It has been a long but wonderful journey through these graduate courses of early childhood education. I would have to say the best part, aside from the great things I learned, was the connections I made with my colleagues. I learned more from their experiences and insights than any book or article could teach me. I think it is because it is real. They speak from their hearts and they truly do care about the well-being of young children and families. I wish them all well and much success in their future endeavors as they impact the world, giving each child a chance…

The adjourning stage

This week I learned that there were five stages to developing a team: forming the team, storming through differences, norming with each other and accepting everyone for who they are and for what they can contribute, performing the actual task, and then adjourning. The adjourning stage is when the project concludes and everyone goes their separate ways. I find that the hardest groups to leave are the ones in which relationships were built between group members off of trust.

One group I participated in that was the hardest to end was when I worked as a summer camp counselor for the boys and girls club during college. The other counselors on this team were phenomenal people and we had gotten together and decided to make that summer one of the best the kids had ever had (because the majority of us would not be returning due to graduation), one they would talk about for a long while. There were tears and parties thrown at the end of the summer. We kept in touch for a few years beyond that and talked of getting back together.

One group that was easy to adjourn from was one in my former school. This team of teachers was combative and confrontational with each other, always trying to "one-up" the other, and never seemed to move beyond the storming stage.

Hopefully, at the adjourning of my Master's program, the colleagues I have connected with will be career long colleagues, no matter where we are in the world. It is nice and very beneficial to have colleagues as resources and sounding boards and partners throughout your career.

The adjourning stage is essential to teamwork for the simple fact that it makes members of the team feel successful. Chances are if one has a good experience working on a team, they will be more apt to work on a team again in the future- hoping and working toward a similar end as the previous experience they have had.

Applying Conflict Resolution Skills

Applying Conflict Resolution Skills

 In my previous year as a kindergarten teacher, a conflict existed with a parent of a student of mine. The parent refused to agree to allow for their child to receive extra assistance in the classroom. A meeting resulted in the degradation of my character. The child struggled and although I gave the help needed, it  resulted in other students not getting what they needed. With what I learned this week about conflict resolution, there are some things I would have done differently. Two strategies I would have used are using the creative response method where in conversation I try to turn the problem into possibilities by seeing what can be done about it instead of continuing on how bad the problem is. The second strategy would be the honing of my negotiation skills. I would be hard on the problem and not on the parent, focus on the need and not my position, emphasize the common ground between parties involved, get inventive about options, and make sound and clear agreements about what plan of action to take (Conflict Resolution Network, n.d.). Using these strategies may have helped to diffuse the argument before it began and definitely would have steered the parent away from attacking me. As a professional can you offer any other sound advice for how this situation could be handled?

Reference: Conflict Resolution Network. (n.d.). CR kit. Retrieved on November 29, 2013 from http://www.crnhq.org/pages.php?pID=12#skill_3   

How am I as a Commuicator?

Taking the three communication style assessments on Communication Anxiety, Verbal Aggressiveness, and Listening Styles, made me nervous initially. Then I became confident as I took them that I could be considered a good communicator. One thing that surprised me the most was how one of the people who evaluated me according to the same scale scored me high in verbal aggression. I scored myself at a moderate level. I argue fairly by making sure to only question the facts and not the character of the person giving the facts. I guess that my confrontation of the issue is perceived as an attack by other people. I cannot help if some people have a hard time separating themselves from the information they present. Knowing this, though, I will be sure to scale down my tone when questioning and watch my facial expressions and other non-verbal communication when doing so. I have learned that non verbal communication can have just as much of an effect on the delivery of a message as verbal communication can, if not more. This is an important thing for me to keep in mind while I am working with children and their families. I would not want them to get the wrong message due to my non verbal signs or feel like they are being attacked by the professional that is supposed to be taking care of their children.

How communication changes

After close examination I have found that I do communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures. I do not think, however, it is intentional. For example, with children I talk in a very simple way using examples they understand and I am very animated. With people from my culture, like my family, I am very lax in my wording and use a lot of common language known among my family. I noticed that when I visited Honduras on a mission trip, I spoke with a Spanish-like accent (quite embarrassing to admit), and I do the same when speaking with parents with a Hispanic or Latin origin. I lived in South Korea for three years and learned enough of the language to get around and converse with people. Now, whenever I am conversing  with or encounter someone from Korea, I tend to speak English like they do. My shoe repair man, Mr. Lee, appreciates this however. He says it shows I know his culture.
Some strategies to employ when communicating with others would be for me to be mindful of who I am talking to and how I am talking to them, without being disrespectful to them or their language. Another strategy to employ would be to keep stereotypes out of the background of my mind so I can form my own opinion of the person with whom I am speaking based on their personality  and not what others have said they should act like. Being competent in intercultural communication will help me to adapt my behavior toward another in ways that are appropriate to their culture.

In an attempt to see how well I could read people in their non verbal communication- I watched a show I have never seen on mute. The show was called "The Middle" and it was full of non verbal communication in the form of vivid facial expressions, over exaggerated hand and arm gestures. It was easy to figure out that it was about a family. The girl was excited about something and the brothers were not as enthusiastic and were clearly put out with her by rolling their eyes and yawning. They continued to yell at each other throughout the show. The family was obviously put out with each other in one way or another. Arms flailed, hands on hips, arms crossed rolled eyes, grimaces, and smirks, smiles, and tears filled this episode. In the same way there was just as much verbal communication that took place in the form of yelling, and very excited and fast paced talking. Turns out that the daughter was trying to plan a surprise anniversary party for her parents and her brothers could have cared less. Even though it was a huge flop the parents were happy she tried.
 It was interesting watching the show muted because it seemed so long, but when I watched it with sound, it went so fast paced and was over so quickly. I learned that more often than not the non verbal communication that you give off says way more than what you actually say.

