GETTING TO KNOW YOUR INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS

Well unfortunately, I haven't heard from any of the contact I sent messages to in Week 1. I have begun a search again. I found a website for The World Organization For Early Education (www.OMEP-usnc.org). This organization was created in 1946, after WWII. A small group of educators and others came together with concern for the welfare of young children. OMEP promotes the well being rights and education of young children. While I was there I saw a story of a Kenyan educator that started her own school on a farm and is getting the children involved in purifying their drinking water. I emailed her and I also emailed the writer of the OMEP newsletter that was from Sweden. Hopefully I hear back from one of them. I also went to www.educationworld.com and started a blog requesting correspondents from around the world. This website has educators from all over the world. I hope to hear from someone there also. Wish me luck.

SHARING WEB RESOURCES

I subscribed to two newsletters. The first one I chose deals with the early childhood educators in Haiti. Haiti was involved in an earthquake a few years ago and has not fully recovered yet. Families re still living in tents. Many children are not attending school regularly. The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) values innovation, diversity and actions. The Haiti Case Study follows the Tipa Tipa method that trains pre-school teachers and parents on personal development, community spirit and values. I was motivated by this newsletter to learn more about how the educators increase their personal development and how the education system was being improved in the aftermath of the natural disaster. This newsletter subscription site is at www.wise-qatar.org/content/wise-haiti-case-study-tipa-tipa. The second newsletter I subscribed to was from the International Child Resource Institute in Kenya. The Daraja Early Care Program enables Africa's poorest children to receive an high quality education in an activity driven environment. The newsletter also supports a Grassroots Advocacy Project which assists women, children and families with networking and mentoring. Kidsafe Project is a rights based child abuse prevention curriculum. They have training courses on child advocacy. I was drawn to this newsletter because this Institute is empowering the children and the families. Prevention of child abuse is a very important topic because we lose our children in this manner by caregivers who may not have coping mechanisms, mental illness or other ailments. This newsletter is located at www.icrichild.org/Kenya

ESTABLISHING PERSONAL CONTACTS

The first steps I took to find professional contacts outside of the United States was to research the websites the Professor gave us. I subscribed to www.icrichild.org/kenya newsletters. That site is from the International Child Resource Institute in Kenya. This institute builds access to high quality and developmentally appropriate early childhood education for Africa's poorest children. Since I used to sponsor a child in Dominica, I googled Dominica and early childhood educators. I came across the Pan American Health Organization, who named Austelle Lockhart as one of the Roving Caregivers. The caregivers teach the young children in Dominica. I actually reached out to Mr. Lockhart on Facebook. From the website www.naeyc.org/resources/partnership/globalalliance I discovered the Ajoke International School in Ghana ran by Mrs. Bimbo Are. I emailed her and asked could she be a professional contact for me. I also found on that website a Haiti Step by Step Program/Tipa Tipa. I emailed the head of that school also at the website given. My email was returned as undeliverable to that address. I then googled Haiti Tipa Tipa and found this website www.sise-qatar.org/content/wise-haiti-case-study-tipa-tipa. I emailed that site and signed up for the newsletters. I am waiting on responses now. I want to wish everyone good luck making contacts.

MY SUPPORTS

My definition of support is knowing that someone is there to have your back through thick and thin, rain or shine, good days or bad days. My 12 year old daughter Jada, gives me emotional support and physical support. She helps me to finish tasks. In fact she will help me with the Powerpoint I have to do this week. I haven't made one since my Capstone class exactly a year ago. My eldest daughter is 33, she gives me emotional support by providing for her younger sister when I may be out or working late. We share a house, 2 cars, travelling, etc. My boyfriend gives me emotional support also. Even though I only had one instance where I may have needed him to support me, he was right by my side ready, willing and able. I have numerous friends that I could ask for assistance of if need be. The benefits of emotional support are a sense of self assurance and confidence. I feel as if I can handle 99% of anything that may be thrown at me but 1% of me if I weren't able to handle the situation, I would get the support needed. ********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* Existing without support can be done but it would be dismal. Boyfriend's come and go but my existence would change tremendously without my daughter's support. I wouldn't have as much freedom as I do to have me time or work overtime. A challenge would be if I broke a limb. I would need assistance driving, grocery shopping, going to the bathroom, getting to work, etc. I would need someone to help me do all activities of daily living=cooking, cleaning, washing, etc. I wouldn't be able to drive my youngest daughter the numerous places she has to go. My eldest daughter would assist as much as possible but I'm not too used to depending on anyone to do anything for me. I would most likely feel guilty and not place any unnecessary burdens on her.

