Getting to know your international contacts

As I explore the World Forum Network's website, I found conversations about screen time and the impact it has on play.  I found that many countries such as ours are seeing the affects of the digital age.  Parents had the same concerns in Puerto Rico about their children not having as much time as they did as a kid to run and play outside.
Here is a CNN link that discusses if your child really needs tablet time that was shared on the discussion forum:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/04/living/screen-free-week-schools-susan-linn/


 Another aspect of the website I found interesting is that they have come up with eleven principles for early childhood curriculum.  They are being revised at the next World Forum.

The principles are:

1. Universal Curriculum Principles
   A set of early childhood curriculum principles apply in all countries of the world; these principles should be adapted to fit into the various countries and communities, whether programs are well funded or poorly funded.
2. Early Childhood
   Early childhood is the period of human life from birth up to school entry at 5 or 6 years of age, including infants and toddlers from birth to 3 and preschoolers from 3 to 5 or 6. Some extend it to include the primary grades up to age 8 or 9.
3. Care and Education
   Care and education cannot be separated. All young children learn best in the context of nurturing, responsive relationships and stimulating, developmentally appropriate experiences.
4. Respect for Children
   The curriculum should encourage adults to demonstrate their respect for young children as individuals and take a genuine interest in what they say and do.
5. Young Children’s Role in the Curriculum
   Young children should have choices that influence their curriculum, appropriate to their stage of development. They learn best from their interactions with others and the environment.
6. The Inter-Relatedness of Development
   The curriculum should address and show the inter-relatedness of all aspects of the learning and development of young children, including cognitive (including language, literacy, mathematics, and science), social, emotional, physical, aesthetic, and spiritual development.
7. Early Childhood Assessment
   Early childhood assessment means observation and documentation of children’s development, during everyday experiences, in order to support each child’s learning and development.
8. Curriculum Review
   The quality and effectiveness of the curriculum should be regularly evaluated and reviewed in order to improve the program as needed.
9. Parents and Teachers as Partners
   The curriculum should empower educators, parents, and communities to work together in partnership for the benefit of children.
10. Respect for Culture
    The curriculum should promote respect the dignity of each child’s family, home language, culture, customs, and beliefs.
11. Professional Development
    Professional development is critical to every early childhood educator’s personal journey. Professional development experiences should be organized around a comprehensive curriculum and assessment system that has evidence of its effectiveness and is culturally sensitive.

 https://www.worldforumfoundation.org/eleven-ece-curriculum-principles/

This is a great tool for the United States as we enter the trend for assessing quality preschool programs for universal preschool.