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AAAEYC Express your voice, engage in a professional community and influence the future of early childhood | |||
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The Akron Area Association for the Education of Young Children is the recognized authority in Early Childhood Education in Summit, Portage and Medina counties, helping to ensure quality programs for young children, birth to age eight. In existence for over 50 years, the AAAEYC has steadily grown to its current membership of over 250. Our Vision: AAAEYC strives to lead and consolidate the efforts of individuals and groups working to achieve healthy development and constructive education for all young children. Our Mission: AAAEYC's mission is to serve our members who act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children and their families in Summit, Portage and Medina counties of Ohio with a special emphasis on developmental and educational services and resources; and to foster the growth and development of the membership in their work with and on behalf of young children.
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ExchangeEveryDay - Occupy Preschool - February 8, 2012 Real development is not leaving things behind, as on a road, but drawing life from them, as from a root. -G. K. Chesterton "Occupy Wall Street is shining a useful spotlight on one of America’s central challenges, the inequality that leaves the richest 1 percent of Americans with a greater net worth than the entire bottom 90 percent. Most of the proposed remedies involve changes in taxes and regulations, and they would help. But the single step that would do the most to reduce inequality has nothing to do with finance at all. It’s an expansion of early childhood education." This observation was made by Nicholas Kristof in his recent New York Times editorial, "Occupy the Classroom<http://mail.ccie.com/go/eed/7258>.". He continues... "That will seem naïve and bizarre to many who chafe at inequities and who think the first step is to throw a few bankers into prison. But although part of the problem is billionaires being taxed at lower rates than those with more modest incomes, a bigger source of structural inequity is that many young people never get the skills to compete. They’re just left behind. “'This is where inequality starts,' said Kathleen McCartney, the dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, as she showed me a chart demonstrating that even before kindergarten there are significant performance gaps between rich and poor students. Those gaps then widen further in school. 'The reason early education is important is that you build a foundation for school success,' she added. “And success breeds success.' "One common thread, whether I’m reporting on poverty in New York City or in Sierra Leone, is that a good education tends to be the most reliable escalator out of poverty. Another common thread: whether in America or Africa, disadvantaged kids often don’t get a chance to board that escalator." To read the entire editorial use the link above. *************************************************************************
Nine States to Share 'Race to the Top' Funds Nine states will share $500 million in grant money won in a competition intended to jump-start improvements in often-overlooked early childhood programs. The winners were announced Friday at the White House are California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington, according to an administration official. The money to aid the nation's youngest learners is part of the Obama administration's cornerstone education initiative—the "Race to the Top" grant competition—which has states competing for federal dollars to create programs that make schools more effective. Last year, it handed out $4 billion in similar grants focused on K-12 education.
Article from Cleveland
news
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/12/ohio_to_get_race_to_the_top_aw.html
Did you realize that Senator Sherrod Brown, together with Senator Kay Hagan introduced the NAEYC recommended Ready Schools Act of 2011. For complete details check out the NAEYC press release. When was the last time you contacted your elected official? During the budget process? Developing relationships with leaders means contacting them when you DON'T want something. Invite them to a special event. Thank them for introducing family/early childhood friendly legislation. Share special accomplishments by sending them a note with a picture. Here is a link to a listing of government officials. Drop one a line today!
A
fascinating and thought provoking article from the Harvard Education
Letter. Entitled Kid's Haven't Changed:
Kindergarten Has the author looks at the results of a recent
Gesell Institute study. The study looked at what changes, if any, have
taken place in the child development "schedules" first published in
1925.
Check
out the full article for the interesting conclusions.
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Advocacy - Your Voice Counts!
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