The Communicators I know

When I think of effective communication, one person that comes to mind is my Dad. He has always made the person with whom he is speaking feel important and never less than. He makes eye contact and smiles and speaks with confidence and in a welcoming tone. He is a motivational speaker and has taught me wonderful skills in communicating with others to include actively listening, body posturing, and eye contact. I would love to model some of my own communication behaviors after him because he is effective when communicating with others. Listening takes a lot of practice, especially when you have so much to say (which is usually my case). I use the skills he has taught me in my everyday dealings with children and families, but there are some areas I need to work on, such as my facial expressions. It has been told to me that I do not have a poker face, so I need to hone up on my expressional skills. Thanks Dad for teaching me how to communicate, verbally and non-verbally!

Ending the course but beginning with the fight...

As this course on diversity and anti-bias education comes to a close I realize that my role as an EC professional fighting for anti-bias education has just begun. I hope that one day diverse children and families will be welcomed and celebrated in the classroom by professionals who genuinely care about their well-being and education. I hope that my anti-bias work will influence and even change the societal stigma that diverse families and children face on a regular basis.
One goal I suggest for the early childhood field as it relates to diversity, equity, and social justice, is to train up professionals who are challenged to look past their personal bias and move forward with anti-bias education, before they begin in the classroom.
To all my colleagues I want to say thank you. Thank you for sharing your experiences, stories, and opinions openly. I have learned so much from the different perspectives you all have shared and it has made me a better professional and colleague. May you prosper in your efforts against bias in education.

Welcoming Families from Around the World

 

 

I chose Russia to be my new family's country of origin. I do not know anything about this culture and would love to learn more about it. Working in an early childhood center, some things I would do to prepare myself for the arrival of this child and family would be:

 

-Read up on the country history and government and learn about the traditions, culture, education systems, food, pop culture, and music.

-Include Russian children's stories and books in my class library and put out the food and dress  representative of the country in the Dramatic Play area. 

-Learn some basic phrases and words in the language like sit down, paper, crayons, scissors, bathroom, hello, etc.

-Print out labels in the written language to post around the room to accompany the labels in English and Spanish.

-Purchase popular Russian children's songs and include them into the curriculum.

 

I hope that by researching this country and setting up the classroom to include some of the things the child possibly saw in previous classrooms would be welcoming to the child and family. That they would see I was open and willing to help with the transition and with the education of their child. I hope they would see that me and the class were happy to have them be a part of our class community. I do not want to appear to be trying too hard and fake, so I would not bombard them with too much enthusiasm. Moving to another country is hard enough, so I would hope they could find some peace knowing their child was in an environment that celebrated her and not ignored her.



The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression?

My memory happened about five months ago when I arrived home from work, I had noticed my lawn had been cut. I had asked the young man who cut it for me not to cut it when I was not home (for safety reasons) and this happened to be the third time he had done so. I decided that I would pay him but no longer require his services. I drove around the corner to his house where his step father was sitting out on the porch. He called for the boy to come out and I gave him his money and told him I would no longer need his services. I also told him why and he said he forgot. As I was leaving his step father asked me where I got my truck (I had just purchased it the month before). I told him and he said it must have been a nice treat from my husband. I told him I was not married and to that he scoffed and said “you bought that all on your own? And you own that house up there on the hill? I thought for sure you had a man living there with you. I never heard of a woman doing that all by herself. My God! Well that’s a nice truck and if you ever need anything (creepy emphasis here) at all, you know there’s a man right here.”

This specific incident displayed sexism at its best. I thought it odd for him to think I, a hard working woman, could not buy a house and a car without the help of a man. He thought it odd for me to have done it. He acted like I was a freak of nature. This diminishes equity because he didn’t take into account my individual ability as a woman without a man. This incident , number one made me laugh at his ignorance, number two made me gag at his offer of manhood to assist me, and number three made me proud of my accomplishments. Did I feel a twinge of apprehension because I do want a husband one day? Nope. J

In order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity that man’s thinking about the capacity of women needs to change. And perhaps meeting me has started that process for him...

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Microaggressions are defined as brief everyday indignities that are verbal, behavioral, or environmental. They may be intentional or unintentionally communicated to women, to people of color, or to those of differing sexual orientation, and have an insulting message behind them that often causes severe psychological distress and harm ( Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).

One microaggression that I have witnessed, among many in my workplace, was toward my best friend. She is bicultural with a Hispanic father and a German mother. She has a last name that is rather easy to pronounce but teachers in our school seem to have a difficult time pronouncing it. Her last name is Chavez. Many teachers pronounce it with a fake French-sounding accent (Shhhha-vez). She politely corrects them all the time and even provides a word to help them remember how to say it (rhymes with Travis). The other teachers responses range from apologetic to annoyance. One teacher in particular addressed her incorrectly (Hey Shhhha-vez or however you say it, I don't know. Well, all your names end in a 'z' anyway.)

I was furious upon hearing it, not to mention my friend's reaction- she walked away. This just happened in an elementary school by a teacher. When my friend addressed it the next day, the teacher got defensive and apologized saying she just gets confused.

