My Supports

My Support comes from God, and my Mom. These two are always available to support me whenever I need them. I have been through some rough times but I have always made it through. One of my challenges were do I accept a job that requires me to move or do I stay where I am at. My mom prayed and encouraged me to evaluate all options. It became clear as day what choice was best for me. I have been working in my new job for awhile now and I am positive that I made the right choice, thanks to my support system.

My Connection to Play

                                                    "My Connections to Play."

The 2 quotes that I feel summarize my feelings of childhood play are :

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

2.      Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” Kay Redfield Jamison (professor of psychiatry).

When I was growing up, my family could not afford video games, cable and internet. My childhood play consist of going outside and finding something to play with and returning home before the street light came on. This type of play exposed me to different types of animals, insects, plants, trees, how to climb trees etc. I was given hours and hours of exploration time with simple rules: Do not leave the neighborhood and be back inside before the street lights come on. I believe that in today’s play time, play is somewhat scripted and it does not allow the child to maximize the gains of explorations.  Not only does play allow the child to loosen up and release some energy; most importantly the child will learn and develop socially and emotionally through exploring on their own terms.  It is very critical for both parents and educators to understand that play is much more than a recreational pastime for children. The importance of play in child development and learning is vitally significant. It is through a child’s active play that they acquire and refine many of the prerequisite skills that contribute to successful learning.

 The two things I chose were a ball and a stick. I feel these two things provide unlimited exploration ideas.

1.                          
2. 

                                                                                                                     

Healthy relationships

A relationship are sometimes very difficult to figure out. Sometimes that are stressful, controversial, confrontational and very difficult. Other times they can be refreshing, stress free, delightful and inspirational. Our ability to build healthy patterns early on in our relationship often establishes a solid foundation. People often need different things from their relationship. I do not have any family or not many friends in the area where I live so must of my relationships in person are work related in some capacity. At work I have many different type of relationships, some positive and some negative. I especially treasure my relationship with the players on my Girls basketball team. Each young lady is different with their totally different personalities and characteristics. Although I have a relationship with all of them, our relationship differs in the aspect of what they need. For some that do not have a strong family support at home I have the relationship of a parent. To others that does have a strong parental support, we have the relationship of their coach and mentor. All of the relationships I have with my team is very important to me. One thing that I have to remind myself is that I can not be judgmental in order to keep our communication bridge open and to continue to have a healthy relationship with my players and their family.It brings me joy that my team, listen, understands and communicates without hesitation.

Child quotes

"Children are the world's most valuable resource."

Whole Child assessment

Today’s demands have changed so I believe that our assessments should change as well. Students should be required and measured on student’s mastery of higher-order thinking skills and that they are able to see the relationships among seemingly diverse concepts (Chang, 1999). Also on their ability to recall, analysis, comparison, inference, and evaluation. We do not have any test in place to measure these skills. I also believe that students should be required and measured on their teamwork, collaboration and creativity skills. We currently assess our students according to the FCAT. The FCAT is an annual test given to students in grades 3-11 that measures their skills in the areas of reading, math, science and writing according to Florida’s Sunshine State Standards. The FCAT is given to students each year in February (writing) and in March (reading, math, and science). The areas of reading and math are tested each year in grades 3 through 10. The area of writing, in addition to reading and math, is tested in grades 4, 8, 10. The area of science is tested in grade 5, 8, 11. In grade 5 and 8, science is tested in addition to reading and math. In grade 11, only science is tested.

In England, Silvermail (1996) found that schools provide multiple measures of performance that serve multiple purposes. Schools assess student progress through both a national examination and teacher-made tests when students reach the ages of seven, eleven, fourteen, and sixteen. These exams are primarily used to measure the effectiveness of the schools in delivering the national curriculum. All schools must follow nationally prescribed content and pedagogic methods and set targets for individual pupil learning (Whetton, Twist, and Sainsbury, 2000). Gipps, Clarke, and McCallum (1998) assert that this system places too little emphasis on assessment of learning and too much on assessment for learning.

Reference:

Cheng, L. 1999. Changing assessment: Wash back on teacher perceptions and actions. Teaching and Teacher

                Education, 15(3), 253-271.

Gipps, C., Clarke, S., & McCallum, B. 1998, April. The role of teachers in national assessment in England. Paper

                presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California

                (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 419 836).

Silvernail, D. 1996. The impact of England's national curriculum and assessmentsystem onclassroom practice:

                Potential lessonsfor American reformers. Educational Policy, 10(1),46-62.

Whetton,C., Twist, E., & Sainsbury, M. 2000. National tests and targetsetting: Maintainingconsistentstandards.

                Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, New Orleans,

                Louisiana (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 441 849).

stressors

Hunger is a meaningful topic for me because of an article I read a few weeks ago. Children that have no access to food not only harm their body but it also affects their mental state.  There have been researchers that have revealed that poor diet during early development (0-3yrs) leads to learning and memory deficits, lower IQ and school achievement, and behavioral problems in childhood and adolescence (Mcgregor, (1995). Hunger has also been linked to conditions such as Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia.  In UK, they are battling with hunger and a lack of resources to obtain food. Children are suffering extreme neglect and malnutrition. At an alarming rate, children are dying from hunger in the UK. The government is currently exploring solutions to this problem but not fast enough.

