Professional Hopes and Goals

I have a hope that I can convey to the children and families with which I work that my classroom environment is one that is safe, secure, nurturing, fair and just for all those who enter.  This is a hope that in creating such an environment, I will also be creating lifelong advocates with the same attitudes and beliefs of fairness, justice and equality.

One goal I would like to see for the early childhood field is that of a goal to promote greater equity in economic status for young children.

I would like to thank all of my collegues for their willingness to share what were, often times, very personal stories and experiences.  It was with this interaction and sharing of personal experiences that I was able to learn the most in this course.  THANK YOU!
I hope to see all of you in the next course!!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The country of origin for the family that will be joining me in my early childhood classroom are from Ladonia a tiny country on the edge of the Scandinavian Peninsula.
The five ways that I will prepare for this families arrival is to first: research their country of origin as much as possible on the Internet.  A good example of a website on Ladonia is http://www.ladonia.net/docs/about.html.

I will also set up a family orientation with this new family.  This will be a great way to introduce this family to my school and our work with all of our families.  Additionally, this will be an initial time for me to initiate information from them that is important to their specific family.

Thirdly, I will suggest that the family create and bring in a picture book of all that is important to their child.  This will not only offer the child comfort and security in their new classroom on this day but also allow me a snap shot into discussion with the family and their child.

Then, I will also invite the family to our upcoming classroom picnic geared toward all family diversity.  At this picnic, all families are asked if they would like to participate in a food exchange in which they bring in a food dish that is important and part of their family culture.  This new family would be invited to bring in a dish as well.

Lastly, I would invite the family to share any information with me that they would choose.  I would be very open and honest with them and let them know that I want to know about them and I am willing to accept and share any information that they would want to share.  This would allow them to feel comfortable to share with me if they would choose.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice and Oppression

There is one particular incident for me that I will never forget...
I was a Junior in high school, I was in American History class and we had just finished taking a test so we all had a few minutes to just sit and chat quietly until our next class.  I was at the front of the class and I was turned around to talk to the girl behind me; we will call her 'J'.  I did not normally associate with her and our circle's of friends rarely mixed but we were having a nice conversation.

Somehow, we reached the topic of religion.  Now, J, as I knew was catholic and so was her whole family.  She asked me "What religion are you?"  I responded honestly; "I believe in a hire power but I do not believe in church."  She looked me right in the eye and said "You are on crack!" and turned around and did not speak to me for the rest of your high school lives.

J's physical reaction of turning away from me, yelling at me diminished equality literally, physically; she did not allow me a chance to respond, to explain, or to justify or further clarify my beliefs.  My beliefs were not hers and therefore I was not equal to her nor, apparently, worth any more of who she was, our potential friendship or myself.

My initial feeling was that of shock!  I couldn't believe what had just transpired and her immediate, outburst of a reaction to my answer.  However, J's response only confirmed my religious beliefs.

If J would have continued the conversation rather than just cutting me off we could have actually had a conversation about why, who, what etc. that, even though she may have disagreed with me, we could have created equity and understanding.

Awareness of Microagressions

I chatted with my sister of the Holiday this week and told her how my class was going and what our current discussion was.  I explained to her what microagressions were and we soon were having a serious conversation about a very sensitive situation that my sister experienced in which she, essentially, experienced able-ism.

As many of you will recall, my beautiful younger sister has a prosthetic leg.  She was born with a birth defect and my parents choose to amputate part of her leg at a very young age which would afford her greater mobility and less medical problems in life.  As a result, of a prosthetic leg my sister's leg is inside of the prosthetic and does not receive much air or ventilation, if you will.  Therefore, she often receives (and must be careful of) rashes.  As a result of this, she recently went to a dermatologist for one of the rashes.

My sister said that the doctor looked her leg over and the rash as my sister explained to him why she had the prosthetic and why she felt this persistent rash was occurring and that she needed something to help get rid of this one.  In addition, she needed advice on this rash as well to keep it from reoccurring.  She said the doctor looked at her with very little concern for the actual reason my sister was there - the rash - and said to her "Are your parents sure they had no other option than to amputate?"

Now, my sister and I are some strong girls!  You can  insult us all day long, you can attack us as much as you like and we can handle ourselves and can brush things off.  In fact, I am not even really upset at this comment for my sister as I know she can handle herself.  But, you hurt our parents, you talk bad about our parents....that is another story!

My sister was so shocked and hurt she explained that it was all she could do not to just walk out and tell this doctor exactly what she thought of him.  The expression on her face and the tone in her voice (while he was holding her amputated leg) when she responded by redirecting him back to the rash let the doctor know he had been inappropriate.  She responded to him by saying "No, they didn't!  What about the rash!?"

I was furious when my sister told me this story!  It upset me deeply that this person had verbally harmed my sister and my family!  This doctor made an assumption about the situation my parents were faced with twenty eight years ago and quickly decided they were wrong.

This situation made me reflect that it is ESSENTIAL to never assume you know what it is like in someone else's shoes.  It is okay to ask questions to receive a greater understanding of other cultures, religions, ideas, beliefs, etc. but you must be sensitive, polite and un-assuming in doing so.

Prospectives on Diversity and Culture.

I chose to interview my immediate family for this posting; my mother, my father and my sister. 

First are my sister Jolene's definitions:

Culture:  It is everything that is involved in and surrounds each individual persons make-up.

Diversity:  People who are different and alike, short or tall, black or white, Mexican or Irish; however, you choose to look at it.

