When I think of child development

"Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.
- Dr. Hiam Ginnot

This quote drives home the point that parents and caregivers are such an influence on children. I hear many parents complain about how their children yell and scream and then yell turn around and yell at their child. Children learn tone, phrases, and behaviors from what they see and hear. 


I want to thank Jo Hester and Jolene Hernandez. It has been nice to be in these past two classes with both of you. I have enjoyed learning more about both of you, personally and professionally. Thank you both.

Testing for Intelligence

I do not believe in standardized testing. Many teachers are forced to teach to the test and miss out on educating students on so many other topics. It also detracts from letting student interest guide learning. While certain topics and certain standards must be taught, I think students should also be allowed to guide some of the learning. However, teachers are on deadlines so it prevents them from getting off topic even a little. Also because they keep raising what children should know at each grade I think we are putting too much pressure on kids and expecting so much more when children get to kindergarten. My sister teaches high school and they are now seeing some negative results from teaching to the standardized test because the way the kids were taught to answer questions on that test is not what is expected when they take the ACT or SAT so the kids are failing those tests and are having to learn a whole new way to write to pass the tests for college. It is very stressful for the kids and the teachers.

I read about testing in Russia and found that in recent years they have started using standardized testing similar to U.S.'s SATs to determine graduation and entering college. According to an article in the New York Times, many people were upset about the transition and did not feel it was the best choice to replace their old system (Kishkovsky, 2011). Officials stated that the new test is all done on computer and graded by the computer so it would eliminate the bribery that was taking place by students so teachers would give them good grades (Kishkovsky, 2011).

Unfortunately while I don't believe standardized testing is the best option, I am unsure what a better option really is. Every child learns differently and understands information differently so how do you judge children fairly? I'm not sure what or if there is a correct answer to this.

Reference:
Kishkovsky, S. (2011, February 6). U.S.-style college exams take hold in Russia. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/education/07iht-educSide07.html?_r=0

Consequences of Stress-Week 4

I have a second cousin, Brooke, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was 2. She also had a fraternal twin, Cassie, which made the situation more complicated. The disease not only impacted the Brooke, it also had an affect on her sister. It was a year and a half long journey of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and therapy. Both children suffered extreme attachment problems since the twins had never been apart before. Because of their age they could not understand why they couldn't be together. Cassie was raised mainly by her grandparents while her parents were in the hospital which caused more attachment problems. This also led her to become slightly spoiled because everyone did not want to further upset her since she was already separated from her parents and sister so there was little discipline. For Brooke, she underwent several painful treatments and suffered tremendous sickness. Because of the location of the tumor she did have to receive therapy to regain her motor skills. This caused her frustration because she would see her sister do an activity, but she could not do the same thing. She still has some trouble walking because of damage done while removing the tumor. Though she has been cancer free for seven years, both girls become extremely anxious the weeks leading up to her annual brain scan. They have trouble sleeping and eating. Though they were young when this happened, the feeling of being separated still lingers today.  This disease caused stress on the entire family and impacted the physical development of Brooke and the emotional development of both children.

The entire world hears about natural disasters several times throughout the world. It seems every time I watch the news there is a tornado, earthquake, hurricane, flooding, landslides, and so many more some where in the world. While it is easy to think about the immediate impact on children physically, we also must think of how this will change them permanently. Children who experience a natural disaster whether it is massive or even minor can carry those memories and be scarred for life. After a natural disaster, children will likely experience a degree of poverty, hunger, noise, chaos, disease, environmental pollution, and possibly violence. Areas of natural disasters can be hectic and chaotic and it could be a while before a child has a stable environment again. This will cause stress and will have a life long impact on development. I have never considered the long term consequences of natural disasters on children and now wish there was more I could do to help those who have lived through these horrible experiences.

Child Development and Breastfeeding-Week 2

I really believe more information and more support needs to be given to new mothers to help with breastfeeding. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Breastfeeding is something that seems like it should be easy because it is natural and yet there are many complications that without support and knowledge could cause a woman to give up. After I had my daughter I had no assistance in the hospital and actually had a nurse tell me she should go about 4-5 hours between feedings. This caused her to be extremely hungry and would not latch and she became dehydrated. After spending a very long evening in the ER, we had to start supplementing with a bottle. Luckily, I had a friend who was a lactation consultant who was available to come help me and when my daughter was a week old she finally latched and I was able to exclusively breastfeed until six months and continued to breastfeed until she was a year old.

