Sharing Web Resources

Some of the outside links from my organization of choice (Liberty Foundation) lead to a variety of sources such as plenty of in depth information about the city Belize and their approach and challenges faced towards learning.  One link in particular stuck out to me because it discussed the many issues children have living in the city.  To begin with the majority of children do not live in a home with adequate sanitation and their growth is far too often stunted in this population due to malnutrition.  These children could also be left orphaned and themselves may face illnesses because Belize has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Central America.  Other links discussed their educational approach which is Montessori, which focuses on the fullest development of the child as a whole. The last link I viewed discussed the Reggio Emillio approach towards learning which promotes creativity and active participation.      

	Links Buy your seeds from this website and support Liberty at the same time! www.botanicalinterests.com Award-winning resort hotel in Belize City and Liberty Foundation sponsor: www.radisson.com/belizecitybz/ Belizean travel and directory site: www.belize.com Liberty's Park Renovation project: www.imagefactory.bz   Liberty helps a Belizean kidney transplant patient: http://new.channel5belize.com Monolithic domes, Liberty Foundation's choice for ecological, hurricane proof buildings: www.monolithic.com Montessori, an educational approach pioneered by Maria Montessori aiming for the fullest development of the whole child: www.montessorieducationuk.org www.montessorimagazine.com Official Belizean Government website: www.belize.gov.bz Reggio Emilia, an approach to early childhood education that promotes creativity and active participation: http://zerosei.comune.re.it Salamander, an ecological hideaway resort on Ambergris Caye: www.salamanderbelize.com School opening with Moya Brennan, the voice of Clannad: www.inspiremagazine.org.uk www.christiantoday.com Seasports Belize, offering quality tours for eco-travellers: www.seasportsbelize.com World Health Organisation, the health situation in Belize: www.paho.org UNICEF, the United Nations Children' s Fund analysis of Belize: www.unicef.org A site connecting Montessori projects around the world: www.montessoriaroundtheworld.org

One of the newsletters I reviewed relates to the issues we have been studying in that in September 2011 the Foundation Reggio Children was developed.  This organization works to promote quality education through research, internationally, solidarity and educational quality.  All of these aspects are very important in overcoming barriers that early childhood educators may face when teaching.

The website or e-newsletter did not add to my understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education because the resources that were provided this week were excellent sources of information.
I did gain new insights about other issues that children in other countries and even in the US may face, such as high HIV/AIDs rates that can affect their health and their parents health. Also, these children may be facing severe difficulties such as malnourishment and inadequate sanitation areas.  These circumstances can affect the child's learning ability.  Since their growth can be stunted by this matter their development is also affected.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

I decided to identify another podcast from Maysoun Chehab, a Regional Early Childhood Care and Development Program Coordinator for a non profit non governmental organization (www.mawared.org).  Arab Resource Collective is located in Beirut, Lebanon and they work to promote the positive development of children in their own community.  This will help to develop their rights to knowledge, protection and health just to name a few. 


Maysoun Chehab discussed the goal of the ARC as well as describe their goal and mission.  The ARC produces Arab resources to help parents and teacher learn more about how to assist children with proper development.  During the war they provided special support to children who are affected by this event.  They work to support the parents of the children which will ultimately help to provide support to the children.  If the parents are not supported it will be very difficult for the child to obtain the type of support that is needed for them to have the proper opportunity to develop at a successful rate. 

I have learned that there are particular programs located in communities that are affected by such serious events such as war that will help children and their families not only survive physically but mentally, socially and their overall development.  Childen who dwell in these types of war zones have less opportunities to obtain the neccessary resources that are needed to reach certain developmental milestones.  The ARC is an excellent organization and areas within local communities in the United States where it is saturated with lower income individuals should have an organization similiar to this one to provide support to parents, providing adequate resources to them so that they can have a fair chance at a proper development.

Sharing Web Resources

There were not any specific information that was relevant to my current professional development since I am a novice in this field; I have not held a position in this field until now.  I have just recently started an in-home daycare and I really enjoy my role as director and teacher.  Now I can say that I have a similar educational approach as the Liberty's new preschool program.  Their program is child-centered and helps children to develop self confidence and acquire the desire to learn new things.  They also incorporate several activities that focuses on creativity and the improvement of social skills.
 Their program Parent's As Teachers made me think about an issue in new ways.  They recognize that parents are every child's first teacher and if they strengthen the parents ability to parent their child then the child will have a much better opportunities in their future.  Inadquate parenting is one of the main issues with children not being properly prepared to start kindergarten.  Improving the early childhood programs is an excellent idea and I believe these programs should be the best for our children.  However, helping parent’s be their children’s best first teachers will ultimately help their child. In this program parents are provided with information, guidance and assistance.  They also provide practical support to families with young children in need of assistance and identify children who are at risk and those with disabilities, special needs and provides support to both these children and their families.
The website did not specifically indicate how economists, neuroscientist, or politicians support the early childhood field.  However they do use a variety of resources to assist with funding such as fundraisers, phone recycling, donations, buying gifts and sponsoring a child.

A new insight about issues and trends in the early childhood field that I gained from exploring the website was  improving the parenting styles of parents and the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, which strives to serve the child's welfare and the social needs of families, promotes child creativity and active participation.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

The podcast that I was able to listen to was the director of the Liberty Foundation, Marcelle Delahaye.  Marcelle indicated that Belize has the number one incidence rate of child abuse, there are currently forty-two children who reside at Liberty.  All of the children who live their have been abused physically and or sexually, abandoned or neglected. When children first enter the residence they are not immediately placed in the classroom with the other children, this is because they want them to have time to heal before they mingle with the children who have had time to face their fears and start the healing process from their troubled past. I have learned that child abuse happens all over the world and that it can leave behind a trail of broken people.  There should be a mountain of steps that early childhood professionals should take when dealing with children who may have a past of abuse.  That kid that they see as being rude or undiscipline may go home to a house full of abuse which causes them to act they way they do.  Children who live in poverty or more likely to face abuse than their more privilaged counterparts.

