Review of United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

So discouraged!  No responses from my contacts L.

Review of United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

New Insights learned which relate to my professional goals.

1.       “The 1990 Jomtien Declaration on Education for All (EFA), stated that countries should view early childhood as part of basic education.”  I think that America has put the emphasis on the wrong age group.  Currently we place an emphasis on K-12.  I believe emphasis should be on age 3 – 16.  After age 16, students should choose a path which either leads them to higher education or a skilled trade.

2.       “Early childhood care and education programmes should emphasise the child’s holistic development and extend beyond assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling.”  In America, our education system focuses too much on the cognitive development and not enough on the other areas of development.  All areas are connected so a deficit in one will cause a deficit in another.  Focusing on the young child as a whole will have positive benefits throughout life.

3.       N° 26 / September 2004 UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood, Curriculum in Early Childhood Education and Care.  This article focuses on the development of curriculum for early childhood programs. It recognizes the benefits of creating curriculum, especially since children will learn at the own pace.  Pre-written curriculum sometimes becomes ‘cookie cutter’ and not individualized to each child.  This is a constant battle, due to the low wages and lack of education in the field of early childhood.

All of these related to my professional goals of opening a child development center which serves the teen parent population in my school district.  I believe that quality, individualized early childhood and parent education can help to end the cycle of poverty and teen parenting.