week 8

WHEN I THINK OF RESEARCH

Looking back to the beginning of this course and how anxious I was about learning more about research; especially in the early childhood field. Now, there is a sigh of relief that a lot has change and those changes have been positive towards accomplishing my research goal

The major insights I have gained about research from taking this course is that research is important and necessary in order to bring about change or improvement in our role and services to children, families and the early childhood field

-research should be based on our areas of interest and be based on our utmost commitment

 -availability of resources and limitations should always look into before embarking on any research project

-conducting thorough readings on previous or similar research  gives insights to how to present and address our research

-planning on how, when, who and what would be used to collect and analyze data should be should be outlined in order to serve as a guide towards the research process.

-issue of ethics and equity are vital in any research; consent must be given and participants must be recognized, respected and represented appropriately

-methods of data collection should be clearly decided and defined

-validity in research is important, if research is to serve its purpose and there are several approaches to ensure it. Example through triangulation

-The goal of research should be the one that is of great benefit

Initially I had fears with the thought of research, but with the approach adopted in learning about research, I feel more confidence towards embarking on my research project.

-understanding the concepts and expressing them in my own words as made me have a clearer picture of the key factors in research

- Step-by step process we took in designing the research simulation really made me understand the processes involved in conducting a research study.

now I know that,it requires commitment,understanding of key components as well as step-by-step planning.

The lesson about planning, designing and conducting research in the early childhood field is:

-That one need to consider an area of interest, resources and duration of time, and acquire knowledge and training essential to research

-That in Designing a research, one needs to have a well laid plan that would not be deviated from, which would act as guideline, information on the whole process of the research should be carefully arranged which might take some time if one hope to achieve success (areas such as research interest, researchable questions or hypothesis, research design(qualitative, quantitative or mixed method)data collection methods, participants and their characteristics, analysis of data, validity and reliability of data.)

-That ethical concerns and equity issues are essential to any successful research in the early childhood field

The major Challenges I encountered as to do with designing my population sample; which I still need to look into. My participants are majorly preschool students but my concern is indirectly I would be forced to separate male from female, Saudi Arabia‘s educational structure does not permit boys and girls together in school., I guess I might have to see classification as part of the extraneous variables and try as much to focus mainly on my research issue.

My perception of an early childhood professional has being modified to see how early childhood professionals can also contribute meaningfully to knowledge and improvement in providing quality services through conducting research

And that research in early childhood considers ethics and equity as an important early childhood professionals are not just capable of contributing effectively through research but it is done with the utmost concern for the welfare of its participants as well as providing truthful outcomes. Therefore, as early childhood professionals dealing with children we need to put ethical and equity issues at the initial stage or conceptualization, and applying throughout the process as well as in the findings and conclusions

In conclusion, this course has really made a significant impact on me as regards preparing and conducting a research. It has been insightful and educative. I know, there is still more to learn, but I am ready to challenge myself further.

WEEK 5

Research around the World

For this week research around the world, I decide to follow the link to early childhood Australia. Early childhood Australia advocates for quality, equity and social l justice in education and care of young children (birth-8 years).While exploring through their website, and searching through their journal archive, I found so many research topics that address different issues affecting children, their education and care, families and the early childhood field across the world. I selected some research related to my research topic and some other insightful journals and listed below is a brief explanation

 -The transition to school of children with developmental disabilities: Views of parents and teachers

The research addresses early intervention programs through an inclusive school setting for children with disabilities to help them transition to school effectively. Data was collected from opinions of parents and teachers, through questionnaires regarding 62 children participating in the transition to school program. Opinions was to determine the success of the program, although there were reports from parents about lack of preparation  for their child’s developmental needs by the teachers and the teachers noted limited resources as their challenge. Findings from the program can bring about effective transition-to- school programs in the early school years with children with disabilities

Australasian Journal of Early Childhood – Volume 37 No 3 September 2012

-Young school-aged children’s behavior and their participation in extra-curricular activities

Extra-curricular activities afford children opportunities for development and can also influence their behavior. Children’s behavior is an important predictor of their future successes or failures. This study investigated the relationship between behavior and participation in extra-curricular activities in children aged between five and eight years.. Participation, number of activities, and duration of activities were all associated with children’s behavior. Children who participated in extra-curricular activities had lower behavior scores than those who did not. The results suggest that children benefit from participating in two or more activities for 80–90 minutes per week(ECA,2012).This research serve to benefit every child ,because it has been found to influence behavior positively which is necessary for success in and out of school

Australasian Journal of Early Childhood – Volume 37 No 3 September 2012

Developing the understanding of the role of interpersonal interaction in early literacy development: A case study of a Thai public preschool

The study focuses on the role of interpersonal interaction in early literacy development in one public preschool school in Bangkok, Thailand. Specifically, it explores and analyses the nature of interpersonal interaction and collaborative activities the teachers employ in teaching literacy to children. The paper concludes that raising professional knowledge of the significance of interpersonal interaction, and focused professional development which builds and maintains teacher awareness of their teaching of literacy, would enhance children’s literacy development in Thailand.(ECA,2012)

Australasian Journal of Early Childhood – Volume 37 No 3 September 2012

 Children’s strategies for making friends when starting school

This research topic explores matters of friendship when young children are starting school, and how they initiate friendships. In audio-recorded conversations with researchers, the children proposed a number of strategies, including making requests, initiating clubs and teams, and peer intervention to support a friend. Their accounts drew on social knowledge and relational understandings, and showed that having someone, a friend, to play with was important for starting school. Children gave serious attention to developing strategies to initiate friendships.(ECA,2012)

Australasian Journal of Early Childhood – Volume 37 No 2 June 2012

 The insights or ideas gained from exploring research issues from the website are that there are continuous effort through research work to ensure that all children benefits from quality education and care, and that all children are given equal opportunities. The first research issues I wrote gave me an insight on the impact of early intervention for disable children through inclusive programs, which I believe it, is a good transition strategy, giving resources are available and teachers and caregivers are well equipped for the task. Another insight is on the importance of extracurricular activities on behavior, and how interpersonal relationship with parents can help a child early literacy as well as the importance of peer friendship in coping with school

The information I found relevant has to with the reconciliation plan of the early childhood Australia. A reconciliation with the aboriginal and Torres trait islanders, I believe every effort should be made top ensue e each child benefits from the early education field but this can only be possible if we are united for the same cause. Reconciliation is therefore a step in the right direction

WEEK 3-Research that Benefits Children and Families

When I look back at what made me have a change of focus in the field of education, it was an experience that brought about a conviction that truly I could contribute to this field and that learning with children had a strong association with play. Looking back at the moment that brought about a turning point in my passion as a professional is a short story of a young girl, who was brought from the village; she had been staying with her uneducated grandmother in the northern part of Nigeria, she could not express herself in any other language than Hausa which was their native language and she had very little knowledge. Her father was well educated man but was away for a while so had to put the child with the grandmother, and when he came back he realized the girl was of school age, he was afraid she would be able to cope. There, I came to the picture, someone recommended me to the father that since I was a teacher .although my area of training was for much older children, but I was ready to challenge myself. How then do prepare this young child for school, then I tried to visualize myself as a child, and how I was able to learn more when I was playing, so I thought, of adopting that method, even though I was not trained or well prepared for the task ,within couple of months this little girl was expressing certain words in English and eager to learn new things, to her it was fun, singing ,rhyming and puzzle, meanwhile she was learning and she was a fast one at it. She was enrolled to school, sooner than expected. Then, I began to see the reality of how play could help children develop and learn.

