To say that my horizons were
broadened in this course would be an understatement! As we have explored the issues that ECE
educators face on a daily basis worldwide, I have certainly come away feeling
that there is much work to be accomplished in our field!
From the podcasts, I have
learned that even among terrible situations, there are those who are courageous
to provide education for children. Individuals
such as Meridas Eka Yora and Maysoun
Chehab have worked hard to educate children in the midst of destruction and
war. Personally, as I reflect on the
contribution by these individuals, I ask myself, “What is my excuse?” I am not faced by tragedy, destruction, or
natural disaster. I feel that I need to
go above status quo, and make the effort to get to know the personal battles
that my children may be facing. Even
though we have not been affected in my district by events such as these, each
child probably has their own personal war, and I feel that I need to strive to
provide them with the best education they can get, and give them the tools to
cope with these battles.
I have never been much of a
statistics person, as I am not a very good analytical thinker. However, as we have visited websites in this
course, and reviewed statistics about children in poverty, I must admit that I
have been moved by the numbers. In visiting
the Global Fund for Children’s website, I was amazed at the number of children
worldwide who are working (around 215 million).
Some of the jobs are harsh, and to say the least, children are being
robbed of their childhood. In America, I
know that there are labor laws that protect children, but I also feel that I
need to protect childhood for my students.
I have decided that one way I can do this is to advocate for the power
of play in ECE.
I have always felt that I am
no stranger to poverty. As we have
examined poverty worldwide, and the devastating effects, I must say that I am
reminded how blessed I am. I have often
felt convicted as I read the information on websites regarding the ways
children grow up. I have always had a
passion for abolishing poverty, and as I visited two countries in years ago, I
was moved to do something for poverty worldwide. The farther removed from those visits to
China and Haiti that I am, the easier it became to get back in my comfort
zone. I’ve never forgotten what it was
like in the two countries, but at home in my comfort zone, in my air
conditioning with a well stocked pantry, I must admit that my passion had
waned. However, in visiting sites like
UNESCO, and seeing what is being done for children in poverty, I have been
moved to once again become involved. I
do not have a clear direction yet, but I cannot just sit back.
As I have read postings from
each of you, I have grown. I want to
thank you for all your contributions and comments, as they have helped me see
the global impact ECE is making. Also, I
wish you the best on your journey, and maybe our paths will cross again!
:) Kristi
Hi Kristi
ReplyDeleteI too was devastated by the level of poverty at the global level. It is hard to imagine the realities that some children endure. It is encouraging to know that organizations such as Unicef are advocating for early childhood education though and creating programs in those countries.
I was also surprised to learn about the statistics on poverty within my own community. Learning about the organizations that are working with individuals and families in my community created a starting point for me to get involved in improving the living circumstances for children in my area.
Carolyn
Hi Kristi,
ReplyDeleteYour passion in the need for social change was reflected in each of your postings. If things are going to change they need to change at the community level. I wish you all the best in your efforts to break the poverty cycle in children and in providing education that is accessible to all. You have been a wonderful support to me in the past weeks Your postings both the discussion and the blog and your comments to my postings have not only been edifying but also inspiring and motivating. Once again I wish you all the best in reaching your dreams wherever they may lead you! And look forward to studying with you in the courses ahead.
Hi Kristi-
ReplyDeleteI had to chuckle when you said, "What is my excuse" just because I was thinking the same thing as I wrote my final blog for this course. Throughout this course, I continued to read about many amazing people who dropped everything to follow their passion. Some started with hardly anything to build something that would help others who are less fortunate, and others sacrificed the luxuries that we live in each day. "Each child probably has their own personal war." So very true. Thank you for your motivation, knowledge, and sharing your personal experiences. I too have grown...thank you!
Tammy
I was also moved by statistics about poverty and the horrible living conditions of many children in the world. I remembered the first time I traveled outside United States and I saw children as young as 4 years old working on the streets. I was horrified and sad, and I felt as I wanted to give all my money to them. Then I thought about my childhood and even though I considered I was poor after seeing that I felt very fortunate. Poverty is one of the issues that most affect children in the world. We need more programs and services to help those children living in those conditions. Great Post! I have enjoyed your posts every week. Thanks
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