Sharing Web Resources

The website I've been studying Save The Children, has some relevant information about education. They train teachers to involve their students through more active teaching practices. They teach the parents and caregivers how to assist their child's learning early before school starts. This organization also has a program that offers parents and community volunteers ways they can get children to read and do math when not in school.

I looked at the issue on hunger  and livelihood in a new way. Save the Children does not only try to prevent hunger, they also teach parents how important it is to provide their children with the correct variety of foods to stop malnutrition. They train smaller farms how to prevent losing crops or livestock because of floods, drought, or disease. I think this is important because we all, especially the children, need this food for survival. They teach family farmers how to grow foods that are nutritional and how to raise animals to produce eggs, meat or milk.

There  is a section on the website that addresses two senators who says that five areas are not being met when it comes to children's policy and the programs. These areas are early childhood education, economic security, K-12 education, health and safety, and permanence and stability. It goes on to say vote for these candidates who will support investments in children. This tells me again it all goes back to money and wanting the votes. They only want to be elected and the children will be forgotten about.


I admire the fact that they have programs to teach children who been abandoned or institutionalized by their parents because of a disability. The program is called Ensuring Children Have Quality Care. This program helps children get into and stay into school. They also ensure children who cannot attend regular classes will continue to learn through quality non-formal education programs. This is just one of the programs under Ensuring Children Have Quality Care. This is something great they are doing to include everyone. Every child deserves an education and one of quality.

Getting To Know Your International Contacts-Part 1

I read the information about childhood poverty and what is being done about it on the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre’s (CHIP) website page. Insights I’ve gained were surprising to me. It was very surprising to learn that worldwide there are 600 million children living in poverty. This comes to 1 in 4 children living in poverty. In other countries the rate is higher. That is too many children living in poverty. When children experience poverty even for a short period, it can affect the rest of their lives. When children are malnutrition it can lead to poor health and lifelong learning difficulties. Poor children can lead to poor parents once they are grown.

CHIP is working to deeply understand the main causes of poverty so they can eliminate it. They are examining social and economic factors on the international, national, and local levels. They also communicate their findings to policy makers, advocates, and practitioners. Organizations they work with are Save the Children and the Chronic Poverty Research Centre (CPRC).

I haven’t been able to establish communication with anyone so I read about case study in India. A seventeen year old boy, who comes from a family of ten, had to drop out of school to work and his family could no longer afford his education. His father was sick and unable to work to care for the family. Two of his other brothers had to drop out of school to work also. He worked for two years and then he changed jobs. His father got a loan and started a carpet weaving business. The teenager wanted to finish school and get a better job, but family circumstances prevented it. His parents feel as though the carpet weaving business helped them to arise from poverty. Only one of their children was able to stay in school and receive an education.

I feel for this young man having to drop out of school when he was close to finishing. He did what he had to do to ensure the family comes out of poverty, I admire him for that. It makes you appreciate the fact that you didn’t have to endure this as a child or teenager.

Sharing Web Resources

I chose two organizations, one in the United States and one outside the United States. The one I chose in the United States is Pre-K Now: A Campaign of the Pew Center on the States. Pew is a global research and public policy nonprofit organization. They bring policy makers and experts together to   develop solutions that are driven by facts, and they conduct reporting and in-depth research across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. They use evidence to determine which policies work and which policies do not work. The link to this organization is

http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067

 

The other organization I chose is Save the Children. They are an independent organization who go out in the communities to help children and families in need. When disaster strikes they go out and help with food, medical care, and education and they help communities rebuild through their long- term recovery programs. They also try to resolve ongoing struggles our children face each day like, hunger, poverty, disease, and illiteracy. This organization works in the United States and around the world. The link to this organization is http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6146405/k.C7E9/About_Us.htm

What caught my eye from the organization Save the Children was what they do for children who are hungry. I think it's admiral to help any child regardless of the situation. The fact that I work with children and nutrition was another reason it caught my eye. No child should be hungry with all the resources available. At the school where I'm employed we do all we can to ensure each child eats. We don't know if our meals are the only meals that they may receive for the day.

Getting Ready—Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

During the week I tried contacting several professional contacts for this assignment. I have had no luck in establishing contacts. Can someone give me a suggestion on what I can do? I chose alternative 2. I listened to some podcasts  and I have subscribed to some. I've tried to contact some early childhood professionals from the podcasts, so far no luck.

I chose two early childhood organizations for my resources, one from outside the United States, Save the Children, and two in the United States, Pre-K Now: A Campaign of the Pew Center on the States and National Head Start Association. I've subscribed to their newsletters, so far I've only heard back from one. I'm looking forward to learning more about these organizations.

