We are nearing the end of this course and this week calls for us to discuss some final thoughts with our international contacts before the course ends. As mentioned previously, I was finally able to establish contact with an international professional in Chile. Nancy is a teacher for a Teach Abroad program. She has taught in a variety of different countries, including Singapore, Japan, and now Chile. Her husband is the IT professional for the Teach Abroad programs in those countries with her. She currently teaches fourth grade at an affluent private school in Chile. Since she felt as though she could not answer all of my questions due to working at an affluent school, she asked two senior student teachers who are from the area and have had experience in all types of schools the questions, as well. Between the three adults, I received responses to each of the following questions:
1. What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?
- "Poverty in Chile is an issue in the government schools. One problem is the poverty line here is very low but the line is set so low such as having NO home and being homeless is the baseline so many very poor people get no extra services. The middle class here is actually in need of services, but get no government support. Here our [education] system has three types - public, public and private that receive some money from gov't and grants but still charge and the third is private that fully charge. The public schools don't directly receive gov't money - it goes to local gov't for a city and that money differs depending the results of tests. It's bad that all public schools don't have equity even from the early years without test results. Kindergarten is now mandatory but only since last year so most poor kids did not have any early childhood education before grade one. This is a big year for Chile in that regard. Poor can't easily achieve the same quality of education even if the parents are committed, they are disadvantaged."
- "Now another issue is having police checks that are validated every 60 days to ensure of all students throughout the country. Now that ECC is mandatory the discussion is now around how to ensure a child registered is actually going and the police are sent to the homes but the question is how can this really be managed - this is a very new issue."
- "EC educators face discrimination because they don't have the same prestige as other teachers - and teachers in general for the public schools. If you don't do well in other subjects - you go into Education. However, a new scholarship has come out as an incentive for people who get a certain average to have the degree paid for. It even involves scholarship plus bonus money and an internship abroad. In exchange you have to work at least 3 years in a public school. The problem is that some people are doing this only for the money and leave after 3 years."
2. What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?
- "PD - is not good in the public schools and many are not interested because there is no incentive or requirements. Some do have it but it is not consistent. It is mostly training to pass tests."
3. What are some of your professional goals?
- Sofia: "To get a M. Ed in Montessori in the US and come back to use it for expanding programs such as Montessori and Waldorf and come back and use my expertise in Psychology and Education."
- Maria Jesus: "To be able to teach in the public school system but in reality I can't live on what I earn so at the same time work in the private schools to help transfer the knowledge and system and then go on to further my education to apply my practical experience."
I am so thankful to have established contact and learned so much about the country of Chile. The varying types of schools provide different resources and opportunities for children and families. Early Childhood Care and Education is a newly mandated field, with Kindergarten only. I am glad to hear of the new requirement and hope that they move toward requiring additional early childhood care in the future. Poverty is a great concern in this country, as well. So much has been shared and I feel as though my eyes are truly opened to the similarities and differences amongst the challenges and issues and trends in the field of education as a whole between the countries.
-Ashley
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Sharing Web Resources Continued…
Hello again. In week 6, we are once again looking at our chosen resource we have discussed in previous weeks of this course. The organization I had chosen was the Save the Children organization, one in which I have found to have great interest and passion for their work. This week's topic was in reference to equity and excellence in early childhood education. We needed to take a closer look at the resources and information provided from this organization, as well as how the information relates to this week's topic of equity and excellence.
The first question this week was referring to exploring the links to other resources and where they lead. Within this organization's site, there are links to news articles about current issues and trends worldwide involving children, links that list and explain who the supporters and partners are for this organization, and links to sign the petition to urge an increased investment in programs for children in the United States, among others. Each link leads to an important space. I am very interested in exploring each link in detail.
For the second question, we had to focus on one of these options and explore it more closely. I decided to explore the link of supporters and partners to the organization first. I have been following this organization via social media as well and have taken notice that actress Jennifer Garner has taken a strong interest in this organization, becoming a spokesperson for it. I was curious to see who else is in support of this organization, as well. Two sponsors or partners largely discussed in the article include Accenture and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. These organizations have helped to raise money for the organization's services to help children and for additional programs, such as Accenture's Skills to Succeed program to empower people with the skills needed to find job success. This interested me greatly to see the varying types of support the organization is getting and I am curious to see who else supports them.
The third question is in regard to one of the issues presented on the organization's website or newsletter that we have been following. I have taken an interest in the issues taking place in Syria and the ways in which they are effecting the children who live there, or have been forced to leave with their families for safety. This issue was near to my heart as I think we sometimes take for granted the positive benefits and luxuries we truly have in the United States. That is not to say we do not have our own challenges and issues, but in comparison to this country, our children are not suffering these additional stressors, thankfully. I am happy to report that "Save the Children has already reached over 250,000 people across Syria," and even more critical, "Save the Children is helping thousands of children like Sana and her sisters to access education, to learn how to communicate about their experiences and - vitally to learn how to be children again," (Save the Children, 2014, paragraph 1). They are working diligently to provide for the children and families suffering in this country. I couldn't be more proud of this organization's goals and work ethic.
