Three Consequences

Final Blog Assignment

Three consequences of learning about early childhood field internationally would consist of an expansion in my thinking regarding the needs of children. There was a saying around my dinner table while I was a child that I would say would rightly apply to the realm of educating children; that saying was “Clean your plate, there are starving children in Africa.” That saying was meant to encourage one to be grateful and not wasteful. Are we encouraging our children to be grateful? Are we as professionals being wasteful for not harnessing the vast amount of information and knowledge available so that we can be agents of change where it is needed for the children and families we serve?

Another thought is with the international connections,   I have been able to  see how eager for education and supports other countries have become. They realize the importance of educating the children; as it is education that lifts a society up and out of poverty.

With newsletters coming from the various organizations like UNICEF and many others as recommended by colleagues in this course, I can keep up with issues dealing with international trends for early childhood education. Being involved with international awareness of education trends abroad will aid folks here in the states to appreciate what is available here. It may also lead to partnering with an African school as an outreach and to make it better, to be a voice to advocate for those that are without; “Clean your plate dears there are starving children in Africa!”

International Contacts - Part Three

International Contacts with UNICEF/Africa

I listened to a podcast through the organization UNICEF which was my international contact. This particular segment featured and highlighted a program that is spearheaded and supported by NBA star of the Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol.  In 2010, Gasol launched Pau’s Project, an initiative that supports Schools in Africa. The project targets areas hardest hit by poverty and   dire need. Mr. Gasol mentions on the podcast that many children face difficulties even attending school due to poor health, nutrition inequities, gender discrimination, and distance. Sometimes even their very lives are threatened due to war and civil unrest in some areas.

Mr. Gasol mentions on the podcast the importance of early childhood education saying, “We know from the age of 0 to 5 is the most critical time for a child to develop. If you don’t provide children with the opportunity, it can negatively affect them for the rest of their lives.”

NBA star and Ambassador for UNICEF plays with children in Ethiopia. UNICEF supports education and protection programs for children.

                                                                                                                                                                

Gasol raises awareness on the disadvantaged through his recent project ‘Give a Day’,  phone app that tells stories promoting children’s rights narrated by Gasol. Mr. Gasol believes that change will happen through raising levels of awareness especially in communities that have little exposure to the need of children on the other side of the hemisphere. “Everyone should make childhood a priority. As ambassadors, as people who do have the opportunity to give back, we should make it a constant priority to make sure that the message and the reality of millions of children are known,” Mr. Gasol concludes.

This podcast presented a tool where regular folks can become involved with heightening awareness of the needs of children in developing countries.

Segment #57: Pau Gasol on making early childhood a priority
AUDIO listen

Sharing Web Resources

Not Just Talk but Taking Action 

One of the organizations I signed up for to receive newsletters from was The Children’s Defense Fund. CDF is doing some great things in terms of rallying those who operate in the child advocacy fields to aid in the fight against child poverty, educational literacy gaps, and early childhood development barriers.  They are also training collegiate age youth workers for the summertime Freedom Schools, which engage low income  youth in an environment of literacy to stem the summer loss of learning.

With the upcoming conference planned for this summer in Cincinnati, Ohio, there are mini-plenary sessions and workshops to address the issues mentioned above. One highlight for the issue of child poverty will be a workshop structured to give information and strategies for reduction of poverty. Another session will address an unspoken issue of child homelessness.  There are 1.6 million homeless children, or 1 in 45 every year. This session will provide advocates with information on the current trends in homelessness and strategies to deal with such situations.

There are sessions dealing with the issue of offering full day kindergarten and how it benefits children in making them ready for school. It is necessary to invest in early education and our policy makers can hear our voices if we speak up and speak out for our children!  I have registered to attend this conference to explore the various strategies that are presented by experts in their fields pertaining to the welfare of children. Would anyone like to join me? A link has been provided below for further information for the CDF Summer Conference.

http://www.childrensdefense.org/national-conference/speakers.html

The information in this newsletter is direcly related to the topics we have addressed this week in class. We have discusses policy makers finally realizing that the investment in early childhood education is well worth the cost and will save hundrends of thousands in taxpayers dollars in the longrun. We have discussed issues with barriers to early childhood education, the newsleter presents information within it to advocate and help change the ccourse of poverty in todays families.

International Contacts

Early Childhood Development in Emergencies

I had come across some information from my international contact regarding child development strategies in emergencies. This is an issue that we hear in the United States are not faced with if at all... caring for children during wartime conflict or in times of famine.

Children seated on a bench at a UNICEF assisted daycare in Nairobi, Kenya

We already know that for children to be in repressive environments where they are prohibited from expressing creativity through play or getting physical activity for greater development is a detriment. UNICEF makes itself available to aid in these disaster type situations by the restoration of primary health care services, mother-and-child nutrition services, as well as access to clean water. Providing a hygienic environment are key parts of an integrated early childhood development response in emergencies. 

UNICEF trains and support it's caregivers and offers child-friendly spaces to give children places to play. This is done by collaboration with the committees in the areas set up to offer stability in the areas where by the nurturing of children is the focus in the midst of chaos.

This work is important and can be supported through contributions.