Developing Professional Knowledge

• What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?
• As this class has progressed I have been fortunate enough to developer a deeper understanding of the world and its outlook into the Early Childhood community.  The section that has intrigued me the most has been the stand that economists and business professionals have towards developing a foundation for young children.  I think it is fantastic that large money making companies want to help develop programs to better the children and families to make them more productive for society.  However, I am hesitant to believe that there are not other motives for these big companies.  As a potential employee for a non profit organization, it would be extremely beneficial to build relationships with these businesses.  
• Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways?
• The Rand Corporation is one of the corporation articles that has stood out to me the most.  The corporation has built up the idea that a program that is developed correctly and then implemented properly can in fact build functional members of society later in life; thus saving tax payers money in welfare and educational expenses.  In an ideal world, it would be great to think that economists care about the genuine well being of children in poverty, but in actual it is to save themselves money and hassle in the future.  However, if that is their end goal, I ask this, is it worth letting the corporations spend big money on beneficial programs simply to let them think they will get something bigger out of it?  I feel if corporations finally want to give something back to community, we should take it!
• What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field?
• These professionals are developing new insight to the field of early childhood.  It has taken time, but the increase of poverty has finally found global attention.  I believe that these professionals do support the early childhood field, but again, I feel that there is more to there positive attitude then simply helping the needy.  There have been poor families around for decades, why the change of attitude within recent years?  
• What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website or e-newsletter?
• I would like to explore more in depth the different research that has been done to determine how these companies can profit off of helping the poor in later years.  I would like to see how the data was collected and how they collected there data.  Also, it would be interesting to see how they then analyzed the data to create their hypothesis.

International Contacts

• Introduce your conversation partners (or the podcast participant) to your colleagues
• I decided to listen to a podcast from TJ Skalski on the World Forum Foundation.  I actually listened to a few different ones, but TJ was had one of the most interesting stories.  TJ is a principal at Mother Earth's Charter school in Canada.  Her school is only one of 13 charter schools in Alberta, Canada, so generally she encounters a unique population of parents and students.  TJ herself grew up in Canada but struggled in life with growing up.  Her mother actually lost citizenship and had to regain it, which was a process for her mom and the children.  However, TJ's grandmother was a large influence in her life.  Her grandmother continuously reminded her that she was a teacher first and foremost, even when TJ was working for the government as an educational professional.  Professionally TJ is only in her second year of leadership (as of the podcast from 2010) and is the first principal to stay for two consecutive years.  The school had only been open for five years and she was the fifth principal.  The school had also been through two superintendents in that year alone.  The year of this podcast is she was on her sixth superintendent and new governing board.       Her school takes in children from all levels of income.  TJ stated that when kids come to her they are damaged, wounded, scarred, hungry, depressed and had a strong feeling of worthlessness.  Therefore the vision of the school and the leadership is to reinvest in the children and foster a community where culture and language are a priority.  TJ is working desperately to turn this school around, and as of the date of the podcast, she was on the right track.
• Share what you have learned so far from these exchanges (or from the podcast and website)
• The first fact alone from the website startled me; that over 600 million children world wide live in poverty.  I had never thought of how great of a number it could be, but this is heartbreaking.  Over 10 million children die under the age of five from easily preventable diseases.  The international community has set the goal to meet the Millenium Development Goals by 2015.  These goals include cutting poverty by half, cutting deaths by 2/3rds and ensuring that all children have at least primary education.  Save the Children, the Chronic Poverty Research Centre and partners in China, India, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia have worked together to help achieve the goals set.  
• Describe your new insights and information about issues of poverty
• Poverty is a larger issue than I anticipated.  I am eager to find out what ways I can help as a professional to ease the pain of poverty in families I am working with.  Are there not enough systems in place to help?  Do families not take advantage of the programs that are available?  I want to look more into my area and see what programs are available and ways in which the programs can be promoted to help more families and children.  

Reference

http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/world-forum-radio/

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

Web Resources

Children's Defense Fund

http://www.childrensdefense.org/

About the organization:

    "The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is a non-profit child advocacy organization that has worked relentlessly for 40 years to ensure a level playing field for all children. We champion policies and programs that lift children out of poverty; protect them from abuse and neglect; and ensure their access to health care, quality education and a moral and spiritual foundation. Supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations, CDF advocates nationwide on behalf of children to ensure children are always a priority.

We are a national organization with the capacity to work for children at federal, state and community levels across the country. We have our headquarters in Washington, D.C., and offices in California, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Louisiana, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas. Through these offices, we expand our work into North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Alabama, Georgia, Arkansas and New Jersey. CDF Haley Farm in Clinton, Tenn., is our home for spiritual renewal, character and leaders"

- See more at: http://www.childrensdefense.org/aboutus/#sthash.7cfjmrd6.dpuf

Mission Statement:

The Children’s Defense Fund Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities.            - See more at: http://www.childrensdefense.org/about-us/#sthash.7cfjmrd6.dpuf

One current issue that I have become increasingly aware of from this organization is the amount of children's deaths from senseless acts such as shootings.  I currently get posts from this organization on my facebook page and I read the current postings.  Daily I will get posts from the organization at the astronomical deaths and other data from children and their families.  I have been shocked several times.  

Facebook link:

https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensDefensedFund?fref=ts

Issues and Trends in Early Childhood Education: Contacts

  Fortunately, I already have a contact with the UNICEF Foundation through a parent whose child I taught this year.  He put me in touch with UNICEF because he had helped with them in the past and wanted our class to help with the Trick of Treat for UNICEF program.  As a class we raised money for the entire month of October, my second graders worked very hard and we raised over $200 as a single class.  For this assignment, I was able to contact the people who worked at UNICEF who helped organize the Trick or Treat for UNICEF.  

  As for the second contact I have not yet heard back, but it may be due to the holiday week.  I sent a general email asking for information, so I am sure they will respond by next week.  Again, I think I emailed too late in the week and haven't heard.  I will post as soon as I hear from them.  

  After one of our previous classes, I really got began to research and follow the Children's Defense Fund organization.  I really like their philosophy and what they do for families and children.  I follow their feed on Facebook as well, so I get continuous updates regarding data, statistics and information.  I have even considered a career with this organization and have begun looking at applying for it ASAP.  It would require re location across the country, but I really do like this organization.  
  Another organization I follow is the Zero to Three.  Again, this is an organization that I was exposed to through another class.  I have always thought of how great it would be to help improve children's well being and thought process at an early age.  I think that if children can see the world differently, then certain ideas can be re-taught to them.  
  TIPS:  I always choose an organization that I agree with the philosophy and their ethics (which is most of them), check to see how I can be of use one day with my degree, and simply which one is of most interest to me.  I definitely love helping children and I had never thought that I could help families too, so now, that is where my interests lie.