The next question was in reference to this week's topic of equity and excellence in early education, probing to see if the organization has any resources or information related to this issue or topic. The link related to signing the petition for additional services for our country was my first stop in this exploration. This area of the website acknowledges the issue at hand - the simple fact that we do not provide access to high-quality early childhood programs for ALL children in the U.S. as we should. This is petitioning for Congress to provide additional funding to the field to provide this for all children. Save the Children is not stopping the fight there, however; they are continuing to petition for additional funding so that the government can and will realize the importance of this juncture. We have come to recognize the long lasting positive impacts high-quality programs can have on children but we have yet to find a way to make this possible for all children so the organization continues to push for this opportunity for all. Again, I am proud to be a supporter of such a wonderful organization.
The fifth and final question to be discussed asks what additional insights have been gained about the field via this organization this week. Once again, I must state that my eyes continue to be opened wider each passing week, especially through a wonderful resource such as this. This organization is so reputable because they are fighting for children not only in our country but all over the world, fighting to give children a chance. Many of the means of this mission are passions I have for the field already and seeing that an organization exists that exhibits the same passions and makes them come to reality is eye opening and awe-inspiring. I would love to eventually be an advocate for the field, even if just at a small scale for my local community and district. Organizations such as this will be helpful in leading me down the road to becoming an advocate in the future, providing me with information and encouragement to do what is right.
References:
Save the Children. (2014). Save the Children. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm.
The first question this week was referring to exploring the links to other resources and where they lead. Within this organization's site, there are links to news articles about current issues and trends worldwide involving children, links that list and explain who the supporters and partners are for this organization, and links to sign the petition to urge an increased investment in programs for children in the United States, among others. Each link leads to an important space. I am very interested in exploring each link in detail.
For the second question, we had to focus on one of these options and explore it more closely. I decided to explore the link of supporters and partners to the organization first. I have been following this organization via social media as well and have taken notice that actress Jennifer Garner has taken a strong interest in this organization, becoming a spokesperson for it. I was curious to see who else is in support of this organization, as well. Two sponsors or partners largely discussed in the article include Accenture and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. These organizations have helped to raise money for the organization's services to help children and for additional programs, such as Accenture's Skills to Succeed program to empower people with the skills needed to find job success. This interested me greatly to see the varying types of support the organization is getting and I am curious to see who else supports them.
The third question is in regard to one of the issues presented on the organization's website or newsletter that we have been following. I have taken an interest in the issues taking place in Syria and the ways in which they are effecting the children who live there, or have been forced to leave with their families for safety. This issue was near to my heart as I think we sometimes take for granted the positive benefits and luxuries we truly have in the United States. That is not to say we do not have our own challenges and issues, but in comparison to this country, our children are not suffering these additional stressors, thankfully. I am happy to report that "Save the Children has already reached over 250,000 people across Syria," and even more critical, "Save the Children is helping thousands of children like Sana and her sisters to access education, to learn how to communicate about their experiences and - vitally to learn how to be children again," (Save the Children, 2014, paragraph 1). They are working diligently to provide for the children and families suffering in this country. I couldn't be more proud of this organization's goals and work ethic.
The next question was in reference to this week's topic of equity and excellence in early education, probing to see if the organization has any resources or information related to this issue or topic. The link related to signing the petition for additional services for our country was my first stop in this exploration. This area of the website acknowledges the issue at hand - the simple fact that we do not provide access to high-quality early childhood programs for ALL children in the U.S. as we should. This is petitioning for Congress to provide additional funding to the field to provide this for all children. Save the Children is not stopping the fight there, however; they are continuing to petition for additional funding so that the government can and will realize the importance of this juncture. We have come to recognize the long lasting positive impacts high-quality programs can have on children but we have yet to find a way to make this possible for all children so the organization continues to push for this opportunity for all. Again, I am proud to be a supporter of such a wonderful organization.
The fifth and final question to be discussed asks what additional insights have been gained about the field via this organization this week. Once again, I must state that my eyes continue to be opened wider each passing week, especially through a wonderful resource such as this. This organization is so reputable because they are fighting for children not only in our country but all over the world, fighting to give children a chance. Many of the means of this mission are passions I have for the field already and seeing that an organization exists that exhibits the same passions and makes them come to reality is eye opening and awe-inspiring. I would love to eventually be an advocate for the field, even if just at a small scale for my local community and district. Organizations such as this will be helpful in leading me down the road to becoming an advocate in the future, providing me with information and encouragement to do what is right.
