Whenever I explore the Harlem Children's Zone website or read the newsletter, I am amazed by the committment portrayed by the people who work there. They are attempting to establish a method to change generational poverty......helping to change the odds, if you will.
I love the Baby College they offer. It is a nine week parenting workshop for expectant parents and those raising a child up to three years old. The workshop promotes reading to children and verbal discipline instead of corporal punishment. In the two years since it started, 870 people have graduated from it.
They offer several programs geared toward early childhood success. There is the three year old journey, which promotes language and parenting skills. Parents must win the Promise Academy's school lottery to participate.
The "Get Ready for Pre-K" program that gets children ready for the Gem program. It is a six week summer session that gets future Gems ready to start that program in the fall.
Harlem Gems - is an all day pre-kindergarten with a four:one ratio that teaches English, Spanish and French at three sites serving a total of 200 children.
What I gained from exploring this website is that the people of Harlem are working as hard as the rest of us should be working to make sure the next generation of children succeed. To me, that means that Harlem Children's Zone is getting it right and the rest of our country needs to take notes!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
My International Contacts
May I please introduce Carolyn Bunting from Heppenheim, Germany as one of my international contacts. She is originally from the UK, and now resides and teaches in Germany. My other international contact is Isabella Cacciari from Bologna, Italy. She is Italian and does not speak English. My questions and her answers are translated by her sister -in-law and my friend.
Isabella teaches public preschool (ages 3 - 5). In Europe, children attend their version of "public" school from ages 3 until 16. School is 9am - 5 pm to better accommodate parents. She says she has not worked around much poverty. She feels that the government stipends for families with children, child care assistance, and health care are the main reasons things are better there.
Carolyn has said much the same to me. Central Europe provides government stipends for families with children. Universal health care eliminates expensive health care premiums, childcare is subsidized and school ages have been arranged to eliminate the need for after school care. Parents have more time to spend with their children and things are made a bit easier for them financially because of the help of the government.
My insights from all this has told me that Europe is a good place to have children because the European governments recognize children as important resources worth investing in. I am angry that the United States fails to acknowledge our children as the important resource they are. Where is the support that Europe offers? Why don't we have a similar program in place? We are trillions of dollars in debt, and have a large population living in poverty! Europe is broke too, but there doesn't seem to be the poverty that is prevalent in the United States!
Isabella teaches public preschool (ages 3 - 5). In Europe, children attend their version of "public" school from ages 3 until 16. School is 9am - 5 pm to better accommodate parents. She says she has not worked around much poverty. She feels that the government stipends for families with children, child care assistance, and health care are the main reasons things are better there.
Carolyn has said much the same to me. Central Europe provides government stipends for families with children. Universal health care eliminates expensive health care premiums, childcare is subsidized and school ages have been arranged to eliminate the need for after school care. Parents have more time to spend with their children and things are made a bit easier for them financially because of the help of the government.
My insights from all this has told me that Europe is a good place to have children because the European governments recognize children as important resources worth investing in. I am angry that the United States fails to acknowledge our children as the important resource they are. Where is the support that Europe offers? Why don't we have a similar program in place? We are trillions of dollars in debt, and have a large population living in poverty! Europe is broke too, but there doesn't seem to be the poverty that is prevalent in the United States!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
My Choices for diversity issues
Harlem Childdren's Zone www.hcz.org
All programs offered are free to the children and families who live in Harlem. It began in 1970, as a truancy prevention program. Today, it serves more than 10,000 children and 7,400 adults. It has grown along with the needs of the community. Throughout drug epidemics and many other safety issues, the HCZ has perpetuated its "whatever it takes" attitude.
UNICEF www.unicef.org
Unicef offers many programs related to children. The organization is determined to save lives. They believe that the chance to survive is a right owed to every child. Unicef and its partners are leading the global effort to end preventable child deaths. In the past twenty years, child mortality has fallen by thirty five percent around the world. By 2015, the Millenium Development Goal (MDG) is to reduce child mortality. Unicef is concerned it needs to accelerate its progress in order to reach these goals.
All programs offered are free to the children and families who live in Harlem. It began in 1970, as a truancy prevention program. Today, it serves more than 10,000 children and 7,400 adults. It has grown along with the needs of the community. Throughout drug epidemics and many other safety issues, the HCZ has perpetuated its "whatever it takes" attitude.