Sharing Web Resources

Provide the name and link for the international website you selected, and a brief description of the organization’s focus
The name of the link for the international website I selected was the Liberty Foundation, http://www.libertyfoundation.org.uk/.  This organization is located in Belize and provides children who have been abondoned and or abused a safe place to grow and develop.  They have been caring for abused and abandoned children since 2005, providing high quality child-centered education for pre-school children.

Identify one current issue/trend from the newsletter and/or from the website that caught your attention.  Share if there was anything else you learned from studying these resources related to the topic of this week.

One current trend that caught my attention was their outreach program Parent's As Teacher's (PAT), which is an international family support program that helps parent's be their child(ren) best first teacher.  They provide parents with adequate information, guidance and assistance with every day trials and tribulations of parenting as well as identifying children who are at risk and for those who have disabilities and special needs.  Liberty serves hundreds of families within Belize and they are expected to become nationwide within the next couple of years. This program is very much needed in every community in the United States, all parents are their child's first teacher and can learn something positive from this outreach program.  Being a good parent does not mean that you have always done everything correctly, however it makes this learning experience much easier when you have this type of support from outside resources. 

My Supports

Factors in my daily environment that are supportive to me includes my God, my husband, my two little boys, my family and friends.  These supports are very beneficial to me in that they help me get through each day with a smile.  Without my God who supports me in all my decisions and whom is always there for me no matter what I may or may not do.  My husband is so amazing, he always make sure I am happy and never go without.  He knows me inside and out, if something is bothering me...he knows with out me even saying a word.  He has become my best friend who supports me in any decision I make helps me to find solutions to any problem I may have.  My children keep me motivated to do better everyday and to always make good decisions, this will give them an example to live by.  If I make good decisions, I know they will too.  My family and friends are always there for me too, I know if it is 2pm or 2am they will come help me in any situation no matter what.

It would be very difficult to live without these supports, I can not begin to imagine how I would survive without them.  It would be a very lonely and tough journey through my life's hard and easy times.  If they were gone I do not think I would make the best decisions throughout my daily life. 

The challenge I choose was me just being laid off from my job.  I can not imagine being without my support system and going through this situation.  To the average person, they can not find joy in the valley; the valley in this situation is not having a job.  However, with the relationship that I have with the God I serve it is easy to be happy because He is always with me and I know that he has my best interest at heart.  Everything works for the good of those who loves the Lord, everything good and everything bad.  My husband, kids, family and friends...they are all great supporters of me and I know that if there was anything that I would need to get through this situation they would be readily available to assist me.  My husband is so awesome, he is my rock and he will assure me that everything will be okay and help me move on to the next chapter in my life. If I did not have any of these supports during this situation, I would probably be in a homeless shelter, lonely and upset with the world that a good person like myself is going through such a difficult situation. 

Relationship Reflection

Explain why relationships/partnerships are important to you (If you would like, upload a photo or photos of people* who are important to you)

Relationships are very important to me because in this life we all need other people to share our moments.  Whether they are happy or sad moments we need someone to both cheer us on and to pick us up when times are hard. 

Identify several people with whom you currently have positive relationships and/or partnerships

There are several people who I consider to be in my "inner circle" and I talk to on a regular basis.  My husband is my bestfriend, I love doing things with him.  Next is my mom and dad, I love these guys and I talk to them daily.  My sister Ravonda is a wonderful person, she's very kind and loving and I can talk to her about anything.  My brothers are funny and loving, I know I can count on them to help me with any need. I have a few girls that I am close to.  Posha, I met her freshman year of college and we have been bestfriends ever since.  Some of my soroity sisters (Ladonna & Lamonica) have been there for me during very special moments of my life.  Such as baby showers, birth of my babies and my son's birthday parties.

Describe the ways in which each relationship is positive and factors that contributed to developing and maintaining each relationship

My husband helps be get through every trial in my life, he keeps me motivated to do better for myself and my family.  To maintain this relationship I have to make sure I listen to him and treat him with love and respect.  My parents are amazing, they are fun, loving and very supportive.  To develop the relationship that I have today with my parents I opened the line of communication with them and I listen to their ideas and lessons about life.  They are great teachers, very wise from past experiences.  My sister and my brothers are very honest people and you can trust their judgement.  Communication and not judging each other for any choices we have made in life have been key to keeping our relationships as good as they are today.  Posha is very helpful and I can count on her for any and everything.  Our relationship is maintained through excellent communication.  My sorority sisters are fun people to hang out with and communication and always being there for one another is what keeps our friendships strong.

Describe insights regarding challenges to developing and maintaining relationships that you have learned from your experience over time

Challenges to developing and maintaining relationships that I had experienced all boiled down to communication errors.  The lack of communication can harm a relationship, taking a comment made by a friend or loved one the wrong way can hurt feelings and leave people angry at one another for years.  I have learned to just be honest with people and to inform them of my true feelings about something if I am hurt.  I have also learned to forgive and try to forget; when people do me wrong.

What do you see as special characteristics of these relationships that make some, if any,
partnerships?

Special characteristics of these relationships consists of love and respect.

How might your experiences with relationships/partnerships, including your ability to be an active, reflective contributor, impact your work as an effective early childhood professional?

My experiences with relationships/partnerships have made me want to continue to share the love and respect for others that I receive from all of the people close to me in my life.  Some kids do not receive love or respect from their parents so it is important that they know someone cares for them.