This belief has influence me a lot as regards how children learn and so with this in mind I always thought of researching on play and its significant impact on children. I wanted to understand better how to articulate it as an educator for it to yield favorable result .social skill are very essential for young children’s survival and learning. Social skills teach them to relate positively with others and also be able to express their needs, wants, desires appropriately. Based on these important acquiring early is essential. Play gives room or create avenue for interaction, through interaction, children learn to take turns, follow rules, masters skill, compliments others, share things, show concern, listening, compromising, cooperation, asking questions amongst others. These skills enables them relate better with people, thereby make them learn better

In other words I believe that my research on play as promoting early social skill would bring about change in attitude towards play ;correcting the notion of it being a waste of time, bring about better understanding of how it supports learning and development, better public awareness of the need to promote play in curriculum, generate ideas on how to articulate the impact of play in the classroom by teachers and finally get more awareness for provisions ,more rich and safe play environment for kids.

Week 2: My Personal Research Journey

Growing up as a child, I had a lot of opportunity to play and express my inner desires, skills and interest. I grew up in a big compound and a big garden, physical activities was to the fullest and I also learnt a lot about nature, food and animals very early in life, Make believe plays made I and my parents discover my area of interest, which was being a teacher and I have their full support till date. I believe that this ability to explore the world around me as shaped my personality as an individual and an educator. I love to play with kids even as an adult, I get along quickly with children because I try to understand their world and enjoy the moment with them.

I believe children should enjoy being children and allow exploring their world around them to the fullest, so that they can grow, learn and discover their uniqueness. For this reasons, I feel strongly contributing to the existing knowledge on the role of play as an effective tool for learning, development and transitions in the early year. Narrowing down my research interest, I strongly believe that play helps children develop social skills early, which is an essential survival kit for them.

Constructing the research chart as well as reading through the textbook has opened me to some insights on the key things that are important while planning and intending to execute a research project. I now understand that it is important to clearly state the purpose, avoiding ambiguity in world so that anyone attempting to find out about your goal with the research would understand it. Also after providing literature reviews on previous findings on my research topic or a related aspect of it, the need to plan and clearly state and describe effectively participants in the method section and finally that the result based on the data collected should reflect and described clearly in discussion and a summary of it in the conclusion sector

 I am open to ideas, information, insights especially contributions from conferences that anyone might have attended, where the issue of play in social skill development in the early years. I know this kind of material would help me understand and have a professional and varied perspectives as to how play has contributed to how children are able to survive the change from home to school

Week 1- Building  research  competency


Beginning of another journey to professionalism in the early childhood field; though a challenging one, ready to share ideas with my colleagues through blog post.Best wishes to everyone 

Week 8- final blog Assignment

I would like to thank my instructor and all my colleagues for their support throughout this course. I would like to say for fact that I found this course resourceful and insightful. It has had a strong influence on the  way I view  issues as regards early  childhood  field, I am now aware and sensitive to  issues such as poverty, equity and excellence in care and education of children and families, changing demographics and diversity, and the influences of economics, neuroscience, and politics on the early childhood field. I feel more committed and with a more definitive and a strong desire to contribute positively to development of the EC field

Within the past few weeks, there have been consequences of learning about the international early childhood field on my professional and personal development.

Creation of self awareness and realization of my role as professional in the EC field as regards issues affecting children and the early childhood  field  in my community and other  parts of the world, by giving me varied perspective to issues, as well as some insightful ways to impact change  

It has given me an exposure to numerous resources within a short period of time; organization and individuals that have made landmarks in the early childhood field. These resources would continue to enrich and promote my professional development for lifelong

The unexpected consequences that resulted from exploring early childhood  Australia website  and following them on face book was an invitation  from  an early  childhood  professional  who participated  in the ECA conference, and created  a website  where  professionals  can  share  ideas, interact  via social  media, and even got someone  interested  in studying  early childhood  education at Walden. The resources I got from this forum have given me a clearer picture of what I want to do and a conviction as well. Anyone interested could check out her page-

https://www.facebook.com/earlychildhood.htif?fref=ts

This course has been an inspiration and positive contribution to my professional development

one goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations is a commitment  to taking a universal and active step to ensuring a better  future  for all children  through ensuring  quality  and equity  in services  provided  or rendered  to  children  and their  families.

