Start Seeing Diversity: What I have Learned

• One hope that I have is to be able to work with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds in a healthy way.  I hope to empower them and be inclusive. I hope to learn from them and for them.  I hope to make them a health part of our school community.
• One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to make some permanent changes to our literacy centers.  My goal is to develop a library that is truly reflective of our school community.  I would expect the library to show all types of cultural and linguistic groups.
• To all my colleagues - Thank you for coming and taking time to visit my blog and comment.  I have learned a lot from you.  Let's continue on this journey of progress and change so we can be the positive change for our children. Happy holidays. 

Start Seeing Diversity: My Poem

Uncomfortable journey
through bias and prejudice
Facing inner pain and hurt
Caused  by US and others

Delving deep into our feelings
of people, culture, and religions far and near
opening our hearts and mind
in order to elicit change

Powerful journey
with our colleagues, now friends
uncovering our true selves
without fear or shame

Others are on this journey
through education courses we go
So we can impact future generations
and those near us as well

The journey has uncovered bias
we didn't know was there
but from one level to another
continuing we must go. 

Start Seeing Diversity: We Don't Say Those Words

This week we are required to write about a time when you witnessed an adult or yourself reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different.  

I remember when I was a child I lived in an apartment building.  There were 20 families in our building alone and there were 3 other buildings on our  block.  I remember clearly one fourth of July where everyone was outside lighting fireworks and sitting outside.  I saw a neighbor from an adjoining building outside which we rarely saw.  She was an extremely obese women and when she sat her legs would double over.  I was shocked and kept staring at her.  My mother noticed my reaction and pulled and pinched my ear.  She gave me the "look" and I knew I better stop.    Later my mother told me that we don't stare at people.  My mom told me she is like that because she is sick so don't stare.

I think the message I got is that 1) It is rude to stare.  2) Sometimes there is a reason for people to have something wrong with them.  3) We don't do things to hurt others.   

I think an anti-bias educator would have various examples of not only people but different sized people in the classroom.  I think an anti-bias educator would have valuable literature that shows all sorts of people.  I think an anti-bias educator would make it a cornerstone of their philosophy of teaching that all sorts of people either by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and size should be respected.  Obesity is a growing epidemic and through the media and children's literature they are viewed negatively.  This can change through the sensitive teaching of an anti-bias educator.  

Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

I have heard homophobic terms used as an insult by a child toward another child.  When I taught second grade there was a young boy that I believe had homophobic tendencies.  He was very feminine and would write about boys that he thought was cute.  He would write in his journal certain things and there were certain incidences that occurred.  One day while in the schoolyard, he had chased a boy around in order to kiss him.  The other young  boy, who was also in my class was horrified, embarrassed, and afraid.  He didn't want student A to keep bothering him.  Student B knew Student A liked him but he didn't like him back.  Student B was afraid that he would be teased about the kiss.  This was SECOND  grade.  I stressed to the class that we respect people's personal space and we are not to touch anyone. Also, I met with Student A's father and told him what had occurred and about the other boy feeling uncomfortable because his son was "bothering" him.  This was a single dad going through a terrible divorce and was at a loss.  I also brought it to administration's attention because I didn't want an incident to occur in the bathrooms while at lunch or if I was absent.  The class did tease Student A and called him a "fag".  I talked about words that hurt and that we treat everyone with respect.  That behavior would not be tolerated at all.  I dealt with urban kids who were very street smart and I talked to them about the consequences of their behavior.  I also touched upon gender issues with that class.  I love to teach using William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow.

I have to admit that this topic about homophobia and dealing with it in the classroom with very young children makes me very uncomfortable.  I have a 2 1/2 year old who attends nursery school.  I have to admit I don't want  her exposed to these things so young.  I don't think how people choose to have sex should be anyone's business.  I would feel very uncomfortable not knowing how the classroom teacher would approach this topic.  I wouldn't want my daughter exposed to these things so early.  Does that make me a homophobe?  I don't think so.  Maybe I am wrong.

