week 6

 Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope.
Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General
The International Children's Literacy Corps (ICLC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1999 that has as its mission to increase literacy among pre-school children in the developing world, starting with sub-Saharan Africa.

 In the developed world most of us take reading for granted.  We read the paper over breakfast, reports at work, books in school, magazines on the train, and a story before bedtime.  We rarely lack for the written word.  When we do, there is always the library.  In much of the developing world, however, things are quite different.  Globally, almost one billion people cannot read.  Many others can, but have nothing to read.

 The traditional approach to endemic illiteracy in the developing world has been on the supply side, with efforts going to shipping books and housing them in newly-built libraries.   The ICLC, too, initially took this approach.  Its costliness, however, led us to come at the problem in a new way, one that seeks to influence not just the supply but also the demand for reading materials.  Called "Reading for Life," ICLC’s initiative takes advantage of existing institutions, resources, and infrastructures to develop and distribute age-appropriate, locally relevant, and fun reading materials on a mass scale to future young readers and their families, and does so with negligible costs.  This distribution works in tandem with a role model-driven public service campaign that disseminates the crucial message that reading is a family activity and that those who can read must read with those who can not.  We are implementing our pilot program in Senegal.
   

 
In Douala, the commercial center of Cameroon, the ICLC has funded and continues to support the country’s first private library that is open to the public.  It is now the focal point of a knowledge-hungry community of all ages.  This project was the catalyst for the inception of the ICLC and continues to serve as a model of how like-minded groups can, even with limited means, create lasting, positive change with wide-ranging impact over great distances.




 
Working with AJPH, our local partner in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, the ICLC delivered toys, books, pre-school equipment and supplies to establish two pre-schools, which are connected to nutritional centers for young mothers.  This is a perfect venue for young children, their mothers and books to come together and start building a lasting relationship.

Why sub-Saharan Africa?

According to recent UNESCO estimates, of the top 20 nations with the lowest literacy rates, 10 are in sub-Saharan Africa.  There, more than half the population over 15 years of age is illiterate. And women are particularly hard hit:  more than 70% are illiterate (close to 90% of women in Niger can not read).  But the desperate situation in Sub-Saharan Africa does have a few bright spots, places with a legacy of education, and the use of French and English as important secondary and sometimes primary languages.  It is in these areas that the ICLC is focusing its first efforts.  In Senegal, where we are starting the Reading for Life initiative, only about one half of the population can read.

Why Reading?

Illiteracy is just one of an array of social, medical, and economic of problems plaguing sub-Saharan Africa.  AIDS, famine, civil and clan warfare, and chronic economic underdevelopment vie for attention in a region that generally receives very little.  In this context, the issue of literacy is often overlooked due to its relatively "benign" nature.   The ICLC addresses the fact that illiteracy is not benign at all ? it is directly linked to under education, overpopulation, and economic stagnation.    While there is no single solution to these interconnected problems, there is one common denominator to any such effort:  to improve education and access to knowledge at all levels of society, especially the lowest.  Literacy is the fundamental lynchpin in this effort.


Why Children?

Short life expectancies are a tragic reality in the region (fifty-three in Senegal and forty-five in Burkina Faso, as opposed to seventy-nine in France).   This makes it imperative that children ? ideally, of pre-school age -- be the focus of literacy efforts.   By focusing on young children and preparing them for school, our goal is to pre-empt dropouts and stimulate a life-long love of reading.  In turn this will help to develop a deeper reading culture, to narrow the literacy gap between boys and girls, and to build generations of readers who will enrich their communities even as reading enriches their own lives.


How:  Reading for Life

The program is simple: to harness three pre-existing resources and use them together to power a fun, effective, and low-cost family-based attack on illiteracy from the bottom up.  The pre-schools and primary schools will be among the distribution vehicles for locally created, richly illustrated, quality reading material aimed at young children ages two through six.  At the same time, outdoor billboard and radio will be used as media calling on all those who can read to read aloud to others, early and often.  Existing readers (parents, older siblings, uncles, aunts) will be the catalyst to match demand with supply in the home, and ensure that everyone gets a story before bedtime.