Second was my Father, Dave:

Culture:  He thinks of it as the way of living based on environment and beliefs at a certain point and time. And, there are thousands of them for a person and in general.

Diversity:  Is multiple choices; for life, different classes, people, or status.  "Different cultures are derived from diversity."

And then my mother Cheryl:

Culture:  Its what our every day life is.  Your beliefs and what make us go day by day; family, how we were raised, future out-looks, etc.

Diversity:  The capability of us as human beings being able to accept each other and the differences in each other.

The responses of my families were profound and quite insightful!!  I was greatly impressed and proud of each of their answers.  Their definitions align similarly with mine in that, they all basically spoke of how culture and diversity are individualized, then conceptualized within the family, environment and community which then returns full circle to impact the individual. 

My sister and I also discussed the increased, and great usage, of politically correct terms and terminology in our world.  We agreed that sometimes the utilization of these terms is separating us even further and causing more delineation between individuals.  For example; I am white.  I do not assimilate with, nor do I like, being called a European American yet, political correctness and terminology has ascertained that that is how I now must describe myself.  At what point are these terms to much?

My family's definitions of culture and diversity were very impressive to me.  In particular, it made me think of the different generations responses to the definitions and how I did not expect their answers.  I was most impressed by my parents deep definitions, especially coming from two individuals from the 'baby boom' era who have also lived their entire lives in small communities, with the same people and very little diversity in culture and people for years!  I guess I expected their answers to be as "generic" as mine was.  Yet, they were able to describe culture and diversity in ways that brought the terms full circle for all of us.

As always, I am amazingly proud and thankful for my family! 

Preserving My Family Culture.

Reading the requirements and scenario for this posting was unfortunately for me frightening.  However, in our trying times in the world we live in, I must admit I, as well as my family, have thought about such a scenario and how we would handle it.

The three items I would take with me to my new country would be small yet powerful.  Small is good, it is easier to carry and travel with in such an emergency situation.  I have two heirloom rings that are from my grandmothers on both sides of my family, each have been handed down to me because I am the oldest female on both sides of my family.  They are not priceless, they are not expensive....but, they are my family.  These rings are a representation of two powerful, strong and amazing women.  They are a reminder to keep up the strength in my family.

The third item I would bring would be the one and only family photo that I have of our small family that is current.  We are not a family that takes annual, professional photographs.  It is rare for us to have a group photo of the four of us together.  So, this photo is very valuable to me and I would bring it with me to my new country.

I would explain to others that these items represent a small unity amongst a small yet proud, strong determined people.  And, that that determination is who we are as a family and is who I am and represent in a new life.  They represent perseverance and strength that we will bring to our new homes.

If, due to the circumstances of the situation, I had to relinquish any of the items I would be saddened, I would be heart broken but, I would be understanding and I would NOT be devastated.  They are after all items but the real power of these items is held in my heart, in my soul and in the very make-up of who I am.  I do not need items to know, portray or be who I am.  Currently, two of these items are safely locked up and I never see them except on rare occasions.  I do not need to see them everyday to feel what they mean to me.  The lose of an item is not the lose of myself and I would remember that always!

My family is silently strong, loving, determined, full of powerful, amazing people!  We will persevere with or without items and even with or without each other.  We are Sawyers, we persevere and we are always in each others hearts.  We are survivors!

When I think of research....

One of the best insights that I have learned about research was how to read and review other research articles!  The pointers and tips about how and what to read in often lengthy articles reduced the apprehension I had previously had in regards to literature reviews and reading through multiple lengthy articles.  This information was very helpful and will continue to be beneficial for me throughout my career.

The nature of research also changed for me throughout this course.  The course format; in which we were able to systematically break down (and work on ) each individual component really allowed me to see the whole picture of research.  This allowed me to break down the overwhelming feeling of actually doing research.

The biggest lesson I learned about planning and designing was to take it step by step!  As I stated above this course really allowed all of us to break the research down and to conceptualize it into steps that are workable and manageable rather than feeling so overwhelmed.

One challenge was the idea of ensuring equity.  This is extremely important!  And, in any research that I do in the future I want to ensure that I am as equitable, fair and just as absolutely possible.  However, it is also very difficult to ensure that we are meeting every one's needs and to ensure that you have dotted all your I's and crossed all of your T's - it is important to remain very diligent!!

This course has increased my yearning to stay on the path of early childhood education.  It has shown me that there is still much to learn, much to discover, and much that I have the possibility to have an impact on!

Research around the world

I reviewed the Early Childhood Australia website and found it very informative and interesting.  One part of the web page discussed the topic f asylum seeking children in the community.  Chief Executive of Early Childhood Australia, Pam Cahir discussed the importance of having a commissioner and important parameters established for dealing with children seeking asylum in Australia vs. the current trend of placing them in immediate detention.  She suggested that children's rights be upheld and that they be treated with the utmost of care rather than adding to their traumatic situations already.  This was an interesting article to read as this is obviously a large issue and  a deep concern for early childhood advocates in the community and I cannot blame them.  It is awful to think that immigrant young children, who are most likely just being used during human trafficking, are similarly punished by being detained rather than treated and helped for their experiences.

The other thing that struck me about this websites was the powerful 'vibe' (if you will) that it sent!  It is clear that this organization is a strong advocate for young children and it demands to be heard.  The site is very informative and provides information that is current, relevant and pertinent to its local areas.

