WHAT A JOURNEY!

The past eight weeks have been very exciting.  Learning about different communication has been very helpful for me as a Director.  It has taught me how to be effective in my efforts to communicate with my staff as well as the parents at the center.  To my colleagues who have supported me throughout this semester I thank you and wish you the best in the future.  I hope that we all may stay in touch with one another after this course. 

Thanks a lot,

LaKeshia S. Short

LaKeshia S. Short

shortlakeshia@yahoo.com

Short325@gmail.com 

FIVE STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT

FIVE STAGES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT

I have not really been in a group that was hard to leave.  I have enjoyed being a student at Walden University and meeting new individual online.  I thank my colleagues for their opinions and feedback on my posts throughout this course.  I enjoy the relationship we have as colleagues and I hope the communication can continue when we have overcome that milestone and graduate from Walden University.  Adjourning is not hard for me to do, I have learned that people go and come in your life for a reason.  As I continue to meet new and exciting individual I will learn great things and move forward.

CONFLICT AND RESOLUTION

Conflict and Resolution

I have been promoted as the Director of the child care center where I work.  When I was Assistant Director my coworkers assume they did not have to listen and do what I advised them to do.  Now as Director they look at me as if I think I own the center.  We seem to get alone okay but have our differences.  One coworker acts like she knows it all, so she tends to get an attitude with me when I confront her on what she is doing wrong.  I do not argue with her, I write her up and let her sign the notice.  After three notices, she has time off without pay.  I commend my workers for doing their best and having a productive classroom. 

With the issue at hand, I would use Magda Gerber 3R’s.  I would show respect toward the person and I would listen to her side of the story.  I would like for the worker as well to listen and respect my decisions.  We would have a conversation with understanding and I would let her know that we must work together as a team and not individually. 

MYSELF AS A COMMUNICATOR

Myself as a Communicator

After evaluating myself and being evaluated by my coworker and cousin, I have learned that my coworker and I agree that I have mild communication anxiety.  However, my cousin believes that I am moderate.  Mild meaning communication does not seem to be something that I worry a great deal about.  Moderate means that I am somewhat concerned about a number of communication contexts.  My coworker and I evaluation determine that I am significant in Verbal Aggression.  Significant meaning that I might cross the line from “argumentativeness,” which attacks a person’s position or statements.  However, my cousin evaluation result was moderate.  I maintain a good balance between respect and consideration for others’ viewpoints and the ability to agree fairly by attacking the facts. I guess this can be a good thing but I agree with my coworker and myself on the Communication Anxiety but I disagree with Verbal Aggression.  I believe I am moderate when it comes to Verbal Aggression so the result of my cousin is a plus for me.  I believe I am very calm and respectful when communicating in public or speaking to a group ad I try to be respectful as possible.   

Communicating with Others

Cultural Diversity

 

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures? No

 

If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?  After reading and learning about strategies to communicate with individuals of different cultures, I have realize that I would want to treat the person as I would like he or she to treat me.  I will be respectful and communicate with them as knowledgeable as possible and ask questions that will help me to better understand the individual.  I will use the Platinum Rule as well to help me communicate with people of different cultures.

 

Reference

 

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). pp.(85-114).

COMMUNICATION WITH AND WITHOUT SOUND

Communication With and Without Sound

The Rickey Smiley Show “Promised Promises”

A hilarious sitcom starring comedian and radio host Rickey Smiley. Rickey plays a character loosely based on his own life.  His role is the single father of three adorable children.

WITHOUT SOUND

As the show came on it was very hard for me to determine what is happening.  Rickey and his coworker were in the radio station.  They were nodding their heads and making hand gestures.  They were talking into their microphones and later Rickey took a cup of coffee from his female friend. It seems as though Rickey was trying to make a point, he continued talking and making hand gestures and left.  He went home and his children were sitting on the sofa.  He then went in the kitchen and talked with the older lady, it looks as though he was yelling up the stairway to the children and he continued his conversation with the older lady.  It looks as though the older lady was telling him what to do and he seems as though he was telling her she didn’t know what she was talking about.  Rickey was making a sandwich as he continue the conversation with the lady.

