737423641-1/.  I encourage my readers to check it out.