References:
Save the Children. (2014). Save the Children. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2
Hello, hello. Back to the grind for another blog post this week. For our assignment this week, we were to revisit the topic of conversation discussed previously about our international contacts we have been establishing. I must admit, this has been one of the most frustrating experiences I have had thus far with my classes. It has been extremely difficult to not only initially establish contact with another professional, but then to maintain consistent contact with them. I have been very persistent but receive little to no response in return. It is more than frustrating in that I truly want to do this assignment because I am very interested in learning more about other cultures! I have reached out via e-mail from the suggested contacts provided for class, I have reached out via e-mail to references recommended from friends and colleagues, and I have even reached out via Social Media on Facebook, messaging other educators from around the world to establish contact after discovering them via the Save the Children page. Despite my exhausting efforts, I have had little success. But from the little success plus my own additional research and persistence, I have gathered some information about Mexico and Chile.
As I had mentioned in the last post on this topic, I was able to establish contact with a Kindergarten teacher in Mexico, thanks to the ELL teacher in our district. We have had minimal conversations via e-mail since initial contact but I am happy to say I feel as though what I have learned both confirmed my understanding of the culture from this class and my own prior experiences, and added to my knowledge and understanding. Since I have worked with so many students who are from Mexico or have relatives who are still there, I felt that this was an important culture to continue to learn about. Myrella mentioned that poverty is something that can be common in Mexico, as well. Similar to what we had witnessed in the week 1 video about the Gonzalez family, most often in this culture the men are working while others live at home. It is common to have a large household with many family members living together. School is still considered important and the children go and attend daily. But factors such as poverty are an issue in their country, as well. She explained the difficulty she faces in witnessing children come to school hungry and tired each day, as I have shared similar experiences. However, she did share some positive pieces of information with me, as well. She stated that her children are learning English daily and from what I have discussed with my colleague who helped establish our contact is that these children are becoming fluently bilingual! They are immersed in both Spanish and English languages and culture every day in the classroom and are rapidly developing both languages successfully! I was so happy and amazed to hear it. During a Skype session from the ELL teacher in my district to Myrella Gomez last school year, the Kindergarten students spoke clearly and accurately in English to communicate with our students, while our students also attempted to speak in Spanish to them, as well. It was a remarkable experience and I hope we are able to set up a Skype session with my 4th graders and her Kindergarteners in May for Cinco de Mayo.
In addition, my best friend, Casie, and her husband, Brooks, had provided me with another contact. Brooks' Aunt and Uncle work for a Teach Abroad program. They have worked in various countries in their experience, including Japan and now Chile. I was very excited to reach out to them and learn more. I had initiated contact right before the last posting in the blog. They are on a tight schedule so I understand it is difficult to follow up. I did receive one response from them and am awaiting more information soon. They are currently teaching in Chile for the Teach Abroad program. They provided me with a quick run down of information about the education system in Chile and issues the local residents and families face in the community where they teach. The education system in this country has three required pieces: preschool for children 6 and younger, primary school which consists of grades K-8, and secondary school which consists of grades 9-12. College is an option and because it is more rare in this country for children to attend university, as they call it, it is a greater accomplishment and much more valued and prestigious than it may be considered in the United States. In Chile, there are different kinds of schools and programs, some of which are funded by government, and a lot of private education taking place. Most children attend the public school programs which are referred to as Municipal programs. Jeff and Nancy work in a specific program called ENGLISH OPENS DOORS (Ingles Abre Puertas). This is a Ministry of Education sponsored program in Chile in which English speaking volunteers and educators are invited in to work and teach children from K-12 the English language and culture. Prior to speaking with Jeff and Nancy about their work, I had researched Chile a bit. I discovered that "Chile is one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America," (Teaching Chile, 2014, para. 4). I also discovered that one of the major issues and concerns in the country is that "Chile's birth rate has dropped substantially from 3.5% in 1962 to just 1.6% today. And with the country's "baby boom" generation turning grey, Chile could face a future crisis of social care and pension payments," (MercoPress, 2007, p.1). Keeping this information in mind, I had posed questions in follow up to their basic education information they initially sent. I am curious to see their response on how this impacts the children they are teaching and what other issues and trends they have noticed whilst teaching in the country of Chile.
Unfortunately, that is all I have for now. I am crossing my fingers that I get more of a response from both contacts very soon! I would love to follow up to this post with additional information about both country's and their education issues and trends children and families are facing. I am curious to learn more, eager to hear their responses. Until next time…
References:
MercoPress. (12 February 2007). Chile faces "aging population" challenge. Retrieved from: http://en.mercopress.com/2007/02/12/chile-faces-aging-population-challenge.
Teaching Chile. (2014). About Chile. Retrieved from: http://www.teachingchile.com/aboutchile.
