Week 5 - Issues of Equity and Excellence

Science of health and development has now been closely linked to early childhood. This knowledge and understanding has informed researches into the long-term effect of experiences gained in early years on adult life and economic growth of the nations. Around the globe is a new wave of understanding of the importance of equity and excellence in early care which confirmed that when children's biological systems develop in an environment of positive early experiences, they have a greater chance to thrive and grow up to be healthy adults irrespective of family background and socio-economic status. Making opportunities available to every child irrespective of race, color, social economic status is now critical.

      Center on the Developing Child of Harvard University is championing the cause of research and findings which led to the establishment of the Global Children’s Initiative. At a time when inequalities in school achievement, workforce skills, and lifelong health status compromise a nation’s competitiveness in a global economy, the need for new ideas to break the inter generational cycle of poverty around the world is critical. The substantial gap between what we know about the roots of growing disparities in health, learning, and behavior and what we are doing to promote the well-being of vulnerable children internationally provides a compelling agenda for strengthening policies and investments that focus on the earliest years of life. Global Children’s Initiative is the primary practical manifestation of the Center’s global child development agenda. The initiative draws not only on the expertise of individuals whose specialties span the biological and social sciences but also on the wisdom and experience of those who are addressing the needs of vulnerable children “on the ground.”

From the website, I have learnt many different dimensions of child health which includes the science of learning, science of behavior and the science of health. To this end, there will be:-

1.       1. Education of key leadership of International agencies, publish papers and bring findings to the knowledge of stakeholders for implementation.

2.       2. It is important to generate and apply new knowledge that involves the health and developmental needs of young children in all variety of settings.

3.       3. Addresses  gaps in the achievement of young children,

I have learnt that child survival and child development are different issues in different environments and nations of the world, and to give quality childhood education, leading to responsible adult hood, every policy maker must get involved in making access to quality and effective early childhood program a priority in the interest of the nation.

Reference

Global Children’s Initiative site. http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/)

Brain and development

Sharing Web Resources – Week 4

My website for consideration and learning is www.zerotothree.org

 The section I find very relevant and informative now is Care and Education. From this section I learn about behavior and management, mental health, emotional and social development, and the importance of early experiences. I found the site very helpful in my professional development. How brain works in early childhood continue to interest me. Zero to three has detailed information that aroused my curiosity. I have learnt so much.

Brain and Early experiences.

       Although individual genetic differences have  influence on how a child develops, there is mounting evidence that experiences affect the way genes are expressed (i.e., turned on and off) in the developing brain. While good early experiences help the brain to develop well, experiences of neglect and abuse can literally cause some genetically normal children to become mentally retarded or to develop serious emotional difficulties.

 Of great significance is the knowledge that Children who receive sensitive, responsive care from their parents and other caregivers in the first years of life enjoy an important head start toward success in their lives. The secure relationships they develop with the important adults in their lives lay the foundation for emotional development and help protect them from the many stresses they may face as they grow. Researchers who have examined the life histories of children who have succeeded despite many challenges in their lives consistently found that these people have had at least one stable, supportive relationship with an adult (usually a parent, relative, or teacher) beginning early in life (Werner & Smith, 1992).

Partnering with parents to support them in their tasks as their children’s first teacher is highly encouraged. 

 It is now clear that what a child experiences in the first years of life profoundly influences how his brain will develop and how he will interact with the world throughout his life. Parents play the most important role in providing the nurturing and stimulation that children require, but they need information and support to develop good parenting skills. Helping parents to understand this important fact is an important step in early care and education.

New areas I will explore further

Play , is gaining importance and it is one new area I am finding challenging to make a part of my classroom experience. From the discussion and readings, there’s a lot happening during playtime. Little ones are lifting, dropping, looking, pouring, bouncing, hiding, building, knocking down, and more. Children are busy when they’re playing. And, more than that, they are learning.  Play is the true work of childhood.

References

www.zerotothree.org

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EXPANDING WEB RESOURCES - WEEK 3

 Childhood Poverty in India.

When Mahatma Gandhi said “Poverty is the worst form of violence”, I never took it serious until I started studying about poverty all over the world and especially how it affects children. According to research, in South Asia alone, more than 90 million children go hungry every day (UNICEF). It is more shocking when we realize that half of these children are unable to learn or go to school at all, they stand the risk of developing social, emotional and behavioral problems and may even die of preventable diseases, and then if nothing is done, the world is at risk and in danger. Early care and Early Childhood intervention is highly essential.

 I read about poverty in India from childhood poverty website www.childhood.org. and my discoveries are overwhelming. First, India is a highly populated country, coming second to China and according to statistics; there are 1.03 billion citizens in 2001. About 400million are between 0 – 18years. From this staggering figure, about 260.2 million people are living in real poverty and roughly 62million children under the age of five are malnourished. With little to eat, life is hard for children. It is more important for them to work than to go to school.

Second, Education is at risk as there are no funds and pre-natal health care is a challenge because 34 percent of new born are significantly underweight, this is a major pointer to hunger and poverty for women raising children. Despite the efforts being made to improve school attendance, India still accounts for 20 percent of the worlds’ out of school children.