Not all women have access to support and will give up when it becomes difficult. I also learned that in some countries babies who are not breasfed instead receive low-quality replacement milk which causes poor growth development (Chan, 2011. In 2009 Chine had 13 million children who were stunted because of this problem (Chan, 2011). Breast milk is the best nutrition for a new baby, but if mothers cannot or do not want to breastfeed they still need information and access to quality formula. I am so saddened to read about these children who will be affected for life because their mother did not have the same advantages that I did. I would love to help spread to word of the benefits of breastfeeding, both for mother and child.




Chan, J. (2011). UNICEF: Lack of Optimal Breast Feeding in Developing Countries. Retrieved from http://www.asianscientist.com/health-medicine/unicef-breast-feeding-china-india-mortality-rate/

Childbirth

Giving birth was the most amazing experience, though the whole day is kind of a blur. I was in labor for 15 hours, 2.5 hours of pushing to finally deliver an 8 lb 13 oz beautiful little girl. Even with bouncing on a ball and walking, my daughter was extremely stubborn and did not want to come out so after 9 hours I got an epidural. I almost had to have a c-section because she was not making progress, but they turned off my epidural and I was able to feel the contractions better and push her out. I was impressed with the hospital staff because they were not in a rush for a c-section and made every effort so I could have her vaginally. However, after all the pain and the exhaustion I will never forget the moment when I finally learned if we had a boy or girl (because we wanted it to be a surprise). When they placed my daughter in my arms she didn't cry she just looked around with the biggest eyes. She was so precious.

After reading the article Birth and Maternal Health Around the World, I was surprised at how some countries vary greatly and many still practice traditional customs. This also means some countries still face high mortality rate during birth such as Nigeria where 1 in 18 women will die in labor (Davis). In Korea the mother is not supposed to express pain because they believe negativity will have an adverse impact on the baby (Davis). After reading this I am extremely grateful I did not give birth in Korea because I definitely expressed pain during labor and had a few choice words for my husband.

Reading about the different customs and beliefs surrounding childbirth was interesting. I feel for the mothers who experience labor alone and in primitive conditions. I was grateful for everything modern medicine had to offer when I gave birth.

References
Davis, Lisa Selin. Birth and maternal health around the world. Parenting. Retrieved from http://www.parenting.com/article/birth-maternal-health?page=0,0

Week 7- Code of Ethics

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment 

Ethical Responsibilities to Families

I-2.4—To listen to families, acknowledge and build upon their strengths and competencies, and learn from families as we support them in their task of nurturing children.

I liked this one because it is so important when helping families to identify their strengths and not just lump all families in one group and say this is what everyone should be like. I have learned so much from my families about different values and traditions. Each family is unique and special. It is easy to forget this. We must remember we are not in this field to change families, but to build a foundation that will help children and families throughout the school years and beyond.

I-4.2—To promote cooperation among professionals and agencies and interdisciplinary collaboration among professions concerned with addressing issues in the health, education, and well-being of young children, their families, and their early childhood educators. 

I find this is important to remember when I work with other professionals such as speech or physical therapists who work with children in my classroom. The therapists are a great support system for children and were a great resource when having difficulties. At the same time they learned from us teachers about best practices in the classroom and other ways to work with children. 

DEC Code of Ethics

3. We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and

using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to

the suggestions of others.

In this class I have learned the importance of constantly reading about new research and finding resources to always stay knowledgeable. We must remember that no matter how much education or experience we have, there is still more we can learn. As a new teacher I gained so much insight from teachers who have been in the classroom for years, yet I brought new ideas and energy and was also able to teach them as well. I want to continue to remember this ideal as a director of a center because I will not just be there to educate teachers, but to also learn from them. So many times I have had directors who have forgotten the reality of a classroom. I hope to never stop learning and growing.


Resources
NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from
http://www.dec-sped.org/

Week 5-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. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://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
• 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
• Websites:
• • World Forum Foundation
    http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment on this webpage
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP's mission.
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/
    Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
  
  
  3 Additional Resources
  
  
  I would recommend reading the trilogy by Dave Pelzer. He wrote three books, A Child Called It, The Lost Boy, and A Man Named Dave. These books follow his childhood in an abusive home and how he overcame this hardship. If you have never read them, be ready to cry. 
  
