Getting to Know International Contacts- Part 3

After listening to podcasts on the World Forum website, I was happy to hear back from Ms. Mitchell about The Liberty Home in Belize.  Unfortunately, I only received one e-mail from her that I shared with you all previously.  It sounds like they are very busy with their efforts at the home, so I completely understand.  Since I did not receive another response, I have checked out the Early Childhood Care and Education website for the week, from which I will share some insights I gained related to early childhood education as I was reviewing the website.

Link: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

One token of information gained was from the “access and equity” tab, which explained policies reaffirming the importance of early childhood education, and consequences caused by these programs.  Though the intent is to help all children, divvying funds for programs can be difficult.  The website states that “central governments must ensure an equitable distribution of resources among different populations and especially those who live in the most disadvantaged regions.”  I, too, agree that the government needs to make sure that resources are distributed evenly in order for all children in need are provided with services, but I think when trying to divide up the resources government may be faced with some tough decisions of who to give money to, especially when we know there is a lack of funding.

Another quote that I loved under the “quality” tab on the UNESCO website was “early childhood care and education programmes should emphasise the child’s holistic development and extend beyond assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling.”  As early childhood educators, we understand the importance of providing children with a holistic approach to education with child directed learning, time for play, and many other activities that we know will be beneficial to the student as they develop new skills in each area of development.  I love how this quote reminds readers that we need to emphasize holistic education, even beyond preparing the children for kindergarten.  Though kindergarten preparation is one of the main goals of early childhood educators, it is nice to be reminded that it is okay to look beyond that and expand upon teachable moments that may stray from learning standards on occasion in order to provide students with educational experiences that assist them in developing a love for learning and a motivation to succeed, which will surely help them in their futures.

Also in the “quality” section, I found information related to the quality and diversity of teachers found in early childhood programs.  The website states that “the ECCE workforce is often made up of a diverse group of pre-school teachers, care workers, informal carers and other professionals. Adequate training and work conditions are essential so they can integrate the content and practice of early childhood care and education and address the transition to formal schooling.”  This relates to what has been read and discussed this week in our coursework, as we have focused on the importance of high quality professionals working with young children.  I appreciate that the website touched on the importance of training in order for teachers to provide high quality care.

Though I was disappointed that I was not able to carry on further conversations with Ms. Mitchell, I gained several new insights after reviewing UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” website.   It is certainly a website that I will save in my ‘bookmarks,’ as I continue to research and learn more about the issues and trends in early childhood education.