During the eight weeks that I have spent in this course, I have had the pleasure of speaking with and learning from early childhood professionals in other countries, the UK and Ireland in particular. This opportunity allowed me to learn the following things:
1. The early childhood education is viewed differently in other countries. I found that early childhood education is valued more in other countries and is held to a higher standard.
2. In some other countries, early childhood teachers are held to the same educational standards as elementary school teachers. They are required to have advanced degrees and get paid along the same scale.
3. Free Pre-Kindergarten is very prevalent in other countries. I learned that the UK, Ireland, and Finland have public Pre-K programs, among many other European countries.
One goal that I have for early childhood education, is to bring public Pre-K into the United States. Showing the importance of early childhood education, along with statistics of other countries that use public Pre-K, will bring awareness to this issue. Once our nation realizes the importance of early childhood education, and understands the value it holds and sees how other countries view it, maybe we will take a step in the right direction.
12.14.2013
More About My International Contacts
This week, only one of my international contacts got back to me. I so appreciate Chris Hussey of The British Association of Early Childhood Education. He has taken time out of his busy day week after week to assist me with my assignments for school and I can't thank him enough.
This week I asked him about issues related to excellence and quality that his area is currently facing, and he sent me a number of articles that we very helpful and informative. One thing that the UK is currently debating is the question: Should early years teachers have qualified teacher status? Some people think that they should be on the same educational level as primary and secondary school teachers, while others think that it is not necessary.
Another hot topic in the area involves child:teacher ratios. A proposal was recently submitted to increase child:teacher ratios and as you can imagine, professional in the field are not very happy about the idea.
Much like in the US, school readiness is an issue that continues to come up. Many think that early educators should push more academics to ensure children are prepared, while others prefer the learning through play approach.
You can read more about the topics currently in the news in the UK here:
http://sheila-nutkins-author.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/debate-about-ratios-and-qualifications.html
This week I asked him about issues related to excellence and quality that his area is currently facing, and he sent me a number of articles that we very helpful and informative. One thing that the UK is currently debating is the question: Should early years teachers have qualified teacher status? Some people think that they should be on the same educational level as primary and secondary school teachers, while others think that it is not necessary.
Another hot topic in the area involves child:teacher ratios. A proposal was recently submitted to increase child:teacher ratios and as you can imagine, professional in the field are not very happy about the idea.
Much like in the US, school readiness is an issue that continues to come up. Many think that early educators should push more academics to ensure children are prepared, while others prefer the learning through play approach.
You can read more about the topics currently in the news in the UK here:
Regarding the requirements for educators in the early childhood education field, it is my understanding that a minimum of an associates degree is required. Chris did inform me, however, that Finland and a few other countries are requiring a masters degree and that more and more countries are moving towards that requirement.
Chris just completed his masters degree and is currently pursuing his PhD in early childhood education! He told me that there are very few grants and scholarships available so most people must pay for this education themselves. Therefore, most people, himself included, work full time while attending school and will take around 4-5 years to complete. I admire him so much for his dedication to our profession!
This assignment has really allowed me the opportunity to expand my professional contacts and I have enjoyed learning so much about my profession in other areas around the world. It has helped me see that a lot of other countries value early childhood education so much more and that we need to get our country on that same path!
12.07.2013
More About CCW
This week I got the opportunity to further explore the Center for the Child Care Workforce (CCW) website. They provide a lot of outside links that are really helpful, most of which are regarding rules/regulations/laws in the child care industry. They also have links to educational sites and child advocacy groups. Many of the resources that I use daily as a preschool director, such as the website for NAEYC, Zero to Three, and NACCRA are listed on the CCW website.
I chose to take a deeper look into the News to Use tab on their webpage and looked at Latest News. It led me to an article in American Educator titled The Economics of Inequality. It also led me to the CCW newsletter, which I didn't realize that they had, from May/June 2011. This tells me that this website is no longer active/relevant since they do not update their information. This is really unfortunate because I enjoy this organization and appreciate what they stand for.
While the information on the website is not current, I still find it to be a very good resource. The links that it provides contain some excellent resources for early childhood education professionals. And in the News to Use section of the site, there are some superb articles. There are several articles regarding the standards of preschool, incorporating Pre-K into the public school system, and a very good NAEYC article about the importance of quality preschool education.
I chose to take a deeper look into the News to Use tab on their webpage and looked at Latest News. It led me to an article in American Educator titled The Economics of Inequality. It also led me to the CCW newsletter, which I didn't realize that they had, from May/June 2011. This tells me that this website is no longer active/relevant since they do not update their information. This is really unfortunate because I enjoy this organization and appreciate what they stand for.
While the information on the website is not current, I still find it to be a very good resource. The links that it provides contain some excellent resources for early childhood education professionals. And in the News to Use section of the site, there are some superb articles. There are several articles regarding the standards of preschool, incorporating Pre-K into the public school system, and a very good NAEYC article about the importance of quality preschool education.
11.30.2013
More About My International Contacts
I have talked about one international contact that I have made, Chris Hussey, who works with the British Association for Early Childhood Education. I'm sure that he is very busy and I have not heard much from him in the last couple of weeks.
Since then, I have made another international contact named Martina Carter. Martina is an early childhood specialist who works with Early Childhood Ireland. Martina informed me about the different subsidy programs available for families in Ireland. She explained that preschool aged children can attend preschool for 15 hours per week for one year, free of cost. I found this really interesting and it is similar to what the UK has in place. Early childhood education seems to be valued higher in both the UK and Ireland than it is here in the US.
I currently have messages to both Martina and Chris regarding the standards that their preschool programs use, school readiness, and their opinions on the achievement gaps in their countries. I look forward to seeing how their achievement gaps rank against ours here in the US. I suspect that they are much lower since the children in both countries receive free preschool. I will update as soon as I hear back from them.
Since then, I have made another international contact named Martina Carter. Martina is an early childhood specialist who works with Early Childhood Ireland. Martina informed me about the different subsidy programs available for families in Ireland. She explained that preschool aged children can attend preschool for 15 hours per week for one year, free of cost. I found this really interesting and it is similar to what the UK has in place. Early childhood education seems to be valued higher in both the UK and Ireland than it is here in the US.
I currently have messages to both Martina and Chris regarding the standards that their preschool programs use, school readiness, and their opinions on the achievement gaps in their countries. I look forward to seeing how their achievement gaps rank against ours here in the US. I suspect that they are much lower since the children in both countries receive free preschool. I will update as soon as I hear back from them.
11.22.2013
The Center for the Child Care Workforce
As I mentioned previously, I am currently following the website for the Center for the Child Care Workforce. I really like this website because it not only advocates for ECE professionals, but it provides readers with valuable research and a list of ways that you can get involved.