  
  I like this webiste for activities in the classroom. I used the printable handwriting sheets a lot to help children practice writing their letters. I know some places don't encourage using these sheets because they are too teacher directed vs child creativity, but I think using them once in a while can be very beneficial for children.
  http://www.first-school.ws/preschool/printable-activities/index.htm
  
  
  I like this website for quotes. This link is directly for education, but they have so many other topics as well. These quotes are great to remember when having a bad day or to help motivate others. 
  http://www.positivemotivation.net/early-childhood-education-quotes/
  
  

Week 4-Quotes

"The statement is saying that there is an appropriate expectation against which you can compare kids' development so you can determine whether they're making good progress. There is also a huge range of individual variation that is absolutely normal"-Susan Bredekamp
 Early Childhood Today Editorial Staff. (August, 1998). ECT interview: Sue Bredekamp & Susan Neuman on learning to read. Early Childhood Today. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/ect-interview-sue-bredekamp-susan-neuman-learning-read

I like this quote because many times we forget that each child is an individual and learns differently and in their own time. If a child is not learning a concept, as teachers we should not blame the child, but change the way we are teaching.

Edward Zigler (2007) stated “Here's the strategy that I have used. It's taken me decades to learn it, and it has worked: In the good years, work very hard to win everything that's possibly winnable. In the bad years, work just as hard to keep your losses to a minimum. There are good times, and there are bad times. But you have to stay in the game.” 

Perkins-Gough, Deborah. (October, 2007). Giving intervention a Head Start: A conversation

with Edward Zigler. Educational Leadership, 65, 8-14.

This is a good philosophy for life. There will be rough times and there will be good times. Sometimes you will be struggling just to keep going, but the important thing to remember is to not give up.

In the "The Passion for Early Childhood", Raymond Hernandez MS Ed stated that "For me that one little sparkle will make a difference for me throughout the whole day." Some times we can become so caught up in following lesson plans specifically or focus on all the paperwork that needs done that we can miss the little moments. The moment when a child finally figures out a concept and their whole face lights up with pride or when children build a tower working together sharing and communicating; these moments are why we are in the classroom. Seeing these small victories can help you remember why our jobs are so important and make dealing with all the craziness that comes with the field a little easier.

Week 3-More of my family

 This is a picture of my family when my mom finished her chemo for breast cancer. Unfortunately my husband and I couldn't make it so we took a picture in our shirts and they showed it to my mom that day. I chose these two pictures because I want to show how close my family is even though I now live states away. We still make sure to do things as a family as much as we can.

Week 3-Personal childhood web 2

This is my best friend Carrie from high school. We have been friends since we were two years old and started in preschool together. We have been through so much together and even though we live states apart know that we can call each other for help. I am proud to brag that I did set her up with her husband. The other picture is my grandparents. They both have had so much influence on me. When I was a kid they would take us on trips in their RV. Those are memories that I will carry with me forever. Even now they still call to check on me. My grandma likes to tell everyone that her granddaughter will drive cross country all be herself. She is so proud of my independence.

Week 3-Personal Childhood Web

These are the five people who had such an impact on me growing up. My mom, dad, sister Erin, brother Colby, brother Colby, and sister Jessica. My mom is the one who taught me to be kind and thoughtful to everyone. She taught me to be slow to anger. She is the one I called with questions about work and she is the bug reason I decided to get my Master's. Even though she passed away recently I know she is watching and is proud of me. My dad is the one who taught me to help everyone. He showed us through his actions what a difference just holding the door for someone can do. Even now I can hear my dad's voice in my head when making decisions and if I see someone in trouble. With my siblings, I am definitely the stereotypical "baby of the family". They each helped raise me and I am a little bit like each of them. My sisters are my best friends, now. We had to share a room growing up so there were plenty of fights, but now I can always call them when I need help. My brothers were there to pick on me, but also to protect me. They lived by the motto that nobody messed with their sister, but them. I talk to each of my family members at least once a week and sometimes more. They are the ones who help guide me and encourage me.

Family Vacation to Boston

My parents taking me to the airport

Week 2-Favorite Book

This is my favorite children's book. My mom read this to me all the time and now I love to read this to my daughter. It has such a great theme that no matter what kind of messes or mistakes we make we will always be loved.

Week 2-Favorite Quote

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.” 
Stacia Tauscher 

I love this quote because so many times people focus on what children need to know before kindergarten and then to pass standardized tests. They forget to let children be kids and enjoy those little moments when they learn something new or experience something for the first time. 

I have never made a blog before so I am kind of excited working on this project. I just wanted to share a picture of my family.