Sharing Web Resources

• What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?  This organization is really touching because it stated that over 90 % of children have biological parents who cannot support them. This hits close to home because my students are going through some of the same things. They have parents for whatever who aren't taking care of them and some are living with grandparents, foster parents, or other relatives. The benefits of government assistance is really another deciding factor in most of my students survival.
• Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways? I didn't see anything to change my perception of this organzation other than the fact that they have such powerful supporters.
• What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field? This website names a few world famouse personalities such as Angelina Jolie, the Dalia Lama, Nelson Mandela, and Anna Netrebko as contributing friends and supporters.  They are helpful by spending time with the children, supporting the organization, giving donations, and in some cases helping the children to find homes.
  
• What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website or e-newsletter? I was sort of shocked because I didn't know that so many major people played a role in helping this organization.  It was really good to see that they are helping because sometimes when I watch television I think that those are paid infomercials.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

Unfortunately I still haven't established contact with anyone so I did the alternative assignment. I chose China as my topic for childhood poverty. As many of you may know China has the largest population of people in the world. They also a have a huge poverty level. It is stated that 4.2 million Chinese children live in abosolute poverty. That is a lot of people and my heart goes out to them. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a heart for children and that's part of the reason that I enjoy working with them so much. It also says that another 8.7 million children live in disadvantaged conditions. I did read that the abosolute poverty numbers and proportion of children living in poverty have decreased since the 1990s. It's to see them doing better as a country but I know that there are still a lot of less fortunate children and I feel bad for them. I pray that God will bless their counrty as well as everyone else's especially the children.

Sharing Web Resources

http://www.sos-dd.ru/eng/about/

SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES RUSSIA

SOS Children’s Villages Russia is an independent non-governmental organization that provides a family approach to the long term care of orphaned and abandoned children. They  bring orphaned children back to the natural atmosphere of the family giving them back a mother (an SOS-mother), a home and a happy childhood in a supportive Village environment. They also help children shape their own futures and get ready for independent life.They have benn exending their work with families through family strengthening programs snce 2006. They do this by working for disadvantaged families to prevent crises that can in the worst case scenario lead to children being placed in out-of-home care. I chose this particular organization because I feel that they really are dedicated to help kids succeed as well as saving then from almost certain destruction. I know that there may be plenty of organizatons like this but this one really stands out to me.

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

Being that this class was unavailable to me until yesterday, I have been unable to contact two early childhood professionals. Therefore, I believe T need to try the alternative to number 1. I reached out to someone in Africa and in Europe. I also watched a podcast video of Barbara Jones on the World Forum Radio. I really enjoyed her story about how she came into Montesoi education which led to her opening up a school.

My Supports

• My family is the most important and supportive daily factor. My wife, kids, and mother are very supportive. My extended family is supportive as well. They push me to excel as well as challenge me to do my best no matter what I am taking part in.  I have to babies and a younger cousin who's like my son that looks up to me. I know have to set a really positive example and be a strong positive influence in their lives. I have to make sure that they don't mistakes that I made. It would be extremely difficult to live without them. These people are my life in which I am in constant contact with daily. I am there for them and they are there for me and I would not want to be without any one of them. I honestly can't say what I would do without them, but I hope that I never will have to find out.
• The challenge I would like to imagine is being a very rich and wealthy person. I honestly would like the challenge of being Kobe Bryant. He is one of the greatest athletes and teammates in the world but he is often scrutinized.  He is also going through a divorce and is probably on the downside of his career. I know my extended family would support me through this and I would like the challenge to see if I could work things out with my wife as well as become a less scrutinized athlete.  We have a close net family. We help each other in any way that we can and will always be there for each other. I would without a doubt be a lost soul with out my support system. Depression would set in and I would probably just climb into a hole so to speak and just keep to myself. 
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My Connections To Play

Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.

Diane Ackerman
Contemporary American author

Culture arises and unfolds in and as play.

Johan Huizinga
Dutch historian
1872–1945




These building blocks were very influential in my childhood. I loved to play with them and I learned from them. My kindergarten teacher Mrs. Andersen loved to watch me play with them. She worked with me every day using these blocks to teach me different learning strategies.

Today I use those same skills with my children in the classroom. They abosutely love to use the blocks. It has taught them to share as well. We had a very hard time to get them to share in the beginning. I remember back when I was younger we were taught to share coming from home, but now a days some children aren't being raised that way. Children tend to fight over things rather than share. So we have the task of breaking the stingy habit.

Overall I view play as a very useful tool in life as well as education. I learned a lot through play, it taught me how to think, share, and be independent in learning. I hope that I am being as effective of a teacher as Mrs. Anderson taught me.

Relationship Reflection

 

Hello everyone. I am going to discuss my relationship with the three most important people in my life. First off I would like to discuss my relationship with my wife. We have been together for more than 6 years (3 of them married). She has always been there for me even though I am six years older than her. I like to think of her as my soulmate, God's personal gift to me. She is wise beyond her years and I don't ever want to be without her. Next is my daughter Zamiya, she is my first born child and my only girl. Zamiya and I were very close before the birth of her baby brother. I couldn't move without her following me or holding on to my pant leg. She has branched off since she's gotten older and tends to gravitate to her mother. Zamiya is very smart little girl. She picks up on things very quickly and is really into technology. She is only three and stays on my laptop more than anyone else and she knows how to use it very well. And last but not least my son Kamrin. Kamrin is two years old. He is also very bright. Our relationshio is very close. He cries when I leave to go work. He wants to follow me every where that I go. We also share a deep passion for the sport of basketball. He actually sits there and watches the whole game with me whether in person or on the television. He sleeps with the basketball, baths with it, and takes it everywhere he goes and I do mean every where. My family is my inspiration and gives me the drive to succeed. They motivate me also. My family means everything to me. I couldn't survive without them.