Getting to Know International Contacts---part 2

I listened to a podcast from World Forum Radio. Unfortunately, I never was able to establish a contact, so I am completing the alternative assignment. I was able to listen to a podcast from Barbara Jones and learn some information about her and her contribution to early childhood care and education. She shared her story about becoming Montessori teacher years ago. She said it was a philosophy she was unsure about at first, but was in need of work after finishing her college work. She worked at this job and even did some work with YMCA.  She eventually started to develop a passion for Montessori and went on to pursue her certification as a Montessori teacher. She eventually opened her own school in Maine around 1984, Pine Groove Child Development Center. She continues to serve children and families for about 25 years now.

Learning more about the “Global Children’s Initiative” was an eye opening experience. It’s great to know we have this type of project going on currently to help provide children with more opportunities to gain a better education around the world. I was able to learn the following insights about this initiative:

1. There are 3 domains, which include; early childhood development, mental health; and children in crisis and conflict situations.

2. Each of these domains is being guided by a faculty working group that will facilitate continuing cross-disciplinary collaboration; design and implement new projects; and engage additional faculty, students, and collaborators beyond the Harvard community. 

3. This initiative project with work to help support children in low economic situations to more well off children. Ideas will be shared collaboratively with the United States.

Websites:

http://ccie-media.s3.amazonaws.com/podcasts/WFR_09_BarbaraJones.mp3

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/global_childrens_initiative__activities/

Sharing Web Resources

The section of early childhood and latest news offer relevant information for my position as a PK teacher. I can go there and read about things HCZ uses in their programs and reflect on what I’m doing currently. Reading the latest news section keeps me current with social events, policies, or positions that are taking place.

Harlem Children’s Zone president/CEO Geoffrey Canada was named one of the world’s best leaders in Fortune Magazine. I was happy to see that people who dedicate themselves to the educational field can really make a difference in the lives of so many. Also because of his hard work politicians, like President Obama has used Geoffrey’s work with HCZ to offer programs, such as these, in states where education is at a low. This is the positive support we need from politicians in the early childhood field.

Geoffrey Canada offers his position on poverty. He believes that providing children with high quality care with help with this issue. He also suggests 5 steps that could help make a difference.

1) Reform the bureaucracy.

2) End the public school monopoly.

3) Attract and retain more great teachers.

4) Make teaching and learning full-time jobs.

5) Create incentives for excellent teachers.

Seeing these 5 steps made me think about the issue of gaining and retaining highly qualified teachers in a new way. I think that creating incentives  and better pay for school educators would definitely help when trying to shape more high quality early childhood education and care programs.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

I still have not been able to get a contact to communicate with for this assignment. So I was attempting to do the alternate assignment by assessing the childhoodpoverty.org webpage, but I was unable to pull up the page. I contacted the professor about my concerns about the assignment. So being stuck in a stand still, I decided to type in Google search about CHIP and found out they partner with Save the Children. So I decided to look into their website and research poverty concerns in Nepal, Asia. I was devastated to find out how poverty has really had an effect on children and families in this country. Also I was able to find the following facts  and statistics , according to Save the Children (2014):

·         “Poverty Rate: 24%”

·         “Save the Children's programs support the formation and development of women's groups, community-based organizations, and self-help groups with leadership training, management skills, and limited seed money to expand access to credit.”

·         “Entrenched poverty and a decade of violent political instability have taken a toll on the Nepalese people, although a lasting peace is gaining momentum, creating real hope for long-term political reconciliation. Much of the population lives in remote rural areas on the plains and others living in scattered settlements in the hills and mountains. More than one in three people in Nepal live in extreme poverty, subsisting on less than $1 per day.”

Resources

Save the Children (2014).  Nepal. Retrieved from

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150545/k.B8DE/Nepal.htm?sessionid=1395538383308.1816

Sharing Web Resources!!!

The organization I chose to study is called the “Harlem Children’s Zone” or HCZ for short. The link to the website is www.hcz.org/home . The organization focuses on providing free educational services to children and families in the community of Harlem. The program offers services to pregnant mothers and cares for these children up to after high school.  The project first started in 1970 but had expansions in 1990s, under the leadership and vision of president, CEO Geoffrey Canada, working with only several blocks in the Harlem neighborhood. The project has been such a success that the block area of the project has been widened and offers services like Baby College, early childhood programs, elementary school, high school, and even college preparatory classes, and also community outreach services.

