Early Childhood Education Ethiopia

When they grow, we grow! As children develop, their play evolves alongside them. In response, we are upgrading our outdoor play space at the Shimbitt KG program to accommodate the increasing needs and enhance ECEE's STEAM-oriented outdoor learning environments. We are introducing new interactive tools, continuing our open spaces for physical activity, extending our STEM tubes, and various other fun additions. Our aim in this redesign is to observe how these new elements impact play, outdoor education, and collaborative discovery learning. We look forward to hearing the giggles and laughter, especially the unmatched soccer matches in this yard. Stay tuned!!!! Early Childhood Education Ethiopia #indigenouslearning #leadingwithchildren #outdooreducation #STEAMECE

What are some of the developmental benefits of back-carrying a baby? Across various cultures including Ethiopia, it's common to see mothers carrying infants on their backs. This practice, though simple, offers significant developmental benefits for both caregiver and child. The gentle, rhythmic movement reminds babies of their time in the womb, providing a sense of security during the perinatal period. This familiar vestibular input from caregivers helps soothe and calm infants. Additionally, the close physical contact, familiar scent, and breathing patterns strengthen the bond between baby and caregiver, laying the groundwork for early attachments - a fundamental skill for lifelong learning. The upright position lets babies observe their environment, enhancing their cognitive, linguistic, and sensory growth. While comfortably positioned on their mother's back, infants can experience a range of auditory stimuli, such as morning greetings, community conversations, and market negotiations. This exposure to diverse sounds and interactions positively influences their overall language development. The significance of highlighting these indigenous practices lies in their potential to offer alternative perspectives on child development in an increasingly globalized world. Educators and policymakers can gain valuable insights into diverse approaches to nurturing children's growth by recognizing and studying these methods. Incorporating these practices into mainstream education and childcare systems could lead to more inclusive and culturally responsive approaches that benefit children from diverse backgrounds. Preserving and promoting these indigenous practices not only supports the cultural heritage of indigenous communities but also enriches our collective understanding of child development and well-being. Early Childhood Education Ethiopia #earlychildhoodeducaton #indigenouspractices #leadingtheway

As we enter the season of giving, we are reminded of Rumi’s words: "Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life." At Early Childhood Education Ethiopia, gratitude is the cornerstone of our work. As a young and growing organization, we deeply value our donors, partners, collaborators, and followers' trust in us. Your unwavering support has been instrumental in transforming our mission and vision into tangible impacts—serving children and families in rural communities throughout Ethiopia. In our short time, we have made monumental progress and with additional support, we are confident we will reach even greater heights. This #GivingTuesday, we invite you to join our community of dedicated donors who sustain our work month after month. With a commitment of just $20 a month, you can transform the early education opportunities for children impacting their lives and building the foundation to reach their chosen future aspirations. Your generosity creates lasting change, empowering us to: **Increase enrollment in preschool programs. **Build safe and appropriate learning environments. **Train passionate, skilled teachers. **Equip classrooms with the tools children need to thrive. Thank you for journeying with us and for making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve. 👉 Start your impact today: https://lnkd.in/gjf7Aj6M #GivingTuesday #earlychildhoodeducation #communitydevelopment #leadingwithchildren

On World Children's Day, we celebrate one of the most powerful aspects of childhood: a good friend or set of friends. Children who have at least one good friend are better able to overcome challenges, strengthen their resilience skills, and grow up with a place in their hearts filled with memories, laughter, and the joys of friendship. A good friend provides support, companionship, and a sense of belonging that is essential for a child's emotional and social development. On this special day, let us recognize the importance of nurturing friendships among children. As parents, caregivers, and educators, we can encourage our children to form healthy friendships by providing opportunities for social interaction, modeling positive social behaviors, and teaching them the values of kindness, respect, and inclusivity. #worldchildrensday #earlychildhoodeducationethiopia #joysofchildhood

