When thinking about working with diverse families and children, I want to be able to provide the best services possible to give them the best experiences possible for them.
I would like for all early childhood educators, directors, advocates and policy makers to understand the importance diversity plays on child development and understand how to provide services to diverse populations with these understandings in mind.
I want to thank all my colleagues for your input and comments and also encourage everyone to strive for their goals and continue to grow in your profession. Happy Holidays!!!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Namibia
Namibia is a country located in Southwest Africa that borders the Atlantic Ocean. I will research the background of the country to learn more about their culture, language and their view on child development. I will get some personal background of the family to learn about their family. Meeting with the family to learn from them what they expect from our center. Learn the best ways of communicating with them, explain how our center operates, the mission of our agency, and their goals and expectations for their child while attending our center. Also encourage the family to share their culture and language with other children and families so that they can understand how to be a support for this family as well.
By following these preparations it will give me some insight as to what this family might expect, how to meet their needs and what challenges we may encounter in providing services for them. By letting the family know that we respect them and their culture, have open communication with them and want them to feel encouraged to participate in their child's education this will build a strong connection with the family and other families in the center.
By following these preparations it will give me some insight as to what this family might expect, how to meet their needs and what challenges we may encounter in providing services for them. By letting the family know that we respect them and their culture, have open communication with them and want them to feel encouraged to participate in their child's education this will build a strong connection with the family and other families in the center.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression
The issues that I have faced with biases, have unfortunately come from people with similar social identities as mine. I thought that people would actually be happy to see me promoted to a better position, but it became clear that for many, it became a way to place blame and put things off on. It made me feel very uncomfortable and angry that a person would try to underhandedly go about putting things on me instead of just coming to me and explain how things were supposed to be done or how they needed things done to be effective. I could have respected that more than going behind my back to make themselves look better. My focus was on providing better quality services for the children and families that we serve, and reaching the population we were set up to serve. The other person's focus seemed to be on passing her work on to others and blaming others for issues she should have addressed.
These factors led to my current supervisor asking me to come over permanently to join her team at another site and the woman was later let go from that position. By her trying to justify the unfair ways in which she addressed issues, she was the one who ended up losing her job instead of making me look bad. I think that the way I handled myself and the fact that I had a supervisor who saw and heard what was going on in the background helped make the opportunity better for me.
These factors led to my current supervisor asking me to come over permanently to join her team at another site and the woman was later let go from that position. By her trying to justify the unfair ways in which she addressed issues, she was the one who ended up losing her job instead of making me look bad. I think that the way I handled myself and the fact that I had a supervisor who saw and heard what was going on in the background helped make the opportunity better for me.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Microaggression
One example of microaggression that I remember is when my sister came home from school one day and said that her teacher stated that she was really intelligent for a black girl. My sister was very angry at this statement. I remember hearing her rant and rave about the comment and how backwards and ignorant it was. That was the first incidence that I can remember being exposed to racial undertones. This made me more aware of the people around me. I started to pay more attention to the way people said things and how their words impacted me. I wanted to better understand how people thought about others. I found myself becoming more uncomfortable around certain people than I had been before. In my mind, I connected what the one teacher said to every person of that race. It is something that is hard to get over, especially when you see signs of racial profiling, racial exclusion and stereotyping.
As I watched my family interact and enjoy each other's company this week, it struck me how my family comes together. No matter what we may say about each other, when there is a family event, there are no issues, no arguing, and no problems. This made me wonder where I get my perceptions on race and religion. I try not to stereotype people, but I do stereotype behavior.
As I watched my family interact and enjoy each other's company this week, it struck me how my family comes together. No matter what we may say about each other, when there is a family event, there are no issues, no arguing, and no problems. This made me wonder where I get my perceptions on race and religion. I try not to stereotype people, but I do stereotype behavior.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Culture and Diversity
The individuals I spoke with were very different.
1. My friend a Muslim male from big city born in Trinidad. He defined culture as having refinement, customs, values and morals. He said that culture was a complete way of life. He stated that culture was also how that society elevated a woman and the status that she held.
2. My sister same small town background from southern state. My sister felt that culture was a group of people who have similar experiences, they enjoy the similar things. They could be grouped by life experiences, race, ethnicity, interests etc. She stated that an example would be tech kids. She stated that these children have nothing in common with her. Diversity is being able to see people differently, a mix of different cultures. Realizing the validity of other cultures and existing peacefully with other cultures.
3. My cousin a younger female born in southern state. Culture is more of how we think, feel, and what we believe. Culture is an unspoken common thread that helps to define who she is as a person and where she stands in society. Diversity is the way that other people classify you and your differences. Diversity is a way of dividing cultures into subcultures. It is a way for people to group others in terms they can understand.
When looking at everyone's definitions, it caused me to reflect on how I defined culture and diversity. My views of culture and diversity were expanded and I could see the relevance in everyone's definition. They touched on various aspects of how I viewed culture and diversity and helped me reshape what I felt diversity and culture were. I felt that the definitions covered a range of what is considered diversity and culture by others.
1. My friend a Muslim male from big city born in Trinidad. He defined culture as having refinement, customs, values and morals. He said that culture was a complete way of life. He stated that culture was also how that society elevated a woman and the status that she held.
2. My sister same small town background from southern state. My sister felt that culture was a group of people who have similar experiences, they enjoy the similar things. They could be grouped by life experiences, race, ethnicity, interests etc. She stated that an example would be tech kids. She stated that these children have nothing in common with her. Diversity is being able to see people differently, a mix of different cultures. Realizing the validity of other cultures and existing peacefully with other cultures.
3. My cousin a younger female born in southern state. Culture is more of how we think, feel, and what we believe. Culture is an unspoken common thread that helps to define who she is as a person and where she stands in society. Diversity is the way that other people classify you and your differences. Diversity is a way of dividing cultures into subcultures. It is a way for people to group others in terms they can understand.
When looking at everyone's definitions, it caused me to reflect on how I defined culture and diversity. My views of culture and diversity were expanded and I could see the relevance in everyone's definition. They touched on various aspects of how I viewed culture and diversity and helped me reshape what I felt diversity and culture were. I felt that the definitions covered a range of what is considered diversity and culture by others.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
My Family Culture
The three items I choose to take with me are my camera because there are pictures of my family on it and I can always make new memories with it. My cell phone so that I can call members of my family left behind and my ipod because music is very important to me and my family.
If I can only take one of these then it would have to be my camera. Pictures are very important to me and I want to always have a reminder of the people I love. It is also important that I am able to make new memories to stay encouraged that family is also with whom you make it!
Doing this assignment has made me see that I do not have things that I define as part of my culture. I believe that my culture is more in how I live, the values I have and the way I treat others. I found that it was hard to think of my culture in terms of things or items.
If I can only take one of these then it would have to be my camera. Pictures are very important to me and I want to always have a reminder of the people I love. It is also important that I am able to make new memories to stay encouraged that family is also with whom you make it!
Doing this assignment has made me see that I do not have things that I define as part of my culture. I believe that my culture is more in how I live, the values I have and the way I treat others. I found that it was hard to think of my culture in terms of things or items.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
When I Think of Research....
1. I have gained a considerable amount of knowledge and interest from taking this course. Learning about the many factors of ethics involved research, how children are involved and their rights, the different types of data collection, how to better plan and strive for equity in research design.
2. My ideas are changed in that I have more respect for what it takes to design, plan and perform research. There are many considerations to make when a researcher plans to conduct a study.
3. I learned that planning research is a very well thought out process. A person can't just say they have a question and want to find out why something is. They have to plan the participants, what kind of research they want to perform, qualitative or quantitative, the methods used to collect data. When conducting research, the guidelines of the research and how the research is carried out need to be considered as well.
4.Some of the challenges encountered were fully understanding some of the issues in research and how they applied to the type of study that I wanted to perform. It helped having colleagues point of view and explanations of how things made sense to them. the articles also helped to make sense of how issues in research.
5. How I can use research to better service the children and families in my care and to help me really understand the issues they face.
2. My ideas are changed in that I have more respect for what it takes to design, plan and perform research. There are many considerations to make when a researcher plans to conduct a study.
3. I learned that planning research is a very well thought out process. A person can't just say they have a question and want to find out why something is. They have to plan the participants, what kind of research they want to perform, qualitative or quantitative, the methods used to collect data. When conducting research, the guidelines of the research and how the research is carried out need to be considered as well.
4.Some of the challenges encountered were fully understanding some of the issues in research and how they applied to the type of study that I wanted to perform. It helped having colleagues point of view and explanations of how things made sense to them. the articles also helped to make sense of how issues in research.
5. How I can use research to better service the children and families in my care and to help me really understand the issues they face.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Early Childhood Development Virtual University Sub Sahara Africa
This website is dedicated to researching women, children and families in various countries providing seminars and information on their research. It is dedicated to building Early childhood development and leadership in Africa. It's goal is to bring training opportunities through web based seminar and a community of learners with other countries. Their mission statement is "to further develop African ECD leadership capacity as a key strategy in support of child, family and community well-being and broader social and economic development."
Their specific focus of research seems to be to bring further understanding of issues with children, families, and women to African countries to improve their quality of life.
Reference:
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/about.php
Their specific focus of research seems to be to bring further understanding of issues with children, families, and women to African countries to improve their quality of life.
Reference:
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/about.php
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The Incredible Years
I am currently a parent educator who uses the Incredible Years Curriculum for parents who have children ages 3-6 and 6-12. The curriculum has been researched and proven to help reduce misbehaviors, increase positive relationships between parents and their children and promote children's social, emotion and academic development. This curriculum is based on a pyramid whose base consists of parents playing and giving special attention to their children to increase problem solving, self esteem and attachment. Also using praise and encouragement and rewards to increase social skills, motivation and thinking skills. Using these strategies liberally will in turn decrease the amount of ignoring, setting limits and using consequences that parents will have to do. These techniques have been been implemented in other cultures as well as other countries and proven to work across the board. After going through the program for 15 weeks and utilizing the strategies, parents have come back and expressed how well the strategies are working for their children and how their lives are so much better because of using the techniques.
We had one set of parents who took the class who had separated because they were having so many issues with their children. They were not communicating nor were they on the same page with how to handle the misbehaviors their children were exhibiting. By the end of the class they discussed how they learned to communicate better amongst themselves and better strategies for dealing with their children. they were working on putting their marriage back together and they expressed their gratitude for the techniques and strategies we gave them in the class! That was such a heart felt moment for me because it was my first time teaching the curriculum! Stories like that keep me motivated for implementing evidence and research based programs and conduct research myself.
We had one set of parents who took the class who had separated because they were having so many issues with their children. They were not communicating nor were they on the same page with how to handle the misbehaviors their children were exhibiting. By the end of the class they discussed how they learned to communicate better amongst themselves and better strategies for dealing with their children. they were working on putting their marriage back together and they expressed their gratitude for the techniques and strategies we gave them in the class! That was such a heart felt moment for me because it was my first time teaching the curriculum! Stories like that keep me motivated for implementing evidence and research based programs and conduct research myself.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
My Personal Research Journey
I chose to research how the parenting practices of low income families contribute to the social emotional development of young children. I wanted to know if their lack of parenting skills hindered their children's social emotional development. Being a former early childhood educator and now a parent educator, I have been involved with families whose children have been diagnosed with behavioral problems and considered at risk due to poverty. I have observed how the parents interact with their children and how the children interact in the classroom. These children have delays in their cognitive, language and their social emotional development and it seemed more that their parents lack of skills and resources contributed to their delays than their being a special need with these children. I wanted to know how much the parenting styles contributed to this delay.
I am not sure if my research topic is too specific or if I should be more specific because I am having difficulty finding sufficient information to begin my study. If there is any advice anyone has that can help me make the topic more specific or know of any other resources it would be a big help.
I am not sure if my research topic is too specific or if I should be more specific because I am having difficulty finding sufficient information to begin my study. If there is any advice anyone has that can help me make the topic more specific or know of any other resources it would be a big help.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Final Blog for 6162
I did not get in touch with my international contact, but I had a chance to examine different websites to discover other issues and strategies that people are using around the world to help bring quality care to the field of early childhood. The Harlem Children's Zone is making phenomenal strides in breaking the cycle of poverty with the addressing the needs of the whole child, the needs of the family and community. They have made significant efforts to recruit families from the neighborhoods to get and keep them involved in their child's education from beginning to end.
From learning about the HCZ I am more determine to implement this type of community service in my area. I plan to learn more in depth actions that need to be taken for the children and families in my community. By studying the issues in early childhood, I will better understand how to apply what I have learned to my community. Exploring these websites also renewed my passion for giving children and families quality early experiences to help them break the cycle of poverty. It is important these families understand how to address issues of their child's development, how to advocate for their child and how they are the main support for their child's education and growth.
It is essential to the fight on poverty that parents still feel that they have some contributing qualities in society. They have to feel that they are being heard so that they understand the importance of their involvement and partnership with the community and their child's education.
From learning about the HCZ I am more determine to implement this type of community service in my area. I plan to learn more in depth actions that need to be taken for the children and families in my community. By studying the issues in early childhood, I will better understand how to apply what I have learned to my community. Exploring these websites also renewed my passion for giving children and families quality early experiences to help them break the cycle of poverty. It is important these families understand how to address issues of their child's development, how to advocate for their child and how they are the main support for their child's education and growth.
It is essential to the fight on poverty that parents still feel that they have some contributing qualities in society. They have to feel that they are being heard so that they understand the importance of their involvement and partnership with the community and their child's education.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
UNESCO
While viewing the UNESCO website, a few things caught my attention when thinking of my goals.
"High quality childcare, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness." High quality care is always in the forefront of my professional and personal goals. It is what drives me to continue my education and take my career to the highest plateau possible. In Singapore, childcare centers fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Community Development and Sports (MCDS). These two entities came together in 1999 to collaborate on guidelines for childcare setting and preschool settings. The childcare centers there cater to children from 2 months to 6 years of age from the hours of 7am to 7pm. This is very impressive for the needs of the families they serve. This gives parents more opportunities to work and more flexibility of care. In the late 1990s, the MCDS was given the tasked to improve the quality of the preschools as well as with teacher training, and the MOE already had the task of improving early education this brought about the collaboration of the two groups.
Brazil has a proposal in place for mandatory funding from local governments to fund preschool for children. The Fund for Development of Primary Education and Teacher Development (FUNDEF) helped improve enrollment of children in their preschool programs from 92% in 1996 to 96% in 2000. Because the FUNDEF had such great encouragement of raising enrollment, policymakers saw a chance to propose a Congressional Bill. Funding is very important to early education programs. With the right funding preschools can be accessible and affordable to all those who need care.
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001374/137413e.pdf
"High quality childcare, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness." High quality care is always in the forefront of my professional and personal goals. It is what drives me to continue my education and take my career to the highest plateau possible. In Singapore, childcare centers fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Ministry of Community Development and Sports (MCDS). These two entities came together in 1999 to collaborate on guidelines for childcare setting and preschool settings. The childcare centers there cater to children from 2 months to 6 years of age from the hours of 7am to 7pm. This is very impressive for the needs of the families they serve. This gives parents more opportunities to work and more flexibility of care. In the late 1990s, the MCDS was given the tasked to improve the quality of the preschools as well as with teacher training, and the MOE already had the task of improving early education this brought about the collaboration of the two groups.
Brazil has a proposal in place for mandatory funding from local governments to fund preschool for children. The Fund for Development of Primary Education and Teacher Development (FUNDEF) helped improve enrollment of children in their preschool programs from 92% in 1996 to 96% in 2000. Because the FUNDEF had such great encouragement of raising enrollment, policymakers saw a chance to propose a Congressional Bill. Funding is very important to early education programs. With the right funding preschools can be accessible and affordable to all those who need care.
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001374/137413e.pdf
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Extended Resources
Looking at the Harlem Children's Zone website has lead to more information about the program. Most of the links lead to more specific information about HCZ. The one I found very informative were the links that lead to the CNN videos on Geoffrey Canada's push to show policymakers and the government how important their movement is. These videos deal with how their program is moving forward and involving those that want to invest in Harlem Children Zone.
The website offers an abundance of statistics and results of the children and families they serve participating in their program. The Harlem Children Zone actively recruits families to participate in their program. These programs involve teaching parents best practices for interacting with children from 0-3 years old and the programs that serve the children this age. It has charter schools, from K-12, middle and high school after school programs, and support for students who are most often the first in their families to attend college.
This program is taking an innovative approach to serving families of children from poverty stricken backgrounds in the Harlem area to break the cycle of poverty. They set out to catch the children at birth by teaching parents and continuing with the child's education in early care all the way through college. The program's goal is to strengthen the community and families and raise children to be successful members of the work force and society.
The website offers an abundance of statistics and results of the children and families they serve participating in their program. The Harlem Children Zone actively recruits families to participate in their program. These programs involve teaching parents best practices for interacting with children from 0-3 years old and the programs that serve the children this age. It has charter schools, from K-12, middle and high school after school programs, and support for students who are most often the first in their families to attend college.
This program is taking an innovative approach to serving families of children from poverty stricken backgrounds in the Harlem area to break the cycle of poverty. They set out to catch the children at birth by teaching parents and continuing with the child's education in early care all the way through college. The program's goal is to strengthen the community and families and raise children to be successful members of the work force and society.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Science Based Framework for Early Childhood Policy
I visited the Harvard University's "Global Children's Initiative." In it I discovered an article on the neuroscience of child development. This article can be found at http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/reports_and_working_papers/policy_framework/. It was interesting to see their research on how children's brain development is impacted even before the child is born especially if the mother is from a poverty stricken background. This is why it is so important for these children to have meaningful early educational experiences. Children's skills start out with the bare minimum. As they experience their environment and are responded to by the people in their lives, their skills are expanded upon and connections are made in the brain that build other skills. So the more positive and fulfilling their experiences are, the more these "circuits" connect and build on to other more complex skills.
This article also discusses how stress effects the brain and development. The body is wired to normally react to stress by releasing stress hormones and have elevated heart rates. After the stress or threat is over these levels are supposed to even out. It becomes a problem for children when they are constantly facing stress on a regular basis and these hormone levels stay high. The constant release of these hormones negatively impacts the development of a child's brain. They are constantly in protect mode which influences how the child learns, develops and behaves.
By focusing on three particular areas that help children by strengthening their family environment. One area of focus is health and nutrition. By educating families about their children's health and promoting healthy eating, this area serves to combat obesity and ensure that children are getting the essentials they need to concentrate and focus while they are in school. They also provide prenatal services and health services that ensure that the fetus is developing properly. Another area is home visiting programs. These programs are where professionals go into the home and provide support for mothers who are transitioning into the home after having a baby. This gives them the extra support that they may need while coping with the stress of having a baby. The third area provides support for sources of toxic stress such as mental health issues,substance abuse problems, or parents at risk for child maltreatment. These parents are given strategies for normal child behaviors and strategies to deal with misbehaviors in nonviolent ways.
This article also discusses how stress effects the brain and development. The body is wired to normally react to stress by releasing stress hormones and have elevated heart rates. After the stress or threat is over these levels are supposed to even out. It becomes a problem for children when they are constantly facing stress on a regular basis and these hormone levels stay high. The constant release of these hormones negatively impacts the development of a child's brain. They are constantly in protect mode which influences how the child learns, develops and behaves.
By focusing on three particular areas that help children by strengthening their family environment. One area of focus is health and nutrition. By educating families about their children's health and promoting healthy eating, this area serves to combat obesity and ensure that children are getting the essentials they need to concentrate and focus while they are in school. They also provide prenatal services and health services that ensure that the fetus is developing properly. Another area is home visiting programs. These programs are where professionals go into the home and provide support for mothers who are transitioning into the home after having a baby. This gives them the extra support that they may need while coping with the stress of having a baby. The third area provides support for sources of toxic stress such as mental health issues,substance abuse problems, or parents at risk for child maltreatment. These parents are given strategies for normal child behaviors and strategies to deal with misbehaviors in nonviolent ways.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sharing Web Resources
The sections that were helpful to me as a professional were the sections on early childhood. It really detailed the journey the Harlem's Children Zone has taken over the years to meet this population's need for their services. The information on how they work with the parents to teach them basic parenting skills, building language skills in their children and about their child's development, emphasized the importance of what I do as a parent educator and an EC professional. The information on the Baby College and how the program emphasize the importance of the first three years of a child's life contributed to how I understand and help parents understand that this is where a child can overcome many obstacles they are going to face with their circumstances. By giving the a healthy, supportive and enriching beginning, children can enter school and become successful students.
What I found very interesting, not really controversial, was how the various community centers could offer their camps and services free to children and adults that they serve. It strives to support children and families in such a phenomenal way that it surprises me that they are able to continue to provide these services during this recession. I know that they accept donations from all over, but it makes me wonder realistically, how they can stay afloat with the employees and all the services they provide to the vast and overwhelming Harlem community? I also found it astounding that the Harlem Gems Prekindergarten program reported that 100% of their children were at grade level once leaving the program.
The Harlem Children's Zone is getting a lot of support from politicians, such as Barach Obama, business owners such as Howard Shultz, the CEO of Starbucks lend phenomenal support to this program and it's efforts to combat the cycle of poverty in inner cities. They really define in economic terms, what the effect would be on society as a whole to turn these children's live around while they are young versus paying for these children to go through the welfare system or legal system when they turn 18. I gained a better understanding for how big this program really is. It open my eyes to how vast and expansive poverty is and the ways that people are really trying to end the cycle of poverty by helping parents understand the importance of their job and providing support for the children and families.
What I found very interesting, not really controversial, was how the various community centers could offer their camps and services free to children and adults that they serve. It strives to support children and families in such a phenomenal way that it surprises me that they are able to continue to provide these services during this recession. I know that they accept donations from all over, but it makes me wonder realistically, how they can stay afloat with the employees and all the services they provide to the vast and overwhelming Harlem community? I also found it astounding that the Harlem Gems Prekindergarten program reported that 100% of their children were at grade level once leaving the program.
The Harlem Children's Zone is getting a lot of support from politicians, such as Barach Obama, business owners such as Howard Shultz, the CEO of Starbucks lend phenomenal support to this program and it's efforts to combat the cycle of poverty in inner cities. They really define in economic terms, what the effect would be on society as a whole to turn these children's live around while they are young versus paying for these children to go through the welfare system or legal system when they turn 18. I gained a better understanding for how big this program really is. It open my eyes to how vast and expansive poverty is and the ways that people are really trying to end the cycle of poverty by helping parents understand the importance of their job and providing support for the children and families.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Childhood poverty
While exploring childhood poverty website I discovered that there are many efforts in researching the effects of poverty on children all over the world. Organizations are researching how poverty impacts the nation as a whole and each country. The website offers many articles that discuss the efforts it will take to combat poverty in different countries. They try to define for investors and other policy makers the importance of funding for families in poverty and ways they can combat the issues. The goal is to break the cycle of poverty so that children and families will have a better chance living a more fulfilling life.
This website introduces Nan Nan who is a migrant child in China. She moved from a rural farm to a small city. It discusses the discrimination that she faces when going to the new school because she is older than the children in her class. She feels that the children nor the teacher respect her. Her mother experiences discrimination as well while she is out working. They moved to have a better life and so their children will have a better education. Unfortunately, they are barely making ends meet and the experiences they are facing seem to be causing more harm than good. The father has to stay on his job and they only see him once a month.
This particular story leaves me feeling very discouraged that there is so little understanding or respect for children from different backgrounds even in other countries. It also opened my eyes to the fact that discrimination for children in poverty stricken situations is not just isolated to the United States. It's not that I was not aware of the discrimination in other countries but to have it personalized from the child's point of view had a serious impact on me. As a nation, issues of poverty need to be addressed for children and families. Policy makers need to make more of an effort to put policies in place to protect children from situations like this. There is so much research that supports how poverty impacts families, there needs to be more attention paid to what the research is saying.
This website introduces Nan Nan who is a migrant child in China. She moved from a rural farm to a small city. It discusses the discrimination that she faces when going to the new school because she is older than the children in her class. She feels that the children nor the teacher respect her. Her mother experiences discrimination as well while she is out working. They moved to have a better life and so their children will have a better education. Unfortunately, they are barely making ends meet and the experiences they are facing seem to be causing more harm than good. The father has to stay on his job and they only see him once a month.
This particular story leaves me feeling very discouraged that there is so little understanding or respect for children from different backgrounds even in other countries. It also opened my eyes to the fact that discrimination for children in poverty stricken situations is not just isolated to the United States. It's not that I was not aware of the discrimination in other countries but to have it personalized from the child's point of view had a serious impact on me. As a nation, issues of poverty need to be addressed for children and families. Policy makers need to make more of an effort to put policies in place to protect children from situations like this. There is so much research that supports how poverty impacts families, there needs to be more attention paid to what the research is saying.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Harlem Children's Zone
The site I chose is Harlem's Children Zone: http://www.hcz.org/home
The Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) is dedicated to help children from poverty stricken backgrounds succeed from a early childhood through high school. Geoffery Canada, the CEO, has made strides to break the cycle of poverty. The agency has introduced many programs to the community of Harlem. Programs such as Baby College which are parenting workshops of children 0-3, Harlem Gems which is a preschool program, Asthma Initiative, a charter school, and an obesity program. Their goal is to create an environment that is supportive of the child, their families and the community. Through enriching, redeveloping and providing support to these areas, they strive to decrease adverse effects of decades of poverty and crime to the Harlem neighborhood community.
