Week: 5 Issues and Trends Early Childhood EDUC 6162

Getting to Know Your International Contacts- Part 2

Early Childhood Trends Around the World

"Persistent gaps in education and health associated with socioeconomic disadvantage impose enormous burdens on individuals, communities, and societies worldwide.  The resource states that recent reports estimate that 200 million children fail to reach their full developmental potential by age 5. Drawing on our experience in North America, the Center on the Developing Child works globally to build a broader movement to achieve breakthrough outcomes for children around the world"  (Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative, 2016). 

The following propositions guide the Center’s international work:

• Coordinated strategies to support child development can multiply the effects of investments in child survival, health, education, and economic development.
• We need to protect children from significant adversity, in addition to providing them with enriched learning opportunities.
• The early childhood years are critical building blocks for lifelong health, not just school readiness.

Together with partner organizations on the ground, the Center promotes innovation in Brazil, Canada, and Mexico, as well as across a broader international platform(Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative, 2016). 

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The country that I chose to further study is:

MEXICO

Mexico’s experience in public investment in children is very interesting and highly valued by other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The efforts to identify and estimate the resources designated to children in the country’s federal budget are impressive, as they use a rigorous methodology of calculation that has been replicated by other governments ( Post by Monica Darer, UNICEF Regional Social Policy Specialist in Latin America and the Caribbean; and Maria Fernanda Paredes, Social Policy Officer at UNICEF Mexico, 2016).

Ivan Galindo, Instituto High/Scope México, Queretaro, México declared that; 

The general trend in basic education in México, for maybe six decades, has been incrementing coverage of the population. Up to 1993 universal education was only six years (primary school); some secondary (middle schools) existed but they did not pretend to cover the whole population. Starting in 1993, secondary school is compulsory for any child in México. Since 2005, one year of preschool is obligatory and for 2008, three years of preschool will be obligatory for all children in México. Coverage in general is around 65% in preschool (3-5 years), 92.9% in primary school (6-12 years), and 88.2% in secondary school (13-15 years) for a total population of 104 million. Preschool coverage should inch up to more than 90% in the next four years. This may imply overpopulation in many school buildings. To improve quality the government has changed programs in preschool to emphasize competences and more “constructivist” style of learning in classrooms. In addition, this program promotes a more open, reflective, flexible, and creative practice from teachers. Nevertheless, the implementation of these new programs is far from satisfactory. There is a huge gap between intention and implementation. There is a great lack of good training and capacity building for teachers on the job. It is easier to change education on paper than changing 200,000 preschool teachers ( Neugebauer 2007).  

I have learned that, the reality is that in Mexico research is scarce and so are applied programs 

that focus specifically on all the varied factors 

involved in education during this period of life.

A final interesting note to add is that UNICEF reports that as of the early 21st century half of the children in the world live in urban areas. Mexico is no different than the rest of the world, with an increasing migration from rural areas to the major cities in the country. However, although there is clear preoccupation in some institutions about the effects contemporary urban life has on children’s well-being and development, little research has been conducted in Mexico regarding how urban contexts and the life practices involved in it affect children’s educational, psychological, and sociocultural development. In contrast, after the Zapatista movement that started in 1994, much effort was made to study indigenous children’s education and development, particularly the problems they face with language in schools, which resulted in a solid and consistent work published at a national and international level. Therefore, a selection of this excellent material is also included ( Azuara, 2015).

3 additional insights and information that 

I have gained:

Public spending should serve as a tool to achieve greater equity, not to reinforce or worsen the existing inequalities in the fulfillment of children’s rights. As the report states, “To the measure that the allocation is pro-poor, greater will be the capacity of public spending to promote equality of opportunities” (UNICEF, 2016)

Public spending is a tool to strengthen the capacities of children and adolescents in health, education and income and to improve the opportunities that these bring. Equitable public spending in human development promotes the effective enjoyment of rights and promotes equality of opportunities. The Mexican study demonstrates very clearly that greater investment in a particular social dimension, will lead to greater development in this area.

