Thanks for Everything!

     "While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about."

This is one of my favorite quotes about children. I think that sometimes adults take life to seriously and sometimes just by watching children and interacting with them we can learn how to be carefree again.

I enjoyed reading all of the blog post this semester and really appreciate the feedback I have got from my own posts. I look forward to seeing more from you guys in future courses! Take Care and Happy Holidays!

Viewing young children hilistically...

Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically (i.e., a commitment to “the whole child”), what, if anything, do you believe should be measured or assessed?

Every child is different, which means that we all learn differently as well and have areas that we are more and less successful in.  In the US the educational system tests children from grade school on using one-dimensional standardized tests. I personally hate standardized test and for someone like me they did not show how intelligent I was in school, instead they made me nervous to the point where I would freeze and forget everything I studied. How are these test beneficial to someone who is nervous about the pressure of taking a test that can effect their education for life. Because these tests are so prevalent in American schools  teachers are now forced to teach for these tests, they have guidelines and deadlines to complete certain subjects and have to move a long fast to teach all of this information in time for the exam. This is not fair for the teacher or the class.  In many areas, especially New York where I am from,  increased test scores have become the most important factor of school improvement. In turn administrators an teachers are under a lot of pressure to make sure that test scores go up. Which means that certain thing need to be cut and children are simple learning what is covered on the test.

My sister-in-law works in an urban elementary school in Schenectady NY, she teaches 5th grade. I decided to ask her about standardized testing and see how she felt about theses test,  testing the whole child. She basically told me that she has children in her 5th grade class that simply can't keep up, she says that she prepares her children for months at a time for these tests. She has children in her class that read on a 2nd grade level, and children who do not use English as there primary language.  She thinks that it would make a big different if a child was read the test, or the question was presented differently to them. Some children learn better that way. Just because John is at a second grade reading level doesn't mean that he is not smart or wouldn't understand the question if it was read to him.   She also blames these tests for why she has so many students that can't "catch up".  Because they are constantly being trained to take these tests and simply not learning anything of concrete value. She says a lot of teachers, teach using old tests and the children memorize information instead of learning it, how is this benifically to the child in the long run?

CHINA

Academics in China are completely different then in American, they score higher on tests, and on paper they are more intelligent then American students. The United States testing system seems like a joke compared to China, we are more relaxed and less disciplined then china.  In the east testing is a part of the learning system, children have to pass rigorous tests, and the students themselves take testing seriously. They out score American students in tests which is leading our nation to ask many question. Why are American students falling so much behind their Asian peers? Questions like these are what is making the United States education system increase their testing and copy some methods used in the East. Testing in the United States are becoming more frequent and important then they were when I was in grade school.  Where is the creative thinking in China and other eastern nations. Creative thinking is taken out of the equation and children in the East are thinking on a more concert level. Do we want to take this away from our children in American. This is the advantage that the United States has over nations like China, but if we keep cutting funding to these programs, are children are just going to end up as robots, all thinking a like.

http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=5264

We weren't rich...

We never had a lot of money growing up,  now I am not saying that my family was poor but money defiantly played a role in how stressed I was as a young child. My mother and father had to grow up fast, at the age of 16 my mom gave birth to her first child, by 23 my mom had three children. I am 23 now and cannot image having one child  to take care of, let alone three. I give my mother and father a lot of credit for keeping us clothed and feed. I guess my stress came from the fact that we could not get the latest and greatest things, and this never really effected me till I was in elementary school. Once I was in elementary school things started to get different, we weren't kids anymore, your friends cared if you were wearing name brand clothes and shoes. My parents could not afford to shop at all of the name brand stores, and a lot of times I wore my cousins hand me downs. It was difficult going to school back then and feeling like I didn't fit in. Now it seems so dumb, the fact that I cared so much about what my peers thought about my clothes is just ridiculous. I think about it now, it's just clothes why did I care so much, and the only way I can explain it is the fact that others made me care so much about my appearance. Maybe this is why today I am obsessed with my appearance and clothes.  I just hope that my children have more confidence then I did and realize that clothes are just material things and they do not make you who you are.

