Getting to know your International Contact

My international contact this week comes from India by way of Swati Popat Vats.  She is an educator, author, educational entrepreneurs, parenting expert and nature advocate. She understands learning as something not restricted to schools but part of everyday living. She is president of the Early Childhood Association. She emailed this week. This is the website:  www.eca-india.org  that tells about the organization. 

She sent me a PDF document about the “War and Peace Project.” I thought there might be a way to insert into the blog to share, but my technology skills need much prayer. It explains War and Peace as being both abstract concepts for young children. Social development at this age is still a work in progress.  Ideas like war or fighting and making peace, and solving problems are difficult for some 5 to 6 year olds who participated in the project. 

It was interesting that none of the children who participated knew about war.  They were able to explain it to fighting, swords, bombs, and army.  But when asked about peace, they only knew about piece, pieces and peas.  Their drawings illustrated pizza piece, pieces of chocolate, green peas, and glass pieces.

Feel free to check out her blog: http://www.swatipopatvatskiducation.blogspot.in

Sharing Web Resurces

Early Childhood Australia: The Australian Early Childhood Advocacy Organization@ http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Early Childhood Australia is the peak early childhood advocacy organization, acting in the interests of young children, their families and those in the early childhood field. The mission of Early Child Australia is to advocate to ensure quality, social justice and equity in all issues relating to the education and care of children from birth to eight years. I liked this organization’s mission statement and principles on social inclusion and diversity.
Principles

1. Our position is also based on principles that are particularly relevant to the inclusion of young children with a disability in ECEC. They provide a framework for assessing policies, services and actions.
2. Importance of families: children’s growth and learning occurs mainly in the context of their primary relationships in their families and partnerships between ECEC, support professionals and families are essential.
3. Social inclusion: every child has the capacity to make a unique contribution and to participate in a wide range of activities and contexts as a full member of a family, communities and our society.
4. Diversity and difference are valuable in their own right, as are the commonalities among people. Understanding the practices, values, beliefs and cultures of families and acknowledging difference is fundamental.
5. Equity requires that each child receives the support and resources needed to participate, engage and succeed.

 I learned that successfully navigating diversity and differences is a time of celebration for children, their families, teachers, and programs. Professionally, this is an important issue to me because of the increasing diversity of children and families that are served in all 15 of our Head Start classrooms. Every year the number multiplies.  We all come with deeply felt cultural traditions, and viewpoints, and more often than not they are not the same. That is the beauty of diversity because it provides an avenue for learning a whole different world.  

 Educators who are committed to creating culturally diverse classroom settings understand our differences and view them as an asset that allows children full participation to obtain success. When educators connect with children and families in ways that recognize cultural identity with honesty and respect, it is an experience that benefits everyone involved.

Expanding Professional Resources

Newsletter | World Forum Foundation

The mission is to promote an on-going exchange of ideas of quality services for young children in diverse settings. Through the World Forum Foundation you able to subscribe to NACC Newsletter. Its intent is to keep children connected to and appreciate the natural world. 

Establishing Professional Contacts

The international contact occurred in Soweto Johannesburg, South Africa. The contact occurred through a church member’s sister name Connie who lives in Maryland.  She has traveled to South Africa several times with her church performing mission work. In her travels to a school she met and befriended a teacher who teaches in a little town/village. It was an elementary school consisting of one room. Each time that she goes there they get together.  My contact was very brief, but I am very excited and look forward to sharing pictures and more information in the coming weeks.

As of today I only have one international contact, but thanks to my Head Start director who is in the process of retrieving contact information from associates in other community action agencies more are coming. Therefore, to fulfill assignment of having two sources I researched the World Forum Foundation and was able to subscribe to free newsletter.

My Supports

My daily supports are my Lord Jesus Christ, husband and children who provide the strength that allows me to navigate through my hectic schedule. My church family helps keep me grounded in my faith and supports with implementing my church commitments with the children that I refuse to give up in spite of work, caring for an elderly parent, school, and supporting my husband in his Town Commissioner’s role.  My professional family who consist of my assistant, who is a true team player, foster grandparent who volunteers every day for a few hours to provide emotional support to the children and help with meals. My supervisor, who was my co-teacher for years offers support that assist me in executing daily teaching and learning with the children.  The benefits of these supports are enormous and I feel incredibly blessed to have them as I pursue my passion of becoming a greater teacher.

It would be extremely difficult to accomplish the things that I do without each of these supports, and the impact of not having them in my life would be negative. I am especially grateful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who gives me the fortitude of mind to keep it all together.

My Connection to Play

Two Quotes that summarize what play represented for me in childhood:

“When we treat children's play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping them feel the joy that's to be found in the creative spirit. It's the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives.”

Fred Rogers

 “Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.”

Kay Redfield Jamison professor of psychiatry

 Essential play items for my younger self

Sheer Joy! dressing up in Grandma's clothes and pretending to be adults.

Thanks Granddaddy for the swing you created on the pecan tree

 

I feel play is different in the fact that media technology and gadgets are a huge part of children lives today and hampers children opportunity to play. Children are not as active today as they were when I was young. I participated in a lot of outdoor play in tag, hide and seek, digging in dirt, making mud pies, swinging on the tire or simply running around the front yard. It is my hope that children always have real opportunities to fully engage and learn through what comes natural and that is play. I remember looking forward every day to playing with the cousins that came to Grandma and Granddaddy’s house. 

 The role of play throughout my childhood taught me the value of sharing and taking turns. It also helped me build self-confidence through exploring and figuring out things.  As an adult, I appreciate simple things and take nothing for granted and carry lessons learned from the people I played with who help made me the person that I am.

 

Relationships Reflection

Relationships are important in maintaining good mental and physical health. They have to be cherished and nurtured so they continue to grow and flourish.  Through all the hustle and bustle of life, it can be challenging accomplishing that task. Within relationships there has to be acceptance, respect, and a whole lot of forgiveness and letting things go.

My husband, my high school sweetheart:

We met during our junior year in high school 41 years ago in home room. As we got to know each other, we had a lot in common. We dated throughout our senior year and married two years later. He remains my friend, my strong arm, and supporter. We have 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren.

My daughters:

My daughters and I are very close. We talk or text on the phone every day.  They moved two hours away a couple of years ago and it was difficult adjustment for me not seeing them on a weekly basis.  All holidays and special church events we get together.

Grandchildren:

They are the real joy of my life. I watched them come into the world, and I can’t really explain the special love that my heart holds for these three special people. They are truly a blessing.

Regina:

I met Regina when she began attending our church many years ago. We connected immediately, I think partly because we were both pregnant at the same time and both of our babies were born in December. She has been a constant friend always there when I need her and vice versa.

These relationships/partnerships has helped me in my professional life in being committed to the cause of making a difference in the life of children and families. I strive every day to walk in honesty and acceptance.