Week 2 - Sharing Web Resources

The organization that really grabbed my attention was the National Black Child Development Institute (www.nbcdi.org). This organization works to improve and advance the lives of Black children and their families through advocacy and education. They believe that parents, along with members and organizations within the community need to come together on behalf of Black children. This organization has several initiatives that they are currently working on. Unfortunately, I was unable to check them all out because some of the sites are down. The one that really stood out to however, was their T.E.A.C.H. initiative.

 Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (T.E.A.C.H) focuses on the under-education, poor compensation, and high turnover within the early childhood workforce. This project was created in 1990 by the Child Care Services Association (www.childcareservices.org). There are four components within T.E.A.C.H.; education, scholarship, compensation, and commitment. The education component helps participants earn the college credits needed for early childhood education. Scholarship offers counseling and financial support to the participants. Compensation can be earned by participants after completing a year of education successfully. Lastly, with commitment, participants agree to remain in the child care field. The following link gives more information on the T.E.A.C.H. initiative - http://www.childcareservices.org/_downloads/TEACH_OnePage4_12.pdf .

While learning about this initiative I was led to the Child Care Services Association website. This was brand new to me and throughout the week I will spend time learning more about this association and their purpose.

Issues & Trends Week 1 - Prof. Contacts & New Resources

Hello everyone!! I forgot how much time I actually put into my grad school work. After taking such a long leave of absence to give birth to my son, this 1^st week has been rather tough. Trying to reprioritize is not an easy task but thank God I am keeping my head above water.

This first assignment was a challenge. We were asked to establish contact with early childhood professionals outside of the United States. I had a difficult time determining which cultures I wanted to learn more about. My first choice was the Philippines. I chose that country because I work with people from there at my school and a lot of the students are from there as well. Unfortunately, their website was no longer active.

            My second choice was Spain. I went to their website and of course it was all in Spanish. Thankfully, Google has a translate tool! So I emailed the contact listed on the Global Alliance website. I am just waiting to get a response from him. The other contact I made was with Mexico. Honestly, I am not sure why I chose these two countries, but I hope I am able to learn from them and that they may learn from me as well.

            For the second part of the assignment, we were to research some new resources. The first organization I chose was the National Black Child Development Institute (http://nbcdi.org). The name of the organization attracted me to the website. I am hoping to see how this organization helps Black children. I have signed up for their newsletter and am looking forward to explore the site further.

            The other organization I chose was the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (www.naecte.org). I am a member of NAEYC, so I figured this would complement my membership. After I explore the site some more, I plan on becoming a member with this organization as well.

My Supports

I believe I have a great support system. With God being my #1 supporter, followed by my family and friends, I have been able to make it through some rough spots.

God has been my everything. He listens. He heals. He speaks. He works wonders. He provides me with grace and mercy to make it through each and every day. Without His support, I have no idea where I would be.

My family has always been there for me. We may not get along all the time, but they have never stopped supporting me. Being that I have lupus (and now that I’m expecting my first child), they have helped me, especially on days when I was not able to help myself. Being diagnosed with lupus at 19 was a hard pill to swallow. I was used to being independent and doing whatever I wanted, when I wanted. Well, that had to change. My family was there to help me deal with the adjustments. When I had multiple blood clots (at age 21), they were there. I remember going into the hospital one day, and the next day there they were. They drove up to be with me. Their presence kept me calm during a chaotic and confusing time.

Friends make up the other part of my support system. I have had many “friends” come and go throughout my life. Which I believe is normal. There is a saying that friends come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. No matter what period of your life they enter or however long they stay, they always have a purpose. I have had friends come and stay long enough for me to learn a lesson or for me to help them learn a lesson. We were each other’s support. My friends who have been around for 10+ years, I believe will be here for a lifetime.

God has a way of speaking to us and supporting us through the people we come in contact with everyday. We are not meant to be on this journey called life alone. I cannot even imagine what my life would be like without the many supportive people I have in it. Without having someone who cares and loves me enough to tell me the truth, to provide a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, or a just a hand to hold. Life without the support just seems scary and extremely overwhelming!

Support Challenge

            This part of the assignment was slightly difficult. With the lupus and a baby on the way, I experience many challenges daily. To add on another challenge was just difficult to fathom. But, it is part of the assignment, so I imagined my lupus going to another stage beyond just affecting my joints and affecting my internal organs. If this were to happen, I would definitely need more support in place than what I have now. Physically, I would obviously need more assistance in completing daily tasks depending on which organ(s) were affected. Emotionally, I would need therapy because at the young age of 28, that would cause me to suffer emotionally and probably sink into a depressed state. Spiritually, I would struggle with maintaining my faith and my trust in God because I would continually ask “why.”  I’m sure that would only be initially because I am true believer that EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON. So no matter how bad the situation became, it would ultimately be for my good and His glory.

