Professional Hopes and Goals

First of all, I would like to thank each and everyone of my colleagues for their stories, comments, and suggestions this course. They have certainly helped me grow as a professional and as a person.
My hopes for working with children in the future are that I will be open and be a lifelong learner for them. I want to continue to learn about the children I work with to expand my own knowledge but also to be a good role model for them and show them that they, too, should be lifelong learners and be open to anything.
My goal for the field in regards to diversity is for providers to realize that diversity means more than just remembering to celebrate Black History month and Hannukah. It means working with families, learning about them, bringing all of the elements of diversity to the classroom for the children to be exposed to all during the year.

Welcoming Families from Around the World

What a great experience! I am learning about a family that is coming all the way from Somalia to join a nearby child care center! The first thing I realize I will need to do to prepare is to make sure we have enough winter hats, gloves, boots, and so on for this family. According to the U.S. Department of State (www.state.gov), The weather in Somalia is desert-like and they will likely not be familiar with the snow in Central New York. The second thing I will need to do familiarize myself with the Muslim religion, as 99% of Somalians are Muslim (www.state.gov). With the Christmas holiday approaching, I want to ensure we acknowlege and help them celebrate their holiday as well. The third thing I will want to do to prepare for them is to learn some of the most important Somali words, as it is important to help them feel comfortable, even if they do speak English. The fourth thing I will need to do to prepare for them is to ensure there is a cell phone for them to use that they are comfortable using. According to the U.S. Department of State, Somali has cellular coverage, but lanlines are destroyed. Fifth, I will need to ensure the accommodations are simple and avoid over stimulation of the environment for the children and the family. Somalia is typically agricultural in nature and having too much stimulation in a busy child care center could be overwhelming for them if they are used to the agricultural way of life. I would contact my local Cornell Cooperative Extension on information on farming and agriculture so I can educate myself on the life they are used to having and be able to point them in the right direction for settling down themselves.
In making these changes in the environment and taking time to learn all that I can about this family's way of life in Somalia, I hope that it will put them at ease and open lines of communication between them and I. When working with children, it is important that parents and providers work in a partnership so the child can benefit and learn as much as possible. Ensuring those open lines of communication will help the child feel comfortable and adapt to their new surroundings without feeling as though they have to give up their own culture to adapt to a completely new one.

The Personal side of Bias, Prejudice and Oppression

As our society as evolved and we have become more diverse, there is less and less bias, prejudice and oppression. That is not to say it doesn't occur, just not on the same level as it once was. One of the prejudices I see and hear on a regular basis in my job is in regards to socioeconomic status. We work with a great deal of legally exempt providers, and the majority of them are very low income and live in poor neighborhoods. I have heard Co workers discuss the way the providers live, talking about the cleanliness of their living conditions and quality of "stuff" they have. There is no consideration to the providers who are not unclean and there is an assumption that the providers know any differently.
In regards to equity, immediately some people put themselves ahead of the providers and forget they struggle with the same issues we all do in regards to paying their bills and making groceries last the week. There is an assumption that they just buy their big screen TVs and iPhones without worrying about paying their rent. Some of the staff assume they would prefer to buy those things than pay their heating bill so they depend on the assistance of the county.
The feelings these incidences brought up in me were mixed. There are times when I think the same things, but I remember that I have been in the same position of not being able to pay my bills but struggleF with still wanting to buy my kids Christmas presents. I have to remind myself and sometimes remind my Co workers that people each deal with things differently, and they can only do what they know and what they were raised with.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Being that I am a white, middle class woman, I have a hard time thinking of a time when I have experienced microaggression. I am sure that I have witnessed and possibly even acted out a microaggression, but I have also recently experienced a microaggression. Not very long ago, my Co workers and I were eating lunch and discussing the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. I cannot remember exactly what we were talking about, but I recall one co-worker, who happens to be black, say so thing and then said, "Oh my God, I can't believe I am starting to talk like the rest of you". It was weird, because I wasn't quite sure what she meant by it, other than that we are all white and Americans. She is black but also from England. At the moment, no one payed too much attention to the comment, but afterward I began to think about it and it upset me. It was as if we all talk a certain way and that it was not as good as she talks.
The odd thing about this situation is that it is the opposite to the microaggressions that are most often heard of. Even Dr. Sue, in his discussion, referred to the microaggressions as all being made by white people towards others. It is not often that people who are white talk about discrimination or biases against them. Throughout this week, the readings and discussions has made me realize that microaggressions are really very small, can be intentional or unintentional, and can occur against anyone.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

"I guess I describe culture as a shared set of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors (maybe knowledge and language too) that is learned rather than built in. Diversity just means difference - so there must be two or more variations in some aspect of culture (unless were speaking of genetic diversity)" - Psychology Professor

"Diversity is groups of people that are different. Culture is where people live" - 8-year-old son

"Diversity is differences in people. Culture is where you come from, where your people are from." - Husband

