Good Morning lovelies :)
Happy weekend to everyone and I hope everyone had a fantastic week. This week, we had discussions concerning how multi-contextual and interdisciplinary.
Since I am a mother that experienced this personally, I chose to discuss how mental health of a mother can affect the quality and care of the child and their families. I suffer from depression after the passing of my son. As a Black woman, mental illness is something not talked about within our community and if it is brought up, "church can fix it".
When I was diagnosed with depression, I was in denial. I was a "strong Black woman" that worked hard, was independent, and could handle anything life threw in my direction. I emulated the women around me, the women that raised me; so how could I get depression when countless of women before me endured just as much pain as I but have not buckled?
I had to let go of my complex of being this "strong Black woman" because it was not a rose-colored compliment but an insult to the feminity and fragility of my womanhood as a Black woman. Black women are often "forced" to be strong because we have no other choice but to be. We often are the sole providers for those around us and work hard inside and outside our home for the comfort of ourselves and others- often times in unsafe spaces that damage our mental state due to social norms and social oppression.
But outside of that, I experienced a the loss of a child. I lost my first.and only child after experiencing a traumatic birth. It was something that I thought I could get over if I prayed, listened to Gospel songs, and pushed in the back of my mind; and for awhile it worked. Working 60-80 hours a weeks became a distraction for some time but it eventually impacted my work to where I had a mental breakdown over something as small as tearing tape.
My family even saw drastic changes in me
. I lost weight, wasn't eating, was not my "bubbly, outgoing" self , was more reserved at family functions, and often would stare into space in mid-conversation. I knew something was not right when I had unnatural thoughts of intentionally ending my life to see my son again.
I finally sought out help and entered therapy. Surprisingly, it was not what I thought it would be as what is portrayed in the media. My therapist was so sweet, kind, and understanding. She didn't pry intly answer if I didn't want her to, and she allows me to discuss my feelings in detail dating from distress from childhood.
She even runs group therapy for women that lost their children in either miscarriage, stillborn, or death after birth- like myself. I attend every month and it is truly helpful. I get to meet women who are going through what I am going through or have been through it. I hear their testimony and hear how they often felt the same way I felt. From my solo and group therapy lessons, I have learned that it's OK to be weak because it shows I am human.
Sometimes we have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. As a woman and a mother, my first thoughts even before my son was born was to make sure he would never want for anything. I was only concerned about him, not me. Although a mother should always care and love her child, the child should not always be top priority. By that, I mean self-care and self-love are needed in order to maintain a healthy rationship between mother and baby and that requires small little "me"moments.
Getting a manicure or a massage is something that could rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit and that allows the mother to be able to give more of herself to her child without overexertion.
In The United States, we are consciously aware of mental illness, but we aren't actively in progression of assuring mental health services are a) funded b) accessible to all indivuals and families c) fully staffed in our most vulnerable places and d) destigmatized. Many women are evaluated during their in-house stay for any signs of mental illness after the birth of their child and their six-week check up. However, not much follow up is done after that-in which is why my depression was diagnosed almost five months later.
In contrast, Japan does not address nor fundmental health in their country. The issue of mental health is considered "taboo" and often unspoken. There are mental health physicians that are scatted across the country in some accessible towns, but the prices could be very costly. "Succumbing to mental illness" is seen as a form of laziness and/or weakness and plays against your work ethic.
Compared to countries like Japan, The United States is fairly progressive in terms of accepting mental illnesses, but lack of research in vulnerable populations, accessibility, and funding for mental health programs are setting progress back for many.
It is imperative that mother's seek out counseling for any type of mental illness they have or they may develop; but mostly importantly, take time to themselves!
My son is and always will be my world. My fiancee and I are trying to conceive again in the near future to give Isaac a little brother or sister. However, I will do things differently starting with taking time to take care of myself. I cannot give my love to my children if I cannot give love to mysf first.
Saturday, March 18, 2017
Saturday, March 11, 2017
10 days of happiness
Good Morning friends :) We are in a new class for the next eight weeks with Professor Horton and thus far, I am thoroughly enjoying the course. This is by far one of my favorite and hardest blogs to write because it involves my personal birth story of my son, Isaac.
I am the PROUD mother to an angel in heaven,my guardian angel- Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth.
My son is and always be my biggest accomplishment. I have birth May 20th, 2016 at 9:49pm from emergency c-section. My son was 24+6 weeks and extremely premature. I had severe preeclampsia with blood pressure 278/190 and higher and medication was not helping at all. My body was close to breaking down and suffering from seizures and stroke.
