Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

While listening to World Forum Radio this week I learned about TJ Skalski who is the principal of Mother Earth Children Charter School in Canada.   Out of 13 charter schools this school has an indigenous focus.  She feels he being at this school was a calling.  Her grandmother influenced her to teach, she always told her “she would be a teacher and always be a great teacher”.  After a very rough first year she can admit her first year was “hell”.  The vision and focus of the school is about reinvesting in the kids and creating a place where culture is a priority.   Culture and language is a priority so that it can be revitalized within the community.  Based on her family values she believes it because of that she is as strong as she is in her own culture.  She is helping children that feel like they are not worth anything so she works to inspire the kids to want to do something with their lives and beyond the walls and want something bigger and better for themselves.

She is teaching the kids based on her own experiences and it shows the children that they can become something great.  So many educators can do exactly that.  Teaching by example is a wonderful option that many do not utilize.  Children watch the adults in their lives and want to be like them so the way we as educators act around the kids will be a great influence on what the children learn.  We teach one thing we should practice what we teach since children are so impressionable especially the young children.    

 

Sharing Web Resources

Save the Children was my organization of choice and even though I signed up to receive newsletters via email weeks ago I have yet to receive one. When looking at the organizations archives it seems like their newsletters do not come out every month rather every quarter. The work this organizations does is incredible and if the opportunity were to arise I would love to be part of one their work projects.


While looking at a current update posted on the website January 31, 2012 the newest project is helping children in poverty. "This Valentine's Day, give children living in poverty a lifelong love of reading to help break the lifelong cycle of poverty, one Valentine at a time" (Save the Children, 2012). A famous actress is even helping reach out to children which is admirable in my eyes. As stated in the article Save the Children's U.S. Programs and the organization's artist ambassador Julianne Moore have invited beloved children's book authors and illustrators design limited-edition Valentine's cards benefiting Save the Children's U.S. Programs "Love to Read, Read to Live" campaign. I personally love to read and know how important literacy is so this Valentine's Project is fantastic. Children living and poverty are not able to visit a library or bookstore like other children and this program gives these children an opportunity to experience the adventures available through books.

Getting to Know International Contacts—Part 2

I never heard back from any of the international contacts I emailed.  It  is frustrating but I refuse to let it discourage me or effect the knowledge I acquire. 

An episode of World Forum Radio introduced me to Susan Lyon, works directly with the Innovative Teacher Project and works with children with disabilities.  She see windows in to children's minds that opened her eyes to seeing how children see things.  She learns and is inspired by what she saw in other places and enjoys helping others with their professional development.  This project works with teachers through discussion groups and exhibits since 1994 has help prove that this quality work can help inspire others to take a closer more in depth look at children and early childhood education.

 http://developingchild.harvard.edu/

Information I learned from exploring the website for Center on the Developing Child opened my eyes to "neuroscience and child development research address the “why?” and “what?” questions about investing in young children" (Center on the Developing Child, 2012).  There have been many successful programs has begun to answer these latter questions for young children who are at risk for consequences resulting from poor life outcomes. The data showed that with the help of education specialists, and economists it is possible to improve a wide range of outcomes for vulnerable children in the end allowing for the possibility of generating benefits to society far bigger than just the monetary outcome of the programs.

Science has shown that the best time to influence a child's future is while they are young and impressionable thus the importance of solid early childhood programs that teach and nurture the entire child emotionally, physically, and cognitively.  According the website the "roots of growing disparities in health, learning, and behavior and what we are doing to promote the well-being of vulnerable children internationally provides a compelling agenda for strengthening policies and investments that focus on the earliest years of life" (Center on the Developing Child, 2012)