Childhood Explorer Summer 2014

Childhood Explorer Summer 2014

Exploring the Lives of Children Worldwide Association for Childhood Education International

Childhood Explorer is published quarterly by the Association for Childhood Education International, 1101 16th St., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036 Articles published in Childhood Explorer represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions taken by the Association for Childhood Education International.

Copyright Š 2014 by the Association for Childhood Education International.

No permission is needed to reproduce materials for education purposes.

ACEI HEADQUARTERS STAFF: Diane P. Whitehead, Executive Director Michelle Allen, Operations Manager Anne Watson Bauer, Editor/Director of Publications Banhi Bhattacharya, Professional Development and Research Specialist Emebet G/Micheal, Accounting Manager Olivia Kent, Communications Manager Deborah Jordan Kravitz, Production Editor Sheri Levin, Member Relations Manager Yvette Murphy, Director of Advocacy and Outreach Nana Oppong, Director of Development Dione Walters, Membership Assistant Alyson Zimbler, Development Coordinator Photography Credits: cover photo: Shawn Talbot/Shutterstock.com p. 4: Sergii Korshun/Shutterstock.com pp. 6 & 8: Su Lyn Corcoran p. 9: Patrick Poendl/Shutterstock.com p. 12: one AND only/Shutterstock.com, Piti Tan/Shutterstock.com p. 15: GQ/Shutterstock.com p. 16-18: authors p. 19: bejo/Shutterstock.com p. 24, 27: Alexander Morel

Exploring the Lives of Children Worldwide Association for Childhood Education International

Childhood Explorer

Contents

Summer 2014

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The Opportunities and Dangers of Being Street-Connected in Kenya

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Working on the Streets in Rawalpindi City in Pakistan

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Grace’s Story: A Lesson From a Girl With a Disability in the Philippines

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A Day With Mother Nature: A Learning Experience in Nepal

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Creating a Children’s Library in Greece

Vol. 1, No. 3

24 “Pero Extraño Mi Mama”:

Immigrant Children Lost in Transition

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Childhood Explorer

Informal Education ACEI’s mission is to promote and support the optimal education, development, and well-being of children worldwide. Education helps to ensure peace, economic stability, global security, human rights, and environmental sustainability around the world. It is the key to a prosperous human future.

Education can take many forms. When they hear the word “education,” many people first think of formal education that takes place in a classroom, or other traditional learning environment, led by a trained teacher. Informal education is equally important, and takes place at home, in the community, at museums and theaters—wherever a child is, he is learning. Parents, siblings, peers, spiritual leaders, and other community leaders play a key role in this informal education.

Informal education is an important contributing factor in a child’s development. Informal education takes place everywhere children live and grow. It happens in the home when parents teach a child how to participate in family and cultural traditions, or to be honest and trustworthy. Informal education takes place at the market, where children learn about different products and pricing. Through independent outdoor play, children learn about plants and animals and respecting resources. Children who help their parents in the garden or on the farm, or who aid in the care of younger siblings, are getting valuable lessons about living independently. Children are continually learning. Much of their socialization and character education takes place in the home or community and instills in them a moral compass that will help them to lead lives that impact their communities in constructive ways.

Formal education, once an experience that featured bare schoolrooms, lecturing teachers, and little room for creativity or play, is now transforming into a more dynamic and developmentfriendly space, and so can have more in common with informal schooling than ever before.

Formal schooling now takes place in forests and on boats among other places, in addition to traditional schoolrooms. Since its founding, ACEI has worked to ensure quality in teaching and learning in formal settings through events and publications dedicated to exploring innovative teaching methods and curriculum development strategies. It is also important to recognize and build from the valuable lessons being learned by children around the world through informal educational experiences.

Education is crucial to securing a positive human future. Formal and informal education together are necessary to achieve environmental sustainability and global security. Education’s vital role in all of these areas is why it is the centerpiece of ACEI’s mission. Our goal is to ensure education access, equity, and quality for all children.

Summer 2014

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A Day in the Life of a Child

The Opportunities and Dangers of Being Street-Connected in Kenya

“My name is Peter.

I used to live on the street. On the street, we struggle. Sometimes we come to the supermarket to carry people’s shopping to the car or the matatu. Or we go to the bus station to carry luggage. If we are lucky, we can get a job like emptying the dustbins or cleaning the stalls. You can get maybe 50 bob (approximately $0.5 US) for collecting rubbish for one hour. That is good money. When you are very dirty or taking glue it is not easy to do these jobs. Younger children can beg.

People will pity small boys and girls, but when you are grown they won’t give you money if you beg. Instead, we collect scrap. We can sell metal or plastic bottles by weight. It takes a long time to collect enough, especially if there are lots of us.”

By Su Lyn Corcoran ESRC-funded Doctoral Researcher University of Manchester, United Kingdom (grant code ES/J500094/1) Trustee for Child Rescue Kenya UK www.childrescuekenya.org 6

Childhood Explorer

Being Street-Connected

Street Rules

In Kenya, many cities and towns are home to street-connected children. All have their own reasons for engaging with the street: either on a part-time basis in addition to attending school; on a daily basis—returning home each evening to sleep; or full time. They are therefore streetconnected1, experiencing the street in many ways that often are not reflected in being called a “street child.” For example, the children on the street in Kenya are not always orphans, although they may be disconnected from family life. Many of them do stay in frequent or infrequent contact with family members and some use their streetbased activities to support their families. The term “street child” can be a negative label, reducing the child’s individual experiences to a limited frame of reference. “Street children” is often used to describe a vulnerable population who need saving or, where public perception sees street children as a menace, label them as troublemakers.

In the provincial town in Kenya where Peter comes from, street life is organized. The children and young people who live there have developed their own systems in order to survive. The town and surrounding areas are divided into chomes (bases or zones). Each of these areas is home to a particular group of children and young people who live on the street. During the day, they may be joined by others who only come to work and then go home at night to sleep.