According to www.dictionary.com, support means the following:

• To bear or hold up
• To serve as a foundation for
• To sustain (a person, the mind, spirits, courage, etc.) under trial or affliction
• To maintain by supplying with things necessary to existence

God and every person in my support system are represented in this definition. They hold me up, serve as my foundation, sustain me, and help me stay maintained. Without them, where would I be? I am forever thankful for them, everyone I have come in contact with throughout my life thus far, and everyone else I have yet to meet.

My Connections to Play

What play represented for me during childhood:

“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

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” ~ Fred Rogers, 1928-2003

How people supported me during play & the role it played in my childhood:

Growing up I remember staying outside until the street lights came on. After school, I would eat a snack, complete my homework, and then out the door I would go. From the ages of 3-9, we lived in an apartment complex. You could always find me on one of the many playgrounds, jumping out of swings or climbing the outside of the equipment. (I was a serious daredevil as a child.) If I was not there, I was riding around the complex on my Big Wheel (younger years) or my bicycle (as I got older). My mom encouraged us to play and be active. We had a Nintendo but we did not waste away hours playing games. My babysitter could not wait to send us outside during the summer. Although I am sure that some of her tactics would seriously be frowned upon now-a-days, we made the best of it. As children that is what you do. You make the best with what you have and enjoy.

When I stayed with my Granny & Auntie, we would go to the park or I would play in the backyard. Imagine a 73 and/or 62 year old outside playing soccer, kickball, or baseball with an energetic 10-year old. That was playing for me at Granny & Auntie’s house. Endless fun!

When my family moved into a single-family home, the play became more creative. In my opinion, we had the BEST backyard ever. The hill was perfect for rolling down in the summer and even better in the winter. Our sledding consisted of using trash can tops or boxes. We would literally get inside a box and slide down the hill. Good times! Our parents bought a real sled (the plastic kind) and it was not as fun as the boxes. When we had to share, no one wanted the actual sled because it “slow” going down the hill. We only stayed indoors playing video games when the weather was too bad to go out.

The role of play throughout the lifespan (childhood through adulthood):

I think as people grow up, they forget how to play and what it means to play. Most adults become overwhelmed and bogged down with bills and responsibilities that they no longer have time to “play.” Adult play is clearly different than childhood play and most certainly varies from adult to adult, however that does not make it less important once a person reaches adulthood. As adults, we need a break as well to just be free and play.

As an adult, I still play. Whether I am playing a board game or card game with my family/friends or playing a game on the Wii, it is a break from everything else. I enjoy going to the park and swinging on the swings (I do not jump out anymore though.) I am still very active just like I was when I was a child. Working in the education field gives me plenty of opportunities to play. I enjoy recess and field day with my students. When I worked summer camp, the chances to play were endless! I am an adult, but I am truly a child at heart and probably will always be.

Play today:

Play today is definitely different than how it was when I was growing up. Children are more into video games, television, computers, and any other form of technology. It is rare to drive through a neighborhood and actually see children outside playing. It makes me smile when I do witness this taking place no matter how few and far between the occurrences are. I am unsure as to why parents did not pass on the greatness of play to their children. I am not sure where the ball was dropped. Unfortunately, due to the lack of play, children are not as creative or imaginative it seems. They are certainly less healthy because they are sitting around instead of being active. Something really needs to change and soon. I hope parents realize that their children need to get up and move. They need to be active or they will be in danger when they get older.

A few of my childhood play items:

I enjoyed coloring (and still do). It was & still is very relaxing.



My legos were my favorite thing to play with when I was by myself. I had the large tub & would just build any & everything.




I was & still am a "tomboy." I learned how to play these games from my Granny & Auntie. I was a very active child!



Relationship Reflection

Relationships and partnerships almost go hand in hand. Partnerships are when two people (or sometimes more) have a joint interest in something, so they come together. Relationships, in my opinion, are a step further because now (more than likely) emotions are involved. I believe that it is important to have both throughout the course of your life. It is always nice to have someone to lean on, to talk to, or maybe just to be there to listen. It is also important to have someone on your side that has the same viewpoints as you. Life is challenging but I am sure it is even more difficult to navigate through it alone.  

Positive Relationships in My Life (I can talk all day about the people close to me, so I am just going to sum them up.)

