Final Blog Assignment: Issues & Trends in EC

This video is from Save the Children, the international organization that I have been following for this course (www.savethechildren.org). This documentary is moving. It provides us a glimpse of  issues and trends that we have been studying in this course. It also sparks insights on the importance of early childhood education.

 

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal developmetn are these: self reflection on my work and dedication to the field, changing my professional goals to work more closely with families and children instead of on the sidelines hoping for change, and to reach out internationally for support, ideas and answers in this field.

 

A significant goal for international awareness is to unite and use the many organizations that have the same goals for the children, specifically bringing education and support to those families and children in poverty. 

 





Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” webpage (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/) writes on the first International Day of the Girl Child, they speculate 32 million girls who should be in primary grades are not attending primary school. They hope to break the vicious cycle of abuse, discrimination and inequality that girls across the world. UNESCO recognizes that also this abuse keeps “communities and societies from sustainable development”.

It is not often that the discrimination of girls gets continual attention. The discrimination of females tends to be brushed aside in many areas of the world. Why is this so?

Getting to Know Your International Contacts Part 2

Of the many studies on the importance of early childhood, one specific finding is that early learning impacts development and the primary grades. These positive outcomes include children of varying abilities and many cultures; early learning benefits all children. Following the importance of early learning is the actual quality of the learning process and/or environment. Assessment strategies and tools are starting to take place in early learning centers to reflect these positive outcomes on our children, then ideally will inturn increase government budgets for early childhood education. As preschool teachers it is important that we stay cognizant of our teaching practices, assessment strategies and learning outcomes in our classroom because it is ultimately for the children and the future of early learning.

Teachers College, Columbia University. (2009). Early childhood care and education: Worlwide challenges and progress. Current Issues in Comparative Education, 11, 1–44. Retrieved from http://www.tc.columbia.edu/cice/Issues/11.00/PDFs/11_Complete_Issue.pdf