This week I chose to look at the media videos contained on
the website for the Pre-K Now Project. I
love how at the beginning of the video, Wendy Kopp, talked about how they want
ALL children to have access to quality and transformative preschool no matter
their socio economic background. Wendy
Kopp is the Teach for America CEO and founder.
I was happy to hear this because I feel that ALL children should have
the opportunity to receive quality early childhood education. Many times we focus very strongly on
disadvantages children, which I totally understand, but I also believe there
are children who live in what some people may call a “privileged” home but
still do not receive quality early childhood education. It would be ideal to be able to reach ALL children. Next came Randi Weingarten, President of the
American Federation of Teachers. She
stated she would like to see America feel that early childhood programs are as
essential as any other grade. I believe
in this because even though I teach preschool in a school district, I am
actually paid through Title 1 money and other grant money. Every year there is a chance that we will not
have the funds to have preschool. I wish
we would just have a pre-k through 12th grade district with
preschools in all of our elementary schools.
Hopefully this is something I will see in my future career of
teaching.
Another important point brought up in the video is how they
worked to mobilize advocates to get their Pre-K Now project going and
successful. Their goals were to change
how people thought about pre-k and to get a handful of states committed to
putting the policy in place. Law
enforcement officials joined forces for early childhood education programs
because early education helps fight crime.
A group of business executives called Ready for School launched an
initiative to allocate $40 million dollars for early childhood education. The U.S. Education Secretary and other
politicians came on board to help advocate for quality early childhood
programs. Through this program state
funding for pre-k more than doubled in 10 years, quality of programs improved
and over a million children were receiving the benefits from this project. Pre-K Now was a huge step forward for early
childhood education and hopefully our country will continue to see the
importance of early childhood education and work to make it accessible for all
children.
Reference
The PEW Charitable Trusts: Archived Project Pre-K Now.
(2011). Pre-K Now: Marking a Decade of Pre-K Milestones. Retrieved from
Law enforcement getting involved in preschool because it's shown to reduce crime? Businesses executive contributing 40 million?That is so phenomenal!! Your description of the information in the videos brings hope to the future of early childhood. The recognition by those not in the field of early childhood studies of the importance this time in children's lives can be, effecting the trajectory of their success, is instrumental to getting funds and popular support.
ReplyDeleteCourtney
ReplyDeleteI viewed the video; it is a wonderful resource. This the fourth class I have taken in this program and education of children is the main topic of the program. I just realized form watching the video and listening to Senator Bob Riley who was ask why he allocated funding to early education. His answer was he now "understands" why it is important to fund education. That is the answer we have get our legislators to understand the information and not make it about taking away anything but to continue to invest because it is worth it.
Courtney,
ReplyDeleteI completely understand where you are coming from when you said that you feel that preschool should be as important as any other grade. I taught pre-k for five years and I hated how I was treated by society. I was looked at as a childcare provider not as a teacher. By the way, I have a ton of respect for childcare workers, but a lot of people don’t. I remember when I took the kindergarten job three years ago my own brother said, “You finally got a real teaching job!” I was very hurt by that comment, but it was the norm from my extended family and friends. I know that the most important years occur from the ages of zero and five and it is high time others learned that fact. Just keep doing what you do and know that you are making a huge difference in the lives of children.
Siera