There is a tab on the website labeled Public Policy - State Initiatives. Under that tab there is lots of information that I find relevant to my professional development. There is scholarship information that I find useful, as I can distribute this information to my employees. There is also wage data that I can use to help my school stay competitive, attracting the most qualified teachers.
While surfing the site, I learned that only a small percentage of ECE professionals receive fully paid health care benefits. When comparing pay rates and health care benefits of ECE professionals to public school teachers, ECE professionals fall to the bottom. I believe that ALL teachers deserve to be paid well. We need to increase the pay of our public school teachers and begin to pay ECE professionals on the same pay scale as we do our public school teachers. Paying them all on the same state level I believe will bring recognition and respect to ECE professionals. It will also attract more people to work in our field and in turn, we will receive more educated and qualified teachers.
We learned this week why economists, scientists, and politicians support the ECE field. CCW states the same information under their tab titled Research and Resources - Early Childhood Education Facts. Here is where you will find statistics proving that children that have access to quality early childhood education have higher graduation rates, more economic productivity later in life, and less dependency on welfare later in life. The increased economic productivity is exactly why economists, scientists, and politicians want to invest in ECE.
Overall I gained a lot of valuable information from this site. Unfortunately it is not regularly updated. The latest wage data is from 2010. I'm hoping that I can bring more traffic to this website so that they will continue researching and collecting data, helping ECE professionals everywhere.
There is a tab on the website labeled Public Policy - State Initiatives. Under that tab there is lots of information that I find relevant to my professional development. There is scholarship information that I find useful, as I can distribute this information to my employees. There is also wage data that I can use to help my school stay competitive, attracting the most qualified teachers.
While surfing the site, I learned that only a small percentage of ECE professionals receive fully paid health care benefits. When comparing pay rates and health care benefits of ECE professionals to public school teachers, ECE professionals fall to the bottom. I believe that ALL teachers deserve to be paid well. We need to increase the pay of our public school teachers and begin to pay ECE professionals on the same pay scale as we do our public school teachers. Paying them all on the same state level I believe will bring recognition and respect to ECE professionals. It will also attract more people to work in our field and in turn, we will receive more educated and qualified teachers.
We learned this week why economists, scientists, and politicians support the ECE field. CCW states the same information under their tab titled Research and Resources - Early Childhood Education Facts. Here is where you will find statistics proving that children that have access to quality early childhood education have higher graduation rates, more economic productivity later in life, and less dependency on welfare later in life. The increased economic productivity is exactly why economists, scientists, and politicians want to invest in ECE.
Overall I gained a lot of valuable information from this site. Unfortunately it is not regularly updated. The latest wage data is from 2010. I'm hoping that I can bring more traffic to this website so that they will continue researching and collecting data, helping ECE professionals everywhere.
11.15.2013
International Contacts
I have successfully made two international, professional contacts. The first is Chris Hussey who is a researching practitioner for The British Association for Early Childhood Education. Prior to his current position, he was a ECE teacher for several years. He was able to provide me with information regarding government assistance for child care in the UK. He also informed me that all 3 and 4 year olds in England are entitled to 15 hours of free early childhood education for 38 weeks per year.
My other international contact is Martha Friendly. Martha is the executive director of the childcare resource and research unit for the National Alliance for Children and Youth, a Canadian organization. Martha is a contact that I just made so I do not know much more about her nor have I had the chance to learn from her. I do, however, look forward to sharing more information with you as soon as I can!
On a different note, this week we studied poverty and its affect on children. Not only did I look at poverty on a national level, but I also got to research poverty in my home town. When looking at poverty as a nation, I was shocked at what I saw. I was so blind to how much poverty is actually in my country. My state, the state of NC, actually has a higher poverty rate than the national average which is saddening. Not only did this fact alarm me, but the demographics of families and children in poverty was also very eye-opening. Latinos make up a large percentage of families in poverty and I think that we as a state and a country need to work at helping these families live better lives.
My other international contact is Martha Friendly. Martha is the executive director of the childcare resource and research unit for the National Alliance for Children and Youth, a Canadian organization. Martha is a contact that I just made so I do not know much more about her nor have I had the chance to learn from her. I do, however, look forward to sharing more information with you as soon as I can!
On a different note, this week we studied poverty and its affect on children. Not only did I look at poverty on a national level, but I also got to research poverty in my home town. When looking at poverty as a nation, I was shocked at what I saw. I was so blind to how much poverty is actually in my country. My state, the state of NC, actually has a higher poverty rate than the national average which is saddening. Not only did this fact alarm me, but the demographics of families and children in poverty was also very eye-opening. Latinos make up a large percentage of families in poverty and I think that we as a state and a country need to work at helping these families live better lives.
11.09.2013
The Center for the Child Care Workforce
The Center for the Child Care Workforce is an organization that I am currently following, found at http://www.ccw.org/. Their mission is to "improve the quality of early care and education for
all children by promoting policy, research and organizing that ensure
the early care and education workforce is well-educated, receives better
compensation and a voice in their workplace."
One main issue that CCW addresses is the low compensation for early childhood education teachers. They began a campaign in 1991 called the Worthy Wage Campaign. The National Worthy Wage day is May 1st and CCW provides you with ideas on how you can act in your community.
CCW works with and promotes many other organizations such as Family Initiative, NACCRRA, NAEYC, and many others. I really like their mission statement and their involvement within the early childhood education field.
One main issue that CCW addresses is the low compensation for early childhood education teachers. They began a campaign in 1991 called the Worthy Wage Campaign. The National Worthy Wage day is May 1st and CCW provides you with ideas on how you can act in your community.
CCW works with and promotes many other organizations such as Family Initiative, NACCRRA, NAEYC, and many others. I really like their mission statement and their involvement within the early childhood education field.
11.01.2013
Establishing Professional Contacts & Expanding Resources
This week we had the task of setting up international professional contacts. I am so excited about this assignment and feel it will give me valuable insight. However, I didn't know that it would be so difficult! I researched various organizations and sent out what feels like 50 emails, to only received one reply back, so thus far, I have one contact. His name is Chris and he works with the British Association for Early Childhood Education. I have not had a chance to gain too much information from him yet, but will update as soon as possible.
As for any other contacts, I'm waiting for responses and am still hopeful that I will hear back from someone.
Aside from attempting to set up international contacts, I have also been researching various organizations, both within the United States and internationally, to see which website I will study. This was a very difficult decision for me, as there are so many great organizations out there! I decided to go with one that I am not familiar with, the Center for the Child Care Workforce. Their mission is to promote quality early childhood education, encouraging highly trained and educated teachers while providing better compensation for early childhood education teachers.
