I must admit that I was terrified about taking this course. I had pictured the homework to be reading endless research studies and pouring over statistics and charts that I did not understand. I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised at what I have learned over this 8-week journey. I now understand that research often begins with our background experiences and is centered on wanting to learn more. I have learned that when I am reading research, I do not need to get caught up in the details and process of the study, but can understand the purpose and results by reading only a few key sections. This has been a relief and now I do not feel anxious about reading scholarly articles!
Prior to beginning this course, I also had the notion that only doctorate level professionals could conduct research or would even want to. Now I understand that I have topics that I am interested in knowing more about and if my skills were refined, I, too, could conduct my own study. I now understand that not all research needs to have a wide spread reach and end up in a national journal. Even small projects are noteworthy and can make a difference.
When reflecting upon the research process, I also feel that this has been a journey. I never considered reading other articles as a starting point for my own study. I had believed that once a topic was decided upon, I was to be off on my own. It's reassuring to know that the wheel does not have to be reinvented each time a topic presents itself. I still believe that I do not have the knowledge base to truly pull off my own study and would be caught up in the details of how to select a participant pool and the legal matters of consent. I do feel that I am a person who leads more with my heart than my head, so I believe qualitative research would be my specialty.
My first challenge was to embrace the research process. This was an unknown world to me and I was intimidated by the process. I felt research was more about white lab coats and clinical settings than the actual people and processes. I found support from my classmates on the discussion board helpful to work through these feelings. It was helpful to read about the passions of each classmate. We all want what is best for children, but may have a different way of getting there.
I attend meetings in Harrisburg and listen to the "big" people in the "big" offices talk about changes that are coming down the pike. More often than not, there is a mention about data and how they LOVE data. In the past, I cringed when I heard them make these comments. I now understand why the data is important and how it drives change. I also feel that I can look at their results with a more open mind and understand their process which has reinstated my support for the field. I had become jaded for a period of time and felt our children were just numbers on a report. I do still feel that we have lost the personal touch in the process, but understand the necessity of the research and securing funding for quality improvement.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
International Research Topics
I chose to review the Early Childhood Australia site located at http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/. In looking over the research topics listed under "Research in Practice Series", I found links to articles involving play and high quality child care attributes. Another area was linked to abstracts from the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood (AJEC) which surprisingly is the world's longest running journal for our field of early childhood education. Under this resource, the articles appear to be more scholarly than those under the "Research in Practices Series", but still need to be purchased.
The majority of the links provided additional information on the EYLF (Early Years Learning Framework). While this is an initiative solely in Australia, many of the supporting documents tie into what we find as issues and trends in the U.S.I would have liked the option to be able to read the articles, but each of them had a cost associated with downloading.
One of the items that stood out to me what their Code of Ethics. In reviewing the context behind why the Code was written, I found that Australia's Code and NAEYC's Code are very similar and based on the same pretexts. Both believe that a code of the ethics brings a level of professionalism and is supported by the values of the field.
Another interesting tidbit was a link for a toolkit on how to include technology in your ECE business. The site will continue to provide updates and information and appears to help those with all knowledge levels of conducting digital business.
The majority of the links provided additional information on the EYLF (Early Years Learning Framework). While this is an initiative solely in Australia, many of the supporting documents tie into what we find as issues and trends in the U.S.I would have liked the option to be able to read the articles, but each of them had a cost associated with downloading.
One of the items that stood out to me what their Code of Ethics. In reviewing the context behind why the Code was written, I found that Australia's Code and NAEYC's Code are very similar and based on the same pretexts. Both believe that a code of the ethics brings a level of professionalism and is supported by the values of the field.
Another interesting tidbit was a link for a toolkit on how to include technology in your ECE business. The site will continue to provide updates and information and appears to help those with all knowledge levels of conducting digital business.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
My dream research project...
If I could choose any topic to research and had the means to do so, I would research the effects of what an open ended educational system would be to our society. I have chosen this topic because I believe in the benefits of play and open ended learning. I then see children are expected to transition into a structured Kindergarten setting that lacks learning centers but includes enough worksheets to save a rainforest. The reports I have received from many of our families who have made this transition have explained that their child has had a difficult transition because they have been accustomed to free choice. By the 2nd quarter, these children are farther ahead than their peers, but often receive notes home about self control and needing reminders of rules.
I feel passionate about the foundation of future learning is being set in Pre-K, but often the love of learning is diminished within a structured Kindergarten setting and the children lose their excitement to learn more and explore. I think back to visiting my son's Kindergarten and watching the teacher tell the children they were going to color Indian corn. She instructed them to bring out only their purple and brown crayons then proceeded to show them which sections were which colors. I was floored! What if they wanted red in their picture or wanted to draw something else? Where does the 5 year old who loved to explore become a 5 year old who has little to no opportunity to do so?
I would find it interesting to see where this research would lead our field and the education system. I believe our failures as a nation have a direct root cause to not being able to think outside the box. What if the entire educational system was like that of Pre-k? I believe this research would help to improve the educational system and reverse the effects of No Child Left Behind.
I feel passionate about the foundation of future learning is being set in Pre-K, but often the love of learning is diminished within a structured Kindergarten setting and the children lose their excitement to learn more and explore. I think back to visiting my son's Kindergarten and watching the teacher tell the children they were going to color Indian corn. She instructed them to bring out only their purple and brown crayons then proceeded to show them which sections were which colors. I was floored! What if they wanted red in their picture or wanted to draw something else? Where does the 5 year old who loved to explore become a 5 year old who has little to no opportunity to do so?
I would find it interesting to see where this research would lead our field and the education system. I believe our failures as a nation have a direct root cause to not being able to think outside the box. What if the entire educational system was like that of Pre-k? I believe this research would help to improve the educational system and reverse the effects of No Child Left Behind.
 |
The more the toy does, the less the child learns.... |
Friday, November 8, 2013
Beginning my journey in research...
After completing my course on early childhood issues and trends, an article stood out for me that discussed the inequalities in teacher education. For my entire career I have been told that teachers who possess college degrees in early learning will provide better childhood outcomes than those who lack formal education. One of the articles I had read in that course also shed light on the differences in programmatic approaches to learning. Essentially, colleges turn out numerous graduates in early childhood education across the United States yet each graduate brings a different skill set and beliefs to our field. I have also observed teachers, who were parents, conduct the most meaningful activities with the children which has made me ponder if the degree is truly more important than experience with children.
All things considered, my subtopic will be to determine if teacher education is more important than experience with children. I have spent many hours researching the library and looking for articles on this topic and realize that I need to learn how to effectively search for the right criteria. I have entered several variations of the subtopic into the search bar and have come back with results from all fields of study including surgery and technology through higher education. If anyone has any tricks on how to effectively search for articles, I would greatly appreciate it! I feel it has been difficult to locate specific articles that focus on early learning teacher quality. I have had the most success in searching the ProQuest database and creating a "My Research" account that has saved my chosen articles to reference later.
I have found the construction of the research chart to be a meaningful experience as it has helped me to truly focus on the material presented. I see myself inductively researching this topic especially since I have come across other articles that tie into my subtopic but are not specific to the topic. I located one that went on to compare a two year education with that of a four year education. This was something I had not considered prior to researching.
All things considered, my subtopic will be to determine if teacher education is more important than experience with children. I have spent many hours researching the library and looking for articles on this topic and realize that I need to learn how to effectively search for the right criteria. I have entered several variations of the subtopic into the search bar and have come back with results from all fields of study including surgery and technology through higher education. If anyone has any tricks on how to effectively search for articles, I would greatly appreciate it! I feel it has been difficult to locate specific articles that focus on early learning teacher quality. I have had the most success in searching the ProQuest database and creating a "My Research" account that has saved my chosen articles to reference later.
I have found the construction of the research chart to be a meaningful experience as it has helped me to truly focus on the material presented. I see myself inductively researching this topic especially since I have come across other articles that tie into my subtopic but are not specific to the topic. I located one that went on to compare a two year education with that of a four year education. This was something I had not considered prior to researching.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Consequences and Goals
As I reflect upon the journey of the last 8 weeks, I remember how excited I was to connect with someone from another country and learn about their successes, challenges, hopes, and dreams. I believe I obtained so much more than I ever thought possible. I understand we are to write about three consequences of this project, but I believe a consequence equates to something of a negative nature. I honestly don't believe that I have had an negative experiences, but I do have questions. I believe my awareness of issues has increased dramatically. This project has made me ponder if England can work together as a nation to develop a system of free preschool, why can't the United States? If the general theme of working in child care is the feeling of our profession being too absorbed in paperwork and less time with the children, why aren't we standing up and fighting for a change more often? In seeing that even England admits their system is faulty and they look to Scandinavia, why is the US looking at individual states for a best system, when one may exist across the ocean?
My goal for our profession would be to have the adoption of a global early learning office that would be represented by all. A colleague of mine recently went to a conference where early learning professionals spoke from all areas of the world. While most talked of high quality and endless paperwork with low pay, the representative share her experiences in watching numerous children die year after year because they lack the resources to maintain a hygienic environment. My staff complain about needing 17 steps to change a diaper, this person is burying children due to diarrhea.
I would also like the United States to focus more on the social and economic impacts of quality early learning. As I have read in numerous articles, that for every dollar invested in our field, the return on investment is $7. Why are worrying about "bridges to nowhere" and funding Super Bowl commercials. Sorry, this type of funding will only promote the growth of prison cells. I want to keep by children out of them unless they're visiting on a field trip.
My goal for our profession would be to have the adoption of a global early learning office that would be represented by all. A colleague of mine recently went to a conference where early learning professionals spoke from all areas of the world. While most talked of high quality and endless paperwork with low pay, the representative share her experiences in watching numerous children die year after year because they lack the resources to maintain a hygienic environment. My staff complain about needing 17 steps to change a diaper, this person is burying children due to diarrhea.
I would also like the United States to focus more on the social and economic impacts of quality early learning. As I have read in numerous articles, that for every dollar invested in our field, the return on investment is $7. Why are worrying about "bridges to nowhere" and funding Super Bowl commercials. Sorry, this type of funding will only promote the growth of prison cells. I want to keep by children out of them unless they're visiting on a field trip.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Opportunities in Excellence
I was able to gain some insight into the early learning system in Australia this week. My colleague shared the same issue we are discussing this week in that the profession is not recognized as a true profession despite the educational requirements and other standards. She went on to explain that education continues to be on the chopping block instead of increasing funding. I learned that they, too, are inundated with paperwork and feel they have less quality time with the children.
She is currently traveling throughout various areas of Australia and documenting her work on naturalistic playground spaces. She has attended a training Bush Schools training in which they work to truly incorporate the outdoors in a naturalistic way without the additional plastic playground equipment we typically see. (Archimedes Training Information ). She wishes to continue this training and travel throughout Europe to continue her research. She is truly passionate about children learning through sensory activities but sees that families look for more concrete examples of how their children are progressing. While Julia did not share vary many details regarding the requirements of their professional development, she did share that she is required to maintain first aid certification as well as child abuse reporting, courses in the health and safety domain and child development.
I see many of the same issues in the US are also experienced overseas. I knew there was a tremendous amount of work to have my professional recognized as a profession in my state. I did not realize that these same struggles were so far reaching. It's very overwhelming to now understand the magnitude of our challenges!
She is currently traveling throughout various areas of Australia and documenting her work on naturalistic playground spaces. She has attended a training Bush Schools training in which they work to truly incorporate the outdoors in a naturalistic way without the additional plastic playground equipment we typically see. (Archimedes Training Information ). She wishes to continue this training and travel throughout Europe to continue her research. She is truly passionate about children learning through sensory activities but sees that families look for more concrete examples of how their children are progressing. While Julia did not share vary many details regarding the requirements of their professional development, she did share that she is required to maintain first aid certification as well as child abuse reporting, courses in the health and safety domain and child development.
I see many of the same issues in the US are also experienced overseas. I knew there was a tremendous amount of work to have my professional recognized as a profession in my state. I did not realize that these same struggles were so far reaching. It's very overwhelming to now understand the magnitude of our challenges!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Exploring England
This week's assignment had me thoroughly searching the http://www.early-education.org.uk site. In looking deeper into the site, I found links to educational policy standpoints in England, Northern Ireland, Scottland and Wales. Each link leads to a resource for the country on their viewpoint of the progress and barriers of early childhood education. I chose to further delve into the England document. I found that they have 4 guiding principles that are very much in line with what we have been learning thus far in our coursework. They speak to the importance of relationships, recognizing each child as an individual, the components of an effective environment and how learning and development are inter-related. Several other links are embedded into the document such as the direct link to the agency that certifies facilities.
While this site does not offer a free newsletter, they do offer a subscription to their magazine that is published 3x per year called "Early Education". Archived issues are stored within their archives. They also offer a variety of free downloadable pamphlets. One that I found enlightening was on the topics of babies and how they learn on their first day. I recently attended a training that was on high quality infant/toddler environments and the trainer lacked supporting documentation on the topic. This pamphlet would have been useful to connect her presentation with supporting documents.
In correlation with awareness, accessibility and affordability, England tends to struggle as much as the United States in eliminating these barriers for families. England strives to provide free nursery school for 3 and 4 year olds for 15 hours, yet the connection with funding such a program and childhood outcomes has not been made. The following is a link to the site that further explains these issues:
http://www.nao.org.uk/report/delivering-the-free-entitlement-to-education-for-three-and-four-year-olds/ In researching this site, I have made the realization that the US is not alone in the fight for funding in supporting early childhood education. It appears we all need the money to support children and families, but this need has forced educators to put additional stresses on children to prove they are worth the money. I wish there was another way to fund our future than relying on others to do so.
While this site does not offer a free newsletter, they do offer a subscription to their magazine that is published 3x per year called "Early Education". Archived issues are stored within their archives. They also offer a variety of free downloadable pamphlets. One that I found enlightening was on the topics of babies and how they learn on their first day. I recently attended a training that was on high quality infant/toddler environments and the trainer lacked supporting documentation on the topic. This pamphlet would have been useful to connect her presentation with supporting documents.
In correlation with awareness, accessibility and affordability, England tends to struggle as much as the United States in eliminating these barriers for families. England strives to provide free nursery school for 3 and 4 year olds for 15 hours, yet the connection with funding such a program and childhood outcomes has not been made. The following is a link to the site that further explains these issues:
http://www.nao.org.uk/report/delivering-the-free-entitlement-to-education-for-three-and-four-year-olds/ In researching this site, I have made the realization that the US is not alone in the fight for funding in supporting early childhood education. It appears we all need the money to support children and families, but this need has forced educators to put additional stresses on children to prove they are worth the money. I wish there was another way to fund our future than relying on others to do so.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
It's a Small World After All
While I have to admit that I have not had much luck in conversing with people from the websites I have chosen, I did explore the Global Children's Initiative site and found that they are working on three main activities in their advocacy efforts for ECE.
The first project includes working with high level leaders across the globe to share research in an effort to educate policy makers on the true science of child development. Just the ability to communicate with other countries and stand unified in a cause is amazing to me.
The second project includes linking the health and well being of children to the positive outcomes. As I have learned throughout this coursework, stressors have a tremendous effect on learning. For example, linking cases of Malaria and it's effects on overall development in children in Zambia or the effects of war on children in Sierra Leone.
I feel that I have always supported the concept of providing a secure environment for the children in my care. Often times, I have still observed that some children need additional support services through our Mental Health specialists in our region. The need for these services reaches across our oceans and into other countries. Something that made my awareness increase was the funding provided to support children with HIV/AIDS in Rwanda. Based on our discussion boards recently, we've been so wrapped up on standards and curriculum, that we may have lost sight that other children need services to survive first rather than preparing them for Kindergarten. If we can't meet their primary needs, how will we ever meet their secondary ones?
I believe that each person looks at what excellence is as something completely different. After reviewing the Global site, I believe in the 3rd world countries, the ability to survive into adulthood would be considered excellence, while in the more industrialized nations, the ability to obtain a college degree with the foundation set in ECE would constitute excellence. I reviewed The Australian Early Childhood Network page and found multiple posts on what professionalism means to the member. Things like completing reflections or just having a mind set that no matter what is thrown at you, you are a professional.
The first project includes working with high level leaders across the globe to share research in an effort to educate policy makers on the true science of child development. Just the ability to communicate with other countries and stand unified in a cause is amazing to me.
The second project includes linking the health and well being of children to the positive outcomes. As I have learned throughout this coursework, stressors have a tremendous effect on learning. For example, linking cases of Malaria and it's effects on overall development in children in Zambia or the effects of war on children in Sierra Leone.
