A Big Thank You!!

I just want to say a big THANK YOU to all of my classmates! Its hard to believe we have another class behind us on our journey to reaching our master's. Thank you for all the advice and support you have given me through our discussion post and our blog assignments. It is awesome to get to experience this journey with others all over the states. I have gained advice and knowledge from each of you and have enjoyed reading your thoughts and opnions on our assignments. I have really gained some great ideas from some of your post. I don't know everything there is to know about this journey, but if any of you ever need any advice or support I am just an email or discussion post away! I wish everyone success and happiness!!

Saying Goodbye!

Saying goodbye can be hard in many situations especially when it comes to family and great friends. When I reflect on the adjourning phase the first thing I think of is when I was in the education program at the University of Mississippi. I remember my first day walking into my classes and seeing all these new faces and being scared to death! Little did I know some of these classmates would become my great friends who I talk and interact with on a regular basis. While in college my classmates and I were put in groups on a number of occasions. Through the fours years we were together we learned each others strengths and weaknesses, we laughed and cried together and even fussed at each other for things that really didn't matter to begin with. We learned each others personalities and how to communicate with one another in order to get the job done. I have to say when we were all turning in our last assignments it was bitter sweet, we were so happy we succeeded but also knew it was time for a new phase in our lives. My biggest regret was not walking with my class when it was time to graduate. I wish I would have done that one last task with my classmates, but I chose to get my diploma mailed to me.

I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to get to know individuals in my masters class. Even though we haven't got to actually meet each other face to face I am getting to learn everyone's personalities through these blogs and discussion post. This class has also given me the opportunity to learn so much and expand my horizons by learning my classmates views on certain topics, which in return helps me to grow as an educator.

Conflict

One conflict that I have experienced is a with a coworker. She is the speech pathologist at our school and she is older and has NO patience at all for kids, especially my first graders. I am a pretty quiet person and I try to avoid conflict no matter what the situation is, but this lady really pushed my buttons. Every time  one of my kids or all of my kids were in the hallway she would get on to them  for the most ridiculous stuff such as, not walking in a perfect line, not wearing their coat, talking in the bathroom, taking to long at the water fountain, or not hanging their backpack up on the hook outside. To me these things are minor and so I hardly get on to my children for silly things such as these, I focus more on the major things such as their health, well being, and education. I am so tired of hearing her complain about one of my kids every single day, I know its just a matter of time until I have to say something. I have feel like I have to say something in order to take up for myself and also my students.

This lady is very outspoken and has been teaching for over twenty years so I am really not sure how this conversation is going to go. My plan is to approach her with the three R's and voice my concerns to her in a nice way. I really just want her to quit getting on to my students and let me handle the discipline problems if needed.  I hope I can explain this to her in the nicest way possible!

My Standpoint On Communicating!!

So let me start off by saying that I did not expect to get accurate results from these quizzes and thought this assignment was pointless. After getting the results I have to say that I was completely wrong about the entire project!!! So I had my husband and my best friend since the 7th grade complete the quizzes on me because they know me VERY well and have been their for me through different aspects of my life. I was surprised that the quiz pointed out that I am uncomfortable communicating in certain situations and those situations would definitely be talking in front of a large group it petrifies me!! I have always had a fear of public speaking and as an adult it has not gotten any better. I was shocked to see that my husband and my best friend thought that I was good at this and had no fear of it.

I was also surprised to see that I am good at listening and communicating with others without attacking them because I strive to be this person. My husband and best friend scored me the same in this department as well. The only downfall is that I tend to get taking advantage of in some situations. Overall I enjoyed seeing the results of this test and others perspectives of me!

Diversity

Diversity is something that is becoming more and more popular just about everywhere you go. One thing that I have noticed is that in retail stores and grocery stores a lot of the products and advertisements now include the Spanish version instead of just the English. I know in the school systems when applying for a job they now ask you if you are bilingual because they are now slowly seeing diverse cultures. My husband is the Store Manager of a business and they are required to have so many bilingual employees because they are able to assist more customers and provide better service. Although this change can be hard especially when trying to make accommodations in order to provide the best education for a child, I think it is a good thing. I think the more diversity we come in contact with will help to educate us more and hopefully fade some of the cultural myopia that society revolves around.

