Blog Assignment: Sharing Web Resources

Blog Assignment: Sharing Web Resources

China is one of the countries I was studying.  I decided to explore the outside link under “Press release.  The topic was about Asia-Pacific government commit to increase cooperation for child rights.  The link leads me to a press release by BEIJING November 2010 that states the cooperation of countries committing to improve upon the rights of 1.2 billion children.  They are committed to three areas:  (1). Disaster risk reduction; (2). Child protection and welfare systems; (3). Ensuring that economic and social development is equitable for all children.

The one area I thoroughly searched of one area of the site was “THE STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN” 2011 Adolescence: An Age of Opportunity.  I was lead to a YouTube and before listening to it I first thought I would report on what was said on the outside writing.  The outside article talks about the world’s issues and what young people will be faced with as they grow up.  Some examples were climate change, rapid urbanization, the economic recession and rising unemployment.  A number of 1.2 billion young people (adolescents) look to be effected throughout other countries in the world.  Children will suffer from not have a quality education.  UNICEF has step up to the plate to offer children a basic education.  As I listened to the YouTube it featured children singing music that expressed how they as children could clean up their own country.  The whole concept is to empower children and adolescents through educated them so that they will be able to break through the cycle of poverty. 

I did not read about one of the exact issue we have been studying in our class.  However I did read about the “Education Kit on East Africa.”  This kit was put together with the help of “UNICEF Australia in hopes of giving teachers more resources to utilize when trying to get across the message of disasters to the areas children.  It is believed that children need to be counted in as part of the healing process in hopes of relief of anger, anxiety and fear.  By using the “Education Kit teachers will have ready hand strategies to help guide them in dealing with the at hand disasters that have hit their country.  The education kit includes:  (1). A guide for teachers and parent to help you talk about natural disasters and emergencies with you children and students-useful in affected and non-affected communities.  (2) A fact sheet about current humanitarian emergencies. (3). A guide to mobilizing a whole-school response. (4). A fact sheet about how UNICEF works in natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies. (5). Activities to use in the classroom. (6). Information about how your school can help make a difference.

The new information that is available is the things that have been achieved in a year since the Pakistan floods.  (1). Clean water by UNICEF and its partners to 4.5 million people very day. (2). Education services to more than 100,000 children through building Temporary Learning Centres. (3). Sanitation facilities benefiting 1.5 million people. (4). 9 million children have been vaccinated against measles and polio.

I thought the website that featured the YouTube did a great job adding to my understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education.  The children in the video displayed how they could come together using their talents to make their situations better.  One girl in the video talked about her desire to be educated so that she could make a better life for her child and herself.  After viewing the video and hearing the young lady speak it makes us here in the United States just realize how thankful we should be for the opportunities we have to receive a free education.

One new insight I learned after listening to the audio conversation with “Delila Vasquez.”  I learned about the availability and challenges.  The first one was cost, resources, social issues.  Ms. Vasquez helped me to understand about the way programs are funded and how the funds are spread out among the programs.  For example Head Start verses Early Childhood.  I learned that there are times when the funding for one program has to be spread out between other parts of education.  Preschool, early childhood along with school age children funds are divided up to help all programs.  I also learned that the need is always greater than the funds received.

Resources:

http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html

http://www.unicef.or/sowc2011/

http://www.unicef.org.au/Discover/News/072011Education-Kit-on-East-for-students.aspx

http://www.unicef.org.au/Discover/Pakistan--one-year-on.aspx

Blog Assignment

Blog Assignment:  Getting to know your International Contacts Part 2.

One insight I learned was about "The National forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs.  This program Policy and Programs.  This program tries to communicate the need for public Investment, what area to invest funds and the containing assessment of set programs.

Another insight I learned was about the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University working together with Governors in support of "Best Practice" across the entire United States.


The last insight was about "Child Mental Health Network."  Child Mental Health is a program that looks at how much we know and don't know about mental health.  Research is constantly being looked at in hopes of a resources of understanding mental health. 


Reference:


(http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/

Blog Assignment: Sharing Resources

Blog Assignment:  Sharing Resources:

1.  The section of information that seemed particularly relevant to my current professional development is using sport for development.  The "Unicef" uses sports as a strategy to help developed physical strength and play.  In the profession I am inspiring to teach in play, exploration and observation is essential part of a young child's development.

2.  I found "Australian Cricketers," to visiting teen mothers to be a great way of catching the attention of young mothers and inspiring them to stay in school.  Young mothers also are educated on the importance of HIV and Aides.

3.  The Unicef website helps me to understand the trouble today's youth is in due to the economy and changes in world climate.  The Unicef recognizes the need of investing into the needs of the youth in hopes of curing poverty.

4.  One other new insight I learned about issues and trends in the early childhood field is how the " Unicef" youth advocate for the rights of all children.  The youth worked together by being young people's voice and to speak on behalf of other children.  For example primary children feel they want to go to school and play they feel they should be provided medicine when they are sick.  All of these rights are addressed by the youth working for Unicef.