I wish everyone the best of luck as we continue our journey to being professional s in the  field 

WEEK 7-UNESCO

The United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) was founded on 16 November 1945.UNESCO works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values. It is through this dialogue that the world can achieve global visions of sustainable development encompassing observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which are at the heart of UNESCO’s  mission and activities.

The broad goals and concrete objectives of the international community – as set out in the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – underpin all UNESCO’s strategies and activities. Thus UNESCO’s unique competencies in education, the sciences, culture and communication and information contribute towards the realization of those goals. UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. The Organization focuses, in particular, on two global priorities:

While  exploring and reviewing through their websites ,several issues ,news and publication  addressed my goals of contributing effectively through acquiring  the required  knowledge and skill   as a professional in the early childhood  field ,and since we are looking  into issues related to the  workforce  as regards  conceptualization, quality and defining it  in relation  to the early  childhood  Workforce, so I decided to narrow it down  to issues about  education, teachers, and Quality  in the  early  childhood  field

EDUCATION FIRST

“This is the first time that a United Nations Secretary-General has made education a priority. It is an historic decision that recognizes the power of education to transform lives and build more sustainable, peaceful and prosperous societies. I am proud that the Secretary-General turned to UNESCO to play a lead role in shaping this Initiative and taking it forward.” Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General

Launched on 26 September 2012, Education First is a five-year initiative sponsored by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations. A global advocacy platform at the highest level, it aims to generate a renewed push to achieve the internationally-agreed education goals set for 2015 and get the world back on track to meeting its education commitments.

In the Secretary-General’s own words, “when we put Education First, we can reduce poverty and hunger, end wasted potential – and look forward to stronger and better societies for all.”

The three priorities of Education First are:

·         putting every child into school

·         improving the quality of learning

·          fostering global citizenship

The personal commitment and convening power of the UN Secretary-General sends the message that education is not simply a moral imperative; it is the single best investment nations can make to build prosperous, healthy and equitable societies.  By rallying together a broad spectrum of actors, including governments, donor nations, the business community, philanthropic organizations and the media, the Initiative will put education at the heart of the social, political and development agenda, so together, we can reach the goals we have set for ourselves. (UNESCO, 2012)

Early Childhood Care and Education

UNESCO advocates for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programmes that attend to health, nutrition, security and learning and which provide for children’s holistic development. It organized the first World Conference on ECCE in September 2010, which culminated in the adoption of a global action agenda for ECCE called Moscow Framework for Action and Cooperation: Harnessing the Wealth of Nations. As a follow-up to the World Conference, UNESCO works in partnership with Member States, partners and other stakeholders to encourage timely and effective implementation of the Moscow Framework so that all young children develop their potential to the fullest.

The foundations of human development are laid during the child's early years and thus early childhood requires an integrated approach to the child's care, development and learning. Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than a preparatory stage assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling. Today, early childhood policies are placed within a broader context of social development, gender equity and poverty reduction. (UNESCO, 2012)

UNESCO leads the international policy drive for an integrated early childhood care and education system that encompasses both the well-being and holistic development of the child.  Its mission is to support early childhood policy development with the aim to build a solid foundation for a child’s lifelong learning. UNESCO’s activities in early childhood focus on upstream policy work through collaboration with government officials to review and develop their national policies affecting children from the age of 0 to 8. As this age bracket covers a diverse group of children in various developmental stages, it is naturally difficult for countries to address all children within this group simultaneously and equally. Prioritization is necessary. In this regard, UNESCO’s early childhood programmes focus on holistic pre-primary education for children over the age of 3, for which emphasis is placed on its linkages with primary education. It is important to note that pre-primary education must promote the child’s holistic development and should not be implemented like early primary education. (UNESCO, 2012)