A current issue or trend that caught my attention, as it relates to change in demographics, is the ‘Promise Zones’ that President Obama wants to use to model these same efforts with five places in the U.S. that are dealing with poverty and helping children. These five areas will be San Antonio, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Southeastern Kentucky and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. I feel that with the success HCZ has had in the community of Harlem, these five areas will have a great success, as well. Building the community and helping assist children with better education will essentially lower poverty and allow for more productive members of society to be raised out of these communities. It will eventually help the area and people living there in the long run. Check out the following link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/10/us/politics/obama-announces-promise-zones-in-5-stricken-areas.html?_r=0 for more information on the ‘Promise Zones.’

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

Hello to All,

Contacting professionals has been an adventure for me. I didn’t know what direction to take on my own to establish contact with someone outside the United States, so I found it helpful to go to the resources provided on blackboard. I chose two contacts from Europe using one of the websites provided, but I wasn’t able to establish any communication with them. I pursued two more contacts from Europe, as well; I have emailed them a few days ago explaining who I am and my purpose for the contact. Unfortunately, I have not got any responses back. However, I will remain hopeful until the beginning of this upcoming week. If I don’t get responses, then I will most definitely choose the alternate assignment for part 1. Choosing an early childhood organization website was much easier for me. I decided to stick with early childhood organizations within the United States. I looked through the resources provided and picked two that stood out the most to me which were Society for Research in Child Development http://www.srcd.org/ or  Harlem Children's Zone http://www.hcz.org/. After exploring each website, Harlem Children’s Zone resonated with me the most. I feel personal connection because I represent that race/ethnicity and also professional connection because in my school district’s pre-k classes, we serve children that are considered ‘at risk’ (homeless, minority, or low-income). I can’t wait to begin my journey with this organization and with my personal contacts, whoever they will be. If anyone has been successful with establishing contacts, please share with me, so I can confirm mine.

Thanks in advance,

Tierra Jackson

My Supports

When I think about my daily supports in my life, the first would have to be my faith in God. God is the guide of my life and knowing that I can trust and believe in His word helps me to manage in life daily. I start off my morning with the support of God’s word by reading a Bible verse and committing to a daily devotional. This helps me face life in a positive, loving way and be ready to achieve any tasks that may come my way. Without this support, I would be lost, confusion, discouraged in any goal I was trying to reach and would be hopeless in this world we live in.

Another support would be the emotional, physical, and sometimes monetary support from family members. They help me by communicating with me during ups and downs that I encounter in my life. They have provided me at some time in my life a place to stay, positive conversations, and some monetary help when I needed certain things, along with emotional support. Without them I would feel that I was all alone. I wouldn’t have that shoulder I need to lean on for comfort in my time of need.

Another important support would be my technology devices, like my cell phone and laptop. These devices help me communicate with others, stay on schedule, and do important homework assignments. They help me also keep up with my social life and my friends, co-workers, and colleagues. Without technology, my life would be at a whack. I couldn’t communicate as quickly, stay on schedule, and just keep up with daily assignments and people that are in my social life.

 The support of my son Kingston helps keep me motivated to keep pushing forward in life. He has given me a reason and purpose to do my best, so he can have the best and not have to be faced with certain challenges. He is my joy and the reason I am a part of this class today. I don’t even want to imagine the support of his love being away from me. Without him I would be lost, confused, and looking for a certain something to fill the void and joy that only a child can bring.

I also need the basic supports that help me on a daily basis. These are food, shelter, and clothes for me and my son. We need food to nourish our bodies and keep us healthy. Shelter to protect us and keep us safe and warm or cool, depending on the weather in Texas. Clothes to protect our bodies and keep us warm/cool. Without these vital essentials, we would be helpless, hungry, and homeless. I don’t want to even imagine life without them.

My Connections to Play

 
       


"We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” – George Bernard Shaw




“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” -  Fred Rogers

      

 

 

 

When I was younger, play was always encouraged and supported. I was often encouraged  to go play outside and engage in play with neighborhood friends and close cousins. We often used our imaginations and created games to play. Sitting in front of the t.v. was not much of an option once homework was done. I feel play today is not what it was for me when I was growing up. I feel play is less encouraged due to safety concerns and technology devices readily made available.  My hope is that children are allowed opportunities to play outside, with supervision, and allowed to be creative with their play.  Also to be able to use the imaginations to create  optimal play opportunities.  I feel play is essential for children to develop physically, socially, cognitively, and creatively.