I was aware of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes on people previous to this observation because I have been on the receiving end of them too often.

References:
Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Microaggressions in Everyday Life. [Multimedia Presentation]. Retrieved from Walden University course notes.

Perspectives on Diversity & Culture

 

I interviewed different people that I know about their thoughts on culture and diversity. When I asked them they all acknowledged that both were hard to define.

Person #1 (Jessica, 3rd grade teacher, Hispanic and German, best friend)

Diversity: Different Individuals Valuing Each other Regardless of Size, Intelligence, Talent, or Years

Culture: a group of people that celebrate the same values and traditions, see things in the same perspective, respect one another regardless of their differences, value one another

 

Person #2 (Nevia, PreK teacher, African American, mentor)

Diversity: Differences between any given group.

Culture: The background of an individuals upbringing.

 

Person #3 (John, insurance adjuster, African American, older brother)

Diversity: Diversity is about all-inclusiveness, the antithesis of homogeneity. Unfortunately it is defined by its absence in our country. Diversity would not be an issue in a true melting pot situation. we don't have diversity, we have homogeneity in our workplaces and in the lunchrooms at schools. We gravitate to people that look like us. Diversity is the opposing force to homogeneity. The concept of diversity has been developed because of our natural inclination to be with people like ourselves. It is our effort to change our natural instinct.

Culture: Culture is the set of beliefs, traditions, activities, and art of a group of people (utensils they eat with, the way they dress, their music, religion, what they watch). All of the semi-tangible things that make up a people.

 

Person #4 (Justin, Optical Dept., African American, younger brother)

Diversity: a melting pot, adds flavor, keeps things from being bland, individuality brought together as a whole.

Culture: heritage, roots, origin, the individuality of a specific group, different lifestyles that go through time.

 

So far this course has covered a few different aspects of culture and diversity, a few of which are mentioned in some of the above answers from the interviews- diversity as a representation of people who are different valuing other people who are different, and diversity being what makes us special as a people. Culture is represented in the very essence of a people. What they do and how they do it and how it gets passed on through generations.

Some aspects of culture and diversity were omitted like the importance of children and families being celebrated in their differences and what we as people can do about changing the way we view each other.

Learning what other people think about culture and diversity has helped me to realize that everyone does not necessarily think about culture and diversity on a regular basis or what they actually mean. As an educator I am to think about it all the time and how I can foster a healthy environment that encourages and supports family cultures and student diversity in my classroom. I need to not only think of it how I see it but also how other people (families I serve) may see it and consider their view when teaching their children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





My Family Culture
Three items I would take with me in the event a catastrophe were to devastate my home country would be my Bible, my glasses, and a photo album.
The Bible is probably my most prized possession. My encouragement and sustenance is derived from the Word of God. It means that much to me. My glasses are also important because I cannot see adequately without them. Depending on what host country I am in- I may not be able to get another pair of glasses. I would also take a photo album with my family and home in it.
If, upon arrival to my host country I was told I could only keep one item, I would keep my Bible.
Through this exercise I have learned that my family is important to me, but my faith is more important than them. In the end that is all I will have. My family culture is one that encourages rich relationship with Christ and to be real representations of His love to others.

When I Think of Research....

This course has helped me to realize that research is exactly what I thought it was- a lot of work. However my attitude toward it previous to taking this course and becoming knowledgeable about it was a negative one. I was not willing to do the work before because I was not sure if it was all necessary. Now I know that every part of the research design is necessary and deliberate in producing a quality project and I willfully take on the challenge of doing the work.

Speaking of being deliberate in the research process includes the planning, designing, and conducting of it- which are all equally tedious and potentially difficult. One has to plan for as many outcomes as possible and design a study in such a way that it respects the field, the children, the educators, and the researcher while proving, uncovering, supporting, or informing others of the topic.

Some of the challenges I encountered were designing a way to conduct my research. I had trouble gaining permission to use some methods such as interviewing, and had to change up my method of data collection a few times. I also foresee problems in analyzing the data because I do not want it to be tainted with my views. Having other researchers look into analyzing my data will be a great solution to this problem.

I have grown to respect EC professionals, including myself, as researchers. As mentioned before I did not think there was much to it before this class. Knowing now that I hold the tools and the power to be a legitimate researcher, I feel like I have more to contribute to the field of EC.

International Research

 I explored the Early Childhood Development Virtual University- Sub-Sahara Africa websites and found great information. One thing that impressed me was the incredible process outlined by the University to become a EC professional. First, a degree, then a nomination based on the personal commitment to children and EC development from a respected EC professional team. This process suggests that being a EC professional is a respected and highly revered position in the country- something that is lost or just hasn’t quite caught on here in the states. Also here in the U.S., anyone who wants to be in the EC field can, there is no competitive process and no requirement to show and prove your commitment to children.

Some of the research that is currently going on by EC professional students at the University includes projects of:

·         measuring the quality of child services

·         “Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in EC Training and Services”

·         using cultural stories to promote EC programs

·         training parents to improve childcare quality

·         including fathers in EC and development of their children

As I read more about the university program I thought it was very beneficial for the students in it that as a part of their educational program they are required to develop an EC curriculum. Also looking over the research, I think it is very interesting and smart to integrate the country’s culture into the curriculum. Using stories and ancient proverbs to shape their people has been used for centuries and bringing that into the EC curriculum and care shows they want to instill a good character and moral decision making in their children- not to mention an overwhelming pride to be who they are.

