Final thoughts on International Efforts in Early Childhood Field

 

Three consequences of Learning

Consequence 1

          During the current course of Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Field (EDUC – 6162), I went to a wonderful website that researched Early Child Education for most of the countries. This is the website of the 'Center on International Education Benchmarking' (https://ncee.org/what-we-do/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/about-us/)

         Dr. Sharon Lynn Kagan gave an overview of research findings at the groundbreaking international study of early childhood education systems. Some of the facts expressed in this overview were astonishing. I am sharing a few with you:

Dr. Sharon Lynn Kagan, Professor of Early Childhood and Family Policy and Co-Director of the National Center for Children and Families at the University of Columbia.

ECE of the USA is not in this table. ECE of the Netherland, Finland, and South Korea are ranking high.

USA Early Childhood Education ranks 22^nd in Quality.

The USA ranks 21^st in its expenses on Pre-Primary Education.

  Consequence 2.

Global Fund for Children was another website that keeps us updated on young children's problems and education. Education | Global Fund for Children

Consequence 3

The Aga Khan Network (AKDN) takes us to the far-off area of the world where this network helps young children in poverty and educates them for the future.

Aga Khan Education Services | Aga Khan Development Network (akdn.org)

As schools open, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Aga Khan Education Services have curated a list of practical tips and activities to support students' relationships, well-being, and learning during COVID-19.

My Professional Goal

I will keep myself attached to the above websites and other international websites to keep me abreast of the Early Childhood Education world over. My professional goal is to learn about the best practices in ECE in different countries.

Professional Goals, Hopes and Dreams

 

    I am working at an Earling Learning Center in Rockford, Illinois. All-day, I see children coming from a population that is not affluent. Parents do not have a single moment to talk to the children. They are doing two or even three jobs to survive. While leaving their children at our center and taking them back from the center, they are in a rush. I see the neglect in the children's faces, in the dress they wear, and the attitude they have formed in response to the parents' negligence. These children are love hungry. They adore you with a single word of kindness and by a single act of empathy. They start loving you. For me, this love is a great reward.

         We strive for quality and excellence every moment at our center. I do not say that we are working in an ideal environment, but we are working every moment to improve it.

         My center gives importance to the continuous training of its teachers. I see all the opportunities for my personal growth here.

         Initially, I will continue working as a teacher at my center, but I will be more than happy to take an administrative role. My master's at Walden covers this Administration and Finance education of early childhood center.

 

But my dreams are more than being a teacher or administrator at an Early Child Center.

 

I will like to work in a position that may bring changes in the lives of children and their families. I want to work for the underprivileged but from a position where I may bring changes in parents' lives and ultimately in children's lives. I wish that children enter any center with smiles and their parents leave them in school with satisfaction and hopes.

I come from an area where children start working at the age of four. The parents of these children cannot even dream of child education. Generation after generation has passed with this neglect of children. I dream of bringing care, education, and hopes to these children.

          The new insights gained from the reflections, podcasts, and website visits this week and during previous weeks inspires me every moment. I know I am inching towards my big dream.

 

                                                              Tasneem Ahmad Mumtaz

Sharing Web Resources on Equity and Barriers to ECE

 

From Grassroots Review- a newsletter of Global Fund for children.

Amid the global crisis, GFC’s local partners have launched new initiatives that go beyond humanitarian aid, including a community radio station, community gardens, and virtual courses. In this blog, GFC’s Rodrigo Barraza García reflects on what he and our local partners have learned about staying safe while continuing to serve children and support each other. Read about these initiatives and what the crisis has taught us about collective care. 

Read more at: https://globalfundforchildren.org/news-press/newsletters/

                                    

Read more at: 

https://nieer.org/research-report/barriers-to-expansion-of-nc-pre-k-problems-and-potential-solutions

                                   

     Read more at: 

https://medium.com/@NatlHeadStart

    

         This webinar series provides a focus on the psychological and interpersonal dynamic of 

         achieving racial equity goals and supports participants in the practice of speaking the 

         language of equity.

         This webinar introduces relationship-based psychosocial tools for Infant Toddler Court 

         Teams to use, build on, and sustain equity practices in their specific communities.

        Read more at: 

https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/3754-breaking-down-barriers-for-engagement-with-families-of-color-to-achieve-racial-equity-webinar

            

    Promoting equity in your classroom is within your reach, and this on-demand mini-course will 

    give you some of the tools you need. It focuses on what equity work can look like for 

    teachers working with children ages 3 through 5 on a day-to-day basis in the classroom. 

    You will find strategies and tips for how you can support the learning and development of 

    each and every child in your classroom through intentional play opportunities and guided 

    instructional supports. The full scope of equity work cannot be addressed in a single 

    module or book. Consider this just one resource on your journey to teaching with an equity 

    lens. This module explores the six parts of the book Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool 

     with an Equity Lens.

       Read more at: https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pd/online-learning/each-and-every-child-independent

Issues related to excellence and equity

 

Center on the Developing Child Harvard University has great resources on Child Development issues in video, text,  and audio formats.

You can build Child's brain!

                           

    Children of color are facing brunt of COVID 19

To listen the podcast go to the link: The Brain Architects Podcast: Addressing Racial Disparities in COVID-19 (harvard.edu)

The Impact of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Development

From International Web Resources

Global Fund For Children (GFC) is changing lives of children worldwide

Learn more about this Equity  by clicking: 

https://www.akdn.org/project/ensuring-equity-online-classroom

Sharing Web Resources

 

Visit  Website: Professional Development | NAEYC

______________________________________________________________________________

Visit website: Investing in Infants and Toddlers: The Economics of Early Childhood • ZERO TO THREE

__________________________________________________________________________________

Visit website: National Head Start Association | (nhsa.org)

_________________________________________________________________

UNESCO

Visit website: MOOC: Mainstreaming early childhood education into education sector planning | IIEP-UNESCO

Getting to Know International Organizations: Part 1

 

https://www.akdn.org/

 

               Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is one of the world's leading poverty solutions networks. AKDN works together with communities to help them around the world to build better futures. Each year the AKDN helps improve the quality of life for tens of millions of people in over 30 countries. AKDN works in countries where life is hard, poverty is dire, and more help is needed. 

 AKDN is different from other poverty alleviation organizations in the world.

AKDN says

           "We don't just provide services or goods. We dedicate ourselves to partnering with communities to improve their quality of life for decades and generations. We make long term investments, from early childhood programs to universities that benefit 2 million students every year. We build hospitals and schools to make sure everyone has access to world-class institutions. We work with people to serve their community and build their local economy. Our work impacts tens of millions in over 30 countries every year."

          "In AKDN's experience, the understandable but short-term humanitarian impulse to help poor people is usually not enough to lift them out of the cycle of poverty. For AKDN, poverty alleviation is conceived as part of a long-term strategy for developing a community's resources in ways that lead to self-reliance."

A cherry and apple orchard Demonstration Plot planted with the assistance of the Aga Khan Foundation, in Rustaq District, Takhar, Afghanistan.

In Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, the Aga Khan Foundation launched the Enhancing Food Security and Incomes (FSI) initiative to improve agricultural production and market linkages for smallholder producers, sustain access to basic financial services, facilitate non-farm enterprise, and enhance nutrition-related awareness and practices.

Hidden hunger-

            In an Aga Khan University's Conference on Nutrition and Early Human Development, speakers talked about Hidden hunger in Pakistan. They said that Hidden Hunger is present among half of the Pakistani Children. A lack of iron, vitamin A or vitamin D is often referred to as 'hidden hunger.' Its symptoms are not visible as in other forms of malnutrition, such as wasting and being underweight. But a lack of these essential micronutrients can lead to serious, lifelong repercussions, including delayed growth, reduced immunity to disease, frequent fatigue, and low school achievement.

 Crossing the Pyanj river: Delivering milk to Afghan schools.

This is a story of great planning, courage, and endeavor.

Watch yourself.

AKDN has given me great insight into Poverty. I now realize that providing food to the hungry is not a lasting solution. We need to bring social change, and these social changes take years to give its fruits.

In September 2015, the UN adopted a plan for achieving a better future for all – laying out a path over the next 15 years to end extreme Poverty, fight inequality and injustice and protect our planet.

Let's hope and put our part to the UN's plan of ending extreme Poverty by 2030.

Sharing Web Resources

 

https://www.naeyc.org/

I am a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). I have all appreciation for this organization. It works to promote high-quality learning for all children from birth to age 8. It connects early childhood practice, policy, and research. NAEYC has nearly 60,000 members of the Early Childhood Community and 52 affiliates.

The collective vision of NAEYC is:

Learn more about NAEYC through this video:

NAEYC publishes many magazines and journals every month. I like the magazine Teaching Young Children (TYC).

This magazine is of great benefit to professionals working with preschoolers. It is a colorful, informative, and easy-to-read magazine.

          This current issue of October/November 2020 features articles on partnering with families, helping children through change, supporting anxious children in the preschool classroom, and more.

The website of the organization is full of resources related to the topic of the week:

 Changing Demographics and Diversity

 Hereunder I am providing the names of articles and their links.

https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/public-policy-advocacy/cultural-competence

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2018/capitalizing-culture

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/oct2017/make-math-meaningful-diverse-learners

Note: Some articles are only available to members of NAEYC

Expanding Horizons and Expanding Resources

 Expanding Horizons

          Podcasts on Early Childhood has a wealth of information. Since it is transmitted through voice, it also depicts the emotion of the author. I spent several hours diving into this sea of information. This is a vast sea; I have just touched its shore.

