NAEYC ~ Week 6 Blog

One of the outside links from the NAEYC organization website that I have not yet explored that I decided to explore is the June/July 2012 issues of Teaching Young Children (TYC). The link led me to a description of the TYC magazine and the current issue. Each issue of the TYC magazine provides useful, research-based ideas that preschool educators can use in their classrooms. This issue includes articles about gardening, family-friendly practices, sorting activities, and using graphic organizers. (NAEYC, 2012)

Another outside link from the NAEYC organization website that I have not yet explored that I decided to explore is the Young Children magazine. The one issue that I explored is “Finding the Education in Educational Technology with Early Learners.” Young Children is an award-winning, peer-reviewed professional journal published bimonthly by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. (NAEYC, 2012) Young Children issues are organized around topical clusters that devote special attention to issues in the field of early childhood education. (NAEYC, 2012)

The one area which I chose to be my focus is the membership section of NAEYC. This section describes how to sign up to become a member of NAEYC and the advantages you receive as of member of NAEYC. There are 6 reasons stated why to become a member of NAEYC. The six reasons are the following: Get great content, Save 20% off NAEYC books and resources, get discounts off conferences, build your network, change the world, and become a leader. This section also includes a list of benefits of becoming a member of NAEYC as well as FAQs listed for those individuals who may need some question answered. This section also lists the resources that are available at discount through a membership of NAEYC.

Yes, NAEYC does have information which relates to the understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education. There are training videos as well as an abundance of resources which correlate to the equity and excellence in early care and education. There is also a very helpful resource called the National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development, which helps guide professional development through research, policies, and practices. Walden University is actually a sponsor to the institute which is something that made me very proud of the school that I attend.

http://www.naeyc.org/institute/

I have learned and come to the realization of how important professional development is in the field. Professional Development is a continuum of learning and support activities designed to prepare individuals for work with and on behalf of young children and their families, as well as ongoing experiences to enhance this work. (NAEYC, 2012) These opportunities lead to improvements in the knowledge, skills, practices, and dispositions of early education professionals. (NAEYC, 2012) NAEYC has a variety of learning opportunities designed for early childhood professionals. I believe these opportunities will help early childhood professionals understand equity in the field and the definition of excellence: Online learning programs on “must-know” topics, Intensive Training-of-Trainers sessions on critical early childhood subjects, Training DVDs for self-study or group instruction, and NAEYC’s annual Conference and Institute for workshops, networking, and more.

Resources:

http://www.naeyc.org/ecp/dvd

http://www.naeyc.org/institute/

Global Children’s Initiative

Three new insights that I have gained from exploring Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” Global Children’s Initiative is the centerpiece of the Center on the Developing Child to focus on children’s health around the globe and development an agenda. Through exploration of the website, I learned about some of the activities that are a focus on the Global Children’s Initiative.

One activity is the Zambian Early Childhood Development Project. The Zambian Early Childhood Development Project focuses on the early childhood experiences and development within sub-Saharan Africa. A number of states have shown the impact a child’s development, health, and educational outcomes but there is little evidence on the areas of sub-Saharan Africa. The Zambian Ministry of Education, the Examination Council of Zambia, UNICEF, the University of Zambia, and the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University launched the Zambian Early Childhood Development Project (ZECDP) in 2009, a collaborative effort to measure the effects of an ongoing anti-malaria initiative on children’s development in Zambia. In order to do this successfully they created a new comprehensive instrument for assessing children’s physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development before and throughout their schooling careers—the first assessment tool of its kind in Zambia. The ZECDP collaborators hope that the data collected as part of this project, as well as future work in this area, will not only improve understanding of child development in this context but also help identify key interventions towards improved outcomes in a rapidly changing developing world.

Another insight is I learned that the Center on the Developing Child is launching its first major programmatic effort outside the United States. This effort is a part of the centers Global Children’s Initiative and is called Núcleo Ciência Pela Infância. In collaboration with local experts, this project aims to use the science of child health and development to guide stronger policies and larger investments to benefit young children and their families in Brazil. Through this effort to work towards benefits of young children and families in Brazil, organizations are working together to catalyze more effective policies and programs that will, ultimately, foster a more prosperous, sustainable, and equitable society.

The third insight that I learned about was the video Super-Cérebro. Super-Cérebro is the Portuguese translation of Brain Hero, a three-minute video depicting how actions by a range of people in the family and community can affect a child’s development. This video corresponds to the child’s development and what impacts a child’s development including but not limited to their brain development, the community in which a child grows, the experiences a child faces throughout early childhood development. This video was a very informational piece for parents of children of young ages.

