International Education

Happy week 8 loves!

We made it *cheers*

As this semester comes to a close, I definitely wanted to touch on how international education and becoming more aware in the international community can extend our reservoir of knowledge while also allowing us opportunities to be our best selves.

I have attached 3 photos to what best portrays what international education and knowledge has the ability to do for ECE education:

These three pictures represent what international exposure is all about; giving us a glimpse into what we can accomplish with more communication and less domination.

Diversity is a beautful thing and if we allow our students to flourish and show their culture and background- along with their unique qualitiesle our,  we enabor our students to share their wealth of knowledge ans experience with the rest of tbejr2 enviornment. I hate saying "We are all one". No we arent and thats what makes the world beautiful. Allowing all of our differences to come together and create something beautiful is what international awareness and educstion on issues concerning other people outside of ourselves and communities is what enables us to bridge education barriers, language barriers, and social/cultural barriers that birth stereotype, bias, and fear.

Lastly, pushing ourselves out our comfort zone is imperative to extend ourselves and learn about our true strengths and gifts we bring to the world. Playing it safe and being comfortable doesnt show potential or room for improvement. Being the best at what we do means being exposed to all that we can be able to accomplish.

By tackling these international issues head on that affect children across all communities, we are pushing ourselves as educational advocates and professionals towards truly creating an enviornment that instill high quality education without barriers.

Illinois: SB1

Happy Friday loves!

I hope everyone had a great week. My week could have been better but I'm blessed to wake up and see another morning so I am nit too shabby.

With this week being a discussion about education and standards, I thought it be appropriate  to discuss the current political climate in my home, Chicago, Illinois.

*Drum roll* Allow me to introduce Illinois' latest disaster for equitable school funding- Senate Bill 1. There is a short video explaining logistics below

SB1 is a new bill introduced that our loveky governor endorses that restructures our educational funding model. Currently, Illinois ranks dead last in equitable school funding and SB1 is only making matters worse. *gasps* Shocker. -___-

As much as I love my city, my home town was built on racisim and outside of Chicago, you might as well consider it Hicksville because they literally HATE anything not drenched with vannila ice-cream, marshmallows, and mayo if you catch my drift.

Key points of SB1 include:
*shifting from a baseline funding model to an evidence based model
*creating four (4) tiers that dictate funding districts to the most "needy" schools
*taking in consideration of ALL funding options for ALL school districts

Now if you were me prior to research, you would say its not so bad. I'm a liberal of course but I am logical. But further research, I discovered that this is absolutely biased and (pardon my language) bullshyt of legislation.

So not only is Illinois the LEAST EQUITABLE EDUCATIONALLY FUNDED STATE IN THE COUNTRY, our political climate aims to make matters worse by furthering the education funding gap between low income students2 and students of wealthier districts.

Since race and economics are almost synonymous, you can only guess who gets the short end of the stick. Not only can wealthier districts lower their property taxes to meet minimums that make them eligible for state finding (a luxury
Kids from the south side wish we could afford) but it also takes ALL "forms of eligible funding" into consideration for dispersing state funding- *cough* block grants * cough* teacher pension *cough* Title 1 funds.

The kicker is that lower income students are put into smaller classroom sizes to improve academic performance. What this funding model sneaks in are terms of "Adequacy Levels". Meaning simply, funding will be given to school districts that have lower amounts of adequacy met. So if you already take grants and teacher pensions into funding account for lower income school children, AND decide to use their smaller classrom size as factors to display performance, then of course they won't qualify for the most funding!

In fact, coupled with property taxes and "other forms of eligible funding", these power income districts seem to be capable of "providing quality education". -____-

Quality education is coupled with equity because they go hand in hand. You cannot give 81 cents to every black and brown kids in Chicago for every dollar you give a white student and tell them to succeed. On top of that, you want to give wealthier districts more money and the OPTION to lower their gosh darn taxes in order to QUALIFY for state aide?

Allow me to colloquialy express my concern with: "Where they do dat at?" 😒😒😒😒

How can we discuss quality education when we can't even fund our schools and pay our teachers a suitable wage?! How can we as Illinois discuss equity when property taxes in itself are determinants to 55% of the school funding model- putting Black and Brown students at a disadvantage ALREADY based on their zip code?

To answer the question of my professional goals and aspirations, I ansewer simply:

Graduate 2018 with this Masters in Early Childhood Education.

2020: Run for public office

Chanel West for Chicago Public Schools Board of Education 😎

Exploring NBCDI

Hello loves!