Public spending should respond to the evidence which has demonstrated the greater effectiveness of investing in integral development in early childhood given that delays in growth and cognitive development during these first years can be irreversible. At the same time, public health and social assistance programs become more costly for children as they get older (UNICEF, 2016).

This plan for public spending needs to take into account an adequate budget allocation to roll out the recently approved General Law for Children’s Rights. The priority that a government gives an issue is made visible through its budgetary allocation and, without a doubt, this new law requires a strong showing of budgetary prioritization in its initial phase of implementation.

The need for adequate financing with a focus on equity for interventions related to the human development of children is a message that should cause a strong echo in the entire Latin America and Caribbean region where the concentration of income and social disparities continue to be more acute than in any other part of the world.

Post by Monica Darer, UNICEF Regional Social Policy Specialist in Latin America and the Caribbean; and Maria Fernanda Paredes, Social Policy Officer at UNICEF Mexico.

References:

Azuara, Rebeca M. ( 2015). Early Childhood Education and  Development in Mexico. Retrieved from:http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199756810/obo-9780199756810-0020.xml

Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” (2016). Retrieved from: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/

Neugebauer, Roger ( 2007). Early Childhood Trends Around The World. Retrieved from:/www.childcareexchange.com/library/5017558.pdf

UNICEF ( 2016). Retrieved from:/blogs.unicef.org/blog/key-lessons-in-public-spending-equity-from-mexico/

Week 4 Issues and Trends Early Childhood Sharing Web Resources

Sharing Web Resources

For the past four weeks I have been studying and researching the National Association for the Education of Young Children's website.  The association contains nearly 60,000 individual members of the early childhood community all committed to delivering on the promise of high- quality early learning for all children.   

  

What specific information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?

After studying the National Association for the Education of Young Children's website I gained much needed knowledge about NAEYC and their Accreditation programs and it made me think about high quality child care in a new way.  I learned that having high standards can help promote a positive and healthy learning environment for all children.   

NAEYC strives to raise the quality of education for all children from birth through age eight. Accreditation systems are major part of NAEYC's efforts to improve early childhood education; they allow programs to provide the best learning experiences for young children and their educators by meeting national standards of quality.

Accreditation of Programs for Young Children Since 1985, NAEYC's national accreditation system has set professional standards for early childhood education programs, allowing families to find high-quality programs for their children.		Accreditation of Associate Degree Programs  NAEYC’s Commission on Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation awards accreditation to associate degree programs that meet Professional Preparation Standards for programs preparing early childhood educators.		Recognition of Baccalaureate and Graduate Degree Programs  NAEYC also recognizes high-quality Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs, as part of a partnership with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

NAEYC Accreditation of programs for young children represents the mark of quality in early childhood education.  NAEYC Accreditation began in 1985 with the goal of providing an accrediting system that would raise the level of early childhood programs. Today, over 7,000 programs are NAEYC Accredited.

NAEYC accredited programs invest in early childhood education because they believe in the benefits to children and families.  Early childhood experiences—from birth to age 8—have an enormous impact on children’s lifelong learning and positively contribute to their health and development.  Early childhood education programs with the mark of quality benefit children with greater readiness for and success in school.

Which ideas, on the website made you think about an issue in new ways?

I have learned that high quality programs has been built from standards that parents and families are seeking out through NAEYC-accredited programs.  Parents choosing an early childhood education program can be overwhelmed by trying to find the highest-quality program for their child. NAEYC Accreditation is the mark of quality that families are looking for. NAEYC Accreditation gives families the chance to make the Right Choice for Kids.

What information does the website contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field?

Early childhood education is something everyone can support. From brain scientists to economists and from parents to governors, Americans of all backgrounds know we need to invest in our nation’s youngest children. Time after time, polls demonstrate that voter support for investment in early learning crosses the political, geographic and demographic lines that sometimes divide us. In Congress, lawmakers in both houses, on both sides of the aisle, have come together as part of a Pre-K Caucus that supports increased access to high-quality early childhood education.

What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website?

At NAEYC, their core values demand that we appreciate and support the bond between the child and family. I have learned that early childhood education is not about taking the role of parents as the first and most important teachers in their children’s lives. It is not about education structured and delivered on-high from Washington, D.C.  It is about engaging and partnering with families and communities to ensure all children have access to high-quality experiences that set the stage for success in school and in life.

Early childhood education is something everyone can support - but the truth is that it’s more than that. It’s something families and children need everyone to support. 

As our nation's political parties consider their platforms, NAEYC encourages those working at the federal, state and local levels to recognize that families support educators and educators support families - and it’s time for policymakers to support investments in early childhood education that supports them both. 

Our children can’t wait.

  

Refeerence:

© National Association for the Education of Young Children - Promoting excellence in early childhood education 1313 L St. NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20005 | (202)232-8777 | (800)424-2460 | webmaster@naeyc.org retrieved from:http://www.naeyc.org/

Week: 3 Issues and Trends Early Childhood 6162

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 1

I was unfortunately unable to get in touch with my original vision of  international professionals, so I am grateful for the alternative opportunity.  After studying the website from the UNICEF's page I located an interesting article that gave my great insight about childhood poverty in Bangui Central African Republic.

I have learned that, Poverty is widespread in the Central African 

Republic (CAR). 

Years of insecurity, instability and lack of governmental 

investment in social services have plunged the country into a 

deep crisis.

I have learned that; One child out of five dies before reaching the age of five. Central African Republic has not only one of the highest child mortality rates in the world, but also has the lowest school enrollment.

Boda is a small diamond town west of the capital, Bangui. Very little of the industry’s income is invested in the area. I have learned that , children’s health and education is often neglected because parents are forced to spend long periods away from their homes looking for diamonds.

 I have gain great insight on the fact that UNICEF is working 

with the government and development partners to give the 

children of Central African Republic a better future.

UNICEF Community Development Officer Daniel Gbele first met with community leaders in

Boda two years ago to address the issue of poverty.

“We agreed to start a program that would break the circle of poverty the families in the village have been living in for years, by taking care of the health and education of the young children and their mothers,” he said.

The village of Cotonaf, a few miles north of Boda, was among the first to start a community center for young children. 

Each day, just over 100 children between the ages of two and five are sent to the center, where they sing, draw and get important medical attention, including vaccinations. They also receive a meal provided by the World Food Program.

Parents are delighted that their children are getting vital care. Ringo Samedi is the father of two children, the younger of whom goes to the center every day.

“The center takes care of Noella while my wife and I are at work,” said Mr. Samedi. “She learns a lot of useful things. She speaks much better than other children in the village who do not go.”

Boda and Cotonaf are just 2 of the 20 communities across Central African Republic in which UNICEF is supporting early child development and care. Today the program reaches 40,000 people – about 1 per cent of the country’s population.

The CAR Government says it wants to replicate the program in five districts and extend its reach to more than a third of the population. 

The Millennium Development Goals are far from met in CAR. But UNICEF and its partners are backing the government’s efforts to make real progress towards reducing the high levels of child mortality, expanding education opportunities and alleviating poverty in one of the world’s poorest countries.

 Additional Insights,

UNICEF and its partners have supported  the Government of the Central African Republic (CAR) in organizing a series of emergency polio vaccination campaigns in 2012.

To protect children from the paralyzing and irreversible 

effects of the disease, and to reach the goal of eradicating 

polio in CAR, vaccination campaigns must aim to reach 

every child.

UNICEF works with partners in the government and the media to provide posters as well as SMS and radio messages to promote polio immunization campaigns. Social mobilizers visit communities to discuss vaccination with parents and persuade them to have their children fully vaccinated.

UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners working with the government have organized three campaigns in three months to prevent any possible new epidemic of polio. The WHO recommends that all children receive three vaccinations against polio between the age of 2 months and 6 years.

“In the future, UNICEF would like to support the government to stage more Child Health Days, which will not only vaccinate children against polio but vaccinate them against all other diseases as well,” said Pierre Signe, UNICEF’s Chief of Child Survival and Development. 

“Child Health Days twice a year would also be a vital opportunity to identify children and pregnant women with malnutrition and begin the treatment they need. UNICEF highlights the need for additional funds to make this a reality for children in CAR.”

Reference:

Breaking the cycle of poverty: UNICEF’s early childhood programme in CAR retrieved from:http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/car_34068.html

In the Central African Republic, UNICEF reaches out to ethnic minorities in the fight against polio retrieve from:http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/car_62528.html

   

Week:2 Issues & Trends Early Childhood

Sharing Web Resources

The organization that I chose to learn more about is the National Association for the Education of Young Children also known as NAEYC. 

NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. NAEYC advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children. 

Learn more at www.naeyc.org.

One current trend that caught my attention was an article titled 

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage and Eating Right with José-Luis Orozco

This article was about a bilingual teacher name Jose who noticed a need for rich oral language activities in children's heritage language.  Jose began writing songs and recapturing games grounded in rich oral traditions.  

  

 For over forty years he's written and composed bilingual songs, games, rhymes and poems for young children.  In celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, José-Luis talks about his newest album !Come Bien! Eat Right! and the messages he wants to share with families and teachers.

This article states that, the United States is now more diverse than ever. There is a great need to learn a second language to get ahead in the job market. It is important to involve families in the teaching process in order for children to succeed in school and in life. Teachers can create opportunities in their classrooms for parents to get more involved. For example, by asking parents to share a family tradition, a recipe, etc. Teachers should also provide opportunities for parents or family members to share stories, songs, and information in their primary home language. Another great idea to involve parents is to invite parents for an afternoon and have the students learn the dance and song together.

NAEYC is Going Global!

To better serve the world’s young children and their teachers, NAEYC has expanded its role in early childhood education across the globe. NAEYC’s Global Engagement department works with governments and other large-scale systems to create guidelines to support early learning, as well as to support early childhood professionals throughout the world. The Global Engagement Department will adapt NAEYC’s resources, content, and expertise to offer culturally appropriate packages that support high-quality early learning. To see examples of our recent work or to see if NAEYC’s Global Engagement department can help you, visit our technical assistance page.

NAEYC knows that by pro-actively engaging with early childhood professionals worldwide, we will learn more about innovative approaches in early education, deepen our knowledge, and broaden our perspective.

NAEYC’s 2016 Annual Conference November 2nd-5th in Los Angeles, CA, the world's largest early education conference and expo. Build your early childhood education network and knowledge base over four days and hundreds of sessions, and check out our special language-tracks: Grandes Comienzos, our Spanish-language track, and 良好開端 (Good Start), our Mandarin-language track.

Learn more at www.naeyc.org.

Week: 1 Issues & Trends EarlyChildhood EDUC:6162

Establishing Professional Contacts 

and Expanding Resources

Part 1:

Establishing Professional Contacts

I am very excited and eager to be apart of this assignment and have the opportunity to engage with early childhood professionals from across the world.  I was very proud to be able to have a meaningful reason to contact one of my past professors and ask for information regarding her experience traveling to Africa and then China for Early Childhood Conventions.  I an hopeful for her to return my call so that I may expand my knowledge and gain information regarding international issues in the field of early childhood.

Part 2:

Expanding Resources

To broaden my knowledge and expand my resources in the field of early childhood I have filled out an application for The National Association for the Education of Young Children NAEYC.

 The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children.

The association comprises nearly 60,000 individual members of the early childhood community and more than 300 regional Affiliate chapters, all committed to delivering on the promise of high-quality early learning. Together, we work to achieve a collective vision: that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential.