Professional Hopes and Goals

The one hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from divers backgrounds would be that I am able to help them by providing a support system and resources.  By providing these things I would hope that they feel comfortable with me so that they would come talk to me and know that I am working in their behalf and their child's so that they feel welcome to the program and to the community.

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice would be that we educate the early childhood teachers on a regular basis on the every changing culture that is around us.  It is so important that they are aware of the diversity of the children in their classroom and how to address questions with parents so that they are able to work with them so their child will feel included in the classroom.  

I would like to thank my colleagues for their insights into culture and diversity and for sharing their experiences.  I have learned a lot from reading posts and gotten some useful information so that I may have a better understanding of how to become more aware of diversity.

"It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength. We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the treads of that tapestry are equal in value no matter their color.”
- Maya Angelou, Author

Welcoming Families From Around the World

When I think of having a new family start in our program that is new to this country I feel that I want to help them and their child transition into to the program with as much ease as possible.  A family who has recently immigrated from India would be culture shock for them to come to the United States.  I know nothing about India so in order to prepare for their arrival I would learn some key words and phrases that may help us communicate and understand each other a little better.  I would do research on the culture and religion of India so that as a staff we keep in mind their cultural beliefs and adjust our holiday celebrations to include the new family or to respect them when they are not able to participate.  This will also help me to think of alternative celebrations or themes for the classroom. I would also research the beliefs that the people of India have about children and early childhood education so that I can have a better understanding of what the parents may expect from me as their child's teacher.  I would also try to find a translator who could be present during our initial meeting to go over any questions about the program they may have and that I may ask questions about their religion, traditions and culture so that I can have a better understanding.  I would also look at my curriculum and environment and adjust it to include information about India and the culture so that the family will feel welcome to come in and share about their family with the classroom.

I hope that these preparations would help me to become more aware of the culture of India so that I can create a welcoming environment for the family and their child and that I would have also prepared the other children and families to welcome them to our program as well.  I would hope that my preparation for the family would help them to feel welcome and see that I am making an effort to get to know them and to understand and respect their culture.  I would hope that they would feel comfortable in communicating with me about the program and about their child's success in school.  I would hope that they would also feel comfortable enough to also come in and volunteer in the classroom of come in and share with the class about their culture.

My main goal would be that they feel included and welcome.  Ultimately this is what is important for the child so that they feel that they are part of the classroom and that their culture is respected.   

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

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When reading about our assignment and thinking of an incident where I have seen bias, prejudice, and/or oppression the movie about Erin Brockovich's experience came to mind.  In specifically dealing with Erin, the people who had to change their beliefs and values in order for there to be equity for her were the people with whom she worked. Being a single mother she had to prove to her new boss at a small law firm that she could do a good job and that she was motivated and eager to learn.  Because she dressed differently and did not have the same education as the other staff in the law firm she had to work harder to prove her abilities were a viable part of the firm.  Also because she is a women she had to prove that she did her research so that others, especially the men, would take her seriously.  Once people saw that she was serious their attitudes changed toward her but some still had reservations.  She had to work twice as hard as a man would have had to do in order to be taken seriously at her job and this is what if feel diminished equity for her.    

When watching the movie the feelings about how she as a women was treated were frustrating because you could see the determination she had to succeed and passion for helping other to have equity.  In most cases some women would have conformed to what society thought about them and would not have pursued the career in the law firm.  The determination that Erin has to prove that she could contribute to the firm and that she could work with the clients in a more personal way was encouraging to see.  She did not give up even though at times she felt like it was to hard to continue the up hill battle.  I feel overwhelmed thinking of having to raise children by myself and also have to work extra hard to prove that I could do a good job at work and that being a women is an asset and that it should not be a strike against me. 

Erin is a consumer advocate who believes in helping others and finding the truth.

Erin Brockovich

Practicing Awareness of Microagressions

Microaggression probably happens more than we realize to us and to others but we are not always aware of it because we have become accustomed to it or numb to it.  One microaggression that I came across was thought to be humorous and was posted by a teacher.  On a math test the student was to look at a math problem and find what the person in the problem had done incorrectly and they were supposed to correct the math.  The person in the question was a woman so instead of figuring out the problem the student simply wrote that the problem with the math was because it was done by a women. That used to be the way people thought, that girls are not good at math and society has worked hard to change that image but unfortunately some people still think that way.  This message was one that I got as a child in a subtle way so I was never confident that I could learn math and that I could understand it and solve the math problems.

Another microaggression that I remember is a 4 year old referring to the Mexican children in her class as those kids who don't speak English very well.  She had categorized them all as not able to speak English even though their was only one child who did not speak English as well. The teacher told her that they all have names and she needed to use their names and that they did speak English as well as Spanish.  The little girl did not mean this to be mean it is just what she has heard form the society around her.  The comment the little girl made was disheartening because I thought that I lived in a community that much more accepting and it made me realize that prejudice is an issue and as a teacher I feel that it needs to be talked about with children in the classroom.

My observation of these microaggressions has shown me that stereotypes are still used in our society and that young children pick up on these at a very young age.  If we want the perceptions to change then it needs to start with us, the adults and society.  The effects of prejudice and stereotyping people can reach deep into a person and they may never be able to overcome the effects of this.  It is important that we are educated on diversity and culture so that we are aware of how others live and learn in our society.      

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I talked with three people on what their definition of culture and diversity was.  The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course that I noticed in the answers were that culture is mainly the influences of the society or group that you associate with.  Some examples that I was given were the customs and beliefs of the people in your group, where you live, where you grew up, habits you have and food you eat are all aspects of culture.  Diversity was described as people being different but similar, different nationalities coming together.  The teacher I talked with said she thought of diversity when having a divers classroom where the children would be from different cultures around the world and she would incorporate this diversity into her classroom.  Another person described diversity as people having different ideas and living differently.

The aspects of culture and diversity that I noticed that they did not mention were the abilities of others and how that can be part of culture and diversity.  They did not mention class, age or gender.  I think that we have become a society that pays more attention to ethnicity and so the other areas do not stand out as strongly as ethnicity.  We also look only on the surface and see the holidays that are celebrated, food that is typical of a culture and other common traits.

What I have learned is that a teacher thinks a little bit differently than a person that does not work with children and families on a day to day bases.  I also noticed that the people I talked with each had a little bit of a different take on culture and diversity.  The young person called it customs and beliefs, the man saw it as everything around us that influences how we live and the lady in her 70's saw it as influences from where she was born and raised which was a different country.  Where we are currently can influences but where we may have come from also has a big impact on our perspective on culture and diversity.


Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.
Jawaharlal Nehru

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/culture_2.html#Zbag4Hk6HHjgCFRV.99

My Family Culture

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country.  The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees.  You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event.  However, you have absolutely no input into the final decision or in any other evacuation details.  You are told that your host country's culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently.  You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you.  You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represents your family culture.

The scenario of having to uproot my family and live an another country that had a much different culture than what I am used to would be scary at first but but I would have to put my self in the mind set that it would be an experience that I would have to keep my self open to accepting for the good of my family.  In having to choose three items that I feel represent my family and that are my most important items would be my Bible, pictures of my family and my wedding ring.

In explaining to others what these items mean to me;

• My Bible represents my Christian faith.
• My family pictures would be a visual reminder of them and help with family memories.
• My wedding ring is important to me because it represents then family unity with my husband and the commitment to our family and each other.

If upon arriving I was told that I had to choose only one item to take with me I would be angry because of having to have already chosen only three items.  I would be difficult to have to decide when they are all so very important to me.

 

After doing this exercise I feel that I have learned that I feel strongly about my Christian faith and that I want to know my Bible better.  I learned that my family culture of having that Christian faith, being involved in church and attending Christian schools has helped to shape who I am.  The importance of family and commitment is also something that I value and want to preserve. 

When I Think of Research.....

While studying about research in this 8 week course I have come to understand some of the vocabulary that researchers use to describe their research.  I now understand that researchers have to be organized and design their research study that will help them toward the end result they believe that the research will lead them to.  Understanding the different types of research designs such as qualitative which is data gathered that helps the researcher to understand what they are studying and quantitative research which is gathering data that explains what the outcome of the data is.  When doing research with children it is not only important to get permission from the parents but it is also important to get ask the child if they are willing to participate in the study.  Research involves a lot of details that need to be organized and kept track of from the beginning in order for the study to come out with the results that the researcher is looking for.

My ideas about how to go about research have changed because I have a better understanding of what goes into conducting a study and the many types of data that can be used in the research study.  As a researcher it is important to understand what type of data is needed to validate your study and when other researcher should be used to help validate the research.  I liked the example of seeing research as telling a story about the topic being studied so that others could read it and understand what the findings are and how the researcher came to that conclusion.

In planning and designing a research study I learned that if you are organized and outline the study starting with the question, choosing the participants, what kind of data you will use and how you will organize that data it will not seem so overwhelming.  You will be able to set up a time line that will help you stay on track with your research.   

Some of the challenges that I encountered where understanding dependent and independent variables in the study.  It was difficult for me to stick to one variable because I would start including an external variable to my study and then I would have to many variables.

My perception of an early childhood professional have changed because now I understand that it is important that we understand how to read and make sens of the research done in early childhood so that we are able to discuss the research with other early childhood professionals and parents.  Understanding the ECE research can also help teachers in the classroom in understanding new methods or how to better work with children and parents.

Research has an important role in the early childhood field and that is why it is important that we are familiar with how to read and understand it.

I have also learned a lot from reading the bolgs of my classmates and learning new insight from their perspectives on research.  I want to say thank you to my classmates for sharing the helpful and  interesting information that you found on the different topics of research in these last eight weeks.  This experience has helped me grow as an early childhood professional.    

Research Around the World

The link that I chose to explore was the one for Early Childhood Australia.  Some of the current international research topics that are being discussed are published in the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood Education.  Several of the articles that I came across discussed the importance of play based learning and how teachers could incorporate intentional lessons along side the play. Another interesting topic that I saw was what it means to have  Culturally Strong Childcare Programs for Indigenous Children, Families and Communities.  I also noticed several articles that talked about the quality of early childhood and how Australia is working toward changes in this area to raise the standards.

Some information I came across that I thought was interesting was that Australia is moving to change early childhood practices and to raise standards in early childhood.  As of January 2012 they have changed the ratio for infants to teachers from 1 teacher to 5 infants to 1 teacher to 4 infants.  We have had the 1:4 ratio for a while here in the United States and I am glad to see that other countries are moving to a higher standard of care. Caring for infants is a demanding and rewarding job and I believe that we should raise the standard even more and go to a 1:3 ratio for an even better quality of care.  I know that many centers do not offer infant care because of the of the ratio and cost difference.  I was also interested to see a topic that I have not really heard about and that is Children and families being held in detention centers and early childhood supporters are calling for the government to allow these children to attend a quality childcare program so that they will not miss out on important developmental milestones and learning skills.  The children are refuges from other countries and I have not heard of the United States holding families in detention centers.

The web site was very informative and I liked how the site had a section called Research in Practice Series
that had great resource books for teachers with great topics and ideas to apply to their classrooms and children's learning.  Under the section called National Quality Standard Professional Learning Program I saw a lot of information that could be helpful for teachers and researchers.  The short video segments called Connecting with Practice have several great examples that early childhood professionals can learn from and discuss.

In general the web site had a lot of useful information and resources.  I would like to check back and see what new research articles have been released and other new information and practices they post on the site.
  

