When I Think of Research…..

I am still intimidated, but I have gained many insights about research from taking this course.  I have learned how to read research studies and to evaluate if the research is credible.  I have learned about the decision-making process that goes into each step of a research design and the many factors one has to take into account each step along the way.  I have added to my “research” vocabulary the many terms we learned and applied to our research simulations using a quantitative and qualitative research design. 

My ideas about the nature of doing research have changed throughout this course.  I began this course with very little knowledge of research and was very nervous about this topic.  However, as the information was gradually presented to us and as we were given the opportunity to apply what we learned to our own research simulation studies, I became less nervous with the research process.  I am still intimidated by how daunting the whole research experience is, but I feel more comfortable reading and analyzing researching studies. 

One of the challenges that I encountered was narrowing down the focus of my research study.  Each week, I would nip-and-tuck the topic a little bit more until I finally had my final research question and hypothesis.  Another challenge was choosing the sampling process for my research study.  I would debate this issue for weeks before finally deciding what I wanted for my research simulation.

My perceptions of the early childhood profession have been modified as a result of this course.  For example, I have learned firsthand the importance of research to the field of early childhood education.  The wide range of various topics that my peers have chosen for their research simulations is a testament to how broad the field of early childhood is and how important these topics are to our profession. 

Research Around the World

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) 

Some of the current international research topics that the ECDVU has been involved with are:

Margaret Akinware – Zambia

Pilot Study of the Adaptation of an Established Measure to Assess the Quality of Child Services in a Selected Orphanage in Zambia: The Inclusive Quality Assessment (IQA) Tool  

Abeba Habtom – Eritrea

Improving the Quality of Childcare Through Parenting Enrichment and Training of Trainers: The Eritrean Model 

Rosemary Hua – Nigeria

Involving Fathers in Early Childcare and Development

Celestina Ibetoh – Nigeria

A Guide to Effective School and Parent Collaboration : A Cooperative Development and Delivery Approach

Edith Sebatane – Lesotho

Developing an ECCD Teacher Training Curriculum in Lesotho as Part of a College Education Program
 

I was surprised and excited to learn that many of the same issues in early childhood education that we have been learning about, such as quality childcare, parent involvement and improving teacher training are being researched in other parts of the world, too.

 The SSA Learners website is similar in many ways to Walden’s website.  The SSA learners have access to a library, a writing center, and audio/visual and multimedia information.  In addition, one has access to their research project papers that are a wealth of information on a variety of early childhood topics. 

http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php

http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/learner.php

 

Research that Benefits Children and Families – Uplifting Stories 

As some of you may know, my brother has cerebral palsy.  By the age of 20, he had more surgeries than any one person should have to endure in a lifetime.  Then came the news that at 26 years old, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.  It was devastating to him and my family.  Hadn’t he suffered enough?  Well, my parents and sister met with the oncologist who went over his medical treatment plan.  They were to remove his bladder, prostate gland, and surrounding lymph nodes.  Then came the issue of chemo-therapy and radiation.  Because his cancer was an odd form that had built inside the wall of his bladder rather than creates a solid mass, there was not much research on the effects of radiation on this form of cancer. Furthermore, the research that existed, could not prove that radiation made an impact on the treatment of these types of cancer patients. So, my parents elected to not subject him to radiation treatments.  When they weighed the risks/benefits of radiation treatment for him, they felt there just wasn’t enough research out there to support this form of treatment.  They proceeded with the scheduled surgery and chemo-therapy for my brother.  This happened in the fall of 1992.  My brother is still cancer-free today and enjoying life with my parents in Florida.

My Personal Research Journey 

As I have stated before, I am a novice in this research process.  Everything that I am learning about this process is new information for me.  At times, I am finding the process intriguing and interesting, and at other times, I am overwhelmed by the wealth of information that is new to me.  I value any insights and suggestions that any of you can offer along the way.

 

The topic that I have chosen to research is the impact of repeated read alouds on emergent literacy.  As a classroom teacher, I have witnessed many children begin kindergarten who have not had much of an exposure to storybooks and/or have not been read to as other children in their class.  I have used read alouds with several grade levels to teach vocabulary as well as to help with comprehension skills.  I have chosen this topic because I would like to learn more about this reading/teaching strategy, and I would like to better implement this strategy to help children develop their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.