What do you hear and see? These 35 seconds reveal one of the ways children acquire knowledge through sound, visual aids, repetition, and active participation. A child's brain during the early years is remarkable in recording transferable experiences. These experiences, when repeated over time and positively reinforced, become coded into neural pathways across different brain regions, stored and retrieved as needed, now and later. As children observe, some passively and others actively, we witness several positive aspects of this direct and indirect social experience. While the young boy in this video recites the Fidel alphabet, children are exposed to shapes that represent different sounds, and they're challenged to understand that a change in shape also means a change in sound. Knowledge seeps through children's hearts and minds in multiple dimensions. This seemingly simple activity unfolds into much more than an alphabet recital session - their memory is expanding and framing this episode, capturing their friends' seating arrangements, the room's colors, their peers' clothing, and in the background, the rhythmic citation of the alphabet. This sounding moment reminds us of Ethiopia's educational roots, an indigenous system once considered informal was one of the most advanced approaches of its time. This moment offers valuable insights while highlighting opportunities for further integration. What's crucial is maintaining the distinction between building early conceptual knowledge and developing foundational skills, not foundational learning. 'Learning' emerges later through a series of sequences, drawing upon tools and resources developed from earlier gathered skills built through diverse experiences. Educational interventions, whether global or local, must be mindful of preserving and honoring indigenous educational practices that have proven effective for generations rather than overshadowing these valuable traditions with one-size-fits-all campaigns or strategies. Early Childhood Education Ethiopia #earlyeducaiton #indigenouseducation #leadingwithchildren

The Early Childhood Education Ethiopia core team members, led by Yisehak Shata, PE, PMP, Yonatan Chere, Betelhem T. Eshete and Muluken Beza met with our new support team members as we advance our pursuit of Envision verification from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). Envision, ISI's comprehensive framework and rating system, evaluate infrastructure projects through the lens of sustainability across five main categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World, and Climate and Resilience. During the meeting, the team conducted an in-depth review of ISI, key criteria, and documentation requirements, highlighting the project's strengths and plans for the year. The team also discussed the framework, and expectations, and identified essential materials needed to support the categories and credits under Envision related to the community preschool project. The community preschool project currently under construction stands as a testament to ECEE's commitment to sustainable early learning infrastructure, marking a historic milestone as the first registered project in Africa to pursue Envision verification (https://lnkd.in/eKjZ7hxq). This project demonstrates our approach to sustainable infrastructure and creates a blueprint for future early childhood education, establishing the foundation for scalable facilities that prioritize environmental stewardship, community engagement, and increased access to quality early childhood programs in rural communities. We are pleased to welcome the first round of local experts to our Envision working group; Eshetie Tilahun, Hydraulics and Water Resource Engineer, Temesgen Addis, Electrical Engineer, and Niguse Gezahegn, Geologist. Their deep understanding of local conditions and technical proficiency will be instructive as we continue the work on our sustainable infrastructure practices. #envision #ISI #earlyeducaitonethiopia #ruralcommunities #indigenoussystems

We are often asked, "Is it possible to achieve high-quality early childhood education in rural communities?" Our progress offers a resounding "Yes!" Early Childhood Education Ethiopia's ongoing community preschool construction project for 450 children in Debre Tabor, Ethiopia, demonstrates that achieving a high-quality, responsive, innovative, and developmentally appropriate environment for young learners in rural communities is both possible and essential. Too often, approaches that prioritize theoretical change ideals over practical realities fail to address the complex challenges children and their families face. By disregarding local knowledge and context, these strategies overlook critical factors that guarantee educational access and participation. To truly expand access to early learning, a more holistic approach is necessary, one that considers the comprehensive needs of the child, including socioeconomic factors, environmental considerations, and individual learning requirements. As an organization, we believe securing Early Childhood Education Ethiopia's "learner-ready generation" begins by prioritizing the construction of facilities that serve as effective early learning environments, recognizing that a well-designed classroom acts as a third teacher. Access to quality early learning is primarily achieved by expanding the availability of resilient and sustainable preschool programs in rural areas. Even before entering the classroom, children recognize when an environment, both inside and outside, including materials, craftsmanship, and design, is built with them in mind, a critical component of early childhood education. Intentionally built early learning programs support children’s development, play, curiosity, and learning. The integration of developmentally appropriate concepts extends far beyond aesthetics and directly influences cognitive development, social interactions, and overall educational outcomes. By incorporating locally sourced materials and culturally relevant elements, these classrooms create a powerful sense of familiarity and belonging. This approach transforms the educational setting into a true microcosm of a broader cultural landscape, seamlessly bridging the gap between children's classroom experiences and their daily lives in the community. #earlyeducationethiopia #envision #ruraldevelopment #indigenouslearning