My mother could be considered my best friend because of how close we are. We get along but we also have our differences, just like most relationships. She is definitely someone I can lean and depend on. Another positive relationship I have is with my Granny and Auntie. I live with these outstanding women and they are truly an inspiration. They have been best friends since the 50s and are both retired from the United States Air Force. They have been helping my parents raise me since I was a baby. At 91 and 80 years old, respectively, they are still capable of doing everything on their own. It is truly amazing to see! My father is someone else I am very close to. I am definitely “Daddy’s little girl.”

My mom & I

My daddy

My mom, younger brother, & I

The wonderful ladies (Auntie & Granny)

I have a few close friends that I have developed good relationships with over the years as well that I basically consider family. My best friend, Ayana and I have been friends since 1998 and our friendship continues to grow. There were actually three of us who were like peas in a pod. I met Kanika through Ayana and we all became the best of friends. Unfortunately, Kanika was killed in August 2008 and they still have not caught her killers. My other close friend, Monique and I have been friends since 1997. I met Ayana and Monique in high school through playing basketball. One was an opponent and the other was a teammate. There are a few others whom I have positive relationships with but I am not going to name them all.

Ayana, Me, Kanika

Monique & I

My most important relationship is with God. I am not where I want to be in life but I am better than what I used to be. And I give all the praise to Jesus. I have truly come a long way thanks to God’s grace and His mercy. I honestly do not know where I would I be if it were not for my faith in Him.

Developing and Maintaining Positive Relationships

Developing and maintaining these relationships has not been easy. In each relationship there have been ups and downs and even some time apart. However, these relationships are the strongest I have. Communication and honesty are key in maintaining relationships. In each relationship, we are open and honest with other. We have lost loved ones together and celebrated happy times together. Relationships are not easy. Like marriages, they take work. They are not one sided. Everyone plays their part and it just works. There are definitely going to be challenges. We may not always get along but the level of love never changes. They take patience, understanding, and lots of love. Without these three things, relationships will struggle. We learn from each other and grow together. I can go a week without talking to one of my friends and nothing about our relationship will change. That is a positive relationship.

Children...

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."  ~Stacia Tauscher

"You can learn many things from children.  How much patience you have, for instance."  ~Franklin P. Jones

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."
~Angela Schwindt

"Your children need your presence more than your presents."  ~Jesse Jackson

"Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you."  ~Robert Fulghum

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them." ~Lady Bird Johnson, former U.S. first lady


These past weeks have been great!! I have learned lots from the readings, my colleagues, & my professor. Thank you all for your words of encouragment & guidance during this course. I wish you all much success in your future courses. Be Blessed!!

Assessing Children

When testing school-aged children these days, most tests do not assess the whole child. The typical standardized test only focuses on how much a child can retain. They don’t look at a child’s physical, social, and cognitive development together. These tests don’t help educators learn more about the student’s they are teaching. Instead, they let administration know how much money/assistance they will receive for the upcoming school year.

As an educator, we should focus on the whole child. We should teach the whole child and help the child develop successfully. However, this is rarely thought of after the age of 5 it seems. Subjectively we assess children every day. We watch how they interact with their peers and other adults (social), we observe how they hold a pencil and walk down the hall (physical), and then we observe their learning abilities (cognitive). I wonder if there will ever be an objective assessment to monitor a child’s development holistically. But then again, would that really be necessary? Would a child benefit if his/her scores were in a certain range? Just an interesting thought.

In doing this assignment, I had a difficult time finding out other children are assessed in different countries. While doing my research I did learn that there are children who do not take standardized tests and are doing extremely well. In Finland, education is provided to all and teachers and principals are held in the highest esteem (Asia Society, 2010). Standardized testing was abolished in the 1980s, so teachers are able to be more creative with their lessons. They have the freedom to choose their own materials and they focus on a smaller number of objectives compared to the United States. Teachers are required to have a master’s degree and they are well supported during the school year (Rushowy, 2010).

Would it be possible for the United States to provide equal education to all? Or will the “better off” children continue to have more opportunities than those living in poverty? Just another thought.

For more information about Finland’s educational system, please read:

What accounts for Finland’s high student achievement rate? (2010). Retrieved from the Asia Society website: http://asiasociety.org/education-learning/learning-world/what-accounts-finlands-high-student-achievement-rate

Gamerman, E. (2008). What makes Finnish kids so smart? Retrieved from the Wall Street Journal website: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120425355065601997.html

Rushowy, K. (2010). Finland’s secrets to educational success. Retrieved from http://www.parentcentral.ca/parent/education/article/861076--finland-s-secrets-to-educational-success