The website I chose was www.savethechildren.org. As I mentioned on my last blog, their focus (strategy) goes as follows: "Grounded in our shared vision of a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation, Save the Children’s new mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Our new global vision, mission, values and strategy are very much a part of Save the Children’s longstanding principles and are consistent with our strategic priorities." They even have a strategic plan called "Getting to Great for Children".
One issue that caught my attention was the "Syrian Children in Crisis". Apparently, there is a huge conflict between the president and the people over there and they are on a brink of a "civil war". The United States and surrounding countries are trying to get involved to stop the crisis. Children and adults have been killed during this crisis. The Save the Children website has a petition that one can sign in order to suppport the stopping the killing in Syria. Mine is on the list, #624...
I didn't see any additional information on the website that is related to this week's topic but I will say that the Save the Children website is a very diverse website period. And they focus on children all across the world, not just one country in particular. But the topic that caught my eye caused me to do more research on what is going on in Syria. So now I am more informed. Here's the link to the article where I found addtional information: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/syria/index.html
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Getting Ready—Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources
I started my process of getting in contact with an early childhood professional by trying to access the World Forum Foundation Website (http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php) and I was successful but I was not able to pull up the radio. So I decided to research the World Foundation Website and the Save the Children (http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm) website since I was not able to pull up the radio (I hope this is ok to do).
I just started a new job so I'm adjusting to my new schedule. But since I work throughout the day, by the time I get a break, it is not only after business hours for me but it was also be after business hours elsewhere. So I sent an email to twebster@savechildren.org since she was under the "contact us" tab on the website.and I sent an email to info@WorldForumFoundation.com to try to get in contact with a childhood professional. I am waiting on a reply from both.
I decided to look more into the "Save the Children" website since it was on the list and I like their strategy:
"Grounded in our shared vision of a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation, Save the Children’s new mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Our new global vision, mission, values and strategy are very much a part of Save the Children’s longstanding principles and are consistent with our strategic priorities."
I believe that their strategy expresses specific ways in which the organization supports the early childhood community and the resources it offers. I can see myself working with them somehow in the near future...I subscribed to the electronic news letters and email updates. This should be a good start...
I just started a new job so I'm adjusting to my new schedule. But since I work throughout the day, by the time I get a break, it is not only after business hours for me but it was also be after business hours elsewhere. So I sent an email to twebster@savechildren.org since she was under the "contact us" tab on the website.and I sent an email to info@WorldForumFoundation.com to try to get in contact with a childhood professional. I am waiting on a reply from both.
I decided to look more into the "Save the Children" website since it was on the list and I like their strategy:
"Grounded in our shared vision of a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation, Save the Children’s new mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Our new global vision, mission, values and strategy are very much a part of Save the Children’s longstanding principles and are consistent with our strategic priorities."
I believe that their strategy expresses specific ways in which the organization supports the early childhood community and the resources it offers. I can see myself working with them somehow in the near future...I subscribed to the electronic news letters and email updates. This should be a good start...
Saturday, February 11, 2012
My Supports
The supports that come to mind when I think about my everyday life are God, money, a roof over my head, my laptop, my family and friends. All of these things work together in my life. God is my everything. He gives me whatever I need. I need money to get through the day. I need a roof over my head for shelter. I need my laptop for school and business purposes. And I need my family and friends because...I just do!
I don't want to know where I would be wiithout God. I could have all the money in the world, all the houses in the world, the "sweetest" laptop ever and all the family and friends that a person could ever want. But without God, I would be nothing. Having God in my life has been a major benefit. And because of Him, I have everything and all the supports I need. If I did not have Him, I would probably still have the things I need, but I wouldn't as happy and as strong as I am today.
Getting through the day is a challenge in itself. So without these supports, I can see myself facing a lot of unnecessary challenges. For example, if I didn't have God, I probably wouldn't pray and would probably lack the strength for getting through the day. Then I probably have a harder time getting money and keeping a roof over my head because I would need knowledge and wisdom from Him in order to come across these things and maintain. I probably wouldn't have the type of laptop I have because I probably just would have getting anything instead of a good computer. And I probably wouldn't realize how much of a blessing it is to have family and friends.
