My podcast participant was Susan Lyon. Susan is the Director of Innovative Teacher Project in San Francisco, which she started in 1994. She talked about how you can see a window in the minds of children if you really look. You will be able to understand how children see things and how to understand their world.
The Innovative Teacher Project was designed for educator’s professional development and a way to advocate on behalf of the children, by using the environment in which the children grow. In this project, educators come together from public and private schools to have discussion groups where they share ideas, and the participants walk the environment.
My other podcast participant was Barbara Jones (BJ). She spoke about how the public school was not for her. She founded the Pine Grove School in Falmouth, Maine in 1985. And, it is still in existence today, 25 years later. This a Montessori school for preschoolers in which they help children to develop positive social skills, self-esteem, and a love for learning just to name a few.
Since I used the alternative, I also read about childhood poverty in Kyrgzstan. Kyrgzstan was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991. The majority of this country’s population makes their living from agriculture. The children in Kyrgzstan disproportionately live in poverty. 57 percent of urban infants under 1, and 65 percent of rural under 1 live in poverty.
In 2001 an estimated 7 percent of children were malnourished, and approximately 14 percent of the population had no access to health care services.
Recent research estimate that 24 percent of children work either full or part time, similarly since transition there are now homeless or “street” children in Kyrgzstan’s cities, and some reports of child prostitution and trafficking.
My insight is that poverty has been a critical issue for a long time and it continues to evolve. We need to make sure children are able to get an education and not have to work jobs to help take care of the families. Without an education these children grows up and keep the cycle repeating. Our governments need to find ways to expand economic growth, create a better society by making commitments to eliminate/reduce child poverty.
Resources
Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre’s. Retrieved from
World Forum Foundation Radio. Retrieved from
Allison,
ReplyDeleteI chose to research Kyrgyzstan also and found that I was unable to even ever remember hearing that country's name before. Then I started thinking how many other countries have I not only never heard the name before but that were suffering with issues that I wasn't aware of? It really made me consider the vastness of the world and all the people who need support.
Tina
Wow!! That amazes me that that number of children are considered working part time or full time! How sad! I hate that children are having to face such difficulties. It makes me wonder how many children around the world are facing these same experiences!
ReplyDeleteAmy
I love the idea of the Pine Grove School. We've no Montessori schools in my area and I love the principles that are taught.
ReplyDeleteSusan Lyons' notion of finding a window in the minds of children is really intriguing. Thanks for relaying some new threads for thought.
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteI liked your podcast relating to The Innovative Teacher Project. We could really grow as educators by collaberating our stratigies and teaching techniques community wide.
Allison,
ReplyDeleteI agree that if we do not change the cycle, we will continue to nurture a legacy of uneducated poverty stricken youths to adults. Ipray that the powers who control the establishing of our policies and procedures will awake and begin to see the reality of these situations and listen to the positive ideas for change that will resolve these negative trends.
Great post!
CCWhite