Johnston,c. (2011, June).  Children's commissioner needed to protect children in detention centres.  Early Childhood Australia.  Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/june_2011_childrens_commissioner_needed_to_protect_children_in_detention_centres.html

Beneficial Research for Children and Families

As many of you may have read in my discussion this week; my sister and my family are the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the benefits of research.  Although my sister was never, officially, involved a research project (not to my parents knowledge anyway) she was a first.  My sister, Jolene, was born with Fibular-hemamilia - she was born with out the fibula bone in her left leg.  As a result, she only had three toes and lacked bones in her foot for support and walking.  My parents were referred to Shriner's Hospital and were told, according to my mother, by a doctor; "We are finding it is better to do the amputations at the youngest age possible."  The intent of the amputations before the first birthday was to reduce the risk of phantom pains that children felt after the surgery and this allowed for children to learn to walk and adjust much more quickly with a prosthetic than older children.

This of course would be a difficult decision for any parent to make!  However, my parent's entrusted the doctors and agreed to the surgery - and, as it turns out, it was extremely beneficial!  My sister walks around in high heeled shoes and no one even realizes one of her legs is fake!  At the time of my sister's surgery she was one of the youngest amputees in the country.  At around the age of five or six my parents were asked to video tape my sister doing her running, jumping, gymnastics and riding her bike - this tape later traveled around the country with the doctor who had performed her surgery to show what a great success and benefit this amputation could have on the impact of children's lives - if done early!

Although, my family was not the first to have chosen such a surgery this discussion has made me think of that first family - somewhere out there.  What must it have been like to hear a doctor say that they wanted to try this new procedure on their child because they thought it would be better?  Ultimately, I am thankful to that family for making the leap of faith in medicine and technology for my sister and family would not be where we are today without them having taken that risk - for the "greater good."

Life is an experiment, everyday is a research project!  None of us ever want to see anyone get hurt, or suffer, or be in pain.  But, if it were not for those brave individuals out there in our world who said 'yes' to research we would not have much of the amazing advancements that we do today.  For example; my sister was (as you can read from above) the most active amputee that had often been seen; so active that she snapped a three-quarter inch bolt inside of her prosthetic leg.  I will never forget the technician at Shriner's stating "well you are just going to continue to give us challenges aren't you" - as a result a new and better leg was developed.  Or the time when my young sister (and others, I presume) wanted to wear high heels - so they developed an adjustable foot that would allow her to wear various heels on shoes!

Research in Early Childhood!

I am very excited for this course and its assignments!  I feel as though we are really 'stepping up' in our knowledge and education by going above and beyond other learners and really beginning to hit that Masters degree level work.  This course is also going to be one of the most challenging and I am excited for that challenge as well!

The research chart that we are conducting, and growing, is going to be a great resource tool until the terminology of doing research becomes second nature and more familiar.  I enjoy utilizing this tool and it also helps me to remain focused and on track with my weekly readings.

I am excited for the research simulation project.  I feel that the format of the course is a great way for us to learn the intricate details of doing research and learning how to do it with quality.  For the simulation; I first choose a broad topic of resiliency in young children with three sub-topics of; parenting styles, temperaments and birth order.  I have chosen to focus my simulation on birth order and how it relates to children's resiliency.  One thing that I am concerned about, and would like to ask for my colleagues advice on this one, is that my sub-topic itself still seems a bit broad.  Any ideas that any of you may have to help me possibly narrow this down any further would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!!

Early Childhood on an International Scale!

There are a multitude of positive consequences for being actively aware of early childhood issues and trends throughout the world.  However, there are three that really stick out for me!  One, it is essential to stay abreast of world/global impact of early childhood education in other countries.  It is important as an ECE advocate to know where there are great ideas and trends and where I can serve as a support and a resources.  Second, being aware of issues and trends in ECE throughout the world causes reflection about issues and trends in my current/local area.  This allows a certain focus and a "bringing of attention to" how similar issues are being handled right here in my own home.  And finally, learning and reviewing from other ECE professionals globally gives me new insight, new ideas and new information about issues and trends that I may not have thought of previously.  It is a great platform for producing and sharing ideas in our field.

One goal for all early childhood educators to focus on when coordi8nating with each other is to create world wide advocates for what is best for children; their health, their education and their families.  The more voices that are fighting for what is right, the stronger and louder we will become!


Thank you everyone for a great class and see you in September!!!!

International Early Childhood Professionalsim

The UNESCO website was very interesting!  One of the greatest insights that I had was just reviewing the website, it is quite complex and covers, not only early childhood education, but also; Secondary, Adult, higher and inclusive education systems throughout the world as well!

Part of its mission is to "expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education for all." (UNESCO, 2011).  And, "leads the international policy drive for an integrated early childhood care and education system that encompasses both the well-being and holistic development of the child" (UNESCO, 2011).  I had no idea that there was such an extensive website/organization out there that was so dedicated to all forms of education, including early childhood education.

In addition, you can review various different country profiles and their specific information, initiatives and ideas as they related to early childhood.  The site is a wonderful resource for all active advocates in the field.