Anyone with tips on how to gain more international contacts, I would greatly appreciate it!
As for any other contacts, I'm waiting for responses and am still hopeful that I will hear back from someone.
Aside from attempting to set up international contacts, I have also been researching various organizations, both within the United States and internationally, to see which website I will study. This was a very difficult decision for me, as there are so many great organizations out there! I decided to go with one that I am not familiar with, the Center for the Child Care Workforce. Their mission is to promote quality early childhood education, encouraging highly trained and educated teachers while providing better compensation for early childhood education teachers.
Anyone with tips on how to gain more international contacts, I would greatly appreciate it!
9.29.2013
My Supports
I am fortunate enough to have a huge support system in my life. I have tons of emotional support from my husband, mom, family members, and close friends. They listen to my problems, offer me advice, help me rationalize situations, and are just overall there for me when I need them.
I have professional support from my immediate supervisor/close friend and other Goddard directors in the area. My supervisor encourages me when I need it and offers advice/suggestions to help me succeed. She listens when I have issues and is someone that I can easily relate to. Other Goddard directors in the area share great ideas and suggestions to problems via a discussion board that we regularly post to.
Physical support come from my husband who does so many things for me. He moves heavy boxes, reaches things that I can not reach, helps with the house cleaning, does grocery shopping, and picks up wherever I left off. He's awesome.
I get practical support from more things than I realize. I rely on my iPhone to wake me up in the morning and remind me of upcoming events. It also allows me to check my email as often as I need to. My iPad lets me quickly access event ideas for work or recipe ideas for dinner from Pinterest. I use my laptop to complete all of my school work mainly. And I could not get around the big city of Raleigh without GPS.
Taking all of these supports into account, I think that it would be very difficult to live without them. I would feel depressed without my emotional supports and alone without my professional supports. Not having physical support would leave me feeling overwhelmed while not having practical support would honestly leave me feeling lost. I am so incredibly lucky to have the amazing support system that I have and rely on them all so much.
The challenge that I imagined involved myself having major surgery. This surgery would leave me out of work for at least 2 weeks (with no pay) and I would be on bed rest. I would rely on my emotional supports to keep me sane. I would need someone to talk to and keep me in the loop of what was going on in the family and with friends. I would also want to know from professional support what was going on at work as I rarely miss work and it's a huge part of who I am. I would definitely rely on the physical support of my husband, more heavily than before as I would not be able to leave my home. My practical support would be used to entertain me as I was on bed rest. And because I wouldn't be receiving pay, I would rely on someone in my emotional support group to temporarily help me out if need be. Without these supports I'm not sure how I would function. I could make it without the professional support in this situation. But how on earth would I manage without physical support? I'm not sure that I would be able to. All of my different supports are important to me but I think that they physical support and emotional supports would be the most beneficial in this situation. Without them I am not sure how I would survive this type of situation.
Reflecting on my support system has opened my eyes to how incredibly lucky I am to have the people that I have in my life. I am supported by so many people in so many ways and I am so thankful for that.
I have professional support from my immediate supervisor/close friend and other Goddard directors in the area. My supervisor encourages me when I need it and offers advice/suggestions to help me succeed. She listens when I have issues and is someone that I can easily relate to. Other Goddard directors in the area share great ideas and suggestions to problems via a discussion board that we regularly post to.
Physical support come from my husband who does so many things for me. He moves heavy boxes, reaches things that I can not reach, helps with the house cleaning, does grocery shopping, and picks up wherever I left off. He's awesome.
I get practical support from more things than I realize. I rely on my iPhone to wake me up in the morning and remind me of upcoming events. It also allows me to check my email as often as I need to. My iPad lets me quickly access event ideas for work or recipe ideas for dinner from Pinterest. I use my laptop to complete all of my school work mainly. And I could not get around the big city of Raleigh without GPS.
Taking all of these supports into account, I think that it would be very difficult to live without them. I would feel depressed without my emotional supports and alone without my professional supports. Not having physical support would leave me feeling overwhelmed while not having practical support would honestly leave me feeling lost. I am so incredibly lucky to have the amazing support system that I have and rely on them all so much.
The challenge that I imagined involved myself having major surgery. This surgery would leave me out of work for at least 2 weeks (with no pay) and I would be on bed rest. I would rely on my emotional supports to keep me sane. I would need someone to talk to and keep me in the loop of what was going on in the family and with friends. I would also want to know from professional support what was going on at work as I rarely miss work and it's a huge part of who I am. I would definitely rely on the physical support of my husband, more heavily than before as I would not be able to leave my home. My practical support would be used to entertain me as I was on bed rest. And because I wouldn't be receiving pay, I would rely on someone in my emotional support group to temporarily help me out if need be. Without these supports I'm not sure how I would function. I could make it without the professional support in this situation. But how on earth would I manage without physical support? I'm not sure that I would be able to. All of my different supports are important to me but I think that they physical support and emotional supports would be the most beneficial in this situation. Without them I am not sure how I would survive this type of situation.
Reflecting on my support system has opened my eyes to how incredibly lucky I am to have the people that I have in my life. I am supported by so many people in so many ways and I am so thankful for that.
9.28.2013
My Connections to Play
"Life is more fun if you play games."
- Roald Dahl
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."
- Diane Ackerman
Toys that I loved as a child:
All I remember from my childhood is playing. Playing outside as much as I could. My Grandma played a huge part in my childhood and she encouraged play often. We used to play in the creek and catch salamanders. We would feel them and talk about what color they were. She would explain what they eat and how they have babies. I learned so much by playing with her. When it was rainy outside we would play inside. We would build a fort in the living room and I would take all of the babies to their "new house." She would encourage me to do all types of things such as cooking and cleaning. She even taught me how to sew at an early age. My mother encouraged outside play. She was always telling me to go outside and play with the neighborhood kids. We would ride our bikes, hula hoop, bounce around in moon shoes, and climb trees. I remember us pretending to be all kinds of people. Princesses, Power Rangers, characters from Captain Planet...we had so much fun!
I think play is very much different today than it was when I was growing up. Kids don't roam the neighborhood like I used to because in many places it just isn't safe enough to do that. Outdoor play seems to happen less as more children would rather play video games or computer games.
I think that play made my childhood awesome and I plan to make sure that my children experience the same joy. I also think that my childhood made me the person that I am today. In many ways, I am fearless, which I contribute to all of the trees that I used to climb and giant hills that I used to roller blade down. I am also playful. I love to go skiing and snow tubing. I still love to ride bikes and do so often with my husband. I also enjoy things like amusement parks and state fairs, all of which make me think of my childhood, and how excited I used to get about these things. I feel that having a play filled childhood has contributed to my having a fun, adventurous adulthood full of not just work but...play!
