Global Children's Initiative

Unfortunately, I did not hear from either of the individuals who I contacted through the podcasts. Therefore, I explored the Center on Developing Child and found three global initiatives headed by Harvard University.

ZAMBIA

In Zambia, there is little evidence available in relationship to early childhood development, health children’s development and educational outcomes. An international health economist at Harvard University School of Public Health Gunther Fink was studying an ongoing anti malaria initiative in Zambia. In 2004 Gunther Fink began an anti-malaria campaign, in six years the children mortality rate for children under, five dropped by 30%. In order to clearly access the impact of the initiative Fink and his colleagues determined that they needed to access the social emotional, cognitive, health development of the children at the age of 6, prior to entrance into primary school. He determined he needed to utilize an assessment so he could evaluate the long-term effects of the anti-malaria initiative; he would follow the children’s development through out their entire school years. With a colleague at the University of Zambia they had to create a new, assessment, which was culturally appropriate.  
In 2010, Fink and colleagues completed the new instrument and began using it to survey the first cohort of about 2,000 children nationwide. The hope, Fink says, is that some sections of the instrument will be useful for comparisons within Zambia, others for comparisons within sub-Saharan Africa, and still other sections of the survey will permit broader global comparisons. (The project has been carried out in partnership with the Zambian government and UNICEF Zambia.),

(Harvard international global children’s initiative, 2012).

Núcleo Ciência Pela Infância Center

 This is the name of the new Center the first programmatic effort outside the United States for Global Children’s Initiative. Nucleo Ciena Pela Infancia is collaboration between the center, the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University and the Faculty of Medicine at the University o Sao Paulo and Insper. The project embodies the work of policy makers, civilian leaders, and Brazilian scholars. The goals are to strengthen leadership around early childhood development, build a scientific agenda, synthesize, scientific knowledge.

“A GOOD START” UN BUENO COMIENZO (UBC)

A collaborative project in Santiago Chile, is improving early childhood education through teacher professional development. The project focus is to improve quality to education to four to six year olds especially in the area of language development. The project too is also focused on intervening with critical health areas to improve the attendance and as well as social emotional development. The program hopes to get families involved in their child’s education.

Zambian Early Childhood Development Project, (2012). Global Children’s Initiative. Center on Developing Child Harvard University.

Retrieved from:

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/zambian_project/

Applying the Science of Early Childhood In Brazil, (2012). Global Children’s Initiative. Center on Developing Child Harvard University.

Retrieved from:

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/

Un bueno comienzo, a good start, (2012). Global Children’s Initiative. Center on the Developing Child Harvard University

Retrieved from: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/ubc/ 

NIEER

Within the NIEER’s newsletter this was one of the issues addressed; This article discusses and reinforces  much of what we have been talking about this week, as well as what Dr. Grace discussing in relationship to America's early childhood programs compared to those in Finland and other Nordic Countries. I will just highlight a part of it....T Retrieved from: http://www.lienfoundation.org/pdf/news/sw_report.pdf

WHERE DOES YOUR COUNTRY RANK IN EARLY EDUCATION?

The data are really incontrovertible,” explains Sharon Kagan, a professor of early childhood and family policy at Columbia University in the US. “Three strands of research combine to support the importance of the early years. From neuro-scientific research, we understand the criticality of early brain development; from social science research, we know that high quality programmes improve children’s readiness for school and life; and from econometric research, we know that high quality programs save society significant amounts of money over time. Early childhood contributes to creating the kinds of workforces that are going to be needed in the twenty-first century.” 

There are also broader reasons to invest in preschool. At one level, it helps facilitate greater female participation in the workforce, which bolsters economic growth. Early childhood development is also a major force in helping overcome issues relating to child poverty and educational disadvantage.2 “It is about those very young children who are going to grow up as successful lifelong learners and citizens making an economic contribution to society,” says Christine Pascal, director of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC), an independent research organization. “This is especially so in very unequal societies where you get generational and cyclical repetition of poverty and low achievement.” 

The report goes onto to state that Nordic countries perform best at preschool and European countries dominate the rankings.

In general the leading countries in this Index have the following elements in place for their preschool systems.

·      A comprehensive early childhood development and promotion strategy, backed up with a legal right to such education.

·      Universal enrollment of children in at least a year of preschool at ages five or six, with nearly universal enrolment between the ages of three and five.

·      Subsidies to ensure access for underprivileged families.