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

DEC continued

My exploration of the DEC website this week sent me to the "Resources for families" section.  This lead me to a great list of resources, primarily website resources, for families on all kinds of interests.  Some websites were state specific while others were more general but offered some excellent information, such as; Exceptional Parent magazine at www.eparent.com and Toolkit for Hispanic families at  http://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/involve/2006toolkit/index.htm 


These websites will provide families with all kinds of information as well as additional helpful links.
This website is all about equity and excellence in early childhood education.  The idea is that all children regardless of culture, race, ethnicity or ability can have access to a least restrictive environment with heavy parent involvement.  
There are some great links for all families in this section of the DEC website, please bookmark and share with families whenever possible and releveant!


http://www.dec-sped.org/

Global Initiatives

The Global Children's Initiative at the Center on the Developing child; Harvard University is a very defined system designed to disseminate the importance of early childhood education to selected communities.  Founded in 2006; the intent of the program is a view that society is best when it considers the lives and education of young children.  It is believed, within their mission statement, that healthy child development benefits communities and society's.

The Global initiative has three primary objectives; To re frame public discourse about the early childhood period, To support innovative, multidisciplinary research and demonstration projects, To build leadership capacity in child development research and policy.  Within these three goals they have identified three domains to help guide the principles; early childhood development, mental health and children in crisis and conflict.

The goals and domains of this program were one important insight that I discovered.  Primarily because this program aims to work from the governments down.  The intent of this first objective is strongly advocate to "high level decision makers" the importance of early health and education.  The work is done in selected countries and communities; in this work they not only begin to help those families and children that are struggling but to the decision makers of these areas.  This objective seems to be a vital approach to the initiative as it is all encompassing.

The second important insight was the outreach services to mental health.  I myself have struggled with mental health issues most of my life and I know how difficult it can be to obtain services, treatments and support - even right here in the United States.  So, I was thrilled to know that the Harvard University initiative has a system in place to "identify the scope of the problem within and across countries and to develop evidence-based approaches in policy and service delivery that are responsive to diverse cultural contexts."

That having been said the third insight I had was a focus on the statement with in the mental health aspect of this initiative - "subject to sufficient funding."   I realized that this wonderful part of the initiative may not ever take place due to funding.  Mental health is such n important issue to address for all communities and countries and for all people - not just children.  So, to realize that, even at the Harvard University, something as important as mental health still struggles to be at the forefront of helping people, families and communities.

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/

Sharing Web Resources

My primary professional goal is to teach other adults in the field of early childhood education!  That is why I love the resources and recommended practices section of the Division for Early Childhood!  They not only provide great tips, workshops and webinars that provide me with information to share with others but, they also provide a store with books, workbooks, assessment forms, etc. to help me advocate for best/recommended practices for working with all children but also for working with children who have exceptional abilities.

I could not find anything controversial in this website.  This site is very progressive and is full of new information and resources as well as political ramifications for current trends.  Because they stay abreast of current trends, they are full of information that is beneficial to children and families and they do all that they can to incorporate that to other early childhood professionals.

This website/organization is very aware of current political activities as they relate to children who have exceptional abilities.  Their home page lists major issues that are heading to courts right now, for example a main topic on their home page states DEC Alert: Good news! Final Part C Regulations gone to OMB! and allows strong advocates to review what is being presented in the political realm of early childhood special education.

This website is all about exceptional children and spreading the news about best policies and advocating for children and families!  I love it!  And, if you haven't added it to your favorites/bookmark list yet - do it now!!

http://www.dec-sped.org

Mongolian Poverty

This weeks blog:  I have chosen to review the website www.childhoodpoverty.org.  Particularly, I have not had any luck reaching out to other early childhood professionals in other countries and I did not find any archived pod casts that were relevant to this weeks topic (that were relevant to my interests).  Therefore, I studied the state of poverty and childhood poverty in Mongolia.

The state of poverty in Mongolia is very detrimental with very little initiatives for change!  "Rapid structural adjustment" to this economy; moving from a socialist to Democratic state beginning in 1990 was a difficult transition for Mongolian families.  During this transition period unemployment rose yet social services were cut.  This of course drastically increased the amount of poverty throughout Mongolia.

The only current data for this population is from 1998 at which time 36% of the entire population lived below the poverty line.  Although new studies are underway, little improvement in this percentage is expected.

Also, due to lack of quality and quantity in health services, 30% of children under five had low height and 10% were underweight.  And, in 1998, 50% of the population did not have adequate drinking water.

Another startling revelation for this area is; because of harsh economic times, many children are working to bring home money for their families rather than going to school.  In 1990, 96% of the population was illiterate!

Initiatives to turn the tables on poverty in Mongolia are underway.  However, they are merely plans with action and progress moving very slowly.

Reviewing this information made me very sad for these families!  Due to political ramifications and changes - which they had little control over - their lives are in constant transition.  I can only hope that ultimately the changes will be for the better and one day Mongolia can reduce the struggles of their people.  This also made me very thankful to live in America!  Although we still struggle with poverty we do have services that help, there are places for families to turn and we have education systems in place to ensure that every child has access to education!

Web Resource

The organization that I choose to review for this class is the Division for Early Childhood at http://www.dec-sped.org.  The Division for Early Childhood itself, is a division of the Council for Exceptional Children at http://www.cec.sped.org.  The DEC has many goals and objectives but its primary mission is:  "The Division for Early Childhood promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the optimal development of young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays and disabilities." (DEC, 2012).  They work diligently to ensure that children who are gifted or have differing abilities have all of the opportunities possible to them in their natural environments.  Additionally, they strive to be an active support system for families and professionals working in the field. (DEC, 2012).  


One current issue, located in their "What's New" section that caught my attention was a link to a website recently introduced by the U.S. Department of Education.  This Link shared with viewers/members of DEC that the U.S. Department of Education has recently created a brand new web page devoted entirely to early education.  This site can be found at www.ed.gov/early-learning.  This link is an informative site in regards to important information, resources and initiatives that directly reflect early childhood education.