Final Blog for EDUC-6162 

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development: 

*With regard to equity and excellence in care and education, I would like to learn more about New Zealand’s early childhood program.  The website that I researched and our classmate, Jody, have both mentioned New Zealand’s early childhood program.  It has intrigued me, and I am curious to learn more specifics about their early childhood program. 

*With regard to poverty, I have seen how much this is a global issue. Each year I share with my students two books about an unlikely friendship between an Aldabra giant tortoise and an orphaned hippo.  Their names are Owen and Mzee.  Owen, the hippo, was orphaned due to the tsunami in 2004.  It is a wonderful story of a community coming together to save this orphaned hippo, and then how these two unlikely pair of animals become the best of friends at Haller Park, a wildlife park in Kenya.  There are so many lessons about community and friendship that can be built around the true story of Owen and Mzee.  The photographs of Owen and Mzee, let the children see the animals, but also let them see how others across the world live in very different conditions from their own.  So, it was of great interest that I learned, from a podcast, about Meridas Eka Yora and his work with the children who had been orphaned by a tsunami.  As a teacher, I found his quote about teaching the orphaned children most telling, “We have to be the father and mother to the children before being their teacher.”  This is true for many of our own students, as well.  Now, when I share Owen and Mzee’s story with my classes, I will think of Meridas Eka Yora and his words, and the work he is doing with children orphaned by the tsunami. 

http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/radio.php

*Finally, with regard to the influences of economics, neuroscience, and politics, I feel that I need to stay more current learning about the international early childhood field.  I need to bookmark the websites that I researched during this course and regularly look at them for updates on different organizations.  I was surprised by all of the organizations and programs that are being offered globally, and I need to continue to stay current learning about them.  

**With regard to changing demographics and diversity, my goal would be to pursue learning a second language, so that I could go to another country on a study tour and feel more comfortable participating in one of their early childhood programs. I think learning a second language will also be beneficial in the classroom with regard to the issue/trend of changing demographics and diversity.

To all of my classmates,

 

I have learned so much from each of you.  Thank you for sharing your insights in your discussion posts and blogs.  I wish you the best as you continue your educational journey.

Best regards,

Dianne

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts – Part 3

I have never heard back from any of the international contacts that I emailed, so I went to UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” webpage.  I found some interesting information on their webpage that relate to my professional goal of implementing workshops, in my community, which will help facilitate ways for parents to become more active partners in their child’s education.

 

First, there was a book series, “Bouba and Zaza” and “Childhood Cultures”, an intergenerational African series of children’s books that addresses the glaring shortage of children’s books adapted to African contexts.  I am always looking for new books to share with my students to engage them in conversations about global issues.  The series covers subjects affecting the lives of African families that some parents are reluctant to address.  These topics include war/conflict, HIV/AIDS, the water resources, and environmental protection.  The series is designed to help children debate these problems, and that by addressing the issues, children will become more aware of their environment and how their choices impact the environment. 

Second, there was a section devoted to World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, which was held on May 21, 2012.  This special day was to promote culture in all forms.  Not only is it important for schools to be culturally sensitive, but I also think it is important to inform our parents about the culturally diversity of our schools and community.  Through workshops, I hope to share with parents’ ways to participate in cultural opportunities with their children.  On this webpage, it suggested several ways for people to join in the celebration, such as parents reading traditional stories from various cultures at bedtime to their children, learning a new language with a native speaker, and inviting a music school to give a concert with multicultural music. 

Third, there was a section devoted to International Jazz Day, which was held on April 30, 2012.  I would like to share with parents, in my workshops, the importance of the art and music in a child’s education.  As stated on this webpage, jazz breaks down barriers and creates opportunities for mutual understanding.  Jazz is a symbol of unity and peace and fosters gender equality.   Finally, jazz also encourages artistic innovation, improvisation, new forms of expression, and inclusion of traditional music forms into new ones. It would be exciting to have a local jazz band play for the parents at the workshop.

These are just a few of the exciting things that I found on this webpage that I could incorporate into one of my professional goals. 

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

Sharing Web Resources 

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators

http://www.naecte.org/

On their homepage, they have a tab for Links to Related Organizations.  I chose the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education.  AACTE is a national alliance of educator preparation programs dedicated to the highest quality professional development of teachers and school leaders in order to enhance PK-12 student learning.  AACTE supports the New Educator Reform Act which was a bill that was announced on September 20.  This bill proposes to improve the quality of teaching in high-need schools by reforming and strengthening accountability of educator preparation programs, and supporting partnerships to meet the needs of educators.  I was unaware of this bill, and I realize this is an area in which I need to stay more current. 

