Teachers the Unintended Consequence

           This article in EdSource weekly podcast is about teachers who are being labeled as least qualified, and least experience in low-income schools.  There is a new federal law that has replaced the No Child Left Behind called the “Every Student Succeeds Act”. This law is targeting only the teachers as not being effective, not the curriculum, and not standardized testing. This is similar to the economists thinking they have all the answers, when will teachers be consulted and believed as to what is happening in schools across America. This is not the first time underqualified teachers are blamed, when the question is why hire teachers who are not prepared, what professional development training is offered.  The state is enforcing a law that singles out teachers who have little or no experienced and labeling them ineffective. Because the state needs the federal funds for their schools, and teachers are always the first to be blamed. All these teachers are working at “poor schools” low-income students who need more from their teachers.  Did these poor students have early childhood education?  Economist looking for “Human Capital” would frown at California’s school system, because the return on the investment appears to be failing.  Now the state, and the federal government has found a cause for the effect, poor teacher

Reference

Fensterwald, J. (31 March 2018).Districts must do more to reduce low-income schools'     

              share of inexperienced, ineffective teachers under new federal law. EdSource.    

                Retrieved   from

                https://edsource.org/2018/districts-must-do-more-to-reduce-low-income-schools-share-

                of-inexperienced-ineffective-teachers/595287

Getting to Know International Organizations Through Poverty

There are a lot of global organizations fighting against poverty. Their methods might differ, but their goals are the same, to eliminate poverty.  Oxfam is about assisting people in establishing a way out of a poverty filled future. The global organization Oxfam supports educating people about their rights and working with people to change laws that deny them their rights. Oxfam also gives aid to relieve disaster areas. The Oxfam believes change will only happen at the political level by changing laws. Whereas the United Nations International Children Emergency Fund fights poverty by “strengthening legislation and social service.”  Social services such as; early childhood education, nutrition, immunization, water, sanitation and hygiene (UNICEF, 2018). The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) helps countries develop policies that lead to “Sustainable Development Goals.” UNDP is working toward future goals to alleviate poverty and to ensure economic equality. There are 17 interconnected sustainable development goals. The goals cover everything connected with improving lives, no poverty, affordable and clean energy, climate action, quality education, and zero hunger, to name a few. The Borgen Project is a global organization that originated in the U.S., and they support ending poverty through advocacy, and education. Educating the public on how to communicate with their government is a way to change policy and therefore address the needs of the community.

     All these and more are organizations throughout the world fighting poverty, they all take and need donations. Not just money but our time and commitment too. Poverty is a worldwide problem, and it is going to take the world to change it. What I take for granted, water running out of the faucet, food in my cabinets and refrigerator, going to sleep knowing what will be for breakfast, and according to UNICEF (2018) 387 million children are living in extreme poverty. 

                                   References

The Borgen Project (2018). How to end global poverty.  Retrieved from    

              https://borgenproject.org/about-us/

Oxfam (2018). The power against poverty.  Retrieved   from

             https://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/about-oxfam/

UNDP (2018). Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved from

            http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-      

            goals.html

UNICEF (2018).  For every child.  Retrieved from

              https://www.unicef.org/what-we-do

Issues and Trends Changing Demographics and Diversity

       A lady named Maya Ajmera in 1990 was in India getting off a train and she saw a group of children sitting around in circle with a lady on the ground.  She talked to the lady and found out she was being sponsored in helping these children with food, clothing, and a free education. Maya was so inspired that in 1993 she created the Global Fund for Children.  The Global Fund for Children is in the business of helping children around the world, these children are culturally diverse but they all share one thing, they need help for what we take for granted.
      Imagine being engaged at 5 years of age with the promise of being married by 13. And you would have mutilation of your genitals to look forward to by the age of 12.  But this little girl plead for education instead of marriage, and she promised to make their village proud. The village allowed her this education and Kakenya did exactly what she promised. Today she has a boarding school for girls and with the help of the Global Fund for Children she is helping thousands of children, boys and girls in Africa.
        The Global Fund for Children works tirelessly to connect new funders in helping Kakenya's Dream.  The Global Fund for Children gives grants and find others to help with funds for children around the world. This is the essential, transforming, giving hope where none exists, changing minds, and making a real difference work of the Global Fund for Children.  They go where others would choose to forget exist ; refugee camps, urban slums, and isolated villages. They partner with this group to help migrant children Social and Development Research and Action Group / Noida, India.  They also work with Early Childhood  Interventions for Children with Disabilities.
    
                                        References

Reference

Global Fund for Children (2018) Bringing dreams within reach for Maasai                      girls.   Retrieved from

   

             https://globalfundforchildren.org/story/bringing-dreams-within-reach-for-  

             maasai-girls/

                 

 Global Fund for Children (2017). Grassroots efforts to eliminate violence 

              against women and girls.       Retrieved     from         

               

           https://globalfundforchildren.org/story/grassroots-efforts-to-eliminate-                    violence-against-

women-and-girls/

Getting Ready-Expanding Horizons and Expanding Resources

    I visited several sites, one was Global Fund for Children. This site is interesting because of it's diverse contributions. Global Fund for Children focuses on education, gender  equity, youth empowerment, and freedom from violence and exploitation. One story I read was about "Boys demanding the rights for Girls ". The article explained how most people are fighting for the rights of women and girls in India. But they are fighting to empower boys to protect women and girls.  Hopefully, to change the boys perspectives so they will not be the abusers, but be the protectors. I hope this is successful, because I have read of the horrors women and girls endure in India. I submitted for their newsletter.
     EdSource Today is a site I already receive news and Podcasts from.  EdSource is a non-profit journalism website reporting on key education issues in California and beyond. I also examined National Black Child Development Institute, the Society for Research in Child Development, and NAEYC. I was looking for like-minded sources that are actively doing good. The World Forum Foundation Early Care and Education was interesting, because they are a way of being, not thinking. Their next World Forum will be April 8-11, 2019 in Macao, China. The last one was in 2014 and was attended by at least 81 countries.