Getting to know your International Contact

I have not heard back from any of the professional contacts that I tried to contact from other parts of the world. Since, I did not hear back from any of the professionals I decided to do the alternative assignment. I am not giving up completely on the professional contacts. I am going to keep trying and maybe I will hear back from someone before this class is over.

I looked at childhood poverty in India. Between 1999-2000 the poverty rate was over 250 million. India has the highest poverty rate in South Asia. The rural poverty is cause by the lack of education, health, and skills. Over the past five decades they are trying to reduce the rate of poverty. One way is by their anti poverty programme. The three main programmes are rural employment creation and infrastructure, self-employment, and good subsidy.

This week I have learned a lot about poverty. Poverty does not have a name, color, or type. Poverty can happen to anyone at any given time especially the way the economy is going now. We as educators must let our voices be heard. If we have students that are going through poverty we need to help them find resources that can assist them during their hard times.

Sharing Web Resources

The National Black Child Development Institute was brought to life by the Black Women's Community Development Foundation. In 1970, the organization was started and they began to build a voice to improve the lives of African American children through policy changes. Their mission is to improve and advance the lives of black children and their families through education and advocacy. Their mission is carried out by giving information out that directly work with children and providing services throughout the nation. Throughout the years, millions of children have benefited from the program. The organization works to expand the following core program areas: Love to Read, the Parent Empowerment Program, African American Parents Project and Spark, Entering the College Zone, and the National Affiliate Network.

The NBBCDI received $300,000 from WalMart Foundation to promote healthy eating among families. The funds will promote nutrition to black families.

I subscribed to receive newsletters from NBBCDI. I am excited to learn more about this organization.

Professional Contact

I emailed around 7 different people and have not heard back from any of them. Several of the emails I sent came back to me. I am going to try up until Friday this week. If I do not hear anything by Friday I will do the alternative assignment. I would love to get in contact with a professional from another country to learn from them. It would be a great experience.

The National Black Child Development Institute is my choice for the organization to study. I would love to learn about them. This is a organization I know nothing about. I think it is going to be exciting to study and learn about them.

My Supports

My Supportive System:

Jesus Christ is my main source. Without him, I could do nothing but with him I can do all things. I pray to him every morning for the strenght, guidance, grace, and mercy to make it through the day making all the right decisions.

My Children are the fire that keeps me going from day to day. When I get them up in the morning and see their beautiful face, I know the day is going to be a successful one. They encourage me and tell me that you can do it momma and that gives me that extra push.

My dad is the baby sitter and best papa for my children. It does even more now that my mom is gone home to be with the Lord. It will stop whatever he is doing to come get them so I can go to after school functions and etc... Now that is retired after working 45 years, he told me he is willing to help me in whatever I need him to make my life easier.

My phone is a part of me. I used my phone everyday. I no longer use my house phone. I use it at work doing my break, on my way home from work, and at home. I mostly text. vox, or email from it so I depend on it greatly.

My truck is how I get from one place to another place so without it I would be helpless. I drive it everyday where ever I need to go. From taking my child to daycare to going to the grocery store.

My laptop is a big part. I have all my websites that I pulled ideas for my students on it. I use it to check my school email, and do my school work.

It would be difficult for me to exist without these supports. They all place a major role in my life and they keep me going from day to day. They make my life so much easier and more meaningful.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are very important and everyone should have a positive relationship with someone. Relationships are built on trust. It takes work to have a relationship and get it to work. All relationships do not happen at the same time nor do they last for the same time.

My relationship with my mom is one that I would not trade for nothing in this world. We have been close since I can remember. If you saw one of us you saw the other. We have been leaning on each other when we were down and we would talk about anything and nobody would know what we talked about. She passed in '09, and I missed her dearly. People say it will get easier at this point it still seems like yesterday. Since my mom has passed, my relationship with my dad as improved. I find myself talking to him more and being in his presence more. He has been in my life since I was born but I was just very close to my mom. My relationship with my children are inseparable. I love them more than anything. We are together all the time except when I am at work. I see them as my little angels that I have to take care of just like my parents took care of me. Nothing can come between the relationship that I have with them.

I have learned that relationships take work. A relationship only works with all the parties are equal participants. In a relationship, you must be willing to work towards the same goal. From the relationships that I have I know that I can build relationships with my parents. I will advise them that this is a working process and that we should be on the same page for their child.

Thankful Post!

I personally want to say thank you. First, I want to thank God for giving me the strength to complete this class. At times, it was hard but I can say I MADE IT!!! Next, I want to say thank you to my professor Joyce Myers. Thanks for being a great professor and giving me assignments that will help me to be a better teacher. Your feedback on assignments will only help me to grow. Last but not least, I want to thank my classmates for all the information you shared on our blogs and discussions. I have gained so much from you all that is going to benefit me. I pray each one of you the best of journey as we complete these classes. I also pray that we are in the same classes together because I feel we are a family growing together. Again, I say thanks for all your insights in this course!!!!

Testing Intelligence

I feel children should be assessed on what they know at the beginning of the year, in the middle of the year, and at the end of the year. You need to know where your students are and where they need to go. I know that all children do not learn at the same pace but it is important to still assessed them to know their next steps. I teach Pre-K so 3 times a year I assessed my students to see what letters, numbers, colors, shapes they know, and if they can write their names. I also assessed to see if they know their full name, address, birthdate, and phone number. I also assessed them everyday to the state standards by using a checklist and notes. When I talk with their parents I love to have proof to back up what I am telling them and it also gives them ideas of what they need to work on at home.

Japan only requires 9 years of school. Education gets oppressive in middle school. Teachers organize students into groups with group leaders. Children in kindergarten learn to communicate, play, and interact with others. Teachers motivate them to learn with language, vocabulary and reading, mathematics, and science.