Sharing Web Resources-Week 4

I found that the section that contained a link to journals written by members of the NAECTE to be relevant to my current professional development.  This is because the current journals offer a variety of information about the current issues and trends in Early Childhood Education along with current research based practices to use in the classrooms.  Some of the journals are from the perspective of a current teacher as she explores teaching.

 

The newsletters made me think of the early childhood field in different ways because sometimes as a teacher we forget the details that go into making early childhood successful and thrive in all areas.  We do our jobs as teachers but the newsletters for this organization made me feel like these people are working hard to make it more successful for everyone involved.  They are constantly holding conferences and fundraisers to help the education in general.  This is an issue many districts are facing, shortage of money and organizations like this are trying to help these districts.  This also adds to my understanding of economists in relation to the education.  I think it also deepens my understanding of the way politicians relate to the education field because some of the newsletters talk about the mayor of the cities and other politicians and their impact for this organization.

 

I also learned from this site that there are many teachers world wide trying to make a difference in education.  From shortage of supplies to larger classroom sizes, these teachers are working together to come up with the best solutions possible.  This site even has a forum for teachers to communicate in about current issues and trends in the field and this alone has taught me the wide amount of issues that take place world wide in education.

Getting to know international contact

to listen to the podcast featuring Delfana Mitchell from http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/current-work/world-forum-radio/.  She discussed her work with her organization housing children and how the area she is from; Belize City is the number one area for child abuse. Her organization houses these children.  She discussed a child who came to her after not talking for a year from the physical and mental abuse he faced.  They began by home schooling him and finding things he likes even though it was difficult for him to understand what they were doing.  One day while they were horse back riding he started talking about the abuse he faced as a child.  This was the beginning of him starting to talk again.  Although he would go in and out of talking throughout this time, he eventually was starting to talk non stop!

 

The country from the website that I picked was India.  I found out that India has the second largest population in the world and out of that population, 260.2 million people are living in poverty.  Of these people in poverty, many of them are children and sadly they live very rough lives.  It states, Almost half of all children (about 62 million) under the age of five are malnourished and 34 percent of new-borns are significantly underweight.⁸ Important achievements have been made in health and education” (Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre).  There are programs in place that are run by the local government.  They are based on food needs, employment, and children needs.  These focus on getting the children the nutrition and living needs that they need to survive better in this struggling country.

 

These issues go along with the overall consensus that children are the ones who are truly struggling when it comes to poverty.  They come from families that live in poverty and are being malnutrition and are struggling with their everyday life.  Their futures are impacted greatly by the negative effects poverty has on one individual.  It is true that poverty is everywhere and especially evident in countries outside of the United States where a dollar is a lot of money to some of those people.

 

 

World Forum Foundation.  (n.d.).  Retrieved from http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/current-work/world-forum-radio/.

 

Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre (CHIP). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

Sharing Web Resources

I subscribed to the newsletter for the organization that I picked, National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators.  The newsletter starts by giving an award to the teacher educator for the month, someone who made a difference or did something remarkable for their organization.  The president of the organization then gives details on ways to become more active in the association.  One topic or issue they bring up in the newsletter is that of a fund raiser to help the children in education.  They talk about needing more fund to be able to bring more people into the organization to make that difference.  It then lists four tasks that were thought to need more work in the coming months.  Those included more research based practices, establish the NAECTC as an expert source for educators, highlight highly effective teachers, and revising a position statement to include more.

 

I don’t think that this newsletter touches on the diversity and demographics this week but I do think it touches on the idea.  The idea behind the fund raising event is to recognize those people that may not have a lot or need more in terms of education.  I think this could include many that are diverse and struggling in life.  They have 47 members and have a goal to get up to 60 for this event.

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

I have chosen to do the alternative assignment because I could not gain access in order to communicate with someone else.  Although, I feel the insight from someone else from a different part of the world would have been great I also feel I can learn a great deal from the podcasts as well as my other group members who may be communicating with someone else.

 

When going about picking the early childhood website it was a bit overwhelming at first since there was so many.  I began by clicking on each link and trying to find something that immediately caught my attention.  The one that I ended up choosing was the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators which can be located at http://www.naecte.org/.  I chose this because it combines teachers from the United and States and all over the world with one common interest, early childhood teaching education.   It promotes growth of their teacher members through current issues and trends and provides ample discussions for educators to learn and grow with one another. I am hoping that I can learn about other organizations through my group members and be able to pick up some helpful tips from them about their organizations.

My Supports

Describe factors within your daily environment that are supportive to you, including the ways in which these factors provide support. Describe what you see as the benefits of these supports. How difficult would it be to exist without these supports? What impact would they have on your life if they were gone?