My Supports

I have many supporters in my life. My daughter, parents, brother, and close friend have all been big supporters to me. My daugher helps me out around the house and she sometimes run errands for me. My parents still give me advice about issues when I need it, plus more. My mother is also the person who listens to me when I need to vent. My brother and father helps me with my car when it needs minor work. My close friend does yard work and is there for me through good and bad times. All of these people do so much more, and without them I don't know how I would make it.

My car is a big support, without it I couldn't get to work, run errands, or go anywhere for pleasure. My computer and cell phone are also big supports. Without them I could not do homework or communicate with others. I also need my phone in case of an emergency when I'm on the road.

If I was paralyzed I couldn't drive, work, or attend school. If my supporters were not around anymore, it would be difficult to function on a daily basis. I wouldn't want to feel like a burden to any of them, but I know they would help me. Paralysis limits many things a person could do. I would not  be able to bath, dress myself, play with my granddaughter, or enjoy everyday life. I can't imagine not being able to do the things I do now.

MyConnections to Play

Two qoutes I chose about play are:

The true object of all human life is play. G. K. Chesterton

Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.  Fred Rogers

I loved to play with paperdolls when I was younger. When I played with paper dolls I would imagine it was me dressing up.


The rubix cube was a game where you had to use your brain. It took a lot of thinking and concentration to line up all the colors.


When I was younger people supported play by allowing us to play as long as we wanted, and by encouraging us to go outside to play. My parents would send me and my brother outside everyday as long as the weather permitted and our homework was finished.
Play is similar today by children still pretending to be adults when they play. Play is differnt is some ways from when I was younger by, children are more into television, video games, and computer games than going outside to play or playing with toys indoors. I hope play continues in school and I hope more parents encourage indoors and outdoors play.
I feel play is healthy for children as well as adults. You are never too old or too young to engage in play. When a person play, and have fun doing it, it gives you an overall feeling of goodness. When I was younger my brother and I would play inside together. He would play with his trucks or train set and I would ride my dolls or paper dolls on the trucks. When we would go outside we would play with our friends. I would ride my bike, skate, play hopscotch, or jump rope. We had so much fun playing outside, we never wanted to go in. During the summer we would play outside all day. As an adult the play I've engaged in is bike riding, playing computer games, video games, and playing with my granddaughter, who keeps me on my toes.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because it is satisfying to have happy and healthy relationships with people whom you trust and care for. Positive relationships are beneficial in many ways, they build your confidence, they help yoou to succeed in life, and they give you support in difficult times in your life. The list could go on.

I have positive relationships with my daughter, granddaughter, mother, father, brother, niece, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, and a special friend.

My relationship with my daughter is positive because we talk to each other about almost anything and we encourage each other's success. When I enrolled to return to school she told me she was proud of me and that I was her inspiration. What contributed to and maintained our relationship is the fact that there has always been a secure attachment. This relationship is developing with my granddaughter who is three years old. She means the world to me.

The relationship I have with my mother and father contributes to the fact that they have always been there for me. Although I am an adult, I still need mom and dad. When my mother and father seperated my dad and I lost contact for a couple of years, but when we reconnected it was as if we never lost touch. My relationship with my brother is the same as my parents, we have been there for each other since day one. My brother's wife had a massive stroke two years ago and she's currently in a nursing home, this left him caring for his daughter. I help him, as much as I can, take care of her. She looks up to me like a mother. I always look forward to helping her when I can. It gives me great pleasure to help her.

My sister-in-law and mother-in-law are my late husbands sister and mother. My relationship with them developed over time as I dated my husband. When I first met them I can feel that it was going to be a positive relationship. They have always encouraged our relationship. They always made me feel at home when I would visit them. My father-in-law was apart of the positive relationship before he passed asway. They told me I brought out the best in their son and brother. We became even closer when my husband passed.

My relationship with my special friend has been good for me. We encourage each other's personal growth as well as school. He is currently in school and that makes me happy. We do our homework together sometimes. We sometimes take weekend trips just to get away. He has been an inspiration to me in many ways. Our relationship gives me feelings of enjoyment and happiness. My husband was my best friend, so when he passed a part of me passed with him. It hasn't been easy finding some one to fill those shoes. My new friend doesn't fill those shoes, but I am happy again.

There can be challenges developing and maintaining relationships. When you meet someone you're unaware if this person can be trusted. People come and go in our lives. There are times when people don't work well together. Sometimes it take years before you can develop a positive relationship with someone.