Reaching excellence is every parents dream for their child. Many children do not have a chance when it comes to the standards of excellence our society sets. With organizations such as the Center on the Developing Child and initiative programs which work at finding excellence and equity in children, many more children have the opportunity to excel.

Resources:

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

NAEYC

All of the information within the organization of NAEYC is relevant to my professional development. There are publications, information about accreditation, information relating to conferences that were help or conferences coming up and how to sign up, and many resources available.  There is so much useful information that I can use as a professional who is starting out in the early childhood field. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 80,000 members, a national network of more than 300 state and local Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations. (NAEYC, 2012). Being familiar and acting as a member to NAEYC will do nothing but keep me updated with the issues and trends in the early childhood field.

An issue from the website that made me in different ways is the issue of becoming an active member in the early childhood field and becoming involved. There are a number of organizations that are related to early childhood education, many in which I am not familiar with. I realized that there is a lot for me to learn about the field of early childhood but I think the NAEYC organization will help me along the way. I cannot only just show interest and learn about the programs and organizations in early childhood education, I need to become an active member. I can do this by becoming involved.

The piece of information from the website that adds to my understanding of politicians support the early childhood field is the way to become connected in your local state/community. There are state and/or local leadership opportunities through NAEYC. There are specific people who work to represent the local or state to inform individuals who want to get involved of the opportunities available. There are service opportunities which are available through the state and community.

The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is the profession’s mechanism to help establish high quality teacher preparation. (NAEYC, 2012) NCATE partners with states to serve the state and the institution. Through NCATE, the states involved have professional and state alignments, professional development opportunities for the professionals, training for the professionals, and serve as a resource to ECE professionals. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) was a founding member organization of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education in 1954 and remains one of its 35 constituent organizations today. (NAEYC, 2012 As a member of NCATE, CCSSO appoints representatives to the NCATE Executive Board, Unit Accreditation Board, State Partnership Board, (SPB) Specialty Area Studies Board, Appeals Panel and the Board of Examiners to establish NCATE policy and issue national accreditation decisions to teacher education institutions. (NAEYC, 2012)

Every time that I explore the NAEYC website I learn something new. This week, I have learned about the NCATE and what it does for educators in the early childhood field. I am exciting when I explore the NAEYC organization on their website because I know there is still so much for me to learn. NAEYC is an amazing organization for any early childhood educator.

Resource :

http://www.naeyc.org/

CHIP - Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre

Insights from CHIP – Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre

“Over 600 million children world-wide live in absolute poverty - an estimated 1 in 4.”

From reading the article, “CHIP – Knowledge for Tackling Childhood Poverty”, there were some insights that caught my attention.  I was having a conversation with a friend of mine last night about how poverty is a revolving vicious cycle. I think that tackling childhood poverty is the key to reducing the poverty rate in our country. Today's poor children are all too often tomorrow's poor parents. (CHIP, 2012). Poverty can be passed on from generation to generation affecting the long-term health, wellbeing and productivity of families and of society as a whole.  (CHIP, 2012). From reading the case studies of children, my heart cried for them. Children who have to work towards getting a better life and overcoming poverty have to work harder than some children ever will.  I believe that you truly have to have a desire to become better. Many people do not have any motivation because they feel that it is impossible to better themselves. Organizations like CHIP are what give people the hope and support to reach higher. Children especially need to have the support and love of others to realize that they have opportunities to have a better life. Tackling childhood poverty is therefore critical for eradicating poverty and injustice world-wide. (CHIP, 2012).

NAEYC

The name of the organization is the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) which was founded in 1926. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 80,000 members, a national network of more than 300 state and local Affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations. NAEYC is an organization in which inspires and motivates early childhood educators to be passionate about teaching and continuing to learn. Being a member of the NAEYC organization allows professionals to gain content, discount on books, discount at conferences, build a network, work at becoming a leader and change the world.

An issue that NAEYC addresses is DAP - Developmentally appropriate practice. Developmentally appropriate practice is an approach to teaching grounded both in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early education. Its framework is designed to promote young children’s optimal learning and development. (NAEYC, 2012) DAP involves teachers meeting young children where they are (by stage of development), both as individuals and as part of a group; and helping each child meet challenging and achievable learning goals. (NAEYC, 2012) DAP is the foundation for all of NAEYC’s work. NAEYC offers publications, different training programs, conferences, and accreditation of child care programs and much more.

I am excited to continue to explore the NAEYC program - there is so much more to learn and read which will help me grow as a professional of the early childhood field.

 http://www.naeyc.org/