I was admitted three days before my son was born, May 17th, 2016, because my blood pressure and the doctors that cared for me wanted to keep my son in longer but were unable out of fear of the placenta ripping from me due to my blood pressure.
Everything happened so fast and I barely remember anything. I was put under general anesthesia for my C-section and I remember waking up to my family and my fiancee congratulating me on my birth.
The staff took care of me and my son very well. I often fought with the staff because I was on bed rest majority of the time and I wasn't supposed to see my son. (They knew that wasn't going to work. The devil in hell couldn't keep me from my son)
He, unfortunately, got very sick halfway through his stay from a bacterial infection that attacks his underdeveloped lungs. On May 30th, 2016, my son passed away at 11:55am in my arms as I held him for the first time. I replay that day in my mind every day over and over again so I would never forget how my son looks, feels, smells, or how he looked at me for the first time in my eyes and with his dying breaths smiled at his mother.
My birth was traumatic due to circumstances but the care I recieved was phenomenal. The NICU team worked over time on my son and because of them, I have momentos that I otherwise would not have like his foot prints, crochet hats and blankets that he was laid in, his name that was written in green glitter in his incubator, etc.
Also, the social work office was a gift from GOD HIMSELF. Mary- Ann Fontana was an angel in disguise the day she came to my to to invite me to scrapbook night. I was not going to go because I felt lethargic and just wanted sleep but something told me to muster up strength and go. Mary-Ann took photos of my son, the only photos that I have of him living, and helped me and.my fiancee create a scrapbook of our son. Three days after scrapbook night, my son passed away.
As far as my care in The United States compared to another country, I chose France. I taught in France last spring from late February to early May for a spring language camp in Aurabelle, France ( close to Geroux- Les Bains) I was very close to giving birth in France if I stayed an extra four weeks so I decided to go home and skip the offer to teach for the summer sessions until August. ( My son was due September 3rd, 2016)
I LOVED the French healthcare system. I had almost half my monthly checks go to taxes but it was well worth it because my health care was top notch and FREE!
I had prenatal check ups every week to a local doctor in Marmand, the closest "major" city in the region I worked that my employer paid for, my medication that I took for my elevated blood pressure was less that five euros ($3-5 USD), I had a midwife come every three weeks I was there to check on me and my baby as well as give me information on birthing in France if I chose to, AND information on maternity leave and reimbursement to pregnancy related expenses if I stay in France for the entire duration of my pregnancy.
I loved how compared to the US, France seemed to care about the overall health and wellness of the mother and Child. I had great care at the hospital I gave birth in as well; however, I rarely saw my doctors after giving birth, I did not have anyone come see me concerning how to care for a newborn or information on breast feeding, and there were no post-natal follow ups or home care visits that I would have recieved if I was in France.
In retrospect, I would have given birth in France and flown my family out to see me. My employer already promised me employment once my maternity leave was complete and I had subsidized housing through my employer. Plus, my son could apply to have dual citizenship at eighteen!
Either way, May 20th was the best day of my life and whether in France or the US, I was met with doctors and support staff that showed true compassion and concern for me and my son.
I love you Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth, always and forever.
I am the PROUD mother to an angel in heaven,my guardian angel- Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth.
My son is and always be my biggest accomplishment. I have birth May 20th, 2016 at 9:49pm from emergency c-section. My son was 24+6 weeks and extremely premature. I had severe preeclampsia with blood pressure 278/190 and higher and medication was not helping at all. My body was close to breaking down and suffering from seizures and stroke.
I was admitted three days before my son was born, May 17th, 2016, because my blood pressure and the doctors that cared for me wanted to keep my son in longer but were unable out of fear of the placenta ripping from me due to my blood pressure.
Everything happened so fast and I barely remember anything. I was put under general anesthesia for my C-section and I remember waking up to my family and my fiancee congratulating me on my birth.
The staff took care of me and my son very well. I often fought with the staff because I was on bed rest majority of the time and I wasn't supposed to see my son. (They knew that wasn't going to work. The devil in hell couldn't keep me from my son)
He, unfortunately, got very sick halfway through his stay from a bacterial infection that attacks his underdeveloped lungs. On May 30th, 2016, my son passed away at 11:55am in my arms as I held him for the first time. I replay that day in my mind every day over and over again so I would never forget how my son looks, feels, smells, or how he looked at me for the first time in my eyes and with his dying breaths smiled at his mother.
