I am sorry to say that I still have not heard from an international contact but I am happy to report from the Global Initative from Harvard University.
Un Buen Comienzo (A Good Start) is a collaborative project in Santiago, Chile to improve the quality of early childhood education through teacher professional development. I like the name of this project because when teachers provide "a good start" for young children, they are setting a foundation for success in their lives. Their goal is to have the project in 60 schools and they currently have international actors and actresses to work in the project for a two year commitment. The Center on the Developing Child provides some funds for the project.
Jack Shonkoff, the director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University was the keynote speaker at the first World Conference on Early Child Care and Education which convened in Moscow, Russia on Sept. 2010. He spoke about brain science in relations to child development. The conference focus was on meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goals that were setup in 2000. The goals consisted of ending poverty and hunger, every child worldwide has the opportunity to complete a primary education, and reducing child mortality. Director Shonkoff spoke about what "toxic stress" can do to the developing brain and how early life experiences can affect lifelong health problems.
The last insight I want to mention was the intergrated international approach to child survival, health, and development in early childhood that the Center on the Developing Child launched as the Global Children's Initiative. They want to gather researchers and practitioners from around the world to focus on:
reframing the discourse around child health and development
supporting innovative, multi-disciplinary research and demonstration projects
building leadership capacity in child development research and policy
I think this initative will help early childhood professionals to put more focus on the whole child and how globally working together to improve the health and well-being of all children around the world.
References:
Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/),
The project in Santiago, Chile sounds exciting. That is wonderful goal trying to make a difference in 60 schools. I agree with you, I like the name of the project "A good start". Every child needs a good start and I couldn't think of a better name.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
ReplyDeleteIt is great to hear about this organization in South America! I have heard about programs in Asia and Africa, but I have never heard of anything in this region. One of my best friends lived in Peru for two years as a missionary/teacher. The biggest reason children were not educated there is because of location. Everyone lives out in the country. "A Good Start" sounds like an excellent program!
I too like the name of the organization. Having a good start for teachers is another way of saying that it is a new beginning to greater things!
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