Some people look to earthly things to be their supports, but I look to the "hills" for mine. And from Him, comes the things I need. I could probably name a thousand more supports, but these stick out to me as of right now. He has been very good to me. And I hope you all feel the same way. Thank you for reading my blog. God bless...
I don't want to know where I would be wiithout God. I could have all the money in the world, all the houses in the world, the "sweetest" laptop ever and all the family and friends that a person could ever want. But without God, I would be nothing. Having God in my life has been a major benefit. And because of Him, I have everything and all the supports I need. If I did not have Him, I would probably still have the things I need, but I wouldn't as happy and as strong as I am today.
Getting through the day is a challenge in itself. So without these supports, I can see myself facing a lot of unnecessary challenges. For example, if I didn't have God, I probably wouldn't pray and would probably lack the strength for getting through the day. Then I probably have a harder time getting money and keeping a roof over my head because I would need knowledge and wisdom from Him in order to come across these things and maintain. I probably wouldn't have the type of laptop I have because I probably just would have getting anything instead of a good computer. And I probably wouldn't realize how much of a blessing it is to have family and friends.
Some people look to earthly things to be their supports, but I look to the "hills" for mine. And from Him, comes the things I need. I could probably name a thousand more supports, but these stick out to me as of right now. He has been very good to me. And I hope you all feel the same way. Thank you for reading my blog. God bless...
Saturday, January 28, 2012
My Connections to Play
"Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities."Stuart Brown, MD
Contemporary American psychiatrist
"A child loves his play, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard."Benjamin Spock
American pediatrician
1903–1998
When I was a little girl. I wanted to be a doctor. I wasn't sure what type of doctor I wanted to be but I wanted to be one. My grandmother was very suppportive. She used to let me "work on her" with my play doctor tools. I used to love giving her shots! lol Her feet and ankles used to swell so I would "help" her make the swelling go down with my medical expertise!
I loved playing Nintendo too. And since I wanted to be a doctor so bad, I enjoyed playing Dr. Mario, which is a very strategic game. Matching the pills was a fun concept to me! I believe it helped my brain develop in a more creative way.
To me, play is different for children these days due to technology. Granted, smaller children still play amongst each other but it seems that older children are leaning towards more computer games and game systems. When I was growing up, I played outside with my friends and did a lot of physical activities. Granted I had a game system too but I still enjoyed being outside. I have noticed that a lot children rather play indoors, which to me, limits them to only one type of play. Children should have a variety of play. Being versatile comes with being creative in my eyes. We should encourage children to have an open mind and be willing to try new things indoors and outdoors so they can experience play at all levels with no boundaries...
I believe play has benefitted me throughout my childhood because not only was it a chance for me to be creative, but it was a coping strategy as well. I experienced a lot as a child and play helped me to "escape reality". And now as an adult, when I am "going through something" I find myself doing things such as playing games or "acting silly" in order to take my mind off things. I believe play helps because you have to come up with a strategy to "conquer" or "win", whether it's a game on the computer or a game with friends. And I believe that helps us deal with life better because when we run into a problem, we have to come up with a plan of action to solve it. I also believe play helps children to discover what and who they want to do in life. Look at some of the celebrities who sing. Some of them used to put on concerts for their stuffed animals and/or their friends. Now look at them. They are living out their dreams! Therefore, play not only benefits us as children, but it also benefits us as adults...play is a necessity for all!
Quotes retrieved from: http://www.thestrong.org/about-play/play-quotes
Contemporary American psychiatrist
"A child loves his play, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard."Benjamin Spock
American pediatrician
1903–1998
I loved playing Nintendo too. And since I wanted to be a doctor so bad, I enjoyed playing Dr. Mario, which is a very strategic game. Matching the pills was a fun concept to me! I believe it helped my brain develop in a more creative way.