·      A well-defined preschool curriculum, along with clear health and safety standards.

·      Clear parental involvement and outreach.

·      A broad socioeconomic environment that ensures that children are healthy and well nourished when they enter preschool.

·      Where provision is privatized, the cost of such care is affordable relative to average wages

·      A high bar for preschool educators, with specific qualification requirements. This is often backed up with commensurate wages, as well as low student-teacher ratios.

       

Another interesting article I found expressed an important issue in regard to current thinking; looking at policies related to early childhood education teachers. There is a serious mismatch between the expectations we place on early childhood teachers, and the quality and relevance of available preparation, supports for learning on the job, and compensation and benefits, (Whitebrook, & Ryan, 2011). Within the policy brief it expresses concern that there is not enough research to determine the content and quality of teacher preparation programs. One of the recommendations is to revamp the content and structure of teacher higher education and professional development to include more practice-based opportunities and integrate a focus on area related to brain research language acquisition and diversity.

I thought the policy fact sheet highlighted many important issues as far as the need to have teachers who are well trained and prepared and knowledgeable. It brings about the importance of compensation.

Again another article .....
One Economist brought about another good point about why it is important to invest in quality early childhood programs. Beyond the positive effects we have been discussing, it brought up the point that having, excellent early childhood programs locally is good for business. People who are looking to move into new areas to live are looking and evaluating the early childhood programs within the locality.

The NIEER website shares continued research information in regard to current funding, programs and state initiatives to provide quality preschool programs. The website is comprehensive and reports current research, trends, programs, policies in regard to implications to early childhood programs, and the children and families they serve.

I read an interesting article; Holding back to get ahead. More parents are redshirting' their kids. A growing number of parents sending their children, particularly their boys, to kindergarten at 6 years old instead of the traditional age of 5.

It’s a practice known as “redshirting” — a term culled from the practice of postponing college athletes’ participation in competitive games. Experts say it’s becoming increasingly popular among parents of boys, as girls mature and develop more quickly in their younger years.

I found the coined term red shirting interesting. I sent three of my own children to kindergarten all girls when they were six. Each of them had August September birthdays. I understand the importance of parents feeling like their children need to be emotionally as mature and “ready,” for kindergarten as their peers. Interestingly enough I am not sure it is or was the best decision. There were definite pros to having my own children start school when they were six. But there were also draw-backs. I think it is often hard to look to the future and think about what your child’s maturity level will be like when they are sixteen years old. The drawbacks for each of my girls was that once they reach their junior senior year of high school they were totally bored with school. I believe this was partially because they were older. It was almost like they became as or more mature then their peers. So knowing what I do now, I am not always sure I would of held the girls back.

Resources:

Starting well: Benchmarking early education across the world (2009). A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit. The Lein Foundation. Retrieved from: http://www.lienfoundation.org/pdf/news/sw_report.pdf

Whitebrook, M. Ryan, S. (2012) Preschool Policy Facts. Degrees in Context:

Asking the Right Questions about Preparing Skilled and Effective Teachers of Young Children.

A Boyd, (2012). Holding back to get ahead. More parents are redshirting their kids. Ashbury Park Press. Retrieved using the NIEER Web site to this link:

http://www.app.com/article/20120719/NJNEWS15/307190113/Holding-back-to-get-ahead-More-parents-are-redshirting-their-kids-in-early-grades.

Poverty in Mongolia

Poverty in Mongolia.
I visited the website http://wwwchildhoodpoverty.org. I decided to study the country of Mongolia.

A friendly reminder of the exact
location of Mongolia. 

(google images 2012)

In 1990, Mongolia went from a socialist country to a multi part democratic state with a liberalized economy. From 1990 to 1997 there was a large shift in the countries' economy. In 1997 Mongolia joined the World Trade Organization. 

The rapid structural adjustment of the economy hit the Mongolian families hard. Unemployment rose and inflation and prices soared. Due to these economic changes cuts in occurred in social service and welfare support.  This shift effected the Mongolia families as there's was a huge gap of people who benefited from the market economy and those who did not. 

The population of Mongolia is 2.4 million. About 32 % of the population live in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. (United Nations Economic Social Council, 2002). According to the Living Strands Measurement Survey  (LSMS) a survey was conducted from the World Bank. According to the LSMS, 35.6% of the population lives in poverty. Of those 39.4% of the urban population, and 32.6% of the rural population are poor.  

