Words of Inspiration and Motivation

"Experts generally agree that taking all opportunities to read books and other material aloud to children is the best preparation for their learning to read. The pleasures of being read to are far more likely to strengthen a child's desire to learn to read than are repetitions of sounds, alphabet drills, and deciphering uninteresting words."                                                                                                                                            ~Lilian Katz

 "Providing families with information and assistance in selecting high-quality child care services will increase public awareness of this issue, create a demand for more high-quality child care options, and strengthen the role of parents in informing public policy and improving practices."                                                                       ~Virginia Buysse

"The preschool years are the first and the most fundamental period when children are in fact noticing who they are and are noticing the attitudes and the stereotypes and the discomforts or the positive messages about their skin color, their racial identity, their ethnic identity and so on."

                                                                                                              ~Louise Derman-Sparks

Personal Childhood Web

 My Mom

My mother was a stay at home mom of three girls of which I am the oldest.  My mom made sure I had my school work completed and that I was cared for at home.  She would take time to play games one on one with me which would make me feel special.  My mother also taught me how to do things around the house because I enjoyed helping her. Today I have a good relationship with my mom.  I know that I can go to her when I need some advice or just someone to listen.

 

My Father

My father worked as a restaurant manager from the time that I was a baby until I was 18 years old.  It was not a job that he enjoyed, but rather one that paid the bills and made it where my mother was able to stay home with my sisters and I.  My dad would take the time to play with me and spend time with me doing things I enjoyed.  My dad never went past high school, but he valued education and that was something that he instilled in me.  My dad is a part of my life today, but it is thought the roles are reversed somewhat; he has some medical issues and I spend a good bit of time trying to make sure he knows that he is loved and cared for just as he did in his own way when I was a child.

My Aunt Connie

My Aunt Connie was the only extended family that was a part of my life as a child; all of my other extended family lived in other states so seeing them was rare.  She would come to visit on the weekends and take us on trips to the zoo, the mountains, the museums and Six Flags.  During the summer, she would come get me and I would spend weeks with her at her house; I liked this because I got to do something without the rest of the family and I did not have the responsibilities that I had at home when I was with her.  She always encouraged me to do my best in school, but never put me down when I did not do as well as I could have.  My aunt Connie treats me like I am her own child to this day.  She continues to encourage me to achieve my goals. 

 My Sisters (Becky and Holly)

My sisters are both younger than me so it was expected that I set a good example for them.  Often times I would be motherly to them because I mimicked what my mother did with them.  They would emulate things that I would do because they did look up to me.  The relationship that I had with my sisters growing up made me want to do the right thing because I knew that they were being influenced by the choices that I made.  To this day I find myself making a conscious effort to set a good example in my daily life and in my continued educational pursuits because I still feel as though they look to me as an example.

My Kindergarten Teacher (Blanche Wilkes)

My kindergarten teacher was one of the most influential people in my life.  In some ways I think that she is the first person to show me that you can be a female, have a family and have a career that you enjoy.  Mrs. Wilkes would let me come to the classroom early and help put the chairs down to help her which made me feel important.  I would get to do things throughout the day that I enjoyed so rather than realizing I was at school to learn, I thought I was at a great place away from my family where I could do things without my sisters.  She is the first person that I was not related to that told me that she loved me and that she believed in me; for a young child, that was all I needed!  Mrs. Wilkes retired this year and I went to her retirement party. She also attended my wedding seven years ago and my graduation in May.  I think of her as my family.

 

My Favorite Children's Book

My all time favorite children's book is "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein.  I love this book because it teaches children that things can be different and still be good and fun.  I think that his stories and short poems are fun for children of all ages and that they remind us to use our imaginations.  Far too often children are made to think about things from a perspective that is not their own; the author encourages the reader to think outside of the box and explore the possibilities.

Quote

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” Shel Silverstein




This quote is one of my favorites for a several of reasons.  To start, I absolutely love the author, Shel Silverstein.  I think that it is important that children are able to use their imagination and pretend to be something other than what they are in order to grow.  The second reason that this quote matters to me is that children are all too often labeled as "slow" or some other label that is seen as an indicator of their abilities.  I feel that the children should be given the chance to rise above the labels and ignore what they have been told they are not capable of to show the world that they are so much more than a label.

Welcome!  My name is Jamie and I live in Georgia.  I have been happily married to Blake for 6 years this October. We are in the process of adopting two precious children; Alexis is 4 and Jaylen is 3.I have a wonderful family!

Education:  I graduated from Gordon College in May with my B.S. in Early Childhood Education with a dual certification in both general and special education.  My internship was at a school in Spalding County that I absolutely loved and my goal is to get a job there if one becomes available. 

Hobbies:  I enjoy baking, sewing, reading, writing poetry, scrapbooking and spending time outdoors with the family.