Monday, December 20, 2010

When I think of Child Development


"Children are like wet cement.  Whatever falls on them make an impression."~ Dr.  Haim Ginott

Children seldom misquote.  In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.  ~Author Unknown

Nequiatuia,
Your post were great, it was great to read them week after week.  Your post about Poverty and how you overcame it was really inspiring.  The particular post left a powerful impression in my mind thanks for the post.  Good Luck in your future classes!!!

Anna
Reading your various post were wonderful.  The experiences you have from living overseas really bring different perspectives to the class. It was great to see how you handle diverse people in the military from all over the world.  Good Luck and Thanks for the Post!!!!!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Testing For Intelligence

I believe that assessing a child through standardized test is not a good way.  I believe a standardized test does not measure how smart a child is.  Sometimes I believe schools stress so much on passing standardized test that children may not receive the basic educational needs. Every child learns differently I think that a child should be assessed at the end of each semester and then get help on what areas they are lacking in so that they have a better understanding.  Or maybe educational professionals can try to do some type of hands on learning so children can remember it. 
Children in China seem to memorize and learn throw repeat ion which helps them learn and retain the learned information.  Experience has shown Chinese students do not tend to ask as many questions as Western students (Biggs, 1996a). In Chinese culture questioning may be seen to represent a challenge to the teacher (Ginsberg, 1992). However Chinese teachers
Assume the role of mentor and role model far more so than Western teachers. They
Interact with students after class in a more informal mode (Stevenson & Stigler, 1992)
Far more than their European counterparts. It would also be incorrect to assume that
Chinese classes are entirely teacher centered. Student participation can include rapid
Fire questions by the teacher, answered by one student on behalf of the class while
The other students participate by listening and tend to follow a sequence of Initiation,
Response and Follow-up to reinforce the learning (Cortazzi, 1998).



Biggs, J. (1996a). Academic development in Confucian heritage culture, paper
Presented at the International Symposium on Child Development. Hong Kong.
Cortazzi, M. (1998). Learning from Asian lessons: Cultural experience and classroom
Talk. Education, 26 (2), 42 - 49.
Ginsberg, E. (1992). Not just a matter of English. HERDSA News, 14 (1), 6 - 8.
Stevenson, H. W., & Stigler, J. (1992). The learning gap. New York: Summit Books.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

I couldn’t choose one person that poverty had a huge impact on.  My mother grew up in a family of seven children.  During the time they grew up wages were not really high.  Both of my grandparents worked, my grandmother worked in a factory making shoulder pads making $1.75 per hour.  My grandfather worked in a company that made steel were he made a good amount.  He checks were mainly for the up keep of the household bills and to keep everyone in a good school so they could receive a great education.  They all say growing up was hard, they did not always have the latest fashions and all the things that popular children had but they were happy.  I believe going through these circumstances has made them strong, hardworking individuals. All of the siblings have good jobs, and have become successful.  So in this case there environment has shaped them to become better people.
Poverty in China
As in America poverty in China has a huge impact on health, environment, and education. Although the poverty level in China has decline it still affects their children.  Because of the poverty level many children cannot afford education cost or health care which can affect the children in this is happening in China’s richest city Beijieng. 

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Child Develpment and Public Health

I choose Breastfeeding as the public health that impacts childhood development.  Breastfeeding is the best way for babies to receive good nutrition and be able to bond with the mother.  Babies who are exclusively breast-fed are less likely to get sick, because breast milk provides them with antibodies against any diseases to which the mother is immune (Berger, 2009).  
This topic was meaningful to me because my sister and I were both breast fed and we were both healthy babies who reaped all the benefits of being breast fed. 
Breastfeeding varies from place to place according to Breastfeed.com in Africa using breast to feed babies is a common in everyday life.  It is said if a mother doesn’t breast fed the mother is looked down on.  African women often come to the experience of breastfeeding with little or no doubt and trust in their ability to produce enough milk or milk of the right quantity (Brown, 2010).







Berger, K.S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.).  New York, NY: Worth Publishers. 
 Brown, T. (2010, November 13).  Breastfeeding around the World. http://www.breastfeed.com/articles/breastfeeding-advocacy/breastfeeding-around-the-world-2767/

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Childbirth-In Your Life and Around the World

The one experience of child birth was when I was asked to be a birthing coach for my friend.  That event was really overwhelming because I don’t have children and didn’t know what to expect.  The only experiences I have seen with childbirth were on TLC’s baby story, movies, and word of mouth. The actual experience was nothing like what I seen or what I expected.  What I remember was how the baby was delivered and the after birth which was amazing which I never knew that you had to deliver as well.  I was not aware that many doctors would be in the room standing around ready and waiting for the birth of the baby to check him out.  What you see on television is far from the real thing.  Needless to say I wasn’t great help because I stood behind a wall peeking over at her.  I choose this example because it was my first experience which left a lasting impression that I will never forget. 
The country I choose was Africa to see how birth takes place it is said that they have the worst maternal mortality rates in the world.  Because of lack of hospitals, trained medical staff and transportation is why so many African women die in Childbirth.  The differences between United States and Africa overall is the medical care.  In the hospital room with my friend there were various Doctors waiting for the delivery of the baby. 