A number of the children and youth with whom I conduct research in Kenya are, or have at one time been, living and/or working on the street; they do not appreciate being called street children. They prefer to be called hustlers. While “hustling” may connote cheating others for economic gain in western countries, that is not the case in Kenya. The children embody the idea of struggling to survive. They use the term “hustler” to communicate their aim of working for their money and developing informal networks with adults engaged in similar work who act as peers or possible employers in the loosest sense.

Street-connected children or young people may experience the street in a myriad of different ways, depending on their age, race, gender, the town/country where they live, the level of urbanization in their area, the possibility of casual employment, the levels of compassion shown by the police and other authorities—the list is long. Peter’s story on its own shows how different life can be for children in the same town.

Note: 1 I borrow the term “street-connected” from Sarah Thomas de Benitez’s 2011 publication The State of the World’s Street Children: Research http://www.streetchildrenresources.org/resources/state-of-the-worlds-street-children-research/

Summer 2014

Every chome has a management structure. The leaders tend to be the boys or young men who have spent the longest time on the streets. They are responsible for allocating roles to other members. The activities that they engage in, for money or food, depend on the type of work that can be carried out in that particular area of the town.

Those who live in the central business district (CBD) have a larger variety of income-generating activities to choose from and can earn more money. Therefore, the CBD chome is more powerful and individuals who have graduated from other chomes may move into the CBD chome. A significant number of CBD chome members have been on the street for some time.

Membership to a chome requires an initial payment—a murangano. A child arriving in the town for the first time will be befriended by others and eventually taken to the leader. The murangano has a number of possible forms. If the child wanting membership has money, then a membership fee is paid. Otherwise, murangano may involve procuring drugs or exchanging sexual favors. The murangano is not always a one-time payment. The children are asked to hand over their daily takings to the chome leaders, and may be required to continue having sex with other members. Drug use or glue sniffing is encouraged as a form of release and a way to forget hunger, the cold, and their reasons for migrating to the street. Drugs are also a means of keeping control. If the leader is a dealer, they employ the younger children as runners and sell their wares to members of their chome.

It is generally believed that a leader is necessary in the CBD chome in order to keep order and optimize the mon-

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ey-making opportunities. The chome leader assigns roles such as begging to the younger children. The younger children will attract more money as beggers, while the older children find alternative means. Once the day is over and the children return to the sleeping areas, they must hand their money over to the leaders. Some of the money will be used to buy basic necessities for the chome members, including food, medications, and clothes. But some children have established relationships with stall owners and other traders in the town to help them keep their money away from the chome leaders. They help with tasks, such as cleaning or running errands, in exchange for food or somewhere to store money or other items. However, if a child is hiding money, they need to be careful as they may receive a beating if they hand over too little money to the chome.

Peter’s Streets Street life is not all negative. It is possible to develop supportive relationships with other children on the streets in which drug taking is a matter of choice. Peter was able to benefit from such an arrangement. His connections with the street developed over the years. He lived very briefly on the street full time, but he worked on the street part time before that for a longer period. He did not sniff glue and worked with a small group of friends. In his group, the level of organization was much more relaxed; nevertheless, they all needed each other, especially at night.

When you are asleep you are a target for big fish (older youths who can steal your money); the lesson about safety in numbers is learned quickly. Peter also had the opportunity to pay security guards, positioned outside larger shops and businesses, to let the group sleep unharassed in a doorway or on a veranda.

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The friendships and support developed on the street can often be a reason why children choose not to leave. They can become a surrogate family, especially for children who have been on the street for a significant length of time. If a child becomes addicted to drugs, this is an added complication. Therefore, the process of making the transition away from living on the street can take time.

Organizations working with these children try to build trust and provide a supportive framework through their social work staff and a peer group of individuals who have already made the transition from the streets.

Now 19 years old, Peter lives in a rented house in the slum and is receiving vocational training. He received help from a civil society organization that canvasses the streets every day, talking to the children, finding out their stories, and building trust. They also run a drop-in center that provides soap and water, something that must be paid for in Peter’s area of town as the well is on privately owned land. Peter was able to attend the center daily. He would wash himself and his clothes and attend life-skills classes about topics such as drugs, sexually transmitted infections, and conflict management. They would provide a late lunch and then Peter would return to his work on the street. He also received counseling sessions, which prepared him for moving off the street, attending a vocational course, and living independently. Although he no longer lives on the street, Peter still makes the most of the opportunities offered by the network he developed there over the years. “I pay for things by hustling. . . . I work collecting scrap and cleaning verandas . . . to help buy my food, my clothes, and to help my family. If I have more money for extra I give it to my mum.” Peter is also able to finance a mobile phone with his street-based work. In many ways he is an enterprising young man, making the most of the informal labor opportunities provided by the street. He has the willpower and the skills to make the most of his situation and resist the temptations offered by the chomes. He also has the support of an organization as he pursues an educational pathway of his choice, offering him a plan for the future.

Childhood Explorer

Working on the Streets in Rawalpindi City in Pakistan

By Asma Khalid Ph.D. Candidate University of Wollongong, Australia

“I wake up early in the morning, around 5 a.m.

First of all, I offer my morning prayer and read some verses of the Qur’an.

After that, I rush to join my father in a vegetable and fruit market as a helper and seller. My father leaves the house before I wake up. He has to be in the market around 4 a.m., as all buying and selling starts at that time. He buys whatever he can afford with his limited amount of money. I walk from my house, as I don’t have a bicycle and cannot afford to rent a van, and so it is almost 6 a.m. when I reach the market. By that time, my father has his cart ready for selling. The customers start to visit the market around 7 a.m.

A Day in the Life of a Child Summer 2014

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“Although I have been working with my father for four years, he still always tells me the daily rates of fruit or vegetables which he purchased earlier in the morning. He makes sure that I know all the rates and also that I know how to weigh properly when serving a customer. Serving customers can be a fun and frustrating activity. It varies from customer to customer, but we have to be skilful to earn a profit.

“Besides this, I am also involved in other activities to earn some money. Sometimes I sell shopping bags and sometimes I help customers to carry their things to taxis or cars. After working there for three hours, I leave around 9 a.m. to go back home to have breakfast. After having breakfast, I am ready to attend the drop-in-centre (DIC) where I take non-formal classes.