Competent Communication

One person that I admire for their communication is a fellow co-worker. She always makes sure to keep every conversation positive. When it comes to her students she is very thorough with her lessons and does not hesitate to take time out of her busy day to sit down with any student who needs extra help. She makes sure her lessons are creative and accommodate all learning styles. When it comes to parent meetings she is very professional and displays competent communication by never raising her voice, displaying bad body language, or saying anything discouraging. She is always willing to help her coworkers no matter what the problem is or how busy she is. I have learned so much from her and hope to be as good as she is one day!

Jersey Shore

I hardly ever get to sit down to watch any show because my little darlings keep me very busy! So I chose to sit down and see what the hype was with a show titled "Jersey Shore". I wanted to see what the fascination was with a girl known as Snooki! So I first watched it with  no sound and found that these adults communicate a lot through fighting, hand gestures, and facial expressions. It took place in what looked like a club a lot of the time which lead to communicating with tears, falling down, dancing, and chaotic fist fights. So needless to say I was anxiously awaiting to turn the sound on to see what all this drama was about.

So when I turned the sound on I learned these people live in a house together in New Jersey. They work at a t-shirt shop during the day and at night they go out and get wasted which leads them to emotions just flying every where. It was evident that these peoples biggest worries were who can drink the most and who they were going to bring back to their shore house. They were living life up for sure.They communicated by talking, laughing, crying, spreading love, facial expressions, dancing, and hand gestures. It did make me laugh just to see how silly they acted when they communicated. I thought this assignment was very fun and unique and really enjoyed completing it!

When I Think of Research.....

I have to say after this course I see research in a whole new light. I have learned that there is way more to research than just finding a random article on the internet and obtaining information from it. I have learned that you must take your time when selecting articles because most of the information on the internet is not valid!

My ideas about the research process has changed completly. I realize now that you must have valid information along with consent forms if your planning on involving individuals within the process. I have learned that there is more than one method to completing the research and this could help with getting them most valid results. I have also learned that the research project results need to out weigh any risks that might be taken within the process. With all this said I know I still have a lot to learn with this process.

I have to say this entire course was a challenge for me because I didn't understand all the steps to conducting a good research study. Completing the charts each week were helpful and I did reference back to them on a number of occasions.

My perception of an early childhood educator have changed because I didn't realize how much research was involved within the occupation. I hope to get better at this process so I can prosper within my career choice one day!

Early Childhood Development In Australia

Current Topics in Australia:
One of the articles that I found interesting was how they were hoping to gain a higher budget for childhood programs. They have share some of the same beliefs that the U.S. when it comes to funding a child's education. They also feel the importance of compensating their childhood educators in order to provide a quality education to children. I thought this was interesting considering the U.S. is also fighting this battle.

New Ideas/Insights:
Australia is also big on providing children with a healthy lifestyle and focus on fighting obesity and malnutrition within their education system. They provide resources on their websites that you can get ideas off of on how to live a healthy lifestyle such as eating a balanced meal and exercising.

Other Information:
The Early Childhood Organization focuses strictly on quality, justice, and equity of children and the education they are receiving. They act as a voice for these children to make sure they are getting the education that they deserve. I think this is a great idea because a lot of times it seems like the education system is always getting taking advantage of with all the budget cuts, untrained professionals, and lack of resources. It would be nice to have a group of people fight for the rights of education and restore equality back into it.

My Research Conduction (option 2)

If I was able to conduct research it would be for children with learning disabilites. As a teacher I have children in my classroom who try so hard to understand the curriculum and do their very best, but are unable to process the information. It is so hard to watch them get so frustrated when it comes to learning. I would love to see all children be able to blossom in school with little to no difficulties. Of course I wouldnt want to put any child or their families at risk with this research. This would make learning fun for everyone!!