I feel that I have always supported the concept of providing a secure environment for the children in my care. Often times, I have still observed that some children need additional support services through our Mental Health specialists in our region. The need for these services reaches across our oceans and into other countries. Something that made my awareness increase was the funding provided to support children with HIV/AIDS in Rwanda. Based on our discussion boards recently, we've been so wrapped up on standards and curriculum, that we may have lost sight that other children need services to survive first rather than preparing them for Kindergarten. If we can't meet their primary needs, how will we ever meet their secondary ones?
I believe that each person looks at what excellence is as something completely different. After reviewing the Global site, I believe in the 3rd world countries, the ability to survive into adulthood would be considered excellence, while in the more industrialized nations, the ability to obtain a college degree with the foundation set in ECE would constitute excellence. I reviewed The Australian Early Childhood Network page and found multiple posts on what professionalism means to the member. Things like completing reflections or just having a mind set that no matter what is thrown at you, you are a professional.
Friday, September 27, 2013
England - Issues/Trends
In exploring http://www.early-education.org.uk, the publications and resources area has been the most beneficial to me in my career. In this area, numerous leaflets are available for professionals as resources on topics ranging from how to improve outdoor play options to helping children cope with change.
The concept that made me reflect and pause was the fact that all 3 and 4 year old are entitled to 15 hours of nursery school for 38 weeks. While I have yet to find out how this is supported financially, I recognize what a tremendous support this must be for families. In Northern Ireland, approximately 90% of children ages 3-4 may have funded preschool however there is no guarantee that the family will receive funding. In the event that the need surpasses the availability, spaces will be awarded to those families in socio-economical disadvantaged area and four years olds. I wonder why one country is able to fund early learning successfully, while another cannot guarantee placement.
The economists are debating about funding the 15 hour nursery school and what methodology creates the highest return on investment. While the report did not share long-term child outcomes, it did discuss variations in the concept of single funding formula and whether the local regions participated. It appeared that many of the respondents represented in the survey felt this type of funding would be a disaster as they felt their programs were already high quality and located in low income areas.
Based on the information I have reviewed thus far, I believe that England has some of the very same challenges that the US has in promoting quality and retaining highly qualified teachers. Another issue that I feel is prominent in my own facility includes whether or not to incorporate technology into the classroom. Our ERS standards have all but diminished screen time based on the lack of developing relationships and other vital skills. The above site has a leaflet that includes various ways children of all ages (including infants) are exposed to technology and benefits of inclusion. Their stance was that today's children are born into a techno world, why not embrace it?
The concept that made me reflect and pause was the fact that all 3 and 4 year old are entitled to 15 hours of nursery school for 38 weeks. While I have yet to find out how this is supported financially, I recognize what a tremendous support this must be for families. In Northern Ireland, approximately 90% of children ages 3-4 may have funded preschool however there is no guarantee that the family will receive funding. In the event that the need surpasses the availability, spaces will be awarded to those families in socio-economical disadvantaged area and four years olds. I wonder why one country is able to fund early learning successfully, while another cannot guarantee placement.
The economists are debating about funding the 15 hour nursery school and what methodology creates the highest return on investment. While the report did not share long-term child outcomes, it did discuss variations in the concept of single funding formula and whether the local regions participated. It appeared that many of the respondents represented in the survey felt this type of funding would be a disaster as they felt their programs were already high quality and located in low income areas.
Based on the information I have reviewed thus far, I believe that England has some of the very same challenges that the US has in promoting quality and retaining highly qualified teachers. Another issue that I feel is prominent in my own facility includes whether or not to incorporate technology into the classroom. Our ERS standards have all but diminished screen time based on the lack of developing relationships and other vital skills. The above site has a leaflet that includes various ways children of all ages (including infants) are exposed to technology and benefits of inclusion. Their stance was that today's children are born into a techno world, why not embrace it?
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Introducing...
I have reached out to two child care organizations and have learned a lot about child care services overseas. While I have not been able to obtain personal names of the people who are posting on either site, I have gained insight into programming.
I am following the Grafton House Day Care Nursery located in England. They have posted various pictures of various foods they use to supplement children's lunches with. Some days the pictures are fruits or rice pudding, but I have also seen they offer a baked potato topped with cheese. The offer free day care for 15 hours for 2 and 3 year olds. I have yet to learn how this is possible. They are in the process of participating in a walk to "Stomp out Hunger" by wearing willies (appear to be rain boats of various colors).
As mentioned in a previous post, I am also following the Australian Early Childhood Network. Again, I have not been able to obtain a specific persons name who runs the page, but have recently read a post that they shared regarding readiness age for formal schooling. They posted an article from England praising their system as well as Finland. The article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24058227. It appears to me that we all look to other countries for better ways to meet children's needs. Maybe if we took a little from each other's cultures, we'd have the perfect system!
I have learned that poverty can have far reaching effects beyond the ability to pay the bills. Poverty also effects primary needs of food and housing as well as mental health issues and education. I have also located an agency in my local area that provides funding to assist those who live in poverty. They are a grant agency that manages donations from philanthropists and matches them with worthy projects. I am pleased to see that an agency like this exists in my area.
I am following the Grafton House Day Care Nursery located in England. They have posted various pictures of various foods they use to supplement children's lunches with. Some days the pictures are fruits or rice pudding, but I have also seen they offer a baked potato topped with cheese. The offer free day care for 15 hours for 2 and 3 year olds. I have yet to learn how this is possible. They are in the process of participating in a walk to "Stomp out Hunger" by wearing willies (appear to be rain boats of various colors).
As mentioned in a previous post, I am also following the Australian Early Childhood Network. Again, I have not been able to obtain a specific persons name who runs the page, but have recently read a post that they shared regarding readiness age for formal schooling. They posted an article from England praising their system as well as Finland. The article can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24058227. It appears to me that we all look to other countries for better ways to meet children's needs. Maybe if we took a little from each other's cultures, we'd have the perfect system!
I have learned that poverty can have far reaching effects beyond the ability to pay the bills. Poverty also effects primary needs of food and housing as well as mental health issues and education. I have also located an agency in my local area that provides funding to assist those who live in poverty. They are a grant agency that manages donations from philanthropists and matches them with worthy projects. I am pleased to see that an agency like this exists in my area.
Friday, September 13, 2013
International Web Resources
Australian Early Childhood Network
I chose to learn more about the Australian Early Childhood Network (https://www.facebook.com/AustralianEarlyChildhoodEducationNetwork). I am currently following them on Facebook and have learned that Australia is facing many of the same issues and inequities that child care centers in the US face such as higher child to staff ratios, lower pay, lack of professional recognition, and endless paperwork. Despite that their government pays salaries of some child care staff, there are still issues with qualifying for funding and meeting paperwork requirements. The teachers also stated that they do not feel they have enough quality time with the children as they are continually completing reports.
Their focus is be "an online community for Early Childhood Educators everywhere to share information, resources, ideas, views on the National Quality Agenda and their own personal passion for early childhood education." I have asked them about how they include families from diverse cultures or if they had a range of diversity in their centers, but have not gotten a response yet.
I chose to learn more about the Australian Early Childhood Network (https://www.facebook.com/AustralianEarlyChildhoodEducationNetwork). I am currently following them on Facebook and have learned that Australia is facing many of the same issues and inequities that child care centers in the US face such as higher child to staff ratios, lower pay, lack of professional recognition, and endless paperwork. Despite that their government pays salaries of some child care staff, there are still issues with qualifying for funding and meeting paperwork requirements. The teachers also stated that they do not feel they have enough quality time with the children as they are continually completing reports.
Their focus is be "an online community for Early Childhood Educators everywhere to share information, resources, ideas, views on the National Quality Agenda and their own personal passion for early childhood education." I have asked them about how they include families from diverse cultures or if they had a range of diversity in their centers, but have not gotten a response yet.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Establishing Professional Contacts
Part #1
I have to admit that this has not been as easy as I had planned to locate professionals outside the US. I was very eager to find professionals from Australia and England and started with the sites in our blog resources. I selected OMEP sites for the 2 countries and emailed both agencies, but to no avail. I did not received responses and decided I did not want to wait much longer. I ended up on Facebook and found the PACCA page (Pennsylvania Child Care Association). PACCA shares articles on a variety of ECE topics and they happen to be covering the Big Steps initiative in Australia. From what I have gathered so far, they are working to bring attention to the professional attributes of child care and calling for increased wages. I reviewed their page and found a link to the Australian Early Childhood Education Network and private messaged them. They are eager to work with me and answer whatever questions I have. As I felt successful with Facebook, I searched for England Child Care and game across a child care named the Grafton House Day Care Nursery. They offer free child care for children ages 2 and 3. I reached out to them as well and they have responded positively. I am looking forward to learning more about each country and what their successes and challenges are.
