Personal Childhood Web

When I think about the influence of my life, I can only come up with two places that have been a part of me since before I was born: the home and the church. My family and the church have been the most consistent things in my journey thus far. Even though I went to school there was never a teacher that really influenced me to become a teacher. Last week, I spoke on how my siblings taught me the importance of being a positive influence in a person's life. As I was thinking on the people who have influenced me the most on how to be the person God has call me to be have been: my grandmother, my mother, and the pastors of two churches.

First, there is my Grandma,Spotswood Alice Franklin. She passed away October 27, 2005 a year before I decided to go off to college. This is not me in the picture, but she loved every single one of her grandchildren. My Grandma is the first actual teacher I can remember. She was a one of those nurses that would take care of patients in the home, and she would take me with her. One of my fondness memories is of me banging on pots and pans in that house. My grandma would always let me be me. She encouraged me to go to college and be great.

Second, there is my Mommy, Yolanda Francis Beary. Mommy has influenced me from the very beginning by the choices she made concerning my life. She told me she was on the table at the abortion clinic about to abort me when God told her not to do it. Mommy could have done it anyway, but she reverenced God in her life and choice to keep me. The next choice she made was moving from Newark, NJ to Goldsboro, NC. This is also a choice that was influenced by God. Mommy has shown me what it means to trust God with the unknown.

Third, there are the pastors of Spirtfilled-Family Worship Center in Goldsboro, NC, Apostles Edwin and Catherine Newsome. Through their ministry, I got the final push I needed to go off to college. They ministered that if I didn't like the situation I was in to change it. James 2:17 basically says faith is nothing without works. I had the faith, but hadn't been working towards the change I wanted. I stand now as a college graduate because of their Godly influence.

A Passion to Influence the Dreamers

As I was trying to think of what picture to put on my post, I came across this picture. This is a picture of me, my little sisters and one of my younger cousins. I used this picture because my siblings are a part of this passion I have for young children. I saw how much my influence impacted them as they were growing up. Some of the things I did with them and for them still live on through their action and who they have become.

I love the book, "Jamberry", because it invokes so many things a child should be doing. They should using their imaginations to come up with word and far off places. Their world should be filled with colors and endless possibilities. Children should also be free to play with their friends without fear. They grow up so quickly in today's society. This is a book that allows them dream and be happy about dreaming.

Part of the Passion

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. This scripture is something I grew up on. Children need to be taught all day, just not when it is convenient for us. We, as the adults in their live, have to learn the rules and guidelines first before we can teach them, and we must be diligent in our teaching of them. We cannot have a bad day, but if we do, be transparent enough to tell them the truth about it.

Fiddle-I-Fee has been done in many different ways, but I love this one because it is the best version of the song, "Fiddle-I-Fee". This book promotes language and music and can be used for a variety of activities in the classroom.

Pastor George Maize, IV Honored

My Pastor, George Maize,IV, was honored last night by the United Negro College Fund. Pastor Maize was honored along with 16 other people and organizations for being Outstanding Citizens. I few of the people honored had not even benefited from the college fund, but had helped other to succeed and move ahead on their journey. One of the honorees spoke on how at ten years of age she knew was going to be a teacher. She was influenced so by her 4th grade teacher she decided her career then and there.

It amazes me how children make up their minds at a young age who they are and who they will be in life. This is all depended upon the action of the adults was have influence in their lives. Teachers have much of the influence in a child's life because they are the thing that can be a constant in their lives. No matter what is going on line the home, school should be the one place that does not change for the child. I believe the majority of the people honored last night were teachers in some form or fashion either in the classroom or in the church. Teachers of all ages have a great responsibility and a great burden to see our children succeed and be successful. It so important to remember "A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste"!

The Education Runaround

I have recently rejoined the ranks as a college student to obtain my teaching certification. Wow, what a difference a year makes in the college world. Everything has changed. The people you have come to know and love seem to still know you, but they also seem to be distant and unsure of who you are. Your approach to people change because of the experience you had and the experience in the "real world". I wasn't going to even go back to my college. I had decided to move on in the education ladder to pursue my Masters degree, but of course something unforeseen happens that has me going back to the day-to-day world of being in a college classroom. Now I have decided to pursue the Masters and finish my certification at the same time. Who told me I could do that and is it even possible for me to do? I don't know, but I'd rather try and fail then not to have tried at all to accomplish what I believe is necessary for me to have in the long run. I'm doing this only because I feel there is purpose for me in early childhood education.

The start of the next TEEN SAGA!

I don’t know if life would be different for me if I had left my sister when I graduated from high school. Who’s to say I wouldn’t be somewhere pregnant and with a couple of children now had I not seen what my sister went through with men coming in and out of her life.

At the age of twelve I made the commitment to say with my sister until I knew she was alright. She was more fragile than me at the time our parents died. She was pregnant at the time, and I didn’t feel like she could make it through their death and the pregnancy without me. I kept on thinking about the fact that she had no one to look up to, no one to lean on. The simple fact that she is my big sister was all I needed to keep me there with her not to mention the fact that I couldn’t leave until I was eighteen.