As I had mentioned in the last post on this topic, I was able to establish contact with a Kindergarten teacher in Mexico, thanks to the ELL teacher in our district. We have had minimal conversations via e-mail since initial contact but I am happy to say I feel as though what I have learned both confirmed my understanding of the culture from this class and my own prior experiences, and added to my knowledge and understanding. Since I have worked with so many students who are from Mexico or have relatives who are still there, I felt that this was an important culture to continue to learn about. Myrella mentioned that poverty is something that can be common in Mexico, as well. Similar to what we had witnessed in the week 1 video about the Gonzalez family, most often in this culture the men are working while others live at home. It is common to have a large household with many family members living together. School is still considered important and the children go and attend daily. But factors such as poverty are an issue in their country, as well. She explained the difficulty she faces in witnessing children come to school hungry and tired each day, as I have shared similar experiences. However, she did share some positive pieces of information with me, as well. She stated that her children are learning English daily and from what I have discussed with my colleague who helped establish our contact is that these children are becoming fluently bilingual! They are immersed in both Spanish and English languages and culture every day in the classroom and are rapidly developing both languages successfully! I was so happy and amazed to hear it. During a Skype session from the ELL teacher in my district to Myrella Gomez last school year, the Kindergarten students spoke clearly and accurately in English to communicate with our students, while our students also attempted to speak in Spanish to them, as well. It was a remarkable experience and I hope we are able to set up a Skype session with my 4th graders and her Kindergarteners in May for Cinco de Mayo.
In addition, my best friend, Casie, and her husband, Brooks, had provided me with another contact. Brooks' Aunt and Uncle work for a Teach Abroad program. They have worked in various countries in their experience, including Japan and now Chile. I was very excited to reach out to them and learn more. I had initiated contact right before the last posting in the blog. They are on a tight schedule so I understand it is difficult to follow up. I did receive one response from them and am awaiting more information soon. They are currently teaching in Chile for the Teach Abroad program. They provided me with a quick run down of information about the education system in Chile and issues the local residents and families face in the community where they teach. The education system in this country has three required pieces: preschool for children 6 and younger, primary school which consists of grades K-8, and secondary school which consists of grades 9-12. College is an option and because it is more rare in this country for children to attend university, as they call it, it is a greater accomplishment and much more valued and prestigious than it may be considered in the United States. In Chile, there are different kinds of schools and programs, some of which are funded by government, and a lot of private education taking place. Most children attend the public school programs which are referred to as Municipal programs. Jeff and Nancy work in a specific program called ENGLISH OPENS DOORS (Ingles Abre Puertas). This is a Ministry of Education sponsored program in Chile in which English speaking volunteers and educators are invited in to work and teach children from K-12 the English language and culture. Prior to speaking with Jeff and Nancy about their work, I had researched Chile a bit. I discovered that "Chile is one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America," (Teaching Chile, 2014, para. 4). I also discovered that one of the major issues and concerns in the country is that "Chile's birth rate has dropped substantially from 3.5% in 1962 to just 1.6% today. And with the country's "baby boom" generation turning grey, Chile could face a future crisis of social care and pension payments," (MercoPress, 2007, p.1). Keeping this information in mind, I had posed questions in follow up to their basic education information they initially sent. I am curious to see their response on how this impacts the children they are teaching and what other issues and trends they have noticed whilst teaching in the country of Chile.
Unfortunately, that is all I have for now. I am crossing my fingers that I get more of a response from both contacts very soon! I would love to follow up to this post with additional information about both country's and their education issues and trends children and families are facing. I am curious to learn more, eager to hear their responses. Until next time…
References:
MercoPress. (12 February 2007). Chile faces "aging population" challenge. Retrieved from: http://en.mercopress.com/2007/02/12/chile-faces-aging-population-challenge.
Teaching Chile. (2014). About Chile. Retrieved from: http://www.teachingchile.com/aboutchile.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Sharing Web Resources - Part 2
This week's assignment called us to return to our chosen resource from earlier in the class. In the first two weeks of the class, I had chosen to focus on the Save the Children organization. In this week's post, I will revisit this topic and this organization as I feel it is imperative we all learn from this organization. It is inspiring!
After spending the past few weeks exploring the website for Save the Children organization, I have come to think that the most important and informative section of the website is the "Latest News" section. This section keeps me up to date on the major issues and trends taking place world wide in the lives of the children. This is a key component to my ongoing professional development in that we must be culturally and linguistically aware of our surroundings in order to best help our children in the ever-changing demographics of this country. Over the past few weeks, I have been completely overwhelmed with the events taking place in Syria and the responses that the Save the Children organization are sharing from actual Syrian children dealing with these events. I have been drawn to this organization's site, as well as their Facebook page, checking for updates and attempting to find ways to help.
While I have come to think of the "Latest News" section as being the most important and informative, it can also be controversial at times, depending on the topics being discussed. In addition, another controversial piece of this website is the variety of links asking for support, donations, etc. Some may be offended by the requests for support but I feel as though this was another eye opening experience to see how badly these children need our support! This is a wonderful resource on this organization's website. There are so many ways to make a difference, by purchasing something for a child or group of children in another country, donating to a country to help the children in that area for some specific purpose, and even the opportunity to be a sponsor for the organization itself.
