Sharing Web Resources

Through out this course, I have been studying the website for the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at www.nieer.org.  This week, we are to answer the following questions about our particular website:

• What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?
• Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways?
• What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field?
• What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website or e-newsletter?

The most relevant section on NIEER's website to my current professional development is the "News and Events" section.  I visit this section the most because it keeps me up to date on current events happening in the education field. It also includes the latest headlines about the advancements in early childhood education.

There was a recent news article, "District Playing it Safe, Cuts Pre-K Program", by Kathie Bassett from The Telegraph newspaper in Alton, Il., listed on NIEER's website.  This article discusses the temporary cut of the pre-kindergarten program in the Roxana School District.   "With funding no longer guaranteed by the state, the Roxana School District has opted for a fiscally conservative stance by at least temporarily cutting its pre-kindergarten program next year." The state of Illinois is now requiring that any school district with a pre-k program apply for a grant to receive the necessary funding to keep the program up and running. After this week of discussing how policy makers are going to invest in early childhood development such as pre-k programs, I was surprised to see that the opposite is actually happening.  With all the talk about improving early childhood education and preparedness for school, the exact opposite is happening.  Funds are being cut across the board and these programs are closing their doors to the future generations of our country. We need to see results that coincide with our leaders viewpoints, not that oppose it.  

In the most recent e-newsletter from NIEER I received on March 21, 2011, the proposition by the U.S. House of Representatives to reduce Head Start funding by 22% is discussed. This proposition by the House has generated an outpouring of support from experts saying "This is no time to reduce funding." These supporters emphasize positive findings regarding Head Start's long-term impact. Also mentioned in the newsletter is a news piece from the New York Times discussing how early childhood education affects the future and a brief from the Hechinger Institute titled "Business Leaders and the New Educational Agenda: Investment in our Littlest Learners". With all of these articles about early childhood investment, it is clear that NIEER is keeping up to date with the current ideas of scientist, economist, and politicians. 

By exploring NIERR's website, I was able to learn more about the fiscal crisis effecting Ohio and New York.  I live in Ohio and am very aware of all the changes happening in the education field here at home but it was nice to compare our financial crisis to New Yorks and see how their education system is being affected. 

Resources:

Bassett, K. (2011, March 22). District playing it safe, cuts pre-k program. The Telegraph. 

National Institute for Early Education Research. www.nieer.org. 

National Institute for Early Education Research. (March 21,2011). Head start is forced to play defense. National Institute for Early Education Research e-newsletter, 10(9).  Retrieved from http:http://nieer.org/resources/newsletter/

Poverty in Kyrgyzstan

After two weeks of attempting to make contact with EC professionals outside of the U.S. with no responses, I have redirected to the alternate assignment.  In my search for information about poverty in a certain country, I came across some startling facts and figures that where heartbreaking.



In Kyrgyzstan, which was part of the Soviet Union until 1991, the majority of the population, nearly 60%, make their living from agriculture. After they declared their independence and broke free from the Soviet Union, the percentage of people living in poverty rose to over 60%. By 2001, 47% of the population lived below the government poverty line, with 13% living in extreme poverty.(Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre, 2011)  Unfortunately, poverty brings along with it a decline in school enrollment. More children are working instead of attending school in attempts to make money. It is estimated that nearly 24% of children work full or part-time jobs. (Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre, 2011)

Due to the increase in poverty over the past decade, organizations are working hard to reduce poverty in Kyrgyzstan. The government has created both a 15 year plan and a 3 year plan to reduce poverty.  These plans include promoting economic growth and creating a fair society.

After studying the information about poverty in Kyrgyzstan, I have been awakened to actual amount of poverty there is in this world. Before, I could just turn a blind eye and think that things really weren't so bad because I did not see them where I live.  However, after learning more about poverty and it's massive stronghold around the world, I have realized that this is a major problem that is continuing to grow.

Growing up in a middle class household, I got a job when I turned 15, lifeguarding. I worked because my Dad said I needed to learn responsibility, and because it gave me money to go to the mall with my friends. I could not imagine quitting school to work full time, at an age even younger then 15, to try and put food on the table or provide the basic necessities for survival. These children are courageous and strong, taking on a task that many adults in our own country cannot seem to handle, while sacrificing their education.



It is heartbreaking to see that enrollment in schools is dropping, because the only hope to come out of poverty is education.  With more children dropping out of school, poverty continues to grow.  When these uneducated children grow up to be adults and parents who are still living in poverty, the cycle continues and grows with each generation.

The situation is Kyrgyzstan is becoming one of the norm rather than the exception.  Working together with organizations such as UNICEF and The Children's Defense Fund, we can make a difference, even if it is just a little bit at a time. If we lose hope for the people suffering from poverty, then they have lost hope for themselves.  Become informed and do your part to help our neighbors around the world.  Together we can make things happen!



Resources:
Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre, 2011 www.childpoverty.org

National Institute for Early Education Research

www.nieer.org

The National Institute for Early Education Research has a fantastic website with lots of tools and information to help anyone in the Early Childhood field. This website focuses on Preschool and hot topics in the early childhood field. Their are features for teachers, special education, English language learners, and an entire archive of publications and videos.


I have subscribed the their e-newsletter that is published three times a month.  In the most recent publication, an article titled Selling Our Children's Birthright, discusses the nations extreme fiscal crisis and the proposition of cutting more funding for the early childhood field. The author, Steve Barnett, the -director of NIEER, references Thomas Paine's Common Sense, which "encouraged the populace to do the right thing in the face of dire threats to the Republic."



I enjoy this website for the no-nonsense attitude towards those who don't see the purpose or the future of Early Childhood education.  We need organizations to stand up for us and fight for our children's right to a quality education.

Establishing Contact and Expanding Resources

This week, we were asked to establish contact with two professional early childhood educators outside of the United States.  I was looking forward to learning more about early childhood education in other countries and comparing it to that which we have here in the states. At first, this didn't seem like a very difficult task but as I embarked on my journey I have found it to be much harder than anticipated.

I first researched the list of resources provided and found a wonderful website, The Global Alliance for the Education of Young Children (www.naeyc.org). I looked at many of the different contacts listed and decided to try and reach a program in the Netherlands and one in South Africa. I emailed both contacts and unfortunately, have yet to get a response.  I am hoping to hear from then soon but as a precaution I am going to contact other associations and programs as well. Hopefully I will not have to resort to the alternate assignment for part 1.  I am going to use other resources as well, Facebook in particular, to aide in my journey of  making a contact.

After I initiated contact with the out of country professionals, I began to search for a childhood organization which I would like to research. I went through nearly all of the websites posted in the resources tab and have chosen to study the National Institute for Early Education Research (www.nieer.org). I chose the NIEER to study because their website is full of publications, hot topics, and resources for teachers who work with English Language Learners. I am excited to learn more about this organization and continuing to learn and grow as an educator.