To me, play is different for children these days due to technology. Granted, smaller children still play amongst each other but it seems that older children are leaning towards more computer games and game systems. When I was growing up, I played outside with my friends and did a lot of physical activities. Granted I had a game system too but I still enjoyed being outside. I have noticed that a lot children rather play indoors, which to me, limits them to only one type of play. Children should have a variety of play. Being versatile comes with being creative in my eyes. We should encourage children to have an open mind and be willing to try new things indoors and outdoors so they can experience play at all levels with no boundaries...
I believe play has benefitted me throughout my childhood because not only was it a chance for me to be creative, but it was a coping strategy as well. I experienced a lot as a child and play helped me to "escape reality". And now as an adult, when I am "going through something" I find myself doing things such as playing games or "acting silly" in order to take my mind off things. I believe play helps because you have to come up with a strategy to "conquer" or "win", whether it's a game on the computer or a game with friends. And I believe that helps us deal with life better because when we run into a problem, we have to come up with a plan of action to solve it. I also believe play helps children to discover what and who they want to do in life. Look at some of the celebrities who sing. Some of them used to put on concerts for their stuffed animals and/or their friends. Now look at them. They are living out their dreams! Therefore, play not only benefits us as children, but it also benefits us as adults...play is a necessity for all!
Quotes retrieved from: http://www.thestrong.org/about-play/play-quotes
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Relationship Reflection
Relationships and partnerships are important to me because I do not like travelling life's journey all by myself. Don't get me wrong, I have my moments when I want to be by myself, not bothered by anyone. However, I have learned many lessons and have heard the best life stories from people. I cannot imagine my life without people. They have played a major part in who I am today.
At this present time, the positive relationships I have in my life are with my Aunt Dorothy, my cousins Michael, Damon, Daishawn and D'cari, my best friend Kim and an old co-worker named Demetrius. All of these relationships are positive to me because all of them display a great deal of reciprocity. We all get something from each other and it is amazing. My Aunt is my support, period. And anything that she asks of me, I try to do. Just because she sacrifices so much for me while taking care of her 4 grandchildren (my cousins). As for Michael and I, I am his mentor basically. But I get a lot from that because I receive positive reinforcement for myself as I give it to him. Damon is like the little brother I never had, only because he is in college now and I get to share my knowledge with him. He works at Mcdonald's as well so I get the hookups on BigMacs and stuff (lol joking). But I get a lot from doing that for him because it feels good to give back, even if it is within my family. This brings me to my other cousin, Daishawn. I tutor him in math. And that alone, makes me feel awesome because I am teaching; again, more reciprocity. And D'cari is the baby of the family. I just love him. He gives me a hard time but I love it. We crack on each other all the time, but we get a kick out of it. He makes me feel young...
Kim is my homegirl. She has been there for me in my times of trouble. I actually ran into a situation today at my home and I had to leave for a while; she was able to come get help me. And in other situations I have been in, she was there for me. We had a small break in our friendship at one point in time but we were able to mend it back together. She gives me good advice and I try to do the same for her. As for Demetruis, I truly believe he is a God send. He is going to help me start my daycare. I think that speaks for itself...
All relationships take work. It is a two-way street. In order for them to be good relationships, it takes effort from both people. For example, Michael and I had a little bit of a dispute recently. And we were really mad at each other. But we were able to talk things out and now we are cool again. You have to make compromises at times.
These relationships I believe are preparing me the business world because I am learning to negotiate and communicate as well as teach and forgive. I believe that all of these characteristics will help me form partnerships, especially in the business world and in my personal life. I do plan to be married one day...
I believe that these relationships and experiences will help me a great deal in the early childhood field because they have caused me to be more open-minded and unbiased. Dealing with people period can be a challenge, regardless of age. We have to learn how to compromise and communicate in order to keep the relationships that we consider to be worth something. And that's what we have to do with the relationships we build in the early childhood field. And this is all for the kids. Just like a mother/father relationship, we have to come together for the children. These experiences have also taught me to be more selfless as well. And we all have to be selfless when it comes to dealing with children. All people and all things are supposed to work together for their betterment and the future...
At this present time, the positive relationships I have in my life are with my Aunt Dorothy, my cousins Michael, Damon, Daishawn and D'cari, my best friend Kim and an old co-worker named Demetrius. All of these relationships are positive to me because all of them display a great deal of reciprocity. We all get something from each other and it is amazing. My Aunt is my support, period. And anything that she asks of me, I try to do. Just because she sacrifices so much for me while taking care of her 4 grandchildren (my cousins). As for Michael and I, I am his mentor basically. But I get a lot from that because I receive positive reinforcement for myself as I give it to him. Damon is like the little brother I never had, only because he is in college now and I get to share my knowledge with him. He works at Mcdonald's as well so I get the hookups on BigMacs and stuff (lol joking). But I get a lot from doing that for him because it feels good to give back, even if it is within my family. This brings me to my other cousin, Daishawn. I tutor him in math. And that alone, makes me feel awesome because I am teaching; again, more reciprocity. And D'cari is the baby of the family. I just love him. He gives me a hard time but I love it. We crack on each other all the time, but we get a kick out of it. He makes me feel young...
Kim is my homegirl. She has been there for me in my times of trouble. I actually ran into a situation today at my home and I had to leave for a while; she was able to come get help me. And in other situations I have been in, she was there for me. We had a small break in our friendship at one point in time but we were able to mend it back together. She gives me good advice and I try to do the same for her. As for Demetruis, I truly believe he is a God send. He is going to help me start my daycare. I think that speaks for itself...
All relationships take work. It is a two-way street. In order for them to be good relationships, it takes effort from both people. For example, Michael and I had a little bit of a dispute recently. And we were really mad at each other. But we were able to talk things out and now we are cool again. You have to make compromises at times.
These relationships I believe are preparing me the business world because I am learning to negotiate and communicate as well as teach and forgive. I believe that all of these characteristics will help me form partnerships, especially in the business world and in my personal life. I do plan to be married one day...
I believe that these relationships and experiences will help me a great deal in the early childhood field because they have caused me to be more open-minded and unbiased. Dealing with people period can be a challenge, regardless of age. We have to learn how to compromise and communicate in order to keep the relationships that we consider to be worth something. And that's what we have to do with the relationships we build in the early childhood field. And this is all for the kids. Just like a mother/father relationship, we have to come together for the children. These experiences have also taught me to be more selfless as well. And we all have to be selfless when it comes to dealing with children. All people and all things are supposed to work together for their betterment and the future...
Monday, December 26, 2011
Childhood Quotes/Professional Thanks
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." ~Proverbs 22:6~
This is one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible because it tells what we as parents and caregivers need to do when it comes to raising our children. If we show our children the right way to go, they will remember it for the rest of their lives. We have a huge responsibility in child development. Children look up to adults so we have to make sure we set great examples.
Terrance, Leslie, Jamila and Cassandra:
It was a pleasure to have another class with you. I hope we continue to have more classes together. Thank you for your encouragement and knowledge. You all have helped in some way. Keep up the good work! God bless...
To my other classmates; Katrina, Sharee and Shevia, Marika and Amy:
It was a pleasure being in this class with you all. I hope we have more classes together as well. i wish you all the best as you all travel this wonderful road of early childhood. You all keep up the good work and I will see you all at the top! God bless...
Dr. Myers:
It was a pleasure having you as a professor. I appreciate your feedback and knowledge. I believe it has made me a better student! I am thankful that you are a part of my journey as I travel this wonderful road of early childhood! Thank you for everything! God bless...
Terrance, Leslie, Jamila and Cassandra:
It was a pleasure to have another class with you. I hope we continue to have more classes together. Thank you for your encouragement and knowledge. You all have helped in some way. Keep up the good work! God bless...