In addition to subscribing to the newsletter and checking the website often for updates, I followed the organization through social media outlets like Facebook to receive more updates on current issues and trends around the world. As mentioned before, I was greatly interested in the issues in Syria and the children being impacted. The Save the Children Facebook page provided more in depth updates and opportunities to show support. This also has helped to open my eyes to the variety of professionals who are also following and supporting this organization. People from all over the world, from all walks of life and all career paths have shown their support for this organization and the efforts they make to help the children. It has further helped me to appreciate this week's topic of a variety of professionals from various fields in their support of this field of education.
The Save the Children organization continues to prove a valid and helpful resource. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to further research this wonderful organization and support it. It continues to provide me with updated issues and trends around the world children are facing on a daily basis. It helps me to keep things in perspective in my own life, as well as in my career and in terms of my role in each child's life that I work with daily. I am pleased to report that this Master's Degree program has provided me with the opportunity to build my library of resources to stay up to date in the field of education and fulfill my goal of being a lifelong learner. The Save the Children organization has definitely been added to the top of such a list.
Until next time…
-A
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 1
This week's blog entry calls for us to discuss our adventures in contacting other education professionals internationally, introducing our new acquaintance, sharing what we have learned from them thus far, and so on. This has been one of the most challenging assignments I have had to date with this Master's program. In an attempt to establish contact with an international professional, I had e-mailed 12 different representatives from countries all over the world. After two weeks, I have still heard nothing in response. Luckily, one of my colleagues in my district, our ELL teacher, shared a contact with me. She often Skypes with a Kindergarten teacher in Mexico that she established contact with via Facebook two years ago. Her contact was willing to e-mail me and discuss various things so I was happy to establish my first contact! I am still in the process of working on my next contact, as I have reached out to someone in Ghana (also connected via a colleague from my district) and two teachers who teach abroad (relatives of my best friend's new husband) and am awaiting a reply from them within the next few days.
The contact I was able to establish is a Kindergarten teacher in Mexico. Her name is Myrella Gomez. She is such a positive and enthusiastic educator who I am happy to have made contact with. We have planned on possibly Skyping with our classes this spring for Cinco de Mayo, since I have a few students who have family from Mexico and she would like them to see how this is celebrated in Mexico. I am looking forward to this opportunity! She has explained that she teaches her students the English language as part of her daily schedule, as well. I am curious to see her response about this week's topic of poverty as I have not received response just yet. She explained this is a busy week and would get back to me by the weekend. I will gladly post an update when it comes in. :)
Being able to establish contact with educators from all over the world is an exciting experience for me. Myrella is providing me with insight to a culture I am very curious about as I have had several students with Mexican heritage over the past three years in my district. She is helping me brush up on my Spanish skills, as well, which is always helpful! I am curious to see if Mexico and other countries have similar issues and trends in the field of early childhood education, such as poverty becoming a more important issue or changing demographics and diversity being a new trend. If so, how will they handle it compared to our country? I am anxiously awaiting Myrella's response.
The topic of poverty this week has opened my eyes and my heart. I live and work in a town that is now a mix of middle class and low-income families. I see students coming into my classroom daily, hungry, tired, and stressed. I worry and want to reach out and help these children and families but was unsure how. My district began a Village Shoppe to help these needy families. This week's resources have provided me with information, knowledge, resources, and confidence to make a change in the lives of these children, however small that may be, even just within my own classroom. The brief information that I received from Myrella on the topic shows me that poverty is a concern in Mexico, as well. As mentioned in the multimedia presentation in the first week of class, for many families in Mexico the husband/father works to provide for the family only. The extended family is then a close-knit bunch who share whatever it is they do have and make the most of their time together. While it seems poverty is a concern, family is important and helps get through the difficult times. Culture plays a huge role in this difference between the two countries, which Myrella helped to confirm for me.
I am hopeful to receive additional e-mails with information on the topic in regards to Mexico, as well as either Ghana or elsewhere, to update this posting within the next few days. I am extremely curious to learn more about these countries in terms of their cultures, education systems, and the issues and trends impacting children in education as compared to what we discuss and face here in the United States.
Returning soon with an update. Until then….
-Ashley
The contact I was able to establish is a Kindergarten teacher in Mexico. Her name is Myrella Gomez. She is such a positive and enthusiastic educator who I am happy to have made contact with. We have planned on possibly Skyping with our classes this spring for Cinco de Mayo, since I have a few students who have family from Mexico and she would like them to see how this is celebrated in Mexico. I am looking forward to this opportunity! She has explained that she teaches her students the English language as part of her daily schedule, as well. I am curious to see her response about this week's topic of poverty as I have not received response just yet. She explained this is a busy week and would get back to me by the weekend. I will gladly post an update when it comes in. :)
Being able to establish contact with educators from all over the world is an exciting experience for me. Myrella is providing me with insight to a culture I am very curious about as I have had several students with Mexican heritage over the past three years in my district. She is helping me brush up on my Spanish skills, as well, which is always helpful! I am curious to see if Mexico and other countries have similar issues and trends in the field of early childhood education, such as poverty becoming a more important issue or changing demographics and diversity being a new trend. If so, how will they handle it compared to our country? I am anxiously awaiting Myrella's response.
