- Realization that this nation still has a very long way to go when it comes to excellence and equity in education. That is why it is so important for each one of us to do our part to provide the highest quality education possible to those we teach. Each one teach one. Each one reach one. Each one pay it forward. That is how change happens.
- I have become more sensitive to issues of diversity. Unless we make quality education a priority for all, issues of inequity and injustice will always abound.
- Realization that Issues of equity and quality occur all around the world. We may all be different, but our issues are the same. I am grateful to live in a country where women are not denied an education, although we still have work to do in regards to equal pay and jobs for women. I fear equity and quality in education will be trending issues for generations to come. I hope not!
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Final Blog Assignment
Studying international
websites has influenced my professional development in many ways.
Thee consequences of learning about the international early childhood
field is:
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3
This week I explored the UNESCO
website. UNESCO advocates for Early Childhood Care and Education
(ECCE) programs that attend to health, nutrition, security, learning
and holistic development.
On this website, I explored an article entitled “International Day of the Girl Child 2013.” On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 11th as the International Day of the Girl Child, which recognizes girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. In 2013, the theme for the day was “Innovating for Girls’ Education.” The day is certainly necessary because although great strides have been made in the last decade, millions of girls are still being denied their right to education for no other reason than their gender. Here are some facts:
On this website, I explored an article entitled “International Day of the Girl Child 2013.” On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 11th as the International Day of the Girl Child, which recognizes girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world. In 2013, the theme for the day was “Innovating for Girls’ Education.” The day is certainly necessary because although great strides have been made in the last decade, millions of girls are still being denied their right to education for no other reason than their gender. Here are some facts:
- “31 million girls of primary school age are out of school. Of these 17 million are expected never to enter school. There are 4 million fewer boys than girls out of school.”
- “Three countries have over a million girls not in school: In Nigeria there are almost five and a half million, Pakistan, over three million, and in Ethiopia, over one million girls out of school.”
- “There are also 34 million female adolescents out of
school, missing out on the chance to learn vital skills for work
and life.”
- This nation still has a very long way to go when it comes
to excellence and equity in education. That is why it is so
important for each one of us to do our part to provide the highest
quality education possible to those we teach. Each one teach one.
Each one reach one. Each one pay it forward. That is how change
happens.
- Unless we make quality education a priority for all, issues
of inequity and injustice will always abound.
- Issues of equity and quality occur all around the world. We
may all be different, but our issues are the same. I am grateful
to live in a country where women are not denied an education,
although we still have work to do in regards to equal pay and jobs
for women. I fear equity and quality in education will be trending
issues for generations to come. I hope not.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Sharing Web Resources
I have been exploring the Harlem
Children's Zone (HCZ) website (www.hcz.org).
They now have a new layout for the site. What immediately caught my
eye was their logo that spread across the center of the page in bold
white letters with a black rectangular background: A National Model
for Breaking the Cycle of Poverty: Education + Family & Community
+ Health = Results. Truer words never spoken! It takes a village to
raise a child! I am so glad that the HCZ also recognizes that Health
plays a vital role in the overall well being of a child. I am sure
that includes mental health, emotional health, spiritual health, and
physical health.
What I like about the HCZ is that their motto is not just words, but words in action. The children receive a high quality education and are heavily involved in the community. I just received my first newsletter from the HCZ that featured an article about 4000 youth who competed in the HCZ's annual Summer Games. This event is one of the ways children can stay safe and actively engaged in the summer while developing lifelong healthy habits. This is just another great example of how the HCZ is making great strides in equity and excellence in Early Childhood education—helping children become their best selves for years to come!
Another link I found on the website was:
Here you will find a Section entitled Poems by Geoffrey Canada. The poem that caught my eye and touched my heart was Waiting for Whom? Every Early Childhood Educator should read this poem. It is gut wrenching and thought provoking. It is also a call to action. So many children have been tossed aside and not been given the opportunity of a high quality education. The concept of equity and excellence was lost on them and they fell through the cracks. We as Educators now have the opportunity to make a difference and save those children who are waiting for US to DO something!
Here is the poem:
http://hcz.org/documents-and-publications/
http://wac.adef.edgecastcdn.net/80ADEF/hcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Waiting-for-Whom-no-date.pdf
What I like about the HCZ is that their motto is not just words, but words in action. The children receive a high quality education and are heavily involved in the community. I just received my first newsletter from the HCZ that featured an article about 4000 youth who competed in the HCZ's annual Summer Games. This event is one of the ways children can stay safe and actively engaged in the summer while developing lifelong healthy habits. This is just another great example of how the HCZ is making great strides in equity and excellence in Early Childhood education—helping children become their best selves for years to come!