The Perfect Research

If I could do one research project, unrestricted, that would hopefully positively contribute to the well being of children and families, it would be to research the impact parents, teachers, and communities (doctors, politicians, economists, board of education, etc.) have on children and their development around the globe and in every level of SES.

 All facets of and positions in the community would be involved in learning about early childhood development and the part they can play in promoting that healthy development. Society as a whole would learn and accept the impact they have and importance of their involvement in the education of children, one community at a time. We would also learn and accept that SES has everything to do with the quality and level of education children receive and make moves to change that and make education free to all children, no matter their status.
In a perfect world, this may be possible, but for now, we shall continue making steps in the direction toward raising awareness.

My Personal Research Journey

 

My chosen topic for the simulation this week was finding out the effects of trauma, specifically PTSD, in preschoolers. I have found many articles on trauma and stress on infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, but none specifically about PTSD in preschoolers. I will continue my search , but if not successful in finding something useful, I will concentrate on another one of my subtopics. I personally found it difficult to write my own literature reviews because I tend to be long-winded when I write. So condensing was a challenge. Filling out the research chart helped me to delve into what the terms really mean and think abut what approach I want to Anyone have any suggestions, advice, or insight that could help me with this process? It will be greatly appreciated!

Benefits of learning about the International EC field

 

1. Studying international websites has opened my eyes to the vastness of the EC field and it is very interesting to know what other professionals are doing.
2. Professionally, it encourages me when I see the amazing influence EC professionals have when they speak up and reach out.
3. Professionally, it is wonderful to know that the purpose of EC is the same all around the world and that is to celebrate learning and development from birth and foster it by providing enriching environments and by educating parents and other professionals in a communal effort to raise healthy generations of children admist lack, poverty, disease, and communism.

I think one goal for the EC field as a whole, internationally and locally, would be to keep the focus on children and what they need and for professionals to stay updated on current research in the field and in professional development so they can be the best for themselves, their children, families and their colleagues.

Researching the UNESCO site

As I perused the United Nations Educational, Scientific, & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) website I found a few aspects of their organization that matched up loosely with my professional goals as an early childhood professional.
My Goal: To continue to develop professionally so I can be a better educator
UNESCO: Provides continuous trainings for their early childhood personnel worldwide so they can further their professional development and keep up with the newest findings so they can provide the best for the children they service
My Goal: To inspire societal change in the way early childhood is viewed
UNESCO: Encourages and implements global change in the view of early childhood by outlining the differences in primary care and pre-primary care. They also make known that learning begins at birth not when a child begins formal schooling
My Goal: To advocate for military children and families and educate adults (parents, EC professionals) about child development
UNESCO: In addition to providing updated professional development for their personnel, they also provide parental education in every area of the world they service

Sharing Web Resources

1.In my exploration of the Zero to Three early childhood website I followed some of the outside links. These links included:

·         NTI (National Training Institute)-professional development available for all in the early childhood field in the form of a large conference held annually. In this conference, professionals may pick and choose which courses they would like to partake in.

·         MIECHV TACC (Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting/ Technical Assistance Coordinating)- These programs provide support to grantees implementing the home visiting program. They provide experience and expertise in achieving high quality program implementation, creating integrated service systems, and improving program outcomes.

·         Early Head Start- this link provides information about the early head start programs. It includes the latest news and highlights, resource spotlights, web resources, and ways to stay connected.

2.On the MIECHV page I learned about how support is provided to programs to help make them better programs. This support comes in the way of facilitating connections with technical experts, identifying best practices through webinars, phone correspondence, email, interactive website portal, and individual site visits.

3.The Zero to Three May e-newsletter focused on parenting skills. It included articles that covered how to prevent biting and how to make sure the mental health of your child is good. It did not include any outside links other than the link to the Zero to Three website.

4.The website included information that added to my understanding of equity and excellence in ECE when I learned about the DOHVE (Design Options for Home Visiting Evaluation) program. This program works with the TACC program to help grantees under the MIECHV program on strengthening their evaluations of promising programs, developing and adapting data systems to facilitate tracking and reporting on federal benchmarks, and implementing quality improvement systems.

5.Something new from the Zero to Three website that I found interesting was the 2013 Federal Policy Agenda for the Administration and 113^th Congress. The past two courses in my program have mentioned the importance of policy and I have become interested in what the current policies are in my area. This was new information to me as the policy contends that school readiness starts at birth and so should early childhood policy.

Reference: Zero to Three www.zerotothree.org

Global Initiatives are Changing the World- one child at a time.
Looking over Harvard University's Global Children's Initiative Site (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/) is proof of the fact in the title of this post. It is amazing to learn of all the things that are being done around the globe to educate people about early childhood development. For example, in sub- Saharan Africa, the Zambian Early Childhood Development Project (ZECDP) is working to address the knowledge gap that exists, and to measure the effects of an anti-malaria initiative by working together with a group of organizations to provide the ZamCAT, a comprehensive instrument for assessing the children's physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development before and throughout their schooling. The hope is that an assessment tool of this type will deepen the knowledge and understanding of child development.
In Brazil, a program called Nucelo Ciencia Pela Infancia was launched with the intentions of using the science of child health and development to foster strong policies and solicit more funding for young children and their families.
The Global Children's Initiative as a whole has been major in getting these programs, and many others, up and running. They are in-part responsible for the interest in child development that has taken place globally. As far as equity and excellence are concerned, in Brazil, educational videos about child development and the science of the brain have been translated and adapted in Portuguese and politicians, policymakers, public managers, civil-society leaders get together for training courses on early childhood development. This shows great future promise for their children as the community gets together to lead.
Also, the Global Children's Initiative uses the Global EC Research Fund to assess the quality in early childhood programs globally, and pilot assessments like the ZamCAT to measure child development outcomes, monitoring improvements on the effectiveness of interventions in Chile, and considering and exploring the impact of war on youth in Sierra Leone.
This is a great organization and I am eager to be a part of it in any way I can.