The topic of poverty this week has opened my eyes and my heart. I live and work in a town that is now a mix of middle class and low-income families. I see students coming into my classroom daily, hungry, tired, and stressed. I worry and want to reach out and help these children and families but was unsure how. My district began a Village Shoppe to help these needy families. This week's resources have provided me with information, knowledge, resources, and confidence to make a change in the lives of these children, however small that may be, even just within my own classroom. The brief information that I received from Myrella on the topic shows me that poverty is a concern in Mexico, as well. As mentioned in the multimedia presentation in the first week of class, for many families in Mexico the husband/father works to provide for the family only. The extended family is then a close-knit bunch who share whatever it is they do have and make the most of their time together. While it seems poverty is a concern, family is important and helps get through the difficult times. Culture plays a huge role in this difference between the two countries, which Myrella helped to confirm for me.
I am hopeful to receive additional e-mails with information on the topic in regards to Mexico, as well as either Ghana or elsewhere, to update this posting within the next few days. I am extremely curious to learn more about these countries in terms of their cultures, education systems, and the issues and trends impacting children in education as compared to what we discuss and face here in the United States.
Returning soon with an update. Until then….
-Ashley
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Sharing Web Resources
Week 2 is fully underway in the Issues and Trends course I am currently enrolled in. This week we were asked to examine closely the organization we chose to follow and learn more about. I had mentioned last week there were two organizations that had caught my eye but this week I would like to focus on the Save the Children Organization.
Save the Children is an organization created to help children worldwide survive the stressors of daily life they are facing and cannot control themselves. As stated on the website, "Save the children gives children in the United States and around the world what every child deserves - a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm, especially when disaster strikes. We advocate and achieve lasting change for millions of children. We save children's lives," (Save the Children, 2014). This organization's webpage has a multitude of resources and current events taking place around the world that impact children. It details the countries it works in, their goals and accomplishments, their campaigns, their programs, and much more. It provides current events and articles taking place throughout the world and allows people to connect and be involved via the website and social media institutions, such as Facebook and Twitter. The organization can be found at this website address: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm.
While there are many issues taking place worldwide that are of grave concern for the well being of our children, there was one in particular that caught my eye and touched my heart in such a way I felt I had to share. In an article from the Save the Children Newsroom posted on December 13, 2013, they discuss how "the decline in education for Syrian children has been the sharpest and most rapid in the history of the region," (Uenuma, 2013, p. 1). Due to the warring state that Syria is currently in, children are unable to attend schools due to fear, physical inability to go due to buildings being destroyed or otherwise utilized, etc. Uenuma (2013) explains further how nearly 3 million children were forced to leave their education behind in the primary grades "as fighting has destroyed classrooms, left children too terrified to go to school, or seen families flee the country," (p. 1). Even more disheartening was reading that "between 500,000-600,000 Syrian refugee children are out of school," (Uenuma, 2013, p. 1). These poor children and families are living in fear for their lives, some even illegally crossing borders into neighboring countries to flee the bloodshed only to find they cannot be welcomed there due to overcrowding or tensions between regions. For an area within this region to have 97% attendance in 2011 to drop drastically to 6% is an astonishing fact. Uenuma (2013) explains, "Syria was a regional leader in education enrollment before the conflict, yet in less than three years the sharpest regression in education of anywhere in the region occurred with dire consequences for the future," (p. 1). Even for the families who are still remaining in Syria and dealing with the continuous bloodshed and strife their children are without education as parents are fearful to send them to school in such conditions with such events continuously taking place in their country and one cannot blame them. Uenuma (2013) speaks for the Save the Children and Unicef organizations listing ways action could be taken now to reverse this intense decline and slide downward, listing the following examples:
"- Protection of education infrastructure inside Syria - including ending the use of schools
for military purposes, declaring schools as zones of peace, and holding accountable those
parties to the conflict who violate the protection of schools.
- Doubling of international investment for education in host countries to expand and
improve learning spaces, recruit additional teachers and slash the costs of getting children
into classrooms.
- Innovative approaches to overcome education needs of Syrian refugee children through
such as transferrable certification for refugee students.
- Scaling up proven models such as home-based learning, non-formal learning centers
and child-friendly spaces that provide psychosocial support for children," (p. 1).