Outdoor Play: Research that Benefits Children

Children today are being pushed to meet academic standards so that they can succeed later in their academic  career and in life.  Sadly this affected how much outside free play a child is able to have where they can explore and learn as well.  I know that children treasure their outside time and want to play in the sandbox, ride a bike or climb a tree.  Many advocates are getting to word out to preserve outdoor play and that the natural outdoor playground can also be an extension to the classroom learning environment for all ages.  

Outdoor play is important to children's development at all stages.  I came across an advocacy group on line that has done research on the importance of nature and outdoor play for children.  The Children and Nature Network is working to reconnect children with nature.  They have an area on their site that has research that has been done to show how nature and the outdoors can positively affect children cognitively, socially, emotionally and spiritually.  In the Special Reports and Collection area there is a report that has a lot of research information that is called "Children's Contact with the Outdoors and Nature: a focus on Educators and Educational settings."  It is important that we remind parents, educators and policy makers that children need to be outdoors in a natural environment because this will affect their learning in a positive way.

I find the research on the positive affects on children who are able to play freely outdoors in nature information that can help me as an early childhood educator better advocate for outdoor playtime for children and natural playgrounds for children. Outside time should be a big part of a child's day and the environment should be planned to meet their interests.

Links to information on outdoor play for children:
Children and Nature Network 
7 Reasons why Kids need recess
Young Children and Nature

Personal Research Journey in Early Childhood Education

This week has been interesting in leaning some new terminology and the process is takes to get a research project started.  I have an interest in learning more about infants and since in the past classes we have discussed how early learning begins and how important it is for an infant to have a good healthy start in life I wanted to learn more about this.  I have decided to focus attachment between a child and their caregiver or parent.  The subtopic that I have chosen to focus on is, how does attachment affect how a child learns important cognitive, social and emotional skills?
Learning new research terms and using the research chart to write down in my own words what some of the terms meant has helped me understand the process of research a little bit better.  I am not as anxious about getting some experience in researching my question. I have been looking for articles that will fit into what my research question is and I have found some on attachment but I will have to use the information on how to read a research article to make sure it is information that I can use.
Has anyone else been able to find information specific to your topic in the Walden library?  Did you find that you had to use key words instead of the whole question?  I found that searching under Education may not always be the best route but that I needed to broaden my search and look under Behavioral studies and Psychology which had some helpful information as well.  
Good luck and I look forward to learning more about your topics.

Early Childhood Issues and Trends Final Blog Post

It has been interesting and very informative to study more in depth about early childhood beliefs and education in other countries.  I was able to make contact with some international early childhood professionals but they did not have time to dialog on a regular basis.  My contact from Singapore, Ms. Wong, gave me a great web site that showed me what was happening in the early childhood field in that part of the world.  I have learned that access to quality early childhood programs is a problem for families all over the world.  I see that countries are trying to find solutions to provide access but it is a slow process.  Those who work with children in Singapore are provided with training and classes to make sure they are current in how to provide quality care for young children.  I found it interesting that some of the Infant teachers were also certified nurses.  Professionally it is encouraging to see that countries are beginning to see the importance of early learning and the need for teachers to be trained and current in the area of best early childhood practices and child health and development.  I also liked that there is an emphasis on providing support and services for families but again this is a slow process that is heading in the right direction.

I learned a lot form exploring the web sites and listening to the pod casts and I have a better understanding of  early childhood issues and trends in other parts of the world.  I now understand that it is important to dialog with ECE professionals from other parts of the world so that I can have a better understanding of what solutions or ideas they may have come up with that deal with early childhood issues and trends that are similar to those in the United States.  We all need to work together to make sure that early childhood is preserved and seen as an important learning foundation for young children.  

I have also learned a lot from my classmates as they have shared what they have learned from their international contacts or from the different web sites on early childhood issues from different countries.  I appreciate this new information and it has helped me have a better understanding of how families, teachers, and young children are affected by early childhood issues and trends around the world.      

   
Singapore Children's Society





National Head Start Association


Working to help children have a better future.

 

Week 7 - International Early Childhood Education issues that Relate to my Professional Goals

Since my international contacts are not able to dialog with me on a regular basis I choose to do the alternative assignment.  I explored the UNESCO's "Early Childhood Care and Education"   web page and found some ideas that related to my professional goals.

In looking at the UNESCO's "Early Childhood Care and Education" web page I was able to correlate  information that related to my professional goals.  My first goal is to help support young children in the classroom.  On the web page I found a link that led me to Curriculum in early childhood education and care which talks about the importance of curriculum and implementing it to meet the needs of the children through educated trained early childhood teachers.
My second goal is to get more involved in my community to help provide young children with the opportunity to have early learning experiences.  When I was reading about what is happening around the world in how much access children have to early education it seems that the wealthy have more opportunity to place their children in high-quality learning programs and the poor do not always have access to these services or the services are not able to meet the needs of all the children.  I read through the Access and equity section of the web page and some of the links.  Most countries see the importance of early education but have a hard time funding it.
My third goal is to be able to provide teachers and families with the tools to help support young children so that they can have a good start in building the foundation of learning.  On the web site it states that parents involvement and relevant leaning materials ensure that early learning materials remain relevant to the needs of the children (UNESCO, nd.).

I have learned from exploring the UNESCO'S web page on early childhood that their are many organizations that are partnering with them to get the conversation started about early childhood issues and to start making changes in other countries that will benefit young children and their families.  The process takes time but if everyone can become one voice for early childhood them change will happen.  Some of the other organizations are:
Bernard van Leer Foundation  is based in the Netherlands and funds and shares knowledge about work in Early Childhood Development (ECD) to support programmes that create significant positive change for children up to the age of eight.
Our mission is to improve opportunities for children up to age 8 who are growing up in socially and economically difficult circumstances. We see this both as a valuable end in itself and as a long-term means to promoting more cohesive, considerate and creative societies with equal opportunities and rights for all.

The World Bank helps countries integrate education into national economic strategies and develop holistic education systems responsive to national socio-economic needs and being conscious of the powerful economic and social justifications for early investment.

