viva la vida

Back in the days of "A rush of blood to the head", had you asked me, I would have said that coldplay bored me, that their music put me to sleep. had you looked on my cd shelf you would have seen that very album, covered in dust from neglect, and then all of a sudden, just not there. Before "Viva La Vida", had you asked me if I liked Coldplay the answer would have been "no". But i have heard, and what i have heard is good.. I really love the album in it's entirety, the lyrics, the composition, arrangement, whatever words you want to use - the music is just captivating! I really love it. You might argue that of "A rush of blood to the head", im sure it's a good album, maybe I was too young to really appreciate it. I can admit that.

Dont have much else to say, im just listening to "Lovers in Japan" right now, it's fun..

yeah, i might be bored. I also am making this a short entry because i got acryllic nails put on yesterday and it feels really wierd to be typing...

huh..

Ashley

blessed

what do you think of when you look towards the future? your husband? your house? Your job? your kids? your family?

Alot of things are changing right now in my life, and I've never been this close to such a big change before - it kind of scares me! really, when I think about it - moving out of the house we lived in for 20 years was a big change, but then again, all the family was still together, and we still had all of the same things, just in a different place. The change that might be taking place in the next couple of years is the one that really, really is big - and that's getting married to Dioni and becoming a wife, owning a house, paying bills (already do that, huh) and basically starting my own family...

what's going to change? How is our relationship going to be different? what's it going to be like being married? starting our own traditions? building our life?

I've never considered doing this before, not even a little bit, with anyone else. I'm really really happy with Dioni, we've got problems like anyone else, but we're working on them together. AND I can honestly say that we're making progress. What I love the most about this relationship is that we can talk to each other about small things, things you think would be unimportant, but really can make a big deal ... We talk about everything together, we laugh together, we cry together, we are in this together. for the long run.

I'm really blessed to have such a good man by my side, and It's my prayer that we lean not only on each other, but on God to make this relationship a blessing, to each other and to those around us..

Coooool.. sorry this is so random, but it's how i'm feeling. I've got a million things running thru my head and my heart right now and it's like "Wedding, House, Money, Problems, etc. etc."
All at once and I don't know what to think about, what to talk about, blah blah. so this is a little bit ...

Life is grand, thanks god for blessing me so much!

shle

Stop crying your heart out

Hold up
Hold on
Don't be scared
You'll never change what's been and gone
May your smile
Shine On
Don't be scared
Your destiny may keep you warm
cause all of the stars

are fading away
just try not to worry

you'll see them some day
just take what you need

and be on your way
and stop crying your heart out
Get up
come on
why you scared
you'll never change what's been and gone

cause all of the stars
are fading away just try not to worry
you'll see them some day
just take what you need
and be on your way
and stop crying your heart out

Dioni

life is not easy, but when theres someone beside you through it all,
it seems like everything will be ok.
Dioni, you're the reason that I smile,
the reason that I wake up in the morning and want to get out of bed.
you're everything to me..
your smile makes me want to be a better person,
when you laugh i never want you to stop,
and when you cry, i want to be the one who makes it stop.

te quiero con todo mi alma, con mi corazon.

I thank God for you each and every day...

Hey Jude

I never thought that in a few short hours, my heart could be so wrapped up with love for such a small little person. I never thought that in a few short hours, I could hurt so much for someone elses pain. I never thoguht that in a few short hours, I could love a person so completely!

My nephew (and Godson) was born on August 18th, at 4:06am, and He weighed 8 pounds, 11 ounces, such a big boy! His name is Jude David Emmett Schalin.. Unfortunately when he was born, he had to be airlifted to Royal Alexandra hospital in Edmonton, because he's got an infection. Right now he's still in the hospital, and probably will be for the next couple of weeks. It's easy for a full grown person to deal with infection, but a tiny, newborn baby? not all by himself. It's hard to see him in an incubator with tubes and wires all over his tiny body, but knowing that he's getting better and stronger by the day is just wonderful. He looks exactly like my brother.. I'm already so proud of this little man, it's not even funny.. Pictures will come when he's feeling a little better.


Proud Auntie Signing off!!!

