My granddaughter has Systematic Lupus. She is 18 years old now and was diagnosed when she was 12. As I am sure anyone can imagine that was a difficult time in her young life as we were not knowledgeable of this disease or the severe effects to her internal system. It was not diagnosed immediately she was in the hospital for two weeks before the diagnoses was defined. If it was not for the research that the Doctors conducted and the many test that was done on her, the cause of the disease would have possible gone unknown and the treatment not given as soon as it was to fight her systems. She is currently participating in a research program that involves looking for the causes of the disease and what ethnic groups are mostly affected. In participating in this research, Javon has had to complete several test .One of the test included physical endurance, another concentrated on her mental state of having this illness. She is proud to be a part of this project, in her words I am doing my part for other children with this disease. I am so very proud of her strength and determination.

 Javon is now 18 and will graduate from High School in 4 months, is currently attending an Early College school which in August of this year she will also receive her AAS in Business Management.  Although there is no cure for Lupus at this time, there is treatment that extends her life and I am glad there is continuous research in this area and hopefully if not in my lifetime but in hers , there will be a cure.

The Importance of Early Childhood Years for Educational Success

I believe it is important for children to enroll in pre k programs such as Head Start or a structured program so that they will be able to compete with their peers once they enter the public or private school system.I chose this topic because I work in a Head Start program that strives on the success of children living in poverty, and it is amazing to be a part of this program.I see first hand throughout the year the progress that students make, especially those who this is their first time in any structured program.
In researching this topic, I found that there is so much information out there
with individuals, organizations, state and federal agencies tracking the progress of students in these programs.If anyone is aware of other sites where I can find information on my topic, let me know and I will do the same.

Final Blog Assignment

Although I did not get a personal contact in which to gain information first hand, reviewing different sites such as UNICEF, listening to webcasts, I learned that there are so many countries that I had not even heard of who are in desperate need of teachers, supplies and a place to have schools for children in poverty. Girls especially are not getting the education the same as boys and this is a true tragedy that even at this day ad time women are still not appreciated as giving input in society even in destitute parts of the world. Personally being an advocate both nationally and internationally is a goal of mine in order to make a difference and to bring awareness of how very important education is and how we must ensure that it not start when a child enters pre k but from birth , with the parents actively involved as well in the process. I will continue past this class to try to get a contact internationally as I am interested to talk, communicate with someone from another country who share my interest in this field. In my work with young children I understand that I have a responsibility to advocate for then since this is the profession I chose, and  as with anything I do , I give it my all and the children of the future deserve just that, the very best.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

It has been 7 weeks and I still have not gotten a response to any of the organizations I emailed. This is discouraging to me as I had so hoped to gain information of early childcare centers, schools or registered homes in another country. Since none of these things has happened I reviewed the UNESCO website and I learned that they advocates for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programs that attend to health, nutrition, security and learning and which provide for children's holistic development. ECCE is part of a range of programs that promote inclusive education.
I viewed a video on Moscow’s kindergarten program that showed a variety of activities being done at the center. The parents are actively involved and it is geared towards the child’s interest.


UNESCO works to ensure quality inclusive education, notably concerning access, the learning environment and successful outcomes. The Organization also leads efforts to increase female literacy: a human right and a key to improving livelihoods, child and maternal health, as well as girls’ access to education, both in and out of school.

Insights I have gained this week is that no matter what country, city or state all children deserve the best education possible and we all can do something to ensure that we touch the lives of at least one child to make a life long difference.

Sharing Web Resources

After reviewing some links, they lead to several topics of interest such as Complications of Vaccine Avoidance, Study of Pre-K & Kindergarten's Effects on Reading in Later School Years, School Time vs. Play Time were just a few. One area was Hot topics and it discussed the above mentioned topics and links to reading the entire articles and information where you could find additional information to expand the information that was posted.
I receive email notices from Harlem’s children zone and one of the links that I have been studying is The Baby College offers a nine-week parenting workshop to expectant parents and those raising a child up to three years old. Among other lessons, the workshops promote reading to children and verbal discipline over corporal punishment. Over the past two years, more than 870 people graduated from The Baby College.
Other programs that HCZ offers is the Harlem Gems which is an all-day pre-kindergarten program that gets children ready to enter kindergarten. Classes have a 4:1 child-to-adult ratio, teach English, Spanish and French, and run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. HCZ runs three pre-kindergarten sites, serving 200 children.
HCZ’s first students are now getting ready to graduate from high school. The Promise Academy’s First Graduating Class. They have been with Harlem Children’s Zone since sixth grade and are all on track for college. Indeed, a few have already been offered full scholarships .HCZ will be giving them laptops and other supportive services along the way.
Insights I have gained this week from these websites is that with the dream of only one person can turn into wonderful dreams for families and communities.

Getting to know your International Contacts -Part 2

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University was founded in 2006 on the belief that the vitality and sustainability of any society depend on the extent to which it expands opportunities early in life for all children to achieve their full potential and engage in responsible and productive citizenship. In reading the article from this agency insight I learned is that by educating high-level decision makers about the common underlying science of learning, behavior, and health for young children will make a difference in how educators, schools, both public and the private sector put systems in place to educate young children. Additionally I learned that that there are under addressed mental health issues across the country and Harvard University is looking for funding to doing the following

Assessing the state of child mental health services in China ;Developing and evaluating family-based strategies to prevent mental health problems in children affected
by HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; and Addressing child maltreatment and mental health
outcomes in three Caribbean nations (Barbados, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname).

The center expresses that they want to strengthen their policy relevance, each of these projects is being designed to include an economic component to analyze allocation effects in the supply and demand for services, developing opportunities to provide leadership training for individual researchers, policymakers, and institutions ,primarily in the majority world. I believe that if more agencies strive to improve the well- being of children.

Sharing Web Resources

As I have reviewed information on UNICEF organization, it has given me much information on children, what the organization does for the betterment of all children in the United States and abroad that I can use in my continued journey in the Early Child Development field.
There was an issue that talked about China and the condition of the country and what UNICEF is doing along with other organizations to develop the outer areas of China so that children get at least their basic needs met.
Politicians, economist, and neuroscientists, share a common need to enhance the lives of children from their beginnings. Although different views are shared by each the goal is to have all children have a good education, services they need in order to get their needs met and for organizations from schools, hospital and health care organizations to provide care and services to the children and their families in order to obtain the overall goal and that is to have better communities throughout the world.
I ha e gained new insights on how even underdeveloped areas have much of the same problems with education and even as many countries have in most cases less than the bare necessities of life , they value an education for their children.