There are many more organizations around the world that are involved and it makes me realize that there are possibilities that can open up for early childhood so that young children can have access to quality preschool, families can have access to services to help support early learning and for their children and early childhood teachers can also receive the support and training they need to be able to provide a quality preschool program.

Sharing Web Resources - Week 6

Over the past few weeks I have been exploring the web site of the National Head Start Association.  One of the outside links is to their regional and state affiliates.  I decided to look at the California Head Start Association.  On the first page of their web site there are four areas with different information, Learn, Attend, Act and Join.  Under "Learn" I explored the CHSA Projects and there are several grant opportunities for Head Start schools.  One of these projects was for a school garden and the sponsor was the Western Growers Foundation.  The goals of this project is to generate fun and learning about fresh vegetables, healthy eating and active living through gardening (California Head Start Association, 2011)  


Under the "Attend" link their is information on where to locate a Head Start in a specific area of California and job opportunities.  Under the "Act" link there is information on Head Start policy issues, how to support by donating to the $2 Per Child Campaign, and information on Advocacy resources.  Under the "Join" link people are able to receive a CHSA newsletter, discounts to their conferences, information on events and information and discounts form the corporate sponsors.  

I do not get an newsletter, but there are links to past newsletters and press releases.  The most current press release talks about how the U.S. House of Representatives proposes to cut funds to Head Start.  Proposed funding cuts were a surprise to program leaders and raise questions about long term impacts (CHSA, 2011).  The proposed cuts would reduce Head Start funding by over 20%. If these cuts are enacted, in California 27,000 children and their families will be dropped from Head Start’s education, health, and support service programs. An estimated 6,000 California staff members will lose their jobs. This comes in the midst of California’s state budget woes, where thousands of working families may soon also be losing child care services, creating a domino effect of endangering their own ability to work (CHSA, 2011). I had heard about this from a Head Start Director but I did not realize the impact until I saw the actual numbers.  This is an inequity for the children and families that need this service not only to prepare the children for school but so parents can work.


The CHSA web site has a lot of information and resources for early childhood professionals who work for Head Start and for Families who participate in Head Start or are interested in the program.  Even if you do not work for Head Start you can gain valuable information about issues and policies in early childhood.


Resource
California Head Start Association

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2

I was able to get a response back from two early childhood professionals.  The first person is from Australia and she will help if she can but she is going to have a baby any day and so I have not had a response to my second e-mail.  The second person I got a hold of is from Singapore, Mrs. Wong.  She does not have time to dialog on a regular basis but she did give me a web address that has a lot of information on issues and trends in early childhood in Singapore.  The web site is called Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and has information on child care policies, research on children and family services, and other information regarding children and families. I looked at the information on the Guidelines for Center-Based Infant/Toddler Care in Singapore and it was interesting to see that the ratio is 1:5 and here in California it is 1:4 and the National Association for the Education of Young Children recommends a ratio1:3.  The age range for Infant/Toddlers is 2months to 18 months in Singapore and the age range in the US is 2 months to 24 months.  In Singapore they have an Infant Educator or an Infant Nurse.  They both have to be over 21 years of age and have certificates in Infant/Toddler care and development.  the Infant nurse is a registered nurse and I found that interesting because in the US nurses get paid more than an ECE teacher so I would be curious what they get paid in Singapore to work in the ECE field.
It also seems that the Parliament in Singapore is concerned with the quality and acceptability of preschool for all children.  In this Parliamentary Motion on Pre-School Education document it shows that in Singapore they are moving forward to provide quality in early childhood education.

Sharing Web Resources Week 4

This week we have read and listened to how important it is for us to invest in early childhood education.  It is something that is happening in my community where a group of concerned teachers, preschool directors, parents and community members have come together to find a way to provide access for low income children to a high quality preschool program.
The web site that I have been exploring is the Head Start web site and I have learned a lot about the organization.  Today as I was looking on the web site for Head Start I went under that tab for resources.  Their was an announcement of grant funding opportunities for Head Start and Early Head Start.  I went to the link for the Health and Human Services Department and there was a listing for a grant for a basic center program.  I did not know that a private preschool could qualify because I thought Head Start had to be run by the government but it seems to be that a preschool has to meet certain criteria and then they would be able to apply for a grant. I was surprised that faith based and community preschools could be eligible.  I am interested in learning more about this potential of opening up opportunities to serve families and children by being able to receive government funds. I felt that this was relevant to my professional development because it is something that I am involved with in my community and ties into what we are learning about how economists, scientists and politicians are talking about when they emphasize early learning.  President Obama has recently talked about the importance of early learning and has set new standards for Head Start programs.

I think what I find interesting is that their is this emphasis on helping children from low income families and yet in some communities Head Start is not in because the population does not meet the federal income levels required to be eligible.  I think that the families that have jobs but do not fit in the low income level are struggling just as much to be able to find and afford high quality child care/preschool for their children.  How do we meet the needs of these families?  I can only think of getting corporations, businesses and private donors involved to donate funds to support these communities.  If we seriously want all children to be able to have access to early learning programs then we all need to get involved.

I like how the Head Start web site has tabs that contain information to help support teachers, administrators and parents.  The web site has a great teaching and training tab with a pod cast that has information for teachers on how to teach the different areas of curriculum.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 1

I am hoping to be able to introduce some international contacts next week.  I was able to get a hold of another colleague who gave me e-mails to several people who she keeps in contact with on a regular basis.  Since these e-mails are working I hope to hear back from them soon.

Since I have not yet made contact with ECE professionals in another country I have done the alternative assignment.  After going to the childhood poverty web site I looked at the information on childhood poverty in China.  This country has always interested me because it is so large and they are attempting to modernize under communist rule.  I have learned that 4.2 million children in China live in poverty and 8.7 million are living in disadvantaged situations.  These numbers are high but what I did not realize until I read about the childhood poverty in China is that they have been working to lessen poverty in the country since the 1990's.   I also learned that education and health are higher in China than in most countries with equivalent incomes.  I know that we need to do more in the United Stated and this made me realize that I really do not know how poverty is  affecting the community and country that I live in.