Introducing ECEE's Educator Certificate Program In 2021, Early Childhood Education Ethiopia (ECEE) spearheaded a parent engagement training initiative across four regions, partnering with six universities, hospitals, early education centers, and local government offices. The program utilized local faculty members, physicians, and supervisors to deliver weekly training sessions over a month-long period. This country-wide training opportunity was highly effective, attracting a diverse group of participants including parents, educators, local supervisors, and other stakeholders. The training covered a wide range of topics, from discipline techniques to communication methods, trauma-informed care practices, teaching and learning approaches and much more. Building on its initial success, ECEE has consistently provided educational and professional growth opportunities for teachers, parents, and specialists over the years. These training initiatives were designed to broaden educators' expertise while deepening their understanding of the learning environment. The overarching aim was to create a training framework for education that addresses community needs using an approach focused on strengths. Monthly training sessions were conducted to track capacity, identify obstacles, and gauge professional development. Participants showed consistent attendance and sought input on which abilities they should enhance to better meet children's needs. The participants' eagerness to implement new knowledge and skills has been particularly encouraging. Last week, ECEE met with the inaugural group of educators who will engage in a 10-month training and development program to become the first cohort of ECEE's Educators Certificate program. We had in-depth discussions with ten proposed topics and asked the educators to prioritize their learning based on what they considered most crucial as initial steps. True to their profession, the educators chose to focus on lesson planning first, followed by parent engagement and sequenced the rest of the topics. Their decision to prioritize lesson planning and parent engagement demonstrates a profound understanding of the key elements that contribute to effective teaching. This program aims to establish a framework for developing the ECE workforce through a cooperative learning platform throughout Ethiopia.  A highlight of this launching meeting is the presence of our high school intern, Abigail, whose growth mindset, determination, and support are enhancing the organization's social media presence.  Finally, ECEE extends its sincere appreciation to Desalew Alehegn, who serves as our project manager in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. His dedication, strong leadership, and tireless efforts have been instrumental in furthering ECEE's mission and vision. Early Childhood Education Ethiopia #leadingtheway, #earlychildhoodeducation #teachertraining #ECE

የልጆችን:መማር:እና:ማስተማር :ለማሻሻል:ምርጡ:ስልት:የትኛው:ነው? ትምህርት:ብዙውን:ጊዜ:የሚቀርበው:ከላይ:ወደታች ባለ:መንገድ:ነው። ልጆች:በለጋ:ዕድሜያቸው: የሚሰጣቸው: ትምህርት: ማህበራዊ፣ስሜታዊ:እና:ባህላዊ: ክፍሎችን: ስያካትት: ዕውቀትን:የመቅሰም: ችሎታቸው: በጣም:ይጨምራል:: ለዚህም:ነው: የኢትዮጵያ: የቅድመ:ልጅነት:ትምህርት:ድርጅት: ይህንን: የትምህርት: አሰጣጥ: አካሄድ: ወደ: ተግባር: ለመለወጥ:እየሰራ:የሚገኘው። Early Childhood Education Ethiopia

What is the most effective approach to facilitating children's learning? While pedagogy is often conceptualized from a top-down perspective, children in their formative years acquire knowledge most effectively when they establish social, emotional, and cultural connections to the subject matter.  It is only then that they can mobilize their cognitive abilities to apply what is taught inside and outside the classroom. Follow us to learn more about our "Learner Ready Generation Approach". Early Childhood Education Ethiopia