MY CONNECTION TO PLAY

In my youth which was in the 1960's and 70's, we had loads of fun and free play. Parents would let the kids play all day. This was an era before beepers and cellphones. In the summertime, children would start coming out to play about 10 a.m. We would play a variety of games like punchball, tag, doubledutch, dolls and read books together. We played until lunch time. We ate and then we came right back outside, scared that if we stayed in too long we would miss something. We played all day long and only went inside to use the bathroom or if we were hungry. We were able to play outside until the streetlights came on. None of us ever got molested or kidnapped. We had a wholesome childhood.

Play today is so different. Parents are scared of some unforeseen horrible attack on their child. children are scared to play outside due to overexposure of the crazies in the media. My grandson is so out of touch with the outdoors that he is scared of flies and mosquitoes, We didn't even notice bugs when we played. My hope for this younger generation is that they and their parent overcome their fears and allow children to be children again. Allow them to experience new discoveries, new friends and have fun while doing so. I loved play so much that I still play to this day. My boyfriend works in the same 20 story building that I do. Just yesterday I called him midday and asked him if "he could come out and play with me?". I will always be a child at heart and this is why I enjoy being around children. Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity. Kay Redfield Jamison Contemporary American professor of psychiatry You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. Plato

RELATIONSHIP REFLECTION

Relationships are very important to me. I have many relationships: acquaintances, associates, co-workers, friends, daughters, grandmother, and girlfriend. Astrologically, I am a Libran. Libras like to be in partnerships. We work better that way. It's nice to have someone you can depend on in your corner. I also like balance. It takes two people to have balance. I am in a very nice relationship with my boyfriend. We share laughs, honesty and intimacy. I had my first daughter at the age of 20. We grew up together and are still very close. My best friend growing up was my mother. I was the youngest of 3 girls. I was spoiled rotten and I still am. When I lost my mom in 2005, life changed forever for me. Holidays are now just another day. The special feeling is gone. Mother's Day is especially depressing. I did decide this year to start celebrating her life each year on her birthday. On March 2nd, this year I bought a 2nd car and joined a gym. The other two loves of my life are my 6 year old grandson and my 12 year old daughter. I have many associates from work, Girl Scouts, my kids friend's parents etc. I can count true friends on two hands. My relationship with my boyfriend is positive because when we are together, we are in our own little isolated bubble. My relationship with my immediate family is constant, unconditional love. Love different from my mom's love but love still the same. Challenges to developing and maintaining relationships are both person's having the ability to communicate honestly. Also important is the ability to listen. Listening is an art. Many choose not too listen, but I have learned that listening is just as important as speaking. My eldest daughter and I have a partnership in keeping our children healthy, with a roof over their heads and well fed. My boyfriend and I have a partnership in the ability to share dreams and goals with each other. We also share intimacy that only involves the two of us. In the world of early childhood professionals, you have to be able to communicate, listen and reflect without any biases toward any children. I was very much involved in both daughter's education. Always at the school. Volunteering for trips. I always felt welcome. I would definitely think that it is essential for educators to succeed in making parents feel welcome in the school environment. As long as educators are open to doing the best educating for all of the children they may come across daily, the work that they do with each child.ld should be effective.

ALL GROWTH DEPENDS UPON ACTIVITY. THERE IS NO DEVELOPMENT PHYSICALLY OR INTELLECTUALLY WITHOUT EFFORT, AND EFFORT MEANS WORK........CALVIN COOLIDGE