This initiative started off as a 1block pilot in the 1990's and has since expanded to 97 blocks in Harlem! Currently it serves about 10,000 children and 7,400 adults. It costs on average about $5,000 per child. One issue that caught my attention was an article called "From Cradle through College." It speaks on the basic principles of the HCZ program that guide them in the service they provide to children and families. It believes that by supporting the community as a whole, building a community among the residents who live in the community, and evaluating the program's effectiveness to improve the conditions of the program. This program has caught the attention of many professionals nationwide with its radical efforts to break the cycle of poverty and prepare children to enter the work force and society successfully.
The Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ) is dedicated to help children from poverty stricken backgrounds succeed from a early childhood through high school. Geoffery Canada, the CEO, has made strides to break the cycle of poverty. The agency has introduced many programs to the community of Harlem. Programs such as Baby College which are parenting workshops of children 0-3, Harlem Gems which is a preschool program, Asthma Initiative, a charter school, and an obesity program. Their goal is to create an environment that is supportive of the child, their families and the community. Through enriching, redeveloping and providing support to these areas, they strive to decrease adverse effects of decades of poverty and crime to the Harlem neighborhood community.
This initiative started off as a 1block pilot in the 1990's and has since expanded to 97 blocks in Harlem! Currently it serves about 10,000 children and 7,400 adults. It costs on average about $5,000 per child. One issue that caught my attention was an article called "From Cradle through College." It speaks on the basic principles of the HCZ program that guide them in the service they provide to children and families. It believes that by supporting the community as a whole, building a community among the residents who live in the community, and evaluating the program's effectiveness to improve the conditions of the program. This program has caught the attention of many professionals nationwide with its radical efforts to break the cycle of poverty and prepare children to enter the work force and society successfully.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Establishing Professional contacts and Expanding Resources
I chose to make contacts through the Global Alliance of NAEYC. I am attempting to make contacts to the representative in Ghana, Nigeria, and Mongolia. I have not heard anything back from these particular areas and hopefully I will within the next week. I am really interested in learning more about these areas, their policies and practices in early education.
I chose to use to expand my resources using the Harlem Children's Zone. The Harlem Children's Zone takes on a community approach to addressing the needs in early childhood to include all children and the environment they are growing up in. This site offers great statistical information on the situation of children born into or stricken by poverty. These numbers largely effect minorities that need to be addressed immediately. I was interested in this resource because it attempts to give a community view on how to address the concerns of children who are growing up in poverty stricken homes.
I chose to use to expand my resources using the Harlem Children's Zone. The Harlem Children's Zone takes on a community approach to addressing the needs in early childhood to include all children and the environment they are growing up in. This site offers great statistical information on the situation of children born into or stricken by poverty. These numbers largely effect minorities that need to be addressed immediately. I was interested in this resource because it attempts to give a community view on how to address the concerns of children who are growing up in poverty stricken homes.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
My Supports
I count myself blessed that I have had such a supportive, understanding and caring supervisor. I have never had a supervisor who went out of their way to see if there was anything that I needed to help me along in my new position. She consistently checks in to see if I am overwhelmed, am I adjusting to the tasks that I have to perform and what could she do to help me adjust. She always praises her team when she sees that we are doing better, trying to do better and when we go out of our way to do something for someone else. I can honestly say that my supervisor is a wonderful person with a deep sense of love for her team. She always says that we make her job easy as well as so hard at times!
My team at work has also been very supportive of me in my new role as parent educator. They are constantly telling me not to be hard on myself, it is a lot to take on all at once and don't beat yourself up so bad, you'll get the hang of it. It feels great to have people who know what your struggling with and are able to offer support and advice on how to get through it.
Another support in my life is my cousin who takes care of my son before and after school. She is the reason I started going back to school. Without her I would not have trusted anyone to take care of my child for such extended hours and make sure he gets what he needs. I worried that I would be missing out on what he needed from me when his father and I separated, but she told me whatever I needed her to do that I had her support and not to worry about my child. That was a great relief for me and made it possible for me to feel good about going back to school.
These are three major supports that allow me to continue my education and give me peace of mine while I am working. They allow me the luxury of learning from my mistakes and the security of knowing that my child is well taken care of. Without these supports, I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today. I would be extremely overwhelmed and not as focused as I feel that I could be. I might not have even taken the new position if I did not have such wonderful support for my son. The hours require me to facilitate parenting classes almost three nights a week. Two of those nights I don't get to to pick my child up until 8:30 or 9 pm!
If these supports were no longer a part of my life, I would be extremely lost. I am surrounded by great friends, but they have their own responsibilities and their own lives to lead. It would be very hard for them to provide anything other than emotional support which is very important to me also.
A challenge I thought of was if I did not have a job. With this economy, it is on my mind often and I try to prepare myself as much as possible. I honestly do not know how I would cope if I did not have a job right now. I would not be able to pay for my apartment, food, entertainment or even to put gas in my car. I am very independent and proud to be able to support myself and my son. Although I know that there would be people who would try their best to help me out, I have to feel productive for myself, mental health and support of my child. I would want to have a way to provide for my child. That is always my greatest concern and even just the thought of not being able to provide for him makes me feel overwhelmed. My friends are always encouraging and saying how proud they are that I set a goal for myself and went after something more. They make me feel as though I can do anything and I am blessed to have such people in my life. I know that without these supports and this particular challenge in my life I would become depressed and feel as though I let myself down. Most importantly I would feel as though I let my child down and that is absolutely not an option!
My team at work has also been very supportive of me in my new role as parent educator. They are constantly telling me not to be hard on myself, it is a lot to take on all at once and don't beat yourself up so bad, you'll get the hang of it. It feels great to have people who know what your struggling with and are able to offer support and advice on how to get through it.
Another support in my life is my cousin who takes care of my son before and after school. She is the reason I started going back to school. Without her I would not have trusted anyone to take care of my child for such extended hours and make sure he gets what he needs. I worried that I would be missing out on what he needed from me when his father and I separated, but she told me whatever I needed her to do that I had her support and not to worry about my child. That was a great relief for me and made it possible for me to feel good about going back to school.
These are three major supports that allow me to continue my education and give me peace of mine while I am working. They allow me the luxury of learning from my mistakes and the security of knowing that my child is well taken care of. Without these supports, I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today. I would be extremely overwhelmed and not as focused as I feel that I could be. I might not have even taken the new position if I did not have such wonderful support for my son. The hours require me to facilitate parenting classes almost three nights a week. Two of those nights I don't get to to pick my child up until 8:30 or 9 pm!
If these supports were no longer a part of my life, I would be extremely lost. I am surrounded by great friends, but they have their own responsibilities and their own lives to lead. It would be very hard for them to provide anything other than emotional support which is very important to me also.
A challenge I thought of was if I did not have a job. With this economy, it is on my mind often and I try to prepare myself as much as possible. I honestly do not know how I would cope if I did not have a job right now. I would not be able to pay for my apartment, food, entertainment or even to put gas in my car. I am very independent and proud to be able to support myself and my son. Although I know that there would be people who would try their best to help me out, I have to feel productive for myself, mental health and support of my child. I would want to have a way to provide for my child. That is always my greatest concern and even just the thought of not being able to provide for him makes me feel overwhelmed. My friends are always encouraging and saying how proud they are that I set a goal for myself and went after something more. They make me feel as though I can do anything and I am blessed to have such people in my life. I know that without these supports and this particular challenge in my life I would become depressed and feel as though I let myself down. Most importantly I would feel as though I let my child down and that is absolutely not an option!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
My Connections To Play
One quote that caught my attention was by Confucius “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” For children play involves doing and many of us forgot that children learn through being active. They have to figure things out in their own way but with guided opportunities from parents and educators to let them do what comes naturally, play.
Another quote that stands out for me is by Jack Chilton Pearce “Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” This quote is important because people forget that through the curiosity of play, the trial and error we need to figure things out, the creative ideas that come through play is how intelligence is gathered.