UNESCO also promotes two useful planning strategies to address the early childhood needs for those under three years of age—phasing and partnership. A phased plan can impel the education sector to eventually respond to the needs of younger children as part of its overall commitment to early childhood. Partnership is another effective strategy. For instance, the social and health sectors are often more closely linked with families. If a partnership is developed with them, the care and education of younger children can be addressed together with those of older children. (UNESCO ,2012).For the early childhood field, UNESCO aims at access and equity, quality for the entire structure and organization, investment and financing and coordination and integration

UNESCO is launching its teacher strategy for 2012-2015 to introduce its priorities, action lines and role in relation to teachers. The strategy aims to provide a framework for the whole range of activities that UNESCO will develop from 2012 to 2015.

The main emphasis of the strategy is on supporting teachers for quality learning. Capitalizing on the previous experiences and on the applications of the TTISSA (Teacher Training Initiative for Sub-Saharan Africa) methodology and other UNESCO teacher-related programmes, UNESCO identified three priorities to drive the strategy:

·         Teacher shortage: Bridge the teacher gap in priority countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa;

·         Teacher Quality: Improve teaching quality; and

·         Research, knowledge production and Communication: Inform the global debate about teaching with comparative evidence.

Ultimately the strategy intends to configure a teaching force that works in an environment that rewards professional improvement and that is committed to improve the opportunities for student learning with well qualified and duly supported teaching practices. The Strategy provides an overall framework for a new initiative on teachers, aimed at accelerating progress towards EFA goals. The new initiative is (provisionally) called “Quality Teachers for EFA. The UNESCO Initiative for Teachers’ Capacity Development in Priority Countries” and will soon be released as an additional document.

The launch of the teacher’s strategy is part of the 2012 World Teachers’ Day celebration. “Take a stand for teachers” is the slogan of World Teachers’ Day this year which UNESCO is celebrating along with the International Labour Organization, UNDP, UNICEF and Education International.(UNESCO ,2012)

                                                              References
                                                           http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/
                  

WEEK 6-Sharing Web Resources

 For this week, the links that took me outside-early children Australia’s Website and are of Interest are.

1.  National quality standard professional learning program

2. My child.gov.au

3. Kids Matter Early Childhood

The National Quality Standard Professional Learning Program is a Commonwealth of Australia initiative developed and implemented by Early Childhood Australia in 2011–2012. It is an expansion of the Commonwealth of Australia-funded Early Years Learning Framework Professional Learning Program (EYLF PLP) to incorporate the National Quality Standard (NQS). The aim is to support early childhood educators to further embed the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) in their daily practice as a key element in achieving the National quality standard.(ECA,2012). The program is an important and key element or component of the Australian early years education and an important employment requirement for early childhood educators. Every professional in the field must have knowledge of what it entails. For more information, visit… http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/

My child.gov.au

This is an Australian's online child care portal, where you will find information on different types of child care and how to get assistance with the cost of child care. You can also search a database to find child care centers in your local area. In many cases, you will also be able to find the services' vacancy and fee information. This site also has information and links to other useful websites about children's health and wellbeing, parenting and family support services.

Additionally, it contains details of the Australian Government's early childhood agenda. This information covers a wide range of policies the Government is implementing to improve early childhood education and care. For more information, visit-   http://www.mychild.gov.au/

Kids Matter Early Childhood

KidsMatter s an Australian early childhood mental health initiative, It is a flexible, whole-service framework designed specifically for early education and care services. Experiences in the early childhood years affect long-term mental health, relationships and learning. Children with good mental health have stronger relationships, are better learners and have a greater chance of long-term success. The KidsMatter Early Childhood framework therefore

·         informs and supports early childhood education and care practice and quality requirements

·         provides resources, tools and reflective opportunities

·         Connects educators, children, families, management, community and health professionals.