Love shle

Dionisio

Cuando ti,
cuando me tomas en tus brazos
cuando observo en tus ojos
Veo que Dios existe
No es duro d' allí creer

Te quiero

SPF 1000

Let God Be Enough

You are my supply, My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward, worth living for
And still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

You're my sacrifice, of greatest price
And still more awesome than I know
You're my coming King, you are everything
And still more awesome than I know

All of you is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than all I can see
You are more than enough for me

All of you is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough...

My Personal Philosophy of Early Childhod Education

Early childhood care and education is more than just babysitting. It’s more than occupying a child while his or her parents are at work. To me, it’s giving a child the chance to express themselves and to explore the world around them in a group setting. In this paper, I will discuss my personal views related to ECCE, my image of children, teachers and families, as well as introducing two theorists who have inspired my thinking. I will also briefly discuss two issues that I feel are affecting ECCE at this current time.

As previously mentioned, I believe that Early Childhood Care and Education has a purpose beyond babysitting and entertainment. Children who get the chance to participate in preschool, group daycare, etc.. get chances that many others might not – in the simple process of peer interaction. An only child at home with his parents will not get the same experiences as a child at home with three siblings. The former child will not get as many chances to learn through interaction with children his own age, as will the latter. Another opportunity that children who engage in ECCE programs get is the chance to use some materials that they might not be able to use at home. An example of this is simple. Not every family can afford to have puzzles, but most childcare centers have these in their room. I believe that the underlying purposes behind Early Childhood Education are these things: Giving children opportunities that they might not have available to them otherwise, in order to support the development of the child.

When I first entered the Early Childhood Care and Education Program, my image of children was drastically different from what it is now. I once saw children as people who needed adult guidance and help to do every day things, and to learn. I now see children as capable human beings. Capable of deciding what they want to learn, capable of asking for help when they realize that they need it. I think that this single image of a child as capable influences the whole of my practice. It influences how I see teachers, how I see the environment, the curriculum and everything I will do or say as an adult in relationships with children.

An example of how my image of the child affects my practice is how I view guidance. Because I see children as competent, capable humans, it wouldn’t make sense for me to tell children what to do in times of conflict. Instead, I like to point out factors that are important for solving conflict, and then in the end, give the child a choice as to what to do. For example, if the rule for going outside is that a child must have a coat on, and a child doesn’t want a coat on, she must be given two choices: Put your coat on and go outside, or don’t put it on, and stay inside. I think its important that a child's ability to choose is valued, and respected. If a child wants to go outside, eventually, I believe, she will want to put on her coat and go. Another example of guidance is when one child has done something to upset another, such as taking a toy away. I think it’s important, instead of forcing a child to apologize, to point out facts. “Look at your friend, she is very sad.” The next step would be to try and work out why we think she’s sad, and then the child will be able to solve the problem.

Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934), a Russian Psychologist, suggested that children construct knowledge from their experiences of the world and people around them. I agree with this idea – I think that children learn, not through adults spouting facts at them, but through their own personal experiences with other children, adults, materials and the environment at large. In her article “What Young Children Should Be Learning” , Lilian Katz said “Young children therefore are most likely to be strengthening their natural dispositions to learn when they are interacting with adults, peers, materials, and their surroundings in ways that help them make better and deeper sense of their own experience and environment.” (Katz, 1992) So, is it effective to have children seated in rows, and citing the letters of the alphabet, when the sounds coming out of their mouths might not mean anything to them at all? Not according to Katz or Vygotsky.

That being said, teachers have a very important role in Early Childhood Education. I believe that a teachers responsibility is to create an environment in which learning can occur, an environment of trust and nurturing. When interacting with children, a teacher should be helping them to develop ideas through questions, and by giving them time and space to explore their ideas, and the freedom in which to develop their theories and process thoughts. So I don’t see teachers in this field as people who state fact after fact, expecting children to remember them and recite them, rather as co-constructors, co-learners, and co-explorers.