 Sharing Web Resources

Professional Development/ New Insights

The Zero to Three website is stock full of information about early childhood development and care. One area that stuck out to me and is very pertinent to my professional development is their Military Family Program. Featured there is the Coming Together Around Military Families training  series that is utilized on military installations all over the world. There is also insightful literature designed to support a young child whose parent/ caregiver has been injured physically or emotionally while on deployment. This book is titled Sparrow (little bird's dad goes away for a while and comes back injured and cannot fly with little bird like they used to all the time, but little sparrow learns that just because dad cannot do the things he used to do it does not mean he does not love him just the same and even more) and it addresses the issues a child might face when a parent returns home from a deployment. The book is available in two versions (Poppa and Momma).

In light of a recent deployment that just took place before school let out and will continue to take place when school is back in session, I feel it is important for me to review the resources available to me as a teacher of military children so I can do the best I can at providing a safe and understanding environment in my classroom.
Support?
It is very evident through the website that neuroscientists support early childhood through their journals and articles. There is a plethora of information available about the brain development of young children.
Other New Insights
I learned more about policies and how they are formed , and how I can better advocate for early childhood policy in my local area in the Public Policy section on the website.

Childhood Poverty in China

 





I explored the childhood poverty site www.childhoodpoverty.org and selected the country overview tab. Featured there were different countries and how poverty is affecting their children and families. I chose to focus on the country of China.

*4.2 million Chinese children live in poverty
*8.7 million Chinese children live in what they call, disadvantaged conditions
*Health (insurance) and education (school expenses) reforms are reducing the ability of poor families to utilize health for their families and education for their children.
*China has made tremendous strides in combatting poverty by making changes in economic growth (globalizing the market). However, this only benefitted people in Eastern China and poverty rates in Western China increased.
*The national poverty line in China ($1.83 a day) is low by international standards so more people live close to poverty.

Sharing Web Resources

I found a website that encompasses all issues and trends in early childhood as it pertains to children from birth to age three. The name of the site is Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, toddlers, and Families and the link is www.zerotothree.org.
This is a "national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers" (Zero to Three, 2013).

They now have an active blog to which they post periodically and the latest one that caught my attention was titled "The Sequesters Pain: Air Travelers get Relief, Kids not so much". This blog posted on April 26, explores the swift decision congress made to find money to pay aviation employees so the flight delays would decrease and wait time for travelers wouldn't be so severe. This change in the sequester only came when the members of congress tried to come back home from their long vacations they took and found out how impossible it was to travel when there are not enough employees there to do the necessary jobs. Unlike the aviation employees getting their jobs back, the families that count on federal assistance are in need of homes, and their young children are being dropped off Early Head Start and Head Start rosters. The sequester has effected children everywhere. The following passage is from the blog:
"Passengers who must wait a few hours on the tarmac might miss a meeting or a connection to another city. But young children shut out of early childhood programs miss out on the positive early learning experiences that help their brains make critical developmental connections, putting them on the path to success in school and in life. And while those passengers may shift uncomfortably in cramped seats, families who lose rental assistance may find themselves living for months in cramped quarters, or even becoming homeless" (Baby Policy Blog, Zero to Three, 2013).
This hit home for me simply because I am a government teacher and am now going to be furloughed. Although this will effect my personal life greatly, the kids are the ones who have to pay because it is their education that is being screwed with. And it concerns me to think whether our future generations of children will care anything about our world and sustaining it when the people in charge clearly have shown they don't care about them.

Establishing Professional Contacts...around the world
In the process of establishing global contacts I found that quite a few of the contacts I tried to get in touch with were no longer available. I also found that some of the websites for the organizations had not been updated for a few years. I did send out messages successfully to Canada, Singapore, and Africa. Other messages I sent out were returned to me undeliverable. So I wait excitedly to hear back from these countries as I am interested in how early childhood is where they are.

I chose the Zero to Three Organization after perusing their website. What drew me to them was the scientific and medical side of their research as it pertains to early childhood and young children. Their site was also very easy to navigate and contained specific information and opportunities for educators and parents alike. I also subscribed to their monthly newsletter. I look forward to learning even more about the biological aspect of how children learn and develop.

My Supports

 

My everyday supports:

-glasses/contacts

I use these daily to see correctly. If I did not have them I would not be able to drive, read, cook, clean my house, work in my garden, or teach effectively.

-planner

I use this planner to write down everything! All of my appointments, practices, lesson plans, important information, directions to places, etc. I know that cell phones can do all of those things but I like the support of my planner. I have often said that if I ever lost it- I would be lost!

-my Mom and Dad

These two are daily supports for me. I talk to them everyday and see them most everyday. They are my personal cheering section. It is really neat now because at this time of my life I am able to give back to them all they have deposited in me over the years. Without their support I would probably be depressed and unproductive.