“I joined this DIC six months ago. Things are different in the DIC than in the workplace. Here at the DIC, we have time to learn some new things, such as self-dignity and respect. Now I know how to write my name and some words of English. Urdu (national language of Pakistan) is more difficult than English, and that is why I enjoy English lessons. I enjoy maths as well, because for the last four years I have been working and I learned how to do basic arithmetic from my father, as well as from working on the streets. We study almost two to three hours in the DIC and then have lunch here.

“After lunch, I go back home and offer my afternoon prayer, attend madrassa (Muslim school) for an hour, and return back home again. There, my mother asks for some household chores to be done—for example, running errands for her, shopping at the nearby shop, taking care of my siblings, or fetching water. If I have some time, I try to revise the lessons I learned in the DIC, but that happens only rarely. At 4:00 p.m., I go back to the market to work for about 3-4 hours. Usually, I finish my work around 7.30 p.m. and reach home at 8.00 p.m. with my father. By that time, I am too tired to think about studies or to revise lessons to make me good in class.

“My routine is quite tough. I have little time to take rest, I walk a lot, and I work more than 6-7 hours a day. This makes me tired, but I have no other option. I have to work to help my father earn money; otherwise, it is too difficult to live in this expensive city—Rawalpindi. To make me happy at work, my father gives me Rs. 20-30 (20-30 cents) a day and this keep me going. Let me tell you something, working on the streets is not an easy job.

It involves physical drudgery and also emotional and mental labor. People think that I am dirty and poor. But I am working hard and earning money. I am a human being and deserve respect in this society. “ (Field notes during fieldwork from October 2011 to April 2012)

ShakirUllah’s picture of the house where he wants to live

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Childhood Explorer

This is the daily routine of ShakirUllah (pseudonym), a 12-year-old boy working in a vegetable and fruit market in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. I met him while I was conducting an ethnographic study for my doctorate work. He was attending a drop-in-centre (DIC) run by an NGO. The DIC offers programs for children and youth who are working on the streets and do not attend any other institution due to their over-age status or inability to pay the school fees. Although operating with limited resources, the DIC provided non-formal education, life-based skills, and extra-curricular activities for children and youth working on the streets. According to ShakirUllah, he never went to school before attending this DIC, due to poverty and his migration to this city.

In the fieldwork for this research, I used semi-structured interviews with participatory tools and techniques, including photo-elicitation, drawings, writing, and participant observations. These techniques allowed ShakirUllah to share his experiences and express his opinions about support organizations and their functioning. During formal and informal discussions, ShakirUllah said that he liked the drawing and coloring activity in the DIC, which he had never experienced before. Through his drawing and coloring, he expressed his desire for a clean house where he could live happily with his family. His family is the most important part of his life; he works hard to help support the family financially.

In the same vein, as far as learning at the DIC is concerned, ShakirUllah explained that he could write his name and a few sentences in both English and Urdu, as well as read some of the signboards and street names.

He mentioned that he learned he has a right to respect, saying: “The teachers are good here in DIC; they try to teach us those things which are important in our daily lives. For example, they talk about good manners and respect for other people, including our age fellows. The best thing I like is that I also have respect and nobody has the right to call me names or bully me. I also shared this thing with my family members and also told my employer at

Summer 2014

my workplace. The family and employer did not encourage me, but I will try to let others know that I should be respected. “ ShakirUllah found that the teachers treated him politely and respected him, which was the main reason he came to the DIC regularly. In this way, he received some education, felt good, and took some rest in a safe place. ShakirUllah gained a good understanding about the concept of dignity and the respect due to every human being, including working children. He took a picture of a rag picker and expressed the view that the child deserves respect in the Pakistani society, as he is working hard and he should not be discriminated against on the basis of his work. ShakirUllah demonstrated sensitivity about dignity and respect for his and other people’s work in society.

ShakirUllah’s photograph of a rag picker

In the seven months during which I completed my fieldwork to generate data for my study, I saw ShakirUllah gaining confidence and showing interest in different activities happening at the DIC. He learned self-respect and respect for others. The education he received helps him in his daily life, although it has not led to a change in his current work or working environment. He is happy that he has the opportunity to go to the DIC, where he can have a good time, rest, learn, get good treatment, and be involved in extra-curricular activities. He attends DIC regularly and encourages his siblings and other children and youth working on the streets to attend DIC as well.

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Grace’s Story: A Lesson From a Girl With a Disability in the Philippines

Mary Grace Gellekanao was born with congenital disabilities

on March 7, 1979, in Bacolod City, Philippines. Her right leg was eight inches shorter than her left with only three toes and her right arm ended in a fleshy stub slightly below a non-flexible elbow. By the time she was 4 years old, Grace was very aware that she was different from the other children around her. The frustration she experienced when trying to perform even simple tasks, such as buttoning a dress or removing a candy wrapper, contributed to a low self-esteem.

While the road Grace has traveled since was a hard one, it has also been one of great success. This diminutive young woman’s piano playing speaks volumes about the power of persistence. She has been able to transform her limitations and disappointments into experiences that have made her a stronger person—and an inspiration to all she meets.

to attend school and church. “Even though my parents were not vocal about it, I could sense that they were having a hard time accepting the fact that their eldest child had been born with a physical disability” (Maran, 2002, p. 10). A nanny helped her with physical tasks, and would stand beside her to hide her right side from view when visitors came to the house.

In the housing complex where Mary Grace lived with her family and extended family, her early childhood development was affected by her parents’ efforts to shield her. They would ask her to cover her arm when in the presence of others and sometimes asked her to stay in her room when guests came. She would only leave the house

At age 6, Mary Grace’s social and physical abilities were severely compromised. She had to wear a platform shoe on her right foot due to the extreme difference in length between her two legs. To cover her shoes, she chose to wear slacks or long skirts to school. At school, Mary Grace was shunned and taunted by her peers. Consequently, she

By Annette I. Mohan, Miles College, Birmingham, Alabama Grace Jepkemboi, University of Alabama at Birmingham 12

Childhood Explorer

became very introverted. She would choose to go to her room after school, finding comfort in solitude. She had no friends either in or outside of the school environment.