Farewell and Good Luck

To all my colleagues,
As we near the end of our communication course I just wanted to thank everyone for their support, and ideas.  I have enjoyed reading your blogs and getting to know some of you personally.  We have had vivid discussions, shared frustrations, and we've shared our journeys together. It has been a pleasure for me to get to know you and wish you nothing but the best on your wonderful journeys.  Good luck.

johanaviles1@yahoo.com

Team Building and Collaboration

Sometimes dealing with groups is very difficult and other times it is a pure delight.  Friendships are built and professional relationships established.  Some of these aspects make it hard to say good-bye.  I think the hardest teams to leave are the ones with clearly established norms.  I think when you establish a routine with a group of people and you work together towards a common goal it is difficult to adjourn. Some of the closing rituals I have participated in were certificate or celebration ceremonies.  Some closing rituals have been dinner out.  I have no idea how we will adjourn from the colleagues I have worked with in this program.  I guess a lot of well-wishing will take place.  It would be cool if a group skype could be done. 

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

I'm sure that the conflict I will present will be shared by many.  As a stay at home mom, my husband and I are at odds about household chores.  For example, he believes that if I am the person at home, then all household duties fall to me.  I believe that if we live in the same household, then household duties should be shared.  It becomes frustrating, when he will not even load the dishwasher.

I am trying to take everything i am learning and trying to apply it.  It is easier said than done especially when I think I am right and he is wrong.   First, I learned I need to compromise more.  Maybe I need to negotiate with my husband certain duties.  Maybe we just need to be better connected so we can give and receive mutually.

Any advice on how to effectively communicate my desire for equitable distribution of chores?

Website for this image.

Communication

For your blog this week, think about the similarities and differences between how you evaluated yourself as a communicator and how others evaluated you. What is the one thing that surprised you the most? Why? What other insights about communication did you gain this week? Choose at least two to share with others through your blog and consider how each might inform your professional work and personal life.


Well, I found these tests very interesting and the results for some aspects shocking.  My husband and best friend  found that I was a better communicator than I thought I was.  My best friend thought I was a better listener than I thought I was.    I found that interesting.  I don't know if it had to do with gender, or age, (my hubby is younger than I), or the fact that my friend has known me longer.  I was shocked at some of the questions on the exam because I would never think to offend someone because they didn't agree with my way of doing things or my opinion.  

Some things I learned are that others perceive us differently for many reasons. It is our job to try to give the perception we desire.   

Communication

I want to believe that I communicate with everyone in the same way but I think I would by lying to myself.  I believe I am guarded with groups of people I might not have encountered before. 

1) When communicating with Southeast Asian people, a teacher should not touch the child on the head because they believe this gesture has stolen the child's spirit (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010, p. 80).

2) Try to identify something you have in common with someone if you want to communicate effectively.

3) We should be motivated to communicate.  We should be motivated to learn and improve ( Beebe, Beebe & Redmond, 2011, p. 103).

Communication Role Model

I think an example of a person that exemplifies clear communication is Oprah Winfrey.  She has won the heart of the world by being an effective communicator especially because of her ability to listen to others, understand where they are coming from and not be judgmental.  This is something I strive to do in my professional life especially because we deal with so many people from all walks of life.

©1996 - 2011 American Academy of Achievement. All Rights Reserved

 One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to make them feel welcome and comfortable.  I always tell my families that this school year we will be like family because we will get to know and share so much together.  I will be  a part of their child's lives and they in turn will be a part of my life.  I hope that all the families I deal with will feel that I treat them like family. 

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice would be to incorporate cultural studies in an in depth way - not just studying holidays or food but really encompassing the experiences people have, and we can learn some history along the way.  

  

To all my colleagues, I have learned so much from you while we examined our feelings and delved deep into our experiences, both good and bad.  Some of you have shared heart-breaking situations and have truly opened up.  For that, thank you because I learned so much from seeing the world through your eyes.  Hopefully, we can all make a difference where we are but you have all made a difference in me.  Good luck to all of you in your endeavors.

Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I have personally experienced bias, and prejudice.  But I am choosing to talk about an incident that my high school friend experienced.  My high school friend,  Naji who is Indian, had a horrible time in high school.  He was small and very thin.  He was constantly teased and picked on especially by a Chinese group that went to another high school but took the same way to the public transit system.  We always walked in groups and would witness the teasing but we ignored it and would keep on walking.  But one day, Naji had to stay late after school, I believe he was tutoring someone in math that day and on his walk to the public transit he encountered this Chinese group.  Unfortunately, they took advantage of the fact that he was alone and they decided to beat him up.  He was beat so badly that they knocked out his front teeth and he had cuts, bruises, and a broken rib.  It was literally a "gang" we were to learn later that had been harassing him.  This "gang" took issue with "Indians" and had decided to make Naji an example of their gang war.  The police had to get involved and they tried to get justice for Naji.  Naji was never the same again.  He became extremely reclusive and wasn't the same person.  He stopped tutoring after school and finished the semester and transferred to another school.  This particular incident diminished equity because it disempowered Naji.  Even though he had the law on his side, he never felt safe.  We felt so bad for Naji.  Justice was never really found for him.  The incident changed him forever and I will never know if he received healing from this incident.  After he left my high school, I never saw him again.  To turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity many things would have to change. I think my high school administration and the other high school administration should have taken more action to prevent these types of incidents.  They should have been more pro-active in trying to implement startegies to open dialogue for different groups.  The schools failed Naji and the students involved in this incident.  Change needs to happen on the local level.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

Well, my husband and I just relocated from NYC to NC.  What a huge difference?  During this time of transition my husband and I had to get NC licenses.  We went to the DMV and they go through all the formalities and ask questions.  Well, my husband went first and the gentlemen asked him all the formalities and also asked him What race are you?  My husband answered White and my ethnicity is Latino.  They also asked my husband numerous times to validate his address.  It seemed like they didn't believe the address he was saying was his. Now, you might ask what is the big deal.  Well, the big deal came when it was my turn to go to the teller and she didn't ask me the same questions my husband was asked.  So sometimes it takes a while to realize a microaggression has actually happened.  I felt this was an example.  It was subtle and I'm sure the man was well-intentioned.

My observation experiences this week affected my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people.  The biggest thing that changed my perception is the way I view people by the way they are dressed or speak.  Are they speaking with slang words, or accents.  I realized the stereotypes I have are based on first impressions.  Just the fact that I think I know a person's cultural background by looking at them, shows that I follow a script in my mind that is full of stereotypes. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I asked my brother, who is a Marine what is culture.  He said, culture is given to you.  It is built on traditions and traditions build culture. Culture is the way you live.  Culture is derived from people making you who you are.  This way of life is passed down from generation to generation.    His definition of diversity are the differences in culture.  Diverse entails the differences evident in each specific culture. Based on what my brother said I think he hit the nail on the head with his idea of culture.  I asked him this because he has traveled the world and he is a male perspective. 

I also asked my brother's mother-in-law, Louann,  what is culture.  She was brought up in a foster home and her perspective is different.  She attributes her culture as Mexican.  She doesn't know what she is ethnically but identifies herself with how she looks.  She looks Latina so she identifies with that culture.  Diversity is change and how each person is different.  


I think the answers I received demonstrate how diverse people's perspectives can be.  Also, I am reminded that to most people culture is what is touched upon on the surface.  No one really gave me a "deep" cultural answer.  I was really taken aback by Louann's answer and perspective.  She wasn't raised by biological parents so she assumed the culture of the people she thinks she looks like.  She doesn't even know if she is Mexican.  For all she knows she is Arabic or Egyptian.  I wonder if knowing that truth would cause her to identify herself differently.  
 

My Family Culture

If I had to choose three items that represent my family culture I would take a wedding album, a cookbook, and a piece of Puerto Rican Taino art.  My wedding album is very important because it represents the family, and how it celebrates a family wedding.  The wedding album is representative of several generations of family.  The cookbook has been handed down from my mother to myself.  She received Cocina Criolla from her stepmother who had given it to my mother.  This cookbook was later translated into English and my mother gave me this new version.  My mother matched the English version with the Spanish version she had and wrote notes for me to follow.  This was given to me as a wedding gift.  The Taino art was a piece of art that my husband and I purchased on a trip to PR.  It was the first real piece of art we purchased and we treasure it.  If I was told that I could only keep one personal item and had to give up the other two items I brought with me I would be devastated.  How can I choose which is more valuable when I value all of them in different ways?  As  a result of this exercise I realize how important family is. I think it is true for all cultures though.   