-my best friend

She is also an educator and we are able to share with each other and vent to each other. She is someone who knows everything about me and she still chooses to love me anyway. We currently are roomates and it has been neat to have someone there to cook dinner or to watch movies with. Also, recently I had major surgery, so she has been a trmemndous help in doing certain things for me until I get my strength back. Without her, I would probably be depressed and have a lot of pent up frustration.

 

I imagine for me it would be really difficult to have some kind of language challenge. As a military child I have lived in lots of different countries and amongst different languages. I know how I felt coming into a country where English was not the prominent language outside of the military establishment. It was scary, confusing, and not fun. If I could not speak English, I would need a personal translator with me at all times, visual aids, and it would help to have all signs and textbooks to be in my language and in English simultaneously. If these things were not available, I would feel like I did when I was living in a foreign country before- scared, confused, and not enjoying the new country I lived in.







My Connections to Play

 

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning…They have to play with what they know to be true in order to find out more, and then they can use what they learn in new forms of play.” ~ Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood)

 

“For a small child there is no division between playing and learning; between the things he or she does ‘just for fun’ and things that are ‘educational.’ The child learns while living and any part of living that is enjoyable is also play. ~ Penelope Leach (psychologist and author)

 

I loved to watch Mr. Rogers. I mean, really loved. I played with Barbies only because I loved to dress them up in pretty outfits. my mom would sew Barbie clothes for me with material she had left over from the pillows and dresses she would make. So naturally that fed into my insatiable desire for fashion now... My mom and I would go on an outing every other Saturday- yard sale-ing! I found an old medium size chalkboardat a yard sale and my mom bought it for me. I would gather all my papers (usually brochures I picked up at the bank or grocery store, etc) and line up my stuffed animals and teach them with my chalk board and dollar general chalk. Other than going outside to play- this is what I did. I would play fort with my brothers with the couches, sheets, blankets, and flashlights.

 

 

 

Growing up my mom and dad would support my play by joining in with me. I would teach them like they were students and give them tests and grades. Other times, they would leave me to myself and my brothers to play out in the yard, where we usually played a game in which I was the boss. I loved to play and pretend with my brothers. They would get thier action figures and I would get my barabies and we would play together. I would mix dirt and sand and all kinds of earthly objects into a pot and feed them "stew" like my mom did. The list goes on of all the fun things I did as a kid that came natural to me.

Play today is as important to kids development as it was when I was growing up. The difference is the type of play has changed from a more physical and interactive play to a more sedentary play with computers and video games that do a lot of thinking for you. My hope for youth of today is that they would discover the joy of companionship with a best friend, even if that best friend changes every week. And discover outside more and explore again, using their imagination as it comes to them and not as it is portrayed for them on a screen.

 

 

Play, in my life, was the way I learned. I learned how to socialize and build realtionships. I learned how not to act as well. I learned that I can't always win or be the boss, and to be okay with that. As an adult, I have learned to take life in stride, to relax more and also to look at children and know that they deserve the opportunities and more, that I had growing up. I also can use my experience with play to help create activities to help my students to use their imagination and develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.



 

 

 



Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because they help to make me the person I am. Having people around you that share a common ground and support you when needed, only helps you to be stronger. I currently have close relationships with my Mom and Dad and a few friends that I consider family. These relationships are positive in the ways that we all respect each other for who we are, we trust that we each have the best interest of the other in mind, and we encourage and offer support always in anything we set out to do. Developing these relationships was easy because we are all open and loving people. Maintaining  them took some work. You have to be intentional when in a relationship. It is never safe to assume anything.   

 Commuincation from all sides is important. Face to face conversations and speding time together are the ways in which these relationships have become what they are today. Aside from growing up in my parents home, I have developed a realtionship with them as an adult. Everyone is not perfect, so trust does get broken at times and things get said that should not, but that is where the relationship part comes in. Is it stronger than the hurt you feel? Could it ever go back to the way it was. Sure. Forgiveness. One key to all of my relationships is the need for constant grace. Like I said, people mess up. Who am I to shun them when they do?

Some of the special characteristics that exist in these relationships that make them a bit more like partnerships are that we believe the best about each other in every situation instead of assuming the worst. We give encoragement always and opinion when asked, and most of all we are for each other.

Having close relationships in my life, I feel have prepared me for being able to communicate with other people without feeling embarassed about what they might think about me or what not. This is a great tool for me to have as an early childhood educator because I can recognize the need for relationship among the families of my students. I am open to the families and very willing to learn about who they are and support them for that.Having these strong relationships in my life have also preapred me to look for the best in every family that I come across.

Quotes about Children

"If we are to teach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall begin with the children." -Mohandes Ghandi, poltical and spiritual leader in India

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." -Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa

"Every child you encounter is a divine appointment." -Wess Stafford, President, Compassion International

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see." -John W. Whitehead, founder, Rutherford Institute

 

Testing for Intelligence?