Often, Mary Grace would be left in the care of her grandmother, who encouraged her in ways that would support her psychological well-being. “ ‘Lola’ took very good care of me and was the person who encouraged me in music” (Maran, 2002, p. 8). As a little girl, Mary Grace would enthusiastically watch her aunt play her grandmother’s piano. Observing the child running the fingers of her left hand over the keys, her grandmother asked Mary Grace if she would like to learn how to play.

Mary Grace responded that she would, but she feared that teachers would refuse to accept her as a student because of her disability. Indeed, the first three teachers the grandmother approached did not wish to work with a one-handed child. According to Mary Grace, “Granny even told them, ‘You teach her one hand and charge me for two’ ” (Wallace, 2002, p. 20).

The grandmother persisted, and found a teacher who was willing to teach Mary Grace. Both adults believed that the child deserved the right to try an activity that would be stimulating and build her self-worth. With the financial support of her grandfather, Mary Grace was enrolled as a piano and organ student. Shortly after her first lesson, she realized that the protrusion at the end of her right arm was exactly the size to hit a piano key and her right arm was long enough to reach the instrument.

Mary Grace labored every day at her grandmother’s house, practicing for four hours with a 15-minute break halfway through. Her arm, back, and stub had to adjust to the demands she was now placing on them. At times, she would bleed; yet her determination and faith kept her practicing. Mary Grace had found her own music therapy, which helped her develop emotional and physical coping skills.

That she had an outlet for her sad feelings was, however, not enough. She still had no playmates or friends.

Although her parents were a constant in her life, they remained emotionally uninvolved. She sought to win the love of her parents and family by excelling at music.

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It is not unusual for children with disabilities to feel emotionally responsible for their worth in the eyes of their families when they are not properly nurtured. Due to the persistence of her grandparents, Mary Grace was able to harness and accept her talent in a positive way, which influenced her acceptance of her disability in social situations later in life.

For years, Mary Grace was diligent with her school and practice schedule. She would find pieces that challenged her and perfect them. Although she still found it difficult to trust anyone and did not feel a sense of belonging, her passion for playing music intensified. With determination and courage, she was able to move past her difficulties with everyday actions. Then, when she was 15, her second music teacher, Sylvia Ocsio-Javellana, decided that Mary Grace should perform a solo organ recital.

It was September 1994, and Mary Grace had been practicing specifically for the concert at the Bacolod Adventist Center in the Philippines for over a year.

Although she had progressed with her musical skills far beyond what anyone in her family expected, her parents did not invite family or friends to attend the recital. As a result of her isolation, she was shy and, more often than not, would hide her right arm. Nevertheless, Mary Grace gathered the confidence to take the stage in front of approximately 600 people, including top city officials, her high school classmates, and her parents.

That evening, Mary Grace played 13 pieces that varied in range. She was most affected by her parents’ reaction: “My parents, who were unsure of my ability . . . were amazed and proud. They’d seen me play before, but had not paid that much attention to a disabled child who dreamed great dreams of being a concert musician” (Wallace, 2002, p. 19).

One year after that first performance, Mary Grace was given the opportunity to present a solo piano recital through the Volunteers for the Rehabilitation of the Handicapped and the Disabled, Inc. in Talisay City, Philippines. This time, her relatives were in attendance. In 1996, she gave recitals in many places, including Guam,

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Thailand, and a recital tour of Europe. “A memorable recital took place in Frankfurt, Germany, at the Bürgerhaus Hausen, for the Family Club of Offenbach. Among the guests who attended the recital was a former ambassador to Germany, the Honorable Francisco del Rosario” (Maran, 2002, p. 10). Yet Mary Grace was still isolated and “kept to myself until I graduated from high school” (Wallace, 2002, p. 20).

Music did open doors for Mary Grace when she entered college, and there she was able to flourish in her personal relationships. She built friendships and developed a close bond with a friend who allowed her to be herself. This support was vital. According to Mary Grace, “When I was younger, I couldn’t express what I felt to anyone. I just kept it to myself. I longed to feel the sense of belonging, to be hugged. But I got this from no one—not until I met my special friend in college” (Maran, 2002, p. 10).

She never eased up on her studies or music, continuing with a drive to please others. She graduated from college in May 2001 with a degree in psychology, which was a natural progression toward a desire to help others with music therapy.

Because of her grandparents’ attention and belief in her, educators who were willing to work and give her “yes, you can,” answers, and her own determination, Mary Grace was able to thrive and achieve. In 2001, Mary Grace held a concert in Alexandria, Louisiana—her first concert in the United States. There, she met and bonded with a woman who eventually became her adoptive mother, Reva Lachica Moore. With the adoption, her support system grew.

Mary Grace continued giving concerts and would speak candidly about her disability, sharing her disappointment about living with limitations that make it difficult to do everyday activities, such as cutting food or steering a vehicle. Her mental state is grounded. She explains, “The pain I go through with every key I strike is what makes my music unique. . . . The sound of the people’s applause elates me, because I make them happy, and it’s more than enough remedy for hurting hands” (Maran, 2002, p. 10).

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Throughout the world, many persons with disabilities are not readily included in society. Grace’s story illustrates the important role that early childhood educators and family play in nurturing a child with a disability in the early years.

It is imperative that children learn not to be ashamed of any disabilities. Children with disabilities should be treated like any other normal child, and be presented as such to family and friends. Physical therapy should be considered, and, as in Grace’s case, all avenues should be explored, especially relating to music therapy. Too often, disabilities or congenital deformities are considered weaknesses or, in some cultures, a negative sign or omen.

Educators and parents must invest in each and every child’s state of mind, and make a clear choice to support their cognitive and physical development.

Tips for Parents and Teachers 1. Be proud of your child’s abilities.