Expanding Connections and Resources

I am very excited for this blog assignment this course.  I believe that being able to build relationships and build each blog assignment on the next will really help to develop the connections that we are striving for.  I have contacted two early childhood professionals one from Macedonia and one from the netherlands. 

I reviewed the Global Alliance for Early Childhood Education through NAEYC to find these great contacts!  I am a huge fan of NAEYC and think that they are at the top of their class for advocacy and creating world wide contacts.  One of the contacts that I chose works for The Foundation for Educational and Cultural Initiatives of Macedonia, this is a program that is striving for education for all!  Additionally, this program is affiliated with the International Step by Step Association with similar goals and missions.  This is where I contacted the second early childhood professional.  I have reached out to both of them via email and hope to hear from them soon.

Additionally, I have chosen to study The Division for Early Childhood.  In particular, this program is right in my neighborhood!!  I live only about three hours away from the primary office of this organization and have had the opportunity to take some amazing trainings from a few of the great advocates who work there.  I am excited to learn more about their work, their work in progress and their goals for the future based on issues and trends that effect us here at home!

I look forward to learning with all of my classmates and can't wait to hear about all the amazing connections we will make!

My Supports

There are so many supports and different types of supports it is hard to think of them all and narrow down just a few of the important ones.  The biggest support I have is my family!  My mother, father and sister are always there for me and help me in all of my endeavors, even if they aren't usually the best and they can see that from the start.  I also receive a ton of support from my cat Lovey - Yeah, I am the single cat lady!  But, her and I are two peas in a pod.  She lets me cry and whine to her all the time and she always knows when I need a little extra love and attention and without her there are some days that would just be to difficult to deal with.

Additionally I have support from friends and co-workers.  Currently, I have an amazing boss whom I admire and look up to as a role model.  She encourages me to act on my own, provides support and constructive feedback and always challenges me to learn more about my job and more about myself so that I am always growing!  The job that we have is quite difficult at times and without good support would almost be to much to take on alone!

The challenge I chose to imagine really isn't imaginary but is very real to me and something I must think about (imagine) and prepare for quite frequently.  I have very recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis!  The pain and sickness that I felt just trying to find a diagnosis was overwhelming and now I have just started to learn to deal with this disease and all of the ramifications that come with it.  Factors that are and will be supportive to me are knowledge, medical teams, preparation, assistant devices, and supportive of family and friends.  I currently have a great doctor who is well known in our community and fully experienced with RA he is, and will continue to be, a great support in identifying my individual RA needs, my medication will always need to be adjusted slightly especially because there is no cure.  Therefore, his knowledge of medication and resources (including ways to help pay for these very expensive medications) are extremely beneficial and a support I will most definitely continue to need.

I also need to be knowledgeable and prepared for understanding RA.  Because my diagnosis is new I am soaking up all the resources about RA that I can get my hands onto!  There is no cure for RA and treatments, suggestions, diets, exercise are all very (often) individual so it is also important that I prepare myself for the disease and its impact on me.  Supports in this manner include daily journaling about food, weather, exercise, etc. to see what is most untactful.  That having been said, it is also important for me not to be afraid to ask for help.

I will need the support of assistive devices.  Already, I have an amazing tool that opens all sizes of lids and jars for me, including pealing of foil seals to items that also have caps!  Without this tool, I simply cannot open some items.  I realize that later on down the road I will most likely need this and possibly more to help relieve the pain of the RA and make everyday tasks easier.  Their are a multitude of kitchen aids, body support aids and daily grooming aids to help out that may be of use to me in the future.

And of course I will always need the support of family and friends - I am no one and no where without them:)  I love my family and friends and I am unbelievably blessed to have such an amazing support group!!

My Connections to Play

 

“Go Outside and get the ‘stink’ blown off of you!”  ~ Cheryl Sawyer

I loved reminiscing on this blog!  It brought back a flood of memories about playing in the very small town I grew up in and out on our family’s farm.  Play in my childhood was expected of me.  I am in my early thirties and way back when…. There really still wasn’t much for video games, t.v., movies, etc.  My parents were also very had working individuals; as I mentioned above we had a family farm and work for my parents never stopped.  Therefore, we were expected to entertain ourselves (if we weren’t working or helping out as well).  The quote above by Cheryl Sawyer is actually my mother, I distinctly remembering her telling this to us often!  Play was encouraged and outdoor play, exploring nature, climbing trees, digging in mud puddles was strongly encouraged.

My parents were very supportive of exploration.  They of course were always nearby to help out but they felt that our outdoor play/exploration was a way for us to learn important lessons for ourselves about health and safety.  For example; the following quote makes me think about how my parents allowed me to explore and learn from

my own consequences:

“I'll play with it first and tell you what it is later.”  ~ Bette Davis

Specifically, I remember a time when I loved to play out in our large back yard in my bare feet!!  My mother consistently warned me however, that it was not a good idea, that it was not safe and that I could get hurt.  But, I loved the feel of the cool grass tickling and tingling on my feet; the wet dew that made loose blades of grass stick between my toes; the softness of the grass and earth molding to the bottoms of my feet – how could you resist that!  Until, of course, I stepped on a bee! And my mother, of course, was right!  As I hobbled on one foot for about a week my mother would just smile at me and chuckle but, never once told me; “I told you so.” 