Reference:

Grantham-Mcgregor, S. (1995). A Review of Studies of the Effect of Severe

Malnutrition on Mental Development. The Journal of Nutrition. 125:

2233S-2238S

Child Development and Public Health

Nutrition/Malnutrition is a meaningful topic for me because of a story I came across a few weeks ago. Children that are not having the correct nutrition not only harm their body but it also affects their mental state.  There have been researchers that have revealed that poor diet during early development (0-3yrs) leads to learning and memory deficits, lower IQ and school achievement, and behavioral problems in childhood and adolescence (Mcgregor, (1995).Malnutrition has often also been linked to conditions such as ADHD, Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia.  

I remember reading a story about children in the UK and how they were battling with malnutrition. Over in the UK, the children are suffering extreme neglect and malnutrition. Although very alarming, children are still dying from severe malnutrition. I remember they specifically mentioned a 7 year old boy named Khyra Ishaq who should not have lost his life due to food.  The latest figures calculated in the UK reveal that 4 million children in the UK are living in poverty.  It’s also been found that 16% were

severely stunted, 14% wasted and 20% at risk of severe malnutrition. This world must find ways to reach out and make sure no one is dying because they are experiencing malnutrition, hunger or food insecurity. I do my best making sure all of my students can at least have food for nourishment while on campus.

Reference:

Grantham-Mcgregor, S. (1995). A Review of Studies of the Effect of Severe

Malnutrition on Mental Development. The Journal of Nutrition. 125:

2233S-2238S

Childbirth in your life and around the world

I believe that the birthing experience is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, I haven’t experienced this beauty yet. I have no kids and I do not remember my birthing experience.

I always wanted to visit Thailand so I did a little research on Thailand’s birthing experiences. Thailand is very similar to the US except they do have a few traditions after the birth of a child.

First, when a baby is born, on the 3^rd day the baby is placed into a basket with a pencil and a notebook (for brightness), and money (for richness); girls are also given knives (to cut and comb hair) and cooking utensils. The basket with the baby and instruments is then handed over to “a respectable man in the village. This means that the baby became his adopted child temporarily, in the US we call this “God Parents”

Second, a child is not given a name until the fifth day after birth. Another interesting point is that babies are also sometimes given a mixture of banana, honey, and water to prevent diarrhea. If the baby cries too much and cannot sleep, it is believed that the baby’s guardian spirit, “Mae Sue” is teasing the newborn too much. I really enjoyed learning about the different things that the Thailand culture follows.

Examining Codes of Ethics

I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.

This is important to me because the world is ever changing and we as educators must not get lost in time. We can  stay in touch with the changing of times through continuing education

I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child. 

This is important to me and in order for us to respect these unique qualities we have to be knowledgeable on how to recognize these qualities.

I-1.4—To appreciate the vulnerability of children and their dependence on adults. 

Children cannot stand up and speak for themselves so we have to be their voice and advocate for them

Course Resource Section

Required Resources

• Course Media: "The Resources for Early Childhood"
  Five early childhood professionals discuss their preferred and trusted resources.

Note: Read the documents listed in Parts 1 and 2 in preparation for this week's Discussion.

Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices

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

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

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
• Websites:
• • World Forum Foundation
    http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment 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/
    Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.

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

Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations

• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/
• 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/
• 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.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
• Voices for America's Children
  http://www.voices.org/
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/

Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library

Tip: Use the A-to-Z e-journal list to search for specific journal titles. (Go to "How Do I...?", select "Tips for Specific Formats and Resources," and then "e-journals" to find this search interface.)

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

EXTRAS!!

1. Don't Be Afraid of The Mess!
By Sandra Fisher
2. ''Shake Up'' Your Music Curriculum With Rhythm Instruments!
By Abigail Connors
3. 'I Did It on the Computer!' Easy-to-make Crafts Using the Computer
By Diane S. Kendall

My Quotes

Former President Bill Clinton’s quote “Individual character involves honoring and embracing certain core ethical values; honesty, respect, responsibility. Parents must teach their children from the earliest age the difference between right and wrong. But we must all do our part”.

Professor Brazelton’s quote “I may be 94 years old, but I'm not done.


Louis-Derman Sparks quoted in the video  "I always wanted to teach simply because I love kids"

Childhood Web

These are the individuals that are a part or have contributed to my development. 

Liz-Mom- Supportive and Nurturer always checking to see if I have everything I need.

Joe-Dad- Provider, Protector and Supporter and always checking to see if I have everything I need.

Steve-Coach- Disciplinarian, motivator and Supporter and always checking to see that I have what I need.

Sanborn-Teacher- educator and supporter and always checking to see that I have what I need

Lisha- Sister- supportive, Loving, Motivation because of her expectations and always checking to see that I have what I need.

Childhood Favotites

My favorite quote is: "A kid does not care how much you know until he knows how much you care".

My favorite childhood book was "Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. What was very interesting was that Dr.Seuss made a bet that he could write a book using just 50 words, and in Green Eggs and Ham, he only used exactly 50 words!

When I consider all of the factors that fuel my passion, I come to one conclusion: I like to help and provide for others. I believe as human beings we are put on this earth to first live our life right and then to help others.

First Blog

I really struggled to grasp an understanding of how to get this working. Hopefully I am on the right track.