I believe that there is another teacher in an classroom, one that isn’t noticed all the time, but is equally important in the education of young children. I am referring to the environment, as this other teacher. In her book “Authentic Childhood”, Susan Fraser says “The spaces that teachers create for children seem to hold enduring memories for them that have a powerful influence on what they will value later in life. It’s important, therefore, that teachers think carefully about their own values and how they affect the decisions they make about the arrangement of space, equipment and materials in the classroom. Teachers are often unaware of the messages the environment is communicating to the children.” (Fraser P. 102) So what kind of teacher will my classroom environment be? I believe it’s important for an environment to support the children in their learning, and respect children as capable. An example of an environment that sees children as capable, is an environment where children have access to things they need. Where materials are child-sized, so that children can do things for themselves. An environment that supports children’s learning, I think, should be flexible. I believe it should be able to change just as much as the children who interact within it do. Materials should be free within the classroom, furniture should be able to move about, the pictures and documentation on the walls should also be flexible, in that they can be changed to suit the learning in the room.
As well as being a teacher, I believe in transparency in an environment. This goes beyond light and windows, but extends to the idea of being able to see what the children are exploring, without observing them. I believe a person should be able to walk into a room, and get a sense of where the children’s explorations are taking them, and what concepts they’re working through. This might look like the arrangement of the classroom, or pictures and art on the walls. If children are exploring the idea of camping, it would make sense to me that the materials in the classroom would reflect that.

Another important aspect of the environment is the idea of time: and this is why my preschool will not be theme based, moving from idea to idea every week. I believe that if children want to spend a month focusing on trees, then they should be allowed that time.

The idea of time leads to my thinking around curriculum. An emergent curriculum is one that builds upon the interests of children, and is not, by any means, an easy route to go down. It means constant observation, listening for even the tiniest clues, and being able to bring ideas together to form a curriculum based on your findings with the children. The idea of having a theme-based center might seem easier, all your lessons are planned out before the school year begins. But my feelings around themes are concerning the interests of the children. What if they are simply not interested in the theme you’ve chosen? I don’t believe that you can make a child learn something that he or she has no interest in. And then all of a sudden, there are projects that all the children have to do, activities they have to participate in, and all related to a subject they might not have a desire to know about.

I feel that there is another important aspect of ECCE that some people don’t recognize, and that is family. It’s important for us, as Educators, to remember that families have the biggest role in the lives of children, more than anyone else in that child's life. I believe that parents (or guardians) should be personally involved in the education of their child. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they need to be actively involved in every aspect of the school, but that they are aware of what their children are doing in school, that they show a genuine interest in it, and that they engage daily with their children about what happens at school. I think it’s important for a child to realize that his/her parents are involved in other areas of his/her life, outside of the home. In order for that to happen, a school must appreciate families for all they do, and make an authentic effort to involve them in whichever way they can. If that means sending home monthly newsletters, or having parent drop-ins, or even just having pictures up in the classroom of families, and honouring their work with their children. Having a space in which families feel welcome is very important to me.

My ideas surrounding families come directly from the work of Bronfenbrenner, who suggested that each person interacts on a daily basis with several different systems – and all of these systems have bi-directional relationships. For example, when a child comes to preschool, he cannot simply leave his home life at the door, it is a part of who he is, and therefore should be included in the school, which is also important to him. These systems also affect emotions. If a child has had a bad morning at home, due to his Mom having a bad night at work last night, then he’s not going to necessarily be able to forget it the moment he walks into the preschool. His feelings about the bad morning he had might just carry through the rest of the day. I think it’s important, as educators, to be able to recognize when a child is being affected by his/her other environments, and it’s also important to include all the other environments in the classroom. For example, doing things in the classroom that children might do at home. Awareness that the school is part of a community, and going out and interacting with it. Recognizing that the community is part of a global community, and having an understanding of that within the class as well.

Another theorist who inspires my thinking is Vygotsky. As I mentioned previously, he really supports the idea that children learn through social interaction. He suggests that development occurs best in a social setting, the kind we can provide at an ECCE center. He suggests that children construct knowledge, which I agree with entirely. Vygotsky’s ideas are what feed my thoughts around curriculum and environment. I don’t like the idea of children memorizing fact. What good does it do for them? I think that for children to really learn something, they have to have a chance to interact with it, with their peers and in a supportive environment. To touch it, to feel it, to taste and smell it, to hear it. To be able to share ideas with others around them, and from that, build knowledge about it from experiences they’ve had and shared.