It is interesting to me that their is such a difference in the statistics from eastern China to western China.  About 80% of children in western China finish primary school and only about 65% in eastern China finish primary school.  This could be because families can not afford educational supplies that children need.

Their has been some social reform to help ease the disadvantages people may have because of the changing economy.  In 1992 a system was set up for people who had lost their jobs, had no money in savings and did not have any family to help them to be able to apply and receive government assistance.  This was only set up for people in urban areas but the concern is the the amount of money allocated for each family does not meet the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter.  It also does not allow the families to afford education for their children.  

China is making efforts to address poverty in rural areas and in the urban areas and this issue has been put on the agenda of the 14th Chinese Communist Party Conference.

Resource
Childhood Poverty

Web Resource
The National Head Start Association organization web site is where I have spent some time getting to understand what they do, their philosophy and their commitment to early childhood. The vision of NHSA is:

To lead.

To be the untiring voice that will not be quiet until every vulnerable child is served with the Head Start model of support for the whole child, the family and the community.

To advocate.

To work diligently for policy and institutional changes that ensure all vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed.

The Mission of NHSA is:

NHSA Mission

Our mission is to coalesce, inspire and support the Head Start field as a leader in early childhood development and education.
We are compelled to fulfill this mission by the promise of all the possible outcomes:

• one powerful, united Head Start voice;
• a collegial, collaborative Head Start field, one that is a valuable and valued partner and resource to early childhood development and education;
• nonpartisan support of increased Federal commitment to Head Start and, ultimately
• healthier, empowered children and families and stronger, more vibrant communities.

I did not see a newsletter to subscribe to but they do have a pod cast that covers important ECE topics.  In looking to see if I could find any mention of an ECE issue or trend I came across a section called National Associations and  it had a link to National Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Association. Some of the programs and services they provide are:

Education We provide migrant and seasonal children learning environments and experiences that enable them to solve problems, initiate activities, explore, question, and gain mastery through learning by doing. We make home visits twice a year, allowing parents and Head Start staff the opportunity to jointly develop goals for the children. Health and Disability Services We provide a broad range of medical, dental, and mental health activities to promote sound physical, social, and emotional growth and development. We offer total health screenings for infants, toddlers, and preschool children. Parent health education teaches migrant and seasonal families how to assess and seek help and care for their children's health. Over ten percent of the children we serve have disabilities. Nutrition We conduct nutrition education in the classroom and in the home. We serve breakfast and lunch, or lunch and an afternoon snack, family style. All meals meet USDA/Head Start requirements. The meals/snacks we serve support the health-medical-dental component. Parent Involvement We offer parents educational, nutritional, medical, dental, mental health, and social services training with concrete experiences to support them in their role as parents. Migrant and seasonal programs accommodate the working schedules of parents by conducting center and parent council meetings in the evening or on weekends. Parent meetings allow parents to be active in the decision making process of their local programs. Social Services Migrant and Seasonal Head Start programs teach migrant and seasonal families how to find and utilize available local community services and resources enabling them to improve their families' condition and quality of life.

I came to understand why Head Stat is so important for the migrant community with this statement that is on the National Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Association web page:
Migrant and Seasonal Head Start was a response to the needs of migrant farm worker families. In most states, local childcare resources are not available when migrants come into a community, especially for infants and toddlers. When resources are not available, parents have no choice but to take their children to the fields where they are exposed to pesticides, hazardous equipment, extreme heat and other health dangers.

We can not fathom this happening today but it seems that it does.  Are we really prepared for the changing demographics in our communities?  Families who are only in the area for the season of the crops and harvest are not able to afford traditional child care and this is why the NMSHSA provides a program for these families.  In looking at when these schools are open it varies, some are open September to May and some are only open May to November.   I learned that Head Start provides many types of services and that they are not all like a traditional preschool but they strive to meet the needs of the families and children in each community they are in to help build stronger families and communities.

This song and video tells the story of the migrant and seasonal farm worker and how important the NMSHSA is to them.

Resources
National Head Start Association
National Migrant & Seasonal Head Start Association

Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources


Contacting an Early Childhood professional outside of the United States proves to be a challenge.  I started by going to the resources and choosing several people to e-mail.  The e-mails came back to me as being unable to find the address so I guess the e-mails are no longer valid.  I have also contacted the ECE professor at Pacific Union College where I work to see if she personally new of any ECE professionals in another country.  She was going to try to contact someone, but she had not talked with them in three years so she was not sure how to get into contact with them.  I will check with her again to see if she has had any luck.  In the mean time I have decided to do the alternative assignment.  I went to the World Forum Foundation web site and listened to a pod cast.
The pod cast I listened to was by Meridas Eka Yora.  Mr. Yora is the founder and director of the institution Fajar Hiayah for Islamic Education.  He is also the Director of Yayasan Fajar Hidayah Foundation.  He lives in Indonesia and through these organizations he had founded three boarding schools so that children who were affected by the the 2004 Tsunami would have a place to go.  Many people were killed instantly and many children were left without parents and families.  In creating these schools he hopes to give the children a better chance in life.  It was interesting what he said about how the teachers at the schools were realizing that it was important to be a Mother or Father figure first then to be the teacher.  This helped the children feel more secure.  He also talked about how the older children took on the roles of older sister or brother to the younger children.  
Mr. Yora has many schools throughout Indonesia.  One of the things that stands out in a list of the Foundations corporate social responsibilities was that all children from poor families between the ages of 4-15 would have access to free education if they live in the surrounding neighborhood of one of the Fajar Hidayah schools.

