Highs and Lows of Resources

As the weeks have flown by, I found it amazing that so many people of all areas of this planet share the same love and concerns about early childhood.  There are so many concerns that are interconnected with children and they all need advocated for throughout the planet.  As an administrator, professional development is always needed.  Looking more into the international organizations was refreshing.  We hear so much about local programs but never that involve overseas.  I think it is important to network with other professionals; what is working for them may work for my program.

My biggest frustration about networking with other professionals is not able to personally contact them.  I have tried numerous times with the email addresses and no luck!  But other than that the websites and newsletters are informative.  The two resources below have been my favorite.  I feel very comfortable using the two for resources and they are easy to use.  They are both very involved with the wellbeing of each child in our programs and continue to promote their program with the community. 

The Global Alliance of NAEYC has e-mail addresses for early childhood professionals worldwide:
http://www.naeyc.org/resources/partnership/globalalliance

 

UNICEF has local organizations and representatives worldwide. Check out the country specific links and contact a local representative:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html

They also work hand in hand with economists, neuroscientists, and politicians to help with funding, getting the word out about early childhood education and pushing for new policies that will assist with the wellbeing of each child.

Poverty in India

I am waiting patiently for a response from the emails I sent out almost three weeks ago from educational professionals in far off lands that are working side by side with children.  But for the mean time I visited the Childhood Poverty research and Policy Center webpage and read some very interesting facts regarding childhood poverty.

As I was reading in to more of how poverty was affecting other countries; India caught my eye.  I did not realize that they were second to China in the lead with the largest population.  With this poverty is high as well.  The following are founding’s in India after initiating research (Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre, 2013)

·         Drought and environmental deterioration have significantly undermined livelihoods and exacerbated poverty in Rajasthan. Responses which may contribute to poverty cycles include pressures on children to work, undermining their education and health.

·         Children from 10-15 per cent of households had migrated for work, usually with parents, but sometimes alone. Income from migrant children's work constituted between 18 and 45 per cent of the poorest households' income.

·         Indebtedness, related to drought-related pressures and social obligations (eg marriages, death feasts) affected over 80 per cent of households, and was a major factor leading to intergenerational poverty cycles.

·         At present national and state development programmes in health, education and livelihoods are not fulfilling their potential to help break poverty cycles. This reflects under-resourcing, the low status of the (mostly) women with responsibility for implementing these programmes, and limited accountability of staff to the people they are intended to serve. As a result core education, health and nutrition programmes are of variable quality and not all available on a reliable basis in the areas studied.

Ending poverty should play a part in everyone’s lives.  Not just an organization.  Poverty does not discriminate, it could be anyone of us living a life that has us thinking is today the day I eat.

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org

 

NAEYC, One of my favorite professional organizations

National Association for the Education of Young Children, (NAEYC), is an organization that supports not only professionals in the early childhood field but the families as well.  As a professional in this field my program and I refer to the NAEYC for best practices and resources that improve the quality of the program.  This organization has a great website that is informative on a variety of subjects that involve children beginning at infancy to eight years old.

 

As a member of this organization, I find it a bonus to participate in professional development workshops, attending conferences with fellow EC professionals, and the continuous improvements of the knowledge, skills, practices, dispositions (NAEYC, 2013).  Right now if you were to visit the website, you would see the excitement of the upcoming NAEYC’s annual conference.   The location of the event is in Washington, D.C. and the dates are November 20-23, 2013.  I am not attending but I encourage anyone that will be in the area to attend this amazing event.  It is a great way to network and to expand your knowledge of early childhood education.

 

http://www.naeyc.org/

 

Professional Contacts

Having professional contacts is very important for anyone, so to have professional contacts that share the same interests in another country is even better.  I have attempted to contact a few professionals from The Global Alliance of NAEYC and UNICEF.  Time will only tell if I will be able to move forward with my contacts, but I am hopeful. 

I chose two organizations that I have used for references before and are familiar with what their organization stands for.  I have attached a few more organizations that are well worth the reading to assist with networking. 

