ISSUES AND TRENDS: EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY OF CARE (AVAILABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND AFFORDABILITY)

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), has an outside link that leads to their state affiliates.  Along with NAEYC, these affiliate groups strongly believe in supporting the lives of young children and their families.  I live in the state of New Jersey.  So, I clicked on my state's affiliates and it lists the local offices of every county in New Jersey.  When I tried to click on my county, as well as the other counties in New Jersey, I was unable to get the website to display any of the pages.  Because of the website's error, I just focused on the entire state of New Jersey. 

I thoroughly searched one particular area of the site, the New Jersey Association for the Education of Young Children (NJAEYC).  On the NJAEYC site, I found links to New Jersey's upcoming events, recent news and local affiliates.  This website discusses how important it is to act now for New Jersey's children.  Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is committed to equity and excellence in early care and education for young children in our state.  ACNJ firmly believes "if we are to preserve and strengthen funding streams to preparing young children for school success, and support families with access to full day programs to enable them to work, advocacy is critical" (www.njaeyc.org).

From exploring the website, I learned that NAEYC has almost 80,000 members, including over 300 state and local affiliates.  One of which includes NJAEYC, which has 4,000 members.  NJAEYC's "primary attention is devoted to assuring the provision of high quality early childhood programs through improvements in the professional practice and working conditions in the field of early childhood education, as well as by improving public understanding and support and funding of high quality programs in centers, homes, and schools" (www.njaeyc.org).  I realized that I am one of many voices dedicated to advocating and improving the lives of young children and their families.


References

www.naeyc.org/
www.njaeyc.org/

ISSUES AND TRENDS: EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY OF CARE (POLICIES)

I listened to TJ Skalski, on the World Forum Radio podcast (www.worldforumfoundation.org).  TJ is the principal of The Mother Earth's Children's Charter School (MECCS) in Canada.  She comes from strong Aboriginal family values, including having a grandmother who was a huge influence on her life.  The women in TJ's family, including all Aboriginal women in Canada, were victims of gender discrimination.  Since 1876, these women were refused the same legal rights as men, under the Indian Act.  In 1985, Canada passed Bill C-31, which allowed all Aboriginal women to gain their rights back federally.  It gave them access to federal programs and services (www.elections.ca). 

There is still inequity, because Aboriginal women are still denied rights in their own community.  Because of this injustice, TJ wants to foster equity and excellence in her students.  "Many of the children MECCS serves suffer from some form of adversity.  Resilience is the innate human ability to rebound from adversity with even greater strength to face future obstacles" (www.meccs.org).  She wants to instill in them the values she learned from her grandmother.  TJ's goal is to inspire and build hope for all of her students, by reinvesting culture, language and giving them stability and support.

After reviewing Harvard University’s Global Children’s Initiative website, I found an article on building America's future workforce (Knudsen et al, 2006).  The article explained that in order to strengthen our future workforce, we must invest in resources for children that come from disadvantaged environments as early as birth.  Investing in the earliest years will yield the greatest return.  "This high rate of return is much higher than the standard returns on stock market equity and suggests that society at large can benefit substantially from these kinds of interventions" (Knudsen et al, 2006).

I've also acquired additional information from an article from June's issue of the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) E-news publication.  The article highlighted the University of Melbourne's Graduate School of Education Youth Research Centre, in Australia, under its awards and grants section.  The Centre's Equity and Childhood Program offers three awards/grants to "support educators working in early childhood, who do not have access to funding to attend professional development, especially in the area of equity and social justice" (www.acei.org).


References

Knudsen, E., Heckman, J., Cameron, J., & Shonkoff, J. (2006).  Economic, neurobiological, and behavioral perspectives on building America's future workforce.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103(27), 10155-10162.  Retrieved from developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/download_file/_view/439

www.acei.org/e-news/june-2013-e-news

www.elections.ca/res/eim/article-search/article.asp?id=29&lang=e

www.meccs.org/site/about-us/philosophy

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

ISSUES AND TRENDS: SHARING WEB RESOURCES

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has joined an alliance with Strong Start for Children - Building America's Future.  It "supports a significant expansion of high-quality early learning opportunities for children ages birth to five in order to achieve better education, health, social and economic outcomes for all" (www.naeyc.org/). 

This is relevant to my current professional development because as a Kindergarten teacher, I struggled with trying to prepare my students for first grade.  They did not enter my classroom with a strong educational foundation as far as early learning skills.  Strong Start for Children's initiative is to start this process from birth, so by the time they get to Kindergarten they will be prepared.

I thought about the impact that Science has on early childhood experiences.  A lot of effort is put into Reading and Math readiness and Science is not really on the mainly discussed.  NAEYC highlights why we as educators should support science learning from infancy through age 8.  "Children's early science experiences are the foundation for future science learning and comprehension" (www.naeyc.org/).

In order for children to be successful in life, they need a strong foundation.  This includes a strong support system.  "Effective early learning standards require a foundation of support for early childhood programs, professionals, and families" (www.naeyc.org/).  Economists, neuroscientists and politicians support the early childhood field because they know that investing in early childhood development programs will benefit society in the future.

I always knew that NAEYC was dedicated to supporting young children and their families.  After exploring the website further, I found out that they also have professional development to educate people on how to work with children and their families.  Their professional development learning opportunities include online learning, intensive training sessions, training DVD's, workshops and networking.