Three things important to my younger self
Play, Play, Play
When I was growing up, I had great play experiences. Most of them were by myself for a while because I was such a shy kid. I remember playing in the woods across the street from my house. I climbed trees, made paths like Hansel and Gretel to find my way back home, even though you could see all the way to the other side! I made mud pies in my back yard and fed them to my imaginary friends, played school teacher with my next door neighbor, and hide and go seek with the neighborhood kids. The great thing about it was adults did not come into the picture until you had to eat a meal or the family was going out somewhere. When I was with my grandmother I remember helping her wash clothes, cook and clean. I also remember exploring in her yard. There were always worms to dig up, frogs to catch and dragon flies to chase after, then walking over to the neighborhood store to get penny candy and stale cookies with the yellow icing! They were the best to me then! No one interfered or told me how to play or what to play (unless it was my bossy next door neighbor and we were the same age!) The best support I received was being able to figure it out on my own and with people who I could relate to my own age. I lived in an age and small town where it was safe for those things to occur. I wasn't scared to walk out of my front door and go play in the ditch or roll down the hill.
Unfortunately, today's society is not conducive to these experiences and it forces educators to try to create things that use to occur naturally. Many children have forgotten how to play and use their imagination but I hold on to the belief that they can be reminded of how wonderful play can be. I believe that if children are once again allowed to figure out life with only the guidance that is needed and through experiences where they can learn, then maybe society can once again be safe for children to have those outside play experiences and figure out how to use their imagination and creativity.
I look at my son now and think how different his life is from mine when it comes to play. I always had people around who I could interact with at home. I had a sister and a brother, bossy next door neighbors (and she is still bossy!), kids from down the street, but my child does not have that. He has many friends, but outside of school, it's hard for him to play with them because they are so scattered around the city. I feel sad for him sometimes because it seems as though all he has is me. How disheartening for an 11 year old boy. At least from my point of view. Don't get me wrong he knows how to play with children his own age and he tries to solve his own problems, but the experiences on the weekends for him to do this is far and few in between.
Another quote that stands out for me is by Jack Chilton Pearce “Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” This quote is important because people forget that through the curiosity of play, the trial and error we need to figure things out, the creative ideas that come through play is how intelligence is gathered.
Three things important to my younger self
 |
| Dragon fly wings were amazing! |
 |
| Making mud pies a must! |
 |
| Climbing trees were essential! |
Play, Play, Play
When I was growing up, I had great play experiences. Most of them were by myself for a while because I was such a shy kid. I remember playing in the woods across the street from my house. I climbed trees, made paths like Hansel and Gretel to find my way back home, even though you could see all the way to the other side! I made mud pies in my back yard and fed them to my imaginary friends, played school teacher with my next door neighbor, and hide and go seek with the neighborhood kids. The great thing about it was adults did not come into the picture until you had to eat a meal or the family was going out somewhere. When I was with my grandmother I remember helping her wash clothes, cook and clean. I also remember exploring in her yard. There were always worms to dig up, frogs to catch and dragon flies to chase after, then walking over to the neighborhood store to get penny candy and stale cookies with the yellow icing! They were the best to me then! No one interfered or told me how to play or what to play (unless it was my bossy next door neighbor and we were the same age!) The best support I received was being able to figure it out on my own and with people who I could relate to my own age. I lived in an age and small town where it was safe for those things to occur. I wasn't scared to walk out of my front door and go play in the ditch or roll down the hill.
Unfortunately, today's society is not conducive to these experiences and it forces educators to try to create things that use to occur naturally. Many children have forgotten how to play and use their imagination but I hold on to the belief that they can be reminded of how wonderful play can be. I believe that if children are once again allowed to figure out life with only the guidance that is needed and through experiences where they can learn, then maybe society can once again be safe for children to have those outside play experiences and figure out how to use their imagination and creativity.
I look at my son now and think how different his life is from mine when it comes to play. I always had people around who I could interact with at home. I had a sister and a brother, bossy next door neighbors (and she is still bossy!), kids from down the street, but my child does not have that. He has many friends, but outside of school, it's hard for him to play with them because they are so scattered around the city. I feel sad for him sometimes because it seems as though all he has is me. How disheartening for an 11 year old boy. At least from my point of view. Don't get me wrong he knows how to play with children his own age and he tries to solve his own problems, but the experiences on the weekends for him to do this is far and few in between.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Relationship Reflections
I've always felt that building and being in relationships challenge us to be better. I feel that relationships give us character and show us how to treat others. Some relationships are good and some are not, but they all have a purpose; for us to learn and grow. In truth people need relationships so that they do not feel so isolated. They need to feel like they matter to someone else. Our first experiences with relationships, begin with our parents. They show us how we should trust the world and give us the blueprint for how to interact with people. I have been blessed with strong relationships in my life and I continue to learn from them all the time.
The strongest relationships I have now are with my son, my sister, two of my best friends who have known me for over 17 years. I have friends that I am coming to know and build relationships with who have also impacted my life in very meaningful ways. I have developed relationships with the children and families over the years who have come to mean so much to me. It is through these relationships that I have learned what kind of person I can become and what kind of person I really am.
My relationship with my son is the most important to me. It is through him that I exhibit the most tenacious part of my personality. I push him to be better than just average, to try his best at whatever he does, to be respectful of others and not to be afraid to make mistakes. This is how we learn, when mistakes are made. The relationship I have with my sister is very important because she is someone I look up to. She has many struggles in her life right now and I am determined to be there for her the best way I can just as she was there for me through college, the birth of my son and my separation. I rely heavily on my friends for support, comfort and fun when the time comes and they depend on me for these things as well. I try to be a support for all of the people in my life and do not like it if I cannot be there when they need me. I try hard to check on everyone and keep in contact but with people being spread out and with various schedules, it can be hard but each time I call or go back, it's like I never left.
The challenge that I am learning now is maintaining certain relationships. It's hard to keep up with someone when you don't see or speak to them often, and I don't like feeling as if I've let anyone down. I don't do well with disappointment especially if I let someone else down! I've learned that this past week. Because I pride myself on being a support for others, and it really discourages me when they can't count on me, professionally or personally.
When I think of a partnership, there is a consistent contact of give and take. Each person doing their part working towards a goal, like in marriage. I think that some partnerships need to be cultivated and some just come into being. Right now I am trying to build a partnership with the co-facilitator of the parenting classes I just started facilitating. We are getting to know each other and I am still very new at facilitating groups. I sometimes feel that I am not doing enough in our partnerships and that hinders me from being effective with our parents. I consider myself a life long learner and have learned that there is a strong passion inside of me to better serve and impact the parent that are under my care. I feel that this is what it takes to be effective when working with children and families and I am glad I finally found my passion!
The strongest relationships I have now are with my son, my sister, two of my best friends who have known me for over 17 years. I have friends that I am coming to know and build relationships with who have also impacted my life in very meaningful ways. I have developed relationships with the children and families over the years who have come to mean so much to me. It is through these relationships that I have learned what kind of person I can become and what kind of person I really am.
My relationship with my son is the most important to me. It is through him that I exhibit the most tenacious part of my personality. I push him to be better than just average, to try his best at whatever he does, to be respectful of others and not to be afraid to make mistakes. This is how we learn, when mistakes are made. The relationship I have with my sister is very important because she is someone I look up to. She has many struggles in her life right now and I am determined to be there for her the best way I can just as she was there for me through college, the birth of my son and my separation. I rely heavily on my friends for support, comfort and fun when the time comes and they depend on me for these things as well. I try to be a support for all of the people in my life and do not like it if I cannot be there when they need me. I try hard to check on everyone and keep in contact but with people being spread out and with various schedules, it can be hard but each time I call or go back, it's like I never left.
The challenge that I am learning now is maintaining certain relationships. It's hard to keep up with someone when you don't see or speak to them often, and I don't like feeling as if I've let anyone down. I don't do well with disappointment especially if I let someone else down! I've learned that this past week. Because I pride myself on being a support for others, and it really discourages me when they can't count on me, professionally or personally.
When I think of a partnership, there is a consistent contact of give and take. Each person doing their part working towards a goal, like in marriage. I think that some partnerships need to be cultivated and some just come into being. Right now I am trying to build a partnership with the co-facilitator of the parenting classes I just started facilitating. We are getting to know each other and I am still very new at facilitating groups. I sometimes feel that I am not doing enough in our partnerships and that hinders me from being effective with our parents. I consider myself a life long learner and have learned that there is a strong passion inside of me to better serve and impact the parent that are under my care. I feel that this is what it takes to be effective when working with children and families and I am glad I finally found my passion!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Favorite quote
"I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring."
~Liz Armbruster
This is still my favorite quote. We need to remember that children are the light of the world and they offer an innocence that only a child has. We as parents and educators need to do everything in our power to ensure that the light never goes out. Whether we are teaching the parents or teaching young children, we need to do everything to show how important our children are to us. So often they are getting left behind and seem to be an afterthought in our minds because we often question, "What could I have done?" All we have to do is care and the other actions will fall into place.