Research around the World

I looked at


http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Some current research topics are bullying, legal issues in childcare, and social and emotional learning as a bases for curriculum.  By exploring this international website I see that there are more similarities than differences.  Major problems such as bullying are problems worldwide. they also have the same concerns as we do such as who should be picking up children from the child care system.  Safety of all children is also a concern.  Some information that was available was a book that principals can purchase in order to build the parent- school relationship.  It was geared towards parents and was called Your child's first year at school: a book for parents.  I think it is vital that schools build relationships with parents.

When I think of research....

Taking this course has not been easy.  It was a lot of terms to remember and I actually had to create a research simulation.  Through that assignment I was able to understand all the components that make research possible. 

My ideas about research have changed.  I didn't realize all the components necessary to plan and set-up your design.  I learned about all the various designs and ways to conduct research.  There were so many choices it was hard to select just one. 

Some challenges I encountered had to do with all the terms that I had to explain on assignments part 1.  I really had to do an extra bit of work and really go online and research the research terms. 
My perceptions of an early childhood professional have not really changed.  they work hard and are experts in their field.

To all my classmates, Kudos to us for reaching the end of this road. 

Research that Benefits Children and Families

Share a positive example of the effects of research on children and/or families


When I conducted a qualitative research project with two of my former students I believe it had  positive effects on them and their families.  I personally had an added component to discuss with parents and they felt I was giving their child "special attention".  I think parents believing I was giving their child special attention and the fact that I chose their child made them more aware of what was occurring in the classroom and they paid more attention to their child's work. Please note that I had the opportunity to loop with my class from second to third grade and was able to conduct research on the writing workshop model.  So I worked intensely with their child with their writing and parents saw a big difference in the development of their child's work not only in the writing but across the board.  Whether it was because I had looped with the class and had a keen sense of areas of weakness and was targeting those or getting one-on- one attention helped I really don't know.  But I choose to believe that the research I was conducting had a positive effect on the children and their families.

My Personal Research Journey

I have chosen to look at factors that determine when and if a child meets their developmental milestones.  The factors I will look at will be bilingualism, gender, and # of siblings.  This was not an easy topic to select but the one that hits closest to home.  As  a parent of an 8 month old and a 2 year old I am always wondering if what my children are saying and doing appropriate for their age.  I think many parents have this concern and as educators we can help parents and families by being more knowledgeable in this area. 

As a new parent I made sure to meet their health needs by visiting the doctor.  When I started to take my daughter to the doctor, they had a completely computerized system where they asked me developmental questions and if my child was meeting them.  They would write my responses and gave suggestions also on how to meet certain milestones.  For example, they encouraged some tummy time to build my daughters upper body strength.  I thought it was great but unfortunately, each time I went to an appointment I was seeing a new doctor.  I wasn't comfortable with this, so I switched doctors and what a difference it was.  Medically, my doctor is great but she does not have this computerized system in her office.  So I feel, that I have to be the one asking the questions and be better informed about developmental milestones.  The doctor isn't sitting down with me and asking me a plethora of questions concerning development like the previous clinic. 

Now as an educator, I think I am a little well-versed with what is expected and when (especially with taking courses through Walden) but not all parents are.  I think there needs to be a bigger push for education in this area.  Some doctors press for a child meeting milestones by a certain point while others take a more laissez-faire attitude about it.   They tell parents don't worry, give it more time.  The reality is for some kids they don't have time to wait.   I think there should be a more systematic system in place to catch developmental delays early before a child starts school.  This should be standard and maybe my research can help this along. 

Final Blog Assignment

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development would be as follows:

1) I learned that other countries put more importance on early childhood education than we do.

2) Gender inequality is  an ongoing issue in many countries and not enough is being done to rectify this situation.  Mindsets have to change which is very difficult.

3) Economics really drives what is being done around the world especially when it comes to our most vulnerable children.

One goal I have is to keep informed about issues.  One issue that really resonated with me was gender inequality.  I hope to learn more and at least be able to find an organization I can support financially that is doing a good job trying to change this.

To all my colleagues, congrats on all of your hard work and dedication.  Good luck to all of you.