As an educator, I have commited myself to looking at "the whole child" and not just one aspect of the child in education. I consider the home environment and social, emotional, and mental aspects of the child in addition to and possibly as indicators of their success, or lack thereof, in school. I am not an advocate of testing children for intelligence unless it is something the parents desire for their child. I witness my preschoolers and kindergartners suffering because of requirements we have put on them to learn and show their learning through standardized testing. This goes against their natural development. I know that it is not standard for preschoolers and kindergarteners to take standardized tests but they do- in the form of local school assessments given at the beginning, middle, and end of the year towards a school improvement goal. They are graded on a rubric that the rest of the school (1st-3rd) uses. It sets them up. As far as testing in the elementary grades period- I don't agree with it. There are curriculums with worksheet after worksheet after worksheet given to the student and then at the end of a unit- an 8-14 page multiple choice unit test! The stresses of it on students, not to mention teachers to cram information down the students throat that they "should" know from previous grades, and for students to recall it all at a moments notice is not realistic. Then to measure the effectiveness of teachers based on the test scores? Ridiculous. I believe that in order to test a child's knowledge of a concept, alternative forms of assessment should be allowed, like book reports, or powerpoint presentations, or an artistic expression, etc. The pressure is too much surrounding standardized tests like Terra Nova for a third grader. 

I lived in South Korea for three years during my high school career and had it not been for the exceptional, supportive teachers and family I had- I would have had a hard time coping with the stress of my AP classes. I went to the military school however. Korean children experience something in school that makes my little nervousness about tests look like small potatoes. I did have the opportunity to visit many public schools through playing sports but I never got to experience how school was for them. I knew it was a serious thing as I walked through the market on Saturday and saw bus loads of children and students in uniform with bookbags walking to and fro. I learned that education is very important and college is even more important. Many Korean children attend public school as well as private school in order to get the skills necessary to score high on an entrance exam. "Higher education is a top priority for many Korean families and the percentage of university graduates is among the highest of any country in the world" (Cramming in Korea, 2011, p.19).  Many Korean children are in expensive private education with 88% of those being in elelmentary. These private establishments are referred to as "cram-schools", where students study and cram information pertinent to scoring high on tests. High test scores are desired and many parents send their children, elementary and high school alike, to study abroad- a very expensive feat which is one of the reasons for the low birth rate in South Korea. "Much of this exodus is driven by parents' desire to have their children become fluent in English, a highly prized ability in a country well aware of its need to compete in a globalized economy. But some seek to free their children of the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the Korean education system with its overwhelming emphasis on acing standardized, multiple choice tests" (Cramming in Korea, 2011, p.20).

If we differentiate instruction and tailor education to each student's needs so they can acheive success on their level, how can we expect them to do well on a standardized test that is just that- standard. We do not teach standard children. These tests do not include tailoring or differentiation. All students take the same test and are scored the same way. The idea and practice of standardized tests contradicts what we are encouraged to do inside the classroom. I understand we want all children to be successful, but when they get out into the real world- no one is going to make concessions for them. So are we setting them up for failure? Are we providing and allowing students to get accustomed to unrealistic expectations of assistance? People (society) will not go out of their way to make accommodations and modifications just so someone can feel successful.

Resources:
South Korean Education http://site.google.com/site/southkoreaneducation/
Branigan, W. ( 2011). Cramming in Korea. Development Asia (April- June p.19-23). Retrieved February 11,2013 from www.developmentasia.com

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development
The stress of a two year old boy that shaped his life forever

 That two year old boy had a mom and a dad who were never married and chose not to be together anymore. He lived with his mom in New York and his dad lived somewhere else. Both of his parents decided they needed to do something with him, as his mother couldn't afford to take care of him and his father didn't want to. So they decided that they would send him to Georgia to live with his father's adoptive parents, his grandparents, from whom his father had run away from because they had abused him. He was well aware of the environment in which he was sending his son into. So they put this two year old boy on a train by himself with his bag and sent him to Georgia. The pullman porter looked after him on the train until they arrived at his destination. Two men greeted the boy at the station, his Grand dad, whom he grew up to know as Dad, and a man named Red. He remembers going with them and them saying he had to go to the doctor. He remembers them putting him up on a metal table and struggling to get down. He heard them saying, "you've got to hold him down." and "he's strong." He remembers a doctor coming at him with what looked like a big long rounded syringe, then he felt pain. Twenty years later, this boy, now a man, asked his Grand dad about that day. His Grand dad was surprised the boy even remembered it. Grand dad explained that when they got him off the train the pullman porter told them that he could not go to the bathroom and his stomach was hurting. So they took him to the doctor for an enima.
To this day this little boy, now a man, is afraid to go the doctor. He will treat himself rather than risk going into the doctor's office. This boy, now a man, does not easily trust anyone. This happened in 1961, and the little boy is my father. The years of fear and abuse my father endured were nothing short of horrendous and as my father explained, he never dealt with it until he came to know Jesus Christ. A healing process had to take place of forgiving those who wronged you and telling them so- even if they never acknowledged the wrong they did. Growing up my father had a issue with trust and with self-esteem stemming from many more things that happened in his childhood. But the stress and trauma of being two and sent on a train by himself to an unknown place in unknown company and the stress of being held down against your will and  then feeling pain, was severe enough for him to remember even at the age of two.

Children in Sri Lanka, affected by war, violence, and abuse coupled with the recent natural disaster (Asian tsunami) has resulted in predictors of PTSD in children. This website shows evidence of the effects of cumulative stress on children's mental health with an article titled Family violence, war, and natural disasters: A study of the effect of extreme stress on children's mental health in Sri Lanka  http://www.biomedcentral.com
My best friend recently went on a mission trip to Sri Lanka. At the time she arrived the 25 year (1983-2009) civil war had only been declared over for about two years. There were armed guards walking around all over the place and it was scary and intimidating. She went with a medical team from Hand of Hope Mission to bring medical and dental care to the families of Sri Lanka. The children were malnutritioned and diseased, they had no clean water to drink and no access to healthcare or school. The families they helped lived in high rise buildings issued by the government with one room apartments. Down the middle of the building was a huge trash chute where all the trash went, but that is where it stayed. There were flies in the homes and the stench was tremendous. Disease was rampant. Most of the families and children beginning at age one or two worked in brick making plants to make a very small paycheck. The most alarming thing to my friend, who is also an early childhood educator, was that no one smiled- not even the children. And when she smiled at them they looked at her with the most puzzling look as if they had never seen a smile before. Maybe they hadn't.