Ultimately, this article moved me to tears, fearful for the children and families in this region and thankful we do not face these circumstances on a daily basis here, but most importantly, left me wanting to find a way to help. By following and supporting this organization, making donations, or purchasing gifts for children around the world to help their specific needs and struggles, I can help to make a difference in the health, education, and life of these children. So can you. Please take the time to peruse the Save the Children organization's website. I promise you will feel the same passion as I did, left wanting to make a difference and treasure the precious moments we spend safely here with our children we are lucky enough to work with. Then again, maybe it is just me. I am a big time softy and have a huge heart, which can be a blessing and a curse; regardless, I know to follow my heart when it is the right thing to do and I hope you would too. :)
Until next week….
-A
---------------------------------------
References:
Save the Children Federation, Inc. (2014). Save the Children. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm.
Uenuma, F. (13 December 2013). Decline in education for Syrian children "worst and fastest in region's history. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=8486803&ct=13500437.
Save the Children is an organization created to help children worldwide survive the stressors of daily life they are facing and cannot control themselves. As stated on the website, "Save the children gives children in the United States and around the world what every child deserves - a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm, especially when disaster strikes. We advocate and achieve lasting change for millions of children. We save children's lives," (Save the Children, 2014). This organization's webpage has a multitude of resources and current events taking place around the world that impact children. It details the countries it works in, their goals and accomplishments, their campaigns, their programs, and much more. It provides current events and articles taking place throughout the world and allows people to connect and be involved via the website and social media institutions, such as Facebook and Twitter. The organization can be found at this website address: http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm.
While there are many issues taking place worldwide that are of grave concern for the well being of our children, there was one in particular that caught my eye and touched my heart in such a way I felt I had to share. In an article from the Save the Children Newsroom posted on December 13, 2013, they discuss how "the decline in education for Syrian children has been the sharpest and most rapid in the history of the region," (Uenuma, 2013, p. 1). Due to the warring state that Syria is currently in, children are unable to attend schools due to fear, physical inability to go due to buildings being destroyed or otherwise utilized, etc. Uenuma (2013) explains further how nearly 3 million children were forced to leave their education behind in the primary grades "as fighting has destroyed classrooms, left children too terrified to go to school, or seen families flee the country," (p. 1). Even more disheartening was reading that "between 500,000-600,000 Syrian refugee children are out of school," (Uenuma, 2013, p. 1). These poor children and families are living in fear for their lives, some even illegally crossing borders into neighboring countries to flee the bloodshed only to find they cannot be welcomed there due to overcrowding or tensions between regions. For an area within this region to have 97% attendance in 2011 to drop drastically to 6% is an astonishing fact. Uenuma (2013) explains, "Syria was a regional leader in education enrollment before the conflict, yet in less than three years the sharpest regression in education of anywhere in the region occurred with dire consequences for the future," (p. 1). Even for the families who are still remaining in Syria and dealing with the continuous bloodshed and strife their children are without education as parents are fearful to send them to school in such conditions with such events continuously taking place in their country and one cannot blame them. Uenuma (2013) speaks for the Save the Children and Unicef organizations listing ways action could be taken now to reverse this intense decline and slide downward, listing the following examples:
"- Protection of education infrastructure inside Syria - including ending the use of schools
for military purposes, declaring schools as zones of peace, and holding accountable those
parties to the conflict who violate the protection of schools.
- Doubling of international investment for education in host countries to expand and
improve learning spaces, recruit additional teachers and slash the costs of getting children
into classrooms.
- Innovative approaches to overcome education needs of Syrian refugee children through
such as transferrable certification for refugee students.
- Scaling up proven models such as home-based learning, non-formal learning centers
and child-friendly spaces that provide psychosocial support for children," (p. 1).
Ultimately, this article moved me to tears, fearful for the children and families in this region and thankful we do not face these circumstances on a daily basis here, but most importantly, left me wanting to find a way to help. By following and supporting this organization, making donations, or purchasing gifts for children around the world to help their specific needs and struggles, I can help to make a difference in the health, education, and life of these children. So can you. Please take the time to peruse the Save the Children organization's website. I promise you will feel the same passion as I did, left wanting to make a difference and treasure the precious moments we spend safely here with our children we are lucky enough to work with. Then again, maybe it is just me. I am a big time softy and have a huge heart, which can be a blessing and a curse; regardless, I know to follow my heart when it is the right thing to do and I hope you would too. :)
Until next week….
-A
---------------------------------------
References:
Save the Children Federation, Inc. (2014). Save the Children. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm.
Uenuma, F. (13 December 2013). Decline in education for Syrian children "worst and fastest in region's history. Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=8486803&ct=13500437.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources
Hello and welcome back one and all! I am embarking on my latest challenge, entering my fourth class of my Master's Degree Program at Walden University entitled Issues & Trends in the Early Childhood Field. In our first week of class, we had a two part blog assignment to complete, as you will see below.