I found three people who are diverse from one another and diverse from myself. My husband and son are both in different age categories than I am, as is the Psychology Professor. My husband also comes from a different cultural background than I do, as he was raised in a different time period and raised by a 100% Italian mother. He has strong Italian traditions and beliefs, whereas I do not have any Italian in my culture at all, up until we were married. My son, who is obviously much younger than I am, is being raised in a mesh of cultures of my husband and my own, as well as the situations and events that occur in his life and help to shape his culture. My old Psychology Professor is much older than myself and my husband, and I do not know very much about his cultural identity or background aside form his educational background. I still find it interesting that when I asked, I expected a philosophical answer that was much broader and difficult to understand, but what I got was a basic answer similar to my own and the textbook answers we have discussed in class. I did ask one other person, a middle-aged woman that attends my church. When I asked what her definition was, she asked me, "do you want to know the proven answer or my own answer." I told her I wanted to know what she thinks the definitions are. She said she had to think about it but I haven't heard back from her yet. I was interested to get her answer since her children are adopted and come from a very different cultural background than her own. I can imagine that the reason for her question back to me is somehow rooted in that difference.

My Family Culture

This assignment was so difficult to imagine, on so many levels. The first is that I have never been to another country, so to imagine having to represent my culture is difficult. The first thing I would take would be my coupon binder. One of the cultural things that defines me is to be frugal and save as much money as possible. The coupon binder allows me to save money on the things my family uses on a regular basis so that we have money to spend on other things. This is something that may or may not be helpful to me in another country, depending on what the culture is in that country. It is something that works well here in the United States because we have a comercialized society. Other countries that are not as comercialized, I may not be able to make the coupons work as well. The second thing I would take with me would be my photo albums with pictures of my extended family. My culture is very much focused on the family, especially my parents and grandparents. I look to them for advice and information on what my culture is. They are such a large part of my culture and helped to shape it. The third thing I would take with me is my camera. Just as the people in my life shape my culture, so do the activities and events that occur in my life. Every event that occurs in my life shapes my current culture and molds it constantly. Having my camera allows me to focus on the events and look back on them.
If, when I arrived at my destination, found that I could only keep one item it would be my camera. While my culture was shaped by my past and the important people in my past, the current events and future events are what costantly shape my culture.

Looking Back at the Course

With my research background, I was under the impression that this course would be very much what I had already done. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were things I did not learn as an undergraduate. Primarily, I realized I was not as comfortable with the qualitative research as I WA with quantitative. I also had not been introduced to quasi-experimental research and was surprised to find it was possible to do research that way. I appreciate the discussions and blog postings from my classmates to encourage my learning and look forward to completing the research design I started.

f Early Childhood Australia has a great deal of research that discusses Early Years Learning Framework. It is a system being implemented that defines not only the skills children should learn during Early Childhood but also the environment that is best for learning. I thought this was particularly interesting because it is similar to the Quality Rating Systems we have here, which NY is in the process of implementing. I could not read a lot about the EYLF without purchasing the articles but would imagine it would be similar to the rating scales developed by Clifford and Harms. They are comprehensive and address the environment, but do not include the specific skills tha t children need. The Early Learning standards for NY would be an addition to the ECERS/FCERS/SACERS/ITERS to make a more complete guidebook. I commend Australia on developing and implementing a system nationwide, whereas the US is still divided by states.
I also saw a lot of research devoted to literacy, which is of interest to me because it is something that is a hot topic here in the US as well. Some other topics I saw published in the journal were regarding transition to school. There were articles written for professionals as well as articles written specifically for parents.
Reference:
Www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au

Research that Benefits Children and Families - Uplifting Stories

My undergraduate project involved a research project based on schedules and routines.  Through the research that I did, I hypothesized that participants that anticipated a routine and were not able to keep the expected routine would score lower on a memory task and be more likely to dislike the activity.  I was unable to use children on the project, so used college students.  What I found was that a lack of routine, or an expected routine not kept, did not affect the memory task but did give me statistically significant results in dislike of the activity.  Those participants whose expected routine of actvities was not followed indicated they did not like the activty.  Those whose routine was followed indicated they did like the activity.  I would like to have been able to generalize the results to children, but it wasn't possible.  The risks would have been low, so I would like to be able to do the same project using children of different ages.

New Research Project!

I have been looking forward to this class for an entire semester.  Since my Bachelor's degree is in Psychology, I have a love for research and conducting research.  I had to conduct research for my undergraduate degree and was ecstatic to find that I had statistically significant results for one the measurables.  I hope that after forming the simulated research project during this class there will be an opportunity to test the hypothesis.
The research subject that interests me is around attachment and relationships.  Are child-caregiver relationships stronger in home-based care than in center-based care? 
I am interested in this topic because I have been involved in child care in so many different aspects.  I have worked in centers as a teacher will all age groups, and I have been a family child care provider in my home.  As a parent, my children have been in center-based care and in home-based care.  I know that from my own experiences that when my children attended home-based care they had the same caregiver for several years.  When attending center-based care they changed caregivers at least every year.  For some years, the caregiver changed after only a few months due to staff turnover.  I wonder how that changes the relationship that is built between the child and the caregiver.