Sudden infant death

Sudden infant death syndrome is a topic that I have always been interested in, because I feel like it can be preventable. The rate of SIDS  in the United States has gone down a ton in the last decade, but there are still incidents occurring. Nearly 2,500 babies die a year from SIDS in just the United States.  I think that if parents were informed more about the how to reduce the risk of SIDS there would be even fewer cases of SIDS. One of the most important things  a parent should know is never let a baby go to sleep on it's belly. This is something that every parent should know. It would kill me to hear parents tell me at the my job that they put their baby to bed on their bellies. I would always tell parents to never put their babies on their bellies until they were able to roll over because this increases the child's risk of SIDS. Some other things that can reduce a child's risk for SIDS is, do not let the child have a blanket until they are able to pull it away from their face, do not use bumpers in a child's crib, not smoking, and also using a pacifier. I think awareness is the most important factor here, the more people know about the matter the better the outcome will be.


http://www.sids.org/nprevent.htm

I decided to research Africa and see how they were different culturally from the United States on this topic. In Africa they believe that SIDS is caused by a curse on the mother. They also believe that the baby comes back to haunt the family. I found a organization called Kabissa that is dedicated to raise awareness about SIDS and prove that it is due to real causes not a myth. I really found this to be interesting, because in Africa the rate of SIDS is higher than the United State, if people just knew how to prevent it there then they could significantly lower the rate of SIDS. 

http://www.kabissa.org/civiorg/106

Births around the world

I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the Chinese birthing process. China is very different from the United States and how they view birth is different as well. The Chinese birthing process is based on tradition, myths and customs. The Chinese believe that the a pregnant women should do certain things to ensure that the baby will be born properly. Chinese pregnant women should not go to funerals, eat certain foods, or loose their tempers, because these things may have a negative impact on the baby. One similarity that I found in the Chinese Birthing process and in my sister-n-laws was reading positive stories before bed to the unborn baby. My sister-in-law would often read stories to Eli before he was born. Overall I think that every individuals whether from  the U.S.A, China, or any other region have their own beliefs and superstitions about the birthing process, but in the end they all want the same results, a healthy, happy child.



http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/labor_birth/birthing_traditions/article/childbirth-traditions-china

Birth of Eli

I want to share with everyone the birth of my nephew Eli. I am very close to my sister-in-law she is like my big sister. Her and my brother have been together since I was 11 so we have seen each other grow up. They fell in love at 16, married each other young and were prepared to start a family of their own. Well I guess that is easier said then done. They tried for a while and she couldn't get pregnant, so she decided to go to the doctor and see if it was her. She found out that she had a condition that would make it difficult for her to have a baby. They told her pregnancy was possible but, it could take years for them to get pregnant. Soon after she found out her condition she search different therapy's that could increase her chances of getting pregnant. Her Grandmother suggested going to see a chiropractor. So she did and with in a few months of seeing a chiropractor she got pregnant. My whole family was so excited. This baby meant a lot to the family, because he is the first Grandchild and great Grandchild, and also because my sister-in-law was finally going to be a Mother. She wanted to be a mother so badly. Her Mother died of breast cancer when she was 9 so she always wanted her own family.  The pregnancy took its course and in the last 2 months she was put on bed rest with preeclampsia. Her blood pressure was extremely high when she moved around so she could barely do anything. And her feet were also the size of balloons! The doctors finally decided to induce her a few weeks before her due date. Literally my whole entire Italian family took up the waiting room of the hospital for days. She was induced on early Friday and by Saturday night she started to push. She pushed and pushed for what seemed like forever! After pushing for a good while they realized that the baby was stuck in the birth canal and the couldn't budge him any further. This is when they decided to do an emergency c-section. When they cut her open they saw the umbilical cord stuck around the babies neck 3 times around. If they didn't get him out then who knows what would of happened. Finally we were allowed to see little Elijah David. The hospital doors bust open and about 20 of us rushed him. He was beautiful. Perfect. I fell in love instantly. My brother was crying, I was crying, heck everyone was crying. In that instant our lives were all changed. And now almost a year later I am still in love with this boy! I am one proud Aunt, and I realized just how amazing the life truly is.

NAEYC
Principles
P-1.1—Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall
not participate in practices that are emotionally
damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading,
dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to
children. This principle has precedence over all
others in this Code.

I liked this principle because I think that when people think of harming a child they think of physical abuse, which is something that is easy to spot in a childcare setting. But what isn't as easy to spot is mental abuse. It is important as early childhood professionals that we do everything we can to encourage and foster growth and development in a child, not harm it. And in the heat of a frustrating moment a teacher might say or do something that is damaging to a child. 