My Research Journey

The topic that I chose to research is creative ways to enhance learning in early childhood development programs. I chose this topic because I feel that sometimes learning can become so routine with all the programs that need to be implemented each day. I feel that it is important for teachers to add their own flare to learning that will keep the children interested and involved in the learning process. Learning should be fun not a chore!

I will admit that this course has been tough for me so far and I am still learning where to find articles that are actually full of good quality information. I hope by the end of this course I will be more confident with the research process and be able to provide more advice for others!!

International Connections

Through this experience I have been exploring The Children's Defense Fund and all the wonderful opportunities they are able to provide.

* This organization has dedicated their time and resources to helping children who are facing poverty situations and making a difference in their lives.

* It has given me links to statistics on poverty stricken states and education facts, I was shocked to see that the state of Mississippi  had 83% of their students unable to read on their grade level.

* This website offered great ideas on how to make a difference and help this organization such as donating time, money, and how to email government officials in the community.

* One of the major goals is just to raise awareness for poverty and getting people involved and making a difference in these children's lives because they deserve and equal chance.

UNESCO

I am having to do the alternative assignment and research the UNESCO website because I have yet to hear from my contacts. UNESCO is an organization that advocates for Early Childhood Care and Education  programs that attend to health, nutrition, security, and learning which help to enhance children’s development. It helps to expand education and resources to children who are at a disadvantage and create equity among children and their families.  It provides high quality childcare, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness. Most of the money for this organization comes from private sectors and the government so funding is still an issue and the resources that are available must be used accordingly. It takes coordination from all parties involved in order to keep this organization running properly and assuring a high quality education for all children.

Exploring The Childrens Defense Fund

The Children's Defense Fund is a wonderful organization that provides children with a positive start in life by getting them out of situations such as poverty, neglect, and abuse and ensuring them health care and education. The website provides a ton of informative information such as ways to support the cause, organizations that are involved in the process, and each states data on children in need.

One of the links that I liked was called Haley's Farm, which is a 157 acre farm that consists of cabins, chapels, and conference rooms. The facility connects young leaders and activists with the  heritage of the struggle for freedom, and this is where policy makers and community builders come to connect, recharge their spiritual and physical batteries, and brainstorm strategies. It provides an everlasting place for future leaders to come and learn where and how to best serve children and their families.

I also LOVED the link that says Take Action. This link will take you directly to an email system that allows you to voice your opinion to local representatives about things such as budget cuts, health care for children, and the education system. I think this is a great way to get involved and make a difference in your local community. This is a wonderful website as a whole and their main focus is trying to bring education and health care equity to every child in America and they are asking for any help they can get such as by donating time, money, or even just voicing your concerns through an email!!

Global's Children Initiative

 The Global Children's Initiative was founded in 2006 at Harvard University. This organization works together to make sure children receive the proper health and development they need in order to survive. The global program focuses on three major areas; reframing the child health and development course, supporting innovating research, and building leadership development. The organization works together to apply new knowledge that address the health and development of children in a variety of different settings such as those who suffer from mental health issues or have been the victim of a crisis. They are working together to enhance the well-being of families of those throughout the world.

Web Resources

The organization that I am following is the Children's Defense Fund. This website was important to me because it helps to ensure every child receives the education and health care they are entitled to. I teach in an area where I see a lot of children who are not properly cared for the way they should be and I would love to see this change within my own area. The thing that caught my attention on the website was the statistics that the website provides on each state and the areas they need improvement in. I was devasted to learn the high amount of students in Mississippi that are not able to read or do math on their grade level. The website encourages everyone to get involved with the future of our children and they support the research that when a child is cared for properly and taken out of poverty they are more likely to have a successful future. I think it would be neat to attend one of the Children's Defense meetings that are held each year, the next one will be held in Ohio. I also think it would be awesome if they could offer members of the organization to come around to speak to schools who are suffering from poverty. I think this would help everyone to want to get involved and make a difference for the future of our children.

