Unfortunately this week I have not received a reply from either of my international contacts. Instead I did the alternative assignment and explored the website for the Global Children's Initiative through Harvard University. Here is the link: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/
The Global Children's Initiative was launched by the Center on the Developing Child to advance the integration of approaches to health, survival and development in the earliest years of life worldwide. They are working to build "a portfolio of activities in three domains: early childhood development, child mental health and children in crisis and conflict situations" (2013). The stated goals of the center are to help educate high level policy makers about the science underlying child development, to support multi-disciplinary research projects and to build leadership in the field.
Two of the projects that caught my eye were a study about how an anti-malaria campaign in Zambia is impacting child development in the region and a project that is helping to bring high-quality education to Chile's four to six year olds in Santiago. Both projects will provide longitudinal data that can then be used to fuel policy and further study.
I also found a podcast from Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) called "Early Childhood Classrooms of Excellence". What struck me most about this podcast was the emphasis that was placed on developing early literacy skills in pre-school. Several times the interviewee said that children needed to be ready to read in kindergarten. Although the program they talk about does include some learning through play I find this a disturbing trend. Pushing children to read before they are developmentally ready can have serious long term effects. Some children will develop an aversion to reading and will then spend their school career finding ways to avoid it.
The Global Children's Initiative was launched by the Center on the Developing Child to advance the integration of approaches to health, survival and development in the earliest years of life worldwide. They are working to build "a portfolio of activities in three domains: early childhood development, child mental health and children in crisis and conflict situations" (2013). The stated goals of the center are to help educate high level policy makers about the science underlying child development, to support multi-disciplinary research projects and to build leadership in the field.
Two of the projects that caught my eye were a study about how an anti-malaria campaign in Zambia is impacting child development in the region and a project that is helping to bring high-quality education to Chile's four to six year olds in Santiago. Both projects will provide longitudinal data that can then be used to fuel policy and further study.
I also found a podcast from Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA) called "Early Childhood Classrooms of Excellence". What struck me most about this podcast was the emphasis that was placed on developing early literacy skills in pre-school. Several times the interviewee said that children needed to be ready to read in kindergarten. Although the program they talk about does include some learning through play I find this a disturbing trend. Pushing children to read before they are developmentally ready can have serious long term effects. Some children will develop an aversion to reading and will then spend their school career finding ways to avoid it.
References
Harvard University, (2013). Global children's initiative. Retrieved from website http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/
Intercultural Development Research Association, (2008). Early childhood classrooms of excellence. Retrieved from website http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/Resources/Early_Childhood_Classrooms_of_Excellence/
Intercultural Development Research Association, (2008). Early childhood classrooms of excellence. Retrieved from website http://www.idra.org/Podcasts/Resources/Early_Childhood_Classrooms_of_Excellence/
Jennifer, I like what you said about “Several times the interviewee said that children needed to be ready to read in kindergarten. Although the program they talk about does include some learning through play I find this a disturbing trend. Pushing children to read before they are developmentally ready can have serious long term effects. Some children will develop an aversion to reading and will then spend their school career finding ways to avoid it.” I too think that the push to read by Kindergarten is putting undue stress on children. Some children are just not ready and then you have some children who are so excited about going to school that they are more than ready to read. However, like you said the ones who are not may never develop the desire to read if pushed too soon and too hard.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! I am still having trouble getting to know and contact my international contact as well. I chose to listen to another podcast in order to complete the assignment. One of our other colleagues also responded to the blog assignment talking about Zambia, I did not realize there is so much going on there is regard to early childhood education but I am looking forward to learning more about it!
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI have had one child learn to read in a Montessori preschool and two learn to read in a more academic preschool. My youngest went to the academic preschool's kindergarten when she she was four and a half. She is doing very well and loves to read. I also have a daughter who went to the Catholic, play-based school who learned to read later and is a speed reader now. If my children in the academic program had not liked it, I would have taken them out. The key is to respond to the child. I know one mom who took her daughter out of the academic preschool because her daughter was not happy. The preschool was two full days a week and the kindergarten was three full days a week. When my children were not at the academic preschool, they were spending one or two half days at the Catholic preschool or spending time in the water while I was life guarding or teaching swimming or playing with their seven older brothers and sisters. I was looking at the big picture of how much play they were getting altogether. I definitely understand what you mean about children having no inclination to learn even the letters from my own classroom. If too much time has to be spent on learning something new because the child really isn't ready, it takes an excessive amount of time away from what the child would really like to do and from what would be best for that child's brain.
I would have liked to see your video, but the link was broken. I signed up for the newsletter because I like the idea of seeing classrooms around the world. Did the children in the film look happy?
Hello I really enjoyed reading your blog. Like you I was unable to talk to my global person and I decided to look at Harvard's website. I really like the topics they discussed they are very important topics that need to be discussed. I also like how they talked about the importance of literacy and having pre-k students ready for kindergarten.
ReplyDelete