Sunday, December 26, 2010

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.”
~Stacia Tauscher
I chose to post this quote because throughout this course we have learned about each stage of development in a child from pre-birth through the middle years of age.  As parents and educators I feel it is important to appreciate each stage of development and realize the beauty of each stage. 


I would like to thank each of you who responded to my postings and also all of the thoughts that you shared with us in each of your posts.  It is hard to believe that this class is coming to an end, but I have learned so much through each of you and our assignments that we have completed.






Sunday, December 12, 2010

Week 6 assignment

In Japan the elementary school curriculum is similar to that of the United States in that subject areas such as social studies, science, math, music, art, and P.E. are taught.   However, weekly moral education is also included in the curriculum.  Emphasis on respect and being thoughtful to others are taught as part of Japan’s “whole person” education.  Teachers in Japan focus on evolving the holistic child and feel that it is part of their responsibility to teach such topics as personal hygiene, nutrition, and sleep.  Along with the moral education children are taught manners, how to speak politely, and how to speak to adults as well as their peers in an appropriate manner.

What is interesting to me is how the United States has put such topics to the side when it comes to educating our own children.  We are so focused on test scores such as Standards of  Learning that we are missing such key components  and are veering so far from a holistic approach.  I do feel that manners and respect should initially be taught at home but reinforcing such moral ideas could be beneficial as well and create a wonderful partnership between families and school.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Consequences of Stress on Child Development
A Personal Story…
Before my niece was adopted she had spent the first 14 months of her life institutionalized in a Chinese orphanage.  My brother and his wife brought home a beautiful healthy little girl.  She has overcome both physical and mental delays, issues with sensory, and has recently been diagnosed with little to no short term memory and is Dyslexic.  Doctors do attribute these delays to being abandoned as a newborn and the lack of stimulus during the first 14 months.   With each new development the family has reached out for support from Physical therapists, counselors, and most recently a local University that has administered tests to help diagnose her current obstacles.  My niece is home schooled and is able to receive one on one attention with her academics.  The curriculum that is taught to her is specific to her needs and will help her with memory and Dyslexia.  I spent the weekend with my brother and his family and my niece is developing into a beautiful happy young girl.  She has overcome so much and will continue to do so because of the unconditional love and wonderful resources that they are able to provide her with.
Across The World…
Natural disasters can be very traumatic for children due to their lack of knowledge and not being prepared.  The earthquake in Haiti left many children homeless, without food and water, loss of either one or both parents.  Children quickly began imitating adults around them and could be seen digging in the dirt like the adults who were sifting through the rubble trying so desperately to find and rescue anyone who was still alive.  Physically and mentally the welfare of the children was in jeopardy.  The effects of disaster hit children hard and can take much longer for them to overcome.  Psychologists say that for recovery to take place routines need to continue as soon as possible.  For the children in Haiti a routine that is starting to continue is education.  Schools are being rebuilt and children are returning to school.  The process of hope and recovery has begun.
http://www.alertnet.org

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is such a personal choice.  For some the benefits to both mother and child are determining factors as to whether or not one will try.  I grew up knowing that my mother breastfed me and my brothers and, as I started having children I knew the benefits and that I wanted to be able to do the same with my children.  I had no idea that it would be such hard work.  It seemed like such a natural process, how could it be difficult.  My son was born about two weeks late and hungry from the get go.  He immediately latched on and I was so relieved that it seemed to be just that easy.  Well, we went home and he kept eating but I was not producing.  I remember one night being so exhausted and he seemed so frustrated.   I ended up only nursing for about three months and would supplement in between our feedings to try and keep up.  My daughter came along about 14 months later and I again knew that I would try.  All was good until she hit her first growth spurt and then I just wasn’t producing enough.  Five years later and preparing on my third to be born, I am again going into the birth knowing that I want to give this just one more shot.  The benefits that I can provide my baby and myself far outweigh the hard work and possible frustrations.  I want to prepare myself this time and educate myself on how to properly breastfeed and I plan on taking a class at the hospital that I will deliver at.  I feel like even though it is my third child the more I know the better prepared I will be.
BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING:
1.)    Bonding that occurs between mother and child
2.)    Nutritional value of “mother’s milk”
3.)    Cost saving
4.)    Health Benefits for both child and mother
http://www.womenshealth.gov/Breastfeeding/index.cfm?page=227
Controversial topic of breastfeeding in public
Breastfeeding in public can cause quite a stir of emotions.  I personally was not one to nurse in public however was also not ever offended to see another mother who was comfortable to do so.  Recently in Taiwan a new law was passed allowing mothers to breastfeed in public settings and created a fine that would be charged to anyone who tried to stop this from happening.  “Under the new rule, anyone attempting to prevent breastfeeding in public will face a fine of up to 30,000 Taiwan dollars (990 US dollars), according to the Department of Health.”
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hMHUnypnaJRSUKzzA7orycOCjrPg?docId=CNG.9cffc4fdf846d8715d7cc1b4f8a701a3.51
I personally feel that this new law passed in Taiwan is a giant step forward.  The idea behind the law is to show respect for nursing mothers.  I believe it is an act that can be done in a nonintrusive way.  Most mothers I have seen have kept themselves pretty well covered, and I guess I too would be surprised to see a mother with a fully exposed breast nursing in public but she is feeding her infant.  After all we just passed a law allowing individuals to carry concealed weapons in bars.  Could public breastfeeding really be that bad?

