"My Supports."

Support can be many things. It can be about monetary, about having physical,

emotional support; it takes on many different ways.

My God is my biggest supporter. He is there every day in every way. My God is with me at my highest high, and my lowest low. My parents did their part when I was younger, they supported me in all of my activities my brothers and I participated in from football to cheerleading. As I grew older, they were still there for me as I marched in my high school band (colorguard/flag team) and drove a school bus.

My family has always been big supporters of education, so their support was phenomenal.

My sister, Dilly is byfar the biggest and best supporter next to God that anyone could have. She is there for me period. She was and still is taking care of me, our home, everything and she asks for nothing in return. Her support for me with all of my medical issues has growed to be amazing. I can not stop to think if she or My God would ust walk away. Where would I be, where would I go? I have been there once. It is that dsrk cold clampy place at the bottom of the bottom when I would not want my enemy to go. I was in ICU for 12 days on a respirator not knowing anything. I had my family with me for pray and support. God was there too.

The benefits are I am here, right now, today. I was a smoker; I celebrate everyday a new day that I no long smoke. It has been 2 years, 1 month and 23 days. I have breathing issues, I have some nerve problems in my right foot, but through all of the support I have and still receive from my God and family, and friends keep me here, safe and happy.

My Connections to Play."

The two quotes that I feel summarize what play represent for me in my childhood are:

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Plato
“The true object of all human life is play. Earth is a task garden; heaven is a playground.”  G. K. Chesterton

The next are a few pictures of the different ways I used to play growing up.

   

Growing up we did just that, played. I was outside early in the morning to play with my friends. We rode our bikes around the neighborhood. We went to the school and played on the playground swinging, climbing on the monkey bars, running around chasing one another. We might start a game of kick ball or red light green light. We played until we got tired and hungry. Home we go to eat and then back out.

The supported we got was from the parents watching after us, making sure we were ok by letting us play but checking on us every now and then. There was no one that I can remember just constantly bothering us. As I said, my friends and I played outside.

Play today is so different from the play in which I engaged as a child. A thing that is call play is not play it is entertainment. The children do not have to move much to be said they are playing. Watching videos and playing computer games does not mean one is playing. To me that is being lazy. Where is the fun, the freedom to laugh and explore. The children and the parents know nothing about that.

 My hope for young is now with regard to play is to go outside and discover the world. Explore the places you dare not go. They are waiting for you to see all the good things that God had put on this earth. Yes we must be careful in which my friends and I were we went exploring, but we had so much fun learning about each other, sharing our thoughts and ideas, not just making friendships, but sealing the deal on them as well. Some of these relationships turn in to great adult friendships as well. I am in contact and still friends with people I grew up with.

Relationship Reflection

Everyone needs to have a relationship. Relationships  come in so many different ways. There is the relationship with the doctor, mailman, the pastor at the church, family members, friends, spouses, pets. There are probably much more. What makes relationships important to me, is the respect, honesty, and trust that one must give to have a relationship. I believe that we have to know ourselves before we can go out and try to build something with someone else. There are two people in my life whom relationships I cherish so much.

Reva (My Mom) – She is my right hand. She has been there for me. My mom is a strong woman. She is one of 13 children. She tells me about growing up and how her mother instill the morals and values that she lives by today. The same ones she and my father (who has passed) instill in my two brothers and me. The relationship we have is not perfect but it’s not bad either. We have so much fun some times and then there are days when I do not really want to hear what she may have to say. I have so much respect for her because she is my mother and I would not have it any other way.

Edilma (my sister) – Everyone calls her Dilly. I call her the angel God sent to me. Dilly and I are best friends. We worked together at one of the child development centers on Fort Bragg, NC. She and I have been through a few storms and have been there for each other when all others would turn their back. She was so strong when her mother passed, taking care of her sister until she graduated from high school that same year and getting her into college. She helped me take care of my father until he passed. My parents had adopted her before then. In my darkest hour, a place no one wants to be, when I was hospitalized for 29 days, 13 of those days in ICU. She was there every day. Dilly was working a full time job, taking care of two Chihuahuas, our home we share and the bills, everything just fell on her lap, but she stays on the top of things, coming to see me each day, dealing with the outside pressures of everyday life. I had to go to rehab for 28 days. She was there again every day.

