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.

Our Journey through the ECE M.A. Program

Over the past weeks I have grown a lot in my knowledge of early childhood education and have come to understand the aspects of the field.  I am encouraged that their are so many others who share a similar passion for young children and their families.  I have enjoyed reading the discussions and blog posts that all my colleges have shared.  I feel that I have gained insight about the ECE field because of some of the different ideas and advice that has been shared.  In responding to the posts, it made me stop and think about things and really take a look at how I view ECE. I know that by sharing our thoughts and ideas we can build a network of professionals.  I wish for all my colleges success in their ECE journey, 20 months will go by quickly, but at the end I hope that everyone reaches the professional goals they set and also see that their passion can be contagious and spread it around so that others will want to help in supporting young children, families and ECE teachers.  I wish you the best in your ECE journey and keep in mind what Lilian Katz said, we must each see ourselves as developing professionals.  That is, we must become lifelong students of our own teaching (Katz, 1990).

Reference
Katz, L. (1990). On teaching. Child Care Information Exchange. (71), 3-4. Retrieved from http://secure.ccie.com/library/5007103.pdf

Examinig Codes of Ethics

In reading the National Association for the Education of Young Children and Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children codes of Ethics the ones that really had the strongest meaning for me were:
1. From NAEYC - Under the Section 1- I-1.7- Ethical Responsibilities to Children.
To use assessment information to understand and support children's development and learning, to support instruction, and to identify children  who may need additional services.
From DEC under Professional Practice number five.
We shall use individually appropriate assessment strategies including multiple sources of information such as observations, interviews with significant caregivers, formal and informal assessments to determine children's learning styles, strengths, and challenges.

The significance that these have in my professional life are that this an area that I want to continue to grow in.  I know that an assessment tool can be very helpful to be able to track a child's growth and development.  It helps us know how to plan the environment and learning activities better for the children.  I have not done this to the extent that I would like to because I am not sure which assessment tool would be best for out students and and teachers.  The Assessment tool can also help teacher start a conversation with patents if it found that a child may need additional services or help guide them in supporting their child's growth and development.  I would like to learn more about assessment so that I can better support teachers, children and families.

2. From NAEYC - under the Section II - Ethical Responsibilities to Families - I-2.1
To be familiar with the knowledge base related to working effectively with families and to stay informed through continuing education and training.
From DEC under Responsive Family Centered Practices section Enhancement of Children's and Families' Quality of Lives number 2
We shall recognize our responsibility to improve the development outcomes of children and to provide services and supports in a fair and equitable manner to all families and children.

The significance that these have in my professional life are that  I want to be able to help parents by giving them resources that will give them the information they need to make the best decisions for their child. This is why is it important that I stay current in the ECE field.

3. From NAEYC - under Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues - I-3A.3
To support co-workers in meeting their professional needs and in their professional development.
 From DEC under Professional Development and Preparation number 1
We shall engage in ongoing and systematic reflective inquiry and self-assessment for the purpose of continuous improvement of professional performance and services to young children with disabilities and their families.

The significance this has for my professional life is that in order for me to be able to train teachers I must remember to keep learning my self and stay current in the field.  I want to be able to help teachers by directing them to workshops, books, journals, etc.  I want them to have the confidence and tools to be able to support children and their families.  Being a role model for them is a big part of getting the teachers motivated as well.

Resources for Early Childhood Professionals

This week was exciting because of all the new resources I was able to look at in the course.  I found so may articles I will be going back to read and links to Early Childhood sites that are going to be helpful in my studies and as I mentor Early Childhood students and to help motivate the teachers at the my center.  Above you will notice the different tabs for the many helpful resources for early childhood professionals, take a look to find the information that you may need to help with ideas for a specific question on early childhood education.
The three additional resources I want to share are:
1. Exchange-The Early Childhood Leaders' Magazine
2. The Program for Infant/Toddler Care
3. Working in the Reggio Way: A beginner's Guide for American Teachers by Julianne P. Wurm
Working in the Reggio Way helps teachers of young children bring the innovative practices of the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy, to American classrooms. Written by an educator who observed and worked in the world-famous schools, this groundbreaking resource presents the key tools that will allow American teachers to transform their classrooms, including these:
Organization of time and space
Documentation of children’s work
Observation and questioning
Attention to children’s environments
This workbook also contains interactive activities for individual or group reflection. (Book description on Amazon.com)