Impact of family, culture, community

Family, culture, and your community all play a large part in your development.  I would have to say that my

family played the largest part in my life.  My family is where I learned my morals and ways of living.  Integrity,
 honesty,honor and respect were instilled in me at an early age. Among these, education was not even a

question.  My mother and father's favorite quote about school was " I play about a lot of things, but school is
NOT one of them".   I was always taught without your education you have nothing.  My culture at this time

was similar to the teachings and guidance of my parents.  At this time , during the 80's people lived by the

idea of "it takes a village to rise a child.  Despite the war on drugs that took place during this time,  my

parents and loved ones around me made sure I got the message of education. My community and culture

were somewhat one in the same.  This ideology that was instilled in me I practice with my own children.  At

the time, when I was a child,  It did not seem fair that my rules and standards were different than some of the
other children.  Now as I look back I thank my family, culture and community for the person I am today.    

Plato's thoery

Plato whom was one of the early theorist began his first school in 387 B.C.Plato studied Epistemology

meaning "knowledge and understandig."Epistemologist believe that education is the key to society's

progress. Plato was from Greece and believed that children are "The Good, The True,& The

Beautiful".  This is very similiar to my feelings about young children.  They are born as a blank slate

and I believe it is up to thier parents and thier educational instructors to shape and mold thier minds in

the right direction.  As Plato believed, I too believe that a childs early social and cultural development

plays a large part in a childs development.  Therefore teaching should start at home as early as

infancy.  As Plato describes, children are born with knowledge.  Parents and instructors are the key to

awakening the knowledge that is within the child. He also believed that every child should learn boys

and girls.  Like myself,  Plato thought that children need to excercise thier knowledge and not hold it

in.  He later established an academy that taught morals and values and emphasised the arts, drama, and

ehtics.  To refer back to the belief that the parents play a large role in the childs education, here is one

of his famous quotes.  "No man should bring children into the world, who is unwilling to persevere to

the end in thier nature and education."

Words to remember

If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm

                                                                       -Bruce Barton


Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you

                                                                      - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Becoming an early childhood professional

As a child myself my intentions were always to persue a career in education.  I admired my teachers.  I admired the way that one person could introduce a method or strategie to a student that would stick with them and aid them in life long learning.  I was also facinated and impressed by the fact that learning consist of stepping stones.  Meaning once you have learn something that served as a stepping stone to the next level of education.  I was fortunate to attend school in institutions of higher education.  Attending a preparatory school in Framingham Massachusetts, and Auroara Chrisitian Academy really opened my eyes to the different possibilities of learning.  Upon my graduation from high school I returned to Chicago.  I persued a career in entry level social work.  That was when I had the opportunity to mentuor the youth in overcoming family and social economic issues.  After six years of service I reevaluated my theory for mentouring and educating the youth.  It seemed to me as thuogh the age group in which I worked with had experienced situations that cause them to loose thier enthusiasm for education.  I then determined that my influence would be more effective within younger children.  With younger children having a blank slate for learning, The early influence and repetion of education would be inbeded in thier thought process.  This, in my opinion, would influence a child to thirst for knowledge and success.  With this, I have become a student of the ECD program. I plan to mentour, educate and guide children of early childhood in the path of higher education.