I believe that my parents understood the value of exploration and learning things for yourself, no matter what others tell you.  When you tell a child not to touch something because it is hot, they really don’t KNOW hot until they touch it.  We of course do not want children harmed or injured but play allows us to explore those cautionary tales while under adult supervision.

This story also makes me feel very sad for children today; life is just not simple enough to run around bare foot anymore.  The danger of today’s world makes parents and teachers very cautious about children truly experiencing the outdoors.  For teachers; if we let children run around bare foot and they stub their toe and break it – we can be sued.  For teachers and parents; you must be cautions about what is in your children’s environment.  For example; I went to visit a center in downtown Seattle and they shared a story with me about how their schools outdoor play time had to be cancelled because they had discovered a deceased, homeless person on their playground!  The world is scary; instead of stepping on a bee children could step on a needle, crack pipe, or any other host of very dangerous, life threatening items.  And this of course, only addresses the dilemmas of outdoor play!

“If you must play, decide upon three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time.”  ~ Chinese Proverb

As far as play throughout life; it should never go away!  As the Chinese Proverb above suggests – there is no quitting time for me!  We MUST constantly remind ourselves to play, to go outside, to feel the rain and wind, to laugh and be silly and (especially as adults) laugh at ourselves!  Life is rough and one of the greatest escapes we have is PLAY; children know this and do it naturally, somehow we forget this as we get older.  It is important to remember that, at least, for every serious moment we take at least one play moment; to break away, give ourselves a break and come back to reality.

I have posted a few pictures to the right that were essential to my play as a child - and even today! 

Realtionship Reflection

    Relationships are valuable to me because they encompass who I am, provide support and keep me grounded. My personal mind is very tumultous at times - I suffer from a moderate - to - severe anxiety disorder.  Without a few very close, personal relationships I truly beleive I would not still be where I am.  Through mutual respect and careful boundaries, those I love keep me focused on what matters, rather than overwhelming fears!!

   First and foremost are my parents; they are amazing!!  They have taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, dedication and true love!  Happily married now for nearly 39 years, they have never "sugar-coated" lifes obstacles, which has always kept me grounded, realistic and open-minded

   Second is my sister Jolene.  She is never afraid to tell it like it is!  Having the ability to speak your mind is a true gift and one my sister was blessed with.  She is supportive but to the point and her respectful honesty has helped me through many hurdles in life.

    One of my dear friends Jill; the artistic explorer, is also very important.  I won't lie, I am a homebody, Jill's adventerous spirit helps keep my mind wrapped around all that is possible and potential.  And, our hiking adventures create many memories, smiles and sunburns!

   One big callenge to relationships is time.  There never seems to be enough time, long enough weekends or nice enough weather to spend with those you love.  Therefore, respect is an extremely important aspect of all relationships, especially to me.  Being able to respect each others time and obligations without resentment is essential.  Thankfully, I have that common ground rule with these key relationships.

   I think that respectful boundaries are also very important in the professional realm as well.  It is important to recognize how, what, when and where families want to be communicated with.  For example; I once had a family that I new I could (and best) share information with only in the mornings.  Their evenings were very hectic and busy.  Knowing this allowed us to communicate without headache!

EDUC 6161 Effective Programs and Practices

Yeah, my Third class - I am so excited!!   This sounds like an excellent course also!  I am glad to see familiar faces in my class and hope you are all having a wonderful Spring!

An Important quote

"The conscience of children is formed by the influences that surround them; their notions of good and evil are the result of the moral atmosphere they breathe."
                                            ~ Jean Paul Richter ~

This quote continues to be one of my favorites!  I think that it speaks to what, we as educators, must work to acheive, work with, and deal with on a daily basis.  It reminds me that we must consider the whole child; community, family, environment, etc. to properly care for them - as that is what influences them.

Assessment in young children

Assessment is always a difficult debate.  There is often times, it seems, a disconnect between child development and elementary/middle school philosophies about what children should be ready for and when - therefore, how they should be taught -  taught with a love of learning or taught to the test??

I fully recognize that as children get older there are simply things you must know.  However, when I think of what children should be assessed on, I reflect back to the standardized tests I remember taking - the dreaded Iowa-Basic test days.  And, what I remember is that much of the test was not formatted in a relevant matter, questions did not pertain to our demographic area, scenarios were far fetched and examples were once in a lifetime - not realistic.  I believe that children should be assessed on reading, writing and math.  However, it would be better if the tests were a bit more realistic/real-world.  I also feel that there should be several types of testing - not just pen and paper.  There should be skills/challenges where children perform in groups, hands on tests- like in science for example, and verbal tests where children are given opportunities to explain answers verbally rather than just in writing.  This type of testing would allow us to evaluate children in all modalities of learning styles.

In Japan, it seems, there is a similar process of simply teaching to the test and always preparing for the next step.  The focus there really seems to be on which type of school you are going to attend; university, etc.  These tests are also focused on primary subjects such as math science, humanities, etc.  Some universities even provide their own assessment exams to get into the school.  There is a great amount of pressure surrounding these tests and there are even schools called "juku"  which translates to "cramm schools"!!

http://www.ericdigests.org/1993/japan.htm

Stressors in Early Childhood

Well, Natural Disaster is certainly a hot topic for much of our world these days!  With the current earthquake/tsunami in Japan to regions of North America, unusually, hit by harsh winters; the worlds weather and natural disasters certainly add stress to life's already many demands.

This discussion and increased media attention for all of these natural disasters has gotten me thinking of when I was about seven years old...

**As a side note in no way do I think that my situation is any where near, or compares even closely to the catastrophic events in current happenings around the world, but it is what I have to reference:)  **

Anyway, when I was young we had a very stormy summer.  I stayed home with my sister in the summers (we lived in a very small town).  Because of the storms, my father would take me out to the back yard and taught me how to 'read' the clouds.  He showed me which direction they would travel, what different colors meant, what different clouds meant, what funnel clouds looked like and when we would need to run for cover.
One night when my whole family was home, we did have quite a storm!  I vividly remember the very large pine tree in front of our living room picture window swaying almost to its side.  I also remember the extreme blackness, not just 'night time' dark but absolute blackness outside.  There also seemed to be a significant charge in the air - as if you could feel the tension of nature building up.  At the high point of the storm I remember my father looking out the front window, watching up at the sky...without turning to look at us, he told us to get the pillows and blankets from our beds and to head to the basement a tornado was coming!


Now, I knew what tornadoes were and I knew they were dangerous and the amount of damage that they could cause (as if the storm itself wasn't doing a good enough job on its own) but I was still scared.  However, I remember not being scared because of the prospect of the storm but because I could feel my parents fear and tension - I will never forget that look on my father's face.

As it turns, out a very small tornado did touch down about a mile from our home and ripped up a few power lines in its path - small by comparison to many!  We coped with this dark, stormy night by being a family.  I was so thankful that my parents were there to protect me!  After the storm, of course, my sister and I were terrified but my parents talked us through it.  One way my parents always helped us was by telling us the truth, they never sugar - coated things so we knew what to expect and were never surprised.  We also had the benefit of having my father teach us about storms.  Having knowledge of what to watch for in the clouds allowed us to feel prepared on our own, to always be watchful and mindful and to never be taken by surprise by the black clouds on the horizon.


The recent earthquake in Japan is certainly fresh in all of our minds.  It made me wonder what relief efforts are done to help young children cope with such disasters that, literally, turn their whole world upside down.  One great effort is "Save the Children."  In the earthquake/tsunami ravaged areas that were the most greatly impacted, there have been designated children's centers set up with in the shelter.  These specially designated areas have crafts, activities, and specially trained staff to help work through the fears they may be having.

http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6621121/k.3D08/Japan_Earthquake_Tsunami_Relief.htm

It is good to know that there are organizations out there that solely focus on the efforts of young children.  This of course will aid parents and the family as a whole!!

Mental Health in Families

 I choose to discuss mental health in families as a health topic, particularly domestic violence.
This particular topic is important to me because I have worked with several families who are in, getting out of or have survived domestic violence situations.  One impactful story for me was one day I was observing two young boys working at a paint easel.  There was a bit of tension between them, they were not speaking, fighting, or arguing but you could "feel" tension between them.  Eventually, the younger of the two (just as plain as possible, without in fore-thought) said; "Do you have a dad?"  The older of the two replied with as imple "yes".  They sat in silence a few more moments and then the younger of the two again initiated; "Me too, but my dad is in Jail."  The older child replied, "Yeah mine too, cause he hurts my mom."

At that point the conversation between them ended and so did the un-seen tension.  It was as if a sense of belonging, understanding and commorardorie had been developed instantly between them because of an empathy of 'knowing'.

Domestic violence is a problem!  And, even in todays day and age, we still seem to battle families sense of shame, "good ol' boy syndrome's", battles of the sexes, and "keeping it in the family" type syndromes.  However, domestic violence impacts us all and as the story shows above, teachers need to be aware of what is going on in a families situations.  I did not know that the one child's father had recently gone to jail, however I did know that this young boy, was withdrawn and not sleeping or eating well.  So, of course, when I heard this I understood more and could now channel my energies to direct his behavior and better reach out to him throughout the day.

I researched domestic violence and again came across Japan.  I realized that they to have the similar "good ol' boys" syndrome that can come in to play.  However, their domestic violence problems seem to be even more prevelant and even more hidden away.  In fact, they have only recently enacted their first domestic violence law in 2001!  Although, it has been ammended several times, domestic violence continues to be a problem and one that most feel is still quite understated in their region.

Please reference an empowering article about those taking a chance to speak out in Japan; "Speaking out about domestic violence" by David McNeill and Chie Matsumoto

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20091107fl.html

Birthing Experiences

Well, this was a tough one for me....Besides whatching videos during my educational career I have not expreinces an actual child birthing.  I myself, don't have any children and I am the oldest between my sister and I and she does not have any children either.  Additionally, none of my close friends have children either - this may speak a bit to the growing trend of generations of young women who don't want childre (I guess we can discuss that issue later).

However, I did recently visit a young couple of a mutual friend of ours who had just had their baby hours before.  As a bit of an "observer" it was interesting to me to whatch the scenes unfold in this hospital room with this family.  I was wonderfully shocked about a few things.  First, was the size of the room!  It was huge, certainly enough to accomodate this small families entire extended family.  They had their own private bathroom, the bed for the mother of course, a large recliner-rocking chair and a large bench seat that doubled as a bed for the father so that he could also stay in the room with them.  Then there was a "tray" of sorts that held all of the newborn's supplies (as requested by the family) and this is where the babies "crib" was when needed.  A second thing that I found interesting was the amount of people that were in and out of the room - no questions asked.  I guess I had an assumption that if you were visiting a nursery you had to check in to ensure that babies were not getting sick or needlesly exposed to anything - but that was certainly not the case.  Family, friends, nurses, doctors were all in and out!  The baby was also always in the room and stayed and recieved all care in the room with the parents.

All in all it was a wonderful experience and a great observation opportunity for me.  I love the fact that the whole family is invited in, encouraged to stay and are all kept together as a unit.

In comparison I felt that I would like to look further into Japan's birthing culture.  I once had an instructor from Japan and she had spoken to us a bit about the differences of toilet learning between Japan and the United States, so I was curious as to what the primary differences would be.  I actually found a few resources, which I will list below, one was a generic posting of a few of the primary differences and one is a "story" of sorts about an American couple giving birth to twins in Japan.  I few things that wer of interst to me were the differences in the way that fathers are treated, nursing and after care of women and children.  In Japan fathers do not usually take part in the birthing process at all, in fact many Japanese women go to their maternal mother's house for birthing - leaving their husbands for up to three months to care for the child.  That is a long three months that a child misses out on bonding with their father!  This is definately different in our culture and in comparison to my friends birth - the father was expected to stay in the delivery room with her for the extent of her stay.

Nursing is also interesting difference in Japan.  It seems that many hospitals there have a "policy" that babies be completely seperate from their mothers for three days.  Apparently the idea here is to allow the mother to rest and recover.  However, during this time, the baby is obviously fed formula and therefore breast feeding is not necessarily encouraged.  This is different from the friends of mine experience - a nurse came in to the room several times to offer help and suggestions for breast feeding.  Also, I do not think mothers in the United States would tolerate being completely seperate from their newborn babies for that length of time!

It is so interesting to see, read about and learn of different cultures in pre-natal and birthing procedures.  Their is a side to every story and reason behind everyone's practices.  What matters most is that any family is allowed to practice what is best for them, their family and their cultural beliefs!

Here are the links to the two resoruces that I gained information from.  The personal story is very interesting and contains a great personal perspective:

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/multicultural/health_workers/Japanese-preg-prof.pdf

http://www.globalcompassion.com/japan-birth.htm

Important Codes of Ethics

1.  The Division for Early Childhood's #5 under Professional and Interpersonal Behavior:

  "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."

This code is important for me because often times people forget about individual appropriateness and become wrapped up in developmentally appropriate practice.  Although, DAP is extremely important, each individual; their experiences, culture, etc., must be considered as well.

2.  NAEYC's statement within their Preamble:  "When the issues involve young children, then these provisions also apply to specialists who do not work directly with children, including program administrators, parent educators, early childhood adult educators, and officials with responsibility for program monitoring and licensing." is also very important for me.  This one specifically involves those who should follow the code of ethics including those who may not work directly with young children.

3.  NAEYC's 1-3A.4:  To accord co-workers due recognition of professional achievement.

This is a tough field!!  We often work around the clock with NOT phenomenal pay or benefits.  Teachers accomplishments need to be celebrated!!

Additional Early Childhood Resources

Here are a few more great resources:

 First, I chose this resource because it is important, and particular, to my state - Montana
http://mtecp.org/

I have used this website frequently in my work with training in the CDA program and working with in-home child care providers:  
http://nafcc.net/

And this one...., I know it may seem a bit strange, but I have found that while working with parents in child care they have lots of questions about common childhood illness' that arise.  I have found that webmd.com is easy to use and offers some great synopsis' of common illness as well as pictures that can be helpful to answer parent's questions.

Dr. Susan Bredekamp on Developmentally Appropriate Practice.

"Developmentally appropriate practices are ways of teaching that vary for or adapt to the age and experience of the individual learner. So fundamentally the definition has not changed. Instead, it has been expanded to include the fact that not only do you have to consider children as individuals, but you also have to consider children as members of groups with their own cultural identities."

Dr. Bredekamp has been very significant in defining DAP!  In this 2006 adaptation of the statement she includes all aspects of a child's environment; including micro and mesosystem's.  Read the full interview at:

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=11922&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22%2Fbrowse%2Fsearch.jsp%3Fquery%3Dneuman%26c1%3DCONTENT30%26c2%3Dfalse%22%3EAll+Results+%3C%2Fa%3E 

T. Berry Brazelton

 Dr. Brazelton states:  "Touchpoints can give parent and caregiver common language." 
 This is a powerful statement that bridges families and schools!  Hear more by watching this video in which Dr. Brazelton describes his Touchpoints program:

https://touchpoints.box.net/shared/jrf0h6yhy6#/shared/jrf0h6yhy6/1/7067725/185989242/1

A Great Children's Book

One of my all time favorite children's books is; The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Audrey & Don Wood.  For one thing, you just can't beat those beautiful illustrations!  They are vivid, intense, colorful and contain full page detail; providing a large variety of items to spark discussion in any classroom or child.  The story is also wonderfully, subtly interactive allowing plenty of time for children and narrator to have open-ended discussions about what is happening in the story, what the Little Mouse should do and what the children think will occur next.  The story also demonstrates a small variety of emotion which is always beneficial to discover with children.

One Great Quote!

I found this quote and feel that it speaks volumes!  There is so much at stake for children in the very early years and the subtle powers of everything around them should not be ignored.


"The conscience of children is formed by the influences that surround them; their notions of good and evil are the result of the moral atmosphere they breathe."
                                            ~ Jean Paul Richter ~

Introduction

My first blog!  I created this blog as the result of a class that I am taking.  I have heard much about blogs but never used them and I was terrified - but it was so easy!!