This new approach is revolutionary in its simplicity.  As it makes use of existing infrastructure, it is relatively cheap, involves few long-term agreements and mandates local participation and action in all aspects of the initiative.  Equally important, it will complement (rather than duplicate) other development efforts aimed at children, families, and education.   Reading for Life will sow the seeds of a sustainable reading culture and prepare children for school by helping them develop a comfortable and confident relationship with the written word.  Click here for some sample images.
 

The Role of the ICLC

The ICLC has three significant roles: the first is to raise funds to enable the implementation of Reading for Life, the second to implement the program at the local level together with its partner in Senegal, and the third to evaluate and improve upon the program for subsequent execution in other sub-Saharan nations.  As the center point of alliance among authors, illustrators, educators, corporate partners and other NGOs, the ICLC will exercise editorial supervision over content to ensure a robust and exciting pipeline of appropriate materials.  We will develop innovative delivery methods, explore channels of distribution.


Your help will make this happen.

Please contribute by sending a check payable to The International Children's Literacy Corps and mail it to:

The International Children's Literacy Corps
6 Jason Lane
Mamaroneck, NY 10543


The ICLC is recognized by the IRS as a non-profit organization (501c3) and all donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law.

For more information or to find out how you can support us, please contact us at:

info@readingforlife.org or by mail at the above address, or by phone at:  914-834-2615

Week 2 6990-1

Three local organizations that I would like to be apart of would be a prestigious Black Sorority that I would not like to name, the Wake County Educators Committee, and NCNW (National Council of Negro Women) which I was apart of in college. These organizations do a lot of community service and scholarships for children who want to go to college after high school.

Currently there are state jobs at the Morehead School of the Blind located in Raleigh, NC as a residential coordinator. I am interested in this job because my mother is blind she has been blind since I was 8 years old and have learned a lot by helping her do certain task.

I would preferably like to wait to apply for this position once I receive my Masters degree.

SEE YA LATER.....

So this is it. In this program I have learned that everyone isn't raised and wasn't raised like I was families have different views and outlooks on life and I am obligated to respect that. Secondly, as an administrator I will have my own rules that my staff must follow but I also have rules an procedures that I have to follow. Lastly, I have learned that team work makes the dream work. Parents, teachers and administrators always have to work together for the well being of the children.

Long term I would like to work for the state of North Carolina as an Early Childhood coordinator and then move to a Federal level.....simple right?

I would like to thank my colleagues for their insite and their opinions. To Dr. Dartt thank you for your helpful thoughts and comments and keeping us encouraged.

SEE YA LATER WEEK 8

Well one class down 4 more to go!! I think!! I have enjoyed this class and I have learned a lot from Dr. Hampshire and you.... my wonderful colleagues. I know that we will all meet again eventually. I wish you all great success and pray that you all prosper and fulfill all of your dreams. Remember that with God all things are possible. Communication has created really successful relationships and I think that is what our class has created for all of us. Thank you...Thank you...Thank you. Until we meet again...God Bless!!!

WEEK 6 BLOG

When you become comfortable in certain situations it is hard to leave and start over. Especially if there are feelings and emotions involved. Adjourning something that has created a bond between a group of people can be hard to walk away from.
When I was in high school I had five very close friends, we called ourselves the "05 Heffas" because of our graduation year. We had to face the fact that we all would be seperating from each other in August of 2005. We have all known each other since we were in elementary and middle school. We all were going to different cities and we were going to build new friendships. Before we graduated we tried to spend as much time as possible with each other. But, our separation wasn't that bad because we would get together for holidays and over the summer.
I think adjourning can also be a time to grow and to see what you have learned from that group. From my group of friends I learned  how important friendship is and even though you may be distant from each other, your friendship should be strong enough that you never miss a beat when you meet again.