Final Blog Assignment

As I sit and reflect over the issues and trends discussed during the semester, there are so many important consequences that came from the study.  Looking at Early Childhood Studies internationally, it reminds me of how important it is to learn about other cultures and ethnic backgrounds.  Looking at ECE from the perspective of a professional in a different country helps us to see what challenges a family would have coming from that country to the United States.  A second consequence is looking at the research that is being done in other countries.  Many times that research is helpful here in the United States and can be used to develop curriculums for children as well as curriculum for teaching educators.  The third and final consequence for looking at ECE internationally is to look at the benefits and drawbacks of particular programs to see how changes can be made in the United States.
Based on these findings, a goal is certainly to make more connections between professionals in the ECE field.  Ideally, each professional would have at least one international professional in which to discuss these particular issues and trends with.

Getting to Know your International Contacts - Part 3

I have spent quite a bit of time attempting to get a response from some of the international contacts that were presented to us.  With the class coming to a close, I am sad to report that I have been unsuccessful in getting a response to any of the questions.  I guess that leads me to believe the passion of some professionals is not in helping those entering the field.  I must think on the positve end, however, and believe the timing is off.  I imagine that had this assignment occurred during the fall when colleges are in full session, the response may have been better.  In the summer, I imagine many professors are on vacation and doing minimal teaching, if any.  In retrospect, I should have tried to contact many different professionals, in different areas of the Early Childhood field.  Throughout the term, I only attempted to contact the same two professionals. 

Sharing Web Resources

This semester I have really familiarized myself with the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (www.naccrra.org).  This week was spent exploring some of the links that Naccrra has to see where they lead.  Surprisingly, the majority of the links on the site go to other sites that are run by Naccrra.  One example is the Child Care Aware Parent Network, which is a website devoted to parent education and engagment.  There are resources on child development, parenting techniques, and ways for parents to get involved in public policy.  The engagemet piece is very important with the issues we have been discussin in the class this past few weeks.  With things like funding for child care, and subsidy an standards...having parents that are passionate enough about these issues to learn how to contact legislators and educate the policy makers so the necessary changes can be made.  Another of the links from Naccrra's site is the Child Care Aware Training Academy, which has a variety of online trainings for both child care providers and CCR&R staff.  They also have an entire CDA class available online.   Looking at other parts of the website, I learned of another inequality that had not been discussed in the class; teacher pay.  From Naccrra's site, I found there is a huge gap in pay for child care provides.  In some states, the average wage is only $9 where in other states the wage is $15.  I realize much of the difference is in cost of living in various states.  But, it did bring another point of benefits.  There are some centers that provide insurance, paid time off and retirement.  However, it is not true of all centers.  Speaking of inequalities, it is important that child care be seen as a career choice that deserves full benefits, especially retirement. 

Getting to Know your International Contacts - Part 2

I have learned so far through this course that getting in contact with international educators is easier said than done.  I think part of the problem may be that many educators are not currently working full time since it is summer.  Because of this difficulty, I spent the second-half of the week exploring the Global Children's Initiative website (www.developingchild.harvard.edu).  One of the most influential things that struck me from that site was in the information page that disscusses the goals of the initiative.  One of the goals listed is to educate the policy makers and other decision makers about early learning issues.  It goes to show the importance of educating those that make decisions on the things they are making decisions about.  Many times those people are not in a position where they have first-hand knowledge of early learning theories and need information and examples to make the best decisions. 
Another good point that I found while exploring the site was the importance of working with children in crisis.  There have been so many extreme weather situations that have occurred recently around the world, and with the economy being as unstable as it is right now...there is a great need for experience working with children that have been through a crisis situation.
Finally, from the site I also learned that they are educating the Harvard students in order to build a stronger infrastructure, and the benefits will trickle down. 
Resource:
Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/),

Sharing Web Resources

Looking at NACCRRA's website further this week and tying the contents into the weekly conversation was not difficult.  NACCRRA puts a lot of effort into looking at economic impact of child care.  One of the interesting articles I found discussed the how the economy has impacted child care and the choices parents are forced to make.  NACCRRA (2010) found that, "More than half (51 percent) of families with
children under age 5 say the economy has affected their child care in some way" (p 2).  Parents still feel that quality and cost are the two things that influence child care decisions, but quality has been overtaken by affordability and parents are having to change child care situations to accommodate the cost.
The most interesting thing that I found in this document was that NACCRRA made some recommendation for states to assist families with balancing cost with quality.  The most profound recommendation they made was to regulate all providers who care for unrelated children, regardless of how many they care for, if they are to be paid by the CCDBG (Child Care Block Grant).  This means that those that are considered Legally Exempt and only care for up to 2 children that are unrelated, they would be held to a higher standard, closer to licensed/registered providers.  At this time, in New York State, LE providers are assigned minimum health and safety standards to follow and only inspected once every two years.  Anyone who cares for 2 or less unrelated children and is not paid by the state is considered informal, and aren't regulated at all.  There is no way to know if these LE or Informal providers are providing quality care for children. The only consideration is the cost, since they are significantly cheaper than licensed/registered providers.  The message we need to send is that all children deserve quality child care, regardless of the amount of money families can afford to pay for it.
Resource:
NACCRRA (2010). The economy's impact on parent's choices and perceptions about child care. Retrieved from http://www.naccrra.org/publications/naccrra-publications/publications/FINAL%202010%20Poll%20Report%20Dec%202010.pdf