Saturday, October 23, 2010

NAEYC and DEC Code of Ethics

Naeyc
Ethical Responsibilities to Children
I-1.1-To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.
This particular code was meaningful to me, because that is one of the reasons why I am continuing my education so that I stay well informed.  I believe learning more and staying knowledgeable of all information creates a better environment for the children.  At my place of employment the employees have to continue to receive training throughout the school year to stay up with the latest rules and regulations of childcare.
I-1.3-To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.
Since there are many children with different qualities and disabilities it is necessary to make sure that each child no matter what the issue is, receives the proper education and treated fairly.  Every child deserves the same opportunity to learn and get the most out of the education system possible.
Ethical Responsibilities to Families
I-2.2-To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.
Having relationships with the families that we serve in our program is very important.  Establishing a good relationship and being able to communicate so that the children are well educated is a crucial part in the educating process.  Families feel more comfortable when they have someone they can trust there children with.

DEC
Code of Ethics

2. We shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families and of those with whom we work.

This code is sort of similar to one in the NAEYC but it can not be stressed enough  the importance of gaining the trust of the families and children that we provide  a service for.  It also helps to aid in helping children have a memorable education process.  If we inspire them young it can help in the long term when it comes to education.

3.  We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to the suggestions of others.

I think this code of ethic is important when it comes amongst staff.  At my place of employment we have staff meeting once a month to go over issues and problems.  Also to brainstorm about new ideas that we can implement to have a better smooth running program.

DEC
Evidence Based Practices

3.  We shall include the diverse perspectives and experiences of children and families in the conduct of research and intervention.

I believe honoring the diverse perspectives and experiences of children are very important. Since children come from various backgrounds , sometimes the families opinion on education seems to be a little different .  Which is why it is important for staff to embrace the differences of the children and families.
References
The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.dec-sped.org/

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Collection of Resources

Early Childhood Organizations
National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/
The Division for Early Childhood
http://www.dec-sped.org/
Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/

WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
Harvard Education Letter
http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85

FPG Child Development Institute
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
HighScope
http://www.highscope.org/
Children’s Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/
Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/

Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/

National Child Care Association
http://www.nccanet.org/
National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/

Pre[K]Now
http://www.preknow.org/

Voices for America’s Children
http://www.voices.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=22807

The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/

Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

 UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
 
World Forum Foundation
http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English/about_OMEP/
Read about OMEP’s mission.

Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/about/
Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.
Position Statements and Influential Practices

NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/53029/CRS-CW-4465394/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf

NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf

NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf

NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf

NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf

NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller

FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~images/pdfs/snapshots/snap33.pdf


Additional Resources

School Resources For Parents

I choose this website because it gives parents resources no matter what grade their child is in.  I also think it will be helpful for a family with multiple children in multiple grade so a parent knows what to ask and look for.

Peak With Books: An Early Childhood Resource for Balanced Literacy

Paperback, 320 pages
Delmar Cengage Learning
October 01, 2001

Borders (2010)

The reason I choose this book was because one of the teachers at one of the schools that I go to swears by this book.  She uses it every week to do her lesson plans.  After looking through it I found that it could be very useful.  The book gives simple and easy ways to help children learn to read and enjoy reading.  The book is a litte pricey but it can help teachers at school and can also help parents who like to do a little extra at home with there children.

BCCAP-Burlington County Community Action Program
This is a organization where I live which helps with low income families with various child care resources. I choose this because I wanted to learn more about it.  Many of the parents we deal with go through this program to get subsidze payment for there children to attend.  I always see the payments come but I never knew about the program it came from so this was a great time to learn about the non-profit organization.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

Don't feel entitled to anything you didn't sweat and struggle for. Marian Wright Edelman

Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it. Marian Wright Edelman

 “Turnover among child care workers is second only to parking lot and gas station attendants. Surely we can offer our children a better quality of care than we give our automobiles!” -Marcy Whitebrook

“It’s not all about you; take your ego out of it think about what’s best for the child.” Renatta M. Cooper, Program Specialist, Office of Childcare.  (The Passion for Early Childhood, 2010).

Reference
“The Passion for Early Childhood” (2010). Foundations: Early Childhood Studies. (Laureate Education Inc, CD-ROM, 2010 release).

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Personal Childhood Web

My parents have been a great support system, they have always been there to encourage me and instill in me that I can do whatever I put my mind to.  I am grateful for them because they have always been there for me no matter what I have been through.  I am who I am because they have put so much time and support into allowing me to grow and become me.

 
My grandmother the foundation and back bone of our family.  Seeing her raise seven kids struggling to make sure that they all had the best with a limited income inspired me to know that anything is possible.  Her and my grandfather who is not living now stressed the importance of education and family bonds.  On a limited income that made sure that all of their children had the best education by working two jobs to send them to private school and sending them to the best colleges.  Seeing that, made me see the importance of education and how you can do anything if you put your mine to it.  Also, in this picture is my sister who also was there for me every step of the way.

Because I was the first grandchild, of seven brother and sisters and I had so many different people standing behind me making sure that I made the right choices.  Every accomplishment that I made they were all there to support me and cheer for me and happy that I completed the next step.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Love You Forever

By Robert Munsch

I love this book because my mom read it to me every night and it proves how a mother's love is unconditional.  When giving love that has no limits it will come back to you. The book is about the cycle of life. It describes a Mother's unconditional love for her Son through the years. No matter what he does and how frustrated she is with him, that love never goes away and is eventually passed on from Parent to Child to Parent through the generations.  It amazes me at the age of 31, that this book still has a impact on me and shows how strong a mother's love is.
"Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feelings that you cherished them."-Richard L. Evans

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

I hope I did this right!!!

This is my first time every blogging I hope this page and blog will turn out right.