She Can Sing. She Can Dance. She's Beautiful. Know What Else? She's All In On An Important Issue.
Shakira is worried about the kids of the world. All of 'em. So she's talking with the White House. Think she doesn't know her stuff? Well first, set down your haterade to the left... ...and let's see what she has to say.
12.23.14
Shakira is many things:
But one of those things that she is happens to be an outspoken activist for early childhood education.
In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation, which provides schools for poor children all around her native Colombia.
And she cares *deeply* about inequality.
. @theonlywayisjam growing up surrounded by inequality made me intolerant to it, & research showed me that education was the solution to it
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
So she called up the White House and just started throwing down the knowledge.
You want solid suggestions about how to improve early education? She's got solid suggestions about how to improve early education.
#ShakiraEdChat It's key to have comprehensive programs, teacher training, AND work with the parents to work in challenging environments
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
And you bet Shak knows her case studies on early childhood education.
ECD in Chile...
. @PreschoolNation Chile's model increased funds for ECD & schools , virtually eliminated illiteracy & drastically improved teacher training
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
ECD in her home country, Colombia...
In Col with our schools we've seen crime rates drop & gangs disband. Kids who'd have been recruited are on the way to univ. #ShakiraEdChat
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
Shakira: international pop sensation, belly dancer, and gang breaker-upper.
Tell us about the numbers, Shakira!
. @CO7649 Every $1 invested in early ed for disadvantaged kids has a return of at least 10% & reduces social spending. Numbers don't lie!
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
How much do we love Shakira for using a play on words from her own lyrics?
Preschool costs ~ $8k per year per child. Juvenile detention costs ~ $90k per year per child. Again-numbers don't lie. #ShakiraEdChat
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
How to get leaders behind us? (ECD):
. @DJRarela showing leaders how early ed gives back & sharing success stories of transformed communities strengthens the case for investing
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
Who's ready to take the Shak Challenge???
Agree! RT @arneduncan .@FeimM Please challenge all political leaders to invest in high quality learning opportunities for children 0-5.
— Shakira (@shakira) December 10, 2014
A simple way to begin to solve to the widespread problem of inequality.
I'm glad she spoke out.
What do you think, Adam Levine GIF?
Yeah.
Research has shown that an investment in early childhood education actually makes money for your state*. I think that more people should know that, don't you?
* From the White House:"Earnings gains from increased enrollment in early childhood education would provide benefits that outweigh the costs of the program. Researchers estimate the gain in income for recent statewide programs over a child's career to be $9,166 to $30,851, after taking out the cost of the program.If enrollment increased by 13 percentage points, in the long-run these earnings gains translate into an increase in GDP of 0.16 to 0.44 percent."