Change, Contexts, Consequences, and Constraints Revisited

Consequences of learning about the international early childhood field include:

1. We expand our network of professionals;
2. We learn about early childhood education from another context;
3. We learn about programs and initiatives around the globe that are being used to promote early childhood field; and,
4. We learn to be grateful and thankful for our education.

My goal for international awareness and collegial relations is for professionals around the the globe to collaborate on issues and trends in an effort to provide and improve education for all children.

Our country in comparison to many others like Mali has accomplished much more in education.  We need to work with international colleagues and share our experiences and knowledge while still fostering respect for culture. It might just save them a lot of headaches in trying to figure out what to do!

Getting to know your international contacts-Part 3

This week I asked my contact, Dani, in Mali about her hopes, dreams, and challenges with her work in education. She said,

"I hope that my time spent here in Mali, working with the education system in my village will prove to not only beneficial to the current teachers and students, but also the many students yet to come. I hope through my work here that Malians will begin to understand the importance of education, even the simplest things we (Americans) take for granted like reading, and writing. To have my villagers, especially the ones that work closely with the school to support girls education would be a dream come true! Professional challenges I will face will be along the lines of cultural differences, because it is hard coming from a culture where women work outside of the home, to a culture where the women's' only jobs are in the home. Myself, being female, and trying to convince male elders of the village the importance of education will be a challenge in its self."

Dani brings to light many issues in Mali's education system as well as the challenges of working in a diverse culture.  In America, we have a functioning education system that is funded and provides for all children despite gender.  It's important for us to keep this in perspective.  We are so lucky especially as females to have had the opportunity and right to a free, fair education.  I am so glad that there are men and women like Dani who dedicate their time, money, and energy to improving the lives of others around the world.


This week we've been discussing equity and excellence in the early childhood field with a specialized focused on high-quality teaching.  Like Dani, I hope she can improve the understanding of the teachers, staff, and villagers so they know why education is important in our global society.  There is inequity in Mali because not all children can afford to attend school, mostly boys attend. There are limited learning materials and/or school supplies.  Excellence depends upon the teachers content knowledge and elder villagers willingness to support education.  It's obvious to me this week that our issues of equity and excellence are completely different than those in Mali however they are significant for each us.

Sharing Web Resources - Equity and Excellence in ECE

There are not many outside links on the Harlem Children’s Zone website. Many of the articles, newsletters, and videos are embedded within the site. Several links that I followed connected me to additional HCZ websites such as individual schools or projects. For instance, I was able to explore Promise Academy at an outside link at http://www.hczpromiseacademy.org. Promise Academy is partnership between Harlem Children’s Zone and local schools. It is offered from elementary to high school and seeks to provide high-quality, well-rounded education for children in a caring, safe environment. There is a wait list and a lottery for entrance.
I have signed up for an e-newsletter but have not received a single newsletter, other than my confirmation one, since the beginning of this course.

One thing I’ve learned from HCZ about equity and excellence in early care and education is that every neighborhood is unique and therefore the need of each community is different. Therefore, one program may work here but not somewhere else. For early care and education to be equitable and excellent, the community must work together to meet this goal. HCZ offers several policy recommendations as suggestions for improving early care and education that include: identify the exact location – neighborhood – you are targeting, 2) create a pipeline of best practices/services – essentially create a one stop shop for families to find information, 3) build community through partnerships between businesses, schools, families, etc… 4) evaluate – are the programs/practices meeting the expected outcomes? , 5) create an environment that instills passion, accountability, leadership, and cooperation (HCZ, 2010). Equity and excellence in early care and education is going to taken vision, persistence, and commitment for long-term success.

Another important concept for realizing success in early care and education requires securing funds. According to HCZ (2010), a lead program needs to secure funds through grants, government aid, and/or donations. With the current economic situation, I believe this is something that needs to be considered and explored deeply when trying to improve equity and excellence in early care education.

Reference
Harlem Children’s Zone. (2010). HCZ white paper. Retrieved on August 5, 2011 from http://www.hcz.org/images/stories/HCZ%20White%20Paper.pdf