Friday, June 20, 2014

Getting to Know International Contacts- Part 3



Blog wk7

I had to visit the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. One insight was that UNESCO advocates for “programs that attend to health, nutrition, security and learning, which provides for children’s holistic development and lay the foundation” (UNESCO, 2014, para. 1-2). The early years are important for helping a young child develop successfully. It began its first conference in 2010, which helps adopt agendas that are all for our young children. When you view the website, it goes into great details pertaining to early childhood education. It mentions areas that is of great importance, such as access/equity, quality, investment/financing and coordination/integration. In my opinion, it is a wonderful website that should be viewed by all early childhood professionals.

Reference

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2014). Early childhood care and education. Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Another insight is that it covers news that pertains to children in some type of way. A couple caught attention but I decided to focus on the most current one named “Key Milestones Reached for New Educational Goals”. An agreement called “Muscat Agreement is a notion that education must claim an explicit, stand-alone goal in new development framework after 2015. The group, representing 300 organizations from all over the world, pledge to keep advocating and supporting education. They have 7 targeted areas will reflect diverse social, political, economic and cultural contexts that will reflect, developed by UNESCO, and is the basis of a Framework for Action, in consultation with all EFA partners. The 7 areas are financing, basic education, teachers, skills for work, skills for citizenship, youth/adult literacy and early childhood care and education” (UNESCO, 2014, para. 2-12). This seems to be a good development going on. I like how it includes a global effect.

Reference

United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2014, April 4). Key milestones reached for new educational goals. Retrieved June 19, 2014, from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/single-view/news/key_milestones_reached_for_new_education_goals/

Another insight is there is an article that I viewed and seemed important enough to share with you all. It is called “What are the Three Most Important Skills for a Child?” It talks about making sure young children receive the necessary skills. Some “participates at a recent Asia-Pacific Regional Thematic Consultation on Education in the Post 2015 Development Agenda shared views on what is important. One skill is from Uradhi Sahni, Study Hall Education Foundation, who says a child should be learning how to be literate and numerate, be problem solvers and be resilient. Sikander Sabeer, National Youth Movement for United Nations Post-2015 Development, children need to know about culture-is a kind of glue, it keeps us together. Vutha Lay, NGO Education Partnership, children need soft skills to be good citizens, vocational skills for employment and basic education to equip them with knowledge. Last is Govind Singh, Council of Pacific Education, says children should work across a huge spectrum of life, need life skills, core values and the opportunity to unlock the treasure within” (Education, 2013, para.4). They all have valid points on what a child needs to prosper in life. I agree with them because everyone should have life skills, values, know how to think critically and definitely culturally evolved in cultures that are not their own.

Reference

6 comments:

  1. Nakita,
    I am glad to see an organization that expands itself globally. Advocacy for education is a lifelong commitment as education and policies will continue to change. When we expose children to the natural environment and that them discover and explore their surroundings that automatically become problem solvers. Children who attend a multicultural program learn how to accept and understand different cultures other than their own; children must be exposed to many different avenues of life to become well-rounded.

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  2. You discussed life skills. I do fear that American children do not have a good sense of life skills. Other countries are with their young children as they work throughout the day, in fields and doing things that pertain to life skills. Our children seem to be away from us as we work and they seem to be removed form what their parents are doing. This does worry me.

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  3. Hi Nakita,
    I really enjoyed your post, you really did a full and neat post. I also searched the UNESCO and reported on the education professionals who gave their advice on the three most important skills a child should learn, but I will return to the site to look up the information about Key Milestone.

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  5. Being able to reach children at an early age is the key to success. It helps to eliminate the fears that children may have in the beginning and it helps with the development stages they go through. Many things can be caught ahead of time because children around caregivers at an early state.

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  6. Nakita,
    Thank you for all of the information. I especially like your summary of the three most important skills for a child. It is encouraging that from a world perspective that educating children in people skills are a critical part of healthy growth and development. We all know that ABCs and 123s are important skills to have, however, ultimately, we need to learn how to work together. I especially like the quote about the "opportunity to unlock the treasure within."

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