Part #2
I chose to research http://www.early-education.org.uk/ because I have researched the High Scope program and many of the training materials are based in English Child Cares. I am eager to learn more about their systems.
Questions...
I am interested in learning about their ratios, pay/benefits, training requirements and general working conditions. I am also interested in learning about the perception that parents and government have on child care in these countries and their funding sources as well as QRIS.
I have to admit that this has not been as easy as I had planned to locate professionals outside the US. I was very eager to find professionals from Australia and England and started with the sites in our blog resources. I selected OMEP sites for the 2 countries and emailed both agencies, but to no avail. I did not received responses and decided I did not want to wait much longer. I ended up on Facebook and found the PACCA page (Pennsylvania Child Care Association). PACCA shares articles on a variety of ECE topics and they happen to be covering the Big Steps initiative in Australia. From what I have gathered so far, they are working to bring attention to the professional attributes of child care and calling for increased wages. I reviewed their page and found a link to the Australian Early Childhood Education Network and private messaged them. They are eager to work with me and answer whatever questions I have. As I felt successful with Facebook, I searched for England Child Care and game across a child care named the Grafton House Day Care Nursery. They offer free child care for children ages 2 and 3. I reached out to them as well and they have responded positively. I am looking forward to learning more about each country and what their successes and challenges are.
Part #2
I chose to research http://www.early-education.org.uk/ because I have researched the High Scope program and many of the training materials are based in English Child Cares. I am eager to learn more about their systems.
Questions...
I am interested in learning about their ratios, pay/benefits, training requirements and general working conditions. I am also interested in learning about the perception that parents and government have on child care in these countries and their funding sources as well as QRIS.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
My Supports
The Simple Things
The Foundation of Support
I also have the bigger things in life that support me such as my friends and family. I knew today was going to be a tough day and when I entered work, I had a song in my head that my kids had changed the words around to be a silly nonsense song about needing waffles instead of love. It made me smile and go into my first meeting less stressed. I also have several other director friends that we affectionately and collectively call ourselves "The Bottom Feeders". They are my go to people for work stress as there are no friends at the top and I don't believe it's professional to vent to staff about work issues. My husband and my mom are my biggest supports as they will listen endlessly, give me time to settle and also let me cry
when it all gets to be too much. They love me unconditionally.
What If?
My organization is going through an affiliation right now and things are constantly changing and jobs may be lost in the process as they look to streamline processes. Keeping that in mind, I chose to think about what my life would be like if it were my job that was cut. While child care doesn't pay a substantial income by any means, it still helps to pay the bills I do have and the little extras for our family. I would need financial supports to keep our house, vehicle, and food on the table. I believe that I would be stressed out and have high anxiety by wanting to provide for my family and not have the means to do so. I believe my in-laws would attempt to help where they could, but I also believe that my pride would get in the way of taking that support. I would need support in locating another full-time position in the child care field, but may change career paths if the offer was right. I know that we would cut out the extras and strip expenses where possible, but the emotional aspect of not being employed would be tremendous.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
My connections to play
"Play is the answer to how new things come about." - Jean Piaget
My play time always encompassed the opportunity to explore my surroundings and use my imagination. I reminisce about playing in the woods at my grandmother's house for hours and learning new trails or riding my bike until the street lights came on. Each time I would find something new that I hadn't found before.
"Logic will get you from A to Z, but imagination will get you anywhere." - Albert Einstein
I would make play houses out of folding lawn chairs and play for hours with my Barbies or would tie a blanket around my neck, add some bracelets and become "Wonder Woman" - completed with my underoos! My cousin tells the story of how I had an imaginary friend named "Marcia" and would talk to her late at night when she would babysit me. She says I would have very in depth conversations with her like she was a real person. Apparently, it had scared my cousin several times as she thought I was talking to a ghost.
Toys that made my day:
I loved to make tents anywhere in my house. Some of my favorite memories include my younger brother and I making tents in our bedroom between 2 beds, watching the Jetsons and eating Doritos. It was such a place to get away from everything.
My other favorite doll was Baby Crissy. She had a long ponytail that would "magically" disappear when a string was pulled on her back. She could change her hairstyles instantaneously. I loved her so much and loved playing with her hair until...I got the scissors and permanently cut her hair. She wasn't as much fun after that.
My Supporting People
I remember learning to ride my bike without training wheels and watching my dad push me around the yard. I would always look back and check the shadow to see if he was still holding on. I miss him dearly. He also made sure my swing set was put together before he went into the hospital for a heart surgery as he wanted to make sure I had a happy birthday. While I don't remember too many playtimes with him, I remember him giving me the tools for play.
I had many friends in the neighborhood that I played with. Chris and Heidi taught me how to roller skate in my driveway. I loved to play Barbies, but Chris was never allowed as his dad was a police officer and had strong feelings about boys playing with Barbies. We would hide behind the walls of my porch so he could play and scramble to clean up when we heard noises. Dan and I would ride our bikes all over town along with Tiffany. I loved seeing the new sites and pretending I was on an adventure with them.
Past and Future
I loved having the freedom to ride my bike or take a walk for miles. I could be gone for hours and my parents never seemed to mind. I made the right choices....most of the time. It's sad that our society has changed so much that I wouldn't dare let my own children do these things now. I feel that I can't even let my children play in the yard without watching them every minute for a stranger to come by. I see children so wrapped up in media that they have never learned how to make a mud pie or had the opportunity to play tennis off the garage door while pretending you were in Wimbledon. The magic of imagination is all but disappearing from our children's play just like our connections with nursery rhymes.
"Life must be lived as play." - Plato
I am proud to be a mother and a director of a child care. I hope to always let my inner child shine. Just recently, we had numerous days of rain and my children were bored, complaining and fighting. I was busy doing homework and decided we needed to change things up. I invited them outside. My oldest child, age 10, looked at me like I was crazy. I ran out the door, up and down the driveway and splashed in puddle after puddle. He paused briefly and joined me giggling the entire time. Within minutes, my other children join me and we played for an hour in the rain, just splashing away. We filled buckets and dumped them on each other, slid across the grass like a make-shift slip and slide and had the time of our lives. It is my hope that I will never loose my inner child and they will cherish these memories over making the high score of a video game.
My play time always encompassed the opportunity to explore my surroundings and use my imagination. I reminisce about playing in the woods at my grandmother's house for hours and learning new trails or riding my bike until the street lights came on. Each time I would find something new that I hadn't found before.
"Logic will get you from A to Z, but imagination will get you anywhere." - Albert Einstein
I would make play houses out of folding lawn chairs and play for hours with my Barbies or would tie a blanket around my neck, add some bracelets and become "Wonder Woman" - completed with my underoos! My cousin tells the story of how I had an imaginary friend named "Marcia" and would talk to her late at night when she would babysit me. She says I would have very in depth conversations with her like she was a real person. Apparently, it had scared my cousin several times as she thought I was talking to a ghost.
Toys that made my day:
 |
| Mrs. Beasley was one of my beloved dolls. I slept with her every night and played with her everyday until she fell apart and could no longer be salvaged. I remember my mom talking me into throwing her away then me changing my mind on garbage night. My mom went out into the rain to retrieve her for me before the garbage truck came. |
I loved to make tents anywhere in my house. Some of my favorite memories include my younger brother and I making tents in our bedroom between 2 beds, watching the Jetsons and eating Doritos. It was such a place to get away from everything.
My other favorite doll was Baby Crissy. She had a long ponytail that would "magically" disappear when a string was pulled on her back. She could change her hairstyles instantaneously. I loved her so much and loved playing with her hair until...I got the scissors and permanently cut her hair. She wasn't as much fun after that.
My Supporting People
I remember learning to ride my bike without training wheels and watching my dad push me around the yard. I would always look back and check the shadow to see if he was still holding on. I miss him dearly. He also made sure my swing set was put together before he went into the hospital for a heart surgery as he wanted to make sure I had a happy birthday. While I don't remember too many playtimes with him, I remember him giving me the tools for play.