Resources
Fajar Hidaya: A Brief Profile
World Forum Foundation Radio

The early childhood organization web site that I choose to look at more closely was the National Head Start Association.  I found that they support early childhood professionals, parents and children in many different ways.  They provide awards and scholarships to teachers, parents and administrators who demonstrate leadership and a determination to continue their education.  The offer conferences and training opportunities for their teachers and administrators on a regular basis. They have pod casts that cover important early childhood topics that teachers and parents can listen to.  They also have a disaster relief fund that helps those that have gone through a natural disaster. They provide preschool and many other programs for low income children and families.

Resource
National Head Start Association

My Supports

I know that sometimes we get in to groove of our daily lives and can forget what or who is actually supporting us throughout the day so that we can do what we do.  One support that I have come to depend on more lately it the wall calendar at home and at work.  My oldest son has taken after me and now he likes to fill out the calendar at home so we know what events and appointments are happening that our family needs to be aware of.  At work my calendar helps me keep track of my appointments and schedules of staff.  It seems to help keep me on track and I forget things easier than I used to.

Study time is very important for me and my husband since we are both in school.  I have several friends that will take our sons for an afternoon every so often so that I can study on the weekend.  I have an easier time focusing on my studies when the house is quiet or if the boys are occupied in their room playing.  If I did not have these short times of quite I would not be able to get my thoughts organized.

Thinking about emotional support, my best friend calls me several times a week to see how I am doing.  She is like my own personal cheerleader, she always says "you can do it, think of all the possibilities that will be open to you when you finish your Masters degree".  That means a lot to me.  Life can get a little crazy and she always helps to put things into perspective.

If I did not write things down on my calendar I would be missing appointments and I would be lost in trying to figure out what I was doing each day.  That can be very stressful.  If I did not have friends that helped with taking the boys out for awhile I think that I would go crazy and not do as well as I would like in my studies.  Emotional support is something that helps me stay motivated because it is important that you know that people believe in you and what you are doing.

The challenge that I choose to imagine was if I had dyslexia.  I think that some of the supports that I would want would be to have teachers and family members that are educated in what dyslexia is so that they could support the way I learn.  I know that having the extra time to read things or to take tests would be important as well. Having a schedule on a calendar with writing and pictures would be a big help so that I would learn the sight words that may go with pictures. Having quiet and extra time to read and study would also be helpful because it is frustrating enough when the words on the page have letters reversed but to have the noise on top of that would make it extremely difficult to focus.  Emotionally having that positive person who believes that you can learn and accomplish your goals would help me through the challenges.  It is important to have that person to keep you motivated. 

Having these supports are important because they would make me believe that I could do the things that I wanted and be successful at them.  Their is nothing as rewarding as being able to have the independence to accomplish things on your own.  Having confidence can open up many possibilities.  Not having these supports would make me feel that their was no point in trying to push myself to succeed because the message would be that I couldn't. I could live a life but not to my full potential and that is what everyone deserves, is to have a chance to reach their full potential.





 

My Connections to Play

What play represented for me in childhood - Quotes
I am often accused of being childish. I prefer to interpret that as child-like. I still get wildly enthusiastic about little things. I tend to exaggerate and fantasize and embellish. I still listen to instinctual urges. I play with leaves. I skip down the street and run against the wind. I never water my garden without soaking myself. It has been after such times of joy that I have achieved my greatest creativity and produced my best work. ~Leo F. Buscaglia, Bus 9 to Paradise


Children's free play eludes precise definition, but it typically is pleasurable, self-motivated, imaginative, non-goal directed, spontaneous, active, free of imposed tasks or adult-imposed rules, and requires active participation. Randy White

http://www.whitehutchinson.com/leisure/articles/84.shtml


Essential Play items



Mud, pots, pans, spoons, cups, and more mud.


  Playing with dolls and playing house.





When I was little I remember my mom giving me the tools that I needed to play.  I remember the endless time I played outside with my cousins making mud pies and creating a drive through restaurant. We learned to negotiate the price of the mud food that we created and roadways for the bikes to go around to the "window".  All my play was reenacting things that I had seen in day to day life or things that I had experienced.

I feel that play is different today for children because they are not able to play uninterrupted.  Children are rushed to produce something.  Children are not out playing in neighborhoods because parents are more cautious and worry about the safety of their children so they are not allowed outside as much.  I hope that young children will be able to experience play outside for endless hours of exploration and dramatic play.  Outside play can be done in a simple back yard that is set up with the proper tools, sandbox, sand toys, climbing trees, water features etc.  

I think that the role of play in childhood is important to prepare us for play as adults.  We remember the fun we had climbing hills and rocks so as we get older we want to climb bigger hills and rocks.  We need to have play in our lives so that we can remember to stop and enjoy where we are in life.    

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because I believe that they help us to grow.  We learn from the people in our lives and they help us become who we are. The people we have close relationships with help us to go through the good and hard times in our lives.  Without relationships we would be alone and lost without a sense of purpose in our lives.

    My husband and I have a close relationship that spans 20 plus years.  We support each other in our education and encourage each other to do our best.  We keep each other balanced and make each other look at the others perspective. As parents we work together and our sons know that we are a team. Our sons remind me to stop and play and to not be so serious.  They keep me on my toes.

My mother-in-law, Claudia, and I have a common interest and that is helping children to be successful.  She was my 7th and 8th grade teacher as well.  She was frustrated with seeing her students struggle with the basics so she decided to teach Kindergarten so she could help children get a solid foundation that would help them later in their academic career.  She and I share ideas and have lengthy conversations about how we can help young children.  She is a true believer that you do whatever it takes to help a child succeed.  She has retired from teaching at a school but she runs her own Kumon math and reading center because she still has a passion for helping children and helping them realize that learning is fun.  She has helped me grow as a teacher and has always given me advise about children and about life in general.  Seeing her passion for young children inspires me to keep that same passion in my own life.

