Sharing Web Resources

I am exploring the National Black Child Development Institute. The section under Early Care and Education is relevant to my professional development because their focus is on teaching teachers how to develop and strengthen relationships with parents and the community.  It’s very important to build relationships with parents and the community.  This will help you understand the children and the families you’re working with.  The statement that made me think about an issue in new ways is the publication of the Calendar of Children.  The 2016 calendar, for the first time in NBCDI history, features children and adults. This very special edition pays tribute to the fathers, uncles, brothers and caregivers who love and support Black children every day.  I think this calendar is awesome because we don’t get to see male role models often. A lot of African American males don’t have male role models in their life. It was refreshing to see this calendar.  There was an article in the newsletter that showed politicians supporting early childhood education. Black Child Development Institute-Seattle and their partners recently sponsored a National African American Parent Involvement Day event at South Shore PK-8 School. More than 200 black men turned out to greet the children as they arrived at the school. The men formed a line in front of the school and welcomed the students with high-fives and cheers of encouragement. The goal was to dispel the negative stereotypes of black men by showing students examples of successful Black politicians, police officers and professors. This website is very informative. It helps shed some light on some of the stereotypes African American children face.  I am looking forward to news updates that will happen over the next few weeks.