To my other classmates; Katrina, Sharee and Shevia, Marika and Amy:
It was a pleasure being in this class with you all. I hope we have more classes together as well. i wish you all the best as you all travel this wonderful road of early childhood. You all keep up the good work and I will see you all at the top! God bless...
Dr. Myers:
It was a pleasure having you as a professor. I appreciate your feedback and knowledge. I believe it has made me a better student! I am thankful that you are a part of my journey as I travel this wonderful road of early childhood! Thank you for everything! God bless...
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Testing for Intelligence
After reading two of my colleagues' blogs, reflecting on my own childhood, and considering the school aged children of today, I believe that each school aged child should be assessed differently. Along with that however, I believe that ALL children should have their emotional intelligence assessed as well. I believe that part in older children (7-11yrs old) is ofter overlooked, or doesn't get the attention it should. Looking back on my childhood, I excelled in school but I was an emotional child. I guess because I was smart, the teachers thought that I was ok, and overall I was, but now I am an emotional adult. And honestly, I do not like it! LOL I wonder if my emotional intelligence had been assessed, how would I be now? So as someone who is planning to be an educator in the early childhood field, I will make sure I pay attention to the children's emotional regulation, as well as every other part of the them. And I will make it known to the parents and other educators to do the same. As I said before, everyone and everything plays an important part in child development.
Sydney, Austrailia uses IQ tests to assess their children. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Forth Edition - Australian Standardisation (WISC-IV), is an individually administered instrument for assessing the cognitive ability of children aged 6 years to 16 years. The WISC-IV is one of the most reliable and valid IQ testing instruments available. It is the most widely used measure of IQ for school placement.
I want to share something else I read about the IQ tests in Sydney and why children should be assessed:
"Uncharacteristic behavioural/emotional issues - If a child is bored and under challenged in the classroom there may be a significant discrepancy between their ability level and the ability level of their class-room peers. A bored, gifted child may be showing their frustration by being disruptive in school, refusing to do homework, or displaying uncharacteristic behaviour or emotions. Often very bright children underachieve in order to fit in with their peers. It is helpful to identify giftedness as soon as possible so that a child's environment can be adapted successfully to best fit their ability."
I saw this happen too many times while I was in school. The most gifted children were the ones who always got in trouble. And I was the child that was considered to be "disruptive". But I was only trying to help my peers. lol I used to be the one to finish my work before everyone else. Then I would be bored because everyone was still working. So I would try to help them in order to speed up the process so that I would have someone to talk to ...not a good idea lol. Now looking back on it, if I would have been properly assessed, maybe I would have been promoted or something...It truly makes me think...
http://www.sydneychildtesting.com.au/iq_testing.html
Sydney, Austrailia uses IQ tests to assess their children. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Forth Edition - Australian Standardisation (WISC-IV), is an individually administered instrument for assessing the cognitive ability of children aged 6 years to 16 years. The WISC-IV is one of the most reliable and valid IQ testing instruments available. It is the most widely used measure of IQ for school placement.
I want to share something else I read about the IQ tests in Sydney and why children should be assessed:
"Uncharacteristic behavioural/emotional issues - If a child is bored and under challenged in the classroom there may be a significant discrepancy between their ability level and the ability level of their class-room peers. A bored, gifted child may be showing their frustration by being disruptive in school, refusing to do homework, or displaying uncharacteristic behaviour or emotions. Often very bright children underachieve in order to fit in with their peers. It is helpful to identify giftedness as soon as possible so that a child's environment can be adapted successfully to best fit their ability."
I saw this happen too many times while I was in school. The most gifted children were the ones who always got in trouble. And I was the child that was considered to be "disruptive". But I was only trying to help my peers. lol I used to be the one to finish my work before everyone else. Then I would be bored because everyone was still working. So I would try to help them in order to speed up the process so that I would have someone to talk to ...not a good idea lol. Now looking back on it, if I would have been properly assessed, maybe I would have been promoted or something...It truly makes me think...
http://www.sydneychildtesting.com.au/iq_testing.html
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