I had many friends in the neighborhood that I played with. Chris and Heidi taught me how to roller skate in my driveway. I loved to play Barbies, but Chris was never allowed as his dad was a police officer and had strong feelings about boys playing with Barbies. We would hide behind the walls of my porch so he could play and scramble to clean up when we heard noises. Dan and I would ride our bikes all over town along with Tiffany. I loved seeing the new sites and pretending I was on an adventure with them.
Past and Future
I loved having the freedom to ride my bike or take a walk for miles. I could be gone for hours and my parents never seemed to mind. I made the right choices....most of the time. It's sad that our society has changed so much that I wouldn't dare let my own children do these things now. I feel that I can't even let my children play in the yard without watching them every minute for a stranger to come by. I see children so wrapped up in media that they have never learned how to make a mud pie or had the opportunity to play tennis off the garage door while pretending you were in Wimbledon. The magic of imagination is all but disappearing from our children's play just like our connections with nursery rhymes.
"Life must be lived as play." - Plato
I am proud to be a mother and a director of a child care. I hope to always let my inner child shine. Just recently, we had numerous days of rain and my children were bored, complaining and fighting. I was busy doing homework and decided we needed to change things up. I invited them outside. My oldest child, age 10, looked at me like I was crazy. I ran out the door, up and down the driveway and splashed in puddle after puddle. He paused briefly and joined me giggling the entire time. Within minutes, my other children join me and we played for an hour in the rain, just splashing away. We filled buckets and dumped them on each other, slid across the grass like a make-shift slip and slide and had the time of our lives. It is my hope that I will never loose my inner child and they will cherish these memories over making the high score of a video game.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Relationship Reflection
Relationships take time to nurture and grow. There are times where distance can separate friends, but then life has a crazy way of reconnecting us. These are my friends from high school and we each share crazy stories of our high school days from 20 years ago. We take the time each year to get together when our friend Stephanie comes in town. These friends have gotten me through some tough times. I remember Stephanie loosing her mother to cancer in high school and when my dad died when I was in college, Stephanie had the words of wisdom I will never forget...."You've got to talk about it." Most of that time was a blur, but I can remember that conversation like it was yesterday.
If I've learned anything, relationships take time. They morph as time goes on and we grow yet it's the true friends that always come full circle and have your back when the world has turned on you. We have Facebook to keep in contact so that we always know what is going on in each other's lives and while we may not be there to give a hug when life throws a curve ball, we have the words to say "I'm thinking of you". I had other friends that I thought were my true blue friends from those days and have realized that we have grown apart and our values have changed. The success of friendship requires both people to work at. I lost what I thought was a good friend because I became tired of always being the one to work at it. I often question where I went wrong. I guess I'll never know despite attempts to find out.
These are my director friends from various backgrounds. Annie and I met at trainings and stumbled across our friend Susan at another training. She was from out of town and happened to be in our group for the class. I remember having discussions with her about a state funded program that I hoped would fold, but she needed it to sustain her facility. Later on we all had contact with Kathy, who became our state level designator for quality improvements. These are the people who get it. They understand staffing issues, program problems, parent complaints and the happiness I get when a child hugs me. They have each called me with their stresses and sometimes just ask for a moment to listen. We never judge each other for our mistakes and we have all grown in our field because of our support system. We also tend to question the norm and often get into trouble for asking questions. Somehow we've dubbed ourselves after superheroes. I'm Batman, Susan is Robin and Annie is the Joker. Kathy...she just laughs at our antics and fuels our fire to change the world.
All in all, I can't imagine my life without any of them. Each of them has worked to mold me into the person and professional I am. I am thankful for each of them...and always will be.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
It's all about the children
When I think about children and all of their wonderment I reminisce about the days of watching Mr. Rogers and wishing I could live in the Land of Make Believe. The world needs more people like Mr. Rogers. The following is a link that I hope all of you will love as we reflect on our purpose.
21 Heartwarming and Beautiful Facts about Mr. Rogers that will Brighten the Crummiest of Days
I would like to thank everyone in my group for taking the time to read my posts both here on the blog and on the discussion boards. I have learned so much from each of you as you shared your insights over the last 8 weeks. A special thank you to Darrell as I feel I related to your family values and how you put your family above all else and want what is the best for them. Thank you to Jaime as I love your compassion for this field. I can sense you want to bring the best to your children. Finally, thank you to Selena. I look forward to reading your blog posts each week and you were always a classmate who had their blogs done early! You add such creativity and compassion to your blog. I hope that we cross paths again :)
21 Heartwarming and Beautiful Facts about Mr. Rogers that will Brighten the Crummiest of Days
I would like to thank everyone in my group for taking the time to read my posts both here on the blog and on the discussion boards. I have learned so much from each of you as you shared your insights over the last 8 weeks. A special thank you to Darrell as I feel I related to your family values and how you put your family above all else and want what is the best for them. Thank you to Jaime as I love your compassion for this field. I can sense you want to bring the best to your children. Finally, thank you to Selena. I look forward to reading your blog posts each week and you were always a classmate who had their blogs done early! You add such creativity and compassion to your blog. I hope that we cross paths again :)
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Teaching the Test
As I reflect upon assessments, I think about some of the very first paperwork that comes home each school year identifying the dates of our states PSSA assessments for children in grades 3-5. We are told we cannot schedule vacations or take time off during the testing window and must sign an acknowledgment form stating we understand the policy. As the time frame comes closer, additional information comes home on healthy eating, breakfast options and good sleep habits along with a sign-up sheet to bring snacks to school for the class during testing. Within days of the test, my son shares with me how important these tests are because "the President will see them". I am floored! What pressure to put on a 3rd grader! He has finished 4th grade and the testing window has increased and parents are informed that science will be taught for half the year and social studies the other half. Maybe that's the problem with this nation as we seem to be too focused on testing and not enough on the arts and sciences. I was also discouraged to hear that when 9/11 passed this year, my son's school made no mention of the event. This was living history and lessons to be learned, yet because it wouldn't be on the PSSA, it wasn't worth discussing and exploring. I feel too many teachers are forced to teach the test.
I see the pressure of standardized tests and assessments trickling down to preschools and infant/toddler programs as we must report our results to the state to continue to receive funding. While I understand we must observe children to find their strengths and areas of development, I also believe that activities can be just activities and not needed to be set up to assess everything. I feel that our school age children are lacking creative skills and the ability to think outside the box. Personally, I feel that classroom teachers should observe children and begin to use the child's feedback in determining curriculum if we are truly looking at the whole child.
The more I read about the Montessori approach, the more I believe our schools need an over haul. I was intrigued by their learning and reflection process. It seems children have a love to learn with this approach. One student commented how much learning meant to her because she controlled her learning at her own pace. She felt that teachers take responsibility and ownership away from the students by controlling what and how they learn. It all boiled down to what marks were given on the report card instead of the intrinsic learning (The Montessori Society AMI UK, 2010).
I chose to continue my research on Germany and found that they face many of the issues the US faces with standardized tests. Their educational system is set up that preschool is not free and Kindergarten in not mandatory; however every child has a space available if needed. They attend the elementary school and are tested using the Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Germany found themselves not fairing as well as other nations and worked to develop mandatory testing of their 16 states. Testing is conducted every spring for all children in grade 3 and some states test again at grade 6. It was interesting to read that they have the option of entering 3 different tracks for secondary school based on their desires and typically the positions of their socio-economic class (OECD, 20110).
References
OECD. (n.d.). Germany: Once Weak International Standing Prompts Strong Nationwide Reforms for Rapid Improvement. Retrieved from Pearson Foundation: http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/oecd/downloads/Germany_strong_performers_US.pdf
The Montessori Society AMI UK. (2010). Montessori Approach to Assessment and Learning. Retrieved from Montessori My School: http://montessori.org.au/schools/MAFeArticle1001.pdf
I see the pressure of standardized tests and assessments trickling down to preschools and infant/toddler programs as we must report our results to the state to continue to receive funding. While I understand we must observe children to find their strengths and areas of development, I also believe that activities can be just activities and not needed to be set up to assess everything. I feel that our school age children are lacking creative skills and the ability to think outside the box. Personally, I feel that classroom teachers should observe children and begin to use the child's feedback in determining curriculum if we are truly looking at the whole child.
The more I read about the Montessori approach, the more I believe our schools need an over haul. I was intrigued by their learning and reflection process. It seems children have a love to learn with this approach. One student commented how much learning meant to her because she controlled her learning at her own pace. She felt that teachers take responsibility and ownership away from the students by controlling what and how they learn. It all boiled down to what marks were given on the report card instead of the intrinsic learning (The Montessori Society AMI UK, 2010).
