Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

While listening to World Forum Radio this week I learned about TJ Skalski who is the principal of Mother Earth Children Charter School in Canada.   Out of 13 charter schools this school has an indigenous focus.  She feels he being at this school was a calling.  Her grandmother influenced her to teach, she always told her “she would be a teacher and always be a great teacher”.  After a very rough first year she can admit her first year was “hell”.  The vision and focus of the school is about reinvesting in the kids and creating a place where culture is a priority.   Culture and language is a priority so that it can be revitalized within the community.  Based on her family values she believes it because of that she is as strong as she is in her own culture.  She is helping children that feel like they are not worth anything so she works to inspire the kids to want to do something with their lives and beyond the walls and want something bigger and better for themselves.

She is teaching the kids based on her own experiences and it shows the children that they can become something great.  So many educators can do exactly that.  Teaching by example is a wonderful option that many do not utilize.  Children watch the adults in their lives and want to be like them so the way we as educators act around the kids will be a great influence on what the children learn.  We teach one thing we should practice what we teach since children are so impressionable especially the young children.    

 

Sharing Web Resources

Save the Children was my organization of choice and even though I signed up to receive newsletters via email weeks ago I have yet to receive one. When looking at the organizations archives it seems like their newsletters do not come out every month rather every quarter. The work this organizations does is incredible and if the opportunity were to arise I would love to be part of one their work projects.


While looking at a current update posted on the website January 31, 2012 the newest project is helping children in poverty. "This Valentine's Day, give children living in poverty a lifelong love of reading to help break the lifelong cycle of poverty, one Valentine at a time" (Save the Children, 2012). A famous actress is even helping reach out to children which is admirable in my eyes. As stated in the article Save the Children's U.S. Programs and the organization's artist ambassador Julianne Moore have invited beloved children's book authors and illustrators design limited-edition Valentine's cards benefiting Save the Children's U.S. Programs "Love to Read, Read to Live" campaign. I personally love to read and know how important literacy is so this Valentine's Project is fantastic. Children living and poverty are not able to visit a library or bookstore like other children and this program gives these children an opportunity to experience the adventures available through books.

Getting to Know International Contacts—Part 2

I never heard back from any of the international contacts I emailed.  It  is frustrating but I refuse to let it discourage me or effect the knowledge I acquire. 

An episode of World Forum Radio introduced me to Susan Lyon, works directly with the Innovative Teacher Project and works with children with disabilities.  She see windows in to children's minds that opened her eyes to seeing how children see things.  She learns and is inspired by what she saw in other places and enjoys helping others with their professional development.  This project works with teachers through discussion groups and exhibits since 1994 has help prove that this quality work can help inspire others to take a closer more in depth look at children and early childhood education.

 http://developingchild.harvard.edu/

Information I learned from exploring the website for Center on the Developing Child opened my eyes to "neuroscience and child development research address the “why?” and “what?” questions about investing in young children" (Center on the Developing Child, 2012).  There have been many successful programs has begun to answer these latter questions for young children who are at risk for consequences resulting from poor life outcomes. The data showed that with the help of education specialists, and economists it is possible to improve a wide range of outcomes for vulnerable children in the end allowing for the possibility of generating benefits to society far bigger than just the monetary outcome of the programs.

Science has shown that the best time to influence a child's future is while they are young and impressionable thus the importance of solid early childhood programs that teach and nurture the entire child emotionally, physically, and cognitively.  According the website 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" (Center on the Developing Child, 2012)

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The section of Save the Children that is relevant to my area of interest within the Early Childhood field is their work with protecting children around the world from abuse etc.  “For more than a decade, Save the Children has been protecting children from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence in all regions of the world” (Save the Children, 2012).  I have a heart that aches for the kids that are treated like the precious gems they are.  As a mother I feel honored to care for my babies but so many children are in situations that do not allow them to feel safe.  Save the Children works to help families stay together and educates parents on how to care for their children.  Just like in the United States families in other countries are under a variety stresses such as poverty, disability, or illness, which often means children do not receive the love and care they deserve.  In many of the poor countries vulnerable children are abandoned at orphanages or state institutions and so many of those innocent children live in dismal conditions without trained caregivers and no opportunity to grow up in a family setting.  This organization helps children get into and stay in school by making sure the kids who can't attend regular classes are able to continue learning through quality non-formal education programs.  This is giving so many children that would otherwise be forgotten and chance to learn and eventually be successful hopefully someday ending the pattern of stresses like poverty, disability or illness from effecting the future generations.  

One fact that was brought to my attention while researching this website this week was that there “two-thirds of the world's 880 million illiterate adults are women and girls are more than 70 percent of the 125 million children who don't have a school to attend” (Save the Children, 2012).  This statement leads to the topic that is controversial and really made me think and wonder if the world has really gotten past thought that females are not a lesser sex.  Save the Children has a program that works specifically with girls. Educating girls and women can provide positive results for the world as a whole.  Some those can include healthier and better educated children; fewer maternal deaths and reductions in the under 5 mortality rate; delaying of marriage giving the younger generations an opportunity to learn necessary parenting skills; improved literacy and numeracy skills leading to greater economic opportunities; and more skills and knowledge enhancing women's self-esteem and the well-being of families. I was under the impression that it had been proven that girls can do anything boys can do but in so many countries girls are still considered a minority.  “Social traditions and deep-rooted religious and cultural beliefs are most often the barriers to expanding girls' educational opportunities in undeveloped countries around the world” (Save the Children, 2012).   I think America has made great strides in the right direction with a few within our population that are still stuck in the ways of thinking.  The sooner the world realizes girls should be treated as equals the sooner the world can move on and focus on the real issues facing our children and their families.