My best friend Myrna is always pushing me to do my best and pursue my dreams even if I think they are a lot of work to achieve.  She is a Social Worker who works with foster families and helps to place the foster children into good homes.  She and I also talk at length about the importance of helping young children who need to have the security of knowing that they will be taken care of and they will be able to have somewhat of a "normal" childhood.  She advocates for children and will fight to make sure they are getting the services they need.  She keeps me grounded and reminds me that children come from all different kinds of backgrounds and they all deserve to have a good start in life.

I have learned that time can become a factor in trying to maintain a relationship.  We have to remember to take the time to stop the day to day routines and listen and talk with each other.  Talking  on the phone, sending an e-mail, making time to go out to lunch or dinner once in a while to catch up are all important.  If you do not make time then your relationship suffers and you may grow apart.

My relationships have impacted me professionally in the early childhood field by giving me the tools to grow those relationships.  The tools I have gained throughout my relationships has helped me to be able to work with families and children better by having compassion for the different situations that families are in and  to be able to understand how important it is for children to have a strong support system.  I pray that I am making a positive impact in their lives and  I just let God lead in how best to do that.

When I Think of Child Development.........

When I watch this video I can see the things that we learned in the Child Development class in action. It is clear that they have parents who model communication and language skills to them. You can clearly see the importance of social interaction, communication, language and cognitive development.  It begins early in life and that is why it is important for parents and teachers to work together to foster this positive development.



A child's greatest achievements are possible in play, achievements that tomorrow will become her basic level of real action and morality. ~ Lev Vygotsky, Mind in Society

Assessing Children

Usually when you think of testing or assessing children you think of an I.Q. test to see how smart they are or how well they do on a standardized test. When you look at the holistic approach of assessing a child it makes it more well rounded.  The areas that are assessed when looking at the "whole child" are emotional, physical, social and academic learning. How well a child does on a standardized test does not reflect on how the child may need to grow and learn emotionally, socially, and physically.  I think that it would be more appropriate for children to be assessed in all the areas mentioned through careful observation by the teacher.  Over time the teacher will be able to see if the child needs some help in developing in any of these areas and will be able to plan for that in the classroom environment.  When a child is growing in all the areas or is given the opportunity to grow in these through the classroom environment they will become life long learners thus making them better students.

I decided to look at how school age children in Japan are assessed.  The United States had done studies on how American children compare academically to Japanese children.  Berger (2009) had an example of Japanese education and she talked about how the children were advanced in math and science compared to the American children.  But the interesting thing that she mentioned was that the Japanese government and parents began to notice that the children were lacking in creativity and independent thought because learning was more like a drill.  The education system in Japan now is that teachers are teaching children to be motivated about learning by providing interesting materials for the children.  The curriculum offers a more well rounded education by offering more time for children to participate in music, physical education, art, etc.  Teachers work with the class as a whole and they work together on a math problem so that this way they can learn from each other.  The teacher can assess who needs the extra time to understand a particular subject better and children go to Juku, supplementary classes, after school. In Japan it is important that the child master a particular area of the subject before moving on to the next.  This is done through repetition and going back to review what you may not have understood and then keep working on it until they understand and are ready to move on. Others in the classroom who do understand help those who do not and this helps to foster cooperation in the classroom as well.

 A good example of a supplementary educational program that is available in the United States as well as world wide would be the Kumon math and reading System.  This was developed by a Japanese math teacher/parent in Japan who wanted to help his second grade son do well in in school.  He created a system of worksheets and activities for children to master these subjects and to become self-motivated learners. This after school program helps children build on what they are learning and master it.  The teachers assess each child and creates an individual learning program for them so that they can be successful.

I think that it is important to assess children but we have to be careful not to use it as a labeling tool. Instead we need to use it as a tool that the teachers can use to know where they need to add things to the environment and curriculum to help the child strengthen the skills they need. The assessment is important for parents to see as well so that they can understand where their child is developmentally and work with the teacher to foster their skills.


Resources
Berger, K.S., (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers
Taking a Stand for the "Whole Child" Approach to School Reform
Uniquely Preschool
The Japanese Education System
Kumon Math and Reading

Stress in a Child's Life

A person that I have known for many years has mentioned that her father had abused her and her siblings when they were children.  I decided to ask her how she coped with this stress in her life.  She said that she remembers her father being very strict and that he would spank them with the belt if he caught her and her sister looking out the window. They were not allowed to play outside or look out the window because her father would say that they were looking at the boys and they were not allowed to do that.  She and her siblings were not able to use the vacuum or the broom to clean their rooms, they had to get down on their hands and knees and use a hair brush to clean the carpets.  When their father left the house their mother would get out the broom and vacuum and tell them to hurry and use them before their father came back.  Sometimes her father would decide to take them on a ride and they would end up at a bar.  Her father would leave them in the car and go in to drink.  She remembers hiding on the floor of the car with her brother because it was dark and they were scared.  She and her brother fell asleep and she is not really sure how long they would be in the parking lot but it seemed like forever.

I asked her how she coped with this stress constantly in her life.  She and one of her sisters shared a room and they would talk about things that made them happy.  She also remembers that they would play with their Barbies and make mansions for them then they would pretend that they were rich and did not have any worries in the world. She also had a tall Barbie that was a tall doll and she pretended that the doll was a character from her favorite show, Battle Star Galactica, and that she and the doll were in the TV show and she could get away from reality and be free in the show.

She used her imagination to get away to a happy place so that the abuse would fade away in her mind for awhile.  She and her siblings also leaned on each other for support to get through the stress of abuse.  Her father left her mother and all the children and to this day does not have any contact with them.  She is now a mother of four grown children and she has worked very hard to provide them with a happy childhood.