This week, I have selected the following podcasts from Save the Children Website.

 How children globally faced COVID-19. 

Here is an introduction to the topic from the website.

          All over the world, the pandemic has turned children's lives upside down. In this episode of Save the Children documentary, they share their stories. Follow along to northern Colombia, where nothing is the same in 15-year-old Mary's life, and on to the war in Afghanistan where vaccinations stopped, and food shortages threaten. Hear 16-year-old Vusi in South Africa about how the strict lockdown made an already challenging situation impossible and how a young rapper in Delhi's slum raises hope with his songs. 

I will not come in between you and the podcasts. Listen to the podcast.

Expanding Resources

 

           I have selected the Global organization 'GlobalFund for Children (GFC)' and its website for study. The concept of GFC was born in 1990 when Maya Ajmera saw some street children studying at the railway platform of Bhubaneswar in India. A local organization was providing books and food to these children.

          With the concept of helping the local organization for the welfare of children, Maya Ajmera founded GFC in 1994.  It is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. The mission of the GFC is to transform the lives of the world's most helpless children. So far, it has invested more than $46 million among 729 community-based organizations and served more than 11 million children and youth worldwide.

         I like this website because it serves children globally. There are several videos and articles ar this website that is informative and exciting.

         I found the following videos worth watching:

It starts with planting a tree.

 

 And 'The Girls have won!'

 

My Supports

 

          As I reflect on what the term "support" means to me, support means encouraging someone or helping him/her succeed. I firmly believe that we can make a difference in the world with little support, encouragement, and guidance.

My Parents:

       My parents were always my motivational force; they always supported me and taught me to differentiate right from wrong. My parents ever desired my sibling and me to be the best; they have played a significant role in shaping my life.

 

In the photo, the girl sitting in the middle is me.

And look, this is me now. Throughout this journey in life, my parents inspired me. They made me a confident individual who would have been lost without them.

My Husband: 

        A supportive husband is an absolute requirement for professional women.

He is something she looks for, and when she finds him, she marries him.   

                                                                                           (Alice.S Rossi)

        My husband is my world. He is always there when I need him. He guides me, encourages me, motivates me, and inspires me. He always says, 'pursue your dream, no matter what happens.'

         To get my Master's degree in Early childhood is my dream, as well as my passion.

 

Challenge:

        Life is full of challenges. I must say that I am lucky that I am blessed with good people who motivate me not to give up and encourage me to achieve my goal. I always think big, positive, and sound. I set short term goals to achieve long term goals. As my mother always says to us, "never complain about the challenges, they are there to polish you, and one day you will overcome them."

 Religion: Religion is my strength. I believe that God does not burden anyone with a load, which is more than his/her capacity. God is too generous to burden people with what they cannot bear. So, I will meet all challenges with the support of God.

        My support system gets me through the day or the week, or even the year. They keep me going, and they're an essential part of my life. Everyone needs that; I am lucky that I have my supports.

My connections to Play

 

          I was born and raised in Pakistan.  When I was young, I did not have any fancy gadgets or expensive toys. 

          I loved nature, and my parents were my big supporter and teachers. When I used to go for a long walk with my parents,  I asked many questions? Like how and why season changes? Why clouds move, and how are they formed? Why are stars seen at night and not at noon? How plants grow. My parents used to explain and answer my question thoroughly. 

           When I was young, my mother used to ask me to make bracelets of flowers; she used to give flowers and asked me if I could count flowers. I used to get busy in counting flowers and making bracelets.

 

          I was also a tomboy, used to play in the streets in front of my house. Boys used to be my play partners.

          The above photograph is showing me in my childhood. Do you see the sparks in my eyes?

 

          One of my favorite plays was Kancha. Kancha is played with marbles.

Another play which I liked most is below.

          At school, I loved playing tag, hide and seek, and especially cricket. 

         Time has changed. Electronic gadgets have taken the place of physical play. I do not see the children in the fields and parks now in the evening. They sit around the TV and watch games.

         Our childhood has moved indoors. Our children spend half the time outdoor in play what they used to do two decades back. A Kaiser Family Foundation research shows that children are spending seven hours daily on electronic gadgets. This excessive play with electronic devices is taking a toll in the shape of child obesity and lack of creativity. Even Steve Jobs, former Apple chief executive officer, was worried at this exposure of children to gadgets.

         I am sorry to admit that play has gone out of my busy life. I am no more physically active. When  I look back to my childhood days, they were the golden days of my life. I miss those golden days of play.