~Liz Armbruster
This is still my favorite quote. We need to remember that children are the light of the world and they offer an innocence that only a child has. We as parents and educators need to do everything in our power to ensure that the light never goes out. Whether we are teaching the parents or teaching young children, we need to do everything to show how important our children are to us. So often they are getting left behind and seem to be an afterthought in our minds because we often question, "What could I have done?" All we have to do is care and the other actions will fall into place.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Testing for Intelligence?
When it comes to testing children I am very overwhelmed. I can see the uses for many different areas for children. I believe that there should be an assessment so that children can have the help they need to be successful in school and in life. Testing for cognitive, physical, and language development are essential for getting children the services they need or to determine if there is a need for services. Without these tests, children can fall behind in their development. But sometimes these tests could be misleading towards the children they are designed to help. I think that more emphasis should be placed on the cultural differences in children so that there are more unbiased assessments available. I believe that children should be assessed so that we can determine those who need extra help, but I don't believe children should be labeled because of those assessments. Children need to feel that they are apart of a classroom community not singled out from it. There is a strong need to determine what children need extra help and to determine what kind of help they need. With this in mind, assessments should be based more on cognitive, physical and language development. I am not sure how we can assess the emotional needs of children without labeling them and putting up red flags for children that may not even need them.
Looking at assessment for children in Africa was interesting. There is a test called the MDAT (Malawi Development Assessment Tool) that is being designed to assess children 0-6 ("Refining the milestones:," 2010). This test is being designed with the cultural sensitivity to children in Africa. It would be unfair to use Western testing on these children because they have very different values in their cultural. This assessment is testing for what is normal for African children ages 0-6. They have to consider the skill level of each child to determine what is normal for African children. Unfortunately, many African school aged children are not in school so it is hard to have them assessed. But the MDAT is working to develop a tool to use in Early Education to help determine what is normal in development for these children. I think that this is a good way for tests to be adapted for children here in the US. With so many different cultures here in the US it is difficult to pinpoint what is normal for today's children.
Reference:
Refining the milestones: assessing child development in africa. (2010, August 11). Retrieved from http://wellcometrust.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/refining-the-milestones-assessing-child-development-in-africa/
Looking at assessment for children in Africa was interesting. There is a test called the MDAT (Malawi Development Assessment Tool) that is being designed to assess children 0-6 ("Refining the milestones:," 2010). This test is being designed with the cultural sensitivity to children in Africa. It would be unfair to use Western testing on these children because they have very different values in their cultural. This assessment is testing for what is normal for African children ages 0-6. They have to consider the skill level of each child to determine what is normal for African children. Unfortunately, many African school aged children are not in school so it is hard to have them assessed. But the MDAT is working to develop a tool to use in Early Education to help determine what is normal in development for these children. I think that this is a good way for tests to be adapted for children here in the US. With so many different cultures here in the US it is difficult to pinpoint what is normal for today's children.
Reference:
Refining the milestones: assessing child development in africa. (2010, August 11). Retrieved from http://wellcometrust.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/refining-the-milestones-assessing-child-development-in-africa/
Sunday, March 27, 2011
When I was a little girl....
When I was about 11 years old, I remember my family packing up and going to live with my grandmother in her one bedroom apartment. It was me, my mother, sister and brother all living with my grandmother. My father had to go live with his mother because there wasn't enough room. A few months after moving in, hurricane Hugo hit. I remember my sister waking me up in the middle of the night screaming. Apparently a bug had crawled into her ear and she did not appreciate it (she's three and a half years older than me!). I would have slept right through it if she had not awakened me with her loud shrieks. I remember hearing the sound of a train and then it was calm and quiet, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I asked what was going on and I always remember the answer, the eye of the storm. Apparently the eye of the storm passes over and it seems for a short period of time it seems as if the storm is over. Giving you false hope that you can take a deep breath and relax. Then it starts up again. I remember the first time going outside when the storm was actually over. Trees were down, power lines were lying in the middle of the street, no one had any power to store food or even cook. I remember going with my aunt to her house for the first after the hurricane. The water level was up to the door and we had to wade in the water to get inside. But the main memories I have of the hurricane were of afterwards. We went to the store and stocked up on water, can goods, and bread. We bought a small grill and charcoal. We all worked together to cook and make sure my grandmother didn't have to do much. We had so much fun with each other. We were excited that we didn't have to go to school. We had slumber parties every night for almost a week with my cousins, aunt, my brother and sister. Our parents were careful to make sure we had the basic necessities and we didn't mind at all! We were there for each other so it didn't seem like much of a stressing situation at all. We were a family and that was all that mattered.
The trouble in Haiti
When the earthquake it Haiti I didn't quite understand the magnitude of what had happened. How could something this devastating happen to a country already filled with so many deficits and disadvantages. All the images shown on television were horrific and the first thing that popped in my head was the children...what's going to happen to the children. I found an article that had tips for educators to help children cope with tragedy in Haiti. These children are faced with almost half of stressors listed in the course assignment. Poverty, natural disaster, huger, chaos, disease and violence, just to name of few. Some of which were not caused by the Earthquake. Most of Haiti's population, 80%, lives in poverty and the literacy rate is about 55%! ("The tragedy in," 2010) This means that the children are not getting the necessary experiences or education they need to break the cycle of poverty. The children obviously cannot focus on school when they are not getting enough to eat, most likely a proper place to live or clothes to wear. How then are they expected to survive the natural disasters that have consistently plagued their country. Many organizations are pulling together to help these children get the basics, food, shelter, water and clothes on their backs. With something this devastating, having the necessities is essential. Children were living in tents and organizations are working to put up safe houses. The organization,Hope for Haiti's Children (HFHC), is diligently working to help these children and families find safe homes, food and other supplies they have been lacking since well for decades. they are working to repair schools so that children can continue their education, providing transportation to and from school so that children can attend school and also providing lunches for these children to eat at school (Bever, 2010). These are just a few efforts to help minimize the affects of the earthquake that so devastated a country already ravished in poverty.
Reference:
The tragedy in haiti: helping children cope tips for educators. (2010). National Association of School Psychologists, Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis safety/haiti.aspx
Bever, K. (2010). http://hopeforhaitischildren.org/images/stories/pdf/newsletter/2010newsletter.pdf. Retrieved from www.hopeforhaitischildren.org
The trouble in Haiti
When the earthquake it Haiti I didn't quite understand the magnitude of what had happened. How could something this devastating happen to a country already filled with so many deficits and disadvantages. All the images shown on television were horrific and the first thing that popped in my head was the children...what's going to happen to the children. I found an article that had tips for educators to help children cope with tragedy in Haiti. These children are faced with almost half of stressors listed in the course assignment. Poverty, natural disaster, huger, chaos, disease and violence, just to name of few. Some of which were not caused by the Earthquake. Most of Haiti's population, 80%, lives in poverty and the literacy rate is about 55%! ("The tragedy in," 2010) This means that the children are not getting the necessary experiences or education they need to break the cycle of poverty. The children obviously cannot focus on school when they are not getting enough to eat, most likely a proper place to live or clothes to wear. How then are they expected to survive the natural disasters that have consistently plagued their country. Many organizations are pulling together to help these children get the basics, food, shelter, water and clothes on their backs. With something this devastating, having the necessities is essential. Children were living in tents and organizations are working to put up safe houses. The organization,Hope for Haiti's Children (HFHC), is diligently working to help these children and families find safe homes, food and other supplies they have been lacking since well for decades. they are working to repair schools so that children can continue their education, providing transportation to and from school so that children can attend school and also providing lunches for these children to eat at school (Bever, 2010). These are just a few efforts to help minimize the affects of the earthquake that so devastated a country already ravished in poverty.
Reference:
The tragedy in haiti: helping children cope tips for educators. (2010). National Association of School Psychologists, Retrieved from http://www.nasponline.org/resources/crisis safety/haiti.aspx
Bever, K. (2010). http://hopeforhaitischildren.org/images/stories/pdf/newsletter/2010newsletter.pdf. Retrieved from www.hopeforhaitischildren.org
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Breastfeeding in Europe
Breastfeeding is a highly important topic to me because of my experience with breastfeeding. I wasn't able to breastfeed my child like I wanted to because of problems that I had and the lack of support. There wasn't anyone there to guide me to the problems that came up or to explain how hard it really is. I feel that if I had proper encouragement and support, then I could have continued trying to breastfeed my child. I really wanted to give my child the best start possible and I feel that I short changed him in a major way. This really devastated me!