Another link I found on the website was:
Here you will find a Section entitled Poems by Geoffrey Canada. The poem that caught my eye and touched my heart was Waiting for Whom? Every Early Childhood Educator should read this poem. It is gut wrenching and thought provoking. It is also a call to action. So many children have been tossed aside and not been given the opportunity of a high quality education. The concept of equity and excellence was lost on them and they fell through the cracks. We as Educators now have the opportunity to make a difference and save those children who are waiting for US to DO something!
Here is the poem:
Waiting
for Whom?
If
you asked me where it all went wrong,
And
why we find today
That
certain children’s lives are ruined,
Broken
dreams just tossed away.
I
would tell you a tale so sad to hear
You
might not believe it’s true.
It’s
true, it’s sad, and terribly bad.
The
question is: what will you do?
It
seems that it is not a crime,
And
not against the law,
To
miseducate millions of children
As
long as they are poor.
You
can fail them year, after year,
And
no one will give a damn.
That
is no one except you and me,
But
we’re quiet and injustice stands.
In
fact, adults seem to have the right
To
get paid while doing harm.
Even
if they have slapped and cursed,
And
pinched those little arms.
And
some do worse, lest we forget,
Those
who punch, demean, molest,
And
they get to stay, can’t be sent away.
Who
supports this system anyway?
I
ask who created this broken system,
Where
for decades poor children have failed?
And
why can’t we change such dysfunction
Where
for most, failed schools lead to jail?
And
who in the hell defends such a thing,
Where
the evidence is clear and true?
I,
for one, have said enough is enough,
I
hope I can count on you too.
Our
children are waiting for someone,
A
hero who’s ready to fight.
To
end decades of injustice,
To
know and to do what is right.
And
what I am saying is shocking,
But
what I am saying is true.
The
hero children are waiting for,
That
hero, it’s me and it’s you.
Geoffrey
Canada
February
2010
http://hcz.org/documents-and-publications/
http://wac.adef.edgecastcdn.net/80ADEF/hcz.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Waiting-for-Whom-no-date.pdf
Saturday, August 2, 2014
International Contacts: Part 2
Unfortunately, I have not received
a response from an international early childhood professional, so I
decided to explore Harvard University's Global Children's Initiative
run by The Center on the Developing Child.
What initially stood out for me was The Center's acknowledgment of moral responsibility to meet the needs of all children in all areas of their development. What also stood out to me was that the Center helps all children from the poorest to the richest. This was interesting because when it comes to global education and outreach, I usually hear or read about children from the poorest countries receiving assistance. Rarely do I hear about rich children needing outreach services. This really speaks to the Center's commitment to equity and excellence and the acknowledgement that ALL children should be treated equally. What helps the Center in achieving excellence is their multidisciplinary approach to helping children, bringing together the best an most innovative resources.
A project developed by the Initiative that stood out for me was the ZAMBIAN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. In collaboration with others, The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University launched the Zambian Early Childhood Development Project (ZECDP) in 2009.This project focused on early childhood development and the effects of an ongoing anti-malaria campaign.
In order to measure the impact of the anti-malaria campaign on Zambia’s human capital development, the ZECDP created a new comprehensive instrument for assessing children’s physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development before and throughout their schooling age. The project was completed in May 2010. After careful calibration of the new survey tool through two rounds of piloting, 1,686 children born in 2004 was assessed between July and December 2010. In 2011, successful follow-up occurred with 1,250 of those children. The early stages of the project demonstrate that comprehensive child assessments are feasible within standard population-based household surveys.
The Zambian educators hope to use these assessments to improve their understanding of child development and to help them identify if services are needed to improve outcomes for their growing and developing children.
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/zambian_project/
What initially stood out for me was The Center's acknowledgment of moral responsibility to meet the needs of all children in all areas of their development. What also stood out to me was that the Center helps all children from the poorest to the richest. This was interesting because when it comes to global education and outreach, I usually hear or read about children from the poorest countries receiving assistance. Rarely do I hear about rich children needing outreach services. This really speaks to the Center's commitment to equity and excellence and the acknowledgement that ALL children should be treated equally. What helps the Center in achieving excellence is their multidisciplinary approach to helping children, bringing together the best an most innovative resources.
A project developed by the Initiative that stood out for me was the ZAMBIAN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. In collaboration with others, The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University launched the Zambian Early Childhood Development Project (ZECDP) in 2009.This project focused on early childhood development and the effects of an ongoing anti-malaria campaign.
In order to measure the impact of the anti-malaria campaign on Zambia’s human capital development, the ZECDP created a new comprehensive instrument for assessing children’s physical, social-emotional, and cognitive development before and throughout their schooling age. The project was completed in May 2010. After careful calibration of the new survey tool through two rounds of piloting, 1,686 children born in 2004 was assessed between July and December 2010. In 2011, successful follow-up occurred with 1,250 of those children. The early stages of the project demonstrate that comprehensive child assessments are feasible within standard population-based household surveys.
The Zambian educators hope to use these assessments to improve their understanding of child development and to help them identify if services are needed to improve outcomes for their growing and developing children.
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/zambian_project/
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