A New Discovery- Teaching for Change
As I searched the internet several sites surfaced that related to the topic of equity in early childhood education for all children. One that really stood out was Teaching for Change (www.teachingforchange.org). The site provides information on an initiative that began in Washington D.C. and has expanded to other areas of the country. It is the belief of those involved in Teaching for Change that given the appropriate tools, teachers and parents can transform schools into centers of justice that will be a welcoming environment for all children. The message that drives the initiative is that schools can provide students with the skills, knowledge and inspiration to be citizens and architects for a better world. In 2003, a project was implemented called the Early Childhood Equity Initiative (ECEI). One of the parent programs to come out of the project is “Tellin’ Stories. It has been successful in engaging parents on many levels in their child’s education and the school community as a whole.
Imbedded in the website are several YouTube videos that explain and give examples of the success Teaching for Change attained. I have included one that explains "Tellin Stories". There is also an e-newsletter that has a wealth of information related to the importance of equity.
I returned to the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center to seek out information on equity in early childhood education and found it embedded in many areas of the website which I must say didn’t surprise me. Head Start has always focused on meeting the needs of children faced with the greatest needs and has diligently worked for equity in the early childhood experiences children have.
The term equity has taken on a more enriched meaning for me after do the readings and researching the topic further this week. The knowledge I gained has already been applied to the work I do every day.
Reference
Teaching for Change- www.teachingforchange.org
Judi,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great video! The excitment and joy on the children's faces to see their parents part of their school is priceless. What a positive experience for families, especially those of a different language than the majority spoken in the school. Our program has a similar approach for parents to attend and be part of parent committee meetings. Parents decide on topics to be discussed and what information they would like more information about. They are also assigned to various groups with tasks to improve the program that they would like to participate. However, I do not see as much classroom involvement as the "Tellin Stories" project. Your post has made me want to bring up the topic during annual review at our agency. Thanks for sharing,
Amanda
Judi,
ReplyDeleteI commend you for finding such and awesome website and video along with it. I agree that parents and teachers can be the driving force behind making a difference in our schools. It only makes sense that those who are most involved speak up and demand justics and high-quality education and care for the children. I also loved the video because it highlighted the true joy that children feel when their parents show a real interest in what they are doing. I can only imagine the life-long impact that must have had on all involved (children, parents, and teachers). Thanks for sharing. I am interesting in following up with this website.
Thank you for sharing this web site and video, which really helped tell the story about the benefits of parental involvement in the classroom. I hope this special connection to the classroom is maintained by the parent beyond the preschool years.
ReplyDelete