Every three years, there is a moment in which media attention invariably shifts to the topic of education: the publication of results from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). These tests measure knowledge of math, reading and science in 15-year-olds from 65 countries around the world. In 2012, eight countries in Latin America participated: Argentina, … [Read more...] about 5 Lessons from PISA on the Advisability of Expanding Preschool Access
New Teacher: When Change Comes (Yet Again) to Your Child’s Daycare
I recently took a look at some figures on child care staff at public daycare centers in Peru and Ecuador. I found that the average caregiver has been in her position just shy of a year in Peru and a year and a half in Ecuador. In other words, child care services suffer from a high degree of staff turnover. … [Read more...] about New Teacher: When Change Comes (Yet Again) to Your Child’s Daycare
Play Areas Where Kids Can Just Play
Last year I took my two daughters, ages 5 and 6, to Disneyland. After greeting and taking photos with the countless characters that we came across, getting on all kinds of rides, trains and carousels, and enjoying the various shows, my daughter, looking visibly worn-out, asked, “Hey, mom…isn’t there a regular park here where kids can just play?” … [Read more...] about Play Areas Where Kids Can Just Play
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: Are Poor People Bad Parents?
On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we would like to reflect on the need to strengthen parenting skills, especially in those mothers and fathers living in poverty. There are several programs and services in the region that use different approaches to support families, particularly those with the lowest socioeconomic status, in the tasks of childrearing and … [Read more...] about International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: Are Poor People Bad Parents?
We’ve Found the Cure-all for Leftist and Rightist Governments
In recent years, several countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have very clearly expressed, through their democratic processes, a political preference for equity. It is quite interesting to note that, along with hopes for increased economic growth, countries such as Peru and Chile are looking to reform their policies in favor of social inclusion. With that said, what … [Read more...] about We’ve Found the Cure-all for Leftist and Rightist Governments