The older lady and Rickey was close (face to face).  He was making a gesture as though he was telling her “I know I look good!”  The old lady walked out of the house as Rickey continued to talk to lady, when the door opened a young lady was standing outside.  She came in looking as though she had some disappointing news.  The children came downstairs by know I could tell that the young lady was their mother.  The scene went back the radio station.  They were laughing and talking and an older guy was standing outside the glass window yelling.  He went into the room and talked to Rickey.  I couldn’t really make out much without sound but as the scene went back to the house the children mother took them shopping to buy gifts and by the looks of the children face she disappointed them again after receiving a phone call.

WITH SOUND   

As the show came on they were in the radio station talking and laughing about Congressman Chiles, saying he was caught on police video.  Rickey made the statement, “If you see congressman Chiles in your neighborhood lock your door”.  Rickey tried to take his friend coffee but he gave it back after she told him she cough over it and spit in it.  Rickey said he was going to go home and drink some Moscoto and eat cookies.  He was looking forward to the house by himself. 

Aunt Sylvia was on the phone and when she got off she told Rickey and the children that Monica had to work late.  He continue talking to Aunt Sylvia and making his sandwich.  Aunt Sylvia, said she always help Rickey and be there for the children.  Monica, the children mother, talked with Rickey and explained why she was late.  Monica brought over gifts and Rickey and the children were happy. 

At the radio station they were joking about some folic hair cream which makes your hair grow.  The older guy (Maurice) was yelling through the glass because they made a joke that the cream gave Rickey cousin a rash and the microphone was still on.  At the house Monica was bought to leave with the children when she got a phone call from work and disappointed the children because they were unable to go with her. 

It was very difficult for me to determine what was going on in the show without sound.  However, it was better to understand with the sound on.  This was a complicated experience.

A Competent Communicator

Competent Communicator

I believe my boss Stella Gales is a great competent communicator.  She is very knowledgeable and well educated in the field of Early Childhood Development.  She stays focus on the new and old and she always use resources to support the topic at hand.    When discussing child development she is very passionate about the interest of the child.  When speaking about child development she is well prepared and fluent.  She has been in the early childhood education field since 1993 and she is very concerned about the education of the young children of the future.  When talking about the development skills that young children need in their daily lives she discusses the skills very effectively.  She is a great person to talk to about child development and she will help a person any way she can.  She is a great competent communicator.

Thanks To All For Your Support

Thanks to all for your support!!

My goal is to support all families from a diverse background equally.  All will provide activities in the classroom that promote culture diversity.  I will provide diversity throughout the class and center by creating bulletin boards, providing food from different cultures and inviting the parents to come by and share their culture with the class.

I would like to take this time to thank my colleagues for their support throughout this course.  Throughout this course I have learned a lot about diversity and will continue to learn by using research and other sources to broaden my children education about diversity.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Japan Family

The family I have chosen will be from Japan, and I will be working in a child care center.  I will first get to know the family and learn about their culture through them as well as resources.  To make little Susie welcome I will try to accommodate the diversity of the child by decorating bulletin boards, banners, signs or posters around the classroom with Japanese culture.   My classroom already has dolls, food, and books of different cultures so she will probably like that.  By seeing items from different cultures she will feel as though she belongs in this environment.   I will treat the child and her family with respect which I do with all parents.  I will invite the parents to visit the classroom to share so of their culture with the class.   

As the teacher, I will provide activities in the classroom for the children to engage in and learn more about other cultures and their beliefs.  I will have a “Multicultural Day” at school and have each parent to bring an ethnic dish of their choice and share it with the class.  Again I will make the child and her family feels welcome at the center and make sure communication is there at all times.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

 

This incident happened to me on Friday, October 12, 2012.  I was at the laundry mat washing clothes when a Caucasian lady came in and was about to add her laundry into the wash and was putting the detergent in wrong.  I said, “Excuse me ma’am but the Tide Pod goes in the drum of the washer and its best to put your detergent in after the water start going into the wash.  She gave me a look like did I ask you for your help. She had a snobby attitude.  As she begin to start another load of clothes she did it the way I had told her previously.  She kept looking at me funny the whole time she was there and she must have realize that I was only trying to help her.  Later, before I left she asked which dryer gets hot.  I told her 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8.  She then told me thank you and walked away.  She seem as though she didn’t like Black people but she must have realized that Blacks are not so bad after all.

 It seems as though the lady was a racist toward Blacks, however she made me felt that she didn’t need my help.  However, the incident changed the way she thought of me and she told me thank you for helping me. 