The article I read discussed how family support is key to breastfeeding mothers in Europe. I believe this was what I needed when I was trying to breastfeed. Some kind of support. My family was not around to help support my choice (initially) to breastfeed. The article mentions the benefits of breastfeeding and how it helps mother and baby. By learning the benefits and researching how important it is to mother and child this could help many children that are poverty stricken be healthier and even bond with their mother. The benefits of breast feeding far out weigh some of the inconveniences that people often complain about. Children are known to have less infections, less skin problems and problems with their weight later on in life. It also decreases the risk of the mother getting breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis. This would be how I would share the information with families and pregnant mothers. The beneficial health factors for both mother and child.
Family support key to breastfeeding. (2006, February 10). Retrieved from http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=10301
The article I read discussed how family support is key to breastfeeding mothers in Europe. I believe this was what I needed when I was trying to breastfeed. Some kind of support. My family was not around to help support my choice (initially) to breastfeed. The article mentions the benefits of breastfeeding and how it helps mother and baby. By learning the benefits and researching how important it is to mother and child this could help many children that are poverty stricken be healthier and even bond with their mother. The benefits of breast feeding far out weigh some of the inconveniences that people often complain about. Children are known to have less infections, less skin problems and problems with their weight later on in life. It also decreases the risk of the mother getting breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis. This would be how I would share the information with families and pregnant mothers. The beneficial health factors for both mother and child.
Family support key to breastfeeding. (2006, February 10). Retrieved from http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=10301
Sunday, March 6, 2011
The Battle Over Birth
Many European women are opting to choose how they want to have their babies. Many of the women are selecting natural birthing centers to have their babies. They want to have control over how they give birth. One mother chose the Birth Center Klausenerplatz in Germany. They suggested natural remedies for her to go into labor, they supported her through the labor with the birthing pool, the rope then the birthing ball. The mothers there are supported through their natural births and rely on the experience of the midwives. This was really the experience I wanted for my child but of course there are not many options for a single woman with no medical insurance. I think that when mothers feel more in control of their birthing experience they appreciate more the hard work that goes into having a child. They feel more connected to their child and even bond more with their child in the beginning. I wanted that with my child but did not know how to go about finding out how to get it at the time. I am grateful for a healthy child but I wish I had more say so in the birthing process. It's the support from people who listen to what you say you need during this important time in your life that makes the birthing experience positive.
My personal birthing experience
I became a proud mother of an 8lb 4oz 22in baby boy, on December 2, 1999 at 13:59. I was young and scared because I was just about to graduate college and very unsure of where I wanted to take my career. I didn't have a job yet and was nervous about graduating. What am I going to do? How am I going to support a baby? Will I be a good mother? These were all questions floating through my head. Looking back I realize that all of this had an impact on what I fought for. I really felt overwhelmed, excited and anxious. When I starting having contractions I was scared. I remember that I kept pacing, because I read that the more you walk and stay upright, childbirth will go quicker. I also felt that I couldn't sit down. I remember that I wanted a natural birth, but once the contractions came full force, I asked for an epidural. It made me a little sad because I thought I was tougher than that. I didn't have anyone to guide me through the natural birthing process. I was in labor for about 14 hours. I think I missed some of the experience because when it came time to push, I couldn't feel anything and I had to go by the directions of the doctor. The next thing I saw was my son's face! It was all worth it!
This of course was an experience close to my heart. I have been involved with friends who've had babies before but of course my own experience was the best for me. I remember that during my pregnancy I was taking a child development class and the instructor used me as an example for many things. And what stuck with me the most is the word teratogens. She called them the "monster makers!" What a phrase to hear when you're 22 years old and about 5 months pregnant! I refused to let it get to me though, because I also had many examples of things around me. I worked in a childcare and after school facility. It bothered me how the afterschoolers would look at me, but I found that being as honest with them as possible and talking to them they really seemed interested in what was going on with the baby. I had read how mothers emotions when pregnant can affect the baby because of hormones that are released and I was determined to stay as calm as possible. I saw first hand how a mother's emotions can determine how a child behaves. A parent had four boys and with all the boys she was depressed during pregnancy. Each and every child often cried most of the day even after they had been attending the center for years. They were often inconsolable and sad. I thought that this was very depressing to hear.
I think that the way a mother views pregnancy, birth and child rearing affects the way she interacts with her child. These then become factors that affect the child's early education experience. We as educators have to find a way meet the needs of these children and families with respect to what they have to deal with and what is going on in their lives.
This of course was an experience close to my heart. I have been involved with friends who've had babies before but of course my own experience was the best for me. I remember that during my pregnancy I was taking a child development class and the instructor used me as an example for many things. And what stuck with me the most is the word teratogens. She called them the "monster makers!" What a phrase to hear when you're 22 years old and about 5 months pregnant! I refused to let it get to me though, because I also had many examples of things around me. I worked in a childcare and after school facility. It bothered me how the afterschoolers would look at me, but I found that being as honest with them as possible and talking to them they really seemed interested in what was going on with the baby. I had read how mothers emotions when pregnant can affect the baby because of hormones that are released and I was determined to stay as calm as possible. I saw first hand how a mother's emotions can determine how a child behaves. A parent had four boys and with all the boys she was depressed during pregnancy. Each and every child often cried most of the day even after they had been attending the center for years. They were often inconsolable and sad. I thought that this was very depressing to hear.
I think that the way a mother views pregnancy, birth and child rearing affects the way she interacts with her child. These then become factors that affect the child's early education experience. We as educators have to find a way meet the needs of these children and families with respect to what they have to deal with and what is going on in their lives.
Monday, February 21, 2011
CODE OF ETHICS AND CONDUCT
I-1.3--To recognize and respect the unique qualities abilities, and potential of each child.
I feel this is important because sometimes as teachers we get so bogged down in what children are not doing we don't focus on what they can do and the potential they have. We often concentrate on negative behaviors and what the child does not have or goals they have not met that we often miss out on the abilities they do have.
I-1.5--To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children's social, emotional, cognitive and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions. This ideal is so important to what children will get out of their learning experiences. It all depends on where they feel safe, who fosters that healthy social/emotional growth and how they can get the most out of learning. These experiences will determine their future interactions with how they learn and their passion for learning as well. If they are in and environment that caters to the contributions that children can make and respect that then children are more likely to want to learn and get excited by their school experiences.
P-1.1--Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physicall harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative,or intimidating to children. This is important to me because often we feel that because we are bigger than a child then we can use intimidation as a way to control behavior. "I'm bigger than you so your going to do what I say." This is what many parents and even teachers feel is the way to show children how to behave and it always back fires in the long run, because children learn not how to behave but how to bully and intimidate others.
I feel this is important because sometimes as teachers we get so bogged down in what children are not doing we don't focus on what they can do and the potential they have. We often concentrate on negative behaviors and what the child does not have or goals they have not met that we often miss out on the abilities they do have.
I-1.5--To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children's social, emotional, cognitive and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions. This ideal is so important to what children will get out of their learning experiences. It all depends on where they feel safe, who fosters that healthy social/emotional growth and how they can get the most out of learning. These experiences will determine their future interactions with how they learn and their passion for learning as well. If they are in and environment that caters to the contributions that children can make and respect that then children are more likely to want to learn and get excited by their school experiences.
P-1.1--Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physicall harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative,or intimidating to children. This is important to me because often we feel that because we are bigger than a child then we can use intimidation as a way to control behavior. "I'm bigger than you so your going to do what I say." This is what many parents and even teachers feel is the way to show children how to behave and it always back fires in the long run, because children learn not how to behave but how to bully and intimidate others.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Class Resources
Position Statements and Influential Practices
Support for Children's Rights and Well Being
- 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-usnc.org/
Read about OMEP’s mission.
- Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/about/ - 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/
- The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/ - 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
Professional Journals
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Where does the motivation and passion come from?
All of these quotes stood out to me because they are a reflection of why I continue to push forward in the field of Early Childhood Education. I want to make sure all children are in the best environment conducive to their development. That they know their is more opportunities out there in the world and they are not limited by what they see. I feel that the extra lengths that some educators will go through make such as positive impact on what families get out of their experiences in early childhood. It comes from our experiences as a child and how we are passionate about what children and families get out of their experiences. How they are able to deal with issues in their lives and still make sure their children will be okay.
Louise Derman-Sparks
".....the passion to make sure all children were taught in environments and in ways that truly nurtured their ability to grow and to develop to their fullest ability."
Raymond Hernandez
"...there is more to life than what's in their neighborhoods. Their children can do more than just that."
Renatta Cooper, Program Specialist
"I knew it was important for me to go out and to make those efforts to meet him because he was obviously not coming into the yard. I had no idea how to support a family through this but I knew I needed to learn."