Public Health: Immunizations
The public health topic of immunizations has always concerned me. Immunizations are important and have saved millions of infant lives since becoming a priority in the U.S.   In the military it is mandatory for the service member and his family to be current on all immunizations. I still have my shot record from birth. I remember growing up, I earned money as a babysitter for years. One family had a baby and they wanted me to watch him for them. They did inform me that the baby was not vaccinated and my mom said it would not be a good idea for me to watch him for both of our safety. This year and previous years I have had multiple students whose parents choose not to immunize them. The military issues a pardon for religious beliefs. I am always leery of these children because it never fails- they are always sick. Nasty thick green stuff coming out of their noses and hollow sunken eyes. It worries me. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do about it. Maybe I am over reacting but I feel that if you are going to come to school, you should be immunized, as we all know that a classroom can be a cess pool of germs.

Other countries do not have the priviledge that we have to get vaccines to protect ourselves and our families. However, according to the World Health Organzation (WHO) , China has adopted their Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) which includes vaccines for six major diseases. Ninety perent of children receive EPI vaccines. China has expanded the EPI to include six more diseases. The Chinese government passed a law in 2005 for all vaccines to be given for free, but the challenge has been in making sure that township and village doctors get properly paid for administering the vaccines.

Knowing the importance of immunizations has made me a little paranoid as far as my classrom is concerned. I will change my practice in the future to include a plan to be intentional about keeping a clean and disinfected classroom. I will use this information in furthering my research on this topic of immunzations and the effects it has on not only children, but families, and communties.

I forgot to list my source for the information I gained on Cambodian births:
EthnoMed
http://ethnomed.org/clinical/pediatrics/cambodian-postpartum-practices

My Birthing Experience (as told to me by Mom)

• My parents had gone to Lamaze classes and read books in preparation for my arrival.
• My mom describes it as a normal pregnancy, no complications, but rapid weight gain, as she found out at 2 months.
• Sonogram showed I was a boy.
• Her contractions began, water never broke, Dad rushed her to the hospital
• Doc broke her water with what she describedas "a crochet hook looking thing", and contractions came faster and harder, she was breathing like she remembered from Lamaze class
• No epidural, episiotomy, 4 hours of labor
• Big push, I crowned, Dad turned away when he saw head full of hair and went to a ssist my mother with breathing
• Mom says "It felt like I was ripping in half."
• I came out eyes wide open and sucking my fist- and a girl. 7lbs 8oz.
• The nurses took me to do testing and Dad followed because he thought they were taking me away (Mom forgot to tell him about the testing and the toe-pricking which resulted in him getting mad at the nurses for hurting me when I screamed out in tears)
• Mom breastfed me with no problem, said "I was greedy" and I ate every two hours
• The hospital served a "Mother- Father" celebatory dinner for new parents
• Mom stayed in hospital with me for three days

I chose this example because I wanted to interview my mom and it was fun to hear her relive it and tell me in her own words. Since 1983, hospital policies have changed tremendously and having babies seems more like a factory process, in-out-ship home. My mom, having had three children, said that each time was a different experience in the hospitals becasue of changing rules.  Not having had any children of my own, I feel that the birthing experience, whether positive or negative, could have a on effect on the baby coming into the world. I was born with no complications into a loving and peaceful environment with parents who welcomed me and nurses who took care of me. This may not be the case for others. I believe culture (belief systems, family values, etc) has an effect on development no matter where you are from. Take a look at the possible birthing experience of a Cambodian baby...

Cambodian Birthing Experience (based on cultural practices)

• No hospital (too expensive and wrong social status)
• Traditional Birthing Attendants (midwives) assist the mother in the home becausetheir service is cheap and they are locally available.
• Baby is born and given to someone else to breast feed and care for it for the first full month while the mother undergoes the postpartum traditional practice of healing called Sor Sai Karchey
• Cambodians hold the belief that a woman's body is cold after giving birth so she undergoes a heating process to heat up the body and prevent further cooling or deterioration.
•  For one month after birth the mother will lie on a bamboo bed with a constant fire underneath, no bathing during this time.
• This process known as "roasting" is believed to prevent illness.
• The mother is told to sit on a heated rock every morning for three weeks after giving birth to prevent the uterus from coming out. it is also common to place a heated rock on the abdomen to make the uterus shrink and prevent sagging of the abdomen later.
• Steaming is also recommended for removing impurities in the mothers body. (like sitting in a sauna)
• the mother is to eat only spicy foods.

This is very different from my birthing experience. A lot of cultural beliefs are included in the birth of this Cambodian baby, which are said to help the mother heal after giving birth. Midwives are the main source for delivering babies in the home. In the U.S. we can choose to have a midwife help deliver in our homes, in the hospital, or in a birthing center. The differences are vast but the one similarity I feel is that no matter how different the practices, cultures, traditions, are- each feels they are doing what is best for the mother and child based on years and years of practice.