UNICEF www.unicef.org
Unicef offers many programs related to children. The organization is determined to save lives. They believe that the chance to survive is a right owed to every child. Unicef and its partners are leading the global effort to end preventable child deaths. In the past twenty years, child mortality has fallen by thirty five percent around the world. By 2015, the Millenium Development Goal (MDG) is to reduce child mortality. Unicef is concerned it needs to accelerate its progress in order to reach these goals.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources
The steps I took to locate and contact two professionals were a bit unconventional, but more personal. Friends of mine live in Bologna, Italy and Heppenheim, Germany. Both of them have preschool sons. So, I contacted them and asked them to contact their children's schools to see if any of them would be interested in participating in this exercise with me. To date, the teacher who is interested in corresponding with me does speak English and I am just waiting to hear from her. The school in Italy does not seem to have any teachers who are proficient in English enough to feel comfortable corresponding with me. So, I am back to square one with that one.
I am interested in finding out more about UNICEF and the Harlem Children's Zone. The website for the Harlem Children's Zone was unavailable when I attempted to access it.
I am interested in finding out more about UNICEF and the Harlem Children's Zone. The website for the Harlem Children's Zone was unavailable when I attempted to access it.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
My Support Systems
My Support Systems
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Posted by Deborah Thompson at Saturday, June 9, 2012 12:46:32 PM EDT
I need support to get out of bed in the morning and for that I turn to my savior, Jesus Christ! I start out every morning opening my eyes and thanking Him for the ability to put my feet on the floor!
My support systems at home begin with my sweet husband. He is always very supportive of me and my efforts. And then, there is "the village". We are a group of families who have joined together because we have much in common and we support each other in everything we do from building a house to babysitting. We provide moral,emotional and sometimes even financial support to one another. We have all been together for about 15 years now. We are all transplanted to NC and we have formed our own family group, "the village". Choosing your family is great! We have helped each other move, put in patios, hardwood floors, gardens, celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, births and deaths just to name a few!
At work, I am supported by my co-teacher, my manager, and my director, not to mention the rest of the outstanding staff I work with. We all have each others' backs! We work together, we walk together (Komen race) and we have fun together. I could not have chosen a finer group of women to work with.
The benefits of a support system like these are many. We never wonder how we'll be able to accomplish something. One family had a deployment to deal with last year. We took turns babysitting, (a girl,7 and boy, 11), cutting the grass, buying groceries, celebrating birthdays, taking them out for pizza and just being there if the family had any needs. We sent care packages to dad in Kuwait, emailed and skyped. They were very thankful for it all and dad did not have to worry about leaving his family because they were never alone. They had "the village" to take care of them!
Click for more options
Posted by Deborah Thompson at Saturday, June 9, 2012 12:46:32 PM EDT
I need support to get out of bed in the morning and for that I turn to my savior, Jesus Christ! I start out every morning opening my eyes and thanking Him for the ability to put my feet on the floor!
My support systems at home begin with my sweet husband. He is always very supportive of me and my efforts. And then, there is "the village". We are a group of families who have joined together because we have much in common and we support each other in everything we do from building a house to babysitting. We provide moral,emotional and sometimes even financial support to one another. We have all been together for about 15 years now. We are all transplanted to NC and we have formed our own family group, "the village". Choosing your family is great! We have helped each other move, put in patios, hardwood floors, gardens, celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, births and deaths just to name a few!
At work, I am supported by my co-teacher, my manager, and my director, not to mention the rest of the outstanding staff I work with. We all have each others' backs! We work together, we walk together (Komen race) and we have fun together. I could not have chosen a finer group of women to work with.
The benefits of a support system like these are many. We never wonder how we'll be able to accomplish something. One family had a deployment to deal with last year. We took turns babysitting, (a girl,7 and boy, 11), cutting the grass, buying groceries, celebrating birthdays, taking them out for pizza and just being there if the family had any needs. We sent care packages to dad in Kuwait, emailed and skyped. They were very thankful for it all and dad did not have to worry about leaving his family because they were never alone. They had "the village" to take care of them!
Friday, May 25, 2012
My Connections to Play
Life must be lived as play.
-Plato
In our play, we reveal what kind of people we are.
- Ovid
Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.
- Fred Rogers
Those three quotes broadly describe my feelings about play and my childhood play. I don't have any pictures of my favorite play things. My mother loved to throw things out just as soon as she could! I can describe them though. The very first thing I can remember playing with was a small stuffed white elephant with red velvet ears. I slept with it all the time and then one day it was just gone! Growing older, I loved to play with Barbie dolls. My grandmother used to sew clothes for them all the time and I was very happy. I loved to play with my grandmother also. She would always let me help her in the kitchen and it holds many happy memories for me. She supported me and my play during my childhood.
