Farewell EDU 6162

Well to be quite frank about the consequences I learned internationally our early childhood program really sucks compare to countries such as Brazil, Norway, and Sweden. I mean even Mexico is starting to put their children first by funding programs for early childhood and here we are trying to fight to keep ours in the budget. I really did learn that even though the United States is the most powerful country it is not the smartest when it comes to education. If we know and research brain development, economics and all the ties that fit into the mesosystem than why are we not putting our children first?  Countries such as Zimbabwe and Singapore are revamping their early childhood programs in efforts to enhance their children’s quality of care and learning.  They even understand that educating the future of their country is the economic stability they need.  I feel like I beat a dead horse in asking America why when it comes to early childhood.



Although my journey in EDU 6162 was only 8 weeks I learned a lot in international contacts and issue and trends.  I am more aware of the problems and the research of early childhood, and what I can do to make a difference.  I want to thank all my colleagues for their responses in every aspect.  I enjoyed reading everyone’s post and their perspectives on trends and issues.   I wish everyone the best and look forward to advocating with all of you in the future.  Only 4 more classes to go woohoo!!!!!!

International

The first article I read was about Brazil trying to get the federal government to pass a congressional bill that would make it mandatory to fund an early childhood program for children ages 0 to 6.  Yet, like most countries this bill has lots of conflict surrounding the funding.  In Brazil, it is mandated that funding for education follows strict guidelines where 25% out of 60 goes to early childhood and then elementary education and the other 40 going to secondary education.  Brazil is challenging its government to invest in early childhood they understand the importance of educating the very young and promoting equity in their country.  Many officials are concerned that only the rich will have an education and that many poor families will not have an education nor understand the importance of getting one.  I am so fascinated by Brazil and their efforts; I would love to do an internship in their early childhood program. 

The second article I read was the quality improvement of preschool in Singapore.  This country actually in the 70’s try to implement a universal preschool for all children but the cost was too high so they turned it over to private sectors.  However, private sectors in Singapore are nonprofit agencies who are given subsidiaries to poor families to attend preschool in 2004 nearly 99% of the children’s population had attended 1 to 3 years of preschool.  The attendance to me is amazing so much that even poor countries such as Singapore knew that they needed to improve the quality of the children’s education.  The nonprofit organizations are making an effort with the help of the country to train and educate caregivers.  The outcome has been phenomenal as caregivers are highly educated and the quality of care has improved drastically.  Way to go Singapore! Oh and by the way the quality of care has been equity across the board for the majority of the country since the trainings have begun.

The last article was a short insert of implementing many languages into preschool and hiring educators that can speak multi languages to enhance the children’s culture and others who are from other countries.  I will be quite honest this article did not appeal to me it is often very hard to add culture in the classroom in terms of speaking it on a daily basis but to want educators to be fluent in many languages will make it even more difficult.  I know Spanish and speak it to my children in ways they can comprehend and reciprocate, but to add another one at this point for me would be a train wreck.  I love culture and discussing it and finding interesting ways to add it to the classroom but by no means could I speak it on a daily basis in many languages. 

In any thoughts ……none of these articles really pertained to my professionals goals in a huge sense except for advocating that all children receive quality care and learning and that my enhancement for broadening my education on other cultures has occurred. 

NHSA

I want to first say that I love my website!!!!!!!!  The NHSA had a great article on Dr. Tammi Mann the director of Head Start testifying on the detriment of cutting the budget for early childhood programs... Her grant talked about the waiting list of participants the ever growing need of the children and the spring enrollment of over 500 applicants in which they could not serve ½ because of the lack of increase.  Dr. Mann also touched on the fact that they have to come up with over $7500.00 each year to serve the children and families in the program.  If I had read this article first and then answered this week’s discussion question I could have fully related the struggles to the White House Council.  However, I did explore the website in more depth and found that in the Open window segment you can email President Obama about the importance of Head Start and not cutting the budget as well as writing or videoing the difference Head Start made in you or another child’s life.  Well I must say I did both today and felt like that small step is the start of a new direction for me and my advocacy for early childhood.  I am so inspired by the timeless dedication and actions of others in early childhood and this website is such a great advocacy of my passion.  It is almost like whatever the issue we are discussing for the week is the important issue or trend for the month or week.