NAEYC
Ethical Responsibilities to Families
Families* are of primary importance in children’s
development. Because the family and the early childhood
practitioner have a common interest in the child’s
well-being, we acknowledge a primary responsibility to
bring about communication, cooperation, and collaboration
between the home and early childhood program
in ways that enhance the child’s development

having a good relationship with families is very important. I always like to have good communication with a family, and to make sure we are both on the same page about what we want for that child.

DEC

RESPONSIVE FAMILY CENTERED PRACTICES ensure that families receive individualized, meaningful, and
relevant services responsive to their beliefs, values, customs, languages, and culture. We are committed to
enhancing the quality of children’s and families’ lives by promoting family well-being and participation in typical
life activities. The early childhood special education professional will demonstrate respect for all families, taking
into consideration and acknowledging diverse family structures, culture, language, values, and customs.
Finally, families will be given equal voice in all decision making relative to their children. The following practice
guidelines provide a framework for enhancing children’s and families’ quality of lives.


I think this is important because everyone is different, and as early childcare teachers we need to respect every families beliefs. In my center we acknowledge every holiday and belief by learning about holidays form different cultures and children in the class. I think this is a great way for families to get involved as well.

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.dec-sped.org/
 

Resources

Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/53029/CRS-CW-4465393/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~images/pdfs/snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al.  (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title. 

Part 2: Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
   
• Websites:
  • World Forum Foundation
    http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English/about_OMEP/
    Read about OMEP’s mission. 
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/about/
    Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.

Note: Explore the resources in Parts 3 and 4 in preparation for this week’s Application assignment.

Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations

• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
• HighScope
  http://www.highscope.org/
• Children’s Defense Fund
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/
• Center for Child Care Workforce
  http://www.ccw.org/
• Council for Exceptional Children
  http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
  http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
• National Child Care Association
  http://www.nccanet.org/
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  http://nieer.org/
• Pre[K]Now
  http://www.preknow.org/
• Voices for America’s Children
  http://www.voices.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=22807
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/
     

Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library
Tip: Use the A-to-Z e-journal list to search for specific journal titles. (Go to “How Do I...?”, select “Tips for Specific Formats and Resources,” and then “e-journals” to find this search interface.)

• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education

My Resources


http://www.casaforchildren.org/

http://www.earlychildhood.com/

http://www.4children.org/topics/child_care_and_early_care_and_education/


I posted these three websites that relate to early childhood education and advocacy because they are links that I often go to for support.

"We are living in a world, where what we earn is a function of what we learn."








-Bill Clinton

http://www.quotedb.com/categories/education







No Single Ingredient: 2020 Vision for the Early Learning Workforce Early Learning Tour, Denver, Colorado, April 26, 2010 MARCY WHITEBOOK, PH.D. Center for the Study of Child Care Employment University of California at Berkeley 2 These truths about the early care and education workforce are not breaking news. We have known for two decades, since the release of the National Child Care Staffing Study in 1989, that limited education, lack of specialized early childhood training and poor compensation are inextricably linked to the poor to mediocre quality common to the majority of early care and education services across the nation. We have known, almost for that long, that the education level and pay of the workforce play a critical role in whether services can improve.

Rather than dwelling on the problems ---which those of you familiar with my work know that I could easily spend 30 minutes doing--- I want to suggest a framework for a 2020 Vision for the Early Learning Workforce which builds on the new context in which this conversation is taking place and which we can flesh out during our time together today.

This conversation about the workforce is occurring not just during a Presidential Administration which views an improved early learning system as fundamental to educational reform, but also at a time when the latest science overwhelming points to the workforce as central to the Administration’s goal of quality improvement. We now have scientific evidence to support a belief that many of us have held for a long time: that children’s environment of relationships in the first years of their lives shape the architecture of their brains, influencing their abilities long into adulthood.



(Excerpt)

-Marcy Whitebook



http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/denver-whitebook-speech.pdfEarly Learning Tour, Denver, Colorado, April 26, 2010 MARCY WHITEBOOK, PH.D. Center for the Study of Child Care Employment University of California at Berkeley Center for the Study of Child Care Employment University of California at Berkeley 2 These truths about the early care and education workforce are not breaking news. We have known for two decades, since the release of the National Child Care Staffing Study in 1989, that limited education, lack of specialized early childhood training and poor compensation are inextricably linked to the poor to mediocre quality common to the majority of early care and education services across the nation. We have known, almost for that long, that the education level and pay of the workforce play a critical role in whether services can improve.