"The lack of family policy in this country is an issue."
Leticia Lara
"As I think of my profession in early childhood, that passion stems from my experiences as well as from my experiences in looking at my parents, from thinking about my grandparents. There is a lineage of helping folks in my family."
Sue Bredekamp
I feel this quote directly impacts what is expected from early childhood educators and how they are expected to deliver the best services to children and families. Clear communication of expectations and best practices are essential!
"As we advocate for the practices we believe serve children best, it is particularly vital that we be clear in our own thinking and precise in our communication."
Excerpt from Educational Perspectives "Play and School Readiness"
"For children to benefit fully from play, teachers must take their own roles seriously. Early childhood educators cannot wander around classrooms operating on the vague assumption that children learn through play while, at the same time, lamenting the challenges to play coming from parents and administrators. Instead, teachers must recognize play as one of the key teaching and learning contexts in early childhood classroom, must acquire skills themselves in research-based effective teaching strategies such as scaffolding language to use during play, and must incorporate play along with other more directive teaching throughout the preschool day."
Art Rolnick
Excerpt from Chapter 1 of Early Child Development from Measurement to Action
"In our view, the case is closed on why we must invest in ECD (Early Child Development). Now it is the time to design and implement a system that will help society realize on a large scale the extraordinary returns that a high quality ECD program have shown they can deliver."
Excerpt from The Region "Early Childhood Development: Economic Development with a High Public Return"
"The quality of life for a child and the contributions the child makes to society as an adult can be traced back to the first few years of life. From birth until about five years old, a child undergoes tremendous growth and change."
Sunday, January 23, 2011
My Personal Childhood Web
There are many family members who attributed to the way I am today! (Not in order!)
I have a very big family. My grandmother on my mother's side had ten children! Five boys and five girls! And my father's mother had eleven! Even though I had all these people around me, my mother's side of the family is the closest to me.
My Grandmother Pearl--she's the most important to me because I was always with her growing up. I stayed with her after school, she taught me how to cook and she was always encouraging and patient with me. I think that was because she knew I sometimes got lost in the shuffle. I was a quiet, reserved child who often when unnoticed, and my grandmother seemed to know this without me saying a word! That's grandma! She still does it to this day when I talk to her, encouraging me and uplifting me when I never tell her anything is wrong.
My sister Kendra- She is the little spitfire in the family. Says what's on her mind and doesn't take much from anyone. Growing up I remember thinking that I wish I could be like her, say what I feel and not hold back. She was always focused and determined to do things her way. And then she would do things her way. She got married when I was fourteen years old and she was seventeen. I always remembered how brave I thought she was and is. We weren't very close growing up because she was busy with her friends (and boyfriends), but we are inseparable now!
My Aunt Shirley- My aunt was the nurturing one in the family. Every summer we use to go to her house for about two weeks. There would be about ten of my cousins there including her two kids. She would always make time for us, to play games, laugh and talk. Every time I went to stay at her house, it always felt warm and loving and I wanted to stay, but knew I couldn't. When I would leave her house I would be so sad and she always gave us hugs and told us there would be the next time.
My cousin Stephanie-Stephanie is my aunt Shirley's oldest daughter. Although she is eight years younger than me she always made me feel special and we are still very close. Growing up I would pretend that she was my own baby. I changed her, feed her and played with her as much as I could. I would always ask my aunt if I could do things for her. She use to call me her favorite cousin and that always made me feel special. She has such an easygoing personality and is always smiling, I like to feel that the interactions we had growing up as a lot to do with that. But then again it could just be wishful thinking!
My Uncle Larry-My uncle Larry made me feel like his little girl when I was around. I remember when I was about five, he sat me on his lap in the car and let me steer the wheel. I felt so grown up and proud that I got to do this. When I would go over to his house to see my cousins, he would squeeze my cheeks and ask "How's my Boobie doing?" and give me the biggest hug. I always felt special around him.
There are many others in my life that I am blessed to know, but growing up these are the ones who stick out the most. They continue to contribute to my life in many ways. My grandmother and sister are always encouraging and supportive. They encourage me to be strong and be who I am. They also encourage me to continue my education and bring everything that I am to whatever I do. My cousin and her mother still make me feel special when I am around them. They make me laugh and I enjoy spending time with them even though I don't get to see them as often as I did as a kid. I appreciate everything each and everyone in my life has ever did for me and want to thank them for contributing to me being ME!
 | |
| My Uncle Larry and Aunt Janice |
 |
| My Cousin Stephanie |
 |
| My Sister Kendra |
 |
| My Aunt Shirley |
 | |||||
| And the most important to me my Grandmother Pearl |
I have a very big family. My grandmother on my mother's side had ten children! Five boys and five girls! And my father's mother had eleven! Even though I had all these people around me, my mother's side of the family is the closest to me.
My Grandmother Pearl--she's the most important to me because I was always with her growing up. I stayed with her after school, she taught me how to cook and she was always encouraging and patient with me. I think that was because she knew I sometimes got lost in the shuffle. I was a quiet, reserved child who often when unnoticed, and my grandmother seemed to know this without me saying a word! That's grandma! She still does it to this day when I talk to her, encouraging me and uplifting me when I never tell her anything is wrong.
My sister Kendra- She is the little spitfire in the family. Says what's on her mind and doesn't take much from anyone. Growing up I remember thinking that I wish I could be like her, say what I feel and not hold back. She was always focused and determined to do things her way. And then she would do things her way. She got married when I was fourteen years old and she was seventeen. I always remembered how brave I thought she was and is. We weren't very close growing up because she was busy with her friends (and boyfriends), but we are inseparable now!
My Aunt Shirley- My aunt was the nurturing one in the family. Every summer we use to go to her house for about two weeks. There would be about ten of my cousins there including her two kids. She would always make time for us, to play games, laugh and talk. Every time I went to stay at her house, it always felt warm and loving and I wanted to stay, but knew I couldn't. When I would leave her house I would be so sad and she always gave us hugs and told us there would be the next time.
My cousin Stephanie-Stephanie is my aunt Shirley's oldest daughter. Although she is eight years younger than me she always made me feel special and we are still very close. Growing up I would pretend that she was my own baby. I changed her, feed her and played with her as much as I could. I would always ask my aunt if I could do things for her. She use to call me her favorite cousin and that always made me feel special. She has such an easygoing personality and is always smiling, I like to feel that the interactions we had growing up as a lot to do with that. But then again it could just be wishful thinking!
My Uncle Larry-My uncle Larry made me feel like his little girl when I was around. I remember when I was about five, he sat me on his lap in the car and let me steer the wheel. I felt so grown up and proud that I got to do this. When I would go over to his house to see my cousins, he would squeeze my cheeks and ask "How's my Boobie doing?" and give me the biggest hug. I always felt special around him.
There are many others in my life that I am blessed to know, but growing up these are the ones who stick out the most. They continue to contribute to my life in many ways. My grandmother and sister are always encouraging and supportive. They encourage me to be strong and be who I am. They also encourage me to continue my education and bring everything that I am to whatever I do. My cousin and her mother still make me feel special when I am around them. They make me laugh and I enjoy spending time with them even though I don't get to see them as often as I did as a kid. I appreciate everything each and everyone in my life has ever did for me and want to thank them for contributing to me being ME!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
My Favorite quote!
I didn't really have a favorite quote that stuck out to me about children so I went on a hunt. I wanted to find something that reflected how I felt about children and I knew as soon as I heard it it would be the one. I searched and searched. Even though some were really good, one quote really stuck with me and reflected how I view children personally and professionally.
"I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring."
~Liz Armbruster
Sometimes we get so stuck in the everyday routines of life, we forget that children are the lights of the world and that they are precious gifts given to us to take care of and nurture to grow into responsible caring adults!!
"I brought children into this dark world because it needed the light that only a child can bring."
~Liz Armbruster
Sometimes we get so stuck in the everyday routines of life, we forget that children are the lights of the world and that they are precious gifts given to us to take care of and nurture to grow into responsible caring adults!!
Miss Tizzy
Miss Tizzy is one of my favorite books. This book shows me the kind of teacher I wanted to be and how each child should have someone like this in their lives. Someone patient, creative, loving and nurturing. Miss Tizzy's character allows the children to feel safe and valued. She gives them the opportunity to share themselves and teach them how to respect and care for others who are in need. In return, when Miss Tizzy is ill and can no longer be there for them in the same way, they know what to do! They send her their love through their actions! I love the message this book sends that children need to be taught by example and given the time and the opportunity, they will learn what is important in life. That how you treat people and the way you make them feel about themselves is what really counts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)