Issues and Trends Finale

            Throughout this course, my sense of awareness concerning issues and trends in the early childhood field has expanded immensely, not just locally, within the United States but internationally as well. I got connected with some very informative websites, mainly Global Children’s Initiative. They have very strong views on early childhood development in Haiti which are very similar to the issues and challenges we face in the US. Australia, shares breakthroughs they’ve had in child mental health and the importance of high-quality training for educators and professionals who work with young children. Locally and internationally children in crisis and conflict situations remain a concern for policymakers, administrators, educators, and families. Passionate individuals for the field of early childhood refuse to give up, cave in, or quit on being a strong voice for children. Change is continually being made in favor of children all across the nation and that is what make the small things important.

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2

              Since I have not yet received response from an international contact, I researched Global Children’s Initiative (GCI), launched by Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child. One essential commitment of the center is to work collaboratively across disciplines and institutions, drawing together the best and most creative expertise available to achieve the Initiative’s goals. Three main goals of the center are 1) early childhood development; 2) child mental health; and 3) children in crisis and conflict situations.

GCI has developed several strategic plans to create an atmosphere of equity and excellence for all children around the world, particularly by supporting innovative, multi-disciplinary research and demonstration projects. They purposefully tend to expand global understanding of how healthy development happens, how it can be derailed, and how to get it back on track.

In collaboration with local experts, the program aims to use the science of child health and development to guide stronger policies and larger investments to benefit young children and their families in Brazil. This is very meaningful to me, by nature I am a fixer. I work hard to put back together, what is broken; strengthen areas of weaknesses, and when things go wrong-do my level best to make it right.

 Though, I have not yet experienced missions in other countries; I am inspired to look on every individual as a beautiful and unique creation, complete with needs and desires that are specific to his/her own life. For the children and families I serve, my professional goal is to offer them a sense of belonging, worth, and competence. I will begin-right where I am and start by brightening the community in which I live with genuine concern for the well-being of children, their families, and all who I work with to get the job done.

 

Reference

 

Center of the Developing Child. (2013). Global Children’s Initiative. The President and Fellows of Harvard College. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiative

 

 

Sharing Web Resources Pt.2

World Organization for Early Childhood Education in Canada is involved with a project that promotes reading books to children known as Toy Libraries. They offer workshops for disadvantaged young parents on reading books to their babies and young children. I find this very relevant to the objectives of my facility because reading is a big part of their programs and I offer incentives to parents who spend time reading to their children at home.

In the newsletter, Canada partners with Haiti to ensure high-quality education and the well-being of young children. I like how they work with each other to get the job done. From their example, I would like to partner with another organization for the purpose of expanding services to reach more families.

            OMEP members around the world are communicating with local, regional, national and international policy makers to promote early childhood development as a high priority for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals  that will guide government policies and spending around the world from 2015-2030.

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

             I decided to follow the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) and have contacted via email Sheila Smith, PH.D, director of Early Childhood. I have not yet received a response from her, so I researched some of her work. Thus far, she has written 10 publications; one in particular is Young Children at Risk. According to this publication, poverty is a risk factor that contributes to academic failure and poor health in young children living in America and across the nation. Smith reports children as early as 24 months, lag in cognitive and behavioral development compared to their peers in higher-income families. Smith also reveals other issues linked to poverty such as: economic hardship, low-parent education, and single-parent homes.

What I have gleaned so far, is that government, educational professionals, employers, and parents are aware of the problem and the solutions that will help solve them. The challenge is the process of making the solutions a reality. Economic hardship is a result of low-wages and unstable employment; solution, increased pay and job security. What obstacles prevent this from happening? There are many variables, for instance: employers unable to increase wages, parents unable to afford steady childcare or struggle with transportation to get back and forth to work. Low-parent education hinders an individuals’ chance of acquiring a high-paying position. The solution is simple-seek higher education, however, for many parents this solution is easier said than done especially for a parent already living in poverty.

In the single-parent home, one pay check is not enough and getting two jobs creates other issues such as less time spent with children, unable to attend school functions, or prepare decent meals at home. Many times this family will spend more money eating out. Knowing the problems and solutions, has led NCCP to develop specific projects to bring change to poverty-stricken families. A few of these projects include promoting paid family leave, improving the odds for children; and community connections.

Sharing Web Resources

        The organization I selected is OMEP, World Organization for Early Childhood Education. They focus on advancing the interests and overall wellbeing of children around the world. They are culturally and linguistically diversified and specific in their aim to educate and provide all children with high-quality care.

OMEP was founded in 1946, when a small group of educators and others came together with a strong concern for the welfare of young children. This group included professionals from the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Denmark, and Norway. They developed a plan for the creation of a world organization to promote the wellbeing, rights and education of young children. OMEP have very successful sites all around the world, especially in Haiti and Jamaica. If you are interested in learning more about this organization, go to http://www.unicef.

 

Establishing Contacts

This week I enjoyed the preusing through various websites and reading about EC in other countries. I sent emails to a few and are yet awaiting a response. I am most interested in the Canadian Childcare Federation and Haiti Step by Step Program. I am hoping to hear from someone soon.

My Supports

            In all honesty, my major support is my relationship with God and the grace he has given me to understand his purpose for my life; I pray and obey (most of the time). My next support factor is the source of my income because with it I am able to live a lifestyle of meaning and comfort. A third support factor, at this time in my life, is Walden University which represents my love for education; learning as well as teaching.

The benefit of having a relationship with my heavenly Father is that I have someone in my life, who loves me unconditionally, is reliable and trustworthy, and financially able to support my every need. Existing without him in my life is doable but to live without him, for me, is impossible. Numerous of times I have tried to imagine what my life would be like without the belief that Jesus is the son of God, that God is the Father and creator of all people and things; and that the Holy Spirit is a gift to me from Jesus to assist in my pursuit of living a godly lifestyle and I cannot do it. I am unable to imagine my life without that belief; every thought and action of quality that I have made in my adult life can be traced back to that belief.

The benefit of having a source of income allows me to maintain a home, care for myself and children, support other ministries and organizations, and occasionally help someone else in need. Without this support, I and my family would experience lack in many areas and the impact would be living a lifestyle that required me to become dependent on others for our survival.

The benefit of attending WU is the support I receive towards strengthening my knowledge and understanding in areas of interests and unrealized interests. Without research based-evidence, the extent of my knowledge and understandings would be based on experiences and traditions which are, by themselves, unreliable.

Since the death of my husband, I will admit that I miss the support a husband gives to a wife and look forward to the day when I am able to experience it again. Until then, I will continue to enjoy my single, but not alone lifestyle with family and friends. I receive support from my adult daughters, who step in on occasions as caregiver assistants when I am away from the facility. I also recognize parents as a support to ensuring children have what they need and come to the facility ready to learn. When parents and teachers work together for the good of the child, the results lead to children who grow up to be healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Not having parents as a support system can be detrimental to the program in that it will create chaos and confusion that could result in an enrollment reduction which could lead to closure if not corrected.