In studying children and families living in poverty in Mongolia, CHIP focused on migration, as this is an important strategy of many families, their way of coping with poverty. Families often migrate to urban area. The migrant children are 3 times more likely to be out of school versus children who are long term residents. 11.9 % of the migrant children are out of school while only 3.6% of long-term resident do not attend. Migrant children are also more likely to drop out of school. 8.9% of migrant children where as only 2.2 % of long term urban resident children. CHIP reports the main reason for non-attendance and drop out are urban schools are not accepting migrant children, and the lack of nearby schools and the need to look after the livestock as well as the cost of education. Prior to 2003, migrant children were charged a registration fee to be enrolled in school. Many believe this may have exacerbated and been part of the reason why the rural children did not attend school while living in the city.

High levels of out-migration appear to be linked to reducing educational opportunities for families left behind. Migration, declining population effect and impact school budgets. According to CHIP the declining quality of education means some parents and children believe that caring for livestock is more useful for children (especially boys) then education. (CHIP 2002).


After reading the information provided by CHIP I was searching for information on children who live in Mongolia. I am sharing this photo montage from U-Tube. If you click on the arrow it will load. 

► 3:10► 3:10

I also happened on an article which was I thought I would share as well.

WASHINGTON DC, March 6, 2012 – The World Bank today announced the signing of a grant of US$ 10 million to support early childhood education in Mongolia. The grant, funded by the Global Partnership for Education, will help Mongolia provide access to early childhood education for children in disadvantaged communities.

“Improving access to early childhood education is critical to reducing poverty in Mongolia,”said Klaus Rohland, World Bank Country Director for China and Mongolia. “This initiative will help children develop the cognitive and social skills needed to succeed throughout their education and throughout their lives.”

The project will build 37 kindergartens in urban and peri-urban areas throughout the country and create alternative pre-school classes in mobile ger-kindergartens that follow herders in the summer. It will also improve teaching and learning environments by supplying learning materials, furniture, equipment, and toys, and undertake monitoring and evaluation.

“Every year, about 4,000 additional children will be able to attend kindergarten and 1,500 additional children will participate in the programs organized by mobile ger-kindergartens”said Minister Y. Otgonbayar, Minister of Education, Culture and Science.

International evidence has shown that investing in early childhood education yields the highest economic returns because early learning and the formation of good habits and social skills are far more productive than later, remedial education and training. The internal rates of return of rigorously evaluated early childhood education programs range from 7 percent to 18 percent, which are higher than the rates of return to financial capital.

“Investments in early childhood education are a highly cost-effective strategy to break the inter-generational transmission of poverty and improve productivity in the long run,” saidPrateek Tandon, World Bank Economist and Task Team Leader for the project.

The project was conceived in response to Mongolia’s introduction in 2008 of a 12-year education cycle, expanding its original 10-year cycle to conform to international norms. The expansion has enabled the admission of students at the age of 6 to the first grade. This transition required the government to ensure that every 5-year-old child is ready for school by enrolling them in kindergarten.

Resources:

        Map of Mongolia 2012 Google Images: Retrieved from:ttp://www.google.com/search?q=google+images+result+mongolia

        Poverty Statistics in Mongolia (2002). United Nations Economic and Social Council. Retrieved from: http://www.unescap.org/stat/cos13/cos13_8e.pdf

        Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre Case Studies on Countries Retrieved from:

http://wwwchildhoodpoverty.org

        Mongolian Children's Song Retrieved from:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZyZ8ohaqnc

        The World Bank 2012, (March 6). Mongolian Children in Disadvantage Communities to Receive Better Access to Early Childhood Education. Retrieved from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/2012/03/06/mongolian-children-in-disadvantaged-communities-to-receive-better-access-to-early-childhood-education

An Article recently appearing in the Greene Bay Gazette :

For every dollar invested in a school-age child, only 25 cents are invested in a preschool-aged child and only 6 cents are invested in an infant or toddler. Enhancement and prevention through quality early childhood development are more life- and cost-effective than attempting to intervene after problems, delays and crises occur.


Nieer works hard to keep policy makers and organizations informed. It often provides great information and editorials on specific Trends that are taking place throughout the country. This was just an excerpt from one of the articles. I think that continuing to keep quality education in the forefront is the premise within the organization. The articles are informative.

Nieer National Institute for early childhood research

The website is nieer.org