My International Contact - Part I

I have been corresponding with Associate Professor Eric Atmore. Professor Atmore is an Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He is also associated with the Centre for Early Childhood Development (http://www.cecd.org.za/).

After reviewing the research report Challenges facing the early childhood development sector in South Africa provided by Professor Atmore I have learned that children living in poverty in South Africa are extremely vulnerable and often discriminated against and isolated (Atmore, 2012). In South Africa the majority of children do not have access to an early education program as many parents and/or families cannot afford to pay for school fees (Atmore, 2012). Many children in South Africa also live apart from their families in child-headed households due to labor migration or alternative care arrangements such as them living with extended family members.

According to the report:

Due to the extraordinarily high prevalence of poverty in South Africa, hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity are significant challenges facing children in communities across the country. Nutrition is not only a basic physical need that requires primary attention, but research has shown that the absence of adequate nutrition can greatly affect a child’s early development (physical development, brain development, cognitive and learning abilities) which can lead to significant, negative adult outcomes such as reduced earning potential in adulthood. These negative consequences affect children’s ability to achieve their full potential, stunting not only the individual’s child ability to flourish in adulthood, but collectively limiting the country’s potential development.(Atmore, 2012)

After reviewing this report I have received insight on poverty outside of the United States and the issue of poverty as it relates to children in South America. There are some similarities between the issue of poverty in South America and the United States but in my opinion the issue is more severe in South America.

Atmore, E. (2012). Challenges facing the early childhood development sector in south africa. Retrieved from http://www.nda.org.za/docs/Challenges-facing-ECD-Sector-in-SA-Prof-Atmore.pdf

Sharing Web Resources

The name of the organization that I chose to explore is the National Black Child Development Institute http://www.nbcdi.org/ . From its inception, NBCDI’s focus has been on achieving positive outcomes for vulnerable children who suffer from the dual legacies of poverty and racial discrimination.  The organization was launched by the Black Women’s Community Development Foundation, whose leadership, in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement, was deeply concerned about the unsatisfactory conditions faced by families determined to raise healthy Black children.  By organizing NBCDI as a national advocacy group, they created a unified movement to develop strategies to improve the life circumstances of the Black child through policy change (NBCDI, 2013).

The NEWS section of the website featured a spotlight and interview of NBCDI President and CEO Felicia DeHaney. In her report Being Black is Not a Risk Factor: A Strengths-Based Look at the State of the Black Child.”  Dr. DeHaney explained the importance of reframing the "risks" of being Black and instead celebrating the unique strengths and values of our children (Clark, 2013). Dr. DeHaney provides positive statistics regarding black children and their families that are usually not shared or the focus of reports on black children and their families.  Like the fact that black children are actually more likely to be enrolled in preschool than white children.  And that more black children have mothers with bachelor's degrees than mothers with less than a high school education.  And that 79 percent of young black children are read to by a family member regularly (Clark, 2013). I found this report interesting because it shares information that I have grown up knowing but rarely hear discussed in the media or on the news. As a mother of black children I do not want a teacher to see my child’s name on their classroom list or see the color of their skin and instantly assume that they are going to be a behavioral problem, less intelligent and are probably being raised by a single mother who has little to no education. Unfortunately I fear they may experience this more common than not due to the negative portrayal of black children and families in this country.

http://www.marketplace.org/topics/wealth-poverty/reframing-%E2%80%9Crisks%E2%80%9D-being-black

http://www.nbcdi.org/sites/default/files/resource-files/Being%20Black%20Is%20Not%20a%20Risk%20Factor_0.pdf

Establishing Professional Contact and Expanding Resources

The steps that I took in order to establish contact with the early childhood professionals that I will be communicating with during this course were to look on the NAEYC website provided as a part of our Resources this week and emailed as many of the professionals that I could. I received multiple responses and plan to try to maintain contact with everyone who as replied back to me.

The website and newsletter that I plan to explore further and establish as a resource will be the National Black Child Development Institute. I chose this organization because I feel I will be able to relate with the issues and information provided.