Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Field Final Blog

• Learning about international early childhood has been enlightening and informative.  I would not consider the knowledge that I have gained as a consequence.  However, once you learn something and have been informed you cannot longer turn blind eye or ignore the crisis that happen.  I guess that is sort of a consequence.  I am now clearer on the needs of America’s youngest citizens.  I have understanding of what their needs are and what is needed to help them.    
  What I would consider another consequence is that I feel helpless in the issue.  I can be an advocate however, I work, and work but I do not see how I am making a difference.  My passion is driving me and may overshadow my intent.  Is there a thing called too passionate?  I believe that there is.  It can cause burn out and blur your focus.  Learning about the need of children makes me want to save every child in the world.  I cannot but I can try.
  I have contemplated this question for a while and I cannot come up with additional consequences.  For me there was nothing but pure benefit.  I understand an issue I also have read about how many people are working for the betterment of children.  How can there be consequence?
  As an educator, I will continue to work tirelessly for children.  I want to see that ECE is as valued as elementary, secondary, or even collegiate education.  I hope to inspire other directors to find ways that they can implement change in their facilities.  I will also continue to build in my knowledge and awareness in order to be more effective as a teacher and administrator.

Professional Goals, Hopes and Dreams

In my immediate community there is an ongoing discussion and issue with affordability.  As of March of 2018 75% of my new student enrolling families listed their reason for choosing my facility was price related.  Second was reputation, however even in reputation the conversation is about the quality of care and opportunities available for the price of tuition.   The accessibility of quality programs lies in the ability to afford such programs. 

Many Georgia parents trying to save for their kids' college tuition may be having a tough time because they're already shelling out a bigger dollar amount every month for childcare.  Georgia is one of 33 states where typical childcare costs more than college, says a new study from the Economic Policy Institute. According to the study, the average annual cost of daycare for an infant in Georgia is $7,644 and the cost for a 4 year old is $6,500. By comparison, average college tuition in the state is $6,614 -- well below the price of infant care and only a shade higher than care for a toddler. Researchers from the policy institute say infant care for one child takes up 13.8% of the typical Georgia family's income.

Because affordability leads families to centers that are of poor quality children are faced with subpar care.  There is not much we can do to increase the income of the families so it is my opinion that we enforce standards upon the childcare facilities that are subpar.  Georgia requires that all of its ECE worker receive mandatory training.   Each professional is required to use the GaPDS (Georgia Professional Development System for Early Childhood Educators) to maintain and track their training.  This ensures that all individuals maintain a basic qualification necessary to work with children.  The more trainings or the higher level of education will increase your rating in the system.  This makes the individual teacher a commodity and eligible to receive a higher and competitive wage.
In the community that I work there are limited opportunity for minority and low income students to receive quality care.  The numbers are increasingly disproportionate.  Of course there are federally funded programs like Head Start and locally funded Georgia Lottery Pre-K which provides quality care for low income families.  However, those available spots are limited and are a first come first serve basis.  There are a multitude of families who do not qualify or subsidies.  Their children are the ones vulnerable and fall victim to their family's finances.  It is my goal to provide an affordable program that is comparable to the high quality programs that wealthy families have access to as well as the programs that are federally and locally funded. 
I have worked diligently finding outside funding sources and investors in order to maintain a price points that families can afford.  It takes more work on my part and there are many fundraisers that have to be organized. There are many nights that I only receive 2 hours of sleep and I am often very tired.  However, the results of my hard work is I can provide a quality program for a fraction of the price.  The appreciation and support I get from my students, their families, and my staff is reward enough.  The challenge is maintaining the momentum.  So far I am doing well.
My hope is that I can provide as inspiration to other childcare programs.  That I motivate other owners and directors to do justice by their community by helping ALL families receive quality early childcare services.  To many of my colleagues, ECE is an easy pay day.  I network with many of my neighboring center directors or owners.  Our priorities are different.  Though we all want to care for the children.  My focus is on the children who go the most overlooked in my community.  I hope to be a part of the conversation that will lead to the changes of policy that will make all ECE affordable to every child in need.

Sharing Web Resources

The national Black Child Development Institute provides newsletters and other resources that are key to providing information that would let the reader become knowledgeable in the difficulties and inequities that face the African American child.  However, the website does not concentrate on the injustices.  There is a section called point of proof.  This section allows the researcher to find institutes or resources that support the main position of the website.  I did a search of my home state of North Carolina and found a link to what they called Firstschool.

FirstSchool prepares school leaders and teachers to improve the early school experiences of African American, Latino and low income students by promoting an equity framework of effective instructional practices across the PreK-3rd continuum; using data in innovative ways to guide professional development; and increasing educator knowledge and application of developmental science.  Reading about Firstschool in the point of proof section, they introduce the idea of Cultures of Caring, competence, and excellence.   In a Culture of Caring, teachers nurture positive relationships, strengthen self-efficacy and racial identity and develop the whole child. In a Culture of Competence, teachers prioritize communication, promote peer interaction, develop self-regulation and promote independence. In a Culture of Excellence, teachers balance teaching approaches, integrate and balance curriculum and build higher order thinking (NBCDI, 2018).