References:
 http://www.unicef.org.au/ 
 http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/australia.html  
 http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html 

Getting to know my International Partner

My International Partner:

I thought it would be great to share the email that my international wrote to me on my blog site for this assignment.  Everything that was asked about poverty with children and their families was shared through this email.  My international partner name is Prima.  She was great in sharing what she knows and has experienced as it relates to poverty.  The next thing you will read below is her email to me.

Hi Audrey,

I am an Indian and have lived in India most of my life. I am currently based in Hong Kong.

When I think of poverty I can associate poverty more with India compared to Hongkong. I have seen cases of extreme poverty as well as people barely managing to get through. I have lived in Bombay and Pune. Bombay or Mumbai is the financial hub of India and is a city where you see the ' filthy rich ' as well as beggars .

I am assuming your question is based on early childhood in relation to poverty ......

The poor in India are associated with having ' too many ' children. The mother is often on a poor diet before , during and after pregnancy, Once the child is born the mother either goes back to  work as domestic help ,construction work etc and the baby is left with the grandmother/ relatives . Speaking kindly or gently is unheard of and the poor baby is often neglected .  The only thing that draws the adult's attention is a big job or hunger wails. If the mother is at home she is often busy with the other kids .

Children are often seen wandering on roads , playing with mud / cement / pebbles , running around naked around slums .

Toys are very few and books as a source of entertainment are  practically non existent in these homes.
Well every second house in most slums does have a television though which according to me does no good !!!

Children often go to  ' Balwadi' ( kindergarten ) at the age of 3 or 3.5 . The Quality of these schools and the teachers is another story and a sad one !

Since the houses are super small say 100 sq ft sometimes.... the older children are forced to study / read amidst loads of noise ( mostly consisting of fights  ) . Most don;t make it beyond 8th grade .I firmly believe that the first 6 years are extremely crucial in a child's mental development and considering the fact the most of their crucial years are spent wandering aimlessly and barely been spoken to its no surprise that most of the children are not too bright.Its a sort of vicious circle as lack of education forces them to get into unskilled labour and earn less ..

Girls are often expected to do household chores and look after the children . Most of them today are sent to school but education amongst girls is not considered important.

Well all is not grim and we do have a few cases of poor children topping grades and doing well and getting out of the curse of poverty.

If you search online you will see the statistics of literacy rates in India rising but by and large poverty is rampant within the huge population of 2 billion.

We do have a few organisations that help in the field of education. They run day cares for infants and kindergartens for children. We have world vision which accepts sponsors for education children .

My heart goes out to the children who wander aimlessly or beg on streets when they should be in school. But I guess the stomach needs to be filled before the brain !

This is my perspective and how I see it. Hope it helps in a tiny way.

Take care

Regards

Prima

What I have learned by listening to my international partner Prima talk about her country is that children in her country are suffering in terms of every day basic needs.  When you add education into the equation that is not very much room for such things.  It seems like from what I have read that because of the resources provided by World Visions they are able to offer child care for children.  This free up mothers to be able to go to work.  One insight that I got after reading further was picturing children walking around the streets looking for food instead of being in school.  I just can't understand how did a country get into a situation such as they are in.  It makes you wonder about the United States with the trouble our economy is in, can this happen in our country as well?

Blog 2 Assignment

Blog 2 Assignment Resources:

1.  The newsletter I subscribed to is Australia's newsletter.  The types of issues the newsletter address is "Australia committed to its children. " The article is basically addressing children deserve the right to be heard.  It goes on to list 3 groups of children that are missing out
(1).  Aboriginal and Torress Strait Islander children have child morality rates three times their non-aboriginal peers and are the least consulted in Australian.
(2).  The numbers of children in out of home care has increased by 51.5 percent since 2005.
(3).  The children of asylum seekers remain in detention facilities.  
The newsletter contains a variety of issues such as information about South Sudan children having a historic day of a new country emerging without conflict.  Another story was interesting was about welcoming the finding of the Independent Review on Aid Effectiveness.


2.  I have learned that resources seem to be available for children and families in different parts of the world.  I also, have learned that as much as given much is still required.  It seems like other countries will always need extra resources for children to have a heath development.


3.  The issue that stands out and catches my attention is the report that was recommend to listen to children.  I believe the issue sounds like the same things we are faced with here in the United States as it relates to children.  Although, what I feel makes these concerns a little different is Australia has addressed these issues from the perspective as if children are expressing their needs.


4.  After considering the topic for this week the website I am studying offered one story about early education program increases access for ethnic children in Laos.  Basically this story is about a young boy who is among different ethnicity's that make up a diverse country.  His education presents a linguistic challenge.  I personally thought about the challenges people have to educate children in their own country.  Then I thought about the challenges that are ahead of us with the change of demographics and diversity in the near future.