In addition, there was a section entitled AACTE Sheds Light on Requirements Raised in PDK/Gallup Poll.  If you click on the blue highlighted title Public Education in the United States:  A Nation Divided - What Americans said about the public schools.  The topics include finances and politics, teacher evaluations, immigrants in our schools, bullying, confidence in our teachers, and so on.  It was very interesting to read and some of the opinions were surprising to me. 

http://www.naecte.org/

While searching the website for information regarding equity and excellence in early care and education, I learned that at their Fall Conference on Wednesday, November 7^th in Atlanta, Georgia they have chosen a keynote speaker who will address the importance of children’s play.  The keynote speaker will be Dr. Nancy Carlsson-Paige, and she will be speaking about her most recent work TAKING BACK CHILDHOOD: A Proven Roadmap for Raising Confident, Creative, Compassionate Kids.  She will also be addressing the need to preserve children’s play in order to support healthy development.  I was glad to see that this national organization is recognizing and supporting the importance of children’s play by choosing a keynote speaker who will address this topic at their national conference.

 

Resources:

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators  http://www.naecte.org/

American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education  http://aacte.org/

 

 

 

 

Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative”

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/

 

Un Buen Comienzo (UBC), “A Good Start”, is a collaborative project in Santiago, Chile, to improve early childhood education.  Their goal is to improve educational offerings for four-to-six-year-olds, particularly in language development.  In addition, the project is designed to intervene in critical health areas that improve school attendance, as well as, socioemotional development.  It also seeks to involve the children’s families in their education.

 

Nucleo Ciencia Pela Infancia (ncpi), is a collaboration between the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University and local experts to use the science of child health and development to guide stronger policies and larger investments to benefit young children and their families in Brazil.

Zambian Early Childhood Development Project is a collaborative effort to measure the effects of an on-going anti-malaria initiative on children’s development in Zambia.  ZECPD created an instrument for assessing children’s physical, socio-emotional, and cognitive development before and throughout their schooling careers.  Two rounds were piloted before the first cohort of 1,686 children, born in 2004, was assessed between July and December 2010.  In 2011, there was a follow-up with 1, 250 of those children.  A third follow-up was planned for June through August of this year.  The data will hopefully improve an understanding of child development in this context, as well as, identify key interventions towards improving outcomes in a rapidly changing world.

 

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/

 

 

 

 

Sharing Web Resources

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators

http://www.naecte.org/

I chose this organization because one of their purposes is to provide a forum for consideration of issues and concerns of interest to educators of early childhood teacher educators.  In addition, they facilitate the interchange of information and ideas about research and practice.

On their website, you can view past newsletters.  One that I found of interest was the Summer 2012 issue in which they were requesting applications for the study tours that go to New Zealand.  It is a joint venture between the state of Washington and New Zealand to observe their early childhood professional development work because of their exemplary early childhood educational system.

Although, there was no specific information about economists, neuroscientists, and politicians on their website, in the Winter 2012 newsletter I read about regional updates on programs and how funding was being received to facilitate these programs.

 

The website addresses issues and trends in the early childhood field by allowing doctoral candidates to present their dissertations at their annual conferences and by having a link on the website to books written by various members.  Some of the book topics are emerging literacy, bilingual classrooms, cultural fluency, and global migration and education.

Reference:

http://www.naecte.org/

Getting to Know Your International Contacts 

All of my attempts at emails were returned.  The addresses were no longer current. 

Therefore, I listened to another podcast on the World Forum Foundation Radio.  I listened to Delfena Mitchell, the Director of the Liberty Children’s Home in Belize City, speak about her program which houses up to 40 children, mostly between birth and 5 years of age (World Forum Foundation Radio).  She spoke of how these children have either been physically and sexually abused or have witnessed the abuse of a loved one.  Ms. Mitchell described the children as “broken down”.  She said that they had to give them time to heal before they could attend nearby schools.  She fondly spoke of a boy, in her care, who made tremendous progress at his own pace under her care and guidance. 

http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/radio.php

 

Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre

 One of the most telling statements on their website is, “As one of the most powerless groups in society, children often bear the physical and emotional costs of poverty” (website).   This organization is a collaborative research and policy program which involves Save the Children, the Chronic Poverty Research Centre (CPRC) and partners with in China, India, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia to contribute to the reduction of global poverty.