Happt Thursday! I am completing my blog a little early because this weekend is Chicago's "Slut Walk" and I will be very active in that march and activities. As a survivor of sexual assault, it is imperative I make my voice heard and reclaim myself and feminine sexuality.

On another note, this week are are exploring our websites we chose earlier in the semester. I chose the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) and have fell in love with the organization.

NBCDI focuses solely on the advancement if the overall well-being of African-Americans and their children. African-American are in a distadvantage due to being in social and political systems that perpetuate poverty and classisim. As we know, the effects if poverty creates toxic stress, emotional deregulation, delayed cognitive and psychosocial development, as well as serves as a barrier perpetuates generational poverty.

NBCDI uses its partnerships with local, state, and federal programs to bring knowkedge and social services to African-American communties while also focusing on strengthening African-American families. Upon exploration, a bulk if their efforts is into strengthening perception and image of Black children-especially Black males.

Initiatives were brought forth on how to better involve Black males into the academic enviornment and undo the desensitization of the Black male body and image. Efforts to increase positive interaction and discipline, academic curriculum that encourages critical thinking, as well as the projection of goals that push beyond stereotypical inclined achievement are just a few of thise goals.

Also, efforts to take control of the narrative and image of the Black family has been executed in the form of community workshops open for all backgrounds while also the implementation of a calender. The calendar is photographs of African-American families that are submitted by members of their network- prltraying happy children, two-parent households, and variations of the African diaspora.

Lastly, their annual conference is next month in Atlanta, Georgia; featuring key note speakers such as Iyana Vanzant while discussing issues within policy, health/nutrition, family, educstion, and advocacy that affect the African American family and child in panels and seminar.

Overall, the NBCDI website is filled with new information that gives me insight into how active organizations are within the Black community to better impact our communities and alleviate these pressing issues.

New Insights

Happy Saturday loves!

Hope every one is off to a good start to their weekend.

This week is all about new insights into our resources and what we have learned from them both personally and professionally.
This week I utilized Harvard's Global Children's Initiative to learn more about the collaborations within early childhood.

Although it is (now) common knowledge that early childhood education involves fields from all disciplines, the diversity and partnerships between different fields in order to collaborate in doing the most good to strengthen early childhood is mind-blowing.

Partnerships between Harvard University and Brazil's Health Care Network are used to promote better policy towards early childhood education and development. This is done through creating a cohort of 40-45 Brazilian policy makers  in a week-long training at Harvard's campus. These trainings then involve a complex array of opportunities for hands-on, engaging learning that applies broad ideas into concrete planning. These policy makers then are allowed to go and implement these strategies in their respective neighborhoods in Brazil.

This was most intrigung to me as it bridges the gap between policy and science. Anyone can read a news brief or an article but to actually apply data, concepts, and ideas to a miniature version of the problem and/or area that is in need of assistance is taking it a step further. This not only gives policy makers insight into the first-hand  experiences of the population they serve but also new knowledge into the problems and their long-term effects of mental health.

Next insights are both the science of early childhood brain development as well as their preventative strategies. Early Childhood brain development is complex, intense, and beautiful. Enviornmental factors such as poverty, parental practices, violence, and constant stress can begin to delay and/or degrade brain architecture; leaving the mind suceptible to toxic stress, limited prefrontal cortex control (emotional regulation), and serve and return functions that build upon in social and emotional development.

Although these effects can occur to any population or demographic, strategies to prevent these delays and/or issues vary from each demographic. One strategy of increasing the funding for overall education for one group may not have the same effects as a group that needs more strategies to educate parents on creating healthy attachments with their kids.

Understanding these new insights have piqued my interest to know more about Early Childhood Development as well their effects in young children of color within my own backyard. As an educator that has intentions to go into policy, understanding the weight of what my decisions may hold gives new perspective into what implementations of policy and adjustments that can be created for my own community.

What may work for the Latino community may not be able to be transferred to the African-American community. Understanding that there is no one size fits all model allows me to better observe and undertand my students, their families, and their backgrounds to best assist their development inside and outside the classroom.

National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI)

Happy Saturday loves!

I am headed to the beach later this afternoon but headed to a prayer vigil for the 4 year old that was shot earlier this week from more Chicago gun violence. Pray for my city, loves. When you are aware of the issues but arent equipped with how the resolve them, you grow frustrated.

On a lighter note, this week we are unpacking our websites into further detail. I won't make this post as long as my others but as previously stated in prior entries, I selected The National Black Child Development Institute as my focal point resource.

I chose this due to its commitment to focusing solely on how policy, education, health, and economics affect African- Americans. I genuinely dislike using the term "POC" because it has lost its power for what it is and categorizes the struggles of each minority group into signal agendas.