Now two years later she is with me helping me stay above the water. She works so hard and never complains about the bumps and knock she may have on her. I do not see her as a relationship I see her as my sister, my best friend.

Sandra

When I Think of Child Development 

I always tell people that from the moment a kid gets up in the morning until he goes to sleep at night, the central mission of the day is to avoid humiliation at all costs." - Dr. Mel Levine
Read more: http://digitaljournal.com/article/217431#ixzz1V9tCYBSx

Read more about Dr. Mel Levine: http://www.childrenofthecode.org/interviews/levine.htm

A Note of Thanks and Support

Thanks to all of my colleagues for sharing and their support and giving me the chance to learn with you. I hope that we will share other classes together. We are closer to reaching our goals and dreams then we think. Just look at what we have done in eight weeks. Times flies when you are having fun. I know I did.

Email me sandypoohbear@hotmail.com

if you are stuck on a question or found some new resources. I will kindly do the same.

Thanks again,

Sandra McNair

Testing for Intelligence

When considering the whole child, I think it is important to measure all aspects of their development, this includes social, intellectual, cognitive, and physical. Children develop at different rates and not all children will do well on standardize testing. For example, when testing special needs, it is recommended that their tests be read aloud and that they have extra time to complete it. Some high functioning students are required to take their math and reading assessment on the computer. A teacher assistant usually accompanies them, but cannot prompt them in any way. They can read the questions but cannot prompt them in any way. I believe that by testing all developmental areas, you get a better picture of the whole child and areas that they can improve on as well as areas they excel in.

Children in the United States go through several rigorous standards and assessments. Testing can begin as early as third grade. This can include subject areas like Math, Science, Literacy, Writing, and Language Art. Large numbers of students have serious deficits in reading or mathematics by the time they enter middle school. Addressing the academic, emotional, and social needs of young adolescents is a challenge for underperforming middle schools.

Too many students enter ninth grade with serious deficits in reading or mathematics that prevent them from succeeding in advanced coursework and put them at risk of failure or dropping out. To overcome poor performance patterns and wide achievement gaps, high schools need a coherent solution to get students back on track—quickly. The America’s Choice School Design for high schools offers a proven solution for improved results for all students.

I remember in school, I took a midterm and a final in high school. I remember the years before then we had tests on the material that the teacher taught us throughout the week. We received letter grades. If there was a child that was special needs, I do not remember it. When I had trouble, I asked the teacher for help.

Now it is about the almighty dollar. I wonder why the school systems in the United States put special needs students through these assessments. Testing should not be about the mighty dollar, but about learning. Special need students are hands on learners, not paper, pencil, and computers. To them these are supplies in their classrooms, not testing devices. Learning takes place in a child’s natural environment.

Reference

 http://www.americaschoice.org/rigorousstandardsandassessments

Racism - Why So Much Hate

My mom told about what she remembers growing up with racism. She said that in her school there were just two rooms and the kitchen, which they called the lunchroom. Each room had several grades in them. In one room, there were first grade to the fourth grade, and fifth grade to seventh grade in the other. The books were hand down from the white schools, their leftovers is what she called it. She said you could not help but learn in class if you listen. The children did not play around and cut up in class like they do now. While the teacher was teaching one grade, you paid attention if that grade was above you and you might get moved up to the next grade. She did just that and graduated from high school at the age of 16. She talked about going to town and having to go in the back door to see the doctor if she or one of her brothers or sisters were sick. She believes that is why doctors made house calls back then, so the colored folk would not have to be ashamed in town. She said she remembers asking her momma why they could not drink out the water fountain. She was hot and thirsty. She said her momma grabbed her and told her to come on; you can get some drink when we get home.

Panama and Poverty

I chose Panama to get more information about poverty in their country. The article I found gave me a better understand of how other countries deal with such a sad problem that is going on in the world.The rich stay rich and the poor keeps on suffering.  Colon has the highest rate of poverty and crime in Panama. There are the native people who suffer from malnutrition and higher levels of disease and illiteracy. This minority tends to live in the more remote areas of the nation where access to education and health care is limited.

Reference

http://www.foodforthepoor.org/about/work/panama.html