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Early Childhood Development post #1

Birthing Experiences

A couple of years before having my first child I was asked to be part of a friend’s delivery.  I was so honored and felt blessed to be a part of their big day.  I have to say it is one of the most beautiful and amazing life experiences to witness.  The day was filled with emotions as the final moment grew closer. I can remember watching the little one’s head emerge.  It was incredible how I could see the bones in her head squeeze together as she entered the world and then poof she was there with us.  I have since had two children of my own, and the whole experience is absolutely beautiful.  My husband and I are now expecting our third little one, and the really neat thing about this experience is being able to share it with our first two.  My son and daughter are so excited to be getting another addition to the family, and it is wonderful to be able to watch through their eyes.  
For each of the births of my children I had an epidural and delivered vaginally.  I can remember experiencing pain with both and thinking afterwards I can’t image what that would have felt like without the miracle of medicine.
According to information found on the website http://www.culturediversity.org/asia.htm
“Vietnamese women, as most Asians, believe that a woman must experience pain and discomfort as part of childbirth. To express these feelings, however, brings shame upon her.” I believe this is a great example in the differences between cultures.   I feel it is always very enlightening to study cultural differences and to go into it with an open mind.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Week 8 The End is Nearing

Wow, it is hard to believe that week eight is here.  Thank you to everyone who posted comments.  It is very motivating to become part of a community that shares my passion for the early childhood field.  Good luck to each of you on the next leg of our journey.  I hope that we will be able to keep in touch.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Examining Code of Ethics
The ideals discussed in this week’s resources are all valuable principles that one should use as guidelines to follow as a professional in the early childcare field.  I find it difficult to pick just three, but I have chosen these because I want these three principles to be of focus for my future work as I make advocacy part of my professional development.   The three that I have chosen to highlight that are significant to me are:
1)      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.

2)      I-3C.4 To encourage and support continual development
of employees in becoming more skilled and
knowledgeable practitioners.

3)      I-4.6 To promote knowledge and understanding of
young children and their needs. To work toward
greater societal acknowledgment of children’s rights
and greater social acceptance of responsibility for the
well-being of all children.

The resources that I have reviewed over the past seven weeks have strengthened my passion for the work that I do on a daily basis.  The early childhood field has come such a long way but it still has so far to go.  As an advocate I feel that I should stay on top of the latest research and continue to educate myself so that as I promote to my community around me I am sharing current information.


NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved October 23, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Resources that I would like to share:
1.                 ExchangeEveryDay  http://www.ccie.com/eed/
ExchangeEveryDay is the official newsletter for Exchange Press, Inc.   You can subscribe to this and daily newsletters will be emailed with such items as success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.  I think that as a professional is important to stay on top of the latest information.  I have received this magazine that comes monthly and have always been able to pull at least one valuable article from each issue.  I find this daily newsletter to be just as beneficial.
2.        Toy Box Leadership: Leadership Lessons from the Toys You Loved as a child by: Ron Hunter Jr.
Hunter Jr, R., & Waddell, M.E. (2008).  Toy box leadership: Leadership lessons from the toys you loved as a child. Thomas Nelson Inc.
I recently went to a training and a section of the training was on teambuilding.  This book was mentioned and examples were used there at the training.  As a director I am always looking for new ideas thatare easy and exciting to use that will build team moral and work on team building.    I am excited to be able to share this book as well. 
Great ideas to use when focusing on teambuilding with your staff.
3.        http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/parentsHome.jsp
A great website for parents, teachers, children, and administrators. I like when I find resources that can be used  both personally and professionally. It is also nice to find resources that I can confidently share with my families that I know will be user friendly for them.

