Getting to know your International Contacts -Part 2

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University was founded in 2006 on the belief that the vitality and sustainability of any society depend on the extent to which it expands opportunities early in life for all children to achieve their full potential and engage in responsible and productive citizenship. In reading the article from this agency insight I learned is that by educating high-level decision makers about the common underlying science of learning, behavior, and health for young children will make a difference in how educators, schools, both public and the private sector put systems in place to educate young children. Additionally I learned that that there are under addressed mental health issues across the country and Harvard University is looking for funding to doing the following

Assessing the state of child mental health services in China ;Developing and evaluating family-based strategies to prevent mental health problems in children affected
by HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; and Addressing child maltreatment and mental health
outcomes in three Caribbean nations (Barbados, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname).

The center expresses that they want to strengthen their policy relevance, each of these projects is being designed to include an economic component to analyze allocation effects in the supply and demand for services, developing opportunities to provide leadership training for individual researchers, policymakers, and institutions ,primarily in the majority world. I believe that if more agencies strive to improve the well- being of children.

Sharing Web Resources

As I have reviewed information on UNICEF organization, it has given me much information on children, what the organization does for the betterment of all children in the United States and abroad that I can use in my continued journey in the Early Child Development field.
There was an issue that talked about China and the condition of the country and what UNICEF is doing along with other organizations to develop the outer areas of China so that children get at least their basic needs met.
Politicians, economist, and neuroscientists, share a common need to enhance the lives of children from their beginnings. Although different views are shared by each the goal is to have all children have a good education, services they need in order to get their needs met and for organizations from schools, hospital and health care organizations to provide care and services to the children and their families in order to obtain the overall goal and that is to have better communities throughout the world.
I ha e gained new insights on how even underdeveloped areas have much of the same problems with education and even as many countries have in most cases less than the bare necessities of life , they value an education for their children.

Professional Contacts

In reading the following podcast I learned that there are over 600 million children worldwide living in poverty and it is estimated that one in every 4 households have an income that is at or below the poverty guidelines internationally.

In the report is states that every year over 10 million children under five years of age die from preventable diseases-the majority in developing countries.
Poverty denies opportunities to people of all ages. Lost opportunities in childhood cannot always be regained later. Poverty experienced by children, even over short periods, can affect the rest of their lives. Malnutrition in early childhood, for example, can lead to life-long learning difficulties and poor health.
While there is reported to be an overall decrease in rural poverty, urban poverty is rapidly increasing; Since the 1990s, unlike the situation in previous decades, the urban poor includes large numbers of people who have the capacity and are willing to work;

There is a marked geographic imbalance in urban poverty within China, with western and inland areas most severely affected;
There is a growing wealth gap in China’s cities, with urban poverty a serious concern even in the more prosperous cities; Urban poverty is emerging as not only an economic concern but also a social problem. Poor and vulnerable people are subject to the ‘trap’ of urbanisation, in which they lack social protection and have little or no access to opportunities for greater economic and social security.

Urban poverty in China has emerged in the last two decades largely as a result of specific elements of the economic reform process. In particular, state enterprise restructuring, the dismantling of the pre-reform (employment-based) welfare system and the increase in migration ,have contributed to the growing poverty in China’s urban areas, and also describe the particular features of urban poverty.

The information about poverty that I have read so far this 3 weeks, is that
I only saw poverty in the United States as a problem on a regular basis because I see it every day with the families I come in contact with, but in reading the information from the CHIP report it brings a new awareness to me of how so many people are striving to live, not only In the United States but in other countries, and there are so many who are in desperate need of just the basic necessities of life.

Sharing Web Resources-Harlems Kid Zone

I am a subscriber to the Harlem Kid’s Zone. The newsletter coved a variety of topics from: New HCZ Biennial Report Geoffrey Canada on CNN's State of the Union, National Town Hall on Ed Reform, Geoffrey Canada named to TIME 100 ,New school building and community center.

I found that the video on a Special edition of Meet The Press with Geoffery Canada founder and CEO of the Harlem’s Kid’s Zone spoke on Meet the Press to inform the viewers on his program and the benefits of what his organization does for the community and the children who attend and the challenges the children face in their neighborhood. Mr. Canada spoke on the reform for education and what we can do as volunteers and donors .He continued to speak of how they are going to prepare all of the children in a 90 block area for college whether they are already in a public school or not. He believes that if children fail the adult must step up their game and help .Accountability of Teachers and using data as a source to keep track of their progress. You owe it to yourself as an educator to visit http://www.hcz.org/media/news/626-special-edition-of-meet-the-press and view the video. I am sure you will get a better view of what the trend in Harlem is now and what it has been within the African American community, and the struggles that we as a people and the great individuals who understand that we must do what is needed to gear our future leaders in the right direction, and make an investment in their future as well as our own.

Establishing Professional Contacts & Expanding Resources

This week I have registered for two organizations that Advocate on the behalf of children .One is Harlem’s Children Zone. I have seen stories and television interest stories about this program and I think the program does a lot of wonderful things to enhance the lives of children .I also signed the email list to get information on the National Black Child Development institute. I am excited in learning about these two programs and hope to share valuable information in the upcoming weeks with everyone who sign’s in on my blog. Additionally I have sent an email requesting to communicate with someone from UNICEF that is in another country. I have not gotten a reply yet, but I am hopeful. I am interested in how the other parts of the world advocate for children and their rights as well as educationally what their system looks like. I am really excited about the possibility of getting to communicate with someone from another country! Wish me luck!

History of National Black Child Development Institite

Celebrating 40 years of Service to Children & Families
In recent historical memory, the 1960’s stand as a seminal time when social change was high on the political and social agendas of this country. It stands as an era when everyday citizens believed not only that it was time for change, but also that change was really possible. People everywhere rallied, believing that through their actions it would be possible to achieve a transformed society where fairness and equal treatment would produce widespread improvement in the quality of life for everyone.
Into this climate the National Black Child Development Institute was born. Conceived by the Black Women’s Community Development Foundation whose concerns were that of the unsatisfactory conditions faced by families wanting to rear healthy children, they decided to organize a national advocacy group. In 1970, the Institute was incorporated and the work began to organize groups within communities as a basis for creating a unified national voice to develop strategies to improve the life circumstances of the developing Black child through policy change. Since 1970, the National the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) has remained steadfast in its mission –“To improve and advance the lives of black children and their families through education and advocacy.” With a focus on early childhood education, child welfare, elementary and secondary education, and health, the Institute accomplishes this mission by:
1) Serving as a vital information resource to all individuals who work directly with children, in particular child care professionals, educators, parents, social workers and academicians; and
2) Providing direct services at the local level through its nationwide affiliate network composed of volunteers, who work in concert with the Institute to improve child welfare services, provide access to universal early care and education, build family support services, and provide vital information on children’s health.



Harlems Children ZOne

THeir moto is "Changing the Odds"
Through a coordinated effort by hundreds of devoted men and women, The Harlem Children's Zone has established a new method to end of generational cycle of generational poverty. By addressing the needs of the entire community, HCZ isn't HCZ isn't simply helping children beat the odds, it's helping to change the odds.

"My Supports"

My family and colleagues offer support to me on a daily basis. My Granddaughter  Javon  is an encouraging factor in my life. I depend on her to make me feel better when I am stressed ,sad ,or sick. My scheduler and cell phone is used daily to guide me through the day, because if I don’t write things down , I am lost!

The benefits of these supports is that it keeps me on track, and organized in order to have a productive day. It would be very difficult  to exist without these supports ,as I have come to rely on them all. My Granddaughter , date book and cell. When she goes to college in August of 2012, I will miss her terribly!

When I left my datebook at work on day and was unable to get it until the next day, I was stressed and got very little sleep that night. On time when  my cell was not working and I could not get it to the shop, it was terrible because I did  not have not one person’s phone number written down anywhere , and in the age of the cell phone, I don’t have any memorized either. That was a trying time for me until I was able to get the repair done. I now have a back- up, and old fashion address book!

This week as we were learning about children with disabilities I thought I would imagine being a disabled person and how difficult to be disabled at my age from birth. It was hard to imagine as I have the ability to be able to walk without assistance or any type of assistance.I can drive a car, able to speak clearly and hear. I do believe my family would be helpful and especially my granddaughter. The benefit of this support is that I would be uplifted and encouraged to improve if there was a chance of it. If I did not have these supports I would be a very lonely person. If I were a disabled person, I would have to be placed in a home and depend on strangers to care for me, which would be hard.

 

                       "My Connections to Play."

Children seldom misquote.  In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.  ~Author Unknown 

A little girl is sugar and spice and everything nice - especially when she's taking a nap.  ~Author Unknown

                            

People who supported play in my childhood were my Grandfather, Dave and my two Uncles, Dave Jr. and Austin. My Grandfather was an outdoorsman and took me fishing  and boating in Galveston Texas.My Grandpa took me to San Diego California to the Zoo where I saw penguins for the first time in person too.He was retired when I was born so he had a lot of time to spend with me. He and I would go outside and play ball every afternoon after my nap, and once I started school, it was after homework most days.  My Uncles would keep me outside all day on a Saturday, and in the evenings after doing home work we were allowed to go outside to play. My Uncles Dave and Austin had me climbing in trees to get the ball when it got caught, and crawling under the house when anything went there! I was the only girl and they made tomboy out of me when I was younger but I grew out of that stage by the age of 8or 9 years old. Looking back those were wonderful times!

Play is much different today from when I was a child. We did not have computers, and hand held games. We went outside and ran around, played in the street until the lights came on, played board games with the neighborhood children. Parents sat on the porch watching the children play making conversation with other neighbors. Children were healthier then not so much now as they don’t get much outside play at home or school. Children these days don’t go outside much they watch television up to 4-6 hours daily even on school days. Hand held games seemed to be glued to their hands.

 My hope for young children in regard to play is that they get more physically active to prevent the spread of childhood obesity. Spend more time outdoors running around and just being kids. The role of play in my childhood was that I was more sociable when I started school for the first time and I knew more about catching a fish than the boy