EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION DOWN UNDER:

A LOOK AT AUSTRALIA’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO RESEARCH

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When looking at research studies it is important to look at professional outlooks on a global scale. This helps to see the bigger picture of discoveries that can be made possible in furthering fields such as Early Childhood. When we look at research on a global scale we find that there are MANY efforts leading toward helping contributions to child learning and developments.

This week I wanted to look at an empowering organization that seems to be supporting Early Childhood research and this exploration has led me to the website, “Early Childhood Australia: A Voice for Young Children” (n.d.). Looking down under, I wanted to focus on what current research studies were entertaining scientists and educators in regions such as Australia. “CRIKEY!” This is what I found….

The website, “Early Childhood Australia: A Voice for Young Children” (n.d.) is a resource that advocates importance of schooling, health, ambitions, insights, and support that look over parent expectations, education, policies, and child welfare (Early Childhood, n.d.). This particular resource contributes to research such as observing child behaviors and health. In their findings, they have addressed research in psychological aspects and health, to list a few... 

Young children who demonstrate fear of separation from a caregiver or fear in unfamiliar settings are known to have what is known as separation anxiety. Due to research, children who suffer from separation anxiety are likely to have social and emotional discomfort toward learning and development. But, with the help of educators and easing transition for young children, separation anxiety can wither away (Early Childhood, n.d.). Another research study I find interesting is childhood nutrition. This research suggests that children who benefit good nutrition are more likely to engage and make good decisions. Children who have poor nutrition are less motivated, struggle to concentrate, and development is not as sufficient (Early Childhood, n.d.). With good nutrition, children benefit from learning and development and they become their own leaders!

With the help and advances from research studies production in the field of Early Childhood Education offers hopes and many benefits toward child learning and development. Research gives scientists and educators ability to support and help children aspire and looks over welfare. This is not just a trend happening locally but it is happening globally which I find insightful. Knowing ALL children are looked at and supported is noteworthy.

Also, finding international organizations such as Early Childhood Australia: A Voice for Young Children (n.d.) who advocates development and health in research studies is insightful because I realize the field of Early Childhood Education is leading the way near and afar. We just have to see the prodigies on a global scale.

CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au FOR MORE INSIGHTS OF THE RESEARCH TOWARD BEHAVIORS AND HEALTH.

Works Cited

Early Childhood Australia, (n.d.). Early Childhood Australia: A Voice for Young Children. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au

The benefits of research that support children and families: A Look at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

I can’t help but share a recent moment I had that I find insightful toward the meaning of this blog…

It wasn’t until this blog that I did not recognize the astounding movement of research that benefits children and families. I became fully aware when I opened my mailbox just yesterday and saw a letter from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital asking for donations and giving celebration to the upcoming holidays. As some might see this as junk mail, I saw this as opportunity to really involve myself, to see what St. Jude works toward, and how they specifically benefit children and families.

This is what I found…

 According to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (n.d.) their mission is to work with children who have been diagnosed with cancer, infectious diseases, or other health risks that threaten the will to live. St. Jude states that more than 80% of children who have been diagnosed with cancer have remained in remission due to extensive research and therapies (n.d.). Gathering data, identifying effects and engineering therapies have saved over a hundred thousand children’s lives for over fifty years! It is impressive thinking that research has helped so many children and families battle illnesses such as cancer in what seems like a short amount of time.

Research studies like the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) is dedicated to find existing knowledge and new knowledge exploring the effects of cancer designing tools and therapies to help children fight cancer and illnesses looking over well-being (St. Jude, n.d.). CCSS also educates children, families, and professionals applying treatment and programs to detect late effects and squash cancer altogether (St. Jude, n.d.).

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital focuses on neuromuscular, neurocognitive, psychosocial activities, etc. that can benefit child treatment and recovery in part of evaluation that research offers. With the support and many different realms of research finding cures, advocating treatment and programs, and giving children hope to battle -to live- is worth sharing. 

In this blog, I want to share with my colleagues that we cannot just focus on what is in front of us (e.g. this assignment) but we must acknowledge what is given to us (e.g. mail) so that we can become more aware, give to research, and work harder in the field of Early Childhood Education so that the risk of facing threatening illnesses such as cancer that obstructs a child’s chance to live long-term is decimated. The mail that I received has led me to understanding why research is important because it is what saves lives and for me, it is what helps me endeavor my own research regardless what topic. Ultimately, it is about the benefits of children and their families.
Please check out St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital online for more insight.   www.stjude.org

Work cited
St Jude Children’s Research Hospital (n.d.).Retrieved from http://www.stjude.org

A Personal Journey:

Autism

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A research topic that I would like to examine and share with colleagues involves finding correlations between behavior and symptoms of Autism and how early childhood programs help Autistic children succeed the same academic excellence as others in a learning environment. I find this topic personal because of my nephew Jordan. 

Jordan is my first-born nephew. It was the first time in my life I got to hold a newborn baby, and I was officially an Aunt. I got to watch Jordan grow in the first year of his life and helping my sister, I enjoyed it so much. 

It wasn’t until Jordan started lacking motor skills, strength, emotions, and when he got older, he was fixated on sequences, patterns, shapes, and numbers. This fixation turned into OCD. At 4 years old, my sister was concerned and told me what Jordan was doing and how he was behaving. I used what I have learned with psychology and told her he may be Autistic. She took him to get evaluated, and sure enough, Jordan was diagnosed with mild Autism. Since then I have become interested in Autism, how children and adults behave, interact, and adapt. I have watched Jordan grow into such an intelligent second grader still showing signs of OCD and behavior issues, but because Jordan gets assistance at school since preschool, I want to know what it is in early childhood programs that distinguish an actual academic excellence. Does one program such as and IEP trigger more brain activity than another? Does early screening challenge the effectiveness of programs?

After watching my nephew Jordan grow into such a remarkable little boy, with personal experience, I am excited to use research to find the correlations between autism and early childhood programs that look over well-being for children and parents. I am happy to contribute my time and studies to Autism with Jordan in mind and in my heart.

                          

Here are some resources I have found that will help me in my research journey:

Boyd, B. A., Odom, S. L., Humphrey, B. P., & Sam, A. M. (2010). Infants and Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Early Identification and Early Interventions. Journal of Early Intervention, 32. DOI:10.1177/1053815110362690

Cohen-Baron, S. (1988). Social and Pragmatic Deficits in Autism: Cognitive or Affective. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 18(3), 379-402.

Courchesne, E., & Karns, E. A. (2001). Unusual Brain Growth Patterns in Early Life Patients With Autistic Disorder: An MRI Study. 57(2), 245-254. DOI:10.1212/WNL.57.2.245

AT LAST! WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

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THERE ARE SEVERAL LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH  ECE THAT HAVE PROMPTED MANY GOALS AND INSIGHTS THAT HELP ME TO BETTER SERVICE CHILDREN IN WAYS THAT NOT ONLY GRATIFY MY UNDERSTANDINGS  OF WHAT TEACH CAN DO BUT ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD      AND WHAT THE WORLD DOES AROUND ME REGARDING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

I HAVE COME TO RECOGNIZE CONSTRUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES OF MY LEARNINGS TOWARD THE SHARING OF INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES AND THIS IS WHAT I FOUND:

1)   FUTRE EDUCATION ASSISTANCE IS REALIZED AND SERVICEABLE INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH LEADING ORGANIZATIONS. LOOKING AT ECE THROUGH A LOCAL/NON-LOCAL LENS HELPS ME TO TEACH WITH CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN MIND AND TO KEEP COMMUNICATION ONGOING WITH CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND PROFESSIONALS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN MY OWN COMMUNITY.

2)   ADDITIONALLY, PROMOTION OF LEADING ORGANIZATIONS THAT FOCUS ON ECE INTERNATIONALLY INFLUENCES PRINCIPLES SUCH AS IDEAS, POLICIES/STANDARDS, EFFORTS, FINANCIALS, UTILITY, RELIEF ASSISTANCE, ETC. LOOKING AT ECE FROM A PERSONAL LENS, I FIND THAT ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS UNICEF AND NAEYC EMBODIES CHILDREN AND FAMILIES GIVING A LEARNING EXPERIENCE THAT REAPS MANY BENEFITS TO PROSPEROUS ACADEMICS AND FUTURE AMBITIONS WHICH ASPIRES MY DAY TO DAY WELL-BEING SEEING MY DECISIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS MATTER TO OTHERS.

3)   AN INTERCHANGE TOWARD LIFELONG LEARNING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FROM ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION, AND ANY ELEMENTS THAT GIVE SUPPORT TO ECE INTERNATIONALLY PROVIDES CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS AGAINST ISSUES THAT CAN BE DISSUADED AS I HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED. CHILD WELL-BEING IS SAVED AGAINST ISSUES SUCH AS CHILD POVERTY AND INEQUITIES IN CLASSROOMS CONTEXTS. LOOKING AT ECE FROM A PROFESSIONAL LENS HELPS ME ACCOMMODATE LIFELONG LEARNING.

A GOAL TO ENSUE FOR ME AND YOU

I HAVE LEARNED THAT INTERNATIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT TO EXPANSION IN ECE AND AN EXPANSION OF PERSONAL HORIZONS FOR THE ASPIRING EDUCATOR. LEARNING OF INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES AND THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THRIVE CHILDREN LEARNING IS EMPOWERING AS I PURSUE MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER WITH CHILDREN. AWARENESS, INFORMATION, AND IDEAS REMAIN ACCESSIBLE THROUGH COLLEGIAL RELATIONS. SO AS I CLOSE THIS CHAPTER OF MY JOURNEY THROUGH EDUC 6162 I ONLY MAKE THIS GOAL THAT COMMUNICATION, SHARED RESOURCES, AND SHARED PASSION FOR CHILDREN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT REMAIN ACTIVE BETWEEN US AS WE FIND OUR STRENGTHS AND KNOWLEDGE FOR THE WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN WORLDWIDE.

  

UNESCO Affirms My Professional Goals

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My professional goals begin with….

  1)  Enhancing performance

        2) Designing a long-term career around passion 

        3)  Openness to new developments, improvements, and work-based relationships

 

This week, I have focused on the three professional goals I set for myself when I first started courses in ECE. I did not think much about them but as I have grown in my studies, I have realized now they mean more.

A major reason why I hold onto my professional goals is resources that I have explored in my current and past courses. Reading and coming familiar with the mission that early childhood advocates support is how I find motivation to keep my goals active.

This week, I found that the United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is an advocate to the education of children and families taking scientific, communicative, and cultural measures. According to the UNESCO website, they vow to secure child rights, justice, and healthy development and wellness to children universally. This resource provides information of the programs created so that awareness and accessibility is equal to all. Training, cooperation, and security are key to make this happen –to make education lifelong and universal.

Programs such as the Seville Statement on Violence which fights against crime or the Geo Parks Network that focuses on geological heritage are two of many programs created that expands the works and potentiality that UNESCO can do for child education! In addition, the UNESCO’s Early Childhood Care and Education program is the core to the organization’s mission of child rights and healthy development. This program is opportunity to avoid any issues or disadvantages that’s children around the world encounter provoked by poverty, cost, location, etc.

With programs utilized, the United Nations Educational, Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) plans to exclude the rise of poverty, reduce inequality, take climate actions, and add partnership to other organizations which is insightful to me and a reason to reflect my professional goals…

After reviewing the website UNESCO and the many ways they have built a foundation dedicated to education for children and families internationally, I look at my professional goals in a different light. I have to enhance my performance by volunteer work and continuing to share and advocate myself personally and professionally. I have my passion toward child care learning that helps motivate a long-term career which I find relative to the motivation and long-term drive that the UNESCO members have demonstrated through their work. And by creating programs, I see that new developments and improvements are imperative to the upkeep of childhood education. Having openness is a must as an advocate –as a professional in ECE.

The UNESCO is worth sharing because it looks at child education from different aspects on a global scale and it has helped me realize this week that my goals are worth the hard work.

Work cited

UNESCO, n.d. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Expanding More: Sharing Web Resources

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the World Forum which hosts podcasts, and other early childhood organizations that I have mentioned in past Blogs have helped expand new horizons and new behavior toward the field of Early Childhood Education for me. I have gotten the chance to explore some pretty awesome organizations that do so much for children and families and the act of dedication and kindness, passion, and even struggle is a real attention grabber. As an aspiring educator, I have come to realize that I have to continue my pace in the sharing of resources and I was allowed this week to find yet another resource that I have never heard of that I wanted to share.

An Outsider- An outside resource I have found is the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). This organization leads to advocacy of children through knowledge, professionalism, and creativity on a global scale. Collaboration promotes optimal education for young children onto adolescence which I find rather exceptional and worthy to share. ACEI is working to create a social change toward learning and development universally.

I Found It!- I found that in order for children around the world to receive the education deserved, it has become the ACEI’s highest priority. 35% of children are out of school worldwide because there is a lack of awareness, resources, and access. War and terror conflict opportunity for education when families are struggling to ensure education for their children. That is heartbreaking… 90% of children worldwide who are disabled are left without the proper equipment and attention needed in a classroom setting so they miss learning opportunity and development. The ACEI commits to global interactions to make sure all children have opportunity to education even in areas of war or lack or equipment. Organizations provide the support! This is something worth finding out!

Equity is Excellence- the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) broadens a deeper understanding to me the importance of early childhood education and the need for continuous support, expansion, and funds to reach children of all areas around the world deprived of education. By commitment and advocacy, ACEI shows equity by demonstrating the importance of child care and education and that every child deserves equal opportunity. By this demonstration, excellence is showcased.

Insightful- NEVER STOP SHARING RESOURCES. NEVER STOP LOOKING AT RESOURCES. New information is available every day to those that are inspired of children and the support they need for child learning and development. Organizations like the ACEI are built to support and care for children all over the world which I find insightful. Teams are planning, supporting, improvising, and dedicating personal time and passion everywhere. I can only honor the resources I share and dedicate my own time as I aspire in the field of Early Childhood Education and aspire to take part.

Works cited

Association for Childhood Education International (n.d.). Retrieved from:

https://www.acei.org/

EXPLORATION FOR EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY:

ECE IN THREE DOMAINS

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OVERVIEW

In order to achieve excellence and equity in ECE resources have to remain existing. To look at issues concerning the field of ECE, websites are offered so that professionals and audiences remain collaborative and aware for child sake and development. With helpful resources, I have found that they are there to help tackle issues such as threat toward excellence and shift of equity.

Harvard University offers a website that I have found very resourceful this week. Their website, “Global Children’s Initiative” provides information about professionals all around the world who are a part of ECE and who help deviate bad behavior toward equity. Research and projects are two advantages to ease the issues of excellence and equity.

THREE INSIGHTS- THE THREE DOMAINS

1.    Global Children’s Initiative shares information of the scientific knowledge Brazil has assimilated through their growing organization, NCPI. Scientific knowledge about child development is collaborative, informative, and effective when deviating bad behavior of equity is a rising concern to professionals in the field of ECE. It is effective communication that I find insightful between looking at a scientific approach to child development and the research and/or focus it has on child development.

2.    In Canada, the AFWI advocates child development toward public policies that ought to support equity in ECE. The AWFI separates the “what we know” and the “what we do” through research and public awareness with reference to child development. It is insightful to know that there are efforts taken globally to see children are thought of.

3.    Global Children’s Initiative shares areas of the world who dedicate time to the excellence of children and equity in ECE. In Mexico, the Acceleradora de Innovacion para la Primera Infancia has professionals who create and propose projects such as parent-child interaction projects and projects that are play-focused for children so family participation and public support bridge together the importance of excellence and equity. It is the time and assistance children receive that makes the world better as I see it. Cheers to that!

     

IN ADDITION

Excellence and equity are fundamental to ECE and child development. Globally, professionals are finding ways to help children and to see that every child succeeds. Research and projects help support child development which is why I find Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website to be very resourceful as I aspire in the field of ECE. When thinking of children, you have to think globally so that EVERY child remains thought of and that excellence and equity are achieved.

WORKS CITED

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children's initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/