I chose to continue my research on Germany and found that they face many of the issues the US faces with standardized tests. Their educational system is set up that preschool is not free and Kindergarten in not mandatory; however every child has a space available if needed. They attend the elementary school and are tested using the Trends in International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). Germany found themselves not fairing as well as other nations and worked to develop mandatory testing of their 16 states. Testing is conducted every spring for all children in grade 3 and some states test again at grade 6. It was interesting to read that they have the option of entering 3 different tracks for secondary school based on their desires and typically the positions of their socio-economic class (OECD, 20110).
References
OECD. (n.d.). Germany: Once Weak International Standing Prompts Strong Nationwide Reforms for Rapid Improvement. Retrieved from Pearson Foundation: http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/oecd/downloads/Germany_strong_performers_US.pdf
The Montessori Society AMI UK. (2010). Montessori Approach to Assessment and Learning. Retrieved from Montessori My School: http://montessori.org.au/schools/MAFeArticle1001.pdf
Friday, May 31, 2013
Childhood Cancer
I personally struggled with this assignment in that I am fortunate enough not to have any first hand experiences with these stressors. My family lived paycheck to paycheck, but not what I would consider poverty.
After some reflection, I decided to write about childhood cancer. When my son went to Kindergarten this past year, he often talked of a classmate that was sick and how she couldn't come to school very much. I thought it was something along the lines of pnemonia, but realized it was something more when the teacher asked everyone to make individual birthday cards for her and mentioned she would deliver them. I knew then, this was something more. Colin often talked about the special things they did for her and phone calls that were made to check in, but I never knew the real story until later in the year. The class was planning a trip to the zoo at the end of the year and selling t-shirts that Lillia had made. Each classmate had one and chaperones could purchase them as well. They were sponsored by Million Shirt Mom and the procedes from her shirt sales would cover medical costs. It was such a touching moment to see classmates from all the kindergartens wear these shirts and surprise her with this tribute. She was able to come to the zoo trip and many of us were able to hide our tears behind our sunglasses as she looked so frail. Her story is found at http://www.millionshirtmom.com under the topic of "Journey of Helping". This year, Lillia is in remission and attending school. It makes me truly thankful for a healthy child. I believe it was prayer and a support system of the school and family that helped this family. I know they missed a lot of work for doctor's appointments and such. I would hope employers would be empathetic and work with families in these situations so that the stressor of disease is not compounded by the stressor of poverty.
I continue to research more about Germany as my long time family roots are grounded there. I found that Germany shares many of the same stressors that the United States endures and has many of the same support systems that we offer. For children effected by war, social groups come together to create play experiences for children who are missing parents and may not have these experiences. The belief is that humanitarian laws will protect children in that children are the most vulnerable and must be protected, yet this is not always the case. In looking into poverty, I found that that many families who are considered to be in poverty are single mothers who have more than one child to different men and cannot work. They have a welfare system and charities who help to provid the same necessities, but many families life paycheck to paycheck and still cannot put food on the table. Lastly, I looked at noise issues and was surprised that noise levels in classrooms were researched and found that children may not learn speech rules as easily in noisier classrooms and that children suffer from language delays if they live in larger cities where outside noise levels interfere with speech patterns. I did not find any support systems that work for noise, but relaxation techniques were an option that was tested, but showed no true improvement in speech.
After some reflection, I decided to write about childhood cancer. When my son went to Kindergarten this past year, he often talked of a classmate that was sick and how she couldn't come to school very much. I thought it was something along the lines of pnemonia, but realized it was something more when the teacher asked everyone to make individual birthday cards for her and mentioned she would deliver them. I knew then, this was something more. Colin often talked about the special things they did for her and phone calls that were made to check in, but I never knew the real story until later in the year. The class was planning a trip to the zoo at the end of the year and selling t-shirts that Lillia had made. Each classmate had one and chaperones could purchase them as well. They were sponsored by Million Shirt Mom and the procedes from her shirt sales would cover medical costs. It was such a touching moment to see classmates from all the kindergartens wear these shirts and surprise her with this tribute. She was able to come to the zoo trip and many of us were able to hide our tears behind our sunglasses as she looked so frail. Her story is found at http://www.millionshirtmom.com under the topic of "Journey of Helping". This year, Lillia is in remission and attending school. It makes me truly thankful for a healthy child. I believe it was prayer and a support system of the school and family that helped this family. I know they missed a lot of work for doctor's appointments and such. I would hope employers would be empathetic and work with families in these situations so that the stressor of disease is not compounded by the stressor of poverty.
I continue to research more about Germany as my long time family roots are grounded there. I found that Germany shares many of the same stressors that the United States endures and has many of the same support systems that we offer. For children effected by war, social groups come together to create play experiences for children who are missing parents and may not have these experiences. The belief is that humanitarian laws will protect children in that children are the most vulnerable and must be protected, yet this is not always the case. In looking into poverty, I found that that many families who are considered to be in poverty are single mothers who have more than one child to different men and cannot work. They have a welfare system and charities who help to provid the same necessities, but many families life paycheck to paycheck and still cannot put food on the table. Lastly, I looked at noise issues and was surprised that noise levels in classrooms were researched and found that children may not learn speech rules as easily in noisier classrooms and that children suffer from language delays if they live in larger cities where outside noise levels interfere with speech patterns. I did not find any support systems that work for noise, but relaxation techniques were an option that was tested, but showed no true improvement in speech.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
I have three children of my own and oversee the care of many other infants at my facility. These parents entrust their treasures to my staff and, therefore I feel our practices must always reflect current research. I chose to post about SIDS for 2 reasons. #1 As a parent, I could not fathom walking into my child's bedroom and see my beloved infant laying there lifeless with no apparent cause and #2 As a child care professional, I want to expand upon my knowledge of this issue.
I had always known that infants must be put to sleep on their backs, but a few ago, our center participated in a mandatory training for child care staff on SIDS prevention. Through this training, I also learned about how elevated body temperatures and smoking increase the risk of SIDS. We also had many parents who napped their infants in their car seats or infant feeding seats and would also expect us to nap them on their tummies. Through the class, we were able to develop policies for not only our staff, but our parents. Our parents are now required to read over our programmatic approach to SIDS reduction and sign off that they will not request our staff to bend the policy unless a medical clearance has been received.
I looked at the mortality rate in Germany. I was suprised to see that the rate was much lower in what was East Germany as they had an active monitoring system that researched every death. They realized that back sleeping was the most important factor in SIDS reduction 20 years before the "Back to Sleep" campaign was launched. The mortality rate rose slightly upon reunification due to the West's preference in prone sleeping. The actual statistics can be found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2065993/.
According to the American SIDS Institute, other preventative measures include:
1 - Getting regular check-ups early in the pregnancy and throughout to ensure a healthy weight of the developing infant.
2 - Not using tobacco, heroine or cocaine (seems like a no brainer there, but must be shared)
3 - Not to get pregnany during the teenage years and if so, not to have back-to-back pregnancies during this timeframe.
4 - Wait at least one year between pregnancies.
5 - Place infants to sleep on a firm mattress.
6 - Crib your baby in your room up through 6 months.
7 - Do not place infants in parental beds.
8 - Be cautious not to over clothe the infant as higher body temperatures increase the risk.
9 - Breastfeed when possible.
10 - Keep infants away from people with respiratory infections and be sure they hand wash prior to holding infants.
11 - Offer a pacifier.
12 - If the infant has episodes of turning blue, stop breathing, or going limp, tell the pediatrician at once.
13 - If the infant gags excessively after feeding, a physician should be notified.
14 - Be sure other caregivers are aware of the above preventative measures.
I had always known that infants must be put to sleep on their backs, but a few ago, our center participated in a mandatory training for child care staff on SIDS prevention. Through this training, I also learned about how elevated body temperatures and smoking increase the risk of SIDS. We also had many parents who napped their infants in their car seats or infant feeding seats and would also expect us to nap them on their tummies. Through the class, we were able to develop policies for not only our staff, but our parents. Our parents are now required to read over our programmatic approach to SIDS reduction and sign off that they will not request our staff to bend the policy unless a medical clearance has been received.