One huge support that I have in my daily life is my husband.  He encourages me when needed and a shoulder to cry on if needed.  He pushes me to try new things and makes me believe in what I want in life.  He is such a benefit to my life, from just listening to me to me knowing he will always be there.  Without his support, I would not be where I am today.  He is my rock in life and keeps me being me.

My son is another support system in my life.  Granted, he is only four months old but he is the light of my life.  He pushes me to be a better person, especially a mom.  When he smiles at me, I feel like my life has finally shown its true purpose.  Without him in my life, I would feel sad.  I never knew what it was like to be a mom before I had him but would always envy those mothers around me who had babies so easily.  He is a miracle baby that has brought my husband and I closer and happier than we have ever been. 

 Another supportive factor in my life is my job.  My job offers support from the people within my job to the actual job I carry out daily.  It supports me by allowing me to make a difference in children’s lives every day.  It would be hard to exist without this support because I would be at a loss on what I would do with my life.  I wake up every day eager to see what the day holds and ready to watch the students I work with grow.  If I did not have this job, I would not know what it would feel like to make a difference.

The challenge I chose was something I do currently have but have had recently and needed support more than anything.   That challenge is getting pregnant. I imagine having to go through it again and the level of support I would need.  It would be emotionally and physically draining and I would need my family close by to help me get through.  I imagine my husband being my hugest supporter because he too is directly affected by the result.  I would need my family and his parents as a support system too.  They would keep me focused and remind me all the time about the end goal.  Without their support during a difficult time like this, I am sure it would not be successful.

My Connections to Play

“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” Kay Redfield Jamison (professor of psychiatry)

 

Tarry a moment to watch the chaos of a playground, crayola-colored shirts of running children, all trying out their wings. ~Dr. SunWolf, professorsunwolf.com

 

Three essential play items:

 

 

Ball

 

 

 Doll

 

 

 

 

                         

 Dress-up accessories

 

The people in my life supported play when I was younger but letting me play all the time.  They were an active part of my play time as well and allowed me to explore new things on my own and develop a love of certain things in my life.  My grandma was a big part of my support system in play, whenever I was with her she was always playing with me.  Sometimes this play included singing to me and laughing with me.

 

I think play today is seen as more meaningful and essential in children’s life then it was when I was younger. I also think there are way more learning based play items than before.  I feel children have a stronger grasp of meaningful play in the classroom.  I especially see this when using the Ipad.  You would think a piece of technology like this would be only used for senseless play but there are so many education apps that students love to play.  I hope that young children now see the importance of play but also play in a way to build upon something.  I would hope the children are engaged throughout play time as well.

 

I think play was very important in my life and allowed be to explore what I thought was important at the time and acquire a love of things in my life today.  Without the chance to play, I would not be who I am today.  If one is not allowed to play they because part of the “norm” and are seen just as someone else may be seen.  Playing allows the chance to become your own person and develop your own beliefs and love of life.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because without them I wouldn’t be anybody.  I would not have any one to talk to or count on or confide in.  I love the relationships that I have and have built these relationships with strong will.  I feel that the strongest most confident people are those with positive relationships.

 

My first relationship that is the strongest is with my husband.  We have been together for over 8 years and married for over 3 years.  We have worked hard to have the relationship we do and have been through a lot together.  From a major car accident to our first child coming with much work and dedication, our relationship has only grown stronger throughout the years.  We have built our relationship around love and commitment to one another.

 

Another relationship I have is with my son.  He is my first born and is three months old right now.  We tried for many years for him and it resulted in us having to do IVF to have him.  My pregnancy was very complicated from the beginning and resulted in a two week hospital stay before he was born which is turn resulted in him being born 9 weeks early.  He spent 4 long weeks in the NICU but is thriving today!  He has brought the most joy and love to my life that I could ever imagine.

 

 

The relationship that I have with my guardian is another big one in my life.  My mother died in a car accident when I was 5 years old and she adopted me.  She was my babysitter when I was younger and has loved me like her own ever since.  She has been by side through thick and thin and continues to be a huge part of my life and now my son’s life.  Our relationship began when I was young but has becomes a deep friendship on top of the relationship we already had.

 

Relationships do not come easy.  There are going to be times when you fight or don’t get along or just need some time apart from one another.  But I believe that those things make the relationship stronger and more sustained to be successful for life.  Nobody is perfect and that is something you have to realize before any relationship is going to be life long.  Love and dedication is what makes a relationship a partnership.  I have these in all of my relationships and this love and dedication grow stronger and stronger everyday. 

 

I think all my relationships impact my career in the early childhood education field.  I especially feel that way based on my life experience with losing my mom and then the complications I went through to have my son.  Nothing in life is easy and all you need is a good support system to get you through.  This holds especially true in the classroom as students start to learn and grow with you.