Thirdly, India has the largest numbers of working children in the world with nearly a third of children below 16 years working. The pressure to work so that they can fend for themselves undermines their education and jeopardizes their health. Another discovery that came to my notice is the differences that existed based on gender, class and caste. Girls are more at risk and despite government efforts; they still receive inferior health and educational services. Girls attendance at school reduced significantly.

The government of India, through state wide policy is running some anti poverty programs to cover rural employment creation and infrastructure development, food subsidy program and self-employment initiatives to build better lives. These programs have undergone some major improvement in recent years to improve lives and make it more accessible to people. To further complement government efforts, CHIP research in India examined the evidence for and factors underpinning intergenerational poverty cycles. This research focused on rural areas, where the vast majority of the population live and where poverty is more severe than in urban areas.

My new insights were gained from the findings of the research. Their findings revealed that drought and environmental deterioration have significantly undermined livelihoods and exacerbated poverty in Rajasthan. Responses which may contribute to poverty cycles include pressures on children to work, undermining their education and health. Children from 10-15 per cent of households had migrated for work, usually with parents, but sometimes alone. Income from migrant children's work constituted between 18 and 45 per cent of the poorest households' income. Indebtedness, related to drought-related pressures and social obligations (e.g. marriages, death feasts) affected over 80 per cent of households, and was a major factor leading to intergenerational poverty cycles. Poverty is passed from one generation to another.

Tackling poverty and facing it with all the seriousness it deserves is critical to overall wellbeing of the worlds’ population and it is the only way to demonstrate love and care for the children.

References

^{World Development Indicators Database,     April2003.http://www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/databytopic.html}      

 ^{Government of India, 2001, Census of India, 2001, New Delhi}

 ^{World Bank, 1997, India - Achievements and Challenges in Reducing Poverty http://poverty.worldbank.org/library/view/8680}

 ^{World Bank, 2000, India -Reducing Poverty, Accelerating Development, OUP, New Delhi}     

 ^{UNICEF Country Statistics: India  http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/india_statistics.html}

SHARING WEB RESOURCES WEEK 2

  WWW.ZEROTOTHREE.ORG

I chose to look at Zero to Three website.  ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.
Their mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers.

The site features many free resources that are educative to professionals and parents.  There are  free newsletter which I have subscribed to and parental newsletters that are really useful to empower parents to be better equipped to raise quality children. The newsletter topics include social development of babies zero to three years, behaviour management, early care and development, maltreatment, and policy matters.  New area that is of interest to me is Child care. Caring for the children of family, friends or neighbors is incredibly important work. You are providing support that is so critical to helping both children and families thrive. I am looking into this article to learn more.

Establishing Professional Contacts and expanding resourses.

I am looking forward to connect with international professionals in early childhood to learn from the issues and trends in their countries. I went through the site in our assignment and has sent mails to the professionals that I think will increase my awareness and focus me on the bigger picture.
I have contacted the following and have not yet heard from them. I h.ope at least one of them will get back. In the event that none responds, I may have to take the alternative.

1. Mr Eric Atmore .P.O. box 2363, Clarinch 7740, South Africa. - cecd@aafrica.com

2. Asia  -  Jane@aeces.org Association for Early childhood Educators

3. Germany National Committee for Early Childhood Educators Mrs Eva-Hammes D Bernardo agje agj.de

4. Kosovo Education Centre - Hana Zylfiu hzylfiu@kec.ks.org. 


Part 2.

www.zerotothree.org

I enjoyed the web site of Zero to Three. I took time to read through and I was fascinated by the genuine concern for the welfare and the development of  young children.
Their Mission and purpose is  very good. It says that it is a non-profit organization  that informs, trains and supports professionals and policy maker and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. They have free newsletter which I have subscribed to and I am looking forward to growing in my profession as I engage with these professionals.

"My Supports"

No tree can make a forest.

 Life is a connection of supports. I enjoy a wide connection of supports that make life meaningful and bearable. Without those connections, making it all up won’t be easy.

My family provides unique support in every area and at all levels. My wonderful husband has always been by my side and without him, I am not sure I would be able to do many things. His support even for this program can’t be measured. He is there financially, morally, and physically. There have been many sleepless nights that he has spent with me to meet up my assignments. I really appreciate his support.

Within my work frame, life will really be tough if not for the dependable aides God has surrounded me with. Running an independent School of high quality and standard cannot be done in isolation. My Head teacher and year heads are great. They are on top of their jobs and make the school run smoothly without my immediate interventions and leaving me with quality time to spend on this on-line program. My very special Administrator is another divine help. She is saddled with the responsibility of meeting with parents to discuss and resolve conflicts, and you know that is real support. I am very grateful for this wonderful support. I am equally blessed with spiritual support by my church family. They pray for me and with me at all times and I can count on them at any time to do whatever I want them to do. They are always responsive. It is a great privilege.

A situation of challenge:

In the first year of our existence as a school, by the second term, four out of five teachers did not resume for the new term, leaving us in a chaotic situation. There was no one to welcome the children and their parents. I became the greeter, and parents thought it was a new device, and they loved it. We had nursery classes without teachers or care givers. How did we resolve? The administrator took charge of a class, I took one and we got emergency teachers to take over. We quickly conducted interview for care givers from our pool of applications and we got two good responses that complemented our efforts. It was really challenging. My husband helped us to oversee the day care babies and it was a good experience for us all. If not for the support, I could not have managed.