Rather than dwelling on the problems ---which those of you familiar with my work know that I could easily spend 30 minutes doing--- I want to suggest a framework for a 2020 Vision for the Early Learning Workforce which builds on the new context in which this conversation is taking place and which we can flesh out during our time together today.

This conversation about the workforce is occurring not just during a Presidential Administration which views an improved early learning system as fundamental to educational reform, but also at a time when the latest science overwhelming points to the workforce as central to the Administration’s goal of quality improvement. We now have scientific evidence to support a belief that many of us have held for a long time: that children’s environment of relationships in the first years of their lives shape the architecture of their brains, influencing their abilities long into adulthood.



(Excerpt)

-Marcy Whitebook



http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/denver-whitebook-speech.pdf

Childhood Web

I have a huge Italian family. We love to eat, laugh, and we are extremely loud. I would say my family is pretty close, we love and support each other. My childhood web is made up of a lot of people who have had powerful influences in my life, and are the reason why I went to college and now graduate school.

Mother- My Mom was a very influential person in my life. She is a very strong person who has been through a lot. She is someone I always looked up to.  My Mother has influenced me because she has always pushed me to do better, and encourage me in everything that I have done. She is also very supportive and proud, which makes me happy to know that I have someone cheering me on.

Gram-  My Grandmother is one of my best Friends. She is an amazing women. I look up to my Grandmother because she has had so many hardships to over come but she is still happy, and loves life. My Gram is someone who always made me feel special, we have a great relationship, we like to joke around and laugh. I always make her laugh, and she does the same to me, which makes me feel special. We have a bond like no other. She is there for me no matter what. If I need something she will help me out.  She impacts my life still because she is 80years old and still supports me, enjoys life, and is still at 80 there for me when I need her! I love my Gram.

Father- My Dad.  I was always a daddy's girl. As a kid I looked up to him, everything he did was amazing. He was a chef, so I would love to go to his restaurant and watch him cook, and also eat. I would try anything, and my father loved the fact that we had that in common. He has always been supportive and proud of me in everything I do.  I am the first one in my family to go to college and get a degree and he is very proud of that. I am not a kid anymore and me and my Father have grown apart a little, but one thing that has always brought us together even now, is good food, cooking and wine.

Sara- Sara is my sister-in-law, she has been with my brother since I was 10. I never had a sister, and she has been one to me since the start of their relationship. I look up to her and if it wasn't for her I probably would not have gone to college or landed a job at a daycare. She is also one of my best friends. I talk to her about everything, and she helps me through any  hardship I might have to face. She makes me feel special because she cares and she is there to talk to whenever I need her.

Pop- My Grandfather was a very influential person in my childhood. He was kind of a cold man, he was angry a lot, that was just his personality. But I always had a way with him to make him smile. I love my Grandfather and wish he was still around to see my accomplishments. He was an powerful figure in my life because he was proud of me, he loved the fact that at 15 I had a job, and was independent. He wanted me to be successful and I think he would be very proud if he knew that I was going to school for my masters. He still has an impact on my life because I constantly think about him and strive to do better because I know he would be proud.

My Friend D

I know we are not suppose to have favorites but...sometimes you do. D starting in my classroom about a year ago, he was cute, spunky, and had a head full of bright orange hair. He was a firecracker, quick with the comebacks and he could always make me smile, even on those very hard days. Unfortunately you could not understand a thing he said, he had a speech delay, he could comprehend everything that you said to him, but he could not respond. This was very frustrating for him, and his peers because they could not understand him. I made a point to talk to him at breakfast every morning for a good while and try my best to make out what he was saying to me. He was in my classroom for almost a year, and everyday D learned something new, his speech became a little clearer and I could understand him more.  He was making so much progress and everyone noticed, I was so proud of him. The end of summer was approaching and he did not come to school for a week, I thought maybe he was on vacation. The week turned into months and D never came back. I was so upset.  I still think about him everyday, and hope that he is still making progress.

The Color of Us

This is a new favorite of mine. The Color of Us by Karen Katz is a great book that I just fell in love with after reading it. Karen Katz puts a cute spin on race and ethnicity. I love the fact that my three year olds can understand this story.

Current Photo

<--- This is the most recent photo I have. It was taken a few weeks ago at my house.

20 Years ago

<---- This is a picture of me at age 3. I believe it was Easter :)