In looking at another country to learn more about a stressor that is affecting children there, I decided to read more on a disease that affects a lot of children in Kenya, malaria.  According to Patterson Siema of World Vision Kenya, low birth weigh, anemia and complications of brain development that could cause mental disabilities are some of the affects that malaria has on children.  Some of the things that are being done to stop the spread of malaria are that homes are to be spayed with a biodegradable chemical that keeps the mosquitoes away.  Thousands of insecticide treated mosquito nets have been distributed to families and also families are being educated about new ways to treat malaria.

Resource
World Vision


 

Breastfeeding and Public Health

The public health topic that I feel strongly about is breastfeeding.  I think that breastfeeding is very important for mother and child because is helps to create that initial bond between them.  It also is important for the the baby to breast feed within the first hour after birth so that they receive the colostrum that their body needs to stay healthy and the immediate sucking will help to bring in the mothers milk sooner. I knew that I wanted to breast feed both of my children because of the health benefits to them.  I knew that they would get all the nutrients and anti-bodies they would need to stay healthy and to begin to grow.  I do not think that many women understand what breast feeding is all about and why it is so important.  They may feel that if the baby does not latch on right away that they are failing them somehow.  It is important that the hospital have a lactation specialist available for these new mothers who may need the assistance and encouragement.  I know as a first time Mom, I began to panic when my milk did not come in for a few days after I got home from the hospital.  I called the La Leche  League, they are a world wide organization that educates women about the importance of breastfeeding, and got some advice from another Mom who was very supportive and gave me advice.  I would like to be able to help mothers to understand the importance of breastfeeding and that they have the right to breast feed their child by making sure they have all the information they need about the importance of breast milk. I feel that children who are breast feed have a stronger immune system.

In decided to look at how France views breastfeeding compared to the United States.  In the United states women are encouraged to breast feed their infants for up to a year.  In France, they are discouraged from breast feeding their infants.  It it rare to have them continue breastfeeding after they leave the hospital or even at all.  France has the lowest breastfeeding rate compared to other countries in Europe and the United States.  The French do not believe the slogan that breast is best, but that formula is just as good as breast milk. The French believe that after pregnancy the mother should very quickly get back her before baby body and that by breastfeeding they are causing the breast to lose its appeal to her husband/partner.  Women in France are not supported if they wish to breast feed and that makes it really difficult if they are already having a slow start with it.

I think that the information that I learned will impact my work as a reminder to be mindful of what other cultures believe about children and child development.  I would respect their beliefs but at the same time start a conversation with them about child development.  I know that some people truly do not know and that they are just doing what society around them is doing.    

Sources
http://guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/01/france-breast-breastfed-baby-death
http://tracylynnconway.hubpages.com/hub/Breastfeeding-A-French-vs-American-Perspective

Childbirth: My Personal Experience compared with a Traditional Childbirth in Japan

A lot of women enjoy being pregnant and I would say that my first pregnancy went fairly well but during my second pregnancy I was very uncomfortable.  I had several complications which caused me to have to be admitted to the hospital several times before the birth.  The Doctors waited until my son was 36 weeks and decided to go ahead an start the delivery process for the safety and health of the baby and me.  Since I was not able to have an epidural due to some complications prior to delivery, I had to endure the labor pains all night.  I felt that those were manageable, but when my water broke I could not keep up with the breathing and I know I was screaming from the pain.  I was holding my husband's hand and I thought for sure I was going to break it.  The delivery happened quickly, the Dr. barely made it through the door to put gloves on and catch my son.  because of all the medication I was on it took me longer to recover than after my first pregnancy.

I choose to talk about my birthing experience because it is sometimes assumed that because you have an easy first pregnancy, that all your pregnancies will be easy.  That may be the case for some women, but not for all.  I sometimes wonder if I did not have to work through my pregnancy and was able to rest when I felt like it that maybe having less stress would have made the pregnancy go a little smoother.
I think that pregnancy is a beautiful journey that women get to travel along with their child and in most cases their husband or significant other.  Giving birth can also be a very rewarding experience.  The idea of bringing another human life into the word is awesome.  To be able to bond with your child immediately after birth is so rewarding.  My first son latched on and started nursing right away and when he heard my husbands voice he turned to look at him.  We could tell that he was happy to see his Dad and he cuddled up to both of us right away.  My second son seemed a little overwhelmed with everyone but he always seemed to calm down when my husband was holding him and he was following his older brothers voice to try to see him.  It was amazing to watch.  I think the stress of my illnesses and the fast birth affected my second son.  Babies are connected to their mothers so of course they are affected by whatever is happening to the mother at the time of pregnancy.  Everything the mother does or is exposed to could potentially affect the birth and the development of the baby not only in womb but possibly for years after.

After looking at different birthing practices around the world, I decided to take a closer look a Japan.  In Japan  it is now acceptable to have the significant other in the delivery room but that was not always the case.  It used to be customary for only the doctor and nurse to be present.  The mother is also allowed to have a "Doula" present in the delivery room.  A "Doula" is someone who the mother may have been seeing prior to delivery to help with breathing exercises and who gives also relaxing massages to help ease the discomfort of pregnancy and ease the pain of delivery. I did not have a "Doula" but I did see a massage therapist and a chiropractor during my pregnancy and that seemed to help ease the discomfort.  Japanese women strive to give birth without using any pain medication because they believe that the labor is like a test they need to go through in order to prepare them for motherhood.  Through all the pain of labor, they are not supposed to yell out during labor because this brings shame to the family.  That would take a lot of strength to not yell because for me, I felt it helped to release some of the pain or maybe it just took my mind off it. After my delivery, I was able to have a room to myself because that was the only room the hospital had available.  In Japan the recovery rooms usually have about 3 to 6 patients in them.  
It was interesting to see the customs of pregnancy and delivery of Japan.  I like the ideas of having a "Doula" to help with pregnancy and delivery.  I have not heard of anyone in my area that provides that kind of service, but I think that that would be something important to include as part of an obstetrician's office.

Web sites:
Japanese Traditions
www.hawcc.hawaii.edu/nursing/RNJapanese_04.html
www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?p...

The boys bonding.