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php

 

Insights and Information about Issues of Poverty in India

 

On the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre’s website, I chose to learn more about India because I have had family members live there for a short period of time.  I learned that India is the home of the majority of the poor people of South Asia (website).  As of 2000, 260.2 million people were living in poverty; however, great efforts have been made to alleviate poverty in this country through increased economic growth, liberalization of the economy, targeted programs, and land and tenancy reforms.  Unfortunately, the numbers in poverty remain high.  Even more alarming and disturbing is that one-half of all children (about 62 million) under the age of five are malnourished and 34 percent of newborns are significantly underweight.  

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo

 

 

Sharing Web Resources

 

I have chosen the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators.  The link to their website is:  http://www.naecte.org/

 

As posted on their website, below are their purpose statements:

• To promote the professional growth of our membership
• To discuss educational issues specific to our membership
• To advocate for improvements in early childhood teacher education
• Provide a forum for consideration of issues and concerns of interest to educators of early childhood teacher educators
• Provide a communication network for early childhood teacher educators
• Facilitate the interchange of information and ideas about research and practice
• Use, as vehicles, the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, conferences, resolutions, position papers, and other publications
• Cooperate with other national and international organizations concerned with the study and education of young children (NAECTE website) 

They have annual conferences.  This year’s fall conference will be on November 7, 2012 in Atlanta, GA (NAECTE website).  The theme of this conference is 21^st Century Early Childhood Teacher Education:  Research, Reform, and Resilience (NAECTE website).

On their website, I read a keynote address, given by Frances O’Connell Rust, at the 2009 conference in Charlotte, NC that I found interesting and relevant given our discussions on changing demographics and diversity.  The keynote address was titled, Shaping new models for early childhood teacher education programs (Rust, 2009).  Rust addressed inadequate preparation of future teachers in the areas of students with disabilities, diverse cultural backgrounds, and limited English proficiencies (Rust, 2009).  Further along in the keynote address, Rust offers thoughts on developing new models of early childhood teacher education (Rust, 2009).  It made for a very interesting read.  I highly recommend it.

Rust, Frances O’Connell. (2009, June).  Shaping new models for early childhood teacher

            Education.  Speech presented at NAECTE 2009 Conference Charlotte, NC.

            Retrieved from http://www.naecte.org/

 

NAECTE website http://www.naecte.org/

Establishing Professional Contacts 

By email, I have attempted to establish two early childhood contacts outside the United States.  One is in Singapore and the other is in Kosovo.  Unfortunately, both attempts have been unsuccessful. 

On the World Foundation Radio, I listened to a podcast of a conversation with Meridas Eka Yora.  He has established 3 schools for children orphaned in the tsunami that hit Indonesia in 2004.  One of the more striking things that he said was, “We have to be fathers and mothers to these children before being their teachers.”  This reminded me of a staff meeting in which the Director of a private school told the us, “Our number one goal is to return them (the students) in as good or better condition than how we got them in the morning.” For many of our students, we must be their fathers and mothers before being their teachers. In addition, Mr. Yora spoke of using a holistic approach and that the students were each other’s family now.  He also addressed the issue that some children cannot accept what happened to them during the tsunami; losing their biological family and home. 

http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/current-work/world-forum-radio/

 

Expanding Resources:  National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE)

I have selected this early childhood organization because I support their purpose statements and believe that this organization will be beneficial to me as I further my career.  In the 2012 winter newsletter, it was stated that this is the only professional organization designed exclusively for early childhood professionals in 4 year programs (NAECTE, 2012).  They promote professional growth, discuss educational issues, advocate for improvements in early childhood teacher education, provide a forum for consideration of issues and concerns of interest to educators of early childhood teacher educators, provide a communication network for early childhood teacher educators, and facilitate the interchange of information and ideas about research and practice (NAETE, 2012).  I look forward to looking back over past newsletters to learn more about the educational issues that have been addressed at past conferences.