Getting to Know your International Contacts - Part 1

Apparently connecting with professionals outside the country is a little more difficult than I had expected.  I have not yet received a response to the emails I have sent.  I hope to continue finding more people to contact in hopes that at some point a connection will be made.
In the meantime, I was able to review the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre website (http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/) and learn about poverty in Krygyzstan.  I chose that country to explore because it was one that I did not know existed.  That tells you how good my geography is! 
One of the major issues in Krygyzstan is that in the 1990s there was a huge poverty problem and more than 60% of people lived below the poverty level.  It has since dropped to less than half of people living below poverty, but the country is still recovering.  Another issue presented by the website in the country of Krygyzstan is that children are more likely to be living below the poverty line than adults.  This can create many problems because children are more affected by poverty.  The benefits of having healthy food and quality healthcare are much greater for them and the lack of those things affects more aspects of their lives.  The third issue addressed by the website about Krygyzstan is the education levels of the citizens.  Many children drop out of school and do not complete a diploma.  The Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre report that the use of Kindergarten has dropped significantly as well.  The lack of education contributes to the poverty level because adults with lower educations are less likely to get higher paying jobs.
The results of these issues are the same as they are in the United States, except in Krygyzstan the generational poverty is more widespread.

Sharing Web Resources

The organization I chose to follow online is the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA).  I currently work for a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency, so this organization really ties what is going on in my professional life with my educational life.  NACCRRA spends a great deal of time, money and effort on public policy and messaging to get information out to parents, providers and other members of society on the various child care issues.  One thing that really caught my eye today on their site was a blurb about a news cast in Minnesota that parents are waiting to hear if child care subsidy is going to remain in the state budget.  Our child care resource and referral agency (CCR&R) serves three counties and right now, two of our counties are not releasing funds for child care subsidy cases.  The families that rely on those funds have to make a choice.  They can either find another provider that is not licensed, or a parent can quit their job and stay home.  For providers that are not licensed, they typically charge a lesser rate but the safety is not quarenteed because there is no one checking on them and setting the standards they must follow.  The news cast that NACCRRA referred to quoted a parent that stated, "Money that I have set aside that I used for daycare this morning, I was going to use for my half of rent, so we'll see how all that works out"  (http://www.naccrra.org/). 

Making Outside Connections

The assignment this week was to make two connections with Early Childhood Professionals outside the country.  The first step was the obvious, Facebook.  However, I found that the search parameters are not that easily used for this project, and even when I was able to find someone I was pretty sure they wouldn't "friend" me without knowing me.  However, the search did lead me to the New Zealand College of Early Childhood Education.  Through there, I emailed a secretary to explain the assignment and see if he or she could recommend a professional of the college that could be my "pen pal".  I haven't gotten a response yet, and I hope that someone is working there through the summer.  My second attempt was through one of the links recommended by the professor.  I used the NAEYC link to get an email address for a Reverand in South Africa.  I emailed him as well, explaining the assignment and inquire if he was able to email me once a week or if he knew someone else that could.  I have not heard back from him either, but hope to make connections next week. 
Looking at the Early Childhood Organizations, I found the selection easy because of my current position and employer.  I am currently working for a Child Care Resource and Referral Agency and am familiar with NACCRRA's website.  I did want to be able to explore it further and the other great resources they have to offer to Early Childhood professionals and parents, not just to CCR&Rs. 

