Week 5 - Equity and excellence
I have been in contact with Sarah Klaus who is the director of the Network Early Childhood Program, Open Society Foundation, UK
Sarah Klaus is Director of Early
Childhood Programs (the Network Step by Step Program) at the Open
Society Institute (OSI). One of the most interesting facts that Sarah shared with me was about funding. I always assumed that universal programs were not put into place for the most part because of lack of funding. What she explained is that success in promoting early child development does not depend upon a society being wealthy. Because early child development programs rely on the skills of caregiver, the cost of effective programs varies with the wage structure of a society. Regardless of their level of wealth, societies can make progress on early child development by allocating as little as $1.00 in this area for every $10.00 spent on health and education. It is all about perspective and priorities. The interaction that occurs between individual characteristics(genetic and physiologic) and experiences and exposures drawn from the environment are basic to the development of the child. Everything possible needs to be done to ensure that all factors are being put into place.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Week 4 - National Institute of Early Childhood Research
NIEER.org is an amazing resource. It is filled with all pertanent information pertaining to early childhood development. It went into to great detail about the research presented at the 2012 national seminar. At the 2012 national seminar of the Education Writers Association (EWA), NIEER Assistant Research Professor Milagros Nores joined a panel on early learning research, which also included Steven Hicks from the U.S. Department of Education, Lindsey Allard Agnamba of School Readiness Consulting, and Thoughts on Public Education co-writer Kathryn Baron as moderator. Dr. Nores spoke on the benefits of investing in prekindergarten programs and the current state of preschool education in the U.S. Economically speaking effective early childhood programs are fiscally advisable. Part of this study focused in on the preparation of teachers. Many teachers are not properly prepared and in some cases not state certified to teach preschool. Last week I attended a professional development at the early childhood center at Philadelphia School district that focused on the characteristics of an effective pre school teacher. The PD was based on the results of years of research.
In the economy section of the newsletter they spoke of the history behind NJ's effective early childhood programs. I live very close to New Jersey and honestly had no idea what they had implemented. In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court took a then-unprecedented step. It ordered the state to provide high-quality pre-Kindergarten programs to all 3- and 4-year-old children in 31of the state’s highest poverty districts, also known as Abbott districts after the long-running Abbott v. Burke school finance case. Universal pre-K is only one of numerous mandates the court placed on the state and the Abbott districts in its 1998 ruling, but that requirement has had a far-reaching effect on the state’s early education system. Today, New Jersey has built a robust, diverse provider system to deliver high-quality universal pre-K in the Abbott districts, has taken steps to expand pre-K services for at-risk children in the state’s other 560 districts, and has done more than perhaps any other state in the country to link these early learning investments with early literacy reforms in the K-12 system, creating a seamless, high-quality PreK-3rd early learning experience for the state’s most disadvantaged youngsters. This is clear evidence just how important it is to develop a plan that is universally effective for all.
NIEER.org is an amazing resource. It is filled with all pertanent information pertaining to early childhood development. It went into to great detail about the research presented at the 2012 national seminar. At the 2012 national seminar of the Education Writers Association (EWA), NIEER Assistant Research Professor Milagros Nores joined a panel on early learning research, which also included Steven Hicks from the U.S. Department of Education, Lindsey Allard Agnamba of School Readiness Consulting, and Thoughts on Public Education co-writer Kathryn Baron as moderator. Dr. Nores spoke on the benefits of investing in prekindergarten programs and the current state of preschool education in the U.S. Economically speaking effective early childhood programs are fiscally advisable. Part of this study focused in on the preparation of teachers. Many teachers are not properly prepared and in some cases not state certified to teach preschool. Last week I attended a professional development at the early childhood center at Philadelphia School district that focused on the characteristics of an effective pre school teacher. The PD was based on the results of years of research.
In the economy section of the newsletter they spoke of the history behind NJ's effective early childhood programs. I live very close to New Jersey and honestly had no idea what they had implemented. In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court took a then-unprecedented step. It ordered the state to provide high-quality pre-Kindergarten programs to all 3- and 4-year-old children in 31of the state’s highest poverty districts, also known as Abbott districts after the long-running Abbott v. Burke school finance case. Universal pre-K is only one of numerous mandates the court placed on the state and the Abbott districts in its 1998 ruling, but that requirement has had a far-reaching effect on the state’s early education system. Today, New Jersey has built a robust, diverse provider system to deliver high-quality universal pre-K in the Abbott districts, has taken steps to expand pre-K services for at-risk children in the state’s other 560 districts, and has done more than perhaps any other state in the country to link these early learning investments with early literacy reforms in the K-12 system, creating a seamless, high-quality PreK-3rd early learning experience for the state’s most disadvantaged youngsters. This is clear evidence just how important it is to develop a plan that is universally effective for all.
Monday, July 16, 2012
week 3- speaking of poverty
I have been in contact with Sarah Klaus who is the director of the Network Early Childhood Program, Open Society Foundation, UK
Sarah Klaus is Director of Early
Childhood Programs (the Network Step by Step Program) at the Open
Society Institute (OSI). The Step by Step Program, OSI’s
flagship program, was initiated in 1994 to promote reforms that support
universal, accessible, quality early childhood education and development
in Central Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. OSI’s early
childhood work now extends globally with an increasing focus on
advocacy, policy, and development of leadership to support populations
at risk.
Sarah has worked with OSI since its inception. She explained to me that with all of the political and civil unrest in Central Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union that poverty has run rampant. So far since the inception of step by step the tangible provisions have been implemented throughout the area which include early childhood educational programs for both children and their parents and a different level of initiatives that are aimed at iradicating the developmental gaps that stem from existing impoverished communities.
Sarah has worked with OSI since its inception. She explained to me that with all of the political and civil unrest in Central Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union that poverty has run rampant. So far since the inception of step by step the tangible provisions have been implemented throughout the area which include early childhood educational programs for both children and their parents and a different level of initiatives that are aimed at iradicating the developmental gaps that stem from existing impoverished communities.
Monday, July 9, 2012
wk2 assigment- Professional Newsletter
nieer.org - National Institute for Early Educational Research
The National Institute for Early Research is an organization that focuses on all aspects of early childhood development in correlation with educational programs. All of the information that they put together is compounded with clear and concise research
One of the major issues that was discussed was the funding aspect of pre school programs.
Funding for state pre-K programs has plummeted by more than $700 per child nationwide over the past decade — keeping the quality of many states’ preschools low even as enrollment has grown, a new report from the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER) shows.
“High-quality early learning is arguably the greatest investments we can make, which is why our Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge supports states committed to providing this important opportunity to more children,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Raising the quality of early learning and expanding access to effective programs plays a pivotal role in improving our children's chances at being successful in grade school through to college and careers. It's the kind of investment that benefits us all.”
Pre-K funding has dropped by $715 per student, when adjusted for inflation, between the 2001-2002 and 2010-2011 school years. Per-student funding dropped by $145 in 2010-2011 alone compared with the previous year. If this trend continues eventually early childhood programs will almost become obsolete.
nieer.org - National Institute for Early Educational Research
The National Institute for Early Research is an organization that focuses on all aspects of early childhood development in correlation with educational programs. All of the information that they put together is compounded with clear and concise research
One of the major issues that was discussed was the funding aspect of pre school programs.
Funding for state pre-K programs has plummeted by more than $700 per child nationwide over the past decade — keeping the quality of many states’ preschools low even as enrollment has grown, a new report from the National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER) shows.
“High-quality early learning is arguably the greatest investments we can make, which is why our Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge supports states committed to providing this important opportunity to more children,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Raising the quality of early learning and expanding access to effective programs plays a pivotal role in improving our children's chances at being successful in grade school through to college and careers. It's the kind of investment that benefits us all.”
Pre-K funding has dropped by $715 per student, when adjusted for inflation, between the 2001-2002 and 2010-2011 school years. Per-student funding dropped by $145 in 2010-2011 alone compared with the previous year. If this trend continues eventually early childhood programs will almost become obsolete.
The two professional that I emailed are Mr. Eva Hammes D. Bernardo from the German national committe for early childhood education and Sarah Klaus from International step by step association.
I have not heard back from either one. I resent the emails again and if I do not hear back from either one of them I will start on the alternative assignment.
The organization that I have been reviewing is the National Institute for early educational research.
Newsletter nieer.org
I have not heard back from either one. I resent the emails again and if I do not hear back from either one of them I will start on the alternative assignment.
The organization that I have been reviewing is the National Institute for early educational research.
Newsletter nieer.org
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