My birth was traumatic due to circumstances but the care I recieved was phenomenal. The NICU team worked over time on my son and because of them, I have momentos that I otherwise would not have like his foot prints, crochet hats and blankets that he was laid in, his name that was written in green glitter in his incubator, etc.
Also, the social work office was a gift from GOD HIMSELF. Mary- Ann Fontana was an angel in disguise the day she came to my to to invite me to scrapbook night. I was not going to go because I felt lethargic and just wanted sleep but something told me to muster up strength and go. Mary-Ann took photos of my son, the only photos that I have of him living, and helped me and.my fiancee create a scrapbook of our son. Three days after scrapbook night, my son passed away.
As far as my care in The United States compared to another country, I chose France. I taught in France last spring from late February to early May for a spring language camp in Aurabelle, France ( close to Geroux- Les Bains) I was very close to giving birth in France if I stayed an extra four weeks so I decided to go home and skip the offer to teach for the summer sessions until August. ( My son was due September 3rd, 2016)
I LOVED the French healthcare system. I had almost half my monthly checks go to taxes but it was well worth it because my health care was top notch and FREE!
I had prenatal check ups every week to a local doctor in Marmand, the closest "major" city in the region I worked that my employer paid for, my medication that I took for my elevated blood pressure was less that five euros ($3-5 USD), I had a midwife come every three weeks I was there to check on me and my baby as well as give me information on birthing in France if I chose to, AND information on maternity leave and reimbursement to pregnancy related expenses if I stay in France for the entire duration of my pregnancy.
I loved how compared to the US, France seemed to care about the overall health and wellness of the mother and Child. I had great care at the hospital I gave birth in as well; however, I rarely saw my doctors after giving birth, I did not have anyone come see me concerning how to care for a newborn or information on breast feeding, and there were no post-natal follow ups or home care visits that I would have recieved if I was in France.
In retrospect, I would have given birth in France and flown my family out to see me. My employer already promised me employment once my maternity leave was complete and I had subsidized housing through my employer. Plus, my son could apply to have dual citizenship at eighteen!
Either way, May 20th was the best day of my life and whether in France or the US, I was met with doctors and support staff that showed true compassion and concern for me and my son.
I love you Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth, always and forever.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Standards to live by
Good Morning loves.
This post will be a bit shorter than usual because I'm currently hospitalized for food poisoning. I have a blazing migraine and can barely hold down any food and all I want to do is sleep but I wanted to get this blog up and posted.
The three ethics from NAEYC that I personally identify with are:
Recognize that children are best understood and
supported in the context of family, culture,* community,
and society
• Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each
individual (child, family member, and colleague)
• Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues
I chose these three standards because I am a huge advocate for diversity inside and outside the classroom. With diversity comes different cultures and people from various backgrounds that we may or may not understand. Understanding a person's background and culture not only give us insight into the child's unique tapestry but how we can understand children and learn to teach based on their upbringing.
Understanding that certain children from from communities that are high sensory would encourage educators to use more methods of sensory integration in there lesson planning and teaching strategies. Some children may come from households where there is a lot of manual labor or hand work. Using this knowledge, teachers are able to incorporate more kinestetic forms of teaching .
Students are a reflection of the world around us and we as educators must adapt to this change by reflecting the diversity as well as by adapting our lessons, teaching strategies, and communication to better serve each family that walks into our classrooms.
This post will be a bit shorter than usual because I'm currently hospitalized for food poisoning. I have a blazing migraine and can barely hold down any food and all I want to do is sleep but I wanted to get this blog up and posted.
The three ethics from NAEYC that I personally identify with are:
Recognize that children are best understood and
supported in the context of family, culture,* community,
and society
• Respect the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each
individual (child, family member, and colleague)
• Respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues
I chose these three standards because I am a huge advocate for diversity inside and outside the classroom. With diversity comes different cultures and people from various backgrounds that we may or may not understand. Understanding a person's background and culture not only give us insight into the child's unique tapestry but how we can understand children and learn to teach based on their upbringing.
Understanding that certain children from from communities that are high sensory would encourage educators to use more methods of sensory integration in there lesson planning and teaching strategies. Some children may come from households where there is a lot of manual labor or hand work. Using this knowledge, teachers are able to incorporate more kinestetic forms of teaching .
Students are a reflection of the world around us and we as educators must adapt to this change by reflecting the diversity as well as by adapting our lessons, teaching strategies, and communication to better serve each family that walks into our classrooms.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Resources to encourage
Good Evening lovelies and Happy Friday! I hope you all had a fantastic week this week and your weekend is off to a great start.
As you all know, with the current state of our nation and all the controversy surrounding him and his presidency, there has been this new phenomenon of "fake news" or "alternative facts" -____-
With any good story, fact, news article, journal, or other source of information used to convey a persuasive opinion, there needs to be cold, hard FACTS to support the author's claims. I mean, what use would me claiming that the first American open-heart surgery was performed by an African-American surgeon, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, in 1863 without citing credible references? (Cobb,1944) See.....You have to cite facts to support your claim for your own credibility as well as to legitimize your claims *drops mic*
So this week, we were disuccsing the credibility of resources and which ones to trust when in the world of academia. As educators, we cannot preach to our students to research and cite facts to support their claims from credible resources if we cannot do the same.
However, the first three resources are some of my own design where I feel could be beneficial to us Early childhood educators. I am a HUGE proponent of multi-culturalism in the classroom and reaffirming a Child's personal and cultural identity. Here a few resources to help us educators with those components in the classroom:
Kendall, F. E. (1983). Diversity in the Classroom: A Multicultural Approach to the Education of Young Children. Early Childhood Education Series. Teachers College Press, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027. Retrieved February 10, 2017
Trawick-Smith, J. (2013). Early childhood development: A multicultural perspective. Pearson Higher Ed. Retrieved February 10, 2017
Last Resource is a quote from one of my favorite Educators
We don't need a melting pot in this country, folks. We need a salad bowl. In a salad bowl, you put in the different things. You want the vegetables - the lettuce, the cucumbers, the onions, the green peppers - to maintain their identity. You appreciate differences. Jane Elliot
Here are a few good resources for us Early childhood educators to keep in mind when conducting research:
As you all know, with the current state of our nation and all the controversy surrounding him and his presidency, there has been this new phenomenon of "fake news" or "alternative facts" -____-
With any good story, fact, news article, journal, or other source of information used to convey a persuasive opinion, there needs to be cold, hard FACTS to support the author's claims. I mean, what use would me claiming that the first American open-heart surgery was performed by an African-American surgeon, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, in 1863 without citing credible references? (Cobb,1944) See.....You have to cite facts to support your claim for your own credibility as well as to legitimize your claims *drops mic*
So this week, we were disuccsing the credibility of resources and which ones to trust when in the world of academia. As educators, we cannot preach to our students to research and cite facts to support their claims from credible resources if we cannot do the same.
However, the first three resources are some of my own design where I feel could be beneficial to us Early childhood educators. I am a HUGE proponent of multi-culturalism in the classroom and reaffirming a Child's personal and cultural identity. Here a few resources to help us educators with those components in the classroom:
Kendall, F. E. (1983). Diversity in the Classroom: A Multicultural Approach to the Education of Young Children. Early Childhood Education Series. Teachers College Press, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027. Retrieved February 10, 2017
Trawick-Smith, J. (2013). Early childhood development: A multicultural perspective. Pearson Higher Ed. Retrieved February 10, 2017
Last Resource is a quote from one of my favorite Educators
We don't need a melting pot in this country, folks. We need a salad bowl. In a salad bowl, you put in the different things. You want the vegetables - the lettuce, the cucumbers, the onions, the green peppers - to maintain their identity. You appreciate differences. Jane Elliot
- NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
- NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
- Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
- FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
- Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
- Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
- Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
- Websites:
- World Forum Foundation
- This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment on this webpage
- World Organization for Early Childhood Education
- Read about OMEP's mission.
- Association for Childhood Education International
- Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children
- The Division for Early Childhood
- Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
- WESTED
- Harvard Education Letter
- FPG Child Development Institute
- Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
- HighScope
- Children's Defense Fund
- Center for Child Care Workforce
- Council for Exceptional Children
- Institute for Women's Policy Research
- National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
- National Child Care Association
- National Institute for Early Education Research
- Pre[K]Now
- Voices for America's Children
- The Erikson Institute
- YC Young Children
- Childhood
- Journal of Child & Family Studies
- Child Study Journal
- Multicultural Education
- Early Childhood Education Journal
- Journal of Early Childhood Research
- International Journal of Early Childhood
- Early Childhood Research Quarterly
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Studies
- Maternal & Child Health Journal
- International Journal of Early Years Education
Here are a few good resources for us Early childhood educators to keep in mind when conducting research:
Part 2: Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being
Note: Explore the resources in Parts 3 and 4 in preparation for this week's Application assignment.
Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations
Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library
Tip: Use the Journal option under Search & Find on the library website to find journals by title.
Friday, February 3, 2017
Quotes to live by
Good Evening loves :)
This week has been an interesting week. From me losing my job this week due to lack of enrollment to the issues surrounding my wedding planning fiasco, it has been quite the week.
I genuinely want to thank everyone who read and commented on my blog thus far. I appreciate the love and support :)
So, this week we discuss quotes to live by. Amazingly, I enjoy this assignment very much because anyone who knows me knows I enjoy reading inspirational quotes from famous novelists to rap artists.
I am an avid constructivist theorist when it comes to education. I solely believe that children should both be engaged in hands on learning throughout the course of their education while also influencing the material taught.
Two pioneers in the Early Childhood field that caught my interest this week was former President Lyndon B Johnson and the esteemed educator, Maria Montessori.
LBJ is one of the founders of the Head Start program that provides quality early childhood programming to low-income children- primarily African-American and Latino children.
Maria Montessori is the creator and pioneer of the educational methodology of "Montessori" that stresses hands-on learning in a a natural environment that encourages discovery.
I scoured the web and found a quote from each of them that really stood out to me:
"We live in a world that has narrowed into a neighborhood before it has broadened into a brotherhood."- Lyndon B Johnson
"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed." Maria Montessori
These quotes stood out to me in different ways due to their message and how it relates to different aspects of education I believe in.
I believe the reason that we have so much division amongst one another is simply because we do not know each other. (I'm paraphrasing from the great MLK) We live in separate communities, go to separate schools, churches, etc. We only learn about one another from what is displayed in media or from hearsay but never through meaningful conversation and interaction.
Before we can have talks to equality, there needs to be an understanding. I learned this through discourse with several of my friends and colleagues who are white and didn't fully understand the BLM movement. What initially was a firestorm of accusatory remarks of "reverse racisim" (WHICH DOES NOT EXSIST) came the understanding of what the underlining message behind the movement was.
This discourse would not have occured if there was not a safe space, mutual respect, and open-mindedness from both parties. How can we expect our children who come from diverse backgrounds and cultures to live amongst people they do not understand if compassion and respect is not taught inside and outside the classroom?
I teach my children, from my Pre-K students to my high-school students, about diversity and how it's a beautiful thing and what has always made America great. Without that understanding, fear has freedom to run rampant.....And we all see what fear can become when something is misunderstood. Hate.
The second quote from Maria Montessori excites me because it is the unspoken rule in my classroom. I teach new concepts, ideas, and philosophies in my classroom in order to push my students to greater lengths. One of my most memorable moments was when my seventh and eighth graders from the school I used to work in on the South side of Chicago told me my class was "hard". It was not hard because they couldn't do the work, but because it challenged them to greater heights than they ever saw themselves going.
They had teachers that gave them mundane worksheets and busy work to pass time while I gave them research projects and group presentations on the roles they never knew existed. From reading Edgar Allen Poe to writing Haikus, my students were exposed to a new realm of learning that not only engaged and excited them, but pushed them to their limits and beyond.
The quote I live by that was once spoken to me in a trying moment in my life was that "life begins at the edge of your comfort zone".
I didn't understand it initially, but as I matured and experienced more opportunity that just a few years ago I would have written off as something I would NEVER do, it began to make a lot of sense.
Life is short and life is what we all make it out to be. Pushing yourself to the edge of your comfort zone allows you to gain new perspective and enlightenment- exactly what we want our student to achieve; so why not push them?
Earlier this semester we discussed passion and how it pertains to our work.
One quote from John Hagel in his article discussing how passion relates to profession is that "passion is about risk-taking"
As I mentioned, life begins when we push ourselves and our students beyond our comfort levels. We can't expect our students to remain stagnant and not move on to the next grade-levels- so why expect them to be content in learning only what is easy or makes them comfortable?
Similar to my discussion I had with my white colleagues, if these conversations that don't put pressure on our current thinking do not occur, how can we ever gain a new and different perspective? How can we expect our children to understand the world around them if they don't ask questions they have no idea the answers to?
Early childhood education is a beautiful field that allows us to lay the foundation to which children gain the spark for learning. Creating and maintaining that curiosity for understanding is just as important as pushing for self-led discovery.
"Tell me. I forget. Teach me. I remember. Involve me. I learn" Ben Franklin
This week has been an interesting week. From me losing my job this week due to lack of enrollment to the issues surrounding my wedding planning fiasco, it has been quite the week.