References:

http://www.unicef.org.au/
 

Establishing Professional Contacts

ESTABLISHING PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS
1.  This week the steps I took to locate and contact two professional in Australia, China Hong Kong and Beijing were to email, introducing myself, telling them where I attend college, I gave them information about my class and about my first assignment.  I asked each of them would they help me over the next weeks in talking about trends and issues in early childhood in their area.

2.  I also subscribed to Australia, China Hong Kong and Beijing's newsletters in attempt of establishing contact with a professional.

3.  I have not gotten an answer after attempting to establishing communication.  I have waited for the last days to hear from someone before posting my assignment.  If I don't hear from some one next week, I will have to choose the alternate assignment for Part 1.


4.  I chose the organization of UNICEF.  I basically clicked on the website located in the resources and chose a country I was interested in learning about.  Then I read about how long the organization has been established in the area.

5.  The website I decided to study was Australia's website.  The website gives valuable information in how long the website has been established trying to help support children.
 

6.  The helpful tips I can share with you is just to read everything at the top of the website and the different areas that the website represent.  The other hit is apply to more than two professionals and organization's.


7.   I do not have a question yet for my colleagues concerning this project yet. 

"MY SUPPORT"

"MY SUPPORT"

THE FACTORS THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE TO ME:
1.  HUSBAND (BRIAN)
2.  THE FUNCTION OF MY PHYSICAL BODY
3.  CURLING IRON

1.  MY HUSBAND BRIAN SUPPORTS ME BY DOING ALL THE SHOPPING FOR THE HOUSE AND THE COOKING.

2.  HAVING THE SUPPORT OF MY PHYSICAL BODY ENABLES ME TO GET AROUND AND DO THE THINGS I WANT, HELP ME TO MAKE A LIVING AND HELPS ME TO ENJOY WALKING.

3.  MY CURLING IRON PROVIDES ME WITH THE SUPPORT OF HELPING ME TO STYLE MY HAIR.

"BENEFITS OF SUPPORT"
1.  BY BRIAN SHOPPING AND BEING THE COOK FOR OUR FAMILY HELPS ME TO NEVER CONCERN MY SELF WITH MAKING A CHOICE OF WHAT I AM GOING TO EAT.  I NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT RUNNING OUT OF ANY ITEMS IN THE HOUSE "BIG OR LITTLE" THERE IS ALWAYS A LARGE SUPPLY OF EVERY THING.  I BENEFIT FROM BRIAN COOKING BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ME PERSONAL TIME TO DO OTHER THINGS.  IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME IF "BRIAN DID NOT DO THE THINGS HE DOES BUT, I COULD ADJUST BY GOING OUT TO EAT OR EATTING AT WORK.

2.  BY ME BEING PHYSICALLY ABLE TO MOVE ABOUT IT BENEFITS ME IN NOT HAVING TO WAIT FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THINGS FOR ME.  IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO EXIST WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF MY PHYSICAL BODY.  THE IMPACT WOULD BE "HUGE".  I PROBABLY WOULD GET ONLY 30% OF WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO GET DONE FOR MYSELF.  FOR EXAMPLE, I HELP CARE FOR MY MOTHER AND SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE PHYSICALLY CAPABILITIES OF HER LIMBS AND SHE HAS TO WAIT FOR "EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE."

3.  CURL IRON'S HAS BECOME MY BEST "FRIEND."  THEY SUPPORT ME BY STYLING MY HAIR OR BUMPING MY HAIR.  THE BENEFITS OF THESE SUPPORTS HELPS ME TO BE ON TIME FOR WORK AND NOT HAVE TO SPEND MONEY AT THE HAIR STYLESS.  ON A SCALE OF 100%, I COULD NOT EXIST 85% OF THE TIME WITHOUT MY CURLING IRONS.  I WOULD HAVE TO PAY SOMEONE TO DO MY HAIR MORE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.  THE IMPACT OF MY CLURING IRONS NOT BEING IN MY LIFE WOULD BE "UN-SPEAKABLE."  IT WOULD ALSO IMPACT MY EXTRA SPENDING MONEY AND I WOULD HAVE TO FIND THE TIME TO WAIT FOR MY HAIR TO BE STYLED.

THE CHALLENGE I CHOSE TO IMGAINE RIGHT NOW IS NOT HAVING "AIR CONDITIONER."  THE WEATHER IS SO "HOT" RIGHT NOW.  IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT NOT HAVING COLD AIR TO KEEP ME COOL.  THE CHALLENGE WOULD BE HOW DO I STAY COOL AND COMFORTABLE?  THE SUPPORTS I WOULD NEED EMOTINALLY WOULD BE MY FAMILY.  THE PRACTICALLY SUPPORTS I WOULD NEEED IS MONEY TO GET MY AIR CONDITIONER FIXED.  THE PHYSICAL SUPPORT I WOULD NEED IS STRENGTH MENTALLY TO STICK IT OUT.  I ALSO WOULD NEED THE PHYSICAL STRENGTH OF GOING FROM PLACE TO PLACE NOT WANTING TO BE AT ONE PLACE TO LONG.