- Roald Dahl
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."
- Diane Ackerman
Toys that I loved as a child:
All I remember from my childhood is playing. Playing outside as much as I could. My Grandma played a huge part in my childhood and she encouraged play often. We used to play in the creek and catch salamanders. We would feel them and talk about what color they were. She would explain what they eat and how they have babies. I learned so much by playing with her. When it was rainy outside we would play inside. We would build a fort in the living room and I would take all of the babies to their "new house." She would encourage me to do all types of things such as cooking and cleaning. She even taught me how to sew at an early age. My mother encouraged outside play. She was always telling me to go outside and play with the neighborhood kids. We would ride our bikes, hula hoop, bounce around in moon shoes, and climb trees. I remember us pretending to be all kinds of people. Princesses, Power Rangers, characters from Captain Planet...we had so much fun!
I think play is very much different today than it was when I was growing up. Kids don't roam the neighborhood like I used to because in many places it just isn't safe enough to do that. Outdoor play seems to happen less as more children would rather play video games or computer games.
I think that play made my childhood awesome and I plan to make sure that my children experience the same joy. I also think that my childhood made me the person that I am today. In many ways, I am fearless, which I contribute to all of the trees that I used to climb and giant hills that I used to roller blade down. I am also playful. I love to go skiing and snow tubing. I still love to ride bikes and do so often with my husband. I also enjoy things like amusement parks and state fairs, all of which make me think of my childhood, and how excited I used to get about these things. I feel that having a play filled childhood has contributed to my having a fun, adventurous adulthood full of not just work but...play!
9.14.2013
Relationship Reflection
There are many types of relationships that I have come across during my life, all of which I feel are important to who I am today.
My husband, Mikey as I call him, is the most important relationship that I have. He is my number one fan and biggest supporter. He is my partner in crime and the best friend that I have found. In order to maintain our relationship we have found communication and honesty to be the most important factors. I consider my relationship with my husband to also be a partnership because we must live together and make decisions together. In order to do this effectively, we have to be partners and agree on things.
My mother, Traci, is another very important relationship for me. She is always supportive of me but is also my voice of reason. She gives me advice when I need it and helps me to see farther down the road when I can't. Maintaining a relationship with my mother has not been a challenge for me at all, as I am lucky to only live 2 hours away from her. We talk on the phone often and we visit each other about once a month.
My grandmother, Joyce, is also an important relationship in my life. She helped raise me as a child and has never missed a game, band concert, etc. She listens to my rants, offers words of wisdom, and tells me outright when I am being ridiculous about something. She doesn't sugarcoat anything for me, she just tells me like it is and I love that about her. I live 2 hours away from her and my grandaddy as well, so our relationship is rather easy to maintain. We talk on the phone and visit often. Our favorite thing to do is shop and the craft store and make new things like wreaths or holiday crafts.
My grandaddy, Robert, plays an important part in my life, as he has been and still is my father figure. He has always been a part of my life and has made sure that I have had everything that I could ever need and often want. He isn't the kind of guy that likes to talk on the phone but we like to get together and chat about politics. He also likes to email back and forth with me. Grandaddy encourages me to reach higher, dream bigger. He is my motivator and I love him for that.
My best friend, Amber, is the last relationship that I am going to write about today. We have been friends for 14 years and have been through our ups and downs. She is my ultimate rant listener, no judgments ever. She is also my girly date go-to girl as we love manicures, pedicures, nice restaurants, and shopping; and the mother of my God daughter, Sophia. Keeping our relationship strong over the years has been hard as we have not lived in the same state for many years now. We try to visit each other whenever we are in the same home town for holidays and talk on the phone at least once a week. I think that the importance that each of us holds for the other, has kept our relationship going. We always set and keep our phone dates and never miss a chance to see each other. Our dedication to our relationship has really helped to keep it going. I also consider my relationship with Amber to be a partnership. Anything she needs, I'm there, and vice-versa. I would take care of her child as my own and I know that she would do the same for me when that day comes. I consider our relationship a partnership because we relate so much to each other, we're always on the same page.
The challenges that I have faced in maintaining relationships over the years seems to be location and the busyness of life. It is easy to get caught up in your own life and the day to day things that you are focused on, quickly forgetting to make time to call a family member or friend. This is something that I really had to learn how to balance when I moved away to college.
Another challenge that I, personally have faced with several people is compromise. As an only child, I wasn't very good at this at first. I had to learn, with help of my mother, that I have to compromise with other people, especially people that I care about, in order to maintain a good relationship.
I think that the relationships and partnerships that I have developed and maintained over the years will help me to be successful in the early childhood education field because they have all taught me something valuable. I've learned how to deal and compromise with people different from myself, how to support people, and how to easily relate myself to others. These are all traits that I feel are important when working with families.
Side note: I almost forgot to mention the relationship that I have with my fur-babies, Marley (right) and Millie (left). My pups do so much for me. They calm me down, cheer me up, make me laugh, motivate me to exercise, and most importantly, give unconditional love. I love them dearly and yes...I am THAT doggie obsessed mom ;)
My husband, Mikey as I call him, is the most important relationship that I have. He is my number one fan and biggest supporter. He is my partner in crime and the best friend that I have found. In order to maintain our relationship we have found communication and honesty to be the most important factors. I consider my relationship with my husband to also be a partnership because we must live together and make decisions together. In order to do this effectively, we have to be partners and agree on things.
My mother, Traci, is another very important relationship for me. She is always supportive of me but is also my voice of reason. She gives me advice when I need it and helps me to see farther down the road when I can't. Maintaining a relationship with my mother has not been a challenge for me at all, as I am lucky to only live 2 hours away from her. We talk on the phone often and we visit each other about once a month.
My grandmother, Joyce, is also an important relationship in my life. She helped raise me as a child and has never missed a game, band concert, etc. She listens to my rants, offers words of wisdom, and tells me outright when I am being ridiculous about something. She doesn't sugarcoat anything for me, she just tells me like it is and I love that about her. I live 2 hours away from her and my grandaddy as well, so our relationship is rather easy to maintain. We talk on the phone and visit often. Our favorite thing to do is shop and the craft store and make new things like wreaths or holiday crafts.
My grandaddy, Robert, plays an important part in my life, as he has been and still is my father figure. He has always been a part of my life and has made sure that I have had everything that I could ever need and often want. He isn't the kind of guy that likes to talk on the phone but we like to get together and chat about politics. He also likes to email back and forth with me. Grandaddy encourages me to reach higher, dream bigger. He is my motivator and I love him for that.
