Sharing Web Resources

Save the Children 

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

This organization is about helping children who are less fortunate than others in poor countries. These children are the ones who don’t have access to clean water, health care, and food. The save the children foundation ultimate goal is there to help support children in poor countries by giving others a chance to sponsor them and help them in their time of need and desperation.  Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world. Recognized for our commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves. We work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious orientation. (Save the Children, 2012).

One trend from the website that caught my attention was that save the children is not just working to help children in overseas countries but they are there to help those in the United States of America. Save the children are there to help little girls and little boys to have a bright future when they grow up. Not only does Save the Children help boys and girls have a brighter future but they also allow others to get involved with the children by sponsoring so that they can have protect them from child neglect and abuse. In the article under child protection Save the Children states, “Our programs focus on the most vulnerable children while aiming for the safety and well-being of all children. Working with governments, international organizations, and local community partners, we strive to create lasting change with improvements in policy and services that protect children whether in a natural disaster, conflict, or development setting.” (Save the Children, 2012). To me being able to help a child is what everyday life should be all about because these children are the future. So, the trend with Save the Children is simply allowing others to sponsor children who need help so that they could one day grow up and do the same thing.

Reference

Save the Children: A U.S. based non-profit organization working on behalf of children worldwide.
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

Getting Ready—E stablishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

The first I did was read the blog assignment and from there I tried to access the podcast but that would not work from me. So, for this blog assignment I will chose the alternative for assign part 1 which is the website I decided to study. I actually used one of the websites given to us because for some reason the media does not work on my computer. I tried on both internet explorer and Google chrome and neither one of them work for me. So the website I chose was the one about save the children.  I decided to do this one because I use to see commercials about this website when I would watch television. As of now I do not have any questions to ask my colleagues. I am hoping that this assignment will be a good turn out because I have not had much luck with trying to access the different sites in order to contact anyone to communicate with but eventually I will before I need to share with some of my colleagues.

My Supports

My God is definitely a supporter. I feel that without him I would not be where I am today because sometimes when I do not have anyone to talk to I would talk to God and I know deep down inside he is the one who answered all my prayers through the voice of my mom sometimes because He is always right on time with given my mom the words to say to me. Through faith I believe this 100%. God has definitely made a way out of no way for me and sisters because I told myself no to things that I thought were impossible and He did not. For example when I was getting ready to graduate college I thought that my dream of being a doctor ended as soon as I graduated because I felt that I did not have what it would take to become a doctor and he opened up a door for me and allow me to get accepted into medical school and now I am currently doing that. My second and most true daily supporter is my mother. She is the one who has held my hand through my rough times and through my good times. Whenever I needed something she would always be there to tell me what it is that I need to do in order to get through my situation. She is my motivation and strength when I don’t feel like fighting anymore. For example my mother has been through so much throughout her life she has been through dialysis because of kidney failure and she survived that, she has survived breast cancer, and she had to take on the lead role of being a parent to my siblings and I after the passing of my dad. I mentioned this because she has been strong throughout the years and she still is and had support behind her so she supports me in whatever decision I make by giving me advice and telling me to keep pushing no matter how hard things get. She is a true definition of a supporter because when she was going through the things she was going through she needed support so she definitely knows how to be a supporter.  My grandmother and father are also supporters in my life because they have supported me in everything. They are my supporters because I would not be in medical school now if it wasn’t for the financial support of them and my mother. My twin sister is another one because she keeps me motivated a lot and tells me I can do things even if I feel like I can’t. She is always there to help me get through what I think are the toughest times there are in my life by just being there to talk. If I did not have any of these supporters I don’t think I would be this far in life right now.

Some other supports that I have is my computer to keep in contact with everyone back at home because I have no access to my phone from home because roaming charges would be high and that is something I do not want. My computer and I pad allows me to text and call my mother and other family members back at home while I’m away at school. Skype is also a great supporter for me because without it I would not be able to get in touch and stay in touch with my family. Seeing my family makes me feel that I am actually apart of the festivities that they are enjoying at home and this helps me to be away from them. Electronics period are a major supporter for me because without it I would not be able to be miles and miles away from my family without being able to see or communicate with them.

