Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2

Meridas Eka Yora is the founder and director of the institution Fajar Hiayah for Islamic Education and Director of the Yayasan Fajar Hidayah Foundation. Meridas developed three boarding schools for children orphaned as a result of that devastation in Aceh. Mr.
Yora talked about the importance of Earlychilldhood Care and Education for children of all ages. He starts off by talking about what made him want to open his three boarding schools and the effect they have on the children there. Mostly all of the children in attendence in his boarding school are orphans. From birth he believes children should have the proper education to lead productive successful lives. The effectiveness starts with the teachers. In these students eyes teachers are parental figures as well as educators. They are all that these students have for motivation. I also believe in educational eqaulity for all children nomatter thier circumstances.

I accquired a great deal from Mr. Yora. He made me feel and understand his passion for equality and excellence for all chilren. While listening to this podcast I was inspired to make a difference also. Its one thing to talk about things that can be done, but there is another to actually get up and make things happen. I am aware that it took hard work and dedication, but I too want to make a difference in the lives of young children.

Sharing Web Resources

Everything on the website for the organization I chose is relevant to my current professional development. There are many different topics and they are all relevant to my development. I want to learn as much as I can about Early Childhood Education and I know to do that I have to open myself to all the information I can. Specificly I lke the topics on labeling and biasness. I realize that there are so many ways to label a child and I don't agree with them. Every child deserves a fair chance and I don't want to be one of those educators.

How play ties into the educational process. This issue made me look into play and it's effects a little closer. Working in the classroom with children before mad eme a believer in how big a role play is. Making learning fu is everything to small children. Learning through song and dance is very effective.

I can see much clearer the role politicians play in education. From my reading I feel that they are very serious and sincere. I work for the Mississippi Dept of Education, and every since I have been there the main goal is to make educationa more effective our children here. I was very impressed also that President Obama shared sucha deep passion also. In my readings I have learned a lot.

There is so much I have gained so far I don't know where to start.  The relationships between parents and educators is really intriguing to me. I understand really how important it is now. I know that this relationship serves as a support system for the child. This gives confidence and good self esteem for the child.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

I have not heard back from the two professional contacts I reached out to. I did however listen to a podcast with a participant named Barnabas Otaala. Mr. Otaala is a Dean of Education at Uganda Martyr’s University and a champion of the World Forum since day one. Barnabas and Jacqueline Hayden were awarded a World Forum networking grant to study the impact of HIV/AIDS on young children in Namibia. Their report, HIV/AIDS and the Young Child, which was distributed to all attendees at World Forum 2005 in Montreal, was the impetus for the establishment of the World Forum Voices of Hope working group.


Mr. Otaala talked about HIV/AIDS and its effects on the children, parents, and educators in Namibia. From my understanding most of the children that carry this disease have not even been properly diagnosed. Once properly diagnosed it sends the people in Namibia in a frenzy. It's hard to accept something you don't understand. One particular little girl who was diagnosed, people wanted to know what they could do to help, Mr.Otaala suggested that parents and educators as well as others who didnt understand the disease speak with the doctor so that they can get get a better understanding and not be so scared of it. He also talked about the role educators play in these children's lives. He thought that the whole situation would be overwhelming for a normal teacher. In my opinion those children need an educator who accepts and understands the disease and can still give these children the proper education they need without being afraid of them.

Sharing Web Resources

ZERO TO THREE
http://www.zerotothree.org/


Zero to Three's is a national non-profit organization. Thier mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers. As infants being held, cared for and talked to teaches us who we are and how we are valued. The things we experience early on in life are the things that make us strong.



One current issue that that caught my attention was School Readiness Interactive Birth to 3. This article was extremely informative. It taked about parents as the first educators in a child's life. Through a parents love, and support is how the develop properly. I am a firm believer that the educational process starts at home. Teachers do everything they can, but if the parent is not going that extra mile for thier child, how relevant is what the teacher is doing? Now as a teacher I believe in effective learning. I know that things have to be well thought out and organized. I know that the teacher has to make the educational process fun but challenging at the same time. School readiness is very important and being involved in a child's life carries the same weight.

Establishing Professional Contacts

I must say that this assignment has been very challenging, but I managed to figure out what exactly I was suppose to be doing. I contacted three professional contacts by email out side the United States. I am not aware if they took the email seriously are not because I have not been contacted as of yet. I am very confident that I will be contacted soon. I think collaborating in conversation with them will be very educational for me. I expect to learn a lot from them and whats going on in thier cultures.




The website I chose was Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. Zero to Three is a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in thier efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. The article for this week is about the child's behavior from ages 15 to 18 months. I learned a lot about a childs development around those ages. I am in my last trimester and I am extremely exstatic about what this article teaches.


http://www.zerothree.org/about-us/