Getting To Know Your International Contacts - Part 3

Unfortunately, I couldn't get in contact with anyone internationally.  I really don't know what I didn't do correctly.   I am kind of disappointed that it has been so long and I have not had success.  So, again, I had to do the alternative assignment.  I looked at the website http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/.  One thing that I can come away with is that there are many organizations working to improve success for all of our young children. 

1) One way UNESCO, defines quality, is that ealry childhood care and education programs should emphasize the child's holistic development and extend beyond assisting the child's transition to formal schooling.  It just seems that everyone understands what is necessary to have success but the actual implementation of that type of system is more complicated than it seems.

2) UNESCO has education regions.  They include Africa, the Arab states, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America and Latin America and the Carribbean.  I just wondered how this is done logistically.  Issues in America will be vastly different than issues in the Arab states.  I wonder how religion and gender equity plays a role and what is actually being done about it.  If we are to educate all of our children then girls must be a part of that process.  I wonder how difficult this actually can be in some places.

3) With that in mind, I looked at the agencies' priorities and they included Africa, gender equality, education for all, sustainable development, ethics, cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue, and knowledge societies.  I found it very interesting that it included gender equality.  It is such an important issue because girls do not normally complete much education in certain areas.  They are used for domestic help or early marriage.   I couldn't really get a clear picture of how this is dealt with but I found it very interesting.  I will have to take more time and explore.  Maybe that information I can find it in the news portion of the website.

Sharing Web Resources

I am following http://www.zerotothree.org/. I get weekly newsletters from this website.  This week I decided to follow the newsletter where I was able to download a copy of Separation and Loss Due to Political and Social Conflict The Impact on Early Childhood Development.  Since our course is entitled issues and trends I thought this was a relevant issue.  Having the experience of dealing with refugees while in Maine I found this interesting and relevant for our generation.  We have many students in our class that might have parents deployed or have refugees in our classes.

Also in the newsletter I was able to download a brochure entitled Little Listeners in an Uncertain World: Coping strategies for you and your child during deployment or when a crisis occurs.  It was informative and gave examples of what can be done for adults when they are stressful and how to help their child to cope also.

I explored Free Parent Brochures and Guides. There is so much available. I also liked that some handouts were available in Spanish. I though this was a very useful tool to use for parent-teacher conferences, meetings, or workshops.  There was general parenting topics such as Every Ways to Support Your Baby or Toddler's Early Learning, Tips for Child's Development Assessment, and Healthy Eating Strategies for Young Children.  There are many age-based handouts, healthy minds: Nurturing Your Child's Healthy Development, and The Magic of Everyday Moments, and Your Baby's Development.  I actually looked at the information under Self-Control for 24-36 months old and found it informative and helpful especially when Arianna was having tantrums.

I think the brochures and information here for parents help them better understand their children thus helping parents be better at parenting.  I think this promotes excellence in the home thus promoting excellence in the school.   

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2

I looked at http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/.  It was very interesting.  I learned through the Global Children's Initiative activities that this organization looks at early childhood development, mental health, and children in crisis and conflict situations.  What I paid particular attention to was the children in crisis and outcomes.  This group focused on child status in post-earthquake Haiti and Chile and they also addresses acute malnutrition. 

Looking at Child and Family Mental Health they stress that addressing these emerging emotional and behavioral problems when children are young is an important social issue.  This confirms all that we have been learning.  We have learned about early stress becoming an indicator of later behavioral issues.  So there is value in addressing these needs. 

Relationship-based conditions contributing to early emotional difficulties, such as maternal depression, also have been well-documented effects on developing brain function. I thought this was so interesting because lately there has been more awareness on maternal depression especially with Brooke Shields bringing maternal depression to the forefront and lack of understanding clearly stated by Tom Cruise.  I think it is still misunderstood and scary. This is a personal issue to me because I experienced baby blues with my firstborn and it was terrifying because I felt that I wasn't me.  It is interesting to see that this affects the child and the ways it affects the child.  

