The organization that I will be focused on during this course is called National Black Child Development Institute. The website connected to this organization can be found at http://nbcdi.org/. This organization is dedicated to children and families by providing advocacy in areas of but not limited to health care, education, and child welfare services. The organization relies on the efforts of volunteers across the Unites States, all with the vision of creating equality and access for underprivileged children and families. NBCDI connects with local leaders in communities who can understand the needs of families and respond accordingly. Those local connections consist of spiritual leaders, business owners, and community organizations, as well as educational leaders. There are members in various cities along with affiliate chapters to this organization.
There is a Pre K - 3rd grade model that that NBCDI supports. The example of this model that this organization highlights is located in Seattle's Rainier Beach district. This is especially interesting to me because I currently live in the Seattle area not far from this location. The Rainier Beach District is a richly diverse area of many cultures and nationalities. The particular school that encompasses the Pre K - 3rd grade model is named South Shore. It is designed to invest in developing a young child through 3rd grade instead of focusing on preparation during pre-school, for further education in grade school "A beginning for a new education". This is a quality integrated program that has been in operating for seven years. The program is called "The High Scope Approach". Children's input into the learning curriculum is welcomed by asking what they would like to work on or learn as a new skill. It supports kids by teaching them to think about what they are learning, execute plans , and reflect on challenges and overcoming challenges. The skills learned in Pre- k are also wrapped in to the children's education in the following years. What was noted and a reason for implementing the the High Scope Approach was that some of the cognitive gains that children were acquiring in high quality Pre K education were fading once entering Kindergarten and beginning years of elementary education. It is believed that this decline in educational achievement was due to transition in to low quality educational programs, otherwise known as "fade out". This is a wrap around program where the team approach is a part of every child's path. The team evaluates academics, social ,and emotional development every two weeks, and develops strategies or plans for needed intervention. The High Scope Approach continues to expose children to high quality education in the earliest formative years for a higher quality life long effect in to adult hood. Statistics have shown that children in this program at South Shore school have scored higher in academics compared to children of similar demographics.
National Black Child Development Institutehttp://nbcdi.org/