Awareness of Microaggression

Awareness of Microaggression

            Over the week, I have learned about microaggression.  My cousin (James) came home to visit yesterday for our Homecoming Parade and brought home his Caucasian girlfriend (Sue).  She seemed to be a little uncomfortable but I welcome her to the family and wanted her to feel as though she was welcomed.  However, my cousin (Tony), James brother said, “Here he comes home with this big white country woman.”  However, I told him to stop talking about her because he knows nothing about her.  She was very well manner and she makes him happy so that was all that matter.  My cousin (Tony) was using microaggression.  Although, Sue did not here his statement that he made it still was not a nice or respectful thing to say. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

1^st Person-Kendall

Culture is who I am. It is my background and the heritage that makes me who I am today.  I am an African American my religion is Christian and I was basically raised in the country surrounded by plenty of animals and a lot of work.  I love soul food and I enjoy riding horses as a hobby.  I do not listen to rap, for some reason I like to listen to country music and enjoy being around family.  Diversity is basically the same as culture.  It describes who I am as well as culture. 

2^nd Person-Shaerrecca

Culture is the way we live our lives, learn and teach.  Culture is the way we do things in our world.  Like certain food we eat, the way we teach our children and the way we were brought up.    Diversity just simply mean different.  There are no two things exactly alike. 

3^rd Person-Kelvin

Culture describes me as a Mexican.  I can speak English and Spanish.  My family spends a lot of time together and we are very close to each other.  I love to work and spend money.  I love Mexican food but I like soul food as well.  I have been eating food from the African American heritage for the last five years.  I have been dating  African American women since I was eighteen and I’ve been in my relationship now over two years.  Diversity is my ability to succeed, the way I was raised and the way I live in the community where I reside.  I am Hispanic, 25 years old, have two brothers and I am not married.

Which aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course are included in the answers I received—and what are some examples?  Each individual plainly stated culture as being the way one live and what they eat. “Culture is the way we eat, sleep, talk, play, care for one another, think about work, arrange our kitchen and remember our dead,” (Louis Derman-Sparks & Julie Olsen Edwards).

 

Which aspects have been omitted—and what are some examples of such omission? There were no aspects omitted. 

 

In what ways has thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics?  After listen to each individual they feel the same I do about culture and diversity.  Culture basically describes who you are, what you eat, your religion, and your background.  It is who and how you live your life and it helps other to know some aspects about you as an individual. 

 

Reference

Sparks, Louise & Edwards, Julie O. Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves Chapter 5,

"Learning about Culture, Language, & Fairness" (pp. 56–60)

My Family Culture

If a major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of my country, and I have been told I could bring three items to represent my family culture I would bring my photo album, my family fortunes if any, and my grandmother’s quilt. 

 

I would like to bring my photo album because it contains history from the older generation until the present.  It shows how each family has came a long way and tells the difference of how we dressed from the past until now.  I would like to carry my family fortunes such as jewelry and golden coins.  The coins and jewelry could be worth something more in another country.  My grandmother’s quilt is wonderful because it tells the life she lived, where she traveled, the number of children she had, and things she encounter as being an African American.

 

If I could only keep one item it will be my photo album.  I will be able to keep the memories and add new memories as I continue to live my life in another country.

 

I did not gain any insights but I have realized that it is a very important decision to make because you never know what life has in store for you.  Remembering where you came from and keeping the hope alive is the main point of it all. Our culture is very important to us all and we need to let our children know exactly where they came from.

FINAL BLOG

FINAL BLOG ASSIGNMENT

What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?  I have gain an insight on equity.  Equity lets you focus on the research and treat the participants with fairness and no favoritism is shown when conducting research.  Everyone is treated equally and fair. 

In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed? My ways of conducting research has changed because I now know the steps to take with conducting my research such having  theories for your study, questions, know what type of method I will use, have a hypothesis, focus on the independent and dependent variables and choose who will participate in my study. 

What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn? I have learned that by using Quasi-experimental designs you may not be able to use random participants.  One will have to use a group of participants when conducting a study.  This design is important to research in early childhood development.  If a researcher chose to use this design, he or she can use multiple and single groups when conducting their studies.  When using the quasi-experimental design one have a better chance in assessing cause and effect on the study at hand.

What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

There were no challenges for me.

What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?  My perception as an early childhood professional has changed from this course because when I develop a problem or concern in my class I will know how to conduct a study on the issue and to come up with solutions to help with the problem in the class.