WEEK 5 BLOG

One of my parents complains all the time about how me and my co-teacher don't put on enough diaper cream or that we put their daughters diaper on too tight, CRAZY things. It had gotten so crazy with her complaining that she took her complaints to our director and our director began to focus the camera in our classroom to make sure that we were  doing things correctly. I wasn't worried about it because Mrs. Linda is very experienced and I am quite savy and educated and people oriented and I have great ideas so I know we weren't doing anything wrong. I took it upon myself to pull the patent asside and asked her could we have a conference. We had the conference and it came to my attention her a d her husband were getting a divorce. It was taking a toll on her and her family. I showed empathy for her because she was obviously  brokenhearted. Sometimes as educators we need to take the initiative to ask questions and show concern. That open communication can be very, very helpful.

WEEK 4 BLOG

During this week I took some evaluations and I had my boyfriend and his frat brother to the peer/ colleague evaluations. It was discovered that I have no problem communicating its just how I communicate at times with others. Sometimes I become aggressive when talking to people. If I feel offended by a comment that is made I let the person/persons know that I am. My voice may sometimes raise and my facial expressions show how I may feel without possibly completing sentences.

I am confident when communicating and I make eye contact. Making eye contact show that you are sincere. I am a good listener. Before expressing my opinions I hear peoples views and their opinions. Many people forget to do that when communicating. When you don't listen you miss important points.

My boyfriend and I are just a like when we get into arguments neither one of us will break down. One of us  has to get the last word. It doesn't even have to be a heated argument just a small disagreement and he thinks he should be the last to speak whether he is wrong or not.

WEEK 3 BLOG

When talking to people from different cultures I try to make sure that I don't offend them. Before saying something I may feel is inappropriate I ask questions first. Everyone doesn't use the same phrases or the same slang so you have to be careful because everything has different meanings in different cultures.  When talking to people from different cultures I have to make sure that I have a calm tone and that I am friendly. With anybody from a different culture I do not think you could go wrong with being nice. I think it is all about respect and comfort. People have to feel comfortable around each other in order to properly communicate. If you aren't comfortable around people then you aren't going to talk to them that's with anybody. I feel that questions should be asked when you don't know. Its better to ask questions than to assume. Assuming can embarass you and then people won't open up to you.

Week 2 Blog

The show that I watched was NCSI. Watching the show without the show without the volume I could tell that two of the characters worked together and they were both detectives. They were at a crime scene in which a girl was murdered and left in a public parking lot. The detectives were looking around the parking lot to see if there were any cameras that caught the crime. The detectives looked confused at one point, and then an expression of excitement came across one of the detectives face because he apparently had figured something out. The feelings are kind of like a rushed excitement when looking at their facial expressions. There is some sort of laughter between the detectives and the medical examiners which leads me to believe there was a joke or a comment exchanged. I knew that it was a criminal investigation going on without anyone talking. If I was watching a show I knew well I don't think I would have made any pre assumptions. Especially with a show like Law and Order SVU which I watch faithfully every Tuesday night be wise its a marathon.

WEEK 1 BLOG COMMUNICATION

Someone that I think has very good communication skills would be my director Suzanne. Since I have been employed at LPA she has been very positive and professional with all of her staff members. When she has staff meetings she makes sure everyone is allowed to voice their concerns or their opinions about issues that may be going on within the center. She also has a great open door policy with her employees. If their is an issue with parents or other teachers she listens to the concerns at hand and tries to make sure that she solves the problems effectively without showing any favortism. She always speaks with sincerity but also can have you laughing at the same time. She makes you feel comfortable when communicating with her unlike some of my employers in the past that are stern and strict.

Week 6 Blog

I have experienced opression when I applied for my first teaching job. I had went to the interview and I thought the interview had went fairly well. The director had told me  that she would be in touch with me in about a week. A week had passed and she still had not called, I was ok with possibly not getting the job because I was fresh out of college and didn't have much experience. The assistant director called me and informed me that I wasn't hired because reading my resume the director thought I was white and when she discovered I was black she decided not to hire me. It hurt my feelings but it also gave me courage to continue my journey. I looked at it as a loss for her and her company because I have very good qualities. I think that people like that have an issue with themselves and is unfortunate.

