There are several positive consequences, both professional and personal, that came from talking and connecting with my international colleagues. One is that I learn about a different country. I can actually talk to and hear from someone that over there right now, living and working with children, and can tell me how they are working to improve children's lives in their country. Another positive outcome is that I get to meet someone new, someone with the same goals and passion that I have.
I would like to have an international organization for children and families that can really help to change how we support and take care of our children. Many countries have support systems for healthcare and single parents and other types of programs that are really truly helpful, and if we could not only just listen and learn about these programs, but also find a way to implement them here in the US, that would be progress.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
More about the Children's Defense Fund
This whole website is relevant to developing my profession as an early childhood educator. The research library will help me to stay up to date on current issues and trends. The CDC has conferences, where I can network and continue to grow and learn. They have ways in which I can get involved, which will help me to make a difference in a child's life that I might not even be able to meet.
One part of the website that really had me thinking about poverty was a new series on Children of Hard Times. With this, there are many stories about children living in poverty. In one state, Ohio, families that receive temporary assistance need to work community service hours while they are waiting for a job. I think this is a great idea. Unfortunately, the system has its flaws, and the one family I read about had to wait 3 months before they could receive any money again. This is something that other states should look into; not only the community service, but maybe making sure that families are not unnecessarily being "punished" for something.
The CDF works with many different politicians, from the local to state to national level, in order to help out children. They include research from neuroscientists and economists in their research library as well. The CDF has many good resources, and I look forward to learning more about this organization with each future newsletter.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/policy-priorities/ending-child-poverty/children-of-hard-times-9.html
One part of the website that really had me thinking about poverty was a new series on Children of Hard Times. With this, there are many stories about children living in poverty. In one state, Ohio, families that receive temporary assistance need to work community service hours while they are waiting for a job. I think this is a great idea. Unfortunately, the system has its flaws, and the one family I read about had to wait 3 months before they could receive any money again. This is something that other states should look into; not only the community service, but maybe making sure that families are not unnecessarily being "punished" for something.
The CDF works with many different politicians, from the local to state to national level, in order to help out children. They include research from neuroscientists and economists in their research library as well. The CDF has many good resources, and I look forward to learning more about this organization with each future newsletter.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/policy-priorities/ending-child-poverty/children-of-hard-times-9.html
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Children's Defense Fund
This month in the newsletter the first headline was about inequities for children. I liked the one line: children only have one childhood. So true, and so sad when you think of what some of their childhood's are like. Below is the link to this month's newsletter:
http://cdf.childrensdefense.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=26401.0&dlv_id=26061
There were not too many outside links on the website. Some of the outside links were just to give more information on different groups and organizations that support the CDF. The only other ones I found were links to the foundations that support the CDF. I looked at the W.K. Kellogg foundation, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the founder set up this foundation specifically to help children. I didn't know that this foundation existed, and now I have an even better reason to continue buying their cereal! They do offer grants, so this is something I will keep in mind for later.
http://www.wkkf.org/Default.aspx?LanguageID=0
The section I chose to read more about was on Early Childhood Education and Care. The CDF is now pushing for all kindergarten's to go to full day care. My concern with this is that they want our children to "be able to compete in this global economy." This should not be our first concern with our children. That is putting pressure on them that they don't need. If they switch to full time daycare, is play still going to be a major factor? What about outside play time? Or is the focus going to be academics?
Also in this section was information about the fiscal year 2012 budget, and how many of the programs, to include Head Start, received an increase in funding. Also, President Obama announced that there will be more competition for grantees in the Head Start program.
In the newsletter the first headline was 7 Actions for 7 Days, which talked about what we can do everyday for 7 days to help child poverty, hunger and homelessness. However, there was no link, so I will email and find out more about this.
On the website, there is a video of a girl that went from Head Start to Harvard. I think this applies to what we learned this week about immigrant families, because her father came to this country without speaking English and came to work and take care of his family. And when he picked his daughter up from head start. she was always excited about what learned and the projects they had done in class. I think this would be a great example to others for why you should put your child in head start.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/policy-priorities/early-childhood-education-care/
I learned this week that there are many organizations out there working towards helping children and their families. I think I will look and see if there is a CDF organization in my state so I can start being involved. There was not anything on children from immigrant families that I could find. And I am concerned about the full day kindergarten and what impact this will have on play.
http://cdf.childrensdefense.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=26401.0&dlv_id=26061
There were not too many outside links on the website. Some of the outside links were just to give more information on different groups and organizations that support the CDF. The only other ones I found were links to the foundations that support the CDF. I looked at the W.K. Kellogg foundation, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the founder set up this foundation specifically to help children. I didn't know that this foundation existed, and now I have an even better reason to continue buying their cereal! They do offer grants, so this is something I will keep in mind for later.
http://www.wkkf.org/Default.aspx?LanguageID=0
The section I chose to read more about was on Early Childhood Education and Care. The CDF is now pushing for all kindergarten's to go to full day care. My concern with this is that they want our children to "be able to compete in this global economy." This should not be our first concern with our children. That is putting pressure on them that they don't need. If they switch to full time daycare, is play still going to be a major factor? What about outside play time? Or is the focus going to be academics?
Also in this section was information about the fiscal year 2012 budget, and how many of the programs, to include Head Start, received an increase in funding. Also, President Obama announced that there will be more competition for grantees in the Head Start program.
In the newsletter the first headline was 7 Actions for 7 Days, which talked about what we can do everyday for 7 days to help child poverty, hunger and homelessness. However, there was no link, so I will email and find out more about this.
On the website, there is a video of a girl that went from Head Start to Harvard. I think this applies to what we learned this week about immigrant families, because her father came to this country without speaking English and came to work and take care of his family. And when he picked his daughter up from head start. she was always excited about what learned and the projects they had done in class. I think this would be a great example to others for why you should put your child in head start.
http://www.childrensdefense.org/policy-priorities/early-childhood-education-care/
I learned this week that there are many organizations out there working towards helping children and their families. I think I will look and see if there is a CDF organization in my state so I can start being involved. There was not anything on children from immigrant families that I could find. And I am concerned about the full day kindergarten and what impact this will have on play.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
UNICEF Contact
I finally had someone reach me from UNICEF. Her name is Mariavittoria, and she is the Education Officer for 24 countries in the WCARO region. She has sent me a link with some interesting reports and facts about the children living in poverty over there:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2007-early-childhood/
The poverty line for families is $1 a day, and most families do not even make this much. I can't imagine living with only that much, even in an underdeveloped country. I have emailed her back and asked her a few more questions, this time along the lines of equity in the early education field. I am excited that she has emailed me back, and I look forward to hearing from her again.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/efareport/reports/2007-early-childhood/
The poverty line for families is $1 a day, and most families do not even make this much. I can't imagine living with only that much, even in an underdeveloped country. I have emailed her back and asked her a few more questions, this time along the lines of equity in the early education field. I am excited that she has emailed me back, and I look forward to hearing from her again.
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