Professional Contacts & Exploring Websites

So this week’s assignment for my new class “Issues and Trends in Early Childhood” has not gone as expected.  We were assigned the job of locating two professional contacts outside the United States to be in conversations about issues and trends they see in the field of early childhood.  While I was hesitant at first, I tried with all my might to find someone to dialog with.  I contacted three prospects and haven’t heard back from any of them.

I tried for England, Madagascar (because of the relationship with friends working there with the Lutheran church), and Australia.  The England contact is an ECE worker who I love reading her blog.  Madagascar contact was through UNICEF.  And the Australia contact was through the University of South Australia.  I was shooting for being well rounded …. Hmmm … didn’t pan out the way I had hoped.  I am going to try a few other possibilities and see what turns up. 

At the same time I will also start pursuing the alternative option and get hooked up with the World Forum.  Let’s see in two weeks what can happen.

The second part of my blogging assignment is to choose an early childhood website to explore and learn.  I have chosen to explore the National Association of Early ChildhoodTeacher Educators’ website.  What was the deciding factor is when I looked at their purpose statement it spoke volumes to me right away.  The two directions I think my journey is taking me is 1^st to teach new teachers; help them learn appropriate practices for the classroom, and/or work to make it more affordable for teachers to gain the needed skills.  2^nd is to own my own childcare center that is faith based yet runs full day and is available for those who aren’t ‘poor’ but need to work full time to make it in our changing economy.  NAECTE seemed to fall right into place with both of those possible paths.  Then again, God still may have something different in store for me….

I can’t wait to hear how my classmates did on finding some professional contacts and which websites they chose!  Here’s to a new journey for the next 8 weeks!  (Sometimes it feels like my life lately is based on 8 week intervals….but it’s all going to be worth it!)

Can Parents Access Enough Information to Judge For-Profit Childcare?

My Supports

Who supports me?

First I need to look at what support means … dictionary .com defines support:

• To bear or hold up; serve as a foundation for.
• To sustain or withstand without giving way; serve as a prop for.
• To undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission; tolerate.
• To sustain under trial or affliction.
• To maintain by supplying with things necessary to existence; provide for.

Supports are those people and things who are there with me holding hands with me.

First, my faith supports me.  God is my sustainer and provider. 

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.  Psalm 54:4

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  Hebrews 1:3

Second, my husband is always there for me, for thick or thin!  While there are bad times and good times, he holds me up, he tolerates me, he provides for me.

My parents are another source of sustenance.  They are always there to talk, to care for me, to help watch their grandchildren, to provide home and food when it was needed, and have always walked with me through my trials.

I also need to add my children.  They sustain me by giving me a reason each day for what I do.  God  gave me these precious children as a gift.  They are the reason that I get up each day and help them grow to their greatest potential.

My church community is another source of support.  Most importantly, they help me maintain my relationship with God.

Another support is my phone … and it’s not even to call people … my calendar is on it!  My calendar is my prop for remembering things.  I have a horrible memory and if it’s not written down then my brain likely won’t remember it.  J

I have Depression.  Too often this is seen as something just in the head, but it is a disability just like Multiple Sclerosis or Diabetes.  Every day I take medication to maintain my brain chemicals.  My medication is another support.  When I do not have it or it is not functioning correctly, I cannot get through the day.

If any one of these supports were to not be a part of my life, I would struggle greatly in leading my everyday life.  Often I forget that they are there surrounding me and encouraging me.  It takes an activity like this … writing them down … to help me remember what provides for me, gives me a solid foundation, and sustains me through every life event.

Recent Videos Discovered

Sir Ken Robinson -- "Do schools kill creativity?"

We are educating children out of their creativity 

Shakespeare was in someone’s English class…..

Another great one:

Stuart Brown -- "Play: How it shapes the brain, opens the imagination and invigorates the soul

http://research.microsoft.com/apps/video/default.aspx?id=103479