2. Do not be ashamed of his/her disabilities.

3. Provide opportunities for exploration and learning.

4. Early limitations can become later abilities, not liabilities.

5. Help the child find someone who believes in him/ her for support and encouragement.

6. Be a teacher or find a teacher who believes in his/ her abilities not disabilities.

7. Never give up. Help your child to persevere and not give up in the face of odds.

8. Every moment is precious. Make every moment count. Make happy memories.

9. “I love you.” “I believe in you.” These two sentences will help every child achieve success.

10. Dream big. Encourage your child to do so as well.

References Gellekanao, M. G. (2006). To God be the glory: My story. ASI Magazine, 24. Retrieved from www.superhands.us/pages/ marygrace.html Maran, K. L. (2002). Grace unfurled: Using abilities to overcome disabilities. Adventist Review, World Edition, 8-11.

Wallace, R. L. (2002). His music and me: Mary Grace Tribaco Gellekanao. Women of Spirit, Christian Women Sharing Their Lives, 19-21.

Childhood Explorer

A Day With Mother Nature.

A Learning Experience in Nepal The rainy season was gradually losing its strength and autumn was near.

The morning sun’s rays poured over the dark green paddy fields, transforming the dew drops into shiny pearls. The birds on the trees were on the watch for flying moths and grasshoppers, while earthworms hid in the grass and among the tall rice plants. The few clouds seemed like boats afloat on the deep ocean of the sky.

By Bishnu H. Bhatta, Director, Partnership for Sustainable Development, Kathmandu; implements Learning From Mother Nature program in different schools.

Deepak Aryal, Vice Principal of Himalayan Higher Secondary School, Champanagar, Chitwan.

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Even though the children were on vacation, we managed to take them out for a learning experience in nature.

Three teachers accompanied them to the nearby fish ponds and encouraged close observation of the rice paddy fields. The children learned about how nature provides them with the rice for their daily diet, and the fish they eat on special occasions. We wanted them to understand the importance of their food, and to see the steps that happen before rice and fish arrive in the kitchen.

Fish Justice At the fish ponds situated about two kilometers from the school, the fish were being caught with a great net that covered the whole pond. Arjun Lamichhane, the owner of the pond, spoke with the children. They shared the following conversation: Lamichhane told the children, “There are six species of fish in the ponds.”

“Would you tell us how they are named, Uncle?” Pawan asked.

“They are grass carp, silver, common carp, rahuw, naini. . . . customers prefer different ones.”

but are gills, their breathing organs—like our nose,” the teacher explained. “They are going to die as it is difficult for them to breathe in the air. Nature has created a variety of living beings. Some need water for breathing while others drown.”

The children touched the fish with tender fingers. “Oh, how cold and slippery they are! I can’t hold them,” Binit exclaimed.

The teacher asked, “Could they swim so smoothly if they had hairy or thorny skin?”

“We have heard that big fish eat up small fish. Is this so?”

“No, Sir,” the children said in a single voice.

“Yes, it is also called “fish justice”; but not all species of fish eat their own offspring.”

The children objected to using the word “justice.” “I’m rather confused,” Puspa stated. “How can killing smaller and weaker ones be ‘justice’? It’s a social crime, isn’t it, Uncle?”

The teacher went on, “Living beings must adapt themselves to their surroundings—their bodies must match their habitat.”

“If so, nature is prejudiced against human beings,” Asmita raised her dissatisfaction. “They are of the same physical structure wherever they live.”

“I agree with your noble thought,” the fish pond owner said. “But if you look closely into nature, it is a general phenomenon. A male cat might finish off kittens, so does the tiger to cubs.”

“But man is gifted with talent to adapt himself to the surroundings. His inventions ensure his survival despite adverse situations,” said the teacher.

The fishermen brought fish out of the ponds with the net and the children could see the gills moving. “Why are they flapping their ears?” they asked. “Those are not ears,

The fishermen were putting the fish in a sack and weighing them on a big balance. They were going to sell them to a restaurateur in Narayangarh.

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Childhood Explorer

“How much does a fish weigh, Uncle?” Niruta asked. “The biggest one is about four kilograms!”

well, the smaller ones are granted life,” Sandhya expressed her pleasure. “Maybe they felt sorry for them.”

“How long do you have to rear the fish before they are ready for sale?” “About five months.”

“A hunter’s heart is made of stone, where there’s no space for mercy,” the teacher said. “They are allowed to live for they are not yet a mouthful and they can grow more in the pond.”

“Where are they sold?”

“In Narayangarh, Pokhara, Kathmandu. . . .”

“Is this business profitable?” “Yes, fish keeping is a prosperous business these days, as people are interested in eating fish rather than red meat.”

Food Chain After that, the children walked about the edge of the ponds, where they could see a pig shed nearby.

“Are there any pigs?” shouted Puja, who was at the end of the queue.

“Yes, only two,” replied Niruta from the front.

“What’s the point of keeping the pigs on such a narrow edge of the ponds?,” asked Suman.

“Nature has maintained a food chain among living beings,” the teacher said. “One’s flesh or waste can be a feast for others. The excretions of the pigs are the food for the fish and the dead fish are feasts for the pigs. That’s why they are kept together.”

“Oh no, I won’t eat fish from now on.” Niruta wrinkled her nose in disgust at the smell. ”Food and flesh have little relationship,” the teacher tried to convince her. “Do you know the lotus flower? Yes, that’s the production of bad-smelling mud in the lake. The cow eats bitter grass but produces sweet milk.” Niruta nodded.

Indeed, the teacher’s enlightening illustration convinced the children.

They watched the fishermen net and sort a large quantity of fish. The small fish were thrown back into the pond. “Ah

Summer 2014

The Green Paddy Fields Finally, the children left the ponds, bidding goodbye to the workers. Our next visit was to the rice paddy fields.

The children walked along the narrow path between the green fields and noted the different species of rice growing there. Rice is the main crop of this area. The children pulled up some plants, tearing the stalks to look for any harmful insects. When they found insects, they showed them to the teachers. ”Insects damage the inner parts of a plant and cause it to die,” the teacher said. “So is the case in our bodies.