I looked at the mortality rate in Germany. I was suprised to see that the rate was much lower in what was East Germany as they had an active monitoring system that researched every death. They realized that back sleeping was the most important factor in SIDS reduction 20 years before the "Back to Sleep" campaign was launched. The mortality rate rose slightly upon reunification due to the West's preference in prone sleeping. The actual statistics can be found at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2065993/.
According to the American SIDS Institute, other preventative measures include:
1 - Getting regular check-ups early in the pregnancy and throughout to ensure a healthy weight of the developing infant.
2 - Not using tobacco, heroine or cocaine (seems like a no brainer there, but must be shared)
3 - Not to get pregnany during the teenage years and if so, not to have back-to-back pregnancies during this timeframe.
4 - Wait at least one year between pregnancies.
5 - Place infants to sleep on a firm mattress.
6 - Crib your baby in your room up through 6 months.
7 - Do not place infants in parental beds.
8 - Be cautious not to over clothe the infant as higher body temperatures increase the risk.
9 - Breastfeed when possible.
10 - Keep infants away from people with respiratory infections and be sure they hand wash prior to holding infants.
11 - Offer a pacifier.
12 - If the infant has episodes of turning blue, stop breathing, or going limp, tell the pediatrician at once.
13 - If the infant gags excessively after feeding, a physician should be notified.
14 - Be sure other caregivers are aware of the above preventative measures.
Most importantly....place infants to play on their tummies, but backs to sleep.
I feel this will assist me in helping parents take better care of their infants. I look forward to sharing these factors with our families and educating them.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Happy Birthday!
I have three children who were all induced as my first child was born at 10 pounds and doctor's were concerned that the other births would result in even larger babies. I knew what to expect with my second birth and believe that I had less anxiety with him. I had sonograms to monitor his weight and it was decided that he should be induced as well.
I was packed and ready to go and arrived at the hospital eager to meet my 2nd son. Everything went along as expected and I had received an epidural toward the end. I remember not being completing impressed with the doctor that was going to deliver him as he had an air about him that he was more of a "pretty boy". I though "you're going to get dirty now!" when he walked into the room and the contractions were coming. My husband was there the entire time and gave me updates. He was so proud to see Colin's head crowning and I knew the end was near. After several big pushes, Colin was born, but his cord was wrapped around his neck. Looking back, I don't remember if I heard him cry, but the doctor quickly removed the cord and assured me that everything was going to be ok. I'm not sure if it was a panic attack or something happened in relation to receiving an epidural and hitting a nerve, but very suddenly, I could not breathe. My chest was tight and I was scared. I couldn't feel anything below my waist. The nurses jumped right in and comforted me while supplying oxygen until my body returned to it's normal state.
Colin's birth was quicker than Brennan's but he weighed in at 8 pounds 11 ounces. My brother was born at 10 pounds 2 ounces and I still curse him that he holds the family record! Maybe if I had 1 more frosty with Brennan, he would have gained a few more ounces. Colin has some emotional issues tied in with anxiety and I often wonder if it had anything to do with the birthing process. I will never know, but love him dearly all the same.
Often times I have wondered what a birthing experience would be like if I had a midwife instead of an OBGYN. As a first time mom, I was clueless what to do when we were all at home. I remember crying endlessly that I couldn't give my child a pacifier because I read of nipple confusion with breast feeding. Later on, I had issues with breast feeding and ultimately gave up with a high amount of guilt. Maybe if I had the support of a midwife at home, I would have been more successful. While it appears that insurance differs from the US to Germany regarding hospital stay, I cannot imagine what it would be like in a room with other mothers and their babies. Then again, I can't imagine going home 4 hours after giving birth even with a midwife. All things considered, I believe Germans and Americans want a healthy baby delivered and want to ensure the mother has the necessary tools to take care of their new bundle of joy when they return home.
I was packed and ready to go and arrived at the hospital eager to meet my 2nd son. Everything went along as expected and I had received an epidural toward the end. I remember not being completing impressed with the doctor that was going to deliver him as he had an air about him that he was more of a "pretty boy". I though "you're going to get dirty now!" when he walked into the room and the contractions were coming. My husband was there the entire time and gave me updates. He was so proud to see Colin's head crowning and I knew the end was near. After several big pushes, Colin was born, but his cord was wrapped around his neck. Looking back, I don't remember if I heard him cry, but the doctor quickly removed the cord and assured me that everything was going to be ok. I'm not sure if it was a panic attack or something happened in relation to receiving an epidural and hitting a nerve, but very suddenly, I could not breathe. My chest was tight and I was scared. I couldn't feel anything below my waist. The nurses jumped right in and comforted me while supplying oxygen until my body returned to it's normal state.
Colin's birth was quicker than Brennan's but he weighed in at 8 pounds 11 ounces. My brother was born at 10 pounds 2 ounces and I still curse him that he holds the family record! Maybe if I had 1 more frosty with Brennan, he would have gained a few more ounces. Colin has some emotional issues tied in with anxiety and I often wonder if it had anything to do with the birthing process. I will never know, but love him dearly all the same.
Germany
I chose to research Germany's birthing practices and found that women are provided with a midwife to work with throughout their pregnancy and may hire them for postpartum care as well. Hospital stays are much longer in Germany than in the US as vaginal deliveries often stay 5-7 days while c-section births are 7-10 days. Women must pre-register with their hospital, or may use a birthing house. Birthing houses are set up to feel like home without birthing in one's own home. Germans use epidurals as well, but also use other homeopathic methods such as accupuncture and aromatherapy. Since hospital rooms often have 2-4 mothers with their babies rooming in, a mother has the option of going home within 4 hours of birth if medically cleared. The midwife would then assist at home. I found it interesting that several German cities has lists of names in which to choose from so to avoid embarassment by misspelled or exotic names. If parents choose give their child a name that is not on the list, they must apply with the city.Often times I have wondered what a birthing experience would be like if I had a midwife instead of an OBGYN. As a first time mom, I was clueless what to do when we were all at home. I remember crying endlessly that I couldn't give my child a pacifier because I read of nipple confusion with breast feeding. Later on, I had issues with breast feeding and ultimately gave up with a high amount of guilt. Maybe if I had the support of a midwife at home, I would have been more successful. While it appears that insurance differs from the US to Germany regarding hospital stay, I cannot imagine what it would be like in a room with other mothers and their babies. Then again, I can't imagine going home 4 hours after giving birth even with a midwife. All things considered, I believe Germans and Americans want a healthy baby delivered and want to ensure the mother has the necessary tools to take care of their new bundle of joy when they return home.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Early Childhood Ideals
Th three ideals from the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct that are most meaningful to me currently are:
I - 4.2 To promote cooperation among professionals and agencies and interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals concerned with addressing issues in the health, education and well-being of young children, their families, and their early childhood educators.
For me, this directly correlates to the work I do on our local director's committee. We network with other outside agencies to enlist their help in providing health and educational connections for our families while educating our staff. We have grown from partnering with one agency to now bringing in multiple agencies all with a vision for improving the lives of families and educators. I have seen the difference these partnerships have made.
I-3C.4 To encourage and support continual development of employees in becoming more skilled and knowledgeable practitioners.
I have witnessed the growth in my staff as their professional development requirement was gradually increased from 6 hours to 24 hours per year. I love to hear their excitement regarding a class that they have attended and support them as they look to enhance their practices based on what was learned.
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.
I am continually completing professional development experiences as I believe I am a role model not only for my staff but also for my families and children at my center. Through these experiences, I have been able to grow professionally and use this knowledge base to improve my program.
I - 4.2 To promote cooperation among professionals and agencies and interdisciplinary collaboration among professionals concerned with addressing issues in the health, education and well-being of young children, their families, and their early childhood educators.
For me, this directly correlates to the work I do on our local director's committee. We network with other outside agencies to enlist their help in providing health and educational connections for our families while educating our staff. We have grown from partnering with one agency to now bringing in multiple agencies all with a vision for improving the lives of families and educators. I have seen the difference these partnerships have made.
I-3C.4 To encourage and support continual development of employees in becoming more skilled and knowledgeable practitioners.
I have witnessed the growth in my staff as their professional development requirement was gradually increased from 6 hours to 24 hours per year. I love to hear their excitement regarding a class that they have attended and support them as they look to enhance their practices based on what was learned.
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.
