Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

As I reviewed the Global Children’s Initiative” website, I found a lot of useful information that we as educators can use when working with children. The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University focuses on approving the life of many children within the United Stated and other parts of the world.  ‘The Center on the Developing Child was founded in 2006 on the belief that the vitality and sustainability of any society depend on the extent to which it provides opportunities early in life for all children to achieve their full potential and engage in responsible and productive citizenship” (Harvard University, 2011).

The Center of Developing child is committed to:

• “building a multi-disciplinary science of health, learning, and behavior to elucidate causal mechanisms that explain the early roots of lifelong impairments” (Harvard University, 2011)
• “advancing our understanding of how to reduce preventable disparities in well-being through the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative program and practice models” (Harvard University, 2011)
• “catalyzing the formulation and implementation of effective, science-based policies through strategic relationships and enhanced capacity for knowledge transfer; and” “(Harvard University, 2011)
• “preparing future and current leaders to make science-based policy decisions that advance the healthy development of children, families, and communities and bring high returns to all of society” (Harvard University, 2011)

Another important issue that I found on the website was about fostering a healthy development for children. It is very important to foster a healthy development for children so that they are deterred from stressful situation that can take their focus away from learning. It is my desire as an educator to provide an environment that is safe, supports risk taking, and invites sharing of ideas. Toxic stress can hinder the child’s brain development. In order to ensure that the child reach their fullest potential. it is important to ask children about ant issues that they maybe encountering. “Toxic stress can occur when a child experiences strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity—such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship” (Harvard University, 2011). The environment that a child is in can impact their health and well being. Children are unique individuals who need a secure, caring, and stimulating environment in which to grow and nature emotionally, intellectually, physically, and socially. Providing a child with a safe environment will allow each child to blossom and grow.

Additional information about issues of equity and excellence that I gained from the Global Children Initiative is the “commitment to work collaboratively across disciplines and institutions, drawing together the best and most creative expertise available to achieve the Initiative’s goals” (Harvard University, 2011). Global Children Program at Harvard will focus on three strategic areas:

• “reframing the discourse around child health and development in the global policy arena by educating high-level decision-makers about the underlying science of learning, behavior, and health, beginning in the earliest years of life” (Harvard University, 2011)
• “supporting innovative, multi-disciplinary research and demonstration projects to expand global understanding of how healthy development happens, how it can be derailed, and how to get it back on track; and” (Harvard University, 2011)
• “building leadership capacity in child development research and policy—focused on both individuals and institutions—in low- and middle-income countries to increase the number and influence of diverse voices and perspectives that are contributing to the growing global movement on behalf of young children” (Harvard University, 2011)

Retrieved April 2, 2011from: (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/)