Passion, Motivation, and Wisdom

Louise Sparks, Professor emeritus
Pacific Oaks College
As a child, she always wanted to be a teacher. She wanted to fix injustices through teaching.  As an early childhood teacher of 3 and 4 year olds, she made racial identity a part of her life's word. As a professor she used an anti bias approach to teaching.

Renetta Cooper, Program Specialist
Sees education as a civil right issue. Early Childhood education gives you the tools to work with. She wants women to have choices and that includes the option to stay home with children. 

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

 “ If you look around, about every single major American issue that needs to be  addressed is around the way we treat our children… What are we going to leave our children? It’s a major issue. It is the great purpose that we need to revive. We don’t have lot of public purposes in America. We need this kind of movement around children’s issues to determine whether we can protect people who don’t have the power of the vote.”

Marian Wright Edelman President, Children’s Defense Fund

“Because all development occurs in and is influenced by social and cultural contexts, early childhood programs cannot be developmentally appropriate unless they are also culturally appropriate.

Susan Bredekam, director of Research, The council for Professional Recognition, Washington

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

 Loris Malaguzzi
"Our goal is to build an amiable school, where children, teachers and families feel at home. Such a school requires careful thinking, and planning concerning procedures, motivations and interests. It must embody ways of getting along together, of intensifying relationships."

Five Family Members

Mother with some grandchildren

Sister Doris

Brother James

Shelby on outing with grandaughter

My Personal Childhood Web

Mother
Encouraged me to become a teacher, taught me home-making, including how to sew.
She played the piano for  family and encouraged others to play.

Father
The one most responsible as a confidence builder. Encouraged my reading by reading newspaper headlines to him to improve reading.Taught me about agriculture in stages according my age.

Sister Doris
My adviser. Offered support whenever I faced personal challenges.She always made sure that my grooming was up to par.

Sister  Wilma
The first teacher of my siblings. Served as my tutor when ever I needed help with a lesson. She became the first teacher of the family.

Brother James
My protector. He became the musician among the siblings.
He coached me to sing solo in public, on one occasion.

A Child's Gifts

 

Your Child’s Brain

How Children Are Wired for Music, Math & Emotions

Based on research by  Sharon Begley

Child's Drawing

A Plesant Surprise

A story about a child which touched my heart.
The child in this story I shall refer to as Michelle. At the age of 2, she was abandoned by her mother.
Although she was left with  a family member, Michelle did not know them people. He mother had
promise to return the next day. She never did. I accompanied her grandmother to pick her up. We traveled 8 hundred miles. Once she saw her grandmother, she jumped for joy.

Sassy Little Sister is Not My Name

This book peaked my interest as I read with my grandaughter.
The character resented being referred to as little. She was known for her bravery and was
given the nickname, Sassy Little Sister, as the book is titled.
The book's message to the little girl who was small for her age,
"courage comes in all sizes."