 

NAECTE. (2012, Winter). Retrieved from

            http://www.naecte.org/docs/Winter%202012%20eLetter.pdf

 

NAECTE. (2012, Summer). Retrieved from

            http://www.naecte.org/docs/Summer%202012%20eLetter.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

“My Supports”

When I reflect on the emotional supports that surround me on a daily basis, I think of my three wonderfully, supportive children.  They encourage me, help me around the house, love me unconditionally, and are my greatest supporters.  My parents and siblings, although they live far away, support me with frequent phone calls and encouraging words.  My friends support me by being good listeners and advice-givers when I vent my frustrations and concerns about numerous issues concerning my personal and professional life.  My colleagues support me by offering advice or a good laugh when needed during an especially challenging day at school.  I cannot begin to imagine my life without my family and friends.  They are truly a blessing, and their love and support have carried me through many difficult times.  In teaching, it isn’t uncommon for turnover to happen.  I enjoy having a good working relationship with my co-workers.  I have seen too many instances of unhealthy working relationships that were very unproductive for everyone involved.  So, although my co-workers may vary from year to year, I try to form good relationships with them and would not enjoy going to work without their support.

 

Other practical and physical supports that get me through the day are my computer, cell phone, and car.  The computer/internet keeps me updated on what is going on in the world.  It also helps me stay connected to friends through the use of email.  The computer/internet also enables me to continue my education by taking online classes.  In addition, my cell phone enables my children to text me when they get home safely from school, which is a great support to me.  Finally, my car enables me to get to my job, to take the children to school, and to get to the places in which we need to go such as the grocery store, the doctor’s office, church, and sport’s practices/games.

 

*Imagine yourself with a specific challenge, one that you do not currently have.

“What would I do if tomorrow my health was taken from me?”  This is a concern that I have often thought about when I learn about other young teachers being diagnosed with different forms of cancer.  “What would I do if that was me?” Supports that I would want and need would be emotional, practical, and physical.  I know for a fact that my family would rally to my side.  They would come to emotionally and physically support me and the children.  They would take care of the daily workings of the household such as the cooking, cleaning, and the shopping.  They would help to ensure that the daily events would carry on as usual.  I know that my friends would offer support in taking me to doctor appointments and making sure that the children got to their normal daily events.  I feel certain they would make food and offer to help around the house.  Some teachers offer their sick days to help cover another one’s absences, and some teachers help by doing the lesson plans for the substitute teacher in these instances.  The benefits from all of these supports would help to ease my mind so that I could focus on my health and recovery.  Without these supports, I think I would be overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation. I would not be able to be productive to my children, to myself, to my job, and to my recovery.

My Connections to Play

Play is our brain's favorite way of learning.

Diane Ackerman
Contemporary American author

Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.

O. Fred Donaldson
Contemporary American martial arts master

The two play items that I have chosen to include with this blog are my baby pillow and my teddy bear.  Both items are extremely dear to me, and both items were involved in my play throughout my childhood.  My baby pillow could become home plate in a kickball game, a magic carpet during fantasy play, or a bed for one of my dolls.  My teddy bear was always my “star student” while I was teaching my stuffed animals. 

Two people who supported play when I was younger were my mother and my sister.  Play was very important in my childhood.  My mother supported my play by providing me with two chalkboards and endless supplies of white and colored chalk that I used to “teach” my stuffed animals and dolls.  She would also encourage play by taking me and my siblings to the neighborhood park to play.  At our river house, my sister and I would build sand castles for hours on the dirt road in front of our cottage while my mother watched and brought us more buckets or cups of water.  My sister supported my play by being my constant playmate.  She went along with my imaginary games and scenarios, and I went along with her creative games and dramatic play experiences. I learned how to play fairly and not-so-fairly from her.  I also learned how to think and reason for myself, how to play by the rules, and how to let my imagination run wild.   

In today’s world, I think play has become much more structured.  It seems to be organized around sports practices.  Play also appears to be centered on video games or electronic devices.  Although, some parents arrange playdates for their children, these gatherings are often adult-directed and leave little time for the children to play freely.  Although play at school still occurs, the amount of time devoted to play has lessened than when I was in school. 

In my opinion, play helps to develop one’s cognitive, social, and physical skills.  Play teaches you how to be creative and think for yourself.  It also teaches you how to interact with others.  Play teaches problem-solving skills.  All of these skills are important for one’s healthy development throughout their childhood and into adulthood.   

