The Story of Blackmon Road

During the mid 1900’s, Blackmon Road, located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, was used as a landfill. This road was located outside of the jurisdiction and has never had electricity, sewer, or running water. There is a main building that was used for showers and there are also porta potties outside of the homes. There are a numerous amount of families that live in this community and are still living under these conditions. At one point in time, the city was working to try to provide electricity, but the soil wouldn’t allow them to.

Living under these conditions affected the childrens’ behavior and academics while in school. Many different non-profit organizations have donated items such as water bottles and clothing. As of last year, some homes have received air conditioning but I am not certain how. The city has been discussing ways to help this community. So far they think that the best solution would be to move those families to out of that community and to other areas of the city.

As the families have been relocating, parents have noticed drastic changes in their child’s academic behavior. Grades have improved and the children are actually excited about going to school. This shows that living conditions actually have an affect on how children behave in school! I am so glad that these families are being able to move to much better living arrangements that where they were!

 

.

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 3

After reviewing the UNICEF’s website more, I noticed that they have their own blog. It contains stories about children,  articles, trending topics, and future events that will be happening in different locations. There are also letters that are shown that have been written to try to offer help. The pictures also give a better insight and view of the different countries and the activities that are being done to help those individuals.

Sharing Web Resources

NAEYC’s website obtains links to NAEYC’s blog, how to become a member, a survey form, and a link to become a member. One of the links that I followed led me to a page where I would be able to search for childcare or a school that is NAEYC accredited. This page also provides different standards that will help a parent choose a school as well as other tips. If I were to follow the e-newsletter, I would receive information about accreditation updates, Week of the Young Child, Public Policy Forum, publications and resources, NAEYC’s global engagement and an update of the most recent schools and centers that have become accredited. NAEYC’s website does provide information about excellence in early care and education.

Also, schools and other centers are able to advertise their programs through the NAEYC website. Conferences and events that promote new and old NAEYC accredited programs are also found on the website.

Sharing Web Resources-Continued

I have been observing NAEYC’s website. I have noticed that this website posts different trainings. This would be great information, especially since I plan to open my own center very soon. This same section made me think about how to hire employees and that I also have to consider that they will need a certain amount of training hours per year. Therefore, I will make sure that these opportunities for training are available for the employees to attend.

There is also an organization that’s a part of NAEYC called Young Professionals Advisory Council that helps the youngest new members of teaching education. The website also offers a link to the state affairs office which will help one to find service opportunities for your state or community.

I noticed that this website offers information about special events or specific themed weeks that the children are able to learn something fun and new. I would be able to do the same once my childcare center is open and the website is complete.

Getting to Know My International Contact

India-

In India, there are many families that do not have electricity. Therefore, they are forced to use kerosene and candles. Some may use biomass, which is a material of recently living organisms. Biomass is not considered healthy. It is labeled as a source of indoor air pollution. It may also be very harmful for women and children. There are possible solutions that are being constructed to help with the increase of pollution.

http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/index_69755.html

Sharing Web Resources

I decided to research NAEYC’s (National Association for the Education of Young Children)  website. My job is currently trying to become NAEYC accredited even though the school is one of many in United States. The information for this organization is on http://www.naeyc.org/. The newsletter provides you with tons of information such as the organization’s annual conference, the training and opportunities, The Week of The Young Child, which includes many activities for children in early childhood. My school participates in The Week of The Young Child where we also create and implement lesson plans related to students, early learning, teachers and families!

Resources

http://www.naeyc.org/

 

Learning About ECE Around the World

I have chosen to research UNICEF of France and Australia. I have yet to hear back from either location. Therefore, I have chosen to explore NAEYC. My current job is debating whether we should become NAEYC or ABC accredited. It will be very interesting to learn about the NAEYC organization and what they do to support early childhood education!

 

My Supports

There are many different types of support that help very much on a daily basis. For example, my phone is used for appointment reminders, communication and an alarm clock for to prepare myself for work. My daughter is too young to know but she helps me to remain focused on my goals for me to be a great role model for her. My family and my fiance are also great supporters as they are constant reminders as to why I want to achieve all of my goals. Deadlines are also very helpful for me because they push me to complete various projects and assignments by a specific time.

Without technology, I would need to be organized and keep an actual planner. Without my family and fiance, I would be forced to motivate myself which is not a problem. Everyone could use support from others though! I’m more than certain that I would probably be late to work everyday without my alarm although my body may wake up at a certain time everyday. Without my daughter and her motivation, I would not have decided to attend Walden University for my Master’s degree. I am very thankful for every type of support that I have!

My Connections to Play

“Play is the highest form of research.” -Albert Einstein

“Play is the beginning of knowledge.”

I loved to read and pretend to be a teacher!

  I would even pretend to grade and sign papers! 

As a child, I remember being an only child and pretending to do do many things as I played. For example, I would pretend to be a teacher, a doctor, or someone else’ parent. The adults around me would encourage me to play with other children, but never interrupted when I was younger. i was always encouraged to play safely. When I was younger, plays were very important. I was a part of a few plays that required me to rehearse during the week as well as attend shows on the weekends.

In today’s society, children are being encouraged to learn how to adapt to situations that may affect them once they become older. Some of the situations that children are exposed to today, would have never been discussed around me as a child. Today’s children know more than they should, which may be the reason why they begin to do other activities that are above their age level. I do not think that play is encouraged enough in today’s society because children spend less time outside and more time inside watching television or being engaged by some form of technology.

 

The role of play throughout my life has encouraged me show other children how to enjoy being a child and enjoying the years as a child. Time passes very quickly. Therefore, I try to encourage my students to use their imagination. I think it will help them with critical thinking skills as they grow older. Shhhh! I still play with my daughter as she pretend to give daily Doc McStuffins check-ups!

 

Relationship Reflection

Bonding with others and forming relationships gives us a reason to enjoy life. Sometimes, these important relationships are one the only things that makes our lives enjoyable. Our relationships with others may also reveal a purpose or goal that we would like to accomplish in life.

For example, my daughter is only three years old, but she has had a great impact on my life and actually motivates me to want to reach my goals. I also have a great relationship with my mother and two younger sisters. My mother and I have a much better relationship than we did when I was a child. I was always shy and afraid to talk. I can talk to her about anything now and she will share her opinion as well as great advice. My sisters and I motivate each other as we are all trying to complete some type of college degree. As the oldest sibling, they feel more comfortable talking to me because I may have a better understanding of their situation. Likewise, they have a great bond with our mom as well. We all have very busy schedules. Therefore, the time that we do get to talk is very valuable to us.

Although  I may not talk to all of my family members and friends everyday, we occasionally organize dinners or small gatherings throughout the year. This gives us a chance to spend time together. Texting, calling, or video calls may also be an option. In order to maintain our relationship, we are always honest with one another and talk to each other in a respectful manner.

Because I believe in the importance of a relationship, I will try my best to form a bond with my students. I will also encourage them to talk to each other in a respectful way and try to speak to other students that do not usually talk to. This will help them as they grow into mature adults.