For more information- http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/early-childhood

While going through early childhood Australia website, one area caught my attention to read more about because I see it as a resource that benefits everyone The Every Child magazine  which focus on the early years of childhood. It is published quarterly; it contains informative articles on such issues as health, education and social trends, and also book reviews, profiles and guest statements from well-known identities. Articles focus on aspects of early childhood from a grassroots, local level, but also look into political and national developments. Aimed at anyone involved in the care and education of young children, Every Child is topical, diverse, but always entertaining. The segment is divided into subs which helps to navigate all information about every child magazine. It is ideal for:

·         students

·         childcare workers

·         parents

·         grandparents

·         anyone who wants to keep up to date on events and developments around Australia that impact on children from birth to eight years or on the early childhood field in general.

Every Child focuses on the here-and-now, and its articles, written by early childhood professionals, explore what's really going on in early childhood – from current practices in suburban childcare centers to Federal Government policy. Aiming to encourage innovation, promote good practice, and stimulate debate, Every Child magazine is an established favorite among the early childhood community. The magazine recently celebrated 10 years of providing entertaining and informative articles to those in the early childhood field.

One of the new information found on from the web watch newsletter mail to me this week is

International Day of the Girl Child

It is estimated that 60 million girls around the world do not have access to a primary school education. Today is the first annual UN International Day of the Girl Child, to be held each year on 11 October, and ECA is affirming girls’ rights and recognizing the unique challenges faced by girls around the world.

Launching the Day of the Girl in Canberra last night, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said, 'Nothing is more important than education. ... Education is the key. Education is aid that works.'We're asking you to consider supporting Do It In a Dress, an initiative that changes the lives of girls in Sierra Leone by helping them to go to school. What else can you do to advocate for girls' education?

Also the new information received from the Web watch newsletter and which relates to an issue being discussed is National Quality Framework

First National Quality Framework Conference: 2013

ACECQA will host its first national conference on the National Quality Framework at the Australian Technology Park in Sydney, 12-13 September 2013. The conference theme is -Quality, Consistency, and Excellence.

In December 2009, all Australian Governments agreed to a new National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care. This means that all Australian children, regardless of their location, will get the best possible start in life through high quality early childhood education and care and school age care services. The Framework will help providers improve their services in the areas that impact on a child’s development and empower families to make informed choices about which service is best for their child. ACECQA, the new national body is responsible for providing oversight of the new system and ensuring consistency of approach. (ACECQA,2012)

The new insight I gained this week is an effort by early childhood Australia to bring about equity in benefits to quality education through recognition and reconciliation

For Early Childhood Australia, Reconciliation between aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples and the broader Australian community is about transformation—transformation that moves us from ignorance and racism to respect, from inequity and prejudice to justice, and from inaction and fear to hope. It is in this transformation, both personal and organizational, that the promise of a strong future for every Australian child is realized. I believe it is a good step for a country with diversity

                                                      References 

Australian Children Education’s and Care Quality Authority.

http://acecqa.gov.au/national-quality-framework/

Early Childhood Australia: The Australian Early Childhood Advocacy Organization
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/wpcontent/uploads/ECA_Reconciliation_Action_Plan_web.pdf

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

For this week, my focus was on Centre for developing child, Harvard University as well as reading and listening to the podcast.  The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University was founded in 2006 on the belief that the vitality and sustainability of any society depend on the extent to which it expands opportunities early in life for all children to achieve their full potential and engage in responsible and productive citizenship. They viewed healthy child development as the foundation of economic prosperity, strong communities, and a just society, and their mission is to advance that vision by using science to enhance child well-being through innovations in policy and practice. (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2010).while exploring the Harvard university website, I was exposed to several information that are quite informative, educative and insightful.

The first insight that caught my attention is the issue of Executive functioning, based on research, this is an important skill needed develop early in life which is vital for lifelong survival.  Being able to focus, hold, and work with information in mind, filter distractions, and switch gears is like having an air traffic control system at a busy airport to manage the arrivals and departures of dozens of planes on multiple runways. In the brain, this air traffic control mechanism is called executive functioning, a group of skills that helps us to focus on multiple streams of information at the same time, and revise plans as necessary. Acquiring the early building blocks of these skills is one of the most important and challenging tasks of the early childhood years, and having the right support and experiences through middle childhood, adolescence, and into early adult life is essential for the successful development of these capacities. Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010) For more detail, watch this-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efCq_vHUMqs&feature=player_embedded,reteived from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/multimedia/videos/inbrief_series/inbrief_executive_function/

The second issue I found insightful Global children initiative which aims at integrating international approach to child survival, health, and development in the earliest years of life, The Center’s commitment to global work represents both an acknowledgement of moral responsibility to meet the needs of all children and a critical investment in the roots of economic productivity, positive health outcomes, and strong civil society in all nations, from the poorest to the most affluent. One essential, cross-cutting aspect of the Center’s approach is its commitment to work collaboratively across disciplines and institutions, drawing together the best and most creative expertise available to achieve the Initiative’s goals.The global activities  includes Un Buen Comienzo (UBC), “A Good Start,” i a collaborative project in Santiago, Chile, to improve early childhood education through teacher professional development. The idea is to improve the quality of educational offerings for four-to-six-year-olds, particularly in the area of language development. This project is also designed to intervene in critical health areas that improve school attendance as well as socio-emotional development, and it seeks to involve the children's families in their education.( Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University,2010).Read more.

 Also the Zambian early childhood development project, which is to address the knowledge gap of the impact of childhood experiences and to ensure equity and excellence in programs in  sub-Saharan, the Zambian Ministry of Education, the Examination Council of Zambia, UNICEF, the University of Zambia, and the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University launched the Zambian Early Childhood Development Project (ZECDP) in 2009, a collaborative effort to measure the effects of an ongoing anti-malaria initiative on children’s development in Zambia, through a new comprehensive instrument for assessing children’s physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development before and throughout their schooling careers. Read more
As part of its Global Children’s Initiative, the Center is launching Núcleo Ciência Pela Infância, its first major programmatic effort outside the United States. In collaboration with local experts, this project aims to use the science of child health and development to guide stronger policies and larger investments to benefit young children and their families in Brazil. Read more

The third issue I found insightful is on their student, education and leadership forum- The Center’s Education and Leadership Development (ELD) agenda is a full suite of formal and informal opportunities committed to enhancing the growth of the next generation during the critical early stages of their intellectual development. They also focused on building the capacity of career professionals to translate research into policy and action. They engage both current and future leaders in constructive dialogue to expose them to new paradigms and theories in order to guide their understanding of how to leverage this new knowledge on behalf of vulnerable children and their families. (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University,2010) Read more

The information that I found insightful from the podcast was on Maysoun Chehab ,the Regional Early Childhood Care and Development Program Coordinator at the Arab Resource Collective (ARC), not-for-profit non-governmental organization based in Beirut, Lebanon. It picked my interest because of her effort at ensuring children get the opportunity to learn despite psychological challenges as a result of war or conflict, her effort at ensuring the children and family got the necessary support they need to face these adversity, Her target of supporting the families and teachers first proved highly effective in Lebanon after he war that left many children and families devastated. Parents and teachers were trained about range of emotional and social reactions behaviors young children would have in post conflict situations, it was a 6days training and  which eventually gave them more coping techniques, and better prepared and confident to help these children

                                                            References
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010), retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/

World forum radio,(2011), retrieved from http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/current-work/world-forum-radio/

WEEK 4: Sharing Web Resources

Early Childhood Australia is an organization that advocates ensuring quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children from birth to eight years.

The specific section that seemed particularly relevant to my current professional development is on their position statement on the issue of children of Asylum seekers. I believe currently in my path towards professional development, advocating for the rights of children to healthy living and quality education irrespective of whatever differences is a goal I desired to pursue

In the Australian context, Asylum seekers are people who have entered Australia, claiming refugee status under the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and seeking the protection of the Australian Government. The treatment of asylum seekers in Australia varies depending on how they have entered the country and applied for refugee status. They may be placed in detention centers while their claims are processed or they may remain in the community while their claims are processed. It is in the context of these immigration policies and practices that children of asylum seekers and refugees are experiencing their childhood in detention or in the Australian community.(ECA position paper 2011) A summary of their position papers addresses concerns on how the needs of children of asylum seekers would be met given their situation. Meeting their basic needs of health care, nutrition, quality education and healthy interactive and stable environment like any other children as well as special needs as a result of trauma due to loss, complete change of culture and other damaging .Thesexperiences e needs must be addressed in a secure stable and healthy environment and relationship, preferably a primary caregiver; the mother, which usually cannot occur in detention centers they are sometimes placed. Therefore a call for support for the welfare of children and families of refugees is paramount The goal is to ensure the protection and healthy development of all children as well as achieve durable solutions which are appropriate to the immediate and long-term developmental needs of children. more

The new insight I got from their Resources themes is related to experiences that affect human lives. The issue is on global warming and the debate on why children should be informed. This information is written in consultation with the ECA Victoria Environmental Sustainability Special Interest Group, 2007, by Tracy Young of the Swinburne University of Technology. This issue has made me realize the need to educate children early on those factors that affects their development negatively or positively. This education would be done in an age appropriate manner, so that children can see themselves as active participant of change. For example, play and other creative activities.

Why do young children need to know about climate change? Are we really sure this is happening

It may be comforting to deny the scientific information about global warming, but the evidence is now overwhelming. Recent reports from the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) prove that vast quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, created by human activities, are warming the planet. As former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said, ˜The question is not whether climate change is happening but whether, in the face of this emergency, we ourselves can change fast enough.' (Annan, 2006).

Climate change will directly affect the lives of young children both now and in the future. It would be irresponsible for us not to share this information with children, to give them the opportunity to learn how their actions impact on the health of the planet. This knowledge enables children to learn how to be part of the climate change solution and teaches them that they can make a difference.( Young,2007). more

The information I got posted on their face book page and related to this week topic on contributions from other field is a video clip and a short insight on how science has help better understand importance of the early experiences to brain formation and the lifelong benefits. The video is part one of a three-part series titled "Three Core Concepts in Early Development" from the Center and the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The series depicts how advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, and genomics now give us a much better understanding of how early experiences are built into our bodies and brains, for better or for worse. Healthy development in the early years provides the building blocks for educational achievement, economic productivity, responsible citizenship, lifelong health, strong communities, and successful parenting of the next generation. 

According to Jack P. Shonkoff, MD, Director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University , neuroscience suggests that stronger returns on investment could come from programs that not only provide rich learning experiences for children but that also build the capacity of parents and other caregivers to protect young children from the consequences of toxic stress.“The circuits in the brain are very vulnerable to toxic stress, so even in the presence of good education later, children will not achieve as much as they would have if they’re not protected from this adversity early in their life,” said Dr. Shonkoff.

                                  Link to the video-

   http://youtu.be/VNNsN9IJkws

The other new insights I got from exploring the website of ECA is from their September 2012 Webwatch, Issue 147 on what makes children feel safe?

As part of National Child Protection Week (last week, 2-8 September) Save the Children Australia has talked with children aged as young as four about what makes them feel safe. Giving children a voice on this issue is the Safety Report. For a summary of their ideas and suggestions, check the Top Tips. The overarching aim of this process was to give children a voice so adults in their lives have a better idea about negative and positive things that improve or diminish their feelings of safety.(Save the children Australia ,2012).This to me is a good step in allowing children guide parents and caregivers on their needs and goals

                                                             Reference

Early Childhood Australia: The Australian Early Childhood Advocacy Organization
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/
https://www.facebook.com/earlychildhoodaustralia?fref=ts