Thank You!

I want to personally thank each and everyone of you who have helped me through this small chapter of my life.  Just as children learn and grow so do we.  We learn best through our peers and experiences.  You have made my studies and experience a memorable one.  We have more to learn and together we can achieve more! Let's make long lasting memories that our children will thank us for one day : )

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.

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."

~ Lady Bird Johnson, former U.S. first lady

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. 

 

 

"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 specialist

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!

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

Consequences of Strss on Children's Development

Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

            Many stressors can hinder a child’s biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development.  Poverty, war, racism, hunger, and chaos are a few of the many that may have devastating effects on adults but especially on the young lives of children.  Violence is the stressor I have the seen the most. 

             I have a student this year that has severe behavioral problems.   He is very emotionally disturbed, with an extremely short fuse, and who is quick to react.  I was aware of this when our Pre-K teacher gave me the heads up.  Everyone knew this little 4 year old that would knock furniture down, through objects, kick, and use foul language.  I kept hearing, “GOOD LUCK!”  I was hesitant and didn’t know how to reach him.  So the first few weeks of school we got to learn from one another.  He is an intelligent child who has social problems due to domestic violence.  The students in my class who knew him from the year before would say things like, “He does that all the time” or “He is a bad boy”.  These comments, student stares, and laughs would set him off and we would have a complete melt down, including room rearrangement, about 2-3 times a day.  While taking my Early Childhood Development course and its readings I have taught my students to use empathy and help our friend who is a part of our family.  The results have shown improvement among my students and my classroom environment.  We have a give and take type of relationship that seems to be working.  My little buddy no longer throws things or knocks anything down.  He does have a temper tantrum or two but it is understandable and we work as a class to help each other out.  He is a great kid and everyone can know see that. 

            I chose to do more research on violence in Mexico.  I am of Latin decent, first born American, and live in a city whose population is mainly Hispanic.  Many stressors impact children in Mexico.  I will continue to focus on violence.  UNICEF is sponsoring a program in Mexico schools called Education for Peace.  This program is designed to reach children who experience violence at home and school.  The program also involves adults and teaches them how to recognize violence in their lives and how to avoid directing these feelings towards children.  The school dropout rate in Mexico is due to children in poverty having to work as well as abusive teachers, and parents.  Yes I said it…teachers!  I was shocked to read this.  We are supposed to be the safe haven they don’t have elsewhere.  Mexico’s government has taken over this project because of the wide results and impacts the children have made.  They want it to spread to countryside, cities, and eventually nationwide. 

Reference: http://www.unicef.org/protection/mexico_30660.html

Child Development and Public Health

     One of my biggest concerns in life is the well being of all children.  They depend on us to provide them with love, support, and healthy development.  Other than feeding, exercise, and giving them their multivitamin on a daily basis immunizations are also needed. 

     Immunizations are also called vaccines.  "Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or disease." (WHO 2012).  Families who vaccinate children save lives against deadly diseases.  The World Health Organization reports that China has had a 92% drop in Measles as a result of its measles immunization effort.  These kind of diseases can be prevented by simply vaccinating.  China isn't the only country reporting these findings.  Other countries with these findings are Cambodia, Japan, Laos, Philippines, and Viet Nam. 

WHO is focused on eliminating the Measles disease in all the Western Pacific Region (WPR) countries.  Below is a graph depicting a four year study of the region.

 

"Since 2001 the Initiative has supported 80 countries to deliver more than 1 billion doses of measles vaccine, helped to raise measles vaccination coverage to 85 percent globally and reduced measles deaths by 74 percent." (WHO 2012). 

     This topic impacts my future and the future of children all over the world.  Where there is a need we must do something to fill in its void.  What ways can we help with this initiative?  The Red Cross gives us ample opportunity to help by donating, volunteering, fundraising opportunities, and by being advocates. 

For more information click on the following links:
http://www.who.int/topics/immunization/en/
http://www.measlesrubellainitiative.org/
http://www.redcross.org/support/international-support

Childbirth In Your Life and Arounf the World

I am fortunate enough to have two little boys in my life.  The pregnancies and birth experiences were very different from each other. 

My first pregnancy was relatively smooth.  From the moment I found out that I was pregnant I started to take better care of myself by taking prenatal vitamins, having regular checkups, and eating healthier.  I wanted to do all I could do to give my child a healthy start at life.  It was such an exciting experience too, from the first movement, getting everything baby would need, to his birthday.  After waiting 9 months the day finally arrived.  Our families patiently waited at the hospital for the moment to meet Tyler.  I remember being so scared and so happy at the same time.  Everything was fine and our bouncing baby boy was as healthy as can be.  He is now 5 years old.

My second pregnancy wasn’t so smooth.  Again, I did everything I could to give this new baby a healthy start with vitamins, checkups, and being healthier.  Everything seemed ok until one day at work I began bleeding.  I rushed to the doctor and after several months and bloody episodes we discovered I had placenta previa.  My placenta was covering my cervix and each time it would try and fix itself by moving it was like pulling a scab.  I was eventually bedridden and hospitalized still having episodes.  To make a long story short after all the tests and all the specialists we finally had to make the decision to have an early birth through C-section.  Kyle was born 5 ½ weeks early at a staggering 7 pounds but had to be in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit.  He had several problems which included breathing and feeding.  After a little over a week we were finally able to bring him home.  He is now 3 years old.

This week’s readings about pregnancies and births made me think of what may have happened if the tables were turned.  What if I gave birth at home and not in a hospital? Would I still be here today? Would my child be alive? We both needed medical attention from birth complications.  Thinking of this and all the other complications others have during pregnancy saddens me.  Many children have been lost due to poor health care on the mother’s part, financial burdens, and even outside factors: teratogens.  What if I gave birth in one of the least developed nations?  Reading about the woman in Ghana giving birth in a dark, hot, hut curled in a corner with no sound amazes me.  It seems so peaceful yet not all are so.  She was fortunate not to have any birthing complications but what if she did.  I am very thankful to have given birth in the United States! 

Examining Codes of Ethics

3 NAEYC codes of ethics that are meaningful to me. 

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.

All educators should be life-long learners.  The only way to meet the needs of our ever changing society is to keep up with it through professional development.  It will not hurt us, it only benefits us as well as our students.  Through professional development we keep up with current issues, research, and practices.  It is imperative for professionals working with children to become more familiar in these topics.

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.

The best thing a teacher can do for a child is to create this type of environment to foster the age appropriate development a child needs.  Sometimes we are the only constant balance a child has.  There are several hidden factors at home we can be unaware of such as cleanliness and parent/adult involvement.  Giving them a secure environment also gives them something to look forward to.  We must always be positive and create positive environments, lessons, and skills they will use for the rest of their lives. 

I-2.7—To share information about each child’s education and development with families and to help them understand and appreciate the current knowledge base of the early childhood profession.

We must build a positive relationship with the students and their families.  They need to understand that we are here to serve the needs of the child and what we want more than anything is the successful development of their children.  Together we form a T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieves More).  Through this team we can help foster the development of children in all areas needed at school and more importantly home.  If a child sees how important school is not only through us but through their parents then they too will agree.  Without help from home we are in this alone. 

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved August 4, 2012, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf