A deeper look into Harlem Childen's Zone

From Harlem to Harvard

In viewing this website I found one area I had not explored yet which gave a very warming statistic about pre-kindergarten students: 100% were at grade level at grade level for the 7^th year in a row. One hundred percent!! That is amazing! We always strive for such a goal, but it is so excellent when we finally see it. They continued to talk more about this Pre-K program and what they teach within this program.  One of the main components was the emotionally responsive classroom which trains everyone in how to use a common positive language when talking to children. This program also has a 4:1 ratio and includes testing children at the beginning of the year and the end. By doing this they are able to develop an individual growth plan based on the findings.

Baby College

I had yet to read in detail about the baby college program which is designed for expectant mothers or mothers of children under three. This program provides information in the following areas:

*Brain development-  the importance of reading to your child

*Discipline- talks about not spanking, time out, and positive reinforcement.

*Health- making sure children are up to date on vaccinations. This prepares them for later head start programs and child care programs.
*Asthma-  How to handle asthma because it is so prevalent within the Harlem community.

I find this to not only be a way to inform parents of important information about caring for a child, but I also find it as a wonderful support group in which others can share their concerns and simply get to know other adults who share their concerns and interests.

Harlem Knights

Within my newsletter they mentioned that a Harlem Knights organization was formed so children were getting home safely. I decided to look in more detail as to why this decision was made now. I found a local newspaper that stated gang activity was at an enormous rise over the past year, which led many children not able to walk home from after school programs without getting pulled into the gang activity. Harlem Children’s Zone leader, Geoffrey Canada organized a group of people who assisted children home within the ten block radius of the campus.

Equity and Excellence in Harlem Children's Zone?

I find that the entire Harlem Children’s Zones program is designed with the understanding of equity and excellence. This community especially leader, Geoffrey Canada, recognized a need for the children and strives to make it happen. They strive for equal opportunities for these children despite the many challenges they may face on a day to day bases. Everything in this newsletter focused on the positive and demonstrates how no goal is unreachable within this program. Looking at the statistics is a clear example of that.

Insights

I feel viewing this website in more detail this week, just provided more information to support my growing belief in the fact that working together for a common goal makes things happen. Harlem Children’s Zone started with a small groups mission and goal, and has exploded into an enormous organization that is building and changing lives. I feel that if every community had a powerful program like this, we would eliminate many of the issues we currently have in education.

Getting to know my international contacts Part 2

This topic was fairly difficult for Stephanie to answer. Some of the issues regarding excellence in their school system were extremely different from what I expected to hear. I was thinking about discussions regarding the quality of the early childhood programs in regard to meeting standards, expectations, and materials available to them. However, the information she was able to provide falls along the lines of serving vulnerable children, one of the issues discussed in Columbia University's article. (2009), as well as helping those not part of the mainstream culture.
 Stephanie and some of her fellow co-workers from the United States find that one of the major issues related to providing excellence and equity in education is to ensure that those coming to Suriname to teach do not send a message that ," All things American are better" through their attitudes. First off simply because that is not always the case; water and preventive medication in Suriname are of better quality than the United States. Secondly, the focus is to ensure that they are there to educate children and only taking into account their background when it comes to education them, but not as a way of seeming better than others. With many of the local teachers being from America, this has been a problem previously within their school system. 

Also, I have had a hard time comprehending the other conversation we had. While discussing this assignment with some of her co-workers, she also had a chance to talk with a young local Suriname teacher. He mentioned the following experience at a local school, in fact a few local schools that led  schools to being closed. He said one school was closed today because several of the kids started getting into a "trance" and wanted to run into oncoming traffic

"They didnt say anything more, but I heard that this is the third time it has happened, happens in different schools. The news used the words "trance" but it should be "possessed". Apparently some of the kids are involved in "winti" which is what witch doctors use to heal or put curses on people. So what happened is ..one kid fell into a trance and suddenly several of the other kids started right after.
 In another school they were tearing their clothes off throwing desks, being completely "taken over"

The reason we both found this to be an interesting coversation for this topic was because it is an issue in several of their schools. Even though it may not be an issue I understand, it is something the teachers there are having to deal with. These issues also impact the systems ability to provide teaching and learning opportunities that are of excellence. However, as teachers and administrators this is a major discussion when it comes to providing excellence and equity in the schools. As a teacher, they hold the same mission as many of us do- to provide the best for each and every one of our children.  In this situation "the best" must begin with a way to help those who are encountering those "trances" and finding ways to help those children.

Again, after this last conversation my mind had been consumed by this situation. I think of the situations I encounter each day. Yes, I have children struggling with emotional and social skills, children who have pushed desk out of anger, and those who struggle with empty bellies every morning they enter school. After coming into work before my conversation with Stephanie, I was having one of those " it can't get any worse" kind of moments. In my mind I was thinking what my students ( and I as there teacher) face to be the worst. This conversation has left me thinking, " What would I do?" "How could I help those children?"