The challenges that I have faced in maintaining relationships over the years seems to be location and the busyness of life. It is easy to get caught up in your own life and the day to day things that you are focused on, quickly forgetting to make time to call a family member or friend. This is something that I really had to learn how to balance when I moved away to college.
Another challenge that I, personally have faced with several people is compromise. As an only child, I wasn't very good at this at first. I had to learn, with help of my mother, that I have to compromise with other people, especially people that I care about, in order to maintain a good relationship.
I think that the relationships and partnerships that I have developed and maintained over the years will help me to be successful in the early childhood education field because they have all taught me something valuable. I've learned how to deal and compromise with people different from myself, how to support people, and how to easily relate myself to others. These are all traits that I feel are important when working with families.
Side note: I almost forgot to mention the relationship that I have with my fur-babies, Marley (right) and Millie (left). My pups do so much for me. They calm me down, cheer me up, make me laugh, motivate me to exercise, and most importantly, give unconditional love. I love them dearly and yes...I am THAT doggie obsessed mom ;)
8.23.2013
The Amazing Story of Carly
When I think of children, many words come to mind. Inquisitive. Energetic. Adorable. Silly. Opinionated. Determined. Vulnerable.
When reading about Carly Fleischmann and her incredible journey to finding a voice despite severe autism, all of these words come to mind, with another word...amazing.
Carly's story is incredibly heartwarming and uplifting. It teaches understanding and patience, and show just how determined a child can be. I hope that you all will enjoy it as much as I did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNZVV4Ciccg
While I believe that children learn through play, and find play incredibly important and beneficial to children, I also believe in the benefits of technology. Technology is such a valuable teaching tool and Carly's story is an amazing example of this.
When reading about Carly Fleischmann and her incredible journey to finding a voice despite severe autism, all of these words come to mind, with another word...amazing.
Carly's story is incredibly heartwarming and uplifting. It teaches understanding and patience, and show just how determined a child can be. I hope that you all will enjoy it as much as I did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNZVV4Ciccg
While I believe that children learn through play, and find play incredibly important and beneficial to children, I also believe in the benefits of technology. Technology is such a valuable teaching tool and Carly's story is an amazing example of this.
8.10.2013
Assessing Children in the U.S. and China
As a former elementary teacher in North Carolina, I believe in assessing children. It is necessary for me, as a teacher, to know where my children stand. What level are they on? Are they understanding the new concept that I'm teaching? Assessing them allows me to group the children so that I can make the most of my time and help each and every child. I feel that children should be tested on whatever I am teaching. Math, science, vocabulary, reading; it is all important. Not only does it give me feedback to further develop my lesson plans to meet the needs of my students, but it also gives the parents feedback so that they can work with their children. And it gives the children feedback so that they know how they are doing as well, building self-esteem.
Now, with that being said, my version of assessment is definitely not the same as the testing brought to us by No Child Left Behind. One big test at the end of the year I do not feel is beneficial. It is stressful and honestly not a great measurement of children's knowledge as it is not what they are used to. The wording in those tests may not be what the children understand. Bubble sheet testing may be new to them and that alone can stress them out and cause them not to perform as well. Not to mention, the last month of school being only test prep, how is that fun for kids? The whole idea of it is just awful to me.
Obama has started a new initiative called Race to the Top. This calls for more, less intense testing. Instead of one giant test at the end of the year, there are smaller, less formal tests throughout the year. This, in my opinion, is more beneficial and is what teachers are doing anyways. Of course we test throughout the year, we have to know when to move on to new topics. This, to me, is what children in our public schools are already used to and will not stress them out as much. And unlike a test at the end of the year, it gives the children a chance to improve and build upon their skills. According to Gregory J. Cizek, a professor of educational measurement and evaluation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Research has long shown that more frequent testing is beneficial to kids..."
Testing in the United States is very, very different from testing in China. Chinese children always score higher than American children in both science and math. Why is that? Do their strict testing rituals actually pay off?
Chinese children attend school from elementary age through age 15. After age 15, parents have to pay for their children to attend school. Children attend school from 7am to 4pm Monday through Saturday. They have very few national holidays in which school is closed and their summer vacation is only a month long. Many children also attend buxiban, also called cram school, in the evenings and on weekends. This is similar to small group or one-on-one tutoring in math and science, that also costs money.
The children that do get to attend high school no longer get to study all of the subjects that they once did, such as history, literature, art, and music. They are now attending school for 4 years with only one goal in mind, the gaokao. The gaokao is a 2 day National University Entrance Examination that determines what university the student will attend. This exam assesses math, science, English, and Chinese. Chinese children are tested over and over again, in preparation for this test.
At first it seems that all of this testing and schooling pays off for Chinese children. I mean, look at the statistics! But does it really? Do these children get to enjoy their childhood at all? Do they have low self-esteem if their grades are not perfect? Do ALL children benefit? I would say no. It seems that if you are not wealthy, you will not succeed. If your parents can not afford to pay for buxiban and high school, what do you do then? Are you automatically left behind just because you do not have money? How does that benefit these children?
References
Levy, Michael. (2011). What I Learned From China's Schools. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-levy/what-i-learned-from-china_b_872126.html
Mack, Lauren (n.d.). School in China: Introduction to School and Education in China. Retrieved from http://chineseculture.about.com/od/thechineselanguage/a/Introduction-To-Education-In-China.htm
Rosenthal, Elizabeth (2010). Testing, the Chinese Way. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/weekinreview/12rosenthal.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Now, with that being said, my version of assessment is definitely not the same as the testing brought to us by No Child Left Behind. One big test at the end of the year I do not feel is beneficial. It is stressful and honestly not a great measurement of children's knowledge as it is not what they are used to. The wording in those tests may not be what the children understand. Bubble sheet testing may be new to them and that alone can stress them out and cause them not to perform as well. Not to mention, the last month of school being only test prep, how is that fun for kids? The whole idea of it is just awful to me.
Obama has started a new initiative called Race to the Top. This calls for more, less intense testing. Instead of one giant test at the end of the year, there are smaller, less formal tests throughout the year. This, in my opinion, is more beneficial and is what teachers are doing anyways. Of course we test throughout the year, we have to know when to move on to new topics. This, to me, is what children in our public schools are already used to and will not stress them out as much. And unlike a test at the end of the year, it gives the children a chance to improve and build upon their skills. According to Gregory J. Cizek, a professor of educational measurement and evaluation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Research has long shown that more frequent testing is beneficial to kids..."
Testing in the United States is very, very different from testing in China. Chinese children always score higher than American children in both science and math. Why is that? Do their strict testing rituals actually pay off?
