Expanding Resources

While browsing through the websites, there was one particular website that grabbed my attention; that was the National Black Child Development Institute. The website was comprised of the history, initiatives, and affiliates.

The history contained information that revealed the purpose of the Institute and the goals in which they wanted to master. It was interesting to read how the Institute was started “to improve and advance the lives of Black children and their families, through advocacy and education”. And as a result of the purpose, there were several programs that were created to help achieve this goal. Programs such as Love to Read, Parent Empowerment and T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood are some of the programs that were developed as a result of the National Black Child Development Institute. All of the programs reflect components that are necessary for early childhood programs to be successful;  programs that include the parent and child.

The National Black Child Development Institute is comprised of affiliates that include chapters in various regions. The affiliates are dedicated to the NBCDI mission of improving and protecting the quality of life of African American children and families.

http://nbcdi.org/

Establishing Professional Contact

The professional contact that I chose was Rev Charles Arko-Nunoo of Ghana. I sent an email that consisted of the following questions:

 

1) At what age does a child in your country began their education journey?

 

2) What curriculum is implemented in the early childhood field?

 

3) What are the qualifications that an individual must have to pursue a career in early childhood? 

 

At this time, I have not received a response. 

My Supports

There are supportive factors in both my home and work environment. Within my home environment, I have the support of my family! My family has helped me through so many life changes. When my daughter was diagnosed with lupus, my family’s life was changed right along with mine. Someone had to be with my daughter all the time. My parents would take over the day shift, while my husband and I worked. My siblings would come over whenever I called or if I needed a timeout from the situation. I would have had to quit my job, which would have placed a financial strain on my household. But thank God that my daughter is doing a lot better! She has gained her independence back. But without the help of my family , my financial situation would have been in shambles along with other aspects of my life.

Within my work environment I have the support of my colleagues. My colleagues and I support each other. We help each other to stay motivated to make a difference. When there is paperwork that has to completed, my instructional assistant assists me with meeting deadlines so that the paperwork will be completed in a timely manner. In some situations, without the assistance of my instructional assistance, I will not be able to meet deadlines.

The support from my children is imperative as I embark upon this journey of completing my second masters. My children keep me motivated. They provide words of encouragement when I begin to feel discouraged and overwhelmed with assignments. If I did not have support from my children, I do not believe that I would be confident about  completing the journey that I have chosen to complete.