There are several issues that are affecting ECCE at this time in Canada, I think two of them stem directly from a problem that is known worldwide. Poverty. It is my firm belief that every child has the right to Early Childhood Education, and it’s the right of the parents to be able to offer that to their children. However, with child care costs so high, the number of families who simply cannot afford it is alarming. Single mothers who can barely afford to live on their salary are sometimes forced to leave their children at home alone, because they can’t pay for childcare on top of what they’re already paying for rent and food. Because of the high cost of living today, it seems almost impossible to rise above the poverty line. If you have to pay for child care in order to work, it makes it seem even more hopeless. I believe that the government should have funding available to provide low income communities with high quality childcare centers, at little or no cost. Not babysitters, mind you. Early Childhood Educators. All children have a right to learn and the right to an environment that supports learning.

There are people who are below the poverty line, however, who can somehow afford childcare. For those people, their poverty is still an issue. Can the parents provide nutritious food for their children? Do they have the proper clothes to sent their child to school with? Can they even make it to school, or is taking the bus far too expensive nowadays? These are some questions that I really can’t answer at this time, nor do I have the solution. I feel if we, as educators, work together towards having universal childcare, then some of these issues might be solved.

I have covered a lot of information in this paper, some of it you might agree with and some you might not. I believe that a philosophy such as this really depends on how you view children. If you see children as needing your help with every aspect of their day, then your view of teachers, environment, curriculum, and even families will be drastically different than mine, as I see children as capable. My philosophy is centered around children. It’s centered around how they think, how they grow, how they develop in every sense of the world. It’s centered around how they feel, and what I feel they need.

Time just flies

I feel like it's cliché to say that time has really flown. And it just might be. But I'm being serious right now. Back in September, I could not have imagined the end of this program. Seemed like it was going to last forever. But here I am... nine months later, and I'm about to be finished college. Fourteen courses later... A zillion assignments later. Hours of seemingly endless lectures later. Here I am.. I can't believe that in one week, I will be finished...

Wow, I felt so much more inspired to write, two minutes ago when I started, but really, what more can I say on here? I walked into the college as nervous as could be, not even sure that I'd make it in to the program? (how silly of me, when looking at my resumé, I had to get in. Not boasting, but I've done lots of related work) ANYWAYS. Not sure I was going to get in.
But I did. I studied harder than I've ever studied in my life. Harder than when I was in high school and my graduation depended on my exams. Harder than when I was living in calgary and going to college there. Harder than ANYTHING. There had to be a reason for that, right? Well, my friends, it was because this program was something I was passionate about. Still am.. This program reflects a huge part of what I care about, a huge part of my heart and soul. Children.

I've had people tell me, over these past few months, that I'm just going to school to learn how to be a babysitter. To those of you out there who thought that, I invite you to sit in on one of my courses. Bet you couldn't figure out half of what we discuss.

Either way.. I'm really proud of myself. I've had people tell me i'm a bit of a quitter. i start something, find out that I don't like it, and quit.. It happened with Piano lessons. It sure as hell happened with AUC-NUC.. Oh I finished there, but not with any kind of effort or pride. No I was not proud of what I accomplished at AUC.. I make all sorts of goals and promises and never seem to be able to follow through with them. Maybe it's because they're not what I want for myself. This was.. This program, and the liscence I'm about to get makes a HUGE difference in my life.

Ahh.. Ok well I have one week to go. Tomorrow I have two seminars to present to the class, and next week i have six projects and two exams... So needless to say I'll be busy..

I can't wait for this to be done.. I've learned so much..

I'm writing a philosophy paper.. I'll put it up here when it's done..

Have a great night..

DIOS TE BENDIGO

oh MY gosh

I was walking along, happy as could be, it's not raining or anything, it's kind of sunny, and there's cherry blossoms out on all the trees. It's spring time and wonderful outside.

Then.. it happened. ... ... I saw a child... on a leash... Ok this is something that REEEEEEEEALLLLY bothers me.