Chinese children attend school from elementary age through age 15. After age 15, parents have to pay for their children to attend school. Children attend school from 7am to 4pm Monday through Saturday. They have very few national holidays in which school is closed and their summer vacation is only a month long. Many children also attend buxiban, also called cram school, in the evenings and on weekends. This is similar to small group or one-on-one tutoring in math and science, that also costs money.
The children that do get to attend high school no longer get to study all of the subjects that they once did, such as history, literature, art, and music. They are now attending school for 4 years with only one goal in mind, the gaokao. The gaokao is a 2 day National University Entrance Examination that determines what university the student will attend. This exam assesses math, science, English, and Chinese. Chinese children are tested over and over again, in preparation for this test.
At first it seems that all of this testing and schooling pays off for Chinese children. I mean, look at the statistics! But does it really? Do these children get to enjoy their childhood at all? Do they have low self-esteem if their grades are not perfect? Do ALL children benefit? I would say no. It seems that if you are not wealthy, you will not succeed. If your parents can not afford to pay for buxiban and high school, what do you do then? Are you automatically left behind just because you do not have money? How does that benefit these children?
References
Levy, Michael. (2011). What I Learned From China's Schools. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-levy/what-i-learned-from-china_b_872126.html
Mack, Lauren (n.d.). School in China: Introduction to School and Education in China. Retrieved from http://chineseculture.about.com/od/thechineselanguage/a/Introduction-To-Education-In-China.htm
Rosenthal, Elizabeth (2010). Testing, the Chinese Way. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/weekinreview/12rosenthal.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
7.24.2013
Stress and Children's Development
There are many stressors that can affect children's development in all areas. These stressors include war, poverty, hunger, abuse, disease, and many others. While I am fortunate enough to have had no experience with any of these, I am very aware of the reality of these issues and the damage they can do to a child.
A close friend of mine spent the first few years of her life living in poverty. Her parents moved to the US from the Bahamas hoping to find a better life. They already have one child and then, while living in a two bedroom apartment, have five more. They could not afford to take care of these children and were having a hard time keeping food on the table. They visited the local food bank often and while their home was very crowded, they made it work. A few years late, Habitat for Humanity built her family a house. They were incredibly grateful and still are today, as her father donates money regularly to the organization.This house and help with their bills allowed the father the opportunity to save a little bit of money that lead to him starting his own business. He is now able to support his family without any assistance and is doing very well. Living in poverty did not negatively affect my friend because she did not have to live in the situation for very long. She always had food and parents that did all that they could to improve the situation. While, thankfully, my friend was not affected, it is a sad reality that many are. Children here in the United States and all across the world live in poverty that also leads to hunger and unclean water. These factors can affect a child's physical development and in turn, slower cognitive development.
The country that I decided to research for this assignment is Greece. Greece is such a beautiful country and it is a place that I would love to visit. I am aware that Greece has been having a hard time with their economy lately, but I had no idea to what extent. The economy in Greece has fallen 20% in the last five years with an unemployment rate of 27%, the highest in all of Europe (Alderman, 2013). Due to the lack of work available, many families are having to ration food, leaving children and adults alike, going hungry. According to a recent report, 10% of all Greek elementary and middle school children are suffering from hunger. The schools in Greece do not offer reduced and free lunch programs like America does, so if a child does not have food from home or money for lunch, the child will go hungry. These statistics are incredibly saddening and leave my heart very heavy. The Greek Orthodox Church has started collecting food from the public to help those in need while individual schools are also coming together to collect food for families. It does not seem that the government is assisting much with this issue. Children that are left hungry will not only suffer from delayed physical development, but will also reduce their rate of learning, slowing cognitive development as well (Alderman, 2013).
References
Alderman, Liz. (2013). More Children in Greece are Going Hungry. The New York Times. [Online Journal]. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/world/europe/more-children-in-greece-start-to-go-hungry.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
A close friend of mine spent the first few years of her life living in poverty. Her parents moved to the US from the Bahamas hoping to find a better life. They already have one child and then, while living in a two bedroom apartment, have five more. They could not afford to take care of these children and were having a hard time keeping food on the table. They visited the local food bank often and while their home was very crowded, they made it work. A few years late, Habitat for Humanity built her family a house. They were incredibly grateful and still are today, as her father donates money regularly to the organization.This house and help with their bills allowed the father the opportunity to save a little bit of money that lead to him starting his own business. He is now able to support his family without any assistance and is doing very well. Living in poverty did not negatively affect my friend because she did not have to live in the situation for very long. She always had food and parents that did all that they could to improve the situation. While, thankfully, my friend was not affected, it is a sad reality that many are. Children here in the United States and all across the world live in poverty that also leads to hunger and unclean water. These factors can affect a child's physical development and in turn, slower cognitive development.
The country that I decided to research for this assignment is Greece. Greece is such a beautiful country and it is a place that I would love to visit. I am aware that Greece has been having a hard time with their economy lately, but I had no idea to what extent. The economy in Greece has fallen 20% in the last five years with an unemployment rate of 27%, the highest in all of Europe (Alderman, 2013). Due to the lack of work available, many families are having to ration food, leaving children and adults alike, going hungry. According to a recent report, 10% of all Greek elementary and middle school children are suffering from hunger. The schools in Greece do not offer reduced and free lunch programs like America does, so if a child does not have food from home or money for lunch, the child will go hungry. These statistics are incredibly saddening and leave my heart very heavy. The Greek Orthodox Church has started collecting food from the public to help those in need while individual schools are also coming together to collect food for families. It does not seem that the government is assisting much with this issue. Children that are left hungry will not only suffer from delayed physical development, but will also reduce their rate of learning, slowing cognitive development as well (Alderman, 2013).
References
Alderman, Liz. (2013). More Children in Greece are Going Hungry. The New York Times. [Online Journal]. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/world/europe/more-children-in-greece-start-to-go-hungry.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
7.13.2013
Malnutrition in Children
"One in every four children in the world is suffering from chronic
malnutrition that is affecting their ability to learn, according to a
report by a charity."
This is a hard quote for me because it is not something that I was aware of before. Obviously, I am aware that other parts of the world are not as developed as the United States, where I live, I just was not familiar with the alarming statistics and the extent of this problem.
Chronic malnutrition delays a child's growth developmentally, physically, and cognitively. Obviously we are aware of the physical effects of malnutrition on children which then relates to developmental delays. But the effects of malnutrition also relate directly with a child's ability to learn. Malnourished children are 19% less likely to be able to read at the age of 8 (based on a study of children in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam). This disadvantage in early childhood can be seen as an indicator of how well these children will succeed later in life.
While the number of children who die from malnutrition is on the decline, from 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011, the problem is still very much evident. Becoming aware of these statistics makes me realize that I need to become more involved to help children around the world. I am an early childhood professional because I have a passion for young children. A passion to help them grow, learn, and succeed. This passion has led me to join advocacy groups in my area and will now lead me to become involved in organizations that will make people aware of this problem, and ultimately benefit children across the world.