Without treatment, recovery is difficult. We can treat the plants like doctors can treat us.”

The teachers asked children to fetch some ears of the rice.

They compared the size and weight. Some of the children started to count the grains.

“Do they have equal numbers and size?” the teacher asked. “No, Sir, this ear has more grains than that.” “Why

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so? What affects the growth of the rice, can you say?” The children appeared embarrassed. “We can’t say anything about it,” Susmita said.

“Well, like human babies and animals,” Tara, a teacher, explained, “plants need nutrients. They get them from manure and chemical fertilizers. Thus, the farmers who spread more fertilizer over their farms can have better crops. Again, here the food chain works. Cow dung is a nutritious food for plants and the cows are fed on grass.

Furthermore, the rice needs just enough water: no more and no less. That is why a farmer has to always maintain the level of water in the field.”

Sandhya asked, “How much does a packet weigh and what’s its price, Uncle?” “A packet weighs 25 kg and it costs Rs.1300,” he said. For the first time, the children considered the cost of the food that they usually have twice a day. It takes six months to grow and needs to go through advanced processing for purification, and then it is ready for cooking. “Certainly, we should not throw away even a single grain, should we, Sir?” Puspa suggested. The other children agreed with her.

It was getting hotter and hotter. Yet the children were still enthusiastic to learn about farming. Although their parents’ main occupation is farming, they learned much they had not known before during this visit.

The Rice Mill Next, we took the children to a local rice mill, where rice from the previous season was being husked and processed. The accountant at the mill explained that the packets of rice were being sent to the major towns of Nepal, such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Narayangarh, for sale. The children were amazed by the huge piles of sacks in a tin-roofed godown (warehouse).

Manish said, “Even the King may not have so much rice.

The owner is richer than him, isn’t he? In the future, I will be a businessman and earn a lot of money like the proprietor.”

Creative Attitude in Children After visiting the rice mill, we gathered together in an open hall built on a temple premises in Champanagar. All the children sat down on worn mats in two rows facing each other and enjoyed a snack of spiced and fried beaten rice. Then, the teachers asked them to write a brief account of their trip, offering some thoughts to support them as they began their writing. Most of them were able to finish the task within half an hour. Afterward, they were asked to take turns reading their narratives. The teachers patiently listened to them without any interruption. It seemed as if they were harvesting what they had planted during the day.

The day’s visiting spots were not new to the children.

They walk to school and return home every day along that same route—past the paddy fields, the fish ponds, the food industry, and the temple. Why were they so curious in company with their teachers on this day? And why did this walk enhance the children’s creative attitude? I think the following quotation gives a satisfactory answer: “Don’t train children to learn by force and harness, but lead them by what amuses them.“

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Childhood Explorer

Creating a Children’s Library in Greece Greece has been severely hit by multifaceted economic, political, and social crises. Poverty, unemployment, funding cuts to welfare institutions, racism, xenophobia, migration, and uninsured work are just some of the factors that contribute to very challenging conditions and force the more vulnerable groups, especially children, into social exclusion and isolation. Yet this article offers an optimistic message from the heart of the typhoon, describing efforts to offer our children the chance to reach their full potential.

by Nektarios Stellakis, University of Patras, Greece; Vice President for Europe of World Organization for Early Childhood Education

Summer 2014

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This story is about the creation of a children’s library in a public nursery in Patras, Greece. Regulations require every institution serving children to have a library corner in every class or a library in a separate room, where children could enjoy reading, develop their language capacities, and strengthen their motivation to read by immersing themselves in the most precious of cultural artifacts—stories. By strengthening children’s earliest experiences with books and stories, we contribute enormously to their early language and literacy development, their comprehension abilities, their lexical development, and their understanding of print— providing the best foundation for later school success.

Due to lack of space and resources, however, most nurseries and kindergartens are unable to provide this important area.

The Municipal Nursery of Patras is the oldest institution for early childhood care and education in the town and serves 160 children, who range in age from 9 months to 4.5 years old. The children’s families are primarily working class and most parents have a secondary level education. Seeking to take advantage of an empty room in the building, the nursery’s director, Ms. Ourania Konstantinopoulou, asked the Department of Early Childhood Education of the University of Patras to support the creation of a library for the children. As my research area is early literacy, I was appointed by the Department to lead the project. For technical help in designing the library, I sought assistance from the Architecture Department at the university.

Professor Konstantopoulos Ilias and Lecturer Grivas Konstantinos in the Architecture Department were leading a workshop on interior design. The 15 students attending this workshop were in the final year of their studies. We decided the design of a children’s library for the Patras nursery would be an excellent real-world task to guide the students through the fall semester of academic year 2012-13. The two professors from the Architecture Department were ultimately responsible for the design, while I provided pedagogical advice about how a library for very young children should function.

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During the semester, we organized a visit to the nursery and held two meetings to discuss specific issues. The visit gave the architecture students the chance to meet the children and map the exact dimensions of the room.

After seeing the space, the students suggested knocking down the two doors of the room and embedding the two corridors into the project. Their proposal was accepted, as an open area was more appealing as a library than a closed, isolated room. Working in groups, the students studied libraries for children and relevant regulations about space and equipment. The final results of their work were presented in a workshop at the Department of Early Childhood Education in April 2013.

Students, staff, local educational authorities, municipality representatives, and the nursery director were enthusiatic about the proposals. At this time, the work is in the final stages of construction; in the beginning of the next school year, we will be happy to offer the first children’s library to the youngest citizens of our town. We are looking forward to seeing our children interacting with various kinds of books; inviting authors to visit and discuss books with the children; organizing events with parents, students, and performers; and inviting children to write their own books. We hope that the library will become the center of many educational projects, a vivid place that transforms many times throughout the school year. Through this initiative, we are sure that creativity will grow and children will be given the chance to have their voice heard. We hope that changing the daily routine in this nursery will inspire the other nurseries and early childhood education settings in our town to do likewise.

