Web site and Newsletter

  Pre-k now send me newsletters  of articles daily that keeps me up to date on issues concerning pre-k from my state as well as other states.  The major issue that is mentioned lately is how states with Pre-k is  proposing cutting pre-k in some way or the other.  I find this interesting because last week we were told  that our GA governor  wants to put a salary cap on teachers who teach pre-k.  I would cap at what I currently make now with a 10 % paycut. I will be moving to a new grade next year due to recieving my Masters in order to get paid for my new degree.
 On the website  there is a tab that goes with a part of our discussion this week. The tab is called the Business and Community leaders. Then there are links to chose to get information on resources from community leaders and business. There is also a tab for families that I think is a great help to  parents. This tab discusses resources that are available to parents. 

Poverty

 Kathy who teaches  on an Air Force base in Japan stated that at her school, she does not see any poverty. However, she mentioned working at a school where 70%  of the children recieve free lunch.
 Gillian who is a teacher who teaches in England  discussed how many of the families thier were unemployed. There is a 90% male unemployement in the area where she teaches. Children come to school without breakfast and many students do not have hot water in their homes.  The school has a washing machine so that the studnets can wash their clothes and the school provides  hot showers. She also discussed  'Red Nose Day" this is where money is raised for specific projects to alleviate poverty worldwide.
 Jackie who aslo teaches in England stated that the school she works in has a mixture of economic status. The school started a program for children that the know will not have any food to provide food for them. The school also have welfare officers that help connect school. social services and families.

Early childhood programs in Japan and England

 Since  I joined the Pre-k know website. I begain to think about the countries in which I communicate with teachers? Mrs. Sanders who teaches in Japan stated that in that country they have the  Sure Start program which is similar to our Head start.  Mrs. Warren stated that the children there spend one or two years in a nursey class taught by certified teachers. Then the students go to a compulsory school at the age of five.

Organization Pre-k

 I joined the Prek now website. http://www.preknow.org/
 This website and newsletter deals with issues pretaining to the Pre-k programs that many states have. The website offers links to teachers and parents of children in the pre-k programThe main issue of the newsletters I have recieved since joining have dealt with the issue of cutting the pre-k programs.  This issue caught my attention because I am a pre-k teacher in the state of Georgia. I as a teacher and a mother know how important early edcuation is to a child's future. I have heard a lot from the Kindergarten teachers who are just as concerned as I am about this issue.  At first the governor of our state wanted to make pre-k a half day  but after much debate he  is leaning toward a six  hour day program and cutting the number of days to 160 instead of the 180. He is also suggesting putting 2 more students in each class.  There is no final answer as to our state government is still in session and has not voted on this issue.
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Connections

  For this assignment, I called on some people who I work with in the Worth County School System. The director of our pre-k  has a friend who teaches in Japan. Then our  school improvement  person has a friend who pastors a church in England and he talked to some friends whose wives were teachers.  Mrs. Sanders teaches  in Japan on the base there. Mrs. Davison and Mrs. Benjamin both teach in England.  Mrs. Sanders and Mrs. Benjamin both teach special needs and Mrs. Davison is a general ed teacher. I am looking forward to corresponding with these teachers. Mrs. Sanders sent me some pictures of Japan and it is beautiful.
 I am waiting for a reply from Mrs. Davison and Mrs. Benjamin.
 I decided to  view the Pre[k] now website. http://www.preknow.org/.  I teach pre-k so I thought this would be a great resoure for this class as well as for me.  I read an article that was posted on the site and I was amazed that other pre-k teachers in other states are going through the same thing as I am here in Georgia with pre-k. Our Governor is looking into cutting our pre-k day.  What will be next?