I genuinely want to thank everyone who read and commented on my blog thus far. I appreciate the love and support :)
So, this week we discuss quotes to live by. Amazingly, I enjoy this assignment very much because anyone who knows me knows I enjoy reading inspirational quotes from famous novelists to rap artists.
I am an avid constructivist theorist when it comes to education. I solely believe that children should both be engaged in hands on learning throughout the course of their education while also influencing the material taught.
Two pioneers in the Early Childhood field that caught my interest this week was former President Lyndon B Johnson and the esteemed educator, Maria Montessori.
LBJ is one of the founders of the Head Start program that provides quality early childhood programming to low-income children- primarily African-American and Latino children.
Maria Montessori is the creator and pioneer of the educational methodology of "Montessori" that stresses hands-on learning in a a natural environment that encourages discovery.
I scoured the web and found a quote from each of them that really stood out to me:
"We live in a world that has narrowed into a neighborhood before it has broadened into a brotherhood."- Lyndon B Johnson
"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed." Maria Montessori
These quotes stood out to me in different ways due to their message and how it relates to different aspects of education I believe in.
I believe the reason that we have so much division amongst one another is simply because we do not know each other. (I'm paraphrasing from the great MLK) We live in separate communities, go to separate schools, churches, etc. We only learn about one another from what is displayed in media or from hearsay but never through meaningful conversation and interaction.
Before we can have talks to equality, there needs to be an understanding. I learned this through discourse with several of my friends and colleagues who are white and didn't fully understand the BLM movement. What initially was a firestorm of accusatory remarks of "reverse racisim" (WHICH DOES NOT EXSIST) came the understanding of what the underlining message behind the movement was.
This discourse would not have occured if there was not a safe space, mutual respect, and open-mindedness from both parties. How can we expect our children who come from diverse backgrounds and cultures to live amongst people they do not understand if compassion and respect is not taught inside and outside the classroom?
I teach my children, from my Pre-K students to my high-school students, about diversity and how it's a beautiful thing and what has always made America great. Without that understanding, fear has freedom to run rampant.....And we all see what fear can become when something is misunderstood. Hate.
The second quote from Maria Montessori excites me because it is the unspoken rule in my classroom. I teach new concepts, ideas, and philosophies in my classroom in order to push my students to greater lengths. One of my most memorable moments was when my seventh and eighth graders from the school I used to work in on the South side of Chicago told me my class was "hard". It was not hard because they couldn't do the work, but because it challenged them to greater heights than they ever saw themselves going.
They had teachers that gave them mundane worksheets and busy work to pass time while I gave them research projects and group presentations on the roles they never knew existed. From reading Edgar Allen Poe to writing Haikus, my students were exposed to a new realm of learning that not only engaged and excited them, but pushed them to their limits and beyond.
The quote I live by that was once spoken to me in a trying moment in my life was that "life begins at the edge of your comfort zone".
I didn't understand it initially, but as I matured and experienced more opportunity that just a few years ago I would have written off as something I would NEVER do, it began to make a lot of sense.
Life is short and life is what we all make it out to be. Pushing yourself to the edge of your comfort zone allows you to gain new perspective and enlightenment- exactly what we want our student to achieve; so why not push them?
Earlier this semester we discussed passion and how it pertains to our work.
One quote from John Hagel in his article discussing how passion relates to profession is that "passion is about risk-taking"
As I mentioned, life begins when we push ourselves and our students beyond our comfort levels. We can't expect our students to remain stagnant and not move on to the next grade-levels- so why expect them to be content in learning only what is easy or makes them comfortable?
Similar to my discussion I had with my white colleagues, if these conversations that don't put pressure on our current thinking do not occur, how can we ever gain a new and different perspective? How can we expect our children to understand the world around them if they don't ask questions they have no idea the answers to?
Early childhood education is a beautiful field that allows us to lay the foundation to which children gain the spark for learning. Creating and maintaining that curiosity for understanding is just as important as pushing for self-led discovery.
"Tell me. I forget. Teach me. I remember. Involve me. I learn" Ben Franklin
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Personal Childhood Web
Good Morning lovelies!
Hope everyone had a phenomenal week. This week was my first week as an assistant teacher for my pre-school and I had a ball with my babies! I have good chemistry with my co-workers and to make things all the better, once I complete my six required Early Childhood credits this semester, I will be lead teacher by late spring :) (My state requires a certain amount of ECE credits to be "qualified"....even though I am technically already teaching and lesson planning for my classroom because the previous lead teacher had no clue what she was doing.)