I am continually completing professional development experiences as I believe I am a role model not only for my staff but also for my families and children at my center. Through these experiences, I have been able to grow professionally and use this knowledge base to improve my program.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Course Resources
Developmentally Appropriate Practices:
NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
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, 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://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
Child Abuse Prevention & Child Rights
NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
Article: 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://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
World Organization for Early Childhood Education http://www.omep-usnc.org/
Association for Childhood Education International http://www.acei.org
Diversity Resources
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
Program Evaluation
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
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/~snapshots/snap33.pdf 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
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
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.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
Voices for America's Children - http://www.voices.org
The Erikson Institute - http://www.erikson.edu/
Journals:
YC Young Children
Childhood
Journal of Child & Family Studies
Child Study Journal
Multicultural Education
Early Childhood Education Journal
Journal of Early Childhood Research
International Journal of Early Childhood
Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Developmental Psychology
Social Studies
Maternal & Child Health Journal
International Journal of Early Years Education
Personal Interests:
Magda Gerber - http://www.rei.org
Environmental Rating Scale Information - www.ersi.info Quality Infant/Toddler Care - http://www.pitc.org
NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
Child Abuse Prevention & Child Rights
Diversity Resources
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
Program Evaluation
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
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/~snapshots/snap33.pdf Early Childhood Organizations:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
Magda Gerber - http://www.rei.org
Environmental Rating Scale Information - www.ersi.info Quality Infant/Toddler Care - http://www.pitc.org
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Quotes to Live and Work By...
"Parents don't make mistakes because they don't care, but because they care so deeply."
-Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.
-Dr.Marcy Whitebook
No Single Ingredient: 2020 Vision for the Early Learning Workforce
Raymond Hernandez, MS Ed
Executive director School of Early Childhood Education
University of Southern California
-Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.
"A review of the evidence for
both K-12 and ECE reveals three key ingredients that contribute to effective
teaching across all age spans:
First, preparation matters --
the content and the method of delivery of the educational program influences
how effective teachers will be;
Second, support matters -- even
the best educated and seasoned teachers need ongoing opportunities to continue
learning on the job, and
Third, reward
matters -- absent a respectful work environment, and that includes earning
a living or professional wage, even the most competent teachers will falter and
often leave their jobs or the profession altogether."
Raymond Hernandez, MS Ed
Executive director School of Early Childhood Education
University of Southern California
Friday, March 22, 2013
Personal Childhood Web
My first person in my childhood web is my birthmother. I have known since a very young age that I was adopted as my parents believed that it was best to hear this news from them rather than stumble upon her in a super market. I was always told to be prepared for what information I may receive as she might not want to be contacted. I waited until I was in my 20s to find her after being in a serious car accident. Once I found her, I was thrilled but my parents never prepared me for how they would react and I found myself protective over my parents and didn't want her to replace the mother that raised me. I never realized the love she must have had for me to give me up to a family she didn't know until I gave birth to my first child. While I have never met her in person, we converse through emails and cards as I'm just not ready to explain this relationship to my own children. Thank you to Becky for giving me life.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Making a Difference
I had a child who taught me to be a teacher. She would come to preschool each day and the other children knew she was different. She came in on a bus from a local special needs agency and would only be with us for half of the day. She was quiet, very thin and loving.
This little girl didn't have any friends in the classroom except for the teaching staff. She would eat other childrens' snacks and when those were gone, she would resort to eating out of the garbage can. Many times, I would let her come in early and attempt to provide breakfast out of my own pocket for her before the other children arrived.
One day she came to school with her head shaved. I called the house only to find that she had lice and the family chose not to use the shampoo, but just shave her head. This killed me as I watched the reactions of the other children and attempted to work them through the changes. During my phone conversation, I asked about her eating habits and was given a song and dance on how they cannot get her to comply with anything and she won't take a bath.
I made the call to children's services and hoped for the best. They took the information and her home was investigated. She did not return to school the next 2 days and I feared the worst. No one could give me answers and I felt guilty for making the call, but hoped I did the right thing. She came back to school briefly and then transferred to a new school. Luckily I had known a teacher at the new school and found out that additional calls were made about the lack of care for this child and she was eventually removed from the home along with her little brother, but her older sister remained. I was told that I would not recognize her as she gained weight and looked healthy. I felt proud that I had started the ball rolling and helping her to have a better life.
A few months later I checked in on her and she was removed from foster care and returned to her family. I pray for her each night and hope that she is not enduring the conditions that I can only imagine she has lived through. Through her I learned to be the voice of a child. I hope I made a difference.
This little girl didn't have any friends in the classroom except for the teaching staff. She would eat other childrens' snacks and when those were gone, she would resort to eating out of the garbage can. Many times, I would let her come in early and attempt to provide breakfast out of my own pocket for her before the other children arrived.
One day she came to school with her head shaved. I called the house only to find that she had lice and the family chose not to use the shampoo, but just shave her head. This killed me as I watched the reactions of the other children and attempted to work them through the changes. During my phone conversation, I asked about her eating habits and was given a song and dance on how they cannot get her to comply with anything and she won't take a bath.
I made the call to children's services and hoped for the best. They took the information and her home was investigated. She did not return to school the next 2 days and I feared the worst. No one could give me answers and I felt guilty for making the call, but hoped I did the right thing. She came back to school briefly and then transferred to a new school. Luckily I had known a teacher at the new school and found out that additional calls were made about the lack of care for this child and she was eventually removed from the home along with her little brother, but her older sister remained. I was told that I would not recognize her as she gained weight and looked healthy. I felt proud that I had started the ball rolling and helping her to have a better life.
A few months later I checked in on her and she was removed from foster care and returned to her family. I pray for her each night and hope that she is not enduring the conditions that I can only imagine she has lived through. Through her I learned to be the voice of a child. I hope I made a difference.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Quotes & Meanings
I chose Shel Silverstein's "Listen to the Mustn'ts" as my meaningful child quote:
"Listen to the Mustn'ts, child, listen to the don'ts
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles, the Won'ts,
Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me,
Anything can happen child, Anything can be."
I think back to the days my children were just little infants and we would have story time every night. I would use this poem as sort of a prayer for them as I tucked them in. It's my hope for not only my children, but all children that they can do whatever they put their mind to.
"Listen to the Mustn'ts, child, listen to the don'ts
Listen to the Shouldn'ts, the Impossibles, the Won'ts,
Listen to the Never Haves, then listen close to me,
Anything can happen child, Anything can be."
I think back to the days my children were just little infants and we would have story time every night. I would use this poem as sort of a prayer for them as I tucked them in. It's my hope for not only my children, but all children that they can do whatever they put their mind to.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Sticky Notes
I attended and helped to facilitate a training on staff support. One of the interesting tidbits that stuck with me was to treat staff as I would expect them to treat the children. We talked at great length about how to make staff feel valued and I realized that it's been a while since I've truly been in the classroom. I've been in and out to deliver messages and such or make rounds in the morning for the updates, but not truly in the room to enjoy the children and share positive feedback with staff.
Today I shared how in the past I would see something great and leave a sticky note about my observation on their door and how much that meant to them that someone noticed. Parents also enjoyed reading these anecdotal records as well. For one reason or another, I have gotten away from that. I realize today, I need to get back in touch with my staff.
Today I shared how in the past I would see something great and leave a sticky note about my observation on their door and how much that meant to them that someone noticed. Parents also enjoyed reading these anecdotal records as well. For one reason or another, I have gotten away from that. I realize today, I need to get back in touch with my staff.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
My Journey Begins Today
My work day began with conducting 2 staff evaluations in which the associates felt their performance was better than I have observed over the last 6 months. They each made comments that made reflect on the type of leader I am and what I hope to learn from this journey.
I was told today that each time I introduce a change, the staff feel that I imply that they cannot do anything right and that I take things too fast. Another suggested that I do not care for her as she is going through some personal things and I need to take that into consideration when evaluating her.
Today, I second guess myself. I wonder if I do push too much change and expect to be the best but at what cost? Do I care about the personal side of my associates? Yes, but there is still a job expectation to be held to so how do I find the balance and be everything to everyone?
Today, my journey in self reflection begins.
I was told today that each time I introduce a change, the staff feel that I imply that they cannot do anything right and that I take things too fast. Another suggested that I do not care for her as she is going through some personal things and I need to take that into consideration when evaluating her.
Today, I second guess myself. I wonder if I do push too much change and expect to be the best but at what cost? Do I care about the personal side of my associates? Yes, but there is still a job expectation to be held to so how do I find the balance and be everything to everyone?
Today, my journey in self reflection begins.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)