I like how NBCDI zeros in the issues that SOLELY affect Black children and families. Our community is crippled from effects of post taumatic slave disorder, economic oppression, gun violence, domestic fragility, and mental oppression. These are unique traits that are solely identified predominately to the Black community that needs to be addressed in its own separate fashion and tactic.

Which is why.....*drum roll* I nearly fell out and lost all my edges when I saw that NBCDI had a Chicago chapter. I was so excited to see that the same mission of NBCDI was put into motion for the Chicago chapter but had revised it to reflect the unique culture of Chicago urban poverty and the families within it.

Recently, a program was implemented to instill a positive message about Black youth than the deficits of Black you and it snatched my edges. Too often we are socially engrained with negativity towards a group of people. I have traveled the world, lived and worked in 3 countries and 29 cities in the USA, and not one group of people are demonized as Black people are.

In Ecuador there is a resturant Menuestro De Negro with the mascot as a stereotypical Black child with overdramatic feature, pitch black skin, and a bone in their hair. In China, on my first day my students rhbbed my skin and asked why my dirt doesnt come off.

The common narrative about Black people in any country is that we are violent, aggressive, less intelligent, and primitive. -____-

NBCDI wants to change that narrative through instillibg self-love and pride in Black children to love themselves, their culture, and their African ancestry as nit a hinderence but a badge of honor. I greatly support this because self-hate is real. Colorism is real. Depression within the Black community is real. These things go hand-in-hand with one another and overall affect how a child sees themselves based off how society sees them as a whole.

I can see criticism against NBCDI due to ita primary focus on Black issues but this discussion is not open to everyone and not every space requires the prescense of others. These issues affect our community in a way that ia unique and crippling that doesn't have the same detrimental effects on other communities. This is not a space or discussion to dilute our issues to appease the general public.

"Ain't nobody come to see you, Otis!"

As an educator, a Black, female educator, this assists in my professional development as it reinstills patience and ubderstanding in my teaching practices. Often my most difficult students are the ones that look just like me and it is easy to sweep them under the rug and write them off like everyone else. However, THAT is the problem. They know society has written them off so they act accordingly. Being cognizant how my attitude, teaching methodology, and exhibiting A LOT of patience is what I remain conscious of throughout the day to best serve my kids.

Also, NBCDI has ooenings for their Chicago chapter. Guess who is submitting her resume :) Wish me luck!

Poverty: An Open Discussion

Happy Friday lovelies!

Hope everyone is having a good week and excited for the weekend ahead.

This week's topic is one personal and close to my heart through anetodal experience as well as through academic and professional awareness.

Poverty is a controversial subject that is extreme conditions of financial hardship and lack of econonic opportunity and/or resources. I decided to take a microscopic look at my hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

With Chicago gaining national noteriety for its increased influx of gun violence ( a seperate topic of itself), there have been many questions asked about my city- both indirectly and directly- concerning to the bug WHY; WHY DOES CHICAGO HAVE INCREASED GUN VIOLENCE?

As much as many "professionals" and experts try to give a clear cut answer, its nit simple to explain or understand. The one size fits all theory does not apply to describing the concentrated amounts of gun violence in the city's south and west sides.

Fun facts that are an prologue to the discussion is that roughly 10% of the city's families live in extreme cases of poverty- half the national poverty level with the largest concentrations being that of African-Americans. *Gasp*

Its no surprise, at least to me, that the highest concentrations if poverty happen to be in my own backyard because not onky did I personally experience this narrative, but poverty and race have become almost synonymous due to defacto segregation and political infrastructure.

I can go on and on about how Chicago was literally built and designed to benefit affluent, white migrants over black laborers that migrated to Chicago during the industrial revolution but I won't go there today. (MY undergrad degree is ALL about Urban  Politics so I can go on and on) However, poverty disproportionately affects African-American communities due to the lack of economical and social resources that allow families to get and stay ahead.

"What do you mean Chanel?"

Outside of disproportionate property taxes that fund local schools that are built like prisons, the hiring of unqualified white teachers from surrounding suburbs that lack cultural sensitivity and understanding, and the limited economic opportunity due to the inability to own land and create ownership without being bombarded with debt or high interest loans that can never be paid off.....

It ALSO breeds.....*drum roll* VIOLENCE. And with Indiana and its lax gun laws next door and Trump sending FBI agents to the south and west side to FURTHER the distrust and turf war with even more semi-automatic weaponry, you would think people would stop asking stupid questions. -____-

My mentor and esteemed colleague, Natalie Chadwell, MPH, sat down and spoke with me concerning the poverty and its affects on the Black community. Chadwell is the accreditation specialist for The University of Illinois Hospital while formally serving  on the board of directors for their subsidized, health care division.

