Inclusive Summer Camp Culture

Magen's Bay Beach, U.S Virgin Islands

Inclusive Summer Camp Culture

This summer I had the opportunity to work with a local summer camp done through a local church on Magen's Bay beach on the island of St. Thomas. Your probably wondering isn't this normal as a teacher for me to work at a summer camp or with a likewise program; your probably correct as I normally do, but this one was different. This camp was completely inclusive of children regardless of their developmental delays, disabilities, or economic status; simply put it was amazing!

As a mother and teacher I have not seen any programs that encourage and incorporate inclusiveness for all at this level in any setting. All students were given equal opportunities and activities with the option of opting out for an alternate socially motivated activity. The environment was like a utopia rather than a summer camp. Teasing, bullying, and impatience were practically nonexistent ( as most of us know there's always that one or those few that have to ruin a good thing). The most exhilarating thing for me as a teacher and parent was that even in those rare moments when  a moment may arise the youths, adolescents came to the rescue and aid of their peers recognizing that they are all in camp as one group of all of God's children.

Every time I witnessed these glorious acts that made my heart smile I wondered why was it so hard for all children to understand and empathize as these children had and come to a consensus? Why was the world at large so behind, not mention the little ole island of St. Thomas? I came to one conclusion, our culture.

Culture is derived through the experiences of norms and values held within a society and in the Virgin Islands, we have the 'solid as a rock' mentality. We condition our children to be "hard" and tough inadvertently making them unsympathetic and unable to empathize with others.  As adults and parents we are guilty of the same mistakes accusing parents of not "training" their children and that they need "blows" (corporal punishment) when truthfully we just don't believe that everyone and child is different and most of them can't help their actions.

My fellow Virgin Islands, parents, professionals; by brothers and sisters please let us change this part of our culture and recognize the need for empathy in this world for those who need it and the rest that sincerely deserve it. Children and adults with special needs did not make the choice to do things differently; they actually had no choice.


The views expressed within this blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the youths of the U. S Virgin Islands visit https://www.usviearlychildhoodlearning.blogspot.com . For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student, V. I Character, and Extra Curricula Activities since IrmaMaria.

Virgin Islands Character; What Once Was

Virgin Islands Character; What Once Was

As a child growing up  in the Virgin Islands I was afforded opportunities to observe the inner workings  social or extra curricula activities within the territory and their benefits. I recognized that all pageants, leagues and institutional organizations all had one thing in common;  they facilitated opportunities for adolescents to obtain and build character building skills which can help them with personal growth. Basketball and baseball leagues valued character. All students had to be in good standing within their various school communities This also provided opportunities f or children without privilege to learn and develop character building traits necessary to become productive members of society. To build habits like punctuality, dressing formal, taking pride in their appearance and work ( school or work whatever that maybe).

Young men once had ample opportunities to build character and integrity, learning the many other ways to earn respect but most importantly they learned respect for themselves. Young girls were too given ample opportunities to learn how to become ladies, and shine equally amongst their adolescent peers through various sports and organizations regardless of gender. Their opportunities facilitated hope for other young girls within the territory as well as illustrated to member of our society the importance of such organizations. But the lack of consideration for many of these character building traits leaves adolescents and parents with a lack of appreciation for these traits and our schools with the ethical dilemmas of how to proceed. Do they bother to solve it at all? How can teachers and administrators within the institution of education help foster skills that should have been introduced and reinforced at home first?

Sincerely, I don’t think they can without meaningful parental involvement and collaboration between families and the school. Calling and texting a teacher is a form of informal communication that can be very beneficial in many areas but it is not enough. Waiting until report cards are issued to buckle down on studies does not work, more importantly my fellow parents making excuses for you child does not work (even if you’re the excuse!). It is time to reteach to our children through role modeling everyday how to be responsible and take responsibility for their actions. Admit that it is your fault and work to find ways to rectify it through collaborating with teachers or the administration; extra credit, or community service does attribute to their academic standing as well as character traits.

Rather than illustrating the ignorance that has become synonymous with our citizens in recent generations. Solidarity and integrity have always been vital components of our culture;  Virgin Islanders lets make it a priority to embrace our own traditions rather than reforming to those of our national neighbors.

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read Curriculum Choices, Learning Environment & Strategies, My Beliefs on Language Acquisition,  Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student

Learning Environments & Strategies

Learning Environments & Strategies

Jane E. Tuitt Elementary (My alma mater)

Learning environments should differ as we all have different norms, values, religions, and cultures. A developmentally appropriate learning environment should also illustrate aspects of all those included within the learning environment, which would primarily be its students. How many of us can truly say that the learning environment we have created for our students or even our children are sincerely tailored to suit their developmental levels, needs, and interests? I have seen classrooms that mirror all of the children and families connected with it, and unfortunately I have seen those that mirror prison cell walls (bland white with a few pictures scattered around the room). Classrooms that illustrate culture, facilitate developmentally appropriate practice through engaging activities and learning areas, and showcases content learned throughout different content areas are ideal learning environment and are necessary in this day and age.