International Contacts

I am still waiting to hear from two international contacts. I am going to send out another follow-up email this week and see if I am able to get a response. I had to complete the alternative assessment this week.

I chose to research China and their poverty levels. China has made major strides in poverty reduction since 2000. In 1978 its poverty level was at an all time high at 250 million since then they have manged to bring it down to 35 million. Much of this decline in poverty is due to reaching processes in economic growth and social transition.  China has also managed to bring down children poverty levels by focusing on education and health issues that need to be addressed. I hope to see China's poverty levels to keep decreasing through the years until it becomes a thing of the past. I feel that if China can make a drastic dent in their poverty levels than the United States should be able to do the same. My hopes are for the government to start investing more money into our children and education system because they are the key to our future.

Childs Defense Fund

I chose to subsribe to the Childs  Defense Fund. This organization caught my attention because its focuses on providing funds for preschool programs in order to make sure that every child gets the opportunity to participate in a safe and healthy program. This is important to me because I live and work in a community that consists of a lot of low income families who are not able to provide for their children properly. A lot of the children live with their grandparents and their nutritional meal comes from what the schools provide each day. This is a sad situation and I hope to see this change in the future.

http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Establishing Professional Contacts!

When it comes to establilshing professional contacts I chose to email the business NAEYC in order to establish a connection. I have sent two emails so far, but I have not received a response. I am hoping I will receive a email or some type of connection soon in order to begin learning information about education outseide of the United States.

For the second part of the assignment I chose to read about the Childs Defense Fund, which helps to raise money and ensure that every child gets the opportunity to a healthy start in their lives. I found this to be interesting because I work in a school where a lot of the children come from a poversty stricken family. It is sad to say but a lot of the kids dont have school supplies, do not live with their parents, and some of their main food sources come from the school system. I am interested in learning how to provide a brighter future for them.

My Supports

I have to say that God has blessed me with a wonderful support system and it consist of my husband and my family. I feel that a good support system are people who are there for you no matter what the issue is or the time of the day. They are people who will pick you up when you are down or do whatever it takes to put a smile on your face. My husband and I have been going through a difficult time trying to have another baby and unfortunetly have lost a little girl and little boy. I do not know where I would be right now without my support system there to help me get through the diffcult times in life. They have taught me the true importance of letting God take control and living life with faith not fear.I have so many things in life to be thankful for and one of them is definetly my loving support system.

My Connections to Play

Here are two quotes that I feel represent my feelings on play:


“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Plato

“It is in playing, and only in playing, that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self.” ~ D.W. Winnicott

I grew up in a large family with four sisters (five girls total). When I was little being able to go outside and play was a huge part of our childhood. We never wanted to be cooped up in the house, that was considered a punishment. We were always outside playing ball, or pretending we were playing house. When I was in elementary school I remember having at least three recesses where we got to just go and play with our classmates. I find it sad that my students barely even get one recess during the day and I contribute some of their behavior problems to the lack of play they get to experience. The have so much energy at seven years old and need to let it out. It seems today's generations focuses more on video and computer games, they don't enjoy going outside and just playing like kids should. I hope to see the education system allocate more time towards play and physical education in the future. Our children can benefit from it physically, emotionally, and cognitively.

Relationship Relfection

There are many relationships within my life that mean the world to me. I adore the relationship with my husband because he is my best friend and the person I rely on each and everyday. I have a beautiful little girl who I adore and I can't imagine not having the mother-daughter relationship that we have. I strive to be the best mother and wife each and everyday because my husband and little girl mean the world to me and make me want to do my best. I have the most AMAZING family that I can turn to no matter and they have and always will be there for me and my family. They have been there for me through the happiest times in my life or when my heart was broken to pieces. I can always count on them to pick up the pieces and provide me with the encouragement that I need. The person that I want to please the most is God he has blessed me with such a wonderful family and life and I just hope I can keep building my relationship with him and please him in every way!! Each and every individual plays a key role in my life and I honestly do not know where I would be without my wonderful support system, especially in this tough world that is filled with negative obstacles.