International Contacts: Poverty

One of my international contacts, Christen, teaches Kindergarten and lives primarily in the UAE. Upon questioning her about the effects of poverty in her school's community, one thing stood out to me most...the fact that poverty is not observed in the same light in some areas as they are others. Christen explained to me that it is sometimes difficult to tell who's actually poor. This is because there are sometimes no noticeable differences in the way her students carry themselves, their work ethic, and even their appearance. She also explained that even wealthy people seem to be more modest in this area of the world rather than in America. Social status is often not discussed and Christen even shared with me how one of her students descended from a long line of wealth, so much that they were considered royalty, and she never knew until another co-worker shared the information.

This opened both of our eyes to the effects of poverty and how our perceptions and reactions may play a huge role.

US Department of Education Early Learning Newsletter

https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/newsletter.html

The US Department of Education is a combination of several federal agencies that promote financial assistance for education, as well as focusing national attention on educational issues, inclusion, and so much more. I was attracted to this newsletter due to the emphasis placed on talking, reading, and singing to children each day. I strongly believe that all three of these instances are the foundation for early literacy and learning in young children. A huge portion of this newsletter is also dedicated to inclusion strategies and tactics. Based on the information presented through this week's resources, we have a long way to go when it comes to the inclusion of immigrant children and their families. I look forward to furthering my exploration of this newsletter throughout the duration of this course and beyond.

Expanding Horizons & Resources

A former colleauge of mine by the name of Christen has been teaching at the early childhood level in the UAE for the past five years. She has become so immersed in the culture and thriving environment, she has made this country a home for her and her family. I have sent Christen an email in regards to this assignment and I am awaiting a response. She has always been so helpful and resourceful, as I had previous plans of teaching overseas. I know she will be a great resource for this course, hence why I immediately chose to reach out to her.

May Ajram is an early childhood leader and professional in Lebanon. I found her through the World Forum Connection Center, and because she expressed her interest in professional passion, I was immediately drawn to her. I have added her Facebook page and I am interested to see if she would be willing to be a participant for this assignment. Sharing the passion of early childhood education, I am sure that this connection would not be difficult to establish.

I have chosen the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) as my early childhood organization of choice. I made this selection due to the fact that the center where I am currently employed is NAEYC accredited and I am always interested in learning more about the organization as a whole.