Sharing Web Resources-Harlem Children's Zone

While viewing information from the Harlem Children’s Zone website, I became particularly interested in the Promise Academy Programs. Honestly, this interest was only stemmed from the fact that Memphis also has a charter school called Promise Academy. After reading about this program, I found it to be a phenomenal learning experience for the children. These children spend an average of 10 hours a day in school year around. They are provided with healthy meals, medical and dental care, as well as an above and beyond education as the third grade test scores show. In 2008 100% of the students were at or above grade level on the math assessment. How amazing! This made me think hard about how this is possible in a charter program, but is often a struggle in many of our countries public schools. What is it that Harlem Children’s Zone is doing that the public school system is not? Would it help if we were year around school or had longer days? These are my concerns because even a charter school that is free of charge will have limits to the number of children receiving that service. What about the children it can not serve? How can we help them better their future?  I am a huge supporter of Harlem Children’s Zone and wish that such a program would be assessable to all children without parents waiting in long lines, having names drawn from a hat or generated system, or paying. Looking at this site I can see how economists, neuroscientists, and politicians support the field of Early Childhood especially with this program in Harlem. Many programs in this organization correlate with health and well being which local medical personnel provide for the families showing their dedication to the field. Many previously city owned building have now be converted into tenant owned co-ops. While this may not be a direct correlation to the Early childhood field, it does show the local governments dedication to bettering the lives of families which often includes young children. Scrolling to the bottom of this site a quote from the New York Times was included. “The objective is to create a safety net woven so tightly that children just can’t slip through.” This is a quote that has been left in my mind. Children come to us with so many different stressors in their lives. Sometimes these stressors become to much and children fall, and struggle getting up and back on track. However, if we create a community that is so connected in every way that children will get all the need, we could help keep them on track as they grow into adults. Could creating such a net be the answer?

Getting to know your International Contacts Part 1

 I will have to say I have really enjoyed talking with my two professionals. They have already began to help me better understand what they encounter each day. Stephanie is a Kindergarten teacher in Suriname, South America. Stephanie is a missionary teacher in a Christian school within the neighborhood.  She provides a very vivid picture of life outside the school and the life within the school walls.. Yes, they are VERY different.  Coming from her American suburban home, she instantly thought poverty, however she feels those families would never say that or even be offended by that.  She shares how many new teachers see the houses and stated, " WOW is that really some one's house? Do you think its abandoned?" However over time you will see that the very house people thought was abandoned is a families home. These homes, if anything, have one window unit and the rest have opened windows to let in the still very hot breeze. She mentions often visiting the children's home and seeing that while the children are able to get what they need, they lack the love and attention they so desperately need.
Within the school walls the picture is painted so differently.Before moving from Memphis, she thought in her head that they would only move a missionary teacher to help and minister to those children who were malnourished, poverty-stricken inner city children. Little did she know, it was very different. Many children who have personal drivers, people who cook and bring them their snacks and dinner, and literally pick up after them.  Stephanie sees they are getting their food needs met, but she looks at this poverty in a very different light. The poverty of love and affection with their own parents.

My dear friend Amy teaches in Prague. Only being in Prague for a few months she does not feel she has encountered much poverty within the school setting, but she does see int around the city. She compared it to our hometown, Memphis. She stated that in Prague they would have people asking for money like they do here, but it seems to happen a little more in Prague.

From the conversations I have had with Stephanie and Amy I feel I have become more aware of how poverty can be looked at in many different ways. While food, and the money to buy necessities is part of poverty, we must also include other important necessities many children are lacking, for that is what poverty means: lacking in necessities. It reminded me that many times poverty can be a relative statement when looking merely at the surface. What may appear to be poverty to me, may not to another person. Like Stephanie mentioned when she first arrived in Suriname; the housing and lifestyle is what she would have thought of as poverty coming from an American suburban home.