I want to thank the director of the nursery, my colleagues from the Architecture Department, and, above all, the students who were so passionate and dedicated to this work. They gave a priceless present to the town and they showed us that creativity, teamwork, and a trust in our young people can lead us into positive solutions even during difficult times.

We think all the proposals (see next pages) are gorgeous, but we could choose only one. We do not want to reveal the final choice yet. Which one would you choose?

Childhood Explorer

Proposal 1: “Play” by K. Markakis & P. Tasiopoulos

Proposal 2: “Weaving”

by G. Gianopoulos & M. Chatzichampi

Summer 2014

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Proposal 3: “Tangram”

by M. Vasilatou, N. Lepida, & P. Touratzidi

Proposal 4: “Colorful Vortex” by A. Koukouvelou & Z. Charalampous

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Childhood Explorer

Proposal 5: “Cubic Secret Landscape” by M. Loggou & E. Pourdala

Proposal 6: “Journey of Knowledge”

by K. Mavromoustaki & R. Petroulaki

Summer 2014

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“I haven’t seen my daughter, Kathy, in eight years. I often wonder if

that day will ever come, when I can hold her close to my heart and tell her how much I love her. She was two when I left. She doesn’t even remember meeting me. Until then, I will listen for her voice and look at her photos.

Having a real family—all members together—is a luxury for us.

We are undocumented Latinos! We come here for better opportunities for our families, but most of us lose our families in the process, . . . and live in fear of being sent back and unable to provide for our very dear yet broken families.”

(31-year-old former sergeant, Honduran Army, now living in the United States)

“Pero Extraño Mi Mama”: Immigrant Children Lost in Transition

by Anita Pandey, Morgan State University 24

Childhood Explorer

Children living in the United States who are undocumented or whose parents are undocumented face multiple challenges. They face language barriers, cultural and social status divides, and self-confidence issues (among other factors) that majority-culture children do not. In addition, many immigrant children’s and young adults’ ability to learn and likelihood of success are minimized or negatively impacted by the absence in their lives of family.

The term family is used here in a very loose sense to refer to not only persons from one’s immediate and extended family, but also others that one considers “family” and/or with whom one has spent a substantial amount of time.

Research shows that family and community support and engagement are essential for academic and life success, particularly in the case of immigrant children, many of whom are accustomed to living with large families.

Between 2000 and 2011, an estimated 12 million undocumented individuals entered the United States, including many unaccompanied children and young adults. In 2014, an unprecedented number of undocumented youngsters from Central America entered the United States, as many national news outlets have reported (for example, see Univision, June 26 interview with LA Times journalist and author S. Nazario, and front page stories in the Arizona Republic on June 19 and 20, 2014), raising fears in anti-immigration circles about a national “crisis.” Rather than focusing on the immigration issues, educational organizations describe this situation as a “humanitarian crisis” (www.aft.org/about/resolution_detail. cfm?articleid=19625). “The United States is a great and diverse nation, founded by immigrants fleeing persecution and seeking a safer, more prosperous life” reads the AFT resolution of July 14, 2014, which calls for efforts to ensure the “health, educational, safety and legal needs” of these children are being met. Since learning happens when anxiety is low and motivation is high, the question to ask is, “What support systems will be put in place to enhance learning and to ensure that every child is made to feel at home?”

Summer 2014

Core Challenges in Immigrant Children’s Lives These youngsters face unique challenges. Their adult caregivers, when present, may not understand the expectations of U.S. schools regarding homework assistance, at-home reading, vocabulary and skills reinforcement, or other forms of academic engagement.

Few have had more than a few years of schooling themselves and many lack reading and writing skills in their home languages. Most undocumented adults tend to lead a largely invisible existence, since they try to avoid contact with the law, even when they are in dire straits, as shown in the movies, Under the Same Moon (2007) and A Better Life (2011). Many caregivers work around the clock at multiple locations in order to pay their rent.

Few have even a single day off in the week. Those who are off for longer periods are generally out of work; job security is virtually non-existent for this group. Many undocumented families—or partial families—live in poverty and might move around quite frequently. Their children’s nutrition, schooling, identity or self-confidence, and education are often negatively impacted as a result of these circumstances.

The children of undocumented parents are directly affected by the suffering that many of their adult caregivers experience and they face anxiety as family members are separated from one another. Many children are victims of discrimination—both inside and outside the classroom—and some are quickly made to feel ashamed of their caregivers’ occupations, their home language(s), family members’ limited English language skills and/or their accents, their living quarters (many are congested and unsanitary), their social standing, and much more. In short, many undocumented children feel neglected, lost (culturally, linguistically, and otherwise), and insecure in the United States. Under these circumstances, their ability to learn and excel is severely compromised.

Research shows that family support and engagement are key indicators of academic and life success. It is difficult for children to focus on learning when their families are broken apart and they feel uprooted (on multiple levels) and alone. When children miss their

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siblings and other family members who helped raise them (extended families are more the norm than the exception in South America), and have no idea when they might meet again, they are less likely to focus on school.

Television is the sole companion or primary babysitter of many a smuggled child.

In a series of articles, we will present stories about the lives of these children. In this issue, we describe Kathy’s experience.

“No Puedo Estudiar Sin Mi Mami”: Kathy’s Story “Papi, no puedo estudiar sin mi Mami” [Papa, I cannot study without my mother (here)], exclaimed Kathy when her father insisted that she had a better future in the United States. Kathy grew up in Honduras; her parents separated and her father left for the United States when she was 2 years old. When Kathy was 10 years old, her father wanted her to join him in the United States. After exploring multiple options and realizing that he couldn’t bring Kathy in on a visitor or other visa (since she was a minor), he borrowed money from friends and contacted a coyote (someone who specializes in smuggling people across the borders) to bring Kathy to the United States.

He had rented a room in another immigrant’s apartment and bought her a bed, a desk, and a table with the rest of his savings; he had only $5 left in his bank account the month she arrived.

In Honduras, Kathy lived with her mother, stepfather, and their children, and frequently stayed with her grandmother (abuela). She had seen photos of her father in his uniform on her abuela’s living room wall and had spoken to him on the phone at least once a month.