I found an article from within the Save the Children website that really shows economists support the early childhood field.  The article is titled, The Power of Early Childhood Development to Change the World and within that article it states that “United States economists predict investments in early childhood programs will pay for themselves over time, and eventually yield a “profit” to society” (Save the Children, 2009).  When communities invest time and money in the children the future is going to look brighter because that time and money is being utilized by the future community leaders and citizens that will one day lead and make important decisions.  Children will live their lives based on what they are taught and this stands to reason why not start when they are young and impressionable so that they can be taught before the world can influence their thinking.    

Childhood Poverty

After many emails with no response I was forced to choose the alternative option for this weeks Blog Assignment.

World Forum Radio introduced Barbara Jones who in 1984 founded the Pinegrove Montessori Preschool in Maine.  After working in a school in London England she realized her dream of working with small children, she took an abandoned 1917 building and turned it into a private childhood center.  The character of the building and hard work allowed her to build on her dream providing an educational opportunity for young children.

The new insights I learned about childhood poverty in China was although it is the most populous country between 15 and 31 million of its citizens live in poverty.  The decline is as a result of China's processes in regards to their economic and social transition.  China benefits from foreign investments causing the country to have to deal with the implications effecting the employment rate and well being of the country in general.  It is heartbreaking to learning that 4.2 million children live in poverty in a nation that is the technologically advanced.  A large percentage of children complete their primary education but many families cannot afford the educational costs for their children. There have been anti poverty programs put into place that focus on the rural areas of China, although small in scale their has been a growth in  anti poverty initiatives.

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

Sharing Web Resources

 
 www.savethechildren.org
 

Save the Children is the world's leading independent organization for children that works to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children in more than 120 countries worldwide.  The organizations goal is to do everything humanly possible to see that every "child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation" (Save the Children.org). They manage this through the support of generous donations and sponsorships while working with other organizations, governments and non-profits organizations. When an area is devastated by a natural disaster this organization is there to help the victims with food, medical care and education as quickly and as effectively as possible. Save the Children staff and volunteers stay in the area longer so they can help communities rebuild through long-term recovery programs.

In December 2011 Save the Children announced a new partnership between themselves and Discovery Kids. Discovery Kids is the leading network in children's programming from the portfolio of Discovery Networks Latin America/U.S. Hispanic (Save the Children.org).  The two organizations will work side by side to support families struggling through severe floods in Central America and work to raise awareness of children affected by flooding in El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.  "Currently the flooding in Central America disrupted the lives of tens of thousands of children and together Save the Children and Discovery Kids will help raise much needed awareness about this crisis that most people don't know about" (Hartill, 2011).  

The heart of this organization is heart warming and eye opening to how people deal with poverty all over the word.  So many times we in the United States have no idea what it is to suffer.  And to imagine a country that is scraping on a daily basis to feed their families not knowing where their next meal will come from if at all, then to be hit by a horrendous natural disaster is heart breaking.To know there are organizations that their only goal is to help these suffering families find the comfort they have always craved for makes me want to be part of such a selfless project. 

References

Hartill, L. (December 15, 2011). Save the Children Partners with Discovery Kids to Help Children Affected by Floods in Central America. Retrieved January 12, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=6478615&ct=11551595

Save the Children. (2012). http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

I could possibly be over analyzing the assignment but I am extremely nervous about the task that has been presented to me.  I have reached out and emailed a total seven individuals with not much luck in fact the majority of my emails were returned undeliverable.  I have not given though I will continue searching because my task has been accomplished successfully.  If worst comes to worst I will use the alternative and listen to the podcast provided.  I have already subscribed just in case it the need were to arise. I may be discouraged now but I plan to stay optimistic keep trying  :)

                          

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

This website really sparked my interest because the well being of children is ever early childhood professionals main goal.  This website helps those children that would truly be lost without the help provided by the supports and professionals involved with this program.  "Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world and when disaster strikes around the world, Save the Children is there to save lives with food, medical care and education and remains to help communities rebuild through long-term recovery programs" (Save the Children Federation, 2011).  The children that benefit from this organization would be ignored and possibly left to suffer if such an organization did not take notice and provide the help and resources available.  I admire those that are self less and truly care whole heartedly about the innocent victims of natural disasters destroy the world around them.  Imagining the feeling ans thoughts that go through those young lives unsure where their next meal will come from or if they will have a warm safe place to stay when such an organization like Save the Children comes in it is similar to a life preserver that will help maintain these innocent lives until long term arrangements can be set in to place.It is exciting to anticipate what great pieces of knowledge I will be able to learn from such a beautiful organization.