Part 1: Establishing Professional Contacts:
Part 1 of this week's blog assignment required us to establish contact with an international colleague in the field of education or child representation. There were two different websites provided for us to attempt to establish such contacts. Throughout the week, I have attempted to e-mail 9 different professionals from various countries around the world. Unfortunately, it is Saturday and I have still not received a response from any of the professionals I have attempted to contact. I am hopeful I will be able to establish contact and build a rapport with at least two of the professionals I reached out to in order to become more aware of various countries educational systems, beliefs, cultures, languages, and so much more. I think this is a great way to network in the field of education, as well as a great way to better understand our ever-changing diverse population in the United States. At this point, I have contacted representatives from various organizations in the following countries: Ireland, Philippines, Germany, Turkey, Jamaica, Pakistan, and Singapore. I have reached out to two different professionals in Turkey and Ireland, as I am hopeful to establish contact with them and learn more about these countries. The reason I am so interested in Ireland is because it is part of my heritage from both sides of my family and a place in which I have always, always wanted to travel to and learn more about. Turkey, on the other hand, strikes my interest in a different way. My district is the home to several Turkish families who have immigrated to the United States from Turkey, settling in my town. Over the past two years I have been lucky enough to work with two or three students from this country/culture and learn some simple parts of the language and culture. This year I have 5 or 6 students who hail from this region and celebrate this culture. It would mean so much to me if I could learn more about this residence and understand their language, culture, beliefs, and more. :) I have not given up hope yet; I am still attempting to complete the first option for Assignment 1 Part 1. If within the next few days I do not hear back from any of these professionals, I will be forced to complete the alternative assignment.
Part 2: Expanding Resources:
For Part 2 of this assignment in week 1, we had to research and study a variety of organizations in the United States and around the world and choose just one to focus on. Since quite a few of these organizations were new to me or caught my eye, I spent some time researching each that I seemed interested in. I have narrowed it down to two organizations in which I signed up to receive e-newsletters from to stay informed and learn more about the organizations: Save the Children and ACEI (Association for Children International). I had very brief experiences with these two organizations in prior classes and have been hoping for another chance to learn more about them so that is how I ultimately made my decision. I will focus on one of them in the upcoming weeks of this class, but still would like to learn more about both for my own educational knowledge and interest. I think this week has been jam packed with rich resources to explore and discover. These resources will be meaningful, helpful, and come in very handy to have in our toolbox over the next few weeks of this course, as well as in our educational careers in the early childhood field.
Until next week...
Part 1: Establishing Professional Contacts:
Part 1 of this week's blog assignment required us to establish contact with an international colleague in the field of education or child representation. There were two different websites provided for us to attempt to establish such contacts. Throughout the week, I have attempted to e-mail 9 different professionals from various countries around the world. Unfortunately, it is Saturday and I have still not received a response from any of the professionals I have attempted to contact. I am hopeful I will be able to establish contact and build a rapport with at least two of the professionals I reached out to in order to become more aware of various countries educational systems, beliefs, cultures, languages, and so much more. I think this is a great way to network in the field of education, as well as a great way to better understand our ever-changing diverse population in the United States. At this point, I have contacted representatives from various organizations in the following countries: Ireland, Philippines, Germany, Turkey, Jamaica, Pakistan, and Singapore. I have reached out to two different professionals in Turkey and Ireland, as I am hopeful to establish contact with them and learn more about these countries. The reason I am so interested in Ireland is because it is part of my heritage from both sides of my family and a place in which I have always, always wanted to travel to and learn more about. Turkey, on the other hand, strikes my interest in a different way. My district is the home to several Turkish families who have immigrated to the United States from Turkey, settling in my town. Over the past two years I have been lucky enough to work with two or three students from this country/culture and learn some simple parts of the language and culture. This year I have 5 or 6 students who hail from this region and celebrate this culture. It would mean so much to me if I could learn more about this residence and understand their language, culture, beliefs, and more. :) I have not given up hope yet; I am still attempting to complete the first option for Assignment 1 Part 1. If within the next few days I do not hear back from any of these professionals, I will be forced to complete the alternative assignment.
Part 2: Expanding Resources:
For Part 2 of this assignment in week 1, we had to research and study a variety of organizations in the United States and around the world and choose just one to focus on. Since quite a few of these organizations were new to me or caught my eye, I spent some time researching each that I seemed interested in. I have narrowed it down to two organizations in which I signed up to receive e-newsletters from to stay informed and learn more about the organizations: Save the Children and ACEI (Association for Children International). I had very brief experiences with these two organizations in prior classes and have been hoping for another chance to learn more about them so that is how I ultimately made my decision. I will focus on one of them in the upcoming weeks of this class, but still would like to learn more about both for my own educational knowledge and interest. I think this week has been jam packed with rich resources to explore and discover. These resources will be meaningful, helpful, and come in very handy to have in our toolbox over the next few weeks of this course, as well as in our educational careers in the early childhood field.
Until next week...
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