If you're taking your child for a walk, or anyone elses child for that matter, you HOLD THEIR HANDS. and if you're in a place where you don't need to hold their hands, then you keep them in your sight. Children ... on leashes.. oh so not cool. Seriously. I don't really have much else to say in this moment, I'm just momentarily annoyed.

*Sigh* what is happening to parents? ?

More than enough

through the trials and temptations we face, through the tears, through the heartache, through the illness, I have to simply believe that all will see - HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD ..

I have to really look at my life right now through different eyes... through eyes that aren't sad, through eyes that aren't going to see all the bad, but that are looking for the positive aspects of everything.

So instead of thinking about how horrible it is that I'm not going to mexico, I'm thinking of the good things that are coming from it. One of them is that I now get to be closer to my neice or nephew who is being born in August. Another great thing is that I don't have to miss my family and friends. I get to finish school in september. wahooo..

Family problems - well if anything they bring our family closer together.

If there's one thing I've learned in the last few years, it's that, even though I can't see the purpose, or what good can come out of a situation, that there is always something..

Now is the time to trust. Now is the time to walk by faith. Now is the time to rely on GOD alone, for it's only his love and power that can be with me..

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You're my supply
My breath of life
still more awesome than I know
You're my reward
Worth living for
still more awesome than I know
All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You’re my sacrifice
Of greatest price
and still more awesome than I know
You’re my coming King
You're my everything
and still more awesome than I know
More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than all I can see
You are more than enough

mars attacks!

I feel like it's been awhile, and the last few posts have been relatively meaningless. So here I am. Sitting in a pre-school classroom on my laptop computer.. Today is my last day of practicum. In some ways I'm pretty happy, in others, I know I'll miss this place. I've gotten used to the kids, even though I know that I disagree with some of the practices here. I've come to the discovery that nothing is ever going to be exactly the way I want it, especially in Early childhood education. But these things happen - I think the most valuable thing I've taken from this practicum is just that I've learned to adapt to situations in which I'm not necessarily comfortable. Learned that doing things a different way isn't always bad, just ... different. Either way, I'm not as upset with my practicum as I was when I first arrived. It's a good feeling.
So that's that. Practicum is over in two hours. the best part of that is that I get next week off, and that I don't have to worry about waking up... It killed me this morning to wake up! Not quite sure why.. Oh well. Should be a relatively restful week.
So what's going on in my life? Alot, if you can believe it. Like I said, practicum is almost over. School is on for the next five weeks, after my break - then that's it.. I'll be spening my time from here on out trying to fundraise for mexico. God willing, in July, Im going to leave for Tijuana, and stay there for awhile.. However things don't always work out as planned. Uh - oh.. what are you getting in to, ashley?

So what's up with Mexico - I felt, and I still feel, that Mexico is from God.. I feel like that's where He wants me, that's where I'm headed - and since that's what God wants, I've recently come under some serious attacks - like people telling me that I can't go to mexico.. (I'd say this is serious, Wouldn't you?) But (after a week of being depressed) I've come to realize that I wouldn't be under attack if this wasn't what God wanted from me.

Anyways. I need to go because I am about to start my last two hours of preschool for awhile.

Wahoo....

Lots of love..

Please keep me in your prayers!
ashley

there's a hippo in the tub!

So I had the most amazing experience today, at preschool. It was like a blast from the SERIOUS past. Im sitting in the classroom, playing with the children, and all of a sudden the other teacher puts on a CD.. and it turns out it was a CD that I had grown up with, although when I was growing up, it was a tape, not a cd. And I knew all the words. It really made me smile..

"Daddy, there's a dragon in the driveway, momma, there's a grizzly on the lawn. You'd better come quick, cause there's a hippo in the bathtub, and he's going down the drain, oh no, he's gone."

ha ha ha I feel fantastic. It's smile time! !

:D

Im not you're enemy..

