Sharing Web Resources

Note: Hello everyone, I chose the National Black Child Development Institute as my first organization that I would follow but have not received any newsletters or updates. I still follow them on Facebook  and will share any new updates as they become available. I have decided to share my information from The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) of which I am a member. 

The National Association for the Education of Young Children has a vast amount of information on its website. It is the largest associations of early childhood professional who work with children from age of birth through age eight.  The sections that are most relevant to my current professional development are professional development, public policy and early childhood education topics. NAEYC is a leading proponent for high quality early childhood education and is always concerned about current federal fiscal debates.

The resources under the public policy made me think how powerful our voices are if we come together and advocate doing what’s right for children when it come to their education and well-being.

     

In the professional development there are  numerous resources available through the website where I can enhance my knowledge in the field  by attending annual conferences, enrolling in  technology based learning, earning continuing education credits( CEU’s),  and webinars.

NAEYC makes federal recommendations and its goal is to ensure that we receive well financed high quality early childhood education for young children.    It quotes James Heckman, Ph.D.,  Nobel Laureate in Economics in saying that “We cannot afford to postpone investing in children until they become adults, nor can we wait until they reach school age—a time when it may be too late to intervene. Learning is a dynamic process and is most effective when it begins at a young age and continues through adulthood”.(NAEYC,n.d.)

NAEYC Public Policy Overview includes:

o   Take Action Now

o   Early Childhood Workforce Systems Imitative

o   Effective Advocacy Resources

o   Children’s Champions Updates

o   Federal recommendations

The latest Children’s Champion Updates keep me informed on how politicians support the early childhood field. I left the links highlighted so that you can read some of the topics of the last few months.

09/02/15	Access to affordable child care; New polling results; Upcoming Twitter storms; Congress returning to session
07/28/15	Access to Healthy Foods for Young Children Act; Read Where You Are Day; Every Child Achieves Act
07/16/15	Senate votes to approve Every Child Achieves Act; Reminder: Conference call on early learning funding landscape
07/14/15	Alert: Join Secretary Duncan and Senator Casey for a Strong Start conference call

             

 NAEYC also sends letters of recommendation to policy makers to make a statement on their positions concerning different early childhood issues. An example topic is a letter they sent a letter to Dr. Blanca Enrique, the Director of the Office of Head Start to comment on the Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) for the Head Start program performance standards.( NAEYC HeadStart NPRM,2015)

  On the NAEYC website you can keep abreast of all the new changes and developments in the early childhood field. They have a link were you can receive alerts and stay informed on public policy that affects early childhood education. You can connect with your public officials and to advocate ensuring that policy makers elected officials and communities began to make early childhood education a priority. We have to be a voice for the children who may not be able to speak. 

                                                  References

   National Association for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC. (n.d.). Retrieved 

  November 22, 2015, from http://www.naeyc.org/ 

             

  NAEYC HeadStart NPRM. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2015, from http://www.naeyc.org

 /files/naeyc/NAEYC_HeadStartNPRM_9-15.pdf

Childhood Poverty : Republic of Namibia

Namibia is a country in southern Africa. It shares boarders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south and west.





                                                       

Namibia is a middle-income country where the gap in the income between people who are rich and poor is one of the most noticeable in the world. The poorest households are those headed by women, which amount to about 43 per cent of all households in rural areas and are more likely to be dependent on subsistence agriculture. Poverty is worsened by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Cases of HIV/AIDS rates are among the highest in the region and the epidemic remains a major threat to the nation’s economy and human resources.

INSIGHTS ON POVERTY


   

                                                      https://images.search.yahoo.com

Namibia is one of the wealthiest countries in Africa, but half the population lives below the poverty line. Children are more likely to be in poverty than adults. One in three children in Namibia grows up in households that are poor.Many Namibians live off extremely low wages or by subsistence farming, food is often inadequate for families. Poverty has long-lasting impact on the lives and development of children in Namibia, especially when it comes to their health and education. If poverty is not addressed at an early age it will continue to be passed on from generation to generation to generation. (Child Poverty in Namibia, 2012)

                                                             https://images.search.yahoo.com

    

Many of Namibia's children are not reaching their developmental potential due to poor health and nutrition, and poor sanitation facilitates.Poor children are two times more likely than non-poor children to have stunted growth, iron deficiency, and severe asthma.Integrated interventions for children between the ages of 0 and 8 years are effective in breaking cycles of poverty and violence, reduce malnutrition, and enhance school readiness. This intervention includes health care, social protection and welfare, early stimulation and positive parenting, as well as preschool education. (Child Poverty in Namibia, 2012)

                                                              https://images.search.yahoo.com

Namibia’s children may be separated from their parents because parents have to leave home to find employment in other parts of the country. Many children live on their own and beg for money and food to survive. Namibia is a young country where 35% of the population is under 14. 

My Perspective

No matter how poverty is defined, it can be agreed that it is an issue that requires everyone’s attention. There are many factors that can affect childhood poverty including, where you live,  your parents, and the economy. Childhood poverty can have a profound affect on children's future and we must do all that we can to help families that are in need. We can volunteer our time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to children who are living in poverty in this country and around the world.

                                                                         References

Child Poverty in Namibia. (2012, November 1). Retrieved November 13, 2015, from http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Namibia_Child_Poverty_Report.pdf