Reference

www.naeyc.org/

ISSUES AND TRENDS: POVERTY

I chose the podcast alternative assignment using the World Forum Foundation.  The World Forum Foundation "promotes and on-going global exchange of ideas on the delivery of quality services for young children in diverse settings" (www.worldforumfoundation.org/).  I listened to Barbara Jones (BJ), the founder of the Pine Grove School, located in Falmouth, Maine.  "Pine Grove School is a developmental, discovery-oriented preschool and kindergarten dedicated to peace...teaching respect, building independence and fostering self-motivation..." (www.pinegrovecenter.com).

BJ started her teaching career at a public school in Maryland.  She felt that public school was not a good fit for her.  So she ventured out to Southern California and applied for a teaching position at a Montessori School in Del Mar, California.  BJ worked at this school, including a YMCA Montessori program.  She fell in love with the Montessori philosophy and decided to get certification training in London, England (www.worldforumfoundation.org/world-forum-radio/).

One day BJ was driving through Falmouth, Maine, and passed by a 1917 boarded-up school house.  She was interested in buying the building to open up her own Montessori school.  In 1985, BJ founded the Pine Grove School, a school based on Montesorri principles.  In 2010, she celebrated twenty-five years of the school's opening (www.worldforumfoundation.org/world-forum-radio/).  BJ's story resonated with me because it is my goal to one day open up my own early childhood center.

The Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre (CHIP) has a "website is intended to be a resource for policy makers, practioners and activists concerned about childhood poverty.  It contains policy briefings, research reports, photos, case studies and links on a wide range of issues related to childhood poverty..." (www.childhoodpoverty.org).  I have learned that the CHIP recognizes the crisis that is taking place in four different countries.  These countries are China, India, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia.

I have decided to focus on the country of Kyrgyzstan, acquiring three different insights:
1.    After gaining independence from the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan has suffered economically, making it one of the poorest countries in the world.
2.    Even though almost half of the population is living below the poverty line, the percentage is even higher for young children.
3.    Growing poverty has led to less children enrolled in school, child labor, child prostitution and trafficking.

The Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre conducts research, policy and takes action in order to make a difference.  "This includes having poverty rates cutting by two-thirds the deaths of children under five and ensuring that all children in the world complete at least primary education" (www.childhoodpoverty.org).  As an elementary school teacher and an advocate for children, it is my duty to make sure that my students not only complete the primary grades, but go on to middle school, high school and college.

References

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/
www.pinegrovecenter.com
www.worldforumfoundation.org/
www.worldforumfoundation.org/world-forum-radio/

ISSUES AND TRENDS: DIVERSITY

The organization I chose to highlight was the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  "NAEYC's mission is to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources" (www.naeyc.org/).

One current issue in Early Childhood Education that caught my attention was Diversity.  "Early childhood educators can best help linguistic and culturally diverse children and their families by acknowledging and responding to the importance of the child's home language and culture" (www.naeyc.org/).

I learned that each child brings a unique quality to the educational setting.  They have a rich culture and home language which adds to the diversity of the classroom.  It should be respected and preserved as children have the capability of being bilingual; learning English and maintaining their home language.  "Bilingualism should be viewed as an asset and an educational achievement" (www.naeyc.org/).

Reference

www.naeyc.org/

PERSONAL CHILDBIRTH EXPERIENCE

It was 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, November 12, 2008.  I felt an indescribable pain in my lower abdomen.  At the time, I was in NJ and my husband, a soldier in the US Army was stationed in Fort Campbell, KY.  I told him I was going to drive myself to the hospital because “it was time.”  He told me to call him back and let him know if I would be admitted.  All I remember was the pain, sooooooo much pain.  Nine hours and a C-Section later, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. 

It was a bittersweet moment.  The sweet part was of course a healthy, new life being brought into this world.  The bitter part was being surrounded by doctor and nurses with masks and feeling all alone because my husband was 900 miles away.  No matter how alone I felt, I still had a new life to take care of.  Someone now depended on me to be there.  That made me realize that I was strong enough to do anything by myself and it taught me inner strength.  Still, I passed out soon after my son was born, because I was just so wiped out. 

About an hour later, I woke up in the recovery room to a nurse handing me the phone.  It was my husband telling me that I had to call the Red Cross and let them know I had a “LIVE BIRTH” so they could let him take leave and come to see the baby.  I call the Red Cross and then The Red Cross called the hospital to speak to a doctor to confirm that the baby was alive.  I was so out of it but I remember feeling that I needed my husband here with me, so I did what I could.      Over the next couple of days, I had visitors in the form of family and friends, but on the fourth day, my husband walked through the door and the happiness I felt was overwhelming.  You would have to go through the experience to truly know what I’m talking about.  But it was then, watching him hold our son in his arms that I felt like my family was complete.

I chose to write about childbirth in Sweden.  There, when a woman gives birth, -“it’s never viewed as anything less than an accomplishment” (www.squidoo.com).   Natural, is the most common way for woman to have a baby (www.birthingnaturally.net ).  One difference between my experience and Sweden is that I had a C-Section and there they do it naturally.  A similarity was that I view my giving childbirth as not short of an accomplishment.  I think that the same strength that mothers have to give birth to a child can be passed down to their young.

References

http://www.squidoo.com/childbirthexperience

http://www.birthingnaturally.net/directory/world/sweden.html

A NOTE OF THANKS AND SUPPORT

A special note of thanks to everyone who supports my decision to go on this journey toward furthering my education.  I am especially grateful for the special people who have been encouraging factors in my life in general.  It is with your love and support that I finally feel that I am not alone on this path.