What is this world coming to when a law drafted by the B.C. government causes a huge number of people to become the rudest they have ever been?
My mother and I work at a gas station in North Vancouver and for the past two days (along with the rest of the employees at the station) we have been getting a stream of insults from people we have never met -- all because now they have to pre-pay for their gasoline. We don't understand why it's so difficult for people to just pay for the gas and continue with their day. Why do they feel they need to try to bring us down and blame us for their frustration?
I thank those of you who respect us and make our jobs pleasant. We really appreciate the majority of our customers who have been nothing but respectful and supportive of us as we make these changes in our regime. But it's hard to keep a smile on our faces when we are getting yelled at, sworn at and blamed for this "disruption" in the lives of a select few people. People get so frustrated with us that they drive away without getting gas. What's the point of that when the law applies everywhere in the province?
I'm writing this today to ask that those of you who are upset by this law keep in mind that we, the gas station employees, did not write it and we don't appreciate being yelled at or abused because of it. I want to refer to the "golden rule." Are you familiar with it? "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

top of the world

I wished I was smarter
I wished I was stronger
I wished I loved jesus
The way my wife does
I wish it had been easier
Instead of any longer
I wished I could have stood where you would have been proud
But that wont happen now
That wont happen now

Theres a whole lot of singing thats never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday without so much as a word somehow
Think I broke the wings off that little song bird
Shes never gonna fly to the top of the world right now
Top of the world

I dont have to answer any of these questions
Dont have no God to teach me no lessons
I come home in the eveing
Sit in my chair
One night they called me for supper
But I never got up
I stayed right there in my chair

Theres a whole lot of singing thats never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday without so much as a word somehow
Think I broke the wings off that little song bird
Shes never gonna fly to the top of the world right now
Top of the world

I wished Id a known you
Wished Id a shown you
All of the things I was on the inside
Id pretend to be sleeping
When you come in in the morning
To whisper good-bye
Go to work in the rain
I dont know why
Dont know why

cause everones singing
We just wanna be heard
Disappearing everyday without so much as a word somehow
Wanna grab a hold of that little song bird
Take her for a ride to the top of the world right now

I miss you!

Seems like it was yesterday
when I saw your face
You told me how proud you were,
but I walked away
If only I knew what I know today

I would hold you in my arms
I would take the pain away
Thank you for all you've done
Forgive all your mistakes
There's nothing I wouldn't do
To hear your voice again
Sometimes I wanna call you
But I know you won't be there

I'm sorry for blaming you
For everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself by hurting you

Some days I feel broke inside but I won't admit
Sometimes I just wanna hide 'cause it's you I miss
And it's so hard to say goodbye
When it comes to this,

Would you tell me I was wrong?
Would you help me understand?

Are you looking down upon me?

Are you proud of who I am?

There's nothing I wouldn't do

To have just one more chance

To look into your eyes

And see you looking back

I'm sorry for blaming you

For everything I just couldn't do

And I've hurt myself,

I had just one more day
I would tell you how much that I've missed you

Since you've been away

It's so out of line

To try and turn back time

I'm sorry for blaming you

For everything I just couldn't do

And I've hurt myself by hurting you

the happiest day

As I was sitting here in class, completely ignoring the lesson so far, I was looking through my pictures.. I am in a happy mood today, and it lead me to think of other days that I've been happy. I've found out which was could take the title for the happiest.
I was in Tijuana, we woke up early and went to work on our houses, in the railway valley.
It was a hot day - but I had my water, I was alright.
I was happy.
I know that I was with Alan, and he made me happy.
I know that he fell asleep in the loft and when he woke up I was there.
I know that we went to the MOST amazing church service that I have EVER been to, even if I couldn't understand half of it.
I know that I saw the most beautiful sunset in the world.
I know that we went out for dinner in Tijuana, the whole team.. I
know that I sat in the back of a tool-filled van on some bumpy roads and almost died laughing at Dougs antics.
I know that God was with me..
I know it was a beautiful day!

wow how fun !I love reminiscing on days like this..

xoxo

you're my inspiration

How much inspiration does it take to write a blog???!?!?!? I've discovered the hard way that it's very hard to do this, unless exciting things are happening in my life, and even then I don't find the time to write. Blah.. Im still here, I just don't know what to say.

Im in school and there are so many assignments that i can't even think straight. eight courses, four weeks to go before practicum. I feel like im still recovering from the first practicum and i dont know if im ready for the second one. Wow Im stressed out! ! !