Sharing Web Resources

I have become increasingly interested in studying children’s rights around the world.  The Association for Childhood Education International highlights a program named Love Me, Teach Me.  The purpose of the program is to promote the needs and rights of children everywhere.  The campaign is built on four cornerstones, each contributing to the well-being of children and related to children’s needs and rights.  The four cornerstones are See Me, Hear Me, Love Me, and Teach Me and they apply to children, worldwide.

While exploring the website, I found a tab called Global News Archives.  In this section, you can find a variety of issues related to many trends and issues in early childhood education.  I found many related to our current discussion of how economists, scientists, and politicians support the early education field.

I read an article entitled, The competition that really matters:  Comparing U.S., Chinese, and Indian investments in the next generation workforce.  This article talks about the ambitious Chinese national goals, aim a 50% increase in preschool enrollment by 2020.  The push is an outcome of strong public commitment and national economic strategy toward improving early childhood, education, and technological advancement in China. It is an interesting view of what other countries are doing to improve early childhood education.

There is a “Giving” section located on this website.  I assumed the section was one asking for donations for the organization.  However, this section is asking for donations for other projects.  One that is highlighted is in the village of Kitenga, Tanzania.  The country is building a preschool for young girls.  In 2000, Tanzania has abolished school fees in an effort to improve access to education for children.  It seems like a worthy cause to contribute.

 

References

Association for Childhood Education

www.acei.org

Cooper, D. & Hersh, A.  (2012). The competition that really matters:  Comparing U.S., Chinese, and Indian investments in the next generation workforce.  Center for American Progress.  Retrieved from http://www.thenextgeneration.org/files/The_Competition_that_Really_Matters.pdf

 

 

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

Well, disappointment has set in.  I didn’t hear back from any of the international professionals I contacted.  So I will proceed with the blog assignment and use the pod cast alternative.  This week I chose to listen to and learn about Irma Allen who is the chairperson of the Swaziland Environment Authority.  Swaziland is an interesting country.  It is the only country that continues to have a king.  It is a small kingdom between South Africa and Mozambique.

Ms. Allen is passionate about Early Childhood Education, specifically the nature dimension.  She feels there is a challenge to train community people to become teachers of young children.  Ms. Allen believes there are no classroom walls.  Nature is the classroom.  Teachers should rely on nature to teach children.  Nature includes the local environment, trees and the weather.  Teachers should further create respect for the environment.  Educating the children on the life and death in the environment is important.  An example given was decomposition of leaves and trees.

 

Childhood Policy Research and Policy Centre

I chose to learn about childhood poverty of children living in India. 

v  India accounts for 20 percent of the world’s out-of-school children.  Of those children nearly one third are under the age of 16. 

v  Caste, class, ethnicity and gender affect access to resources of all kinds.

v  Efforts for reform are being attempted.  In 2003, attempts to create a Child Policy for the state of Rajasthan were started with participation of civil organizations, donor agencies and academic groups.

 

References

World Forum Foundation

http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/radio.php

 

Child Poverty Research and Policy Centre

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

 

Sharing Web Resources

 

I have recently joined the Association for Childhood Education International organization. This organization promotes education based on universal human rights principles and rooted in the values of human dignity and respect.  They advocate for education as a means of achieving social justice, equity, and peace. 

Their motto is:  Bright Futures for Every Child, Every Nation.

 I look at the issues of early childhood education as a global issue.  Although each country has its own issues and trends, the ultimate goal is the same.

An article that was of particular interest is "What learning is important for all children?"

This article examines should learning assessment focus on children in school or all children, regardless of where they are learning?

And should global learning be  measured in a comparable international way?

If you would like  more information about this organization the website is http://www.acei.org

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

Establishing Professional Contacts

This week’s assignment was to contact two early childhood professionals outside the United States to better understand their perspectives on early childhood issues and trends.  I chose to contact The National Early Childhood Development Alliance in South Africa, Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association in Hong Kong, UNICEF in South Africa, UNICEF in the United Kingdom and the University of Witswaterand in Johannesburg (Education Department). So far, I’ve received one email reply from The National Early Childhood Development Alliance in South Africa.  The reply was they had already been contacted by a Walden student but would send my information to other organizations. Let’s see what next week brings.

 

Expanding Resources

Since starting my master’s degree with Walden, I have joined the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Southern Early Childhood Association.  As a result of joining these organizations, I elected to subscribe to TYC (Teaching Young Children/Preschool and YC (Young Children) journals. In addition to receiving newsletters for both of these organizations, I receive information from the National Institute for Early Education Research.  These newsletters are valuable resources I sometimes use for references in application assignments.  I plan to use the NAEYC’s website for this class.  This website is full of information such as professional development opportunities and conferences.   The URL for NAEYC is http://www.naeyc.org