For twenty plus years, Chadwell hss dealt with poverty on a first-hand basis through her work in public health. Poverty is a public health issue that not only affects the physical but the mental and emotional conditions of a community that perpetuates a toxic mentality through a lack of understanding, compassion, and access to resources.

Chadwell enlightened me that poverty within Chicago was not by accident but designed due to the creation of ghettos that mimicked those in WWII, redlining, and illegal political and economic practices that kept African-Americans from ownership and integrated spaces.

The poverty that bred violence began with the public housing projects-the notorious Cabrini Green that gained national head lines for Girl X- and how they were systematically designed to keep the males out of the household; leaving female-led homes that ran on limited income. Once those public housing sites were demolished, the issues that were once concentrated to a confined space from a set group of people within that area became disbursed into the general population.

Chicago then morphed into "factions" based on blocks or neighborhoods and gave birth to the current enviornment as it stands.

The effects of poverty literally shorten a lifespan by creating a constant physical reaponse towards stress and anxiety to where the body does not recognize how to regulate itself. Poverty also delays ckgnitive maturation due to the prefrontal cortex being under developed from the lack of emotional regulation; increasing the amount of emotionally charged responses. Health and nutrition in poverty affects the physical and psychosocial due to  limited nutritional value in the affordable foods that are available from local gricers that inflate prices due to the food dessert enviornment.

Many public school students get the bulk of their daily nutrition from school lunches while programs such as safe passage ( a city sponsored initiative puts neighbors of a community on "hot spots" to keep kids safe during thier walk to school) exist to keep children from getting inducted or affected by gang violence.

Children can focus in a school that has chicago police in every classroom, metal detectors, and teachers that are only present to have federal loans forgiven and be expected to succeed. Not only are they biologically wired to have more emotionally charged responses and are immersed in an enviornment that is literally killing them because of stress, they are placed with expectations that they are aware they are not believed they can meet.

These issues of poverty have allowed me on my journey to educate and be a role model to the most vulnerabe children in black and brown communities due to a lack of opportunity and resources. Poverty gies beyond the financial hardship and burden of a family and extends to the social, emotional, and cognitive maturation of Children that grow to be incomptent adults that literally do not know better.

National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI)

Happy Friday!

This week is all about organizations that take to the forefront if issues that affect students within our local communities.

I have chose last week's organization, The National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) to further gather information on their distinct mission and how they help families within our communities.

First and foremost, I LOVE how this organization specifically cater to the develooment of Black youth. I am not a fan of the political blanket term "POC" and how it is used as an umbrella to encompass issues people of color face as a universal thing. Absolutely not. My community's stuggle of oppression and raciaim differ and vary from the issues of language barriers and immigration to the Latino community and issues if the "model minority" complex of Asian-Americans.

Furthermore, Black youth lag behind in local, state, and national data concerning academic achievement and overall socioeconomic success behind their peers. Organizations such as NBCDI are utilized to nit only close those achievment gaps but are also used to meet the special and unique needs of young black children.

NBCDI uses both policy and local grassroots, community involvement to better serve Black students through partnerships with local, state, and federal policy makers to ensure adequate funding goes towards high-risk schools, a well-qualified, diverse workforce is a constant within the learning enviornment, while efforts to retain and train a more qualified work force is implemented. NBDCI knows that young Black children are often educated by less qualified, experienced educators that inadvertently stunt and/or delay growth and maturation.

Health/ Wellness is another huge investment NBCDI is at the forefront of tackling when it comes to their families and students. Through their affiliate networks and partnerships with organizations and business like Wal-Mart, health and wellness is addressed through an implementation of healthy eating habits and nurtrional curriculum that is demonstrated in a variety of mediums through their affiliate network. Food demonstrations in a local community grocer to promote healthier eating options while literature and material for a better quality of health through a more conscious mind at a local community event are just a few of the ways that NBCDI get involved.

These are just a few of the ways NBCDI gets involved into assisting African-American families into becoming healthier and more prosperous while creating better developing outcomes for their students.

NBCDI acknowledges that the ever-changing demographic is becoming more reflective of a time where cultures blend and create blended families and mixed-race children. However, what I appreciate is the fact that the issues and controversies unique to each individual ethnic group- in this case, African-Americans, are not swept under the rug or pushed into a generalized POC category. NBCDI acknowledges the unique challenges of the average Black family and uses its platform to better serve those students and families directly as opposed to indirectly.

https://www.nbcdi.org/who-we-are