The Help Research Can Bring

As I take a moment to stop and think about the positive effects research has on many areas in the field of Early Childhood Education, one of the first that comes to mind is Autism. Just a few years ago, the entire world of Autism was a complete mystery. Children and adults were inappropriately placed in mental wards for years because, at the time, no one knew what else to do with them since they didn’t fit the profile of the typical societal norm.

            

Now as doctors, parents, and other concern individuals worked to bring the much needed attention to the cause, treatment, and possible prevention of the disorder that now effects 1 in 68 children and 1 and 42 boys (http://www.autismspeaks.org), a movement has began. Research has revealed possible links between those who are affected with environmental and genetic influences. There are now national and international conferences as well as various blogs and websites that allow a forum for those striving for the same goal (a cure) to connect and learn from one another.

The following websites can be useful in keeping abreast of the latest developments and successes in Autism

·         Autism Speaks; It’s Time To Listen: http://www.autismspeaks.org/science

·         The National Institution of  Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Autism Fact Sheet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm

·         Autism Society; Improving the Lives of All Affects by Autism: http://www.autism-society.org/

·         Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Autism Spectrum Disorder: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.html

The Benefits of Head Start

Do children and families who take part in Head Start continue to benefit and grow once they transition out of the program? Is there research and longitudinal studies that prove sustainable positive results from Head Start’s assistance to families?

            To narrow such a broad general topic, the following subtopics could be considered;

·         The academic gain and performance of children and families one (1) year after transitioning out of the program.

·         The academic gain and performance of children and families five (5) years after transitioning out of the program.

·         The academic gain and performance of children and families ten (10) years after transitioning out of the program (inclusive of their future educational and career plans at this stage).

·         The academic and performance variance in children that are enrolled in Head Start versus Independent School District (ISD) Pre-K Programs (inclusive of ISD dual collaborations with Head Start and separate Head Start/ISD only classrooms).

Previously being a Head Start child myself and knowing firsthand the benefits of the program, drives my passion to bring attention to the need of such support for families during their trying times. Being exposed to such a nurturing/educational environment that allowed me opportunities to learn through play and socialization, I believe is one of the reasons that I have such a profound love for educating children, their families, and myself. I also gather that my participation in Head Start along with the belief from naysayers (I’d never achieve my established goals) is what drives me to continue to prove people wrong and be a testimony to others. It’s not always where you start the journey, but the choice of where/how you end it.

Due to my affiliation with various collaborative education programs, I’m in the position to obtain information that could prove very helpful in determining what has been founded or if there is enough data to discern either way. The bullet points are my current subtopics which derived from the previous questions listed above. I’m certain that in the near future, my focus will narrow even further to one of the four. Here’s to happy (truthful) resultsJ    

The Results....

I'm very thankful to those who were able to make and maintain contact with a international early childhood professional because it allowed me to also experience things through their eyes. The first hand information enlighten me about the similarities as well as the differences of the issues and trends in various regions of the world. For instance, the fact that I wasn't aware of the suicide rate in South Korea being related to the judgement of academic performance of children, was a fact that I began sharing with parents in my program. We started focusing on the importance of recognizing the proper way of encouraging children versus scolding them during the process of learning through trial and error. Harsh words and actions can cause mental damage beyond repair (such as suicidal thoughts).

My explorations of the ACEI website has shown me that even if you are unable to personally/professionally have contact with international professionals for the latest and greatest happenings elsewhere, you can still feel well connected by reviewing programs, events, news, and publications that are provided on the webpage. In addition, the articles include globally shared concerns with recommended resolutions as guidance and the option of using already proven techniques. There is a comfort to knowing you are not alone in the struggle of figuring things out. 

I honestly must admit that if not for the challenge of attempting to make contact with a international professional who shares a passion for ECE or to explore a website that addresses topics from a global prospective, I probably would have continued viewing my same faithful websites that provide great information but mostly from a local point of view. Talk about a case of unintended tunnel vision....Yikes. 

I can now honestly say that my goal is to always view things from a broader global perspective, always taking into consideration the affects my decisions will/can have on everyone directly or indirectly involved.   

      

    

Gaining New Ideas and Insight on International Early Childhood Education

During my exploration of the ACEI's Global Gateway tab on their website, I discovered a Education Research & Policy option in the drop box with various links to some additional resources to assist in gathering further insight on the focus of policymakers and ECE professionals around the world. The following are examples of some of the links available;

• Brookings Center for Universal Education
• Policies and Practices- A Development Education Review of Ireland (Journal Collections) 
• Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Development (Focus on Canada)
• UNESCO- both International Institute for Educational Planning (research assistance for various countries and their development of educational systems) and Institute for Lifelong Learning (policies and practices with focus on adult learning and education). 
• Center on the Developing Child- Harvard University
• National Task Force on Early Childhood Education for Hispanics

As I continue my explorations, there have been reinforcements of how many concerns such as, creating universal standards that everyone agrees on and providing equal early care/education services to families, are global and not just local issues and concerns. I have also realized the importance of establishing and sustaining active involvement in representing the ECE field and having our voices heard as one, so that policymakers and the other powers that be can take us seriously. As previously stated by Hilary Clinton (Former US Secretary of State), "Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together". Oh what a wonderful impact we could have if we all (globally) stuck together!!!

  

Learning to Live Together...........Association of Childhood Education International (ACEI) Global News

The following information is directly from the AECI website:

                 On April 2, 2014, the Global News for AECI focused on Learning to Live Together (LTLT) which is one of the four pillars of learning identified in the landmark report Learning: The Treasure Within, presented to UNESCO by the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century in 1996. Recognizing the challenges and dynamics of the modern world, it placed particular emphasis on LTLT in creating a "new spirit" through mutual understanding and building common projects.

UNESCO Bangkok's new publication Learning to Live Together: Education Policies and Realities in the Asia-Pacific, examines how education systems in 10 selected countries—Afghanistan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, The Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, and Thailand—are trying to transform this vision into reality. The LTLT pillar forms the conceptual base of this new publication, which identifies two complementary LTLT processes—"discovery of others" and "experience of shared purposes."

In today's increasingly interconnected world, threats to peace and security, increased mobility, environmental degradation, and economic inequality all form part of the many challenges that we continue to face. Through these two processes, learners can develop key competencies to help cope with the demands of our ever-changing world, such as empathy, cultural sensitivity, media and information literacy, and teamwork and leadership, among others.

It’s mentioned that teachers are a major key to promoting the necessary social change from within in the classroom; however, studies reveal that there is a lack of consistent knowledge on how to apply such lessons to reinforce empathy, fairness, positive communication, etc. In knowing this, a global push to provide training, attend conferences, and develop more curriculum that provide guidance in taking the opportunities to address such competencies in the learning environment could create a positive shift in humanity. Such techniques can also be shared with parents to be reinforced at home with their children. If we were all to invest in such a cause, the hopes would be a global increase in cultural sensitivity and equality.      

References:

UNESCO Bangkok Report, Learning to Live Together: Education Policies and Realities in the Asia-Pacific

Read the publication from 1996, Learning: the Treasure Within, which included an LTLT pillar and gave rise to the LTLT initiative.

Inclusion Education Institute : ACEI Global News

ACEI is an active member of the Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities http://www.unicef.org/disabilities/index_65319.html (a network of 240 organizations focused on working to advance the rights of children with disabilities at the global, regional, and country levels). Coordination of the Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities (GPCWD) is currently being led by the UNICEF and each task force is coordinated by one of the Partner organization.

There is an informative video (7mins/35secs) on Early Childhood Intervention and The Power of Family. The common past practice in the United States had been to place children who were exhibiting abnormal behaviors of even mildly delayed social or cognitive development, in institutions with little to no regards for accompanied treatment. The saying "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" is put into practice when the video reveals this is not a past, but a current practice in many parts of the world today. GPCWD is attempting the bridge the gap on sharing research and implementation of appropriate accommodations and modifications for children to be mainstream in classrooms throughout the world.

In addition, as we all should agree, the key is also educating the families and help build understanding of the fact that having a child with special needs is not necessarily a curse that has been placed on the family, but a special challenge that can be accommodated in most cases with techniques of proper early intervention.There are annual forums held so that participating organizations can report back collectively on what they have observed regionally, however also providing recommendations for the next strives in establishing inclusive disability development for the world.

     

Taking a Deeper Look into the Assoc. for Childhood Education International (ACEI)

Unfortunately, I haven't received an e-newsletter to review and share with you (sad-face). However, I have taken the time to explore some (not yet all) of the features within the ACEI website which I found very thought provoking to say the least. There are two news options on the homepage, the ACEI and Global News. Both provide current and archived information in chronological order (the most recent being first). Some topics include but are not limited to the following;

• Global Competency
• World Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd)
• Early Childhood in Gaza and West Bank- (Palestinian Territories)
• Inclusion Education Institution
• Education Targeted in Conflict- military usage in schools/universities during heighten threatening times in some countries. 
• Mindfulness in Education- An approach to improving the educational setting by eliminating distractions, creating a calm focused environment, and supporting learning in the present moment. 

The list goes on and on with each topic broadening your knowledge and awareness of the fact that regardless of where we live, as dedicated professionals we share many of the exact same concerns. This website is a resource that creates a forum where we can all come together, review/research, and learn from one another. As it relates to the views of politicians (whether local or global), there appears to be a continuous controversy on what critical issue(s) should be targeted. As the economist and neuroscientists reveal through research and studies the ever changing needs of society, politicians will continue to be challenged on consistently supporting policies and allocating dollars in the areas that need it the most. With all things considered, unless that changes, a shift will always exist.

https://acei.org/