Getting to know your international Contacts-part 1

I choose the podcast alternative because communication has not been successful in receiving a response back from my contact I have followed up with my contact unfortunately, no luck has been made in that I haven't received a response back. 

I. Does money affect children's outcomes?
Unicef's website has offered great insight on childhood poverty, and some insight that i've found resourceful has been does money affect children's outcomes, Yes. In short, very strong evidence that money does matter: children from lower-income households have worse outcomes in part because they are poorer, not just because poverty is correlated with other household and parental characteristics. Low income affects direct measures of children’s well-being and development, including their cognitive ability, achievement and engagement in school, anxiety levels and behavior. Stewart,Cooper(2013)

II. Nutrition in Early Childhood insight from rural Ethiopia.
In the developing world a quarter of all children are underweight. The wealthiest children in the study are still incredibly poor by global standards, living in households who have far less than a Dollar a day to spend. However, their outcomes at age 5 are significantly better than poorer children, even if they were underweight in the first year of their lives. We take from this that even small improvements in living standards can increase a child’s chances of catching up from stunting or malnutrition in the early years. In particular, investments in sanitation and water appear to have large payoffs. Porter (2013)


III.Child development and economic development: lessons and future. 

It is not economic growth per se, or the level of that growth, that matters for children, but rather the nature or quality of growth. Policymakers concerned to improve children’s well-being need to better consider how to convert economic growth into social change that benefits poor children and their families.  Developing effective child-focused policies requires adequate infrastructure and funding, and good technical design. More than this, however, it demands:  understanding the mechanisms through which biases and exclusion are perpetuated for particular groups, and the ways that these mechanisms change over time more pro-poor growth concentrating on broad socio-economic development at the same time as investing in disadvantaged groups. Boyden,Dercon (2012)

Reference

www.UNICEF.ORG

Sharing Web Resources

I emailed a director a series of questions I had about the program in which she provides services for. I do not have access to call the location directly seeing how it's in the Bahamas.

Good Afternoon,

My name is Ebony O'neal and I am a Graduate Student at Walden University. I am currently in a course called Issues and Trends in Early Childhood Education. I have a series of questions I am hoping you could help me answer. 

If you would be so kind in answering my questions I'd greatly appreciate it.

1. What types of races do the children in attendance identify with?

2. What types of programs are offered for parents? (for example, classes to teach English, parent meetings)

3. Does your site have a newsletter? if so where can I access it ( email, online)

4. What problems have you seen represented by the families of the children? (lack of finances to send child to school, parents lack of education preventing child from going)

5. Are there payment plans available if a parent has a sudden job loss and can't afford tuition?  

6. Is there an option for a child to come to school without the uniform?

7. How are teachers recruited to work at this establishment?

8. In the event enrollment is low for a particular school year how does that affect the rest of the year?

9. Does the school offer any cultural activities for it's families?

10. Is there anything you'd like to share with me to learn more about your program?

Thank you so much for replying.

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

Part 1:

I desire to find more information about a program called Chicos Felices which is located in Nassau Bahamas.  

This unique school is an option for parents who wish for their children to learn Spanish at a very young age.

The school is designed for children ages 1-6 who have no prior knowledge of the Spanish language; it incorporates those who have been exposed to it, and those who speak it.

“Chicos Felices”, is a community based program on learning and fun.

Through a hands on learning environment along with the abeka curriculum, the children gain the necessary pre-reading skills which makes them proficient in the English language.

Jointly, they are introduced to the Spanish language through conversational activities, at this precise period; the once in a life time crucial age, for the acquisition of a second language, the pre-school age. Children learn Spanish the natural way, through hearing, doing, repeating and playing.

Altogether, the exposure to a second language, motivational and fun learning

Activities will aim to discover his/her linguistic abilities, develop his/her cognitive capabilities, and aim for the development of the whole child.

Charges Tuition: 300.00 a month *10 (months)= 3,000 

Uniforms: 45.00 a set (shirt and pants)

Lunch is not provided, nor snacks.

Reference
Chicos Felices - Nassau - Nassau / Paradise Island, Bahamas. (n.d.). Retrieved July 6, 2015, from http://www.bahamaslocal.com/showlisting/14888/Chicos_Felices.html





Part 2:
ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development. 

Once on the page you are greeted with "Early Experiences matter" the website has much to offer including easy to read wording, pictures of children, Resources for teachers, and parents. I observed training opportunities to sign up for. Lastly, the site provided an opportunity for it's views to find out updated information happening worldwide as well in their communities. 

Reference 
www.zerotothree.org