Sharing Web Resources Part 2

I am currently examining http://www.zerotothree.org/.  I found particular interest in Public Policy this week.  In this particular section we can see Action Center, Building Early Childhood Systems, Federal Policy, Infant-Policy Issues, Policy Guide and State and Community Policy. 
This site has a lot of professional resources.  An example is Babies and Toddlers in the Policy Picture: A Self-Assessment Checklist for States and Communities.  I was able to view a PowerPoint entitled Developing Plans to Improve Services for Infants and Toddlers.

An idea that made me think aobut an issue in new ways is the issue of children in foster care.  The Zero to Three website pushes a policy for permanent placements for children in foster care.  This is an idea that I haven't seen or read about anywhere.  When you think about all we have learned about early childhood development and the importance of creating a bond with someone it makes total sense.  Unfortunately, this is not what happens and this organization is seeking to change that.

I realized through viewing the power point how complex it is to actually deliver policy change.  There are so many different components of what needs to be accomplished.  Many people need to come together and agree on what needs to be done, how to do it, how to finance it, and then how to actually implement these changes.  It is not as simple as we would like it to be.  So even when politicians, economists, and neuroscientists are on the same page, actually agree on what needs to be done, have the finances in place to do it, then there are all these logistical things that need to be done, which is what we usually refer to as "red tape". 

Getting to Know Your International Contact

I'm disappointed that no one I contacted got back to me.  Not even my friend from Dominica has returned my email.  Maybe she will do so later on.  Because of this, I had to do the alternative assignment.

I chose India because I just finished watching a show about child sex slaves with Lisa Ling.  I thought it was horrific what was happening there and decided to learn more about the issue of poverty in this country.

1) One major issue in India is education.  The country struggles with getting 33 million children living in poverty to get into an elementary school, then finish at least the primary grades.  There is also gender discrimination for education.  Only 66% of girls attend secondary schools.  India has 20% of the world's out of school children.  

2) Another major issue is health.  The health of the poor is a major problem.  There are many communicable diseases, malnutrition, and maternal and perinatal illnesses (www.childhoodpoverty.org/).  Because of changes in modernization of their systems, urbanization,  and economic conditions the issue of HIV/AIDS is becoming a fast problem.  There is alot of malnutrition and children are born low-birth weight.

3) The country of India is trying to improve the conditions of the poor.  As of late, they are trying to implement a Child Policy.  It just seems that they are not doing enough.  Maybe it is because there is just this pervasive attitude about poor people.  They do have a caste system so maybe the majority of the people believe if you are poor that you are in that situation because of what you have done in your previous life.  That is clearly my opinion. 

Sharing Web Resources

I have chosen to share more about http://www.zerotothree.org/  This organization focuses on children from Pre-natal to age 3.  The website gives a lot of information.  For example it includes behavior and development, maltreatment, care and education, and public policy.  I looked this week at care and education.  They had a lot of valuable information but I chose to focus on school readiness which is interactive.  I focused on self-control and watched a video.  I found it interesting that they do not advocate for time-outs for children aged two or three.  They said it is ineffective.


There also is download of the week.  This week is the Magic of Everyday Moments - 24 to 36 months.

I was sent an article to my email.  It was a free article from their newsletter where Matthew E. Memed writes A Call to Action for Infants and Toddlers in Foster Care.  He argues for policy agenda making vulnerable infants and toddlers a priority and creating a developmental approach to their care.

As far as cultural diversity, I would have liked to see more things related to being bilingual, or resources in Spanish.  Maybe I will see it later on, but didn't see it now.  I have to explore deeply.


Found it:


http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_par_1224_selfcontvid1

Spanish Video :))












  

Establishing Foreign Contacts

As part of our first blog assignment, we have to connect with an early childhood educator in another country.  How exciting!  I decided that I would like to connect with someone in Latin America but was confused with the NAEYC site.  There were no contact information or emails for anyone in this region.  So I refocused and thought about what I would find interesting such as places that have child brides such as Ethiopia or child labor like India.  I searched for these places and found also no contact information.  Through the UNICEF website I was able to find a contact for Ethiopia.  I emailed them what I was interested in and am still awaiting a reply.  We shall see what happens.  I am really interested in finding out how these countries who are known to not have education for young poor girls work towards equity in education.