WEEK 2 BLOG

Besides the one change of clothes that I can take with me the three items that I would take with me would be, my Bible, a picture of my mother and I, and my old baby blanket that I still sleep with. I would take my Bible because of my upbringing in the church and as a Baptist. The Bible has great stories, the rules of life, and excellent advice. During this time of devastation the Bible will bring me comfort. It can also be read to others during this tragedy to bring them comfort as well.
The picture of my mother and I will be for identification as well as memories. My old baby blanket would be my sleeping aid because I may be in an unfamiliar place and this would also bring me comfort.
I would explain to people what these items mean to me and my family; and I would also explain to them how important it is to have things that you can have as keepsakes that remind you of your family culture.
Upon arrival if I am told that I can only bring one item with me I would be crushed and it would definitely be a hard decision to make. I would most likely bring my bible because of my faith in God that he would bring me through this tragedy.
Reading other blogs I have discovered that their are many people who would carry the word of God with them in this type of situation. It surprises me because in today's society I think that some people are so caught up on material things and not what really matters.








.















.

.





.


.






.



.

WEEK 2: RELATIONSHIP REFLECTION

Relationships and Partnerships are important to me because you always need someone to encourage you to do better. I also believe that relationships and partnerships create a sort of stability between two or more people especially when it is positive.

My relationships
My Mother
Growing up I never went without much. She always made sure I had what I needed plus more. This woman taught me how to be a lady, how to respect and love myself because if I didn't no one else would. In 1995 my mother was diagnosed with a eye disease called Retnitispigmetosis (I think I spelled that right) its a disease that destroys the Retna and causes eye sight loss. My mother is 70% blind in both eyes. Some people would have complained and laid around and felt sorry for themselves, but my mother does not complain. She had to learn how to do things differently, such as cooking, writing, reading, and other things. Luckily there are devices made to help her with these things. She can't operate a vehicle and she can't see from long distances but everything else she does fine. She even works at a place in RTP (a small city in NC) that employs people who are visually impared. My point is, one of her major senses is practically gone but it doesn't stop her from doing the things she wants to do. She shows me that no matter what is put in front of me to conquer it, to make the best of it whether its good or bad. My relationship with my mother is one that I think everyone should have. We disagree on things, but, we are always their fo reach other no matter the issue. This relationship was built at birth.
Mr. Charles E. Watters

Mr. Watters was my high school debate teacher. If I had to mold my husband this is the man I would want him to be like. Mr. Watters is well educated and a gentleman. He taught me the importance of pronunciation, eye contact and poise when speaking in front of an audience. He would like to hear our problems and concerns about life and he would listen and give us advice. One of his quotes that I try to go by "Proper Prior Preperation Prevents Poor Performance" but its hard to go by that all the time being that I am a BIG procrastinator!!!  Seeing him a few months ago and hearing him say how proud of me he was because of how far I had came from an 18 year old girl aspiring to be an entertainment lawyer and now I am an early childhood teacher warmed my heart. This is a relationship that I built in high school and it continues to thrive.

My experiences building relationships like these will definitely help me build relationships with my children and their parents. I believe once these relationships are made then their can be partnerships that can create positive outcomes.

MY SUPPORTS

This will be short and sweet. Their is only one reason I have continued my education as far as I have and that is because of mother. She supports me through my positives and negatives. She is there for encouragment and corrections and sometimes I need more corrections than anything. I want to not only make a better life for me but for her as well. I don't want her to have to ask anyone for anything but me and I want to be able to do that without hesitation. God is also a major support in my life because his love is unconditional, I know that even when I really, really mess up that he will still always be their. I believe that if I was to ever lose my mother I don't think I would continue my education unless I were to have children. In order for me to be half way complete God is always present in my life regardless of anything that I go through. With God anything and I mean ANYTHING is possible. No matter how hard school or life gets I know that God has my back regardless.

PLAY CONNECTIONS

In our play we reveal what kind of people we are.

Ovid
Roman poet
43 BC–17 or 18 AD

My childhood may be over, but that doesn't mean playtime is. 