The learning environment where I felt the most successful was in elementary school, specifically my intermediate classes. Unlike most I was lucky enough to have a great teacher twice as she switched from third grade to fifth just in time for my class. I would personally say that my reason for feeling the most successful within this learning environment is because the school collaborated with the community to ensure that many programs and initiatives were in place for students to engage in and interact with other students. Such initiatives included but weren’t limited to inter school/ neighborhood basketball leagues, essay writing competitions on various national and local initiatives (red ribbon/drug fee, laws of life, etc.), art competitions, and others alike. Other reasons I felt successful within this environment was because I it facilitated and encouraged reading in many ways; reading was used for extra credit points as well as a past time, which reinforced my love for reading cultivated at home.

If I had to label my prior learning environment where I had felt the most successful I would say that it would probably mirror the head starts now public standards as it was inclusive as well as diverse and learning objectives were primarily academic with some focus on collaborating with families and the community. Many times we assume that students are successful in academic so they are elsewhere also when they may need guidance, as an advocate for children it is a teachers’ job to ensure all needs are being met and do whatever possible to attribute to such; in many cases referrals to different agencies and organizations are greatly appreciated and helpful. I would create a classroom environment that is both engaging and learning friendly by creating learning stations within the classroom and in the outdoor areas that with facilitate opportunities of each child to grow at their own paces and explore their interests. In this respect my students will too be able to be engaged in their favorite past times while exploring their interests in the name of learning, because when children learn through play they learn to enjoy learning.

Back to School U. S Virgin Islands

Back to School U. S Virgin Islands

It’s that time of year again, back to school for all the students in the territory. Many will be attending new schools while a few may be attending school for the first time. If so, there are some things that should be done to ensure that policies are met and students are fully equip/ prepared to begin the new 2016-2017 school year. School does begin this year on September 8, 2016, but orientation for a number of school like Jane E. Tuitt Elementary School, Charlotte Amalie High School, and St. Croix Central High School are preparing for school through orientation, insurance, and I. D card issuances. For a listing of which schools in the U. S. Virgin Islands are commencing with orientation and other back to school necessities you can visit the U. S Virgin Islands Department of Education or contact the respective school ( a listing of the district’s schools and accompanying websites can be found on VIDE’s Edline page) of concern as most administrative personnel are still at work while others will be returning within the next week. During orientation many things will be discussed that can shape the school year for your child and family, this is why participation is necessary and equally important.

For all new students to the territory’s public school system, there are immunization requirements to be met as there are in most school districts at home and abroad (if not all). Some families or students may need to opt out for medical or religious purposes and that’s fine too, but they to need to submit formal notice of such prior to the beginning of school and prepare for lab work for the kids.

Other than the major requirements here are a few friendly reminders to help ease the transition from summer break back to school;

·         Summer assignments- Many schools have them, most require the completion of these summer assignment the first two to three weeks of school (if not sooner). You don’t want to wait until school begins to start a summer reading assignment with three books and essays to accompany each, when you should be focusing on the upcoming school year and what it has to offer.

o   The Governor’s Reading Challenge- All schools were invited to participate in the Governor’s Reading Challenge and many elected to use the challenge as a summer assignment as well. Books were provided to students at the end of the school year along with a listing of other books included in the challenge, a track sheet to keep track of the books read, and a questions/ writing prompt to aid in the comprehension of the required books.

·         All schools have a dress code, and while many of the territory’s public schools dress codes are similar you should still check with each institution to ensure accuracy

o   Shoes should be black or white (or both)

o   Skirts should be at knee length

o   Earrings should be no bigger than the size of a quarter

·         Bringing Your Own Device (BYOD)- This is a sincerely controversial issue in every state on the mainland, and in many schools public and private right here at home. The only way to ensure that you or your child are abiding by the school’s rules are to become familiar with them. Orientation is great help; it is an overview of what one needs to know of the upcoming school year as a parent. Orientation also attributes to the familiarity that many have with the rules, policies, and procedures that occur within a school; checking with each school and becoming familiar with their policies on BYOD is the only way to ensure that you and your child are adhering to the schools’ policies and prevent and repercussions (like having your device confiscated).  

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read PTA, Parent Committee, & Volunteering: Get Involved , Simple Classroom Management Tips, Ethical Leaders Anyone? and Respect Goes Both Ways: Teacher and Student

How I Feel About Language Acquisition

My Beliefs Regarding Language Acquisition

I am almost certain that my beliefs about language acquisition are distorted by my own personal experiences, but I am also pretty sure that I am not the only one. During my tenure at Ashford I was afforded many opportunities in the form of resources. These resources have aiding my professional development as well as my personal development with regards to my family. Starting with the pragmatics of language, language attributes to the different theoretical perspectives on language acquisition and the effects of environmental influences on such, the knowledge I've learned as have had the pleasure to apply in my assistive positions have made me an ideal facilitator and advocate of early learning and language development. I have learned from my many afforded literature resources that opinions on this matter come a dime a dozen so I seek to offer a different theoretical perspective, one based on my personal experiences and observations; every child is different and learn or develop in different ways. Oddly it seems simple enough and I am sure I have heard it somewhere before, but it isn't often enough applied. Sure we can say that the child with a speech impairment will grow out of it and doesn't need professional help/ coaching, while another does because of their 'impoverished environment'. During the history of man stereotyping has never gotten us anywhere so why continually apply it to those too young and are incapable of defending themselves? 

What we know for certain is that children are born with the innate capacity to learn language and that the main requirement for doing so is exposure to language and opportunities to use it; we also know that although they are able to overcome physical and environmental challenges to learn language, there appears to be a critical period during which language learning is optimal (Piper,2012). It is certainly time we apply this mantra to every learner and recognize that speech and language disorders will continue to exist regardless of cultural disparities or environmental influences.

References

Piper, T. (2012). Making meaning, making sense: Children’s early language learning. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education.

Savan Clean Up And Restore Project: Collaboration of Families and Community

I had the pleasure of meeting  a gentleman by the name of Kevin Gilbertson on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 when I ventured to the neighborhood basketball court, along with other members of the community, to find out more about the Savan Cleanup and Restoration Project  that began earlier this month on July 9, 2015. Kevin was more than forthcoming in asking the questions and listening to the concerns of his fellow neighbors while helping us to visualize the intent of the entire initiative. We spoke of past events (the historic walk through, and meeting held at Palms Court Harborview Hotel) and those to come all with the intent to revitalize the community and cleanup Savan. When asked about any future projects that may take place with that would serve the neighborhoods youth Mr. Gilbert assured me considerations had already been taken to establish a community center within the neighborhood aiming at such, and providing various programs all to foster positive progression for the development of each individual youth. We spoke of gaining the help of other influential members of the community within to continue the mass engagement already underway also to gain insight to center focus' on pertinent issues relevant to those residing within. Throughout our conversation I witnessed various members of the community stop by, some signing up volunteers, others volunteers ready to move their detail to the next spot! 

C.A.N or Community Action Now! Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create programs and services in underserved areas in the US and the Caribbean (C.A.N, 2014). C.A.N and community partners launched the Savan cleanup and restoration project on July 9, 2015 and it will continue to July 25, 2015 which will then be dubbed 'Savan Appreciation Month'. Through collaborative efforts with various partnerships including but not limited to the Economic Development Agency, Virgin Islands Police Department, Department of Public Works, Sankofa Saturday, government officials, local businesses, and members of the community this initiative continues to take place within the Savan community, beginning during the morning commutes well through the day to the evening. The Savan Cleanup and Restore Project began its month long activities and initiatives with a historic walk through of areas in Savan that aren't familiar to the general public as the historic monuments of change that they are. Alongside the V.I.P.D and E.D.A officials as guides children were shown the history of Savan and in turn learned more about their cultures as it pertains to their neighborhood community. Since then there have been countless volunteers, neighbors and strangers alike, all with the same mission of restoring the Savan Community. Through the mobilization of the communities members C.A.N officials and members of the #savesavan initiative are not only highlighting the historic heritage we share, but they are also illustrate the culture we hope to continue to be prevalent within our communities rather than the degenerative status that it's slowing becoming plagued with. The youngest members of our communities look to us for role models and by mobilizing all members of our community (including the youths) to engage within various aspects we as parents, educators, and citizens of this community will not only teach culture but live it, and show our children that we too practice what we preach. 

  

Other initiatives are also in place to keep up current trends and develop new ones with the intent of enacting solutions to improve the stagnant state of our neighborhood and community. C.A.N officials have also partnered with the Citizens And Police Association to implement a neighborhood watch aimed at crime and crime prevention. Meetings for the neighborhood watch will continue at the Methodist Church near Market Square, on Monday July 20, 2015. All members of the community and the Savan neighborhood are encouraged to attend and spread the word. Follow the Proud To Be A Savanero group on Facebook and add members, spread the message.   

  

Families, neighbors, educators, and officials all gathered and united by a common means; this is the product of collaboration between families and communities. This is our culture. This is how we live.  

The views expressed within the blog are solely those of Ms. Child Advocate and does not reflect on any of her affiliations. For more on the U.S Virgin Islands youths read #LoveWins Diversity for A Diverse World, Healthy Summer Activities: Keeping Children Active, and National Public Gardens Day U.S.V.I.