Relationship Reflection 

As I reflect on my relationships and partnerships with different people in my life, I realize that I, for the most part, I keep my professional life and those partnerships separate from the relationships in my personal life.   

In my professional life, I have close friendships with two co-workers that extend outside of school.  A shared trust has developed between us from years of working together and a close friendship has grown, as well.  We have supported each other through the births of one’s children and the ending of one’s marriage.  However, this type of relationship is not what I have with most of my co-workers.  With the majority of my co-workers, I have a partnership based on shared experiences within the school, shared goals, and a shared workspace.  We help each other out with materials, students, paperwork, and duties.  There is a friendship there, but it is based on a working partnership.  As I think about the relationship that I have with these two co-workers as opposed to the partnership I have with the others, I think I would sum it up as follows:  In a partnership, the expectation of the “give and take” is a 50-50 split, or 60-40 at times.  However, in a relationship, the percentage is constantly changing depending on the needs of the individuals.  The people in the relationship understand this and adjust accordingly.

My closest relationships are with my immediate family and a small group of close-knit friends.  These relationships are important to me because they keep me balanced and centered in my life.  They are the people that I trust the most and who support me unconditionally, and they feel the same way towards me.  The challenges that I face in maintaining these relationships is that only my closest friends live in the same state as me.  Outside of my children, my immediate family lives in other states.  That can be difficult.  Luckily, we often talk on the phone to stay in touch and that helps to maintain the relationships.

I think that my experiences with relationships/partnerships have impacted my work as an effective early childhood professional, in that it has helped me to be more open and understanding to other people’s needs.  It has helped me to become a better listener.  From my personal experiences, I have learned that sometimes people just need/want someone to listen to them.  I try to carry that over into my partnerships with parents.

Quotes
Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.

Margaret Mead
American anthropologist


Give a little love to a child and you get a great deal back.

John Ruskin
British writer, critic, and philosopher


Note of Thanks
I want to thank all of my classmates for your support throughout this course.  I have enjoyed learning from each of you through your insightful discussion posts and blogs.  I wish you the best as you continue your studies.

Assessing Children in North Carolina 

In North Carolina, starting in 3^rd grade through 8^th grade, students are assessed at the end of each school year with the End-of –Grade assessments for Reading and Math.  At the end of 5^th and 8^th grades, students also take the science EOGs.  Students’ scores are compared to other students throughout NC.  A passing score is a rating of a 3, with a 4 being the highest score.  If you receive a 2, you are given several days of remediation tutoring before being retested.  If you receive a 1, you are given a choice whether or not to go through remediation and be retested. 

Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically, teachers view the EOG scores as a snapshot of the students’ academic performance that school year.  They take into account that some students are not the best standardized test takers.  They also look at how the student has performed academically, socially, and emotionally in the classroom and measure their success based on that performance.  In addition, they take into account the student’s learning style and how the student has met the state standards throughout the year.  Some students are more verbal with their answers and do better explaining their answers in class discussions rather than finding the best choice on a multiple choice bubble sheet.  Some students are more expressive drawing out their answers because they are more artistic.  Some students need the opportunity to dramatize a story or put it to music.  Some students are more hands-on learners, where as others are more analytical.  Viewing the whole child, it is important to see that he/she has met the state standards for their grade level, as well as, has the emotional and social development for the next grade level. 

The concern I have with the EOGs, is the pressure placed on the students.  So many students stress about failing this end-of-year assessment.  Also, it is quite evident to the other students, who are not in remediation, which students did not pass the test.  That is an unfortunate aspect of the remediation process because the test scores are confidential and that aspect is very public. 

Singapore 

The education system in Singapore places a great deal of importance on assessment (Singagpore).  Students are assessed throughout their educational career (Singapore).  Workbooks are used constantly in the schools and at home to assess how the students are progressing (website SGBox.com).  Compulsory exams are given at different stages in their schooling and the results affect how the students are educationally tracked (Singapore).  For example, the Primary Six Leaving Examination (PSLE) is taken at the end of Primary 6, our 6^th grade, to determine who will progress to which type of secondary schools (website SGBox.com).  It is not difficult to determine based on the two groupings which category of students scored higher on the examination.  There is the Special/Express Stream, or the Normal Stream (website SGBox.com).  Furthermore, the Normal Stream is divided into two smaller groups: normal academic studies and normal technical studies (Singapore).  These are comparable to our 7^th through 10^th grades (website SGBox.com).  Once these courses are completed, these students are given another compulsory exam.  Students who pass the GCE ‘O’ Level examination, will then have to compete for admission to either a Junior College, a Polythenic, or a Pre-University Centre (website SGBox.com).  These institutions are comparable to our 11^th and 12^th grades.  Finally, students who pass the GCE ‘A’ Level examination at the end of one of these institutions will then compete for admission to a local university (website SGBox.com).