Anyhoo, this week is all about webs! (No, not the spider kind that I call my fiancee out to get at 3am) As much as I love Charlotte and Wilbur, this week's web is all about connections- personal connections. Just like my students, I was once a little crumb snatcher myself with a set of people that were trusted to love and care for me to ensure my development. Whether it be close family and/or friends, there were people in my life that were present before, during, and after my early childhood developmental stages that helped shape and mold me into the bright young woman I am today :)
Without further rambling, here are the two people that have contributed to my development throughout the years and, still, today currently.
1) Of course the number one is my mother. My mother, Crystal Taylor, is a single-mother of four that raised me and my siblings by herself. My mother is a self-made entrepreneur that owns a successful transportation service in Chicago for the past 17 years. For majority of my life, she has supported me and my siblings off her faith, determination, and motivation to succeed alone and created a business (FROM SCRATCH) that can be passed down within our family to end the cycle of generational poverty within our immediate family. My mother is not only the woman that has inspired me to go after my dreams and conquer the world with no apologies, but is my role model and my biggest supporter in everything I do. She is the most self-less, giving, and compassionate person I know- and I am not just saying that because I am her daughter.
My favorite memories as a child with my mother are those late nights during the early stages of her transportation company where we would be in a huge lot with semi-trucks and school buses until almost midnight changing oil, anti-freeze, cleaning windows, buckling seat belts, sweeping floors, and cleaning the seats. I used to HATE staying late but I always got McDonalds as a treat and did my homework to PowerPuff Girls while my mom made phone calls and did office work until it was time to go home. (Fun fact: I know how to change tires on a school bus and jump start an engine ☺☺)
2) The second person that has influenced me during my childhood is my Uncle, Henry Taylor. Because I was raised without a father, my uncle- my mother's brother- stepped in to fill those shoes and has been more of a father-figure to me than an uncle. My uncle is someone I, also, aspire to be. My mother gave me my wit, determination, and motivation for success; my uncle took that a step further and gave me ways to develop my character by showing me patience, understanding, and grace. My uncle is the president of one of Chicago's top-ranked health clinics with the first urgent care center to open in the Midwest. He provides quality health-care for low-income families in accessible locations. He treats everyone the same, whether he is shaking hands with the mayor of Chicago or a teenage mother, my uncle shows the same amount of respect to anyone and everyone- and has given that trait to me.
My uncle has taught me it is better to be self-less than selfish, be patient and listen rather than rush to be heard, and hold my head up high with grace and civility even if the situation may call for me to do otherwise. (Trust me, I have been in MANY situations where his "grace and civility" lesson was put to the test. I'm a bit sassy and fiery so I tend to get angry faster than others.) He is more of a father to me than anything because he has always been there for me in my times of crisis and need and has taught me life-lessons that only a male's perspective can give a young woman. He helped raise me, even allowed me to live with him for a few years during high-school to be able to go to the school in his district in the suburbs so I could escape the violence in my community. (I was the Fresh-Princess of Bel-Air)
My favorite memory of him is when he took me and my cousin, Jessica (his daughter), to a father-daughter dance when we both were eight. He and my cousin went every year and I always envied her a little because that was something I could not do with my father because he was not present in my life. My uncle bought me flowers and came to my house to invite me to the dance with my cousin one year and I was so excited. My mom took me out to get a new dress and shoes and I went to the salon to get my hair curled. My cousin wore pink and I wore red since it was for Valentines Day and my uncle took us both to the father-daughter dance that evening and then to dinner. It was the first time I saw how a real man was supposed to treat a woman and it helped shape how I navigated my love life.
(Fun Fact: My uncle is the patriarch of our family and is the most respected. My fiancee, Stephan, reminds me and my family so much of my uncle that I am blessed to have found a man to marry that I know will make me feel special everyday like I did that night at the father-daughter dance. My uncle even approves of him...A LOT)
(Fun Fact #2: I named my first-born son after my uncle. Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth)
Hope everyone had a phenomenal week. This week was my first week as an assistant teacher for my pre-school and I had a ball with my babies! I have good chemistry with my co-workers and to make things all the better, once I complete my six required Early Childhood credits this semester, I will be lead teacher by late spring :) (My state requires a certain amount of ECE credits to be "qualified"....even though I am technically already teaching and lesson planning for my classroom because the previous lead teacher had no clue what she was doing.)
