Early Chidhood Studies Blog
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Quotes About childhood Education
"A person's a person, no matter how
small."
~ Dr. Seuss, author
We must cater to the needs of all children! Size or age should not be a factor when working with children. We need to treat them as growing individuals who are soaking up all the knowledge around them.
As educators we need to have high expectations for all children. They will live up to these expectations! We need to provide them with the tools necessary for achieving their goals and the first step is to believe in them.
"Children are great imitators. So give them
something great to imitate."
~Anonymous
Children learn through experiences and watching interactions. Being a great role model gives them the ability to believe in themselves.
We are connected as educators. We have the same goal in life. We want all of our children to succeed and become great people that will change the world for the better. We are a T.E.A.M. (Together everyone achieves more)!
"The best way to improve the American workforce in the 21st century is to invest in early childhood education, to ensure that even the most disadvantaged children have the opportunity to succeed along side their more advantaged peers"
~ James Heckman (Nobel Laureate in Economics)
Disadvantaged children need us the most. They need more help, attention, and most of all love!
~ Dr. Seuss, author
"Children are likely to live up to what you
believe of them."
~ Lady Bird Johnson, former U.S. first lady
~Anonymous
Children learn through experiences and watching interactions. Being a great role model gives them the ability to believe in themselves.
"What connects people is not mere ideas but deep
personal commitments. Commitments involve feeling, passion, and drive. Ideas
only bring heads together."
~R. B. Williams, author and communications
specialistWe are connected as educators. We have the same goal in life. We want all of our children to succeed and become great people that will change the world for the better. We are a T.E.A.M. (Together everyone achieves more)!
"The best way to improve the American workforce in the 21st century is to invest in early childhood education, to ensure that even the most disadvantaged children have the opportunity to succeed along side their more advantaged peers"
~ James Heckman (Nobel Laureate in Economics)
Disadvantaged children need us the most. They need more help, attention, and most of all love!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Testing for Intelligence?
We are alike and different in so many ways. I feel that standardized testing gives us a few samples of the population. Not all will pass because we are so different. I had a student 2 years ago that had speech problems but was one of the brightest students I have ever had. She lacked in social skills and could never start or keep a conversation. Her family was from Mexico and they had just moved to the states through a work visa. She wouldn't speak much and when she did you couldn't understand what she was trying to convey. We figured out how to work each other. Instead of having her speak to me she would show me things. She was embarrassed to talk because of her accent and because she was afraid that children would laugh at her. If I were to give her a standardized test she would have failed miserably. Very understanding. These tests should be for the whole child and not just certain parts. Towards the middle of the school year she gained enough confidence to talk more, play with peers, and even join in on group discussions. She is know a 2nd grader who can fluently read, write, and talk in English.
What also comes to mind is the smart students who are bad test takers. I was and still am the girl who will bite off all her fingernails because I cannot make the butterflies in my stomach go away when it comes down to being tested and timed. We see this when our state standardized test results come in. We look at the child's score and compare it to their academics. Many times the child's anxiety kicks in and prevents them from doing well.
I was looking into standardized testing in Mexico and all I could find was an article from 1996. The article states that parents, teachers, and students protested the streets of Mexico. Four thousand people took to the streets. Mexico was forcing students to take a standardized test and pay for it even if they attended a public school. The cost was $13 when its minimal wage was $3 a day. Students then had to prepare a list of possible schools to attend after receiving their scores. There wasn't enough room for all students which caused protest among its citizens. As a result they now have scholarships and more space was available at schools.
To read more about this click on the following link: http://fairtest.org/protests-against-teaching-mexico
We are alike and different in so many ways. I feel that standardized testing gives us a few samples of the population. Not all will pass because we are so different. I had a student 2 years ago that had speech problems but was one of the brightest students I have ever had. She lacked in social skills and could never start or keep a conversation. Her family was from Mexico and they had just moved to the states through a work visa. She wouldn't speak much and when she did you couldn't understand what she was trying to convey. We figured out how to work each other. Instead of having her speak to me she would show me things. She was embarrassed to talk because of her accent and because she was afraid that children would laugh at her. If I were to give her a standardized test she would have failed miserably. Very understanding. These tests should be for the whole child and not just certain parts. Towards the middle of the school year she gained enough confidence to talk more, play with peers, and even join in on group discussions. She is know a 2nd grader who can fluently read, write, and talk in English.
What also comes to mind is the smart students who are bad test takers. I was and still am the girl who will bite off all her fingernails because I cannot make the butterflies in my stomach go away when it comes down to being tested and timed. We see this when our state standardized test results come in. We look at the child's score and compare it to their academics. Many times the child's anxiety kicks in and prevents them from doing well.
I was looking into standardized testing in Mexico and all I could find was an article from 1996. The article states that parents, teachers, and students protested the streets of Mexico. Four thousand people took to the streets. Mexico was forcing students to take a standardized test and pay for it even if they attended a public school. The cost was $13 when its minimal wage was $3 a day. Students then had to prepare a list of possible schools to attend after receiving their scores. There wasn't enough room for all students which caused protest among its citizens. As a result they now have scholarships and more space was available at schools.
To read more about this click on the following link: http://fairtest.org/protests-against-teaching-mexico
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)