Collaborative Learning Community Throughout the World

• Post at least three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your professional and personal development 
• Since the start of this course I have been awakened to new organizations that exist throughout the world. Reading and  listening to professionals from all over the world has inspired me to take on new challenges and goals.  These professionals prove that even through the toughest of times there can still be success for ECCE programs.  Also, these professionals have all represented the idea of hope and passion.  Not one of the professionals or organizations ever complain that they were not paid enough; it was always that there was not enough money for the programs.  All that the organizations and care facility are asking for is professionals that are extremely knowledgeable and can adequately perform the necessary and duties to fulfill their jobs.  Lastly, with obtaining this degree I have opened myself to a expanding field that can take me to all parts of the world.  I will have opportunities that many other people can only dream of.  I can take my passion and go any where.  

• Post one goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations
• One goal that I have as it relates to international awareness and the spirit of collegial relations is to continue on contacting and following other organizations.  I would like to make contact with other organizations around the world and spend more time reading their missions.  I am excited to see that even across the world, ECCE is coming together to form one community. 

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

UNESCO:  A Program to Help All

As with any early child care programs, this organization focuses on EC Care and Education (ECCE) for children from Birth to age 8.  Their goal is to watch for health, nutrition, security, and learning which provide children with a holistic environment (www.unesco.org).  
  UNESCO held its first WORLD conference on ECCE issues in September of 2010.  Here they adopted the Moscow Framework for Action and Cooperation Harnessing the Wealth of Nations.  This organization works globally to find the best care and environments for children all over the world.  
  UNESCO mission as stated on the website is that foundations of human development are laid during early childhood years requires an integrate approach of care development and learning.  It also is a leading organization among international policies regarding ECCE.
  ECCE should be looked at and is more than just a "prep" stage.  With today's policies are placed within a larger context of social development, gender equality and poverty reduction.   
  UNESCO is a huge supporter of EC development and wants to build a SOLID foundation for a LIFE LONG learning of children.  
   The first goal of UNESCO was the program 2000 Dakar Framework for Action which calls upon an expansion and improvement of comprehension for ECCE.  Here organizations collaborate with officials and policy makers to review and develop national policies and procedures.  
  UNESCO has been around for many decades starting in the 1950s.  This organization has been around for many policies, and has achieved the accomplishment of getting support, but worry is why is there not more being done with this support from officials and policy makers.  I think that UNESCO has amazing ideas, but like everything else in education, it is glanced over and thrown to the side.  
  Personally, I feel like EC is treated like the ugly step child and is "out of sight out of mind".  This saddens me because this is where the most of our money should be invested!  Perhaps if more professionalism, time and money were given to these ECCE programs then we as a nation wouldn't have so many citizens in jails, prisons, and living off of welfare!

Reference:
www.unesco.org

Sharing Web Resources

The Internet has so many resources that it can become overwhelming.  It is helpful when there is some sort of guidance to navigating sites, especially for reliable information.  

• Follow some of the outside links that you have not yet explored. Where do they lead?
• As I have been navigating the sites that I have been recommended or I have found on my own, I find more and more information that supports my reasoning for becoming involved in the early childhood field.   I also found valuable information in the articles that were on many sites.  Information can be found in bulletins, newsletters, e-letters, blogs, facebook and various other social media outlets. Information is being posted on the severity of the early childhood crisis, but it is being ignored.  One site would lead to ten other sites that give even more information!

• Thoroughly search one area of the site. What do you find?
• Childrensdefense.org is one of my absolute favorite sites to obtain information from.  One reason I like this site is because it is so user friendly and isn't overwhelming.  Yes, there is a lot of information, but it is laid out nicely and it isn't loaded with a lot of professional jargon.  On this site there is policy and programs listed, library, taking action, and supporting their work.  I have looked at several job postings here because I strongly believe in their philosophy and mission.  This organization developed out of civil rights movements, which to me means there are even stronger roots in this organization.  As with many other organizations and programs, it is underfunded and doing its best to stay active and help as many people as possible.  
• If you receive an e-newsletter, follow a link related to one of the issues you have been studying. What new information is available?
• I follow this organization through Facebook, so quite often I get updates regarding news.  Sadly, one of the posts I see all too often is the amount of children that are killed by meaningless violence. One can also subscribe to receiving alerts.  One link from the site took me to the Washington Research Project which was used to expose schools and organizations that were misusing funds. This was started in the 1960s and was the bases for the Children's Defense Fund.

• Does the website or the e-newsletter contain any information that adds to your understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education?
• The newsletter and updates provides a lot of information to all readers.  
• What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain this week from exploring the website and/or the e-newsletter?
• There is more to helping families and children with only food and education.  There needs to be a change in standards through which society sees these families and the programs that are there to help them.  Children are suffering which is not there choice.  Parents are put in situations that are not always preventable.  This is why these organizations exist.  There are not enough people looking at these organizations to help, and their missions need to become more prevalent in society.

Getting to Know International Contacts

• Share the new insights and information you have gained from these conversations (or the podcast and Harvard website)

                      This week I listened to the Podcast from world forum foundation and the speaker was Delfina Mitchell.  Delfina Mitchell is the Director of the Liberty Children's Home in Belize, Central America.  This home was started in 2005 and is licensed to house 40 children that have been the victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment or neglect   Generally the home serves the children from the ages of birth to 5 years old, but if the child comes in with older siblings, accommodations are made.  Belize is the number one country for child abuse.  One child in particular was described on this podcast; his name was Joe and he been at the home for 9 months.  As a rule, the children are given a healing period to cope with what they went through before being put back to school and regular duties.  Joe came in with his 6 older brothers and sisters and had been the victim of physical abuse and observed his sisters being abused.  Joe shut down from this stress and had not talked for over a year.  Joe had been home schooled and then sent back to public schools.  He was kicked out of the public school after 1 week.  The center started spending time with him and taking him outside to the gardens and working with the horses.  He started to open up and talk and it was then that the center found out that Joe had been physically abused with a whip from his grandmother or other adults.  When he wanted to eat he would have to take his food and hide under his bed so no one would take the food.  After several months, Joe started talking more and everyone at the center would listen because he had never talked before so they were interested in what he was saying.  

  This is a perfect example of a great foundation that is under funded but provides a great place for children to go to.  

            The website I looked at this week was the Global Children's Initiative.  This from the center on the developing child at Harvard University.  This program draws on lessons and data from the US by engagement and leadership development.  There are three area that are focused on:

1. Re-framing the discourse around child health development
2. Supporting innovative, multi disciplinary and research of demonstration projects
3. Building leadership capacity in child development research and policy.  

The Initiative is building a portfolio of activities in 3 domains:

1. Early Childhood Development
2. Child Mental Health
3. Children in Crisis and conflict situations

Contributions for these efforts are from Mother Child Education Foundation.

Smaller countries are using science of data and research to drive their programs for early childhood.  

• Describe in particular the additional information about issues of equity and excellence you acquired from your international sources

I am amazed and inspired by the countries that are working to develop programs for children and their families.  Even with little supplies and money, these countries are providing the best they can for children.  The US has so many resources that we should be doing more for the children here and in other countries.

Reference

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

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/