One challenge I chose to imagine and the thoughts that I have with regard to supports I want and need would be my future husband who is currently my fiancé. I just need him to understand and support me on the fact that I have chosen to leave and go miles away for school so that one day we would be able to have a comfortable life together. I would also need the support of my grandparents in ensuring that when I do get married one day they would still be there to help me with whatever it is that I may need in order to make my wedding the most memorable day of my life. If I don’t have the support of any of them then I would not be able to have I want and need in my life.   

My Connections to Play

Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.

Diane Ackerman
Contemporary American author

Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.

Fred Rogers
American television personality
1928–2003

Include two to three pictures of essential play items for your younger self.

Describe how people supported play when you were younger and/or the role of play in your childhood.

The people who supported play when I was young my baby sitter Ms. Linda. She gave me all types of toys to play with and not only did she do that she played with me also. 

Write a brief entry on how you feel play today is similar or different from the play in which you engaged as a child and what your hope for young is now with regard to play.

Play today is different to me because children have more to play with and there are more day cares available which allows for children to go out and play in a yard with others instead of inside because at the time it was more home day cares. 

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 important to me because it helps me see things clearly about yourself and things that you may need to evaluate about yourself. You can't do some of these things if you don’t have that certain person in your life to bring it out of you. They are also important because they help you to push for your goals by supporting you and giving you hope. Relationships are also important to me because they allow me to be more open not just with close ones around me but also those that I don’t know. Just in general relationships and partnerships are important to me because there are some relationships you can build up and help you to learn throughout life and not be so dependent on people because they will tell you the truth even if you don’t want to hear it, but to me its better to hear it from a relationship that is important to you then from someone else you don’t have a relationship with first.

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

My mother, my Grandmother, and my Twin sister.

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

The relationship with my mother is positive because my mother is the one to push me to get things done and support me in any and every decision that I make. My mother also tells me the truth even if I don’t want to hear it because she has been through things way before me and she understands more and just wants me to be better than her and not the same mistakes that she has made in her life. The factors that contributed to developing and maintain each relationship are good listening skills and communication.

 The relationship with my Grandmother is positive because with her she is always there for me to help out with whatever it is just like my Mom. Although my Grandma is out spoken she means well and is always there with a listening ear. The factor that contributed to developing and maintain my relationship with her is the tough love that she gives and the words she speaks into my life.

 My twin is another relationship. This one is so dear and special to me because its like a built in best freind. The positivity in this relationship is that I always have someone one to share my secretes with because sometimes there are things that you can't or would rather not share with parents because they are parents and might not understand you completely. The factors that contribute to developing and maintaining a relationship is that she is always with me where ever I go she is right there and wherever she go I am there and we are always their listening to what each one has to say. It’s a close bond that many people don’t get to experience.

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

Some insights to developing and maintaining relationships are miscommunication and not always agreeing with each other. 

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

One special characteristic is to understand each other and allowing each other to be heard even if you don’t want to.

 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 experience with relationships to be an active, reflective contributor, impact my work as an effective early childhood professional because it will help me to be more understanding to those I come in contact with. It will also help me to become a motivator and supporter for everyone I come in contact with not just families but children also, and another thing is that it will allow me to be a great communicator and listener.

When I Think of Child Development

"Children are our most valuable resource."

 Herbert Hoover

Testing for Intelligence?

Children are growing every day whether its weight, walking, crawling, or talking. When they are growing  this is something that should be assessed because it shows how the child is suppose to develop by a certain age and where they are suppose to be at that age. Some children may grow faster then others but in a certain age range children should be at or around the stage the other children are at. For example, during the age range 7-11 the children are at the stage where they should now starting to think logically and start to do abstract thinking. So I feel that the way a child develops should be assessed. In school the child should be assessed because the teachers should know if the child is on the same level as the children of his or her age or below so that they could know what to do to help that child.

In Cuba the children are assessed depending on the way that they can read. Since education is the number one thing in Cuba the people there make sure that the children who are there learn to read. For example, in Cuba all the schools closed down for a long period of time so that the children could learn to read, so that one day they could all become successful and have a better life. The teachers in Cuba would make sure of it by going to the houses where the children stayed.

I think that children should not be assessed when it comes to entering into a college or graduate school because to me a student could be smart but when it comes to standardized  test they don’t do as well. For example, the SAT, ACT, the MCAT and whatever else requires students to get accepted into another school or pass to another grade like the LEAP, or GEE. Now I believe the IOWA is okay because its just testing to see where the children are but it does not hold them back if they don’t pass.