Play today seems to be very different to me. When I was growing up, we had lots of time for free play and it was much safer to play outside too. We could stay outside all day and not have to come inside until the street lights came on. We did not require direct supervision and could take the time we needed to play free choice activities with our own rules and made up all by ourselves. In the neighborhood, our favorite game was kickball.
I still love to play with my "kids". It is the most enjoyable part of the day, and they often request me to play with them! I thoroughly enjoyed playing with my boys and my grandsons too! I don't think I will ever be too old to play! At least I hope not!
-Plato
In our play, we reveal what kind of people we are.
- Ovid
Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.
- Fred Rogers
Those three quotes broadly describe my feelings about play and my childhood play. I don't have any pictures of my favorite play things. My mother loved to throw things out just as soon as she could! I can describe them though. The very first thing I can remember playing with was a small stuffed white elephant with red velvet ears. I slept with it all the time and then one day it was just gone! Growing older, I loved to play with Barbie dolls. My grandmother used to sew clothes for them all the time and I was very happy. I loved to play with my grandmother also. She would always let me help her in the kitchen and it holds many happy memories for me. She supported me and my play during my childhood.
Play today seems to be very different to me. When I was growing up, we had lots of time for free play and it was much safer to play outside too. We could stay outside all day and not have to come inside until the street lights came on. We did not require direct supervision and could take the time we needed to play free choice activities with our own rules and made up all by ourselves. In the neighborhood, our favorite game was kickball.
I still love to play with my "kids". It is the most enjoyable part of the day, and they often request me to play with them! I thoroughly enjoyed playing with my boys and my grandsons too! I don't think I will ever be too old to play! At least I hope not!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Relationship Reflections
I feel like I have many relationships, so I have chosen the most important ones in my life!
First and foremost would be my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am a Christian, and I believe that God sent His son, Jesus to die for my sins (and everyone else's) so we may have eternal life. This relationship is most important to me because He is always with me. He gives me strength, peace, encouragement and guidance. I can always count on Him to be there for me. He loves me unconditionally!
My husband, Dwight is my solid rock. We will be married 3 years in September and we have known each other for 6 years. I never thought of re-marriage until he asked me. He is a God fearing man of integrity who tries hard to always get it right. He is a balance of logic for my emotions, loyal and dedicated, and I love him dearly. He has embraced me and my life and accepts all of it. He showed me that unequivocally when he partnered with me in caring of my 88 year old mother for 2 years before she entered a nursing facility.
My sons are my joy! My oldest, Michael, 33 has a family of his own, but still never hangs up the phone or leaves a room without saying, "I love you Mom."
My youngest, Jacob is 26 and getting ready to deploy on May 15th~to someplace "classified" for at least 9 months~ He is an EOD tech (Explosive Ordinance Demolition). So, right now, and for the immediate future, my positive thoughts, energies and prayers will be with him. Before he left, I bought him a children's book, "My Love Will Always Find You..." by Nancy Tillman to take with him.
And of course, there is my relationship with all my children at work over the years. There would be just too many pictures! I have been a preschool teacher for 32 years now and I have loved and cared for each one of the children entrusted into my care to the best of my abilities. They are too numerous to mention, and while I have given them all that I could, they gave me an awesome amount of love right back and taught me patience and persistence pays off!
First and foremost would be my relationship with Jesus Christ. I am a Christian, and I believe that God sent His son, Jesus to die for my sins (and everyone else's) so we may have eternal life. This relationship is most important to me because He is always with me. He gives me strength, peace, encouragement and guidance. I can always count on Him to be there for me. He loves me unconditionally!
My husband, Dwight is my solid rock. We will be married 3 years in September and we have known each other for 6 years. I never thought of re-marriage until he asked me. He is a God fearing man of integrity who tries hard to always get it right. He is a balance of logic for my emotions, loyal and dedicated, and I love him dearly. He has embraced me and my life and accepts all of it. He showed me that unequivocally when he partnered with me in caring of my 88 year old mother for 2 years before she entered a nursing facility.
My sons are my joy! My oldest, Michael, 33 has a family of his own, but still never hangs up the phone or leaves a room without saying, "I love you Mom."
And of course, there is my relationship with all my children at work over the years. There would be just too many pictures! I have been a preschool teacher for 32 years now and I have loved and cared for each one of the children entrusted into my care to the best of my abilities. They are too numerous to mention, and while I have given them all that I could, they gave me an awesome amount of love right back and taught me patience and persistence pays off!
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