Ron Olson

When I was younger it was never a question of having toys to play with or playing outside; my parents and my teachers were open to play. I believe play is the reason I am the person I am to day. During family functions when I was growing up all of the children were made to go outside and play. When me and all of my cousins would go outside we would play hide and seek, red light green light, freeze tag and whatever else we could come up with to entertain us. Play time was all about being creative with your available resources as well. If we didn't have any toys that we "wanted" to play with we would use pots and pans our mema didn't use anymore or find old sticks and and buckets to play with.
Today play is so structured and everyone has to follow rules. The only rules we had back in the day were "no blood shall be drawn, no bones broken, and no tears shed" now go play!!!!!!!!!! I think we should let our children control what they play and how they play. It allows them to become independent and they are able to make their own decisions.

WEEK 8 BLOG

I never knew that there was so much to research. I use to think that all you had to do was read a few journals here and there, site the sources, and move on, but, its more to research than just  that. You have to make sure that your research is valid and that it is fair and not biased towards the participants that you have chose to be apart of your chosen study. I now know that I have to make sure that my research is reliable and that my sources are valid. There was a time that I had the mindset of "well as long as it sounds right" but I have learned that research is deeper than that and you are proving that your information is truthful and that if someone tries to dispute it, that all the information is correct and in order. I learned that there are different types of designs when doing research. I grew fond of the qualitative design because of how case studies can be incorporated. I feel that case studies are more personal and it allows you to hear different opinions. 
I have a new respect for early childhood professionals because its deeper than just putting information on paper. They conduct research about the early childhood field to benefit people like myself and my peers and I appreciate that.

WEEK 5 BLOG

I chose to explore Early Childhood Austrailia which is the same as NAEYC here in the United States. Some current research topics that I found on this site were about how childcare funding must focus on children who are most in need and how the government must try to end child retention. Reading about how childcare funding should focus on children who are in most need Austrailia believes changes to the funding of childcare should focus on benefiting low and middle income families and on improving the wages and conditions of the people who work in these services according to Early Childhood Australia, the peak body representing children.

ECA has developed certain recommendations in relation to refugee children who are in retention and children of asylum seekers:

• Families with children and unaccompanied minors should be placed in the community while their claims are assessed.
• In the event that an application for refugee status is unsuccessful and families and unaccompanied minors cannot return to their home country, families and unaccompanied minors should continue to live in the community until such time as they can return home.
• Families should have access to the support they need to care for their children and participate in the community.

WEEK 3 BLOG

I have been research family incomes recently to determine who can really afford childcare and who can not. Family income appears to be more strongly

related to children’s ability and achievement than to their emotional outcomes. Children who live in extreme poverty or who live below the poverty line for multiple years appear, all other things being equal, to suffer the worst outcomes. The timing of poverty also seems to be important for certain child outcomes. Children who experience poverty during their preschool and early school years have lower rates of school completion than children and adolescents who experience poverty only in later years. Although more research is needed on the significance of the timing of poverty on

child outcomes, findings to date suggest that interventions during early childhood may be most important in reducing poverty’s impact on children.

WEEK 2 BLOG 6163

The topic that I will be researching will be poverty. I chose to do this topic because I want to know more about how it affects children and their educational experiences. I am also hoping to find out who makes up the population of people living in poverty, what is the question of class when it comes to poverty, the myths of poverty and does two parent homes have something to do with poverty. Some people don't grow up in poverty, but things happen that causes families to become impoverished. Now that I have learned about how to research reliable sources I will be able to carefully find information that will help my research process.

WEEK 8 BLOG

Three consequences that I learned about the international early childhood field is that it is not really cared for as it should be, that it is hard to get funding and advocates for early childhood care in other countries. This has made me thankful for the funding and advocates that we have in the US. Second, that early childcare can be overly expensive in other countries and that I should stop helping parents complain about the price of childcare here. Lastly, education is not promised in some countries while here in America it is almost free, it is free for parents who receive vouchers.

I hope that the current advocates for the early childhood field in other countries come to realize how important the first years are when it comes to molding a child and their development. Being that I never got to speak to any of my contacts, I hope that they were busy trying to make early childhood education mandatory in the countries where it is overlooked.