To my fellow colleagues I wish you the best as you further your education in the early childhood education field.  It has been a pleasure of getting to know each other and supporting each other throughout this course.  May God continue to bless each of you. 

Lowering Poverty in America

What can we do to lower poverty?

The most effective anti-poverty program is to get the country back to work. Lower unemployment and lower underemployment translate directly into higher incomes, for families at the bottom and the middle. Lower unemployment and lower underemployment also work indirectly to raise incomes of all workers, by giving them the leverage they need to negotiate higher wages and better benefits. There was tremendous benefits of sustained low unemployment at the end of the 1990s, when wages and incomes at the bottom did better than at any time since the 1970s.

In both the short and the long run, fighting poverty means committing our country's resources to that fight. "The first step is a large-scale stimulus program to breathe life back into a dying labor market.
Economic analysts from the White House, to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, to former John McCain adviser Mark Zandi all tell us that the February 2009 stimulus package has created millions of jobs," (http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/testimony/the-crisis-of-poverty-in-america). Without those measures, poverty would have increased even more than it did in 2009.  But, we now know that the stimulus program put forth in early 2009 was just not big enough.  "The single most important step we could take to combat poverty in 2011 is to implement a large -scale stimulus and jobs program today. Once the labor market is generating jobs fast enough to lower the unemployment rate, the next challenge will be to restructure the labor market so that it once again channels the benefits of growth to workers and their families," (http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/testimony/the-crisis-of-poverty-in-america).
Lowering poverty will help America and the young children of America who are struggling and dropping out of school.  Many parents are unable to give their child or children the best and the children are taking action of their own.  Poverty has caused many of our young children to dropout of school and become imprisoned.  By lowering poverty we may be able to help save our young men and women of the future.

References

The Crisis of Poverty in America.
http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/testimony/the-crisis-of-poverty-in-america

MY PERSONAL RESEARCH JOURNEY

Funding Early Childhood Care

            *How to get government assistance

            *Income Eligibility Limits

            * Eligibility for Parents Searching For a Job

            Funding for early childhood education has been a very huge issue in the United States.  In the United States any woman is eligible for childcare assistance.  However, many of them do not know how to acquire the assistance needed for childcare.  Childcare is very important for single mothers to continue working and to take care of their family.  The Human services Child Care Assistance Program may help those families with low or no income at all.

            Mothers of young children can apply for government assistance at the local Department of Human Services where they live.  “They can simply fill out the application and submit it to the Welfare office in their community.  By applying at the local Welfare office parents will be able to talk to a case worker about their household situation and their needs so that they can make an informed choice about any services they may want to receive” (http://bsure.hubpages.com/hub/Get-Government-Help-to-Pay-for-Daycare).

If parents choose to their local Welfare office they need to have the social security cards for each child they are applying for, long birth certificate forms, verification of income, and verification of enrollment if the parent is in college.  “By providing the needed information on hand as they apply for the assistance program will speed up the process.  Once the parent or parents receive a voucher for child care the Department of human Services will give them a list of agencies and individuals who work with the program,” (http://bsure.hubpages.com/hub/Get-Government-Help-to-Pay-for-Daycare). 

The child care assistance program helps many parents who have become unemployed continue to receive their certificate until the parent acquires a new job.  The child care assistance program will also help the parent look for employment by providing assistance so that the parent will have time and ease to search for a job, go on interviews and other activities. “Parents may also want to retain their child care while they are searching for work so it is available as soon as they find a new job, and so that their children have continuity in their care. Child care assistance for parents searching for a job is particularly important given the challenge of obtaining and maintaining employment in today’s economy,” (National Women's Law Center, 2011).

I choose this topic because I want to help the mothers who need childcare assistance in the community in which I live.  I want to help in any way I can and to make sure our young children are able to attend preschool.

References

Free Daycare - How to Get Government Help.  http://bsure.hubpages.com/hub/Get-Government-

            Help-to-Pay-for-Daycare

National Women's Law Center.  (2011). Child care assistance policies in states receiving Early     Learning Challenge grants. Washington, DC: National Women's Law Center. Retrieved       January 4, 2012, from             http://www.nwlc.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/state_policies_for_elc_grantees_analysis201   1.pdf.