Expanding Resources

I chose to look at http://www.zerotothree.org/baby-brain-map.html I actually chose this site for selfish reasons.  Both my children fall into this age group.  The site is specificially for prenatal development until age three.  I especially like the part of the site called Baby Brain Map.  You can put what age group to focus on and it tells you how their brain is developing.  I registered with this website and hope to get some interesting information.  When I do I will send it all your way.

My Supports

Everyone needs supports.  I have many supports. 

One support I have is my husband.  My husband diligently works to provide for me, and my children.  He sometimes works 80+ hours at the hospital to provide for us.  He undergoes stress so I don't have to.  His everlasting faith strengthens our family.  His humorous spirit makes us laugh and makes stressful situations seem minute.  My husband provides financial support and emotional support.  He also happens to be my "GUY" best friend.  I can tell him anything.   He loves me unconditionally and makes sure I know it. 

Another support I have is my best friend Rosa.  I have known Rosa since I was a child.  We grew up in the  same church and are best friends to this day.  She is my confidante when I need a female ear.  She is my spiritual sister.  God didn't give me a biological sister but gave me  a spiritual one.  I wouldn't know what I would do without her telling me to relax everything will be ok.  She has seen me go through many changes and is my child's Godmother.  She is a strong woman and I respect her opinion.

Another support I have is family, friends, and church.  Church serves as an outlet for frustration.  I can go to God when I feel I can't go to anyone.  God has been my cornerstone all my life and I wouldn't have anything without his grace and favor in my life.  My family has been amazing.  They have been a saving grace when I had my children and underwent an emergency C-section and needed someone to help me.  They cooked for me, babysat, cleaned, ironed and did everything I couldn't do for myself or my family.  They did it with a joyous heart and much love. 

Another support I have is a lot of the practical things such as my computer where I can communicate with others frequently and where I can complete my classwork.  Another practical support is my car.  I go everywhere in my car.  I don't know how I would do all that I do without it.  I can't picture myself riding a NYC bus or train with an infant and a toddler.


Wow, I didn't really want to think of any challenges.  But I figure one challenge I can write about is getting sick.  Rheumatoid arthritis runs in my family and if that was to happen to me it would limit all that I would be able to do.  How can I complete a computer course if I am in excruciating pain when I type?   How can I cook for my family, iron for my husband, drive my car, scrapbook with Rosa, bake cookies, and braid my daughter's hair?  I guess I would need my support on a daily basis.  I think I would probably have to hire a cleaning lady and get some more assistance on a daily basis for everyday house duties.  I would have to have my husband do more of the daily chores such as laundry and food shopping.  I would be more dependent on others which is something I wouldn't be happy about. I would probably need the support of a physician to manage my RA.  I would probably have to be on meds or even an exercise program.  My life would change because I would need more and different support.

My Connections to Play

Coloring

playing under their tent

Mark Twain
Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions.

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

Health Issue - Clean Drinking Water

I chose clean drinking water because clean water is a necessity for health.  When I lived in Dominica, West Indies, getting clean water was sometimes a problem especially during the rainy season.  I thank God that on campus we had water fountains that contained clean filtered water.  My husband and I would fill 3 gallon jugs from the campus water and carry them home.  I know the poorer locals didn't have access to clean water and at times my neighbor with young children would ask us to get water for her.  Some households had regular plumbing while others had to pump water from a well.  Some small towns would use the river to clean, bathe, and drink.  Their government was working on ways to obtain clean water for their people.

I chose to focus on the health issue of clean drinking water in Afghanistan.  This part of the world is of particular interest to me.  My heart goes out to the women and children who suffer at the hands of corrupt leaders - both political and religous.

 I can say that these issues will affect my future work because knowing and understanding these important issues will help me be sensitive to the needs of my students and their families.  

Clean, safe drinking water is a basic right. A right which over 1.2 billion people

around the world are denied. A lack of clean water affects sanitation, health, food supplies and preparation and economic development.

Afghanistan has a population of 22 million people, 70% of which is undernourished and one in four children die before the age of five.  Only 13% of people have access to improved water sources and the situation has worsened due to inadequate rainfall over the last two years causing the government to declare 12 districts drought-affected.

http://www.actionaid.org.uk/_content/documents/AFGHANISTAN.pdf