Getting to Know Your International Contacts- Part 3

During my podcast research this week I decided to follow Barbara Jones (BJ).






Barbara Jones (BJ) founded the Pine Grove School in Falmouth, Maine in 1985 and celebrates the school 25th anniversary this year. The school is a charming, wood-shingled building nested in a grove of pine trees and was used as a school house as far back as 1917.

The Pine Grove School was featured in a Program Showcase section of the July/August 2012 issue of Exchange magazine. 

During BJ's podcast she explained how she came into the education field. She also explained her transition from California to Maine. BJ also spent some of her time with the YMCA and this is where she realized that this was the area that she wanted to focus in. BJ found an old abandoned building and decided that she was going to turn this building into her very own Montessori school.  


This week while studying the UNESCO website I decided to focus on the Investment and Financing section. Through out all of my research I have come across the same major issue each time for programs not being able to run as they should and that is the lack of resources. This website explains that this issue is especially an issue for developing countries where early education is overshadowed for priorities that are pressing at the time. The only other option for children in these areas is to be enrolled into a private sector. The issue with this is that not all families can afford the cost of private education and rely on the support of government
 funding to programs. 

Resources:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources

This week while researching through the National Forum On Early Childhood Policy and Programs I decided to look further into the "About" tab. When looking at different programs I realized that I usually never take the time to look into the mission behind the program. This programs mission is to compare different research information that they have researched and bring them all together into one data base. I am looking forward to learning more information on how students can become more involved within this research, 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 2

This week I decided to choose Susan Lyon. Listening to her podcast this week reminded me why I enjoy working with this age group of children. Early childhood through maybe about third grade a child is still learning how to adapt to the world and how to allow what is happening to affect their life. Something that Susan explained was when she was trying to help the child with the word but didn't  want to tell him what it was at first even with the frustration that she seen progressing she stood her ground until the right moment. I am going to start to implement this into my own educating because even though I know child like assistance they may not always need it but instead a push to help them in the right direction of figure things out themselves. 










While looking over the "Global Children's Initiative" website I came across a paper discussing how "Maternal Depression Can Undermine the Development of Young Children". Working within the Early Childhood field I have learned that we as educators over look the reasoning of why a child is reacting or not reacting in a particular manor. This paper shows some of the view points that educators need to start considering. 

I have always found an interest on figuring out the "Why's" of a child's actions. This website was able to give a stronger idea of why children react the way they do, and this has to do with the science make up in their brains due to abuse, trauma or neglect. 

I have contacted a recreation center that I grew up going to as a child and asked them if they were willing to try and start a new program offering children an alternative outreach to those who are seeking more in their education but just have not been able to find a place to go. I was told that they would get back to me with some additional information on how they would be able to provide this help. Even though this may require me to have to move back to my home town for a little while, I am looking forward to giving back to the community of those who gave back to me. 

Sharing Web Recources

Currently I am working on implementing programs that target all of the children in my group. My children come from many different communities and family backgrounds. Through out this weeks research I found the  Early Childhood Education section on the NBCDI website to give me some more insight on the attempts other educators are doing to work with organizations based on the education of children. The section speaks about the Head Start National Research Conference and how educators from every spectrum had the  opportunity to come and sit down together and speak of the opportunities of change. 

Looking through the website I came across the affiliates tab. On this tab it spoke about the different chapters across the nation that offer their services to children in need. Something I learned throughout my studies is it is not always the children that live in tough areas that need assistance but all children can use a helping hand. 

I spent most of my time on the initiatives tab, something else I found interesting is how the NBCDI goes into detail about how different aspects such as health in the home and fitness along with nutrition is listed as an importance for the well being of a child. 

Children not only need assistance on the education area, but in the well being of their lives. We as educators, politicizations, scientists have an affect on children. 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

During this course we have learned that childhood poverty is not just effecting us close to home but all over the world. I know some believe that we can not do much from across the world but there are websites and resources that provide information of these innocent children's struggles. 

According to the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre (www.childhoodpoverty.org), an estimated 400 million of the population are between the ages of 0-18. With this estimate about 62 million of these children are under the age of 5 and malnourished. India accounts for 20 percent of the worlds out-of-school children.  

Introducing Podcast Participant:

Delfena Mitchell is the director of a children's home called Liberty Children's Home on the outskirts of Belize City. The children that she houses have come to her because they have either been physically or sexually abused. Something she explained that caught my attention was when she stated when a child comes into her care she allows them time to heal. This time is not to keep them from the other children but just the chance to feel comfortable. Children shut down in ways that help them cope all alone once they have been abused. She spoke about a 9 year old boy who was physically abused and observed abuse. Due to this trauma the child had not spoken for over a year. Any educator who takes the time to show children that it is okay to become comfortable and trust them. It takes a strong mindset to open your heart to children in need and I believe Delfena is doing an amazing job. 

What have I learned:

Listening to different podcast and professionals from different parts of the world who have a passion working with children, I have learned the welfare of a child runs much deeper than providing food, shelter, and water. Putting your own personal biases and feelings to the side to help a child over come traumas only makes us more in demand as educators. As an educator I have learned from the podcast that every action a child may see me do can be uninterrupted the wrong way and be expressed inappropriately. I have learned the importance of learning how to express certain topics to children on a level they will understand. 

What will I take away from this:

I am an educator and I know that I must not over look how important my role in the children I come encounter with is. Children look up to me and it is my duty to make sure that they example I am setting will help to lead them to a better understanding of themselves. Children are like molding clay, the building blocks that you set for them to start forming will bee the start of their self reform.  

National Black Child Development Institute

The organization that I choose to do more research on is:
National Black Child Development Institute:  www.nbcdi.org

This organizations mission is to improve and advance the live of Black children and their families, through advocacy and education. They are built up of volunteers all over the nation who have the same desires and motives in helping young children. Some of the focuses of this organization are to improve child welfare services, make universal early care and education a reality, build family support services, press for educational reform and vital information regarding our children's health. 

What caught my attention about this organization was their focus in their Early Childhood Education section. Being and African American daughter to a single mother of two, I was automatically put into a stereotype that I was going to struggle to make something of myself and that I was going to fall into the foot steps of my mother. I was blessed to have a supportive family and hard working mother who would do anything to see her children succeed. I know that not every child has that choice. Not every child has parent's at home who can help them with their homework or be a support in their lives. This particular section of this website shows different workshops that are offered to parents to help them with knowing how to support their children, starting with the building confidence and self esteem for themselves. 

As an educator I believe that going to workshops that are not directly related with our jobs can be extremely beneficial to our children and and families. I  have decided that I am going to look into attending at least one workshop a year and see what I can take back with me and apply to my own classroom and community. 

Getting Started-Establishing Professional Contacts

During this course I have decided to do my research on Africa. I have found it interesting to see how different parents of the world apply particular areas and subjects that we sometimes over look here in the U.S. My ultimate goal is to be able apply different procedures and tactics that others use to my own program and learn to expand from them. I decided to use the UNICEF website to access my two professional connections.

This week I sent emails to the both the contacts in both Congo and Ghana. I have not received a response from either of these emails but I do not believe that I need to choose the alternate part 1 assignment.


I am interested in finding out the different areas that my colleagues choose to research and how they plan to use what they have learned and apply this to their own teachings.