  

http://www.sgbox.com/singaporeeducation.html

 

Singapore – Education System and School Accountability (September, 2006). Retrieved from:   http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/accountability/docs/singapore.pdf

Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development 

As a teacher, the most recent stressor that I have seen in our schools, affecting children’s development, is being homeless.  Due to the economy, unemployment rates have risen, and it has made it very difficult for many of our parents to find jobs.  Unfortunately, after losing their home and living with various relatives, these families become homeless.  The children are affected because they are constantly wondering and worrying where their next meal will be coming from, will they be moving again, and why should they make friends only to move away from them again.  In many cases, the tensions at “home” are high because the bills cannot be paid and the parents are worried about where they are going to have to move to next and how all of this impacts their family.   

I have had students in my classroom who have been identified homeless under the Homeless Education Act.  Developmentally, their size was smaller than their peers, whether this was due to lack of proper nutrition was never determined.  Academically, they were below grade-level in all areas. Behaviorally, at first, they were very aggressive and angry. However, once they realized that we were all here to help them and be their friends, they slowly warmed-up to us and began to trust the staff and students of our school.  The school, along with community assistance, was able to find them a home, provide them with food, clothing, and presents at Christmas.  

Because of this experience with teaching homeless children and seeing firsthand the impact that homelessness has on children’s physical, cognitive, and social development, I was curious to learn more about this stressor in my region of North Carolina.  I learned that, in the last 5 years, the number of homeless children in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has grown 218% (website Fox News Charlotte).  Over 4,700 homeless children ages 5 and up are in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (website Fox News Charlotte).    Various organizations are being formed to help children and families facing homelessness.  A non-profit organization, A Child’s Place, is trying to help homeless children in this region of North Carolina by making sure that these children have all the “tools” needed for school.  They ask people to donate money to purchase school supplies, but also want people to donate their time and services (website A Children’s Alliance).  They ask people to spend one hour a week with these children helping them in their schools (website Fox News Charlotte).  Based on data collected from the 2009-2010 school year, 93% of A Child’s Place client children were promoted to the next grade level and 93% were reading on grade level ( website A Children’s Alliance).  Nationally, the percentage of homeless children being promoted to the next grade level is 64% and reading on grade level is 48% (website A Children’s Alliance).  Hopefully, surrounding counties will be able to use resources, such as A Child’s Place, to help the homeless children in their school districts.

http://www.foxcharlotte.com/news/local/Help-for-the-Homesless-Children-in-Charlotte-137477648.html

http://www.thechildrensalliance.org/resources.html

Child Development and Public Health

A public health topic that is meaningful to me is Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).  The reason is a very personal one.  Two weeks after the birth of my third child, friends of mine suffered the unexpected death of their 23 months old son.  It was devastating for them, their family, their friends, and their community.  Through counseling and support, they have turned this tragedy into something remarkable.  They have established a foundation, in the child’s name, to raise money to send other children, from their community, to music and summer camps.  I admire Steve and Lori Yang for their strength and character in the face of such a traumatic event in their lives.  I have included a link to the foundation’s website at the bottom of this post.

In Australia, they have an interesting program called SIDS and Kids which is dedicated to saving the lives of babies and children during pregnancy, birth, infancy and childhood and supporting bereaved families (website SIDS and Kids).  They contribute a sizable amount of money towards research into the possible causes and prevention of infant death, SIDS, stillbirth, and health promotion (website SIDS and Kids).  Their major fund raiser is called Red Nose Day.  On this day, people wear a red nose for a day to be silly for a serious cause, which has helped to draw awareness to their cause (website SIDS and Kids).  SIDS and Kids offers support services 24 hours a day. Their current health promotion is SIDS and Kids Safe Sleeping, which is evidence based and provides families, infant caregivers, and health professionals with information about how to reduce the risk of SIDS and fatal sleeping accidents and create a safe sleeping environment for babies (website SIDS and Kids).  Below are their recommendations found on their website:

-Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side

-Sleep baby with head and face uncovered

-Keep baby smoke free before birth and after

-Provide a safe sleeping environment night and day

-Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping place in the same room as an adult care-giver for the first six to twelve months

-Breastfeed if you can

http://www.sidsandkids.org/

http://michaelyangfound.org/

Childbirth in My Life and Around the World 

On June 25, 1997 at 2:30am my water broke and the contractions started.  By 8:00am, the contractions were about 6 minutes a part, so my husband and I left for the hospital.  Everything was going along like it said in the books.  Once we arrived at the hospital, the contractions stopped being regular.  They gave me medicine to help them along.  Nothing was working, except the epidural!  After 19 hours, my temperature started to rise, putting me and the baby at risk for infection.  At 10:00pm, the doctor decided on an emergency C-section.  Even though I was an educated 27 year old, who had read all the “pregnancy books” and attended Lamaze classes, I was not prepared for this scenario.  I was exhausted mentally and physically and just wanted the safe arrival of my baby.  I had never been in an operating room before. Fortunately, my husband was able to be in there with me.  I was not able to see any of the delivery, and they whisked my baby girl away after I had a quick look at her.  I didn’t even get to touch her.  She was perfectly beautiful and healthy.  I held her for the first time when they brought her to me in the recovery room at midnight.  It was one of the longest and most rewarding days of my life.   

The Netherlands

“The Netherlands has the highest percentage of home births in the western world,” said Sjaak Toet, chairman of the Dutch association of midwives KNOV.  About 30% give birth at home and 10% at special out-patient birthing clinics.  The main reasons why so many mothers choose home births are because “it runs in the family” (their own mothers did it) and because of insurance.  Insurance does not cover the full cost of a hospital birth unless it is a medical reason.  Home births and midwives are free.  The midwives are very skilled, knowledgeable and highly qualified to assist in normal births.  Many mothers choose a home setting for their second or third births because it is more relaxing.  For a home birth, you progress at your own rate.  The midwife can only administer over-the-counter pain relief.  In addition, the midwife will come do a home visit within 10 days after the delivery.   

What I found especially fascinating was that during the first 8 days after giving birth, in the Netherlands, a professional maternity nurse will come to your home and look after you and your baby.  Generally, insurance will cover this cost.  The maternity nurse’s duties include showing you how to care for the baby, how to bathe him/her, and how to breastfeed properly.  The maternity nurse will also help with the other children, prepare meals, take care of laundry, and do light housekeeping. 

I think one’s birth experience does impact child development because APGAR scores are taken at the one and five minute marks for a reason.  Although, I have known babies who have overcome an extremely low initial APGAR score, it was with medical assistance that their scores were improved at the 5 minute mark.  Oxygen levels are crucial and inadequate levels can cause brain damage.

http://www.passionateparenting.nl/pregnancy-and-birth/having-a-baby-in-the-netherlands.php
http://www.expatica.com/nl/essentials_moving_to/essentials/childbirth-in-holland-38191.html

Code of Ethics

DEC
Responsive Family Centered Practices
6.  We shall respect families' rights to choose or refuse early childhood special education or related services.

We want the best educational experience possible for our students.  As educators, we have students that we recommend go through the testing process to determine whether or not they qualify for special services.  However, it is important for us to respect the families' decision to choose or refuse these services.

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct

1.1.3- To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.

As a professional, it is important to not only to recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child, but to tell each child what you see in them.  Let them know all the qualities, abilities and potential that you see in them.

1-3A.2- To share resources with co-workers, collaborating to ensure that the best possible early childhood care and education program is provided.

It is important to learn from each other and to share resources with your colleagues.  At my school, when someone attends a workshop, we share the information at a grade-level meeting or at the staff meeting, so that we can all benefit from the latest data and current research.

Resources

• 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 child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
• 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://acei.org/about/

Additional Resources

·         http://www.fpg.unc.edu/index.cfm    

• http://family.go.com/parenting/pkg-baby/  This is a Disney website that offers information ranging from babies – teen, as well as, health issues including Type 1 Diabetes.

·         http://www.learnnc.org/   This is a website that many North Carolina K-12 teachers use to access lesson plans, curriculum /teaching standards, multi-media materials, etc.