Schulman, K., & Blank, H. (2010). State child care assistance policies 2010: New federal funds     help states weather the storm. Washington, DC: National Women's Law Center.Retrieved September 30, 2010, from             http://www.nwlc.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/statechildcareassistancepoliciesreport2010.pdf

Learning About the International Early Childhood Field

Learning About the International Early Childhood Field

The learning experiences have aspired me professionally and personal by

1). Gaining information about different cultures on Early Childhood Education.  It helps me to be

knowledgeable of different skills and to understand more issues of child development. The

international contacts help me to gain valuable information and to develop new ideas. 2). It gave me

the opportunity to view public information, many resources and tools, in early childhood that will

help allow me to learn from and support one another as we develop and apply programs, services and

systems to develop the lives of young children and their families because the children are the main

focus and our FUTURE. 3) Being able to sign up and contact the source and read their newsletters

and learn about what is going on in the early childhood field and related events and materials. It helps

you to stay globally involved in the field if education. ` My goal is to stay in touch with the

international source so I may continue use this valuable information to help me with my professional

growth in a cultural diversity. Those in the field of early childhood education can stand out for

quality services for all children.

To my collegues, I wish you the best in the future and lets continue to strive, speak out and make a

difference for our children of the future.

UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education”

Internationalization of teacher education

Teachers and teacher education are high on the agendas of international initiatives, efforts at international cooperation, and national policy-makers alike. Many of the projects and programmes that aim at educational development and reform borrow successful policies or standards from other countries and teachers often receive further foreign-funded training or undergo training in a foreign country. However, both practical experience and evidence in the literature suggest that implementing sustainable processes for teacher training can be difficult, especially as programmes often fail to sufficiently acknowledge the diversity of local policy and teaching contexts. This focuses on specific cases in the internationalization of teacher education, discussing trends in several countries and the role that international actors and discourses play in teacher education policies and practices.

http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/global-news-archive/single-news/news/internationalization-of-teacher-education-prospects-161/106.html

Socio-Cultural Diversity through the Curriculum

A curriculum that addresses diversity meets the diverse needs of ALL learners. Socio-cultural diversity in this context includes ethnicity, race, religion, values and beliefs, nationality, cultural background, age, gender, class, physical ability, different learning conditions and styles, sexual orientation, and other dimensions that make up the identity of the individual student and affect his or her learning experience. The goal is for participants to become aware of and learn about different educational contexts, issues and discuss different approaches and strategies to address socio-cultural diversity through curriculum around the world.

http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/global-news-archive/single-news/news/addressing-socio-cultural-diversity-through-the-curriculum-e-forum-2011/3475.html

Preparing teachers for inclusive education

One of the main challenges for teacher education is posed by the demands of inclusive education but little attention has been paid to this important topic. Global disparities in educational provision, and differences in teacher education and teacher qualifications within and between countries, exacerbate inequality in educational opportunity. While the form and structure of teacher education may vary from one country to another, some common issues and challenges in providing a good quality basic education for all remain largely unaddressed. This article focuses on theoretical issues of curriculum, assessment, and teaching, and on issues of teacher professional learning. They explore how theoretical concepts associated with the development of inclusive practice are being addressed in different world regions. The issue will be of particular relevance to teachers, teacher educators, and policy makers around the world, as the role, value, and relevance of teacher education is being questioned, not only in terms of teachers’ professional preparation, but also because of questions about educational outcomes for students and the extent to which teachers are able to meet the needs of all learners.

http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/global-news-archive/single-news/news/preparing-teachers-for-inclusive-education-prospects-159/3571.html

References

Internationalization of teacher education (Prospects #161). http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/global-  news-archive/single-news/news/internationalization-of-teacher-education-prospects-        161/106.html

Addressing Socio-Cultural Diversity through the Curriculum (e-Forum 2011).             http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/global-news-archive/single-news/news/addressing-socio-      cultural-diversity-through-the-curriculum-e-forum-2011/3475.html

Preparing teachers for inclusive education (Prospects #159).             http://www.ibe.unesco.org/en/global-news-archive/single-news/news/preparing-teachers-            for-inclusive-education-prospects-159/3571.html

Extending Web Resources

The link I followed was Zero to Three.

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/

 ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.  Neuroscientists have documented that our earliest days, weeks and months of life are a period of unparalleled growth when trillions of brain cell connections are made. Research and clinical experience also demonstrate that health and development are directly influenced by the quality of care and experiences a child has with his parents and other adults.