Childhood Connections to Play

So, here I am at 4 years old with no responsibilities.  I have packed myself my favorite peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich on whole wheat bread, a fresh crisp red apple and orange baby carrots along with a bottle of my mom's homemade lemonade.  I am off on a Dora the Explorer-type adventure all the way across my backyard.  Aside my lunch I have also toted along my favorite stuffed bear, Vanilla Bean, a paper bag to put any treasures I might find along the way, my camera and a paper and crayons.  I start out down the deck stairs and wind my way around the sandbox, stopping only to pick up a scoop of sand and put it in a bucket.  I get a foot further and stop to examine a beautiful purple flower in the grass.  I decide it would look nicer in my bedroom so I pick it and put it in my bag.  I am sure it will match the polka dotted blanket I got for my birthday.  I got a few more feet and stop to look at a stick.  Vanilla Bean and I sit in the grass and watch a small bug climb up the stick.  I take out my camera and take a picture of the bug...reminding myself to show my brother when he gets home.  I look up, just to make sure my mom isn't far away.  She smiles with a little wave from the deck and then gets back to playing with my little sister.  Vanilla Bean and I have more work to do.  My goal is to get to the tree in the far corner before lunch.  I'm sure I can make it.  We travel on a bit further, stopping at the swing set to take a quick swing.  I can pump by myself now, you know.  After I drop Vanilla Bean I decide it's time to keep going.  We climb up the rock wall and slide down the tube slide before hopping over a couple of rocks and bricks left from my dad's latest project.  I decide to stop and draw a picture of what I think our fire pit should look like.  Almost there to the tree...I glace back to make sure mom's still nearby, just in case.  She's not far, but getting smaller as I continue walking.  I stop to pick up a small smooth stone and place it in my bag with my flower.  I think I'll paint it later.  I also find a leaf and add it to my collection of treasures.  Phew, I made it to the tree!  Vanilla Bean and I plop down to eat our lunch.  I agree to share my carrots only with him, since I don't really like those anyway.  I stop a few times to pick up different things I find, take a picture of another bug, and a picture of how tiny the house looks from that tree.  Just as I start to pack up the rest of my lunch, I start to feel the, "plop, plop, plop" of raindrops.  I can see my mom on the deck waving to make sure I know it is time to come back home from my adventure.  This time, I don't stop to take any pictures or pick up any treasures.  I do stop to take one trip on the swing on my belly, but not before my mom calls my mom to remind me what I am supposed to be doing.  I hurry up the stairs with all of my belongings just as the, "plop, plop, plop" gets faster and faster.  We all make it inside and start to examine my treasures, recounting my adventure in my own backyard.
This story is a fantasy of play, similar to what my play experience would have been like when I was four.  The only difference was that my mother would not have been that nearby.  Twenty years ago, it was safe to explore in our own backyard and even the neighbor's backyard.  The only stipulation was that we were home when the street lights went on.   These days, most children are not given the opportunity to explore with such simple "tools" as a bag, camera and crayons.  As parents, we falsely believe that if we do not spend money on the most extravagant toys, our children won't actually be learning anything.  As parents, we have lost sight of the simplicity of everyday objects being used with little to no direction other than our children's imaginations.  There is no need to buy expensive computer hardware with learning software so our children can learn how a flower grows.  The best way to teach that is simply take the time and plant a seed with them and watch it grow day after day.  When it is finished, the child has a concrete example of what it means to grow a plant, and they may have a healthy bean to eat when all is said and done. 
My two favorite quotes of play and childhood are:

"Life must be lived as play"

Plato

Greek philosopher

427-347 BCE

Whoever wants to understand much must play much.

Gottfried Benn

German physician

1886-1956

The following pictures dipict what play was when I was a child, and what I strive to have play  mean to my children:

In these two pictures, there are little "props" that narrow down how children can play.  In the first picture, they are just exploring outside and having a "teachable" moment about pine cones.  The second picture is shaving cream on a table with a bucket of odds and ends found in the kitchen drawers.  The children were given no direction, only given time to explore and feel the consistencies and textures of the things in front of them.
As an adult, play is still an important part of my life.  I spend a lot of time talking with caregivers about spending time with children, sitting on the floor or at the table playing with them.  It's not telling them what to do or how to play, but simply experiencing what they experience and being nearby to answer questions they have and ask probing questions about what they are learning.  This helps it so I am a constant learner, learning more about myself and the children I work with.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are a large part of what defines who I am.  I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, a co-worker and a neighbor.  Those relationships are how I define who I am.  Without those different relationships, I have a hard time talking about myself and the purpose I have in this world.  Those relationships are also important to me because I depend on them when there is a kink in one of the other relationships.  If I have a problem with a co-worker, I depend on the openness of the relationship with my husband to talk about and get advice on the relationship with my co-worker. 
The most important and positive relationship I have in my life right now is with my husband.  This summer we will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary and I can honestly say that he is my soul mate and my best friend.  Whenever I have any problem with anyone, I know that I can talk to him and not feel like I am being judged.  He knows me well enough to know when I need him just to listen and when I need him to give me advice.  The best part of our relationship is that I know the same things about him. 
Another solid relationship I have in my life right now is with my friend.  We both have three young children, work and are married so life gets in the way and we aren't able to see each other often or even talk very often.  However, because we have so much in common and built a solid relationship early on...when we see each other it is as if we talk every day.  We pick up right where we left off. 
The positives of both of these relationships is that they are built on solid foundations.  The negatives of some of the other relationships that I have in my life is that I struggle to maintain a positive relationship becuase they were not built on a solid foundation.  It is important with all relationships to start with a solid foundation and take the time to nurture the relationship so it can grow solid roots so it will be stronger when stormy things hit it. 
From these relationships, I can draw out the fact that good relationships need to be built on solid foundations and they need to be nurtured to be strong.  Working in Early Childhood, I think the same principles apply.  We have talked this week in class about starting good relationships with parents.  I think that it is important to start early in the process by getting to know as much as you can about the families in order to build the foundation.  Once that good foundation is built, if there is a problem later on with the child, it is easier to discuss with the family. 