Resource for statistics: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/28/18550564-one-quarter-of-worlds-children-struggling-to-learn-because-of-malnutrition-study?lite
This is a hard quote for me because it is not something that I was aware of before. Obviously, I am aware that other parts of the world are not as developed as the United States, where I live, I just was not familiar with the alarming statistics and the extent of this problem.
Chronic malnutrition delays a child's growth developmentally, physically, and cognitively. Obviously we are aware of the physical effects of malnutrition on children which then relates to developmental delays. But the effects of malnutrition also relate directly with a child's ability to learn. Malnourished children are 19% less likely to be able to read at the age of 8 (based on a study of children in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam). This disadvantage in early childhood can be seen as an indicator of how well these children will succeed later in life.
While the number of children who die from malnutrition is on the decline, from 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011, the problem is still very much evident. Becoming aware of these statistics makes me realize that I need to become more involved to help children around the world. I am an early childhood professional because I have a passion for young children. A passion to help them grow, learn, and succeed. This passion has led me to join advocacy groups in my area and will now lead me to become involved in organizations that will make people aware of this problem, and ultimately benefit children across the world.
Resource for statistics: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/28/18550564-one-quarter-of-worlds-children-struggling-to-learn-because-of-malnutrition-study?lite
7.02.2013
Child Birth
Child birth in the United States is very much the same for each woman. It is typically at a hospital, where the woman and child are taken care of until they are well enough to return home. When looking back at a personal experience, the birth of my god daughter, it was very much like this. Amber, my very best friend, had nurses look after her the entire 12 hours she was in labor. She had her doctor check on her twice and then deliver her baby. She had an anesthesiologist administer her an epidural to help with the pain. She even had a woman come help her after the baby was born, showing her how to properly hold her child and change her diaper. Another woman later came in, called a lactation specialist, to assist Amber in properly breastfeeding her child. While this is my only experience with the child birthing process, it seemed very standard for our country. It is very controlled, people are there to take charge if anything goes wrong. While a hospital is not the most comfortable place to be, it definitely seems to be the best option for giving birth to a child. There are doctors and surgeons on hand to handle any situation that may arise, and that is a very reassuring feeling. It increases all infants chance of survival and helps to reduce many risks that could potentially hinder the child's development.
The standard child birth in Japan is much different than our norm. The majority of Japanese women give birth without any painkillers whatsoever. It is said that the reason behind this relates to the Buddhist perception of suffering. People believe that the pain endured in labor is a test to prepare the woman for the difficult role of motherhood. Japanese women do deliver in a hospital, as American women do, but many fathers will not be in the delivery room. Fathers are only allowed in the delivery room if they have taken prenatal classes with the mother. After leaving the hospital, most mothers and babies will go to stay at the mother's parents home for at least a month. It is a cultural tradition that women stay in bed with their babies for 21 days. Friends and family stop by to visit and join in eating the celebratory food osekihan (red rice with red beans).
While Japanese women give birth in a hospital, as Amber did, this was the only comparison between the two. Japanese women do not use pain killers, as Amber did. Also, while Amber's husband was there to help encourage her through the birthing experience, many fathers in Japan choose not to participate in this activity. They also do not see much of their child the first month of life, as the child stays at the mother's parents house. Both Japanese women and Amber, however, did eat celebratory food with their family and friends. Amber's celebratory food was pink lemonade cupcakes and sparkling grapefruit juice, to welcome their beautiful baby girl Sophia.
The standard child birth in Japan is much different than our norm. The majority of Japanese women give birth without any painkillers whatsoever. It is said that the reason behind this relates to the Buddhist perception of suffering. People believe that the pain endured in labor is a test to prepare the woman for the difficult role of motherhood. Japanese women do deliver in a hospital, as American women do, but many fathers will not be in the delivery room. Fathers are only allowed in the delivery room if they have taken prenatal classes with the mother. After leaving the hospital, most mothers and babies will go to stay at the mother's parents home for at least a month. It is a cultural tradition that women stay in bed with their babies for 21 days. Friends and family stop by to visit and join in eating the celebratory food osekihan (red rice with red beans).
While Japanese women give birth in a hospital, as Amber did, this was the only comparison between the two. Japanese women do not use pain killers, as Amber did. Also, while Amber's husband was there to help encourage her through the birthing experience, many fathers in Japan choose not to participate in this activity. They also do not see much of their child the first month of life, as the child stays at the mother's parents house. Both Japanese women and Amber, however, did eat celebratory food with their family and friends. Amber's celebratory food was pink lemonade cupcakes and sparkling grapefruit juice, to welcome their beautiful baby girl Sophia.
6.22.2013
Code of Ethics in ECE
The code of ethics consists of principles and ideals that professionals in our field are responsible for upholding. All of the principles and ideals are important and each serve its own purpose. The three that I find especially meaningful are as follows:
"I-1.1 To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training."
This ideal is especially important because we must grow as a field to always provide the most up-to-date practices for children. We should always be adapting to the research and changing in a way that is constantly benefiting the children.
"I-1.8 To support the right of each child to play and learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs of children with and without disabilities."
Providing an inclusive environment for all children not only benefits every child in the program, but also teaches children diversity and acceptance for all people. I honestly feel that exposing children to differences at an early age will reduce bullying later in life.
"I-2.8 To help family members enhance their understanding of their children and support the continuing development of their skills as parents."
It is important for us as professionals to remember that most parents do not have the education background in child development that we have. They also are not required to attend yearly trainings as we are. It is really important for us to reach out to the parents so that they are interested and invested in their child's education and to offer them as little or as much training as they would like. An investment in early childhood education will lead to an investment in their life-long education.
Article: NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
"I-1.1 To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training."
This ideal is especially important because we must grow as a field to always provide the most up-to-date practices for children. We should always be adapting to the research and changing in a way that is constantly benefiting the children.
"I-1.8 To support the right of each child to play and learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs of children with and without disabilities."
Providing an inclusive environment for all children not only benefits every child in the program, but also teaches children diversity and acceptance for all people. I honestly feel that exposing children to differences at an early age will reduce bullying later in life.
"I-2.8 To help family members enhance their understanding of their children and support the continuing development of their skills as parents."
It is important for us as professionals to remember that most parents do not have the education background in child development that we have. They also are not required to attend yearly trainings as we are. It is really important for us to reach out to the parents so that they are interested and invested in their child's education and to offer them as little or as much training as they would like. An investment in early childhood education will lead to an investment in their life-long education.
Article: NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
6.08.2013
Course Resources
Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices
Additional 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, 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
- 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.pd
- 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.
