Sharing Web Resources

    Looking at the article “Assessing the Quality of Early Years Learning” I found out it was important information I feel is relevant to my current professional development. For many years I worked in a classroom where children range from 15 to 36 months in age. As an educator I understand that the first three years of a child’s life are the most critical time. The early years of a child life is where the most development is taking place. At this point the brain is also developing as well. It is important to provide children with a high quality learning environment that will support and enhance their developmental skills. Children learn best when all areas of an integrated, carefully planned, curriculum are implemented informally using methodologies that are interactive, practical and enjoyable. Children should have opportunities to experience much of their learning through well planned and challenging play. (CCEA, 2003, p.7).

    I like the fact that children experience much of their learning through well planned and challenging play. Play should not be omitted from a child’s learning plan or environment, but it should very much encourage. From my own experiences I found out the best observation done on children is while they are playing. The information I found that made me think about things in a new ways was the important of play.  Dr. Grace statement “Economists, Scientists, and Politicians Supporting the Early Childhood Field” in the video segment talks about “the loss of childhood and how we're just trying to fight for childhood, because we don't let children play like we once did and all because we don't have time to play”(Laureate Education, 2011). I believe it is so important that children have an adequate amount of time to play throughout the day. As I reflect back on my younger years when I use to play or make up games to play it was the best years in my life. It seems like every child on my block had fun as we played together games such as: Mr. Freeze, rock teacher, hopscotch or hide go seek etc. Children who are living in poverty cannot enjoy playing games or even have time to play them, because there focus is to work so they can provide for their families every day.

    The information in the “Early Childhood Highlight” article helped my understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field. Even though there is a need for an increase to improve early head start and preschools programs for low low-income children who are living in poverty to receive funding for high quality education. “The federal government has also demonstrated an interest in supporting school readiness. The Obama Administration has maintained a focus on early childhood by including $5billion of new funding for childcare, Head Start, Early Head Star, and programs for young children with special needs in the American Recovery and reinvestment Act”(Child Trends, 2014).

    After exploring the websites about low income families or children living in poverty, I did not realize the vast amount of information I found. Also, I did not realize the large amount gone out to better different program in support of quality care and learning for young children.

References:

(2010). Early Childhood Highlights. Trends Child, 1(3), 1-12.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Issues and trends in the early

    Childhood field: Economists, scientists, and politicians supporting the EC field.

    Baltimore, MD: Author.

Walsh, G. & Gardner, J. (2014). Assessing the Quality of Early Years Learning Environments,     7(1). Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v7n1/walsh.html

Afghanistan] Thousands of children work the streets of Kabul to sustain their families. © David Swanson/IRIN

I tried several times to with professional in different parts on the country, but could not get a response just of yet. I tried to connect with professional in both Australia and Dubai. Since I did not receive a response I decide to learn about poverty in our countries.

 Therefore, I have chosen to read about poverty in the country of AFGHANISTAN. It was interesting to learn how children both girls and boys are living in Afghanistan are forced to quit school to work, because of the affect of poverty has on their lives. After the collapse of the Taliban in 2001, there was hardship in the city of Kabul, where children had to step up to the forefront to work. Not only, were children taking care of their own needs, but the needs of their entire families. According to Edward Carwardine, a spokesman for the United Nations' Children's Fund (UNICEF), told IRIN in Kabul, "In urban areas more children work openly on the streets and approximately  40,000 children were now working on the city's streets”(IRIN, 2004).

            On this particular website “AFGHANISTAN: Poverty forces children to quit school to work”, children were sharing their story of how they love and wanted to go to school, but could not because they are the breadwinner in their family. Children did jobs such as: shoes shine boys, washing cars, porters and many more.  Children as young as 10 years old failed their classes due to the long hours spent on the street just to sale their merchandise. Some children even made a living just by begging people for money. In any case, children need our help in order to have victory over poverty.

In order to reduce poverty among children and their families living in Afghanistan, there have to be a devise plan implemented for them that will improve their way of living.
According to UNICEF, in order to better assist children who do work, or who live in vulnerable families, Afghanistan needed a strong social care system. "The fact that so many children have to work in the first place is an indication of the economic hardship and stress faced by many Afghan families," the UNICEF official said. Carwardine said the country needed more long-term support to tackle the issue of child labour in the war-affected country. "It would be naive to think that the issue of working children can be solved in a short period of time," he noted (IRIN, 2004).

I have learned there are reliefs efforts are establish all over the world, which is willing to cut the number of children and family living in poverty. Also, there are organization that cares about children living in poverty educational and health care, in which they are willing to support to needs, so they can become successful individuals. Another thing I have learn and did not realize the vast amount of children who are force to work on the street, instead of being a child who just play or go to school.

Reference:

Swanson, D (2004). Afghanistan Thousands of children work the streets of
     Kabul to sustain their families. Retrieved from http://www.irinnews.org

    /report/24406/Afghanistan-poverty-forces-children-to-quit-school-to-work

Sharing Web Resources

The “Zero To Three is a national nonprofit organization that provides information to parents, professionals and policymaker; in order to increase their knowledge and understanding about early development in young children. The Zero To Three website provides information from behavior/development, care/education to public policy. Also, on this particular site there is a place where parents can go to retrieve information about different resources and they can view a podcast, where questions about the early childhood development may be answered. I like the Zero To Three website and have always used it throughout my educational career thus far. Not only, is the information provided on this particular site is reliable, but it is very resourceful to be current with the changes and policies within the early childhood education/development.

One focus on The Zero To Three e-newsletter was shared resources for subscriber about science-based information on how children grow, learn and develop. Parents are given information on child-rearing issues and challenges, play/activities that promotes learning and bond between the parent/child and age-based information on child development.  There are so much information provided to help parents learn much as they can about the childhood education and what it means to them. As an educator we learn through scientific studies that the first three years of a child life is crucial, because the children are developing both their brain and entire body. Therefore it is so important that we take child development seriously. Another focus about the issues that’s’ current was on “Working Families” how they are trying to live the American dream, while providing the best life for their children. Parents who wants the best for their children find themselves working very long hours in order to make sure ends meet, but still are finding themselves label as low-income families.

Resource:

 (2012). Zero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and
  
     Families. Early Experiences Matter. Retrieved from http://
  
     www.zerotothree.org/about-us/

Getting Ready—Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

There were two steps I took to obtain contact with other professionals from around the world.

The first step was I took time to open up a social media channel, known as face book.  I

remember an old co-worker who use to work with me took a job in Dubai a city within United

Arab Emirates as an Elementary teacher. I have already started my contact and I am hoping to

hear from her soon. The second step I use to do my search was to select one of the offered

 website, in order to make connect with another professional, in other part of the world. I had

somewhat of a time get on the webpage, but I was able to get on this particular site, where I 

were able to look into the WoFoNet, “Your Global Early Childhood Community Network” http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/. On this particular website, we have to join by creating an account and after that we can login every time we want to go back on that site.