Consequences of learning about international early childhood
1. Being knowledgeable about the field as a whole which encompasses
international ECE not just what immediately impacts us
2. The ability to bring about change when/if possible.
3. Having the ability to share knowledge with others to make a
change on a larger scale.
When it comes to my goals that relate to international early childhood education as of right now they are more knowledge focused. I am interested in learning more about the issues that international ECE face. I am not as knowledgeable about international issues as I could be, so my main goal as of right now is to gain the knowledge.
I decided to look more into this idea of equity or the lack thereof in education. I generally think about equity being/meaning equal, but in education that is just not the case. Equity means fairness and what is "fair" is not always equal.
Equity = Adding ramps for people in wheelchairs to get to the third floor. (Going to the third floor is much more attainable and realistic without having to exert extra unnecessary effort)
Equal = Stairs for people to get to the third floor. (In this case everyone can get to the third floor by the same means however some may just have a much more difficult time)
The article I read talks about moments when unequal treatment is fair:
Unequal treatment is fair when Addressing unequal learning needs Addressing unequal student backgrounds
In the video above Kandice Sumner discusses the racial and economic disparities in education that she experienced as a student and again as a teacher. She discusses having to travel a grave distance to have access to quality education and exposure to those things in which her neighborhood peers lacked access. She discusses a feeling of being undeserving. She expresses the disparity in tools and quality of tools and what that does and how that influences the achievement gap.
The Zero to Three article
Building Strong Foundations: Racial Inequity in Policies that Impact Infants, Toddlers, and Families
exactly states, "Children grow and develop more rapidly during the first three years than any other time in their lives. Their everyday experiences shape their development and lay a foundation for future learning. With the right supports, every child in every family can get a strong start.
But the odds are stacked against infants and toddlers of color."
This disparity is due to the lack of resources and the limited access that these children have. This article piggybacks on Sumner's TED talk by reminding us that the history of American education is one that is not and was not created for those people of color. Disparities in education and limited equality within education/ academic access is that constant reminder of the history of American education.
I selected this video because the latest ZeortoThree article discusses this matter and it is one that I am practically interested in.
"Persistent gaps in education and health associated with socioeconomic disadvantage impose enormous burdens on individuals, communities, and societies worldwide."-Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative I grow more and more convinced that there is no such thing as equality when considering things education more specifically education globally. The bold statement above speaks to my belief. New insight includes:
Coordinated strategies to support child development can multiply the effects of investments in child survival, health, education, and economic development.
We need to protect children from significant adversity, in addition to providing them with enriched learning opportunities.
The early childhood years are critical building blocks for lifelong health, not just school readiness.
From this week I also gathered that when we focus so heavily on academics it is easy to get lost in academics and disregard or forget about the importance of social development.