When he finally mustered up the courage to ask her if she would consider living with him in the United States, she hesitated. “Y mi Mami?” she asked, worried about leaving her mother. Her father promised Kathy that she could return to Honduras if she didn’t like it in the United States.

Kathy’s mother and aunt urged her to join her father, who reminded her that he loved her very much and convinced her that she would enjoy the United States. She entered the United States through Texas, where she was detained

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for about a month before she was flown to Baltimore with an adult social worker and three other children who would be united with their families after years of separation. At the airport, she promptly jumped into her father’s arms.

The first week, she would accompany her father to the Korean grocery store where he worked six days a week, waiting for him in the restaurant area. On his way to the restroom, he would check in on her and bring her something to eat—usually an apple. But she quickly got bored. Even the games on her father’s phone didn’t engage her for the 10 hours her father had to work, so she asked if she could stay in the apartment. At first, her father hesitated and would rush home during his lunch break to move her to a friend’s house. When the friends started charging him for babysitting her, he would leave her in the apartment with the other tenants. However, she was usually alone for much of the day.

When she was finally permitted to attend the public elementary school in her neighborhood—after a protracted enrollment process that was delayed by her “multi-family” living situation that had to be verified through a tremendous amount of paperwork—she would walk to and from the bus stop alone. Despite her friendly personality, few children spoke to her on the bus or even acknowledged her. Since none of the office staff spoke Spanish, she could not engage with them beyond “Hi” and “Bye” for the few weeks of school she attended before the summer vacation. She did not feel welcome at school.

“Ellos me ignoran!” [They ignore me], she observed of her classmates, tearfully. When asked why she thought they were ignoring her, she replied, “Porque no hablo suficiente Inglés” [because I don’t speak enough English].

Five months after coming to the United States, Kathy regrets the move. It is summer time, and she is often alone for six or more hours a day. She is asleep when her father leaves. Sometimes, he hurries home to drop off a hamburger and French fries or a “Latino” meal during his 30-minute lunch break, 10 minutes of which are spent in driving. She cries herself to sleep every night.

She misses her mother, her siblings, her maternal uncle,

Childhood Explorer

Kathy at 2 years old, wearing her father’s army beret

Photos courtesy of Alexander Morel

aunt, grandmother, and even her stepfather. Their photos are taped on the wall next to her bed. She is often so depressed and lonely that she cannot help crying when she talks to her mother, who is equally distraught and wants her back. She tries to send Kathy’s passport to her father, who finally agreed to send her back because he “cannot bear to see her unhappy,” but the mail carriers in Honduras will not mail such documents to the United States, so they have to get her a new passport.

For a new passport, the Honduran Embassy requires notarized documents from her mother. While her mother initially agreed to obtain and send these documents, she later changed her mind. Kathy’s sadness increased and she would lock herself in the bathroom to cry for hours.

Her secret bouts of crying have alarmed and, on occasion, even infuriated her father and the other residents.

Although her mother believed Kathy would have a better future in the United States, she missed her daughter and recently sent the paperwork needed for Kathy’s new passport. Kathy will be back in Honduras soon.

How Can We Help?

How might we help these children? Kathy and many other immigrant children have no after-class contact with the English-dominant community, nor do they have opportunities to share their home language with others. Many could be drafted to informally lead “Survival Spanish” and other language and cultural awareness workshops at area schools and community centers.

Confidence is often in short supply in many children’s homes, so we must do everything possible to motivate and empower them, so that each member can succeed, and grow and share their unique talents. We could also put English-dominant and other language-speaking families in contact with each other, to ensure cultural

Summer 2014

Kathy reunited with her father

Kathy being consoled by her father after a few months in the United States

and linguistic cross-fertilization, an idea proposed and outlined in The Child Language Teacher: Intergenerational Language and Literacy (2010, Central Institute of Indian Languages). We should strive to ensure that our schools are welcoming to all students. Partnering with families and communities is essential. Sending home “millones de documentos” (i.e., a mountain of papers) is impersonal and overwhelming, observes Kathy’s father, whose input on Kathy’s home life and schooling was not sought.

Schools should periodically reach out to caregivers, he advises. For overextended staff, social media, phone, texts, and/or e-mail could help them connect with students, families, and even with community members who have limited contact with area schools. Teachers could inquire about and publicly recognize other languages students know, and incorporate them in assignments and school displays. “Tiene que entender o hablar más de Inglés” [staff need to understand or speak more than just English], advises Kathy.

As most would agree, getting to know each student is key to his/her well-being, and our own. Just as background knowledge (schema) is essential for a close and successful reading of text, the more we know about each of our students (and this includes a working knowledge of their language, including their vocabulary structure—key to Western literacy—as well as their prior schooling and literacy experiences), the easier it is for us to build on their foundations and facilitate their education—both interpersonal and academic. By extension, the more we engage and collaborate with our children, the more fodder we have for ongoing needs assessments and lesson planning, and the greater the likelihood that we can reduce their anxiety—and thus catalyze their learning and inquiry. How else can we build a monument on unfamiliar ground?

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Childhood Explorer The Association for Childhood Education International, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting the optimal education and development of children, is proud to be offering this new publication that focuses specifically on the experience of childhood around the world. Childhood Explorer is an online vehicle for sharing informative and inspirational stories about childhood and about projects and campaigns that provide quality education, care, and support to children and youth in diverse communities and circumstances.

We invite you to submit short, 1- to 3-page, articles for consideration. We are seeking narrative, conversational articles that stay focused on a personal story of childhood, while connected to a global issue concerning childhood and children’s education.

Visit http://acei.org/acei-publications/childhood-explorer for more information and to download guidelines and samples.

Topics of interest are: Daily life of a child in a particular geographic location/culture/socioeconomic situation/life circumstance NGO initiatives to support children’s well-being and education Programs/approaches and how they work through real-life application Global trends in education

For more information about this publication, contact editorial@acei.org.

Global trends affecting childhood

Exploring the Landscape of Childhood Worldwide Association for Childhood Education International