Anyhoo, this week is all about webs! (No, not the spider kind that I call my fiancee out to get at 3am) As much as I love Charlotte and Wilbur, this week's web is all about connections- personal connections. Just like my students, I was once a little crumb snatcher myself with a set of people that were trusted to love and care for me to ensure my development. Whether it be close family and/or friends, there were people in my life that were present before, during, and after my early childhood developmental stages that helped shape and mold me into the bright young woman I am today :)
Without further rambling, here are the two people that have contributed to my development throughout the years and, still, today currently.
1) Of course the number one is my mother. My mother, Crystal Taylor, is a single-mother of four that raised me and my siblings by herself. My mother is a self-made entrepreneur that owns a successful transportation service in Chicago for the past 17 years. For majority of my life, she has supported me and my siblings off her faith, determination, and motivation to succeed alone and created a business (FROM SCRATCH) that can be passed down within our family to end the cycle of generational poverty within our immediate family. My mother is not only the woman that has inspired me to go after my dreams and conquer the world with no apologies, but is my role model and my biggest supporter in everything I do. She is the most self-less, giving, and compassionate person I know- and I am not just saying that because I am her daughter.
My favorite memories as a child with my mother are those late nights during the early stages of her transportation company where we would be in a huge lot with semi-trucks and school buses until almost midnight changing oil, anti-freeze, cleaning windows, buckling seat belts, sweeping floors, and cleaning the seats. I used to HATE staying late but I always got McDonalds as a treat and did my homework to PowerPuff Girls while my mom made phone calls and did office work until it was time to go home. (Fun fact: I know how to change tires on a school bus and jump start an engine ☺☺)
Me and my mother when I was a child
Me, my mom, and my brothers and sister on our mom's birthday this past weekend on 1/22/2017
2) The second person that has influenced me during my childhood is my Uncle, Henry Taylor. Because I was raised without a father, my uncle- my mother's brother- stepped in to fill those shoes and has been more of a father-figure to me than an uncle. My uncle is someone I, also, aspire to be. My mother gave me my wit, determination, and motivation for success; my uncle took that a step further and gave me ways to develop my character by showing me patience, understanding, and grace. My uncle is the president of one of Chicago's top-ranked health clinics with the first urgent care center to open in the Midwest. He provides quality health-care for low-income families in accessible locations. He treats everyone the same, whether he is shaking hands with the mayor of Chicago or a teenage mother, my uncle shows the same amount of respect to anyone and everyone- and has given that trait to me.
My uncle has taught me it is better to be self-less than selfish, be patient and listen rather than rush to be heard, and hold my head up high with grace and civility even if the situation may call for me to do otherwise. (Trust me, I have been in MANY situations where his "grace and civility" lesson was put to the test. I'm a bit sassy and fiery so I tend to get angry faster than others.) He is more of a father to me than anything because he has always been there for me in my times of crisis and need and has taught me life-lessons that only a male's perspective can give a young woman. He helped raise me, even allowed me to live with him for a few years during high-school to be able to go to the school in his district in the suburbs so I could escape the violence in my community. (I was the Fresh-Princess of Bel-Air)
My favorite memory of him is when he took me and my cousin, Jessica (his daughter), to a father-daughter dance when we both were eight. He and my cousin went every year and I always envied her a little because that was something I could not do with my father because he was not present in my life. My uncle bought me flowers and came to my house to invite me to the dance with my cousin one year and I was so excited. My mom took me out to get a new dress and shoes and I went to the salon to get my hair curled. My cousin wore pink and I wore red since it was for Valentines Day and my uncle took us both to the father-daughter dance that evening and then to dinner. It was the first time I saw how a real man was supposed to treat a woman and it helped shape how I navigated my love life.
(Fun Fact: My uncle is the patriarch of our family and is the most respected. My fiancee, Stephan, reminds me and my family so much of my uncle that I am blessed to have found a man to marry that I know will make me feel special everyday like I did that night at the father-daughter dance. My uncle even approves of him...A LOT)
(Fun Fact #2: I named my first-born son after my uncle. Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth)
Me and my uncle as I went off for prom in 2010
My uncle on the far left, my cousin next to him, my mom, my cousin in the middle in the graduation gown, my aunt, my cousin (Jessica), my cousin (Annika)
Last but not least, the LIGHT OF MY LIFE, my son, Isaac Henry Taylor Dilworth.
05/20/2016-05/30/2016
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