Sharing Web Resources

The newsletter I decided to receive was from an organization called Harlem Children's Zone. This organization is taking on the enormous issue of poverty that surrounds their community. This organization recognizes that poverty is not the only problem many of these families face. They also encounter crime, drugs, inadequate places to live and schools, and substandard health care. This organization strives to help children as they grow, and as they enter the career world. It is filled with many programs that include each age group, and results show enormous gains due to the passion behind their mission. While I have not received my first newsletter, I did observe the latest news on the website. One of the stories got my attention because it discusses something many of our children go through. Many children especially those in poverty stricken communities face many "adult like" issues and stressors at such a young age. Many times they are not given the chance to simply "be a kid."  One speaker identifies this community as not only a "food desert", but a "recreation desert". This story announces the opening of the Harlem Armory, which is a facility that exposes children to a variety of sports, clubs, and activities.  It is in this facility children are able to be a part of clubs and extracurricular activities seen in many suburb schools, and through these activities children grow socially, emotionally, and physically in motor skills. It simply given them the opportunity to "be a kid" regardless of the stressors outside the doors.
The main thing you see throughout this website is an array of programs designed to address the big issue of poverty in Harlem.  I was in complete awe of all the wonderful programs they have set in place that serve EVERY child. The mission this organization has is fantastic, but their passion for these children and determination to help them succeed is even greater.  Seeing all of the news conferences the President of Harlem Children's Zone has been a part of, and recognition they have received even from President Obama  displays their mission to so many outside their community. It also is a model in what I would hope to be more organization like Harlem Children's Zone around the country.

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

 When I saw this assignment I originally was very nervous about finding someone I could discuss trends and issues in education outside the United States. Obviously, I was not thinking very well at the moment because I actually have a college friend and high school friend who both currently teach outside the United States. My high school friend Amy, currently teaches English in the Czech Republic under the Teacher Overseas program. Stephanie went through the Teacher Education program with me in college. She has since journeyed to teach Kindergarten for the International Christian Schools in Paramaribo, Suriname.
As a new teacher myself I was hesitate to ask them for help because I know how busy a teacher's life is in a familiar country. I can only imagine how busy it may be when you are also adjusting to a new life in another country.  It is in this assignment I have seen how helpful Facebook really can be! I was able to send a Facebook message to them at that very moment, and luckily they were frequent Facebook users because I instantly got a response. I am so excited to have both of these former colleagues on board for this assignment and they sound pretty excited too!


In Expanding my Resources I chose to begin viewing the newsletter and websites for Harlem's Children's Zone and Zero to Three. As I clicked on each of the links the Harlem website grabbed my attention because it appeared to have the same mission as my school system. They strive to help children beat the odds and end the cycle of poverty. In my school system we have an initiative called Cradle to Career. When viewing this site I found they have a very similar initiative called Cradle to College to Community. I look forward to learning more about this organization. I also chose to view Zero to Three because many of the resources I have viewed in previous classes have been published by this organization. These resources have been very helpful to me as a student and teacher. I hope to continue to learn more from this resource.

Interesting Facts from the Harlen Children's Zone

In the results section I found that of the 190 four year olds that entered the program 16.5% of the students were considered delayed or very delayed in school readiness. By the end of the school year, no students were considered delayed and the advanced classification went from 21% to 46%.

This organization provides programs for all children as they progress from infants/toddlers to college/employment.

Such a powerful reminder of the impact passionate professionals can have.

My Supports

When I think about support I not only think of family, but also friends, co-workers, and technology devices. Support includes both the physical and emotional components.  My family and friends provide me with support by helping me take care of things such as moving into a new home, and a caring heart that keeps me motivated.  My co-workers provide me with support physically by helping me in certain tasks such as bulletin board decorating, and data analysis. They also provide me with a sense of emotional support that is not easily recognized, but rather something I feel as they provide feedback, encouraging words, and suggestions. It is a reminder that my co-workers recognize my goal as a teacher and are helping me to reach those goals. While it may sound funny, technology devices are a huge support in my life. With support being something that helps you each and every day I have come to realize that without computers, cell phones, educational videos, ect I would face many challenges both in the classroom and in my home. Meeting deadlines would me impossible for me without my cell phone reminder. Being without one of these support systems would really impact by ability to complete my daily tasks or remain strong and focused when things get tough.  This past weekend I ran the St. Jude half marathon (the children’s research hospital my brother attended before he lost his battle to cancer). As you can imagine this was a tough run for me both physically as well as emotionally.  Many of my supports were there physically to cheer me on as well in spirit through encouraging signs set up along the way. I think of how difficult this would have been without my supports cheering me on, hugging me as I crossed the finish line and even those that were there as I ran and cried through the hospital campus. I honestly do not think I would have made it across the finish line. Just as my supports helped me cross the finish line at the race, they also help me cross the finish line in many other goals I have set for myself, as well as daily responsibilities I have.

When thinking about a challenge where I would need the support of my family and friends I thought about my life without the ability to see. I love spending time in nature, reading, watching movies, and writing. I think not having the ability to see would really make these activities challenging. I would need my family to support me as I learned new ways to get around on a daily basis, such as them driving for me, learning to read Braille, and use other senses to learn about my environment.  I would also need their encouraging words as I worked through these challenges. I simply can not imagine having such a challenge and not having the support of my family, friends, and co-workers. I would not be able to enjoy many of the activities I currently enjoy without them helping me get around and encourage me as I began to read and journey life in a new way.