The Global Alliance of NAEYC has e-mail addresses for early childhood professionals worldwide:
http://www.naeyc.org/resources/partnership/globalalliance

UNICEF has local organizations and representatives worldwide. Check out the country specific links and contact a local representative:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html

National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
http://www.naccrra.org/
(Newsletter: http://capwiz.com/naccrra/mlm/signup/ )

Zero To Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Familieshttp://www.zerotothree.org/ (May have to use http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/ )
(Newsletters:
http://zttcfn.pub30.convio.net/child-development/from-baby-to-big-kid/ and
http://capwiz.com/zerotothree/mlm/signup/ )

National Black Child Development Institute
http://nbcdi.org/
(Newsletter: http://nbcdi.org/support/sign-up-for-nbcdi-newsletters/ ) 

Ghana
Rev Charles Arko-Nunoo
P.O. Box MK 157
Mankessim
C/R Ghana
Tel: + 233 42 34180
Email: 2kdotcom@ghana.com

 

My Supports

I have many “supporting” people in my life.  I could go down a list of people but I am going to just hit on the most important people in my life.  First there is my husband of eleven years; who puts a smile on my face even in the darkest of days.  He shares the same passion as I do for early childhood education and understands my joy and frustrations that come with my position as an administrator in a very large facility.  My children are who keep me sane and know exactly how to lighten the mood.  There unconditional love is what I live for. 

As for professionally I give my team the supporting award.  I can yell, cuss, shout to the moon and they sit back, laugh and say ok, not let’s get down to business.  I would not ask for a better team than what I have now.  To have a team that supports our program unconditionally and live for the wellbeing of our children that we educate every day for is just a wonderful feeling.  Advocating for our program is very challenging and at times we have to shut the door and let it all out so that when we get in front of the people that decide our fate we can be professional and the tension is out of our behavior.

There are so many more benefits of the support that I receive personally and professionally.  I am a better person because of the support each person gives me.  It would be very difficult for me to be where I am in my life.  I would not love like I love and strive for more without the support I get from the people I have listed. 

I cannot imagine a challenge that I would not be able to overcome.  I have such a great group of supportive people and programs in my life that I would find a way to get through this challenge.  There are always benefits after overcoming a challenge.  Team is stronger and up for a new challenge.  I love the challenges that come with early childhood education.  I love making a positive outcome with the many challenges that come with this field. 

My Connections to Play

 

My Connections to Play

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”-Frederick Douglass

“Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.”-Chinese proverb

Both of these quotes are very important to me.  I grew up in a family that toys were bought out of guilt.  My father was in the military and showered my siblings and I with gifts as much as he could because he was absent from time to time because of his military obligations.  My mother was a great mother who let my sister and I play with great imagination.  My greatest memory was one that my mother made us a play house using a sheet outside over the clothes line.  We brought out our two rocking chairs and babies pretending to be mommies.  At the time we did not know we were imitating our mother we just wanted to play house. 

Attached below are just a few of the items that I played with daily when I was younger.  I did not go anywhere without my cabbage patch doll.  I find that most of our children are now into electronics.  Just as I was grocery shopping today; a mother was allowing her child to watch a show on her phone.   Do not get me wrong I have done this before as well to keep my child occupied while I shop.  But let’s face it our children are more interested in technology than to actual play.

As a parent I have always had my children involved in a sport or something active in play.  We love to play outside and my kids are into board games at this moment.  These activities are familiar to me as I was a child that was into board games and outside play; for example I loved jumping on the trampoline.  As my dad used to say,”Work hard, play hard!”.

 

 

Relationship Reflection

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are very important to survive in our society.   Keeping your circle small or large is completely up to the person.  I personally keep my circle small.  I have a wonderful family that is supportive and forgiving as any family member should be.  I grew up in a military family.  My father was a hard core Marine that worked long hours and was deployed most of my years as a young child.  He taught my siblings and me obedience and how important it was to work hard and play hard.  My mother was a wonderful homemaker.  She provided so much love and compassion for me and my siblings.  My mother worked very hard with over compensating for filing in while my father was deployed.  Of all the lessons she taught me; being strong and loving life no matter what it throws at you; you can handle it. 

I have this man in my life that I am praying to God every day for bringing to me.  My husband is a great partner that shares the same type of compassion as I do for education.  My daughter who is blossoming into this beautiful young woman is great at making others feel at ease and loved once you meet her for the first time.  My son will make any one feel as if they are on a pedestal at all times.  At times I cannot see where they get their mannerisms from.  I am very blessed to have a very open relationship with my two children.  I only have a few friends that I share personal experiences with just because I am an extremely busy person with work and my family. 

I find it challenging to maintain relationships with others at times.  I forget to call a person back or just follow up with them about their life.  Developing relationships are very easy for me.  Working in this field I find it easy to build upon their experiences.  Working in a military community and having some of the experiences similar to the families I work with daily I find as a blessing. 

 

This is not an updated pic of my family.  My daughter is now ten years old and my little man is eight.  They all share the same beautiful smile and humor.