I believe that part of this learning experience is to be able to share ideas that have been successful for each other and resources that have helped along the way.  Education is continual and every changing.  The change is one thing that makes this field so interesting to me and keeps me energized.

COURSE RESOURCES
Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices
NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from http://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 October 9, 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 October 9, 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 October 9, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved October 9, 2010, from http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved October 9, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~images/pdfs/snapshots/snap33.pdf
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.
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 October 9, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
Websites:
World Forum Foundation     http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English/about_OMEP/
Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/about/
Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations
National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/
The Division for Early Childhood
http://www.dec-sped.org/
Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/
WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
Harvard Education Letter   http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
FPG Child Development Institute   http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
HighScope    http://www.highscope.org/
Children’s Defense Fund    http://www.childrensdefense.org/
Center for Child Care Workforce    http://www.ccw.org/
Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
National Child Care Association    http://www.nccanet.org/
National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/
Pre[K]Now     http://www.preknow.org/
Voices for America’s Children  
http://www.voices.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=22807
The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/
Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library
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

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

“As your baby progresses from one milestone to the next, remember that he doesn’t really leave any of them behind.   In order to grow and develop to his full potential he must continually build on and strengthen all of the steps that have gone before.”
                          ~ Stanley Greenspan M.D.

“We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better.”
~ Sandy Escobido




"Part of being who you are has to do with feeling your feelings, which means you'll have a wide range of emotions--not just constant sunshiny happiness."
— Janet Gonzalez-Mena

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Personal Childhood Web

     As I think back to my childhood there are several people that come to mind that made an influence on my life.  These individuals gave me unconditional love, accepted me for me, and have always been there to encourage me throughout my life.  My family was a significant source of that support.  I was blessed to have a very involved family filled with love from my grandparents and beyond.  Holidays were a big time to get together with everyone catching up on all the new.  My brothers and I spent many weekends with our grandparents where we would garden and spend endless hours playing and using our imagination.  They taught us important life skills that we are passing down to our own children.  So who are a few of those people?


My father…

Daddy you have always been there for me.  You were our provider, disciplinarian, and a teacher.  You taught us right from wrong.  You set an example of being a hard worker and provider for your family. You gave me love and encouragement with everything I have done.   I still turn to you for advice.  Today you are my father, my mentor, and my friend. 

My mother…

Mom you gave up a lot and made selfless choices.  You were our nurturer, caregiver, and taught us about faith. I was so blessed to have you at home with us every day.  You loved me unconditionally and taught me to be the mother I am today.  Today you are my mother, my guide, and my friend.

My brothers…

Mom and Dad taught us to be there for each other.  We laughed and cried together, we fought as brothers and sisters do, be most importantly we watched over each other and were a source of encouragement along the way.  We are a source of unconditional love for each other.  Today we are grown and have families of our own. I am proud of the adults my brothers have become and I know they are proud of me.

My best friend…

I met Catherine when I was 4 years old.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.   I was heading off to a dentist appointment and she was walking with her grandmother.  We hit it off from our first meeting.  We were inseparable growing up.   We supported each other through all the difficult changes in life.  We were there to face the first day of school, the awkward stages of life, her mother’s battle with cancer, the loss of loved ones, and so much more.   We laughed with one another and were supportive shoulders to cry on. She was my best friend and a sister to me.


Tuesday, September 14, 2010

"Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate."
             ~ Anonymous

Monday, September 13, 2010



I love to hear this story being read to our preschoolers. This is a wonderful story that allows the children to interact with the story as it is filled with movement and adventure. It is great to see their imaginations run wild as they sneak up on this bear.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

A week of new beginnings

As I look back over the week I have to process all the “new” that has happened. Our children started school with our youngest starting Kindergarten. My husband and I have returned to school as we jumped into our first week of classes. Last but not least I accepted a new job with a new school. I am excited about all the new adventures…what a week.