ZERO TO THREE mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers.  We know that as babies, the way we are held, talked to and cared for teaches us about who we are and how we are valued. This profoundly shapes who we will become.  Early experiences set a course for a lifelong process of discovery about ourselves and the world around us. Simply put, early experiences matter. We encourage you to learn more about very young children, early development and the work of ZERO TO THREE by exploring our site.

http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/Healthy_Beginnings.pdf?docID=9822

Equity and excellence in early care and education

From birth, babies look to trusted adults to meet their needs.  When their needs are met, babies thrive. When their needs are not met, their social-emotional development (mental health) is compromised. In either case, babies’ brains are learning what to expect from the world, and whatever happens during the first three years becomes part of the brain’s hard wiring. The zero-to-three age range is the time when the greatest amount of development occurs in the brain.

Even though the brain is constantly growing, changing, and forming new connections during early childhood, recovering lost connections becomes much harder with age. Babies are born with just a portion of the connections they will later develop. Through their relationships with caregivers and trusted adults who talk to, play with, and comfort them, the brain will build many connections. In fact, a newborn’s brain produces many more connections than will be needed during childhood. The connections that are not used or needed become weaker and are eventually tossed away, or pruned from the brain.

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/areas-of-expertise/training-and-professional-development/forging-a-new-framework-for-professional-development-2.pdf

Issues and trends in the early childhood field.

In 2007, ZERO TO THREE was awarded an ECEPD grant for Project CLICK (Cradling Literacy in Children in Kentucky), a partnership of ZERO TO THREE, Save the Children, and the Eastern Kentucky Child Care Coalition. Over the course of three years, and using ZERO TO THREE’s Cradling Literacy:  Building Teachers’ Skills to Nurture Early Language and Literacy from Birth to Five professional development curriculum, the project trained and mentored early childhood educators in enhancing language and literacy development in children ages birth-to-5 years who were located in six high-need counties in Eastern Kentucky. The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina served as the project’s independent evaluator.

References

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/areas-of-expertise/training-and-professional-development/forging-a-new-framework-for-professional-development-2.pdf

http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/Healthy_Beginnings.pdf?docID=9822

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/

Issues of Equity and Excellence

Equity and Excellence

Equity and excellence is strongly associated with poverty and social disadvantage. Meanwhile, many affluent parents pay to send their children to private schools, which is not only expensive but saps the state funded sector of many able pupils and aspiration parents, both of which could act as peer role models for other students and parents.

UNICEF is profoundly committed to securing safe, rights-based, quality education for each and every child, irrespective of his or her circumstances.

For UNICEF, quality education is education that works for every child and enables all children to achieve their full potential. With this in mind, we have worked to create a rights-based, comprehensive educational model that embraces a multi-dimensional concept of quality and addresses the total needs of the child as a learner. Child Friendly Schools are now the major means through which UNICEF advocates for and promotes quality with equity in education (http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61667.html).

Quality of education and child-friendly schooling

On any given day, more than 1 billion of the world’s children go to school. Whether they sit in buildings, in tents or under trees, ideally they are learning, developing and enriching their lives.

For too many children, though, school is not always a positive experience. Some endure difficult conditions, like missing or inadequate teaching materials or makeshift sanitation facilities. Others lack competent teachers and appropriate curricula. Still others may be forced to contend with discrimination, harassment and even violence. These conditions are not conducive to learning or development, and no child should have to experience them.

Access to education that is of poor quality is tantamount to no education at all. There is little point in providing the opportunity for a child to enroll in school if the quality of the education is so poor that the child will not become literate or numerate, or will fail to acquire critical life skills (http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61667.html).

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Two weeks ago a UNICEF and World Health Organization report showed conclusively that poor people in rural areas are overwhelmingly those without these most basic necessities for life. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs food, water and shelter is the most important necessity that one requires for survival.

UNICEF appealed for the inclusion of nutrition security as an essential element in every national development plan – as critical as clean water and indispensable as education as one of their goals by 2015. It was recorded that 20 million children under the age of five, around the world suffer from severe acute malnutrition. In the report UNICEF identified some of the effects of malnutrition beginning with pregnancy and stunting growth and development. Since children are our future, we must advocate for them, because they are not able to speak for themselves. UNICEF really works hard to help families that are in need and the funding for education for our youth. Organizations like this one is very great for many states and we as teachers should be total involved and should get the parents involved as well.

　

References

http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61667.html

http://accordcoalition.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Lib-Dem-89_- Equity_and_Excellence.pdf

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Ways in which UNICEF is relevant to my current professional development:

UNICEF helps many countries and recently the organization just help clean water in Cerritos II, Honduras
UNICEF staff visit a small community in western Honduras to see how the lives of residents have changed since the installation of improved water and sanitation infrastructure. With support from UNICEF, the National Autonomous Service of Aqueducts and Sewers (SANAA) recently installed improved water and sanitation infrastructure in the area. Twelve months ago, this programme brought tap water to each of the 40 homes in this community, changing residents’ lives completely. “Before the water was provided, individuals were getting sick three times a month. Some developed an itchy rash, and they said it was because of water. But now it doesn't happen anymore. The community health centre confirmed that water-borne diseases have declined.

Early childhood education and school readinessUNICEF strives to improve young children’s capacity to develop and learn, and to ensure that educational environments provide the tools they need to flourish. UNICEF wants to ensure that no child is at a disadvantage and that all girls and boys can realize their fullest potential, both inside and outside the classroom. UNICEF work on behalf of school readiness rests on three pillars: children’s readiness for school; schools’ readiness for children; and the readiness of families and communities to help children make the transition to school. Together, these pillars bolster the likelihood of a child being able to succeed in school. Children’s readiness for school helps them make a smooth transition from home/pre-school to school in terms of their preparedness to learn and to the new learning environment. Schools’ readiness for children ensures that learning environments are child-friendly and adapted to the diverse needs of families and young learners as they enter school. In turn, families’/communities’ readiness for school connotes a positive and supportive environment at home, which facilitates children’s learning and the transition from home/pre-school to school.

Global economic crisis and recovery

In many parts of the developing world, children and poor households are being hard hit by the cumulative effects of the continued high food prices, economic slowdown and fiscal adjustments. As households cope by compromising essential expenditures, children's rights to education, health, and protection have come under increasing threat. Many governments are facing increased social demands, but decreasing fiscal resources to address them. Despite signs of recovery in some parts of the world, economic recovery will not be soon or strong enough to protect many children and the poor. UNICEF is working within countries to provide ongoing technical assistance to partner with governments in education, health, social protection and socio-economic policies.

GETTING TO KNOW MY INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS

GETTING TO KNOW MY INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS

Unfortunately, I have not heard from the UNICEF                                                                                  http://www.unicef.org/childsurvival/index.html UNICEF is working to mainstream a multidimensional approach of poverty, to reflect how and where children are experiencing poverty, and to allow a different set of policy responses that would structurally address children being lifted out of poverty in the long-term by addressing their different deprivations. UNICEF recognized the importance of economic policy for children and has sought the help of development economists in mapping out what this might involve. UNICEF was about to be transformed from a UN emergency agency for children to one dealing with children’s long-term needs, questioning how the needs of children and youth can be integrated into the general objectives of development. UNICEF developed the concept of First Call for Children, which means essentially that in bad times as in good, countries should ensure that children’s priority needs should have a first call on resources – a principle accepted by most families for their own children but still only rarely recognized in national economic policy. Dedicated UNICEF officials have been working hard on this commitment to economic policy work in the context of children’s rights.

The Global Fund for Children http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/what-we-do/ The Global Fund recently had a Spring Gala raising over $1.3 million and counting in connection with the event, all funds will go toward supporting innovative grassroots organizations transforming the lives of children worldwide. The gala may be over, but its impact will echo for years to come, touching the lives of children around the globe. The Gala contributions will support grantees that joined the network. Thirty-one grassroots organizations provided critical services to the most vulnerable children in their communities. These dedicated groups are bringing mobile classrooms to working children in Ecuador; providing shelter and care for abandoned infants in Kenya; helping children from Nigeria, Serbia, India, Colombia, Indonesia, and beyond to be safe from trafficking and harmful labor, engaged in learning and microenterprises, and armed with knowledge about HIV/AIDS. The funds we raised are also helping Jackson Kaguri, founder of The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project, to realize his dream of creating a secondary school for AIDS orphans in his home village in Uganda.

Both organizations keeps the importance and support for our young children. If you are not a member of the organizations you may want to join or give donations as soon as possible. These organization helps those families in need and support the education of our young children to the fullest.

References

UNICEF http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Child_Poverty_Inequality_FINAL_Web_web.pdf

The Global Fund.
http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/gala/