Trying a new search in the Point of proof section I found a second organization out o Minneapolis from which I attend school. The Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) Promise Neighborhood operates as one integrated program that works across many partner organizations and schools, with NAZ scholars at the center. Families and children move through a “cradle to career” pipeline, allowing NAZ staff and their partners to provide comprehensive support services through three pillars of impact: Family Engagement and Opportunity Alignment, Education Pipeline, and Whole Family Wrap Around Support. The purpose of Northside Achievement Zone is to end multigenerational poverty in North Minneapolis.  The NAZ Promise Neighborhood is a collaboration of organizations and schools partnering with families in a geographic “Zone” of North Minneapolis to prepare children to graduate from high school ready for college. Our resources are dedicated toward measurable outcomes for children and families. Success is gauged by results for children and families, not programs and organizations (NBCDI, 2018). The purpose of this organization is to ensure that a child achieves school readiness.

Searching the website further proved to be beneficial.  I have learned about new organizations that have chosen to support a narrative and have answered the call to action.  They have a focus of aiding children and families who fall victim to inequity.  The mere existence of these organizations in states across the United States speaks to the need of the demographic.  I was happy to see that although the intent of the original home website of the NBCDI, each organization expands their focus to low-income and minority children and their families.  They tackle issues such as health and school readiness.  However, they use the citizens in the community as partners in combating inequity.

After reading and researching I learned that it truly takes a conglomerate of individuals working together to overcome barriers of inequity, poverty, and other social issues.  I have tasked the brunt of the responsibility on Early Childhood teachers and administrators to lead the way, however, community leaders, policy makers are also valuable members of the movement.  The biggest lesson I have learned from this deeper search, is that it is not all about policy change. Sometimes meeting the needs and providing a service that some children may not otherwise have is the best way to combat inequity.


 References
NBCDI. (2018). Northside Achievement Zone. Retrieved from https://www.nbcdi.org/point-of-proof/northside-achievement-zone
NBCDI. (2018). Firstschool. Retrieved from https://www.nbcdi.org/point-of-proof/firstschool

Excellence and Equity

Educational equality is often linked to social justice and social mobility. That every individual
has an equal right of education is a sign of democracy and one important aspect of human rights.
Educational equality is an important aspect of social justice that brings more positive social changes.  Excellence and educational equity all pursue an equal education. However, due to the respective angles and focuses, their interpretations can be very different. For instance, on the issue of distribution of educational resources, the argument based on educational equality is that spending a bounty of unexpected resources on those whose chances are already better than other children’s chances is unjust.

There were so many blogs and podcasts that spoke to the excellence and equity in childcare that it was hard for me to choose. However, I chose the podcast Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Protective Factors Part 1 because it was so informational.  The Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast is a place for ECE individuals who care about making families strong and protecting children.  They discussed ways that individuals can support and improve the lives of children and their families.  When it comes to excellence in equity we must seek to protect children and support families.  What I learned from the the podcast was essential to my ongoing professional education.  These protective factors lead to an experience that is beneficial for the child and their family.  In providing an excellent experience one must provide a social connection.  Where children have someone to turn to and talk with.  Having someone that families can call when you need a hand with something, when you need someone to watch the kids with short notice all of these kind of things that are the opposite of social isolation and that really make it possible to be the parent you want to be.  When speaking on equity, the podcasts  talk about concrete supports in times of need which is a large category that can include everything from formal services like child welfare intervention and domestic violence support, food pantries, all of that - but concrete support can also be delivered through social connection so it could be a neighbor who brings over a casserole when you have a new baby - that’s also a concrete support in times of need and that’s the kind of thing that helps families feel supported and get through those challenging times.

The podcasts also referred to those who pay attention to the influencing factors in a child's environment can affect their experience in the childcare.  The experiences of early learners have and their engagement in them are crucial to raising attainment and achievement. It is the quality of
hose experiences which make the difference. We live and work in an ever changing world and we need to respond to change to ensure that we serve our communities and learners to deal with the rigours which rapid change brings. It is also a time of reducing resources we need to do more with less at a time when demand is increasing. Education, therefore, becomes even more important for securing outcomes for learners which will help them to deal with the challenges ahead and equip
them with the necessary skills, knowledge, understanding and qualifications to succeed in
such a world.
 What I learned from the podcast and the Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child is that my role as an ECE professional goes beyond caring for children.  I learned from the podcast that ensuring that children have an excellent experience, they must be protected and there are many ways to provide protection and support for them and their families.  That children also connect with others through their learning communities.  They are places where they share common goals.  This could be within their community or their classroom.  As a teacher I am responsible for the harmony of the classroom. Children learn from one another and they have the opportunity to grow together.  When seeking to provide a environment of excellence, equity comes with it.  Because you are seeking to provide the best experience possible, showing bias has no place.



Center for the Study of Social Policy (n.d.). Child Welfare Information Gateway Podcast Protective Factors Part 1. Retrieved from  https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/cw_podcast_protective_factors_part2.mp3

Center on the Developing Child. (n.d.). Working Globally. Retrieved from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/