Sharing Web Resources

ZERO TO THREE website had a great video that related to the importance of banding together and rallying for learning as babies. This early learning was compared to building a house which I thought was a great comparison in that when you build a house you must have that firm foundation or else everything else will crumble. This is much like the way we need to look at educating our babies. We must start very early so we can make those early connections and develop that firm foundation.

I did not find anything that I thought to be controversial, but I did notice that there is an article where ZERO TO THREE applauded the President for making babies and toddlers a priority in his 2014 budget proposal, with a substantial investment in early learning. This issue is something that I have found to be of high importance and one that much research has been placed on and that is that we need to start early with consistent, high-quality, evidence-based supports that match what parents need and help parents nurture the early development of their babies and toddlers. This website and the articles included all fall right in line with what we have been discussing and researching over the various courses that I have taken as I seek my early childhood degree. On this website, the video also shares that congressmen have joined in and signed the petition to support early learning, and the article from the president in support of early learning shows us how politicians have shown their support for the early childhood field.

On this website I was able to see that you can choose any state and find quick fact sheets that share information about how each state ranks in child well-being as well as important income facts and statistics. I found it interesting that Tennessee ranked 39^th among all states in the well-being of children. It also shares the Federal Programs that help Tennessee build strong families and grow healthy and productive children. This website is full of information pertaining to the importance of supporting children and families in helping get them off to a great start and is available for all 50 states.

International Contacts - Part 1

I have had the privilege of speaking to a couple of people about poverty in Thailand and how it has affected education there. Nongnuch Sitkongthang is an educator in Thailand at a school for a group of Kindergarteners. She is also a house mother, and has about 50 in children in this house, similar to a boarding school, that she stays in throughout the school year. The children that live there are all ages K through 12^th grade. These children live at this house because their families are rice farmers and live so far away from the schools that they are not able to transport them to and from the school. These children only return home during summers and very long breaks. When I asked about finances and how they were able to support all these children in this house, she shared that most families pay for their children to stay there with rice from their farms because they are so poor. Children all have chores to do and have an inspection daily. This ensures smooth running each day. As I continue to research the issue of poverty, I am amazed at how different countries respond to their own situations. I could not imagine sending my five year old child off to live, some eight hours away, especially when most of these children will return to their parents homes after completing their education, to become rice farmers as well.

When talking with Amy Cate Campbell, missionary working in education in Thailand, shared how these children compare to the children living in poverty here in the United States. She said that children there only know life in Thailand so even though they seem to have so little, they are very happy with what they have and life as they know it.

Website: Zero to Three

The website that I chose was Zero to Three. It can be found at http://www.zerotothree.org

ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development. Their mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. They were founded in 1977 by top experts in child development, health and mental health. They are an organization that plays a critical leadership role in promoting understanding around key issues affecting young children and their families, including child care, infant mental health, early language and literacy development, early intervention and the impact of culture on early childhood development. They envision a society that has the knowledge and will to support all infants and toddlers in reaching their full potential.

Zero to Three works together to provide support in all domains of development and work together to promote overall health and well-being in all families and cultures. They do this through research, collaboration, and experience.

I chose the article, Putting Infants and Toddlers on the Path to School Readiness as my current issue. Here is a small selection that I chose to share from this article in regard to what a wise investment it is to support early development.

                At the same time that science reveals the importance of development in the earliest years; program evaluation research is able to highlight effective strategies to improve the lives of at-risk children and their families. Strong relationships can help buffer children from the toxic stress that can undermine healthy brain development. Proven approaches—some beginning during the important prenatal period—can help diminish the gaps and promote stronger social-emotional foundations.

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

I have emailed four contacts, but have not heard back from two of them.  My third contact is to a missionary that worked with our church team that went to South Africa last year. His name is Kurt and he is a missionary in Johannesburg, South Africa.  He will be one contact that I will use and he will use his contacts to supply me with the information that I need. I hope to hear back from the other two who are also out of South Africa. My fourth contact is a lady from Thailand. She is a kindergarten teacher at a boarding school in Thailand. Her name is Nongnuch Stikongthang. I am very excited to communicate with them!

The resource that I chose to use is Zero to Three.  I have also subscribed to receive their newsletter. I feel like I have used this website throughout the different classes that I have taken and that it was a resource that was very informative.