Establishing Contacts and Expanding Resources

Getting to Know International Contacts- Part 3

Brazil

What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?

Access to quality and improving it through teacher training

What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?

What are some of your professional goals?

Improving quality, increasing investments by the federal government, and improving teacher education

What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?

Accomplishing the goals above "would 

not only upgrade day care teachers’ professional knowledge but also boost public perception of the day 

care centre as the focus of a serious educational discipline. That would in turn spur municipal education 

officials to pay more attention to day care centres, accelerating the integration process. Perception spawns 

action."

Getting to Know International Contacts- Part 2

The biggest lesson I have learned from discussing equity issues with my contacts who have had experiences in other countries is the simple fact that the US is not the leader of early education policy standards.  There is a lot of work to be done and policy changes (all of Kagan's recommendations) to be made if we expect to measure.  If these changes do not occur, we will perpetuate and further inequality  for generations to come.

Sharing Web Resources

The website I have been delving into throughout this course is for the

Association for Childhood Education International

http://www.acei.org/

Below are some of the most current and relevant information  to our current study

Poverty in the Worlds Wealthiest Nations
http://www.acei.org/global-news/child-poverty-in-the-worlds-wealthiest-nations.html

Featured Campaign Section 
This weeks featured campaign is the Global Campaign for Education
http://www.acei.org/affiliations/global-campaign-for-education.html
This section has allowed me to sign petitions for the ratification of the Convention for the Rights of the Child

Network Groups Allow for Generating Support for EC field
http://www.acei.org/about-us/network-groups.html

Advocacy Center Helps to Answer Some of the "How" Questions and Turn Advocacy into Action
http://www.acei.org/global-action/advocacy-into-action.html

Getting to Know International Contacts

Part 1

Rapid change in urban China has affected children. It focuses on rural-urban migration, the restructuring of state-owned enterprises and social security reforms, in particular the dibao (Minimum Living Standards) programme. Given increasing problems of poor children's access to health and education services, it recommends that the dibao programme builds in additional allowances to meet the costs of these services, and that children's welfare becomes a central principle of comprehensive social policy

This seems so close to our current initiatives in the US.

I have established a contact with a teacher who has had some experience teaching in Germany.  I just discovered this fact and plan to learn from her while trying to establish current contacts in our global community

Sharing International Sources

I have not had any luck getting in contact with my international source, although I am not going to let this deter me. Here is why I am so interested in contacting this organization in particular.

PRINCIPLES/GOVERNANCE
Statement of Commitment

To promote the inherent rights, education, and well-being of all children in their home, school and community.
To work for desirable conditions, programs, and practices for children from infancy through early adolescence.
To bring into active cooperation all individuals and groups concerned with children.
To raise the standard of preparation for those actively involved with the care and development of children.
To encourage continuous professional growth of educators.
To focus the public's attention on the rights and needs of children, and on the ways various programs must be adjusted to fit those rights and needs.


Beliefs
ACEI delivers its humanitarian mission based on a platform of four core beliefs.
Uniqueness
We believe each child possesses a unique set of gifts and talents. Educators and others invested in the education of children should value each child as a unique and special individual.
Universality
We believe that there are key principles that join our world together through the common bonds of human dignity and respect. All those concerned with the education of children should uphold these universal principles.
Quality

We believe that educational experiences are enhanced by instructional strategies and learning environments that offer the very best opportunities for children's learning within the context of the nation, community, city, town or village in which children live.
Equality

We believe all children should be educated in environments of fairness where there is freedom from bias or favoritism and where access to, and participation in, educational experiences are the cornerstone of the home, school and community.

Getting Ready

International Contact:
Association for Childhood Education International
http://www.acei.org/

Hello, My name is Ashleigh Washington and I am an Early Childhood Studies graduate student in America. I want to start by telling you how wonderful it is to have such an amazing resource to pull from while studying for my master's degree. Second, I would like to establish contact with someone familiar with international early childhood issues and trends and hope you can help. I am extremely passionate about the role early childhood education can play in creating global unity and hope to find someone with a similar passion. I am young and just starting in the field and would be grateful to receive contact information from anyone that is willing to discuss the future of early childhood education. Thank you, I eagerly await your reply. (awaiting reply)

National Contacts:
Child Care Aware (formerly NACCRRA)http://www.naccrra.org/:
Joined Action Network, Parent Network, Early Childhood Focus Newsletter, Capitol and State Connection Newsletter (love these).

Zero to Three:Newsletter updates via email

Local Contact:

Children's Defense Fund-Louisiana
http://www.childrensdefense.org/national-conference/yalt.html
Dana Jones
Program Coordinator
Youth Leadership Development

Contacted concerning Youth Advocacy and Leadership Training program and upcoming convention

Email returned with her personal contact information including cell #. (I plan to call her Monday, so exciting to receive a reply)

Facebook: is a surprising way to stay in contact with a lot of local, national and international resources. I update my blog feed with articles shared by the following:

Alliance for Childhood
Association for Childhood Education International
Center for the Study of Social Policy
Child Care Aware
Child Rights Campaign
Children's Defense Fund
Early Childhood Investigations: Webinars
Early Childhood Tech Network
First Focus
Gesell Institute of Human Development
Heckman Equation-Invest in Early Development
McCormick Center for Early Childhood Leadership
National Institute for Early Education Research
One Community One School District
Rights from the Start
SE Baton Rouge Local Schools for Local Children
NAEYC
Zero to Three