Quotes of Early Childhood

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

Assessing the Whole Child

The topic of assessment with young children is one that needs to be balanced between what is necessary and what teachers have time to do.  Traditional standards-based tests do not take in to account the multiple intelligences that Howard Gardner theorized.  Also, standardized tests are typically done only once a year and then compared to smaller tests and quizzes.  There is little room to show improvement through the year.  A portfolio assessment is a way to assess different areas of the child's development and show progress.  However, portfolio assessements are time consuming to conduct. It is easier to proctor an exam in June for 30 students at one time than it is to pick and choose writing samples and putting together anecdotal records throughout the year. 
Looking at other countries, I found some reference to porfolio assessments in Australia but could not find extensive information on how they put them together or other assessments they use. 

Childhood Stressors

I am so thankful that I can say that I never experienced any major stressors during my childhood, or know anyone who has.  That being said, I do remember as a teenager thinking my life was so stressfull and feeling like I lived in poverty because my parents couldn't afford $49 jeans from the GAP (and now those same jeans are $69).  It wasn't until I grew up, got married and had kids that I realized I had a good life and parents have to balance money to put food on the table...which means there are little to no extra funds for things like that.  Now that I have three kids, I can appreciate a bag of hand-me-down clothes a co-worker gives me for my daughter because I know that it saves me a lot of money next fall.  I feel fortunate now to know that I did not live in poverty as a child, and do not live in poverty now (although I still can't afford $69 jeans from the GAP).  I know from working with parents and providers that so many people in my own area live in poverty. 
Looking at other countries, poverty is a common thing, and something people struggle with whether it is generational poverty or a one-time point in someone's life.  Australia is a country that is not generally thought of when I think of countries with a large poverty problem.  However, according to ABC online reporter Emma Rogers (2006), 14.7 percent of children living in Australia live in poverty.  Although that number has decreased over the past year, the research has shown that the largest problem is still homelessness.  Not having adequate housing causes many other issues such as stress, poor nutrition and and lack of supervision of the children.  The stress of livining in poverty in Australia has also led reserchers to connect it to abuse and neglect of children, which causes another set of stressors to live with. 
Rogers (2006) reports that there are several programs available to work with those living in poverty to reduce the amount of stress they feel.  Barnaros Australia is a charity organization that works with families in poverty help avoid abuse and neglect of children.  The Abused Child Trust is another organization that also works with families to avoid or stop violence and neglect to children.  They have seen a direct connection with those families they work with the poverty level. 
I feel very fortunate to live in the United States, where we have a number of government programs and state and local charities and programs to help those living in poverty.  I feel that although our programs are not perfect, they are working on it and are very helpful with some people living in poverty. 
Resource:
Rogers, Emma. (2006). Australia not immune to child poverty.  Retreived from http://www.fightpoverty.mmbrico.com/facts/australia.html

Breastmilk is Best

What better way to follow up a post on birthing experiences then to post about what comes after birth...breastfeeding.  I am a huge advocate for breastfeeding, although I do respect those people I know choose not to do it.  I like to encourage people to at least try it before deciding they can't or don't want to continue.  I was able to breastfeed all three of my children, although none for the entire year I would have liked.  In the United States, breastfeeding is encouraged by doctors and pediatricians for at least one year, with the first 4-6 months being exclusive breastfeeding.  Not all countries encourage breastfeeding as much as this one, but trends are being made around the world.  According to a publication by UNICEF (2010), Benin and Sri Lanka both increased the rates of exclusive breastfeeding by a significant percent between 2009 and 2010.  Some of the things that changed in the countires looked at were communication with pregnant women and campaigns to educate not only pregnant women but also hospital administrators.
For the countries that do support breastfeeding, there are some that support it even more than the United States.  In the US, while it is encouraged, it is not generally accepted in public places.  In an article by Teri Brown (2011) in other countires, such as Africa, it is a natural thing to see women breastfeeding (without blankets to cover them up).   Brown (2011) notes that in United Kingdom, it is not generally accepted for women to breastfeed in public and there are mixed feelings about whether to encourage breastfeeding at all due to many women having to return to work soon after giving birth.  In France and Ireland, women generally try to breastfeed but give up after only a few weeks.  The education is not there to encourage them to keep trying. 
After reading about other countries, I feel very fortunate that we have the education and support that we have.  I think it is important to encourage women to not only try to breastfeed but to continue and also to use the resources available like lactation consultants.  For my current job, I think it is important to educate child care providers, especially those that do not have children or had children when breastfeeding was not as encouraged as it is now.  Child care providers need to be educated on policies and changes they can make so that breasfeeding mothers can feel better about going back to work and make it easier for them to continue to breastfeed.  I also will try to educate businesses to have policies and procedures in place so that women can easily pump and have paid pumping breaks or allow them to leave work and visit baby and be able to nurse him or her. 
Resources:
UNICEF (2010, April).  Consolidated report of six-country review of breastfeeding programmes. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/
Brown, Teri (2011, March 12). Breastfeeding around the world. Retrieved from http://www.breastfeed.com/

Birthing Experience

What mother doesn't like to discuss the birth of one of their babies!  With three kids to discuss, I am choosing to tell you about the birth of my first child.  We did everything we were supposed to do, my husband and I both quit smoking and I ate a lot of what I was supposed to, stayed away from alcohol and got a decent amount of exercise at work.  We did the birthing class and practiced the breathing and positions.  Then, one night my water broke and we headed to the hospital.  It was pure torture.  It was all back labor, excruciating pain.  The breathing and different positions were pointless.  After 14 hours, I had finally dilated enough to get my epidural.  The nurse continued to come in and check me periodically.  She would tell me how far I'd gotten and then walk out of the room.  After three hours of that, she came in and said, "You aren't moving fast enough, Dr. wants to do a Cesarean.  They'll be ready downstairs in 20 minutes."  That was it, I took one look at my mom and then my husband and started crying like a baby.  I felt defeated, like I failed as a mother already and my child hadn't even been born yet.  Push the clock back a few weeks when I was watching The Baby Story on TLC.  In all of those shows, the nurse checks the mom and then tells her they might discuss doing a cesarean if she doesn't progress.  I felt cheated that I didn't get the option, and I didn't get a warning.  It was 17 hours of pain for nothing.  With my second two children, I didn't even try.  I said, "go ahead and schedule and cesarean...I'm not going through that again."  Looking back now, I am thankful that all of my children were born healthy and continue to grow and amaze me on a daily basis.
The country I chose to look at was Australia.  The birthing experiences are not much different in Australia than in the United States, but I did find a fascinating article that discussed birthing centers and how to define them.  The birthing center is a bridge between hospital births and home births.  They are typically a midwife-run center and focus on a less clinical type of birth and more of a home-like atmosphere to give birth.  When comparing this option to my own birthing experience, I can see where some people would prefer that location and setting.  They do have pain control measures, although not the epidural.  Without knowing how a birthing experience will be, I am not sure that I can predict that setting would be beneficial.  For me, I may have been allowed to continue labor much longer before the cesarean section.  By the reading, I can see that it would have been more of my choice.  On the other hand, I worry that if my doctor's decision to do a cesarean had been out of urgency for the safety of both me and the baby, it may have been too late by the time we arrived at a hospital and was able to deliver the baby through surgery. 
Resource:
Laws, Paula, Lim, Carylyn, Tracy, Sally, Sullivan, Elizabeth (2009).  Characteristics and practicies of birth centres in Australia: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 49, 290-295.  Retreived from http://www.library.cornell.edu/.

Ideals in the Code of Ethics

The NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment (2005) discusses many ideals in the field of Early Childhood Education.  To choose three to discuss is a difficult task since this career is such a large part of my heart and soul.  I chose to expand on three that focus on family relationships because that is where much of my career has taken me recently, into working with child care providers and center staff members to welcome and develop trusting relationships with the families they work with.  The first Ideal in that section, is, "To be familiar with the knowledge base realted to working effectively with families and stay informed through continuing educaiton and training" (NAEYC, 2005).  I have found that many providers that have been in the field for many years have the misconception that they do not need continuing education and training in the field of early childhood.  I try to stress to them that new research and theories are being developed all the time, and they need to continue to research and read new information when it comes available.  In New York State, the regulations require all providers and teachers to receive 15 hours of training a year, and it must cover specific topic areas.  There is a reason provider and teachers are required to get training each year, and that is because research and information changes on a regular basis and they need to be informed of the most recent information.

The second ideal, "To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnersthips with the families we serve" (NAEYC, 2005), is a favorite topic of mine to train about.  I always start the training out with photos of dancers and figure skaters and ask the participants to give one word descriptions about them.  Trust, partnership, fluid movement and love are always workd that come up.  I try to instill in them that the relationship they have with the famlies is the same, it is a partnership that is built on trust and should have fluid movement and a common goal...the love of the child. 

The third ideal is, "To welcome all family members and encourage them to participate in the program" (NAEYC, 2005).  This ideal seems to be the most difficult to talk to particpants about because they seem to have the common frustration that parents do not want to participate and be involved in the program.  As a parent educator, I try to teach parents how important it is for them to be involved, how much better it makes the relationship between the parent and provider and a better situation for the child. 

 

These are all ideals for a reason, things that we strive to achieve to the greatest level.  It takes small steps, and a partnership between many agencies, providers, and center staff  to achieve as close to the ideal as possible.  I challange you, my peers, to choose one ideal and make it your mission to work on and teach others to work towards it as well.

Resource:

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved February 19, 2011, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

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Quotable Quotes

"And there is still also the fairly widespread belief that

whatever is wrong with our country or our society is the fault of

the schools." ---Lilian Katz

"But, I must admit that when I chat with many

of you and your colleagues around the country, they admit that

they have a very hard time placing their students in really good

setting for their practicum experiences." ---Lilian Katz
Challenges and Dilemmas of Educating Teachers of Young Children (2008)

"How do you teach compassion to babies? You don’t.

You show it. Long before the baby understands any

words, she understands touch." --Janet Gonzalez-Mena

"Because I had learned in college that children of that

age are egocentric and can’t put themselves in anyone

else’s shoes, I was quite surprised. I shouldn’t have

been, after seeing the many examples of caregivers

showing compassion for the children. I should have

realized that, of course, children were bound to pick up

on those attentive and caring feelings and the behaviors

that go with them." ---Janet Gonzalez-Mena

Compassionate roots begin with babies(2010)

Personal Childhood Web

My step-dad is the top of my list of people from my childhood.  My parents split up when I was about a year old and he has been around since not long after that.  He has four girls, between 1 and 4 years older than me, but he always treated me the same.  Looking from the outside, no one would ever know I wasn't one of his girls.  I very distinctly remember when I started Kindergarten, it was only half day and I would spend the morning with just him and I and we would have tuna fish sandwiches and watch Scrabble on TV before he walked me to school. I didn't realize at the time how much it meant to me to have the same relationship with him as the other girls.  When I got married, I had him and my "real" dad walk me down the aisle together.
The second person I want to add to my list is my grandmother, on my mom's side.  When I was very young, my mom had to have surgery and I spent a week with her and my grandfather in Ohio.  After that, I spent a week every summer with them.  Coming from a large family, with 5 kids all together, it meant a lot for me to be able to spend that time alone with adults, to be able to talk and be heard.  It was those visits that I really learned  how to communicate with adults, and how much it meant to have someone's undivided attention.
The third person I would add to my list is someone I don't remember, but have heard about a lot, and that is my day care provider.  When I was a toddler, I went to a baby sitter's house and my mom always tells me how much I adored her.  I very faintly remember walking up the stairs to a red barn-like house carrying a bag of dry cheerios.  My mom tells me how that was the only way I ate my cereal, and my baby sitter knew that.  Dot was her name.  I think she contributed to who I am today because it made for a smooth childhood and transition in to school because I had such a good experience in day care and preschool.  It made me a well-adjusted child.
The fourth person I would like to add to my list is my girl scout leader.  Her name was Karen.  I remember having a sleepover at our church for girl scouts and right when my mom dropped me off, I slammed my hand in the door.  It blew up pretty big, but I wanted to stay at the sleepover. Karen put ice on it and checked on me all night long to make sure I was okay.  She was like that every time we had a meeting, she always made me feel like I was the only little girl.  I appreciated that because, again, coming from a family of 5 girls, it wasn't often I got that feeling.
The fifth person I want to add to my list is my "real" dad.  I have to put quotations on that because I never liked the phrase or the "step" phrase for my step-dad...but I can't find any other way to make the distinction between the two.  With my dad, he and my mom split up when I was a baby and I never lived with him after that...my mom always had full custody of me.  My dad moved a lot, and often I only saw hime twice or three times a year and talked to me once a month or so.  But, even now, I never doubted that he loves me and that he cared about me as a child.  I am still daddy's little girl, and will go to him for problems I have and advice.  I seek advice from him and my step dad because they both mean so much to me and I value their opinions.

The roots of my passion for Early Childhood Education

The first thing I want to do is share with you the three real things that fuel my passion for this field, my three children.  If it wasn't for my son, Kyle, I would not have started workin in a preschool.  That first job is what started my career.  The birth of my third child, Anna, is what made me start my Registered Family Day Care, which deepened my passion further. I have been able to watch them grow, and knowing what I have already learned has helped me be the best mom I can be. 

The second thing I want to share with all of you, my readers, is a great quote that cleary defines my professional opinion of Early Childhood, "I hear and forget, I see and remember, I do and understand." ---Chinese Proverb.  I truly believe in hands on learning, and that is also what drives my passion for this field.  I want to instill that in everyone from teachers, to providers, to directors, to parents.  Children don't need worksheets and to practice writing their name four times each.  They need to have freedom to explore and learn for themselves. 

Finally, tonight I want to share with you my favorite children's book, .

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss.  This book is very long, and cannot be read to most preschoolers in one sitting.  However, the take home message is incredible.  Children can go anywhere and do anything they want to if they put their mind to it.  We, as educators, have the opportunity to teach them that, above all else.  More importantly than teaching them their address and phone number, we teach them to have passion for whatever they want to be passionate about.  So, I ask you readers, what are you passionate about?

New to blogging

So, my new adventures at online college has landed me in yet another new process...blogging.  I just commented to my husband, as computer literate as I am I have never blogged before.  So, this should be an interesting adventure in to early childhood, specifically teaching adults in the early childhood field. So, I hope all my readers are as excited as I am to go on this adventure!