- World Forum Foundation
- 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/
Additional Resources:
- The National Head Start Association www.nhsa.org
- The Office of Head Start www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/
- Office of Child Care www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ
- The Southern Early Childhood Association www.southernearlychildhood.org
6.01.2013
Quotes that Inspire
"Never work just for money or for power. They won't save your soul or help you sleep at night."
- Marian Wright Edelman
"If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much."
- Marian Wright Edelman
"If we want to invest in the prosperity of our nation, we must invest in the education of our children so that their talents may be fully employed."
- President William J. Clinton
"We cannot build our own future without helping others to build theirs."
- President William J. Clinton
“We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better...”
- Sandy Escobido
“My passion comes from wanting to make a difference…I’m not here to save the world, I’m here just to make a difference in the community that I’m working."
- Raymond Hernandez
- Marian Wright Edelman
"If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much."
- Marian Wright Edelman
"If we want to invest in the prosperity of our nation, we must invest in the education of our children so that their talents may be fully employed."
- President William J. Clinton
"We cannot build our own future without helping others to build theirs."
- President William J. Clinton
“We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better...”
- Sandy Escobido
“My passion comes from wanting to make a difference…I’m not here to save the world, I’m here just to make a difference in the community that I’m working."
- Raymond Hernandez
5.24.2013
Personal Childhood Web
My Momma
The person who has influenced my life the most is my mother, Traci. My mom is a single mom who got pregnant with me at 18 years old. She grew up really fast and learned to be the best mom that she could be. She put herself through nursing school working two jobs, with the help of my grandparents and her sisters. She always put me first and it was just me and my momma for my entire childhood. She taught me strength and stressed independence. She helped me to become the person that I am today. My mother continues to support me with her unconditional love and support. No matter what happens in my life, I know that my mother will always be there for me.
My Grandma
My grandma, Joyce, also played a very large role in my childhood. I lived at my grandparents house for the first seven years of my life and she was often my main caregiver, as my mother was at work and school. Because I was the only grandchild, you can imagine how much she spoiled me. She gave me so much love and attention and really let me get away with everything. She also taught me how to do many firsts, such as riding a bike, tying my shoes, and baking cookies. To this day, my grandma continues to spoil me. She has never missed a single game, band concert or recital. She even came to my wedding in Jamaica. My grandma is always someone that I can talk to and offers the best advice. And she is still teaching me things. Right now she is teaching me how to sew and passing on her best recipes to me.
My Grandaddy
Growing up with a single mom, I didn't really have a father figure. My grandaddy, Rob, was my father figure. My grandaddy was the disciplinarian in the house but always had a soft spot for me. His nickname for me, even at age 28, is still "rotten." My grandaddy made me feel loved by supporting me in everything I did. He was there for me emotionally and financially. He made sure that I was able to go on every field trip and attend every extra curricular activity that I wanted to do. My grandaddy still supports me by being my biggest fan yet pushing me to dream and act bigger. He is the reason I chose to pursue my masters degree and introduced me to politics, which is now one of my passions.
My Aunt Bridgett
Growing up in my grandparents house also meant growing up with both of my aunts. My aunt Bridgett was the oldest, a junior in high school, and I was "her girl." She always made me the sole center of attention and we had so much fun together. I remember riding in her convertible jammin' to The Beach Boys. Our song was "Kokomo" and I still love that song, so much that I walked into my wedding reception to that song. Now that I am grown up, my aunt Bridgett is more like a sister. Bridgett taught me how to be a "tom boy." We would play soccer and catch salamanders in the creek. She also taught me how to fish. She listens to my problems and offers advice and vice versa. We can talk to each other about anything and she is really a valuable voice of reason for me.
My Aunt Joy
My aunt Joy also lived in the house that I spent many childhood years in. Joy always made me feel special by playing dress up with me and doing my hair and makeup. Even though I was little, she would include me when her friends came over, and that really meant a lot. As I got older, she taught me all of the girly things to do, like hair and makeup. We would always go shopping together and get a cookie at the mall. Like my aunt Bridgett, Joy is much like a sister to me. She offers great advice and life experiences whenever I am going through something tough. And she is still the best shopping partner :-)
Summary
My family is very close. At one time, there were a whole bunch of people in a little house and everybody was in everybody's business. To this day, it's still very much like that. While everyone is now grown and has their own home, my momma, grandma & grandaddy, aunt Bridgett and aunt Joy all live in the same neighborhood; different blocks but still within walking distance of each other. I love this about my family and wouldn't change it for the world. We are so close and everyone helps each other out, in my book, it's perfect. And as you can see from the picture above, we love to have a good time!
The person who has influenced my life the most is my mother, Traci. My mom is a single mom who got pregnant with me at 18 years old. She grew up really fast and learned to be the best mom that she could be. She put herself through nursing school working two jobs, with the help of my grandparents and her sisters. She always put me first and it was just me and my momma for my entire childhood. She taught me strength and stressed independence. She helped me to become the person that I am today. My mother continues to support me with her unconditional love and support. No matter what happens in my life, I know that my mother will always be there for me.
My Grandma
My grandma, Joyce, also played a very large role in my childhood. I lived at my grandparents house for the first seven years of my life and she was often my main caregiver, as my mother was at work and school. Because I was the only grandchild, you can imagine how much she spoiled me. She gave me so much love and attention and really let me get away with everything. She also taught me how to do many firsts, such as riding a bike, tying my shoes, and baking cookies. To this day, my grandma continues to spoil me. She has never missed a single game, band concert or recital. She even came to my wedding in Jamaica. My grandma is always someone that I can talk to and offers the best advice. And she is still teaching me things. Right now she is teaching me how to sew and passing on her best recipes to me.
Growing up with a single mom, I didn't really have a father figure. My grandaddy, Rob, was my father figure. My grandaddy was the disciplinarian in the house but always had a soft spot for me. His nickname for me, even at age 28, is still "rotten." My grandaddy made me feel loved by supporting me in everything I did. He was there for me emotionally and financially. He made sure that I was able to go on every field trip and attend every extra curricular activity that I wanted to do. My grandaddy still supports me by being my biggest fan yet pushing me to dream and act bigger. He is the reason I chose to pursue my masters degree and introduced me to politics, which is now one of my passions.
My Aunt Bridgett
Growing up in my grandparents house also meant growing up with both of my aunts. My aunt Bridgett was the oldest, a junior in high school, and I was "her girl." She always made me the sole center of attention and we had so much fun together. I remember riding in her convertible jammin' to The Beach Boys. Our song was "Kokomo" and I still love that song, so much that I walked into my wedding reception to that song. Now that I am grown up, my aunt Bridgