This week I chose to learn about the; Global Children’s Initiative organization which is on the; Harvard University website. This organization
serves children and families form very poor living conditions to more affluent conditions.
The purpose and mission of Global Children’s
Initiative, is to improve children’s health and development.
Global Children’s Initiative
are focusing on three strategic areas; the firs us educating decision-makers on
the importance of behavior and health in a child’s early years, next, researching
on how health begins, when healthy living declined, and how to get back on the
right path of healthy development, and the last part of the plan is to help
build and strengthen communities through leadership, by focusing on individuals
from low income and middle income countries, by increasing the number of
diverse individuals that will aid in the movement of advocating for young
children http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/.
While looking closely on the website, I noticed an article
published in March-April, 2009 entitled; The
Developing Child. What I found interesting about this article was that in Chile, and Latin America
children are not taught to read or recognize alphabets until the first grade. In both countries, educators believe that children
should be able to play as long as they can, and worry about “education” by the
first grade; however by doing so children are thrown in the classrooms with
high expectations to stay on level, without the basic fundamentals they would
need to prepare http://harvardmagazine.com/2009/03/the-developing-child.
This website offers articles on; Scientific research of the developing
child, Early childhood policy programs, and Student Leadership Development.
References:
Global Children’s Initiative:
Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/
The Developing Child: 2009. Retrieved from http://harvardmagazine.com/2009/03/the-developing-child
Hi Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading your blogs about the mission of Global Children’s Initiative. I am also interested in the fact that children of Chile and Latin American children are not taught to read or recognize alphabet until the first grade. In our area we start as least exposing (not teaching) our children to the alphabet in preschool classrooms. I know that they are young; however, we can expose them to the alphabet through recognizing their own names when they see them. They start seeing the names of the other children as well, which is also exposing them to the alphabet at an developmentally appropriate level. You had some very good information on you blog
Hi Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteGreat Blog Post!! I did not know that in Chile and Latin America that children are encouraged to play until the first grade. WOW! They are not encouraged to know their alphabets until then. I don't know if I agree with this concept. My thoughts and opinion can be blurred because we live in the United States, so I don't know how much of an impact this really have on children. Thanks for sharing you have given me something to further research.
Brenda
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your new insight! You brought up an issue of the gap in the early education system of Chile and Latin America to prepare children to success before first grade. It is great that they believe in play, but they could expand the play to more meaningful into educational purpose to develop chidren’s competency in different areas.
Hi Cynthia,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your blog. Thank you for sharing your insights on the early education systems in Latin America. We know that play is important, but children should also be introduced to the alphabet, numbers, and science before the first grade. Hopefully, the projects that the Global Children's Initiative have launched in Brazil and Chile will be so successful that other Latin American countries will catch on and want to improve their early childhood system.
I enjoyed reading your blog. It is so important that children needs are met, they are able to receive quality healthy, learning and an education regardless of their living status. Poverty is all over the world; do you believe it will ever end or even get better especially in country such as: Africa. Africa is a country where they number of children and families are having multiple issues they are facing such as: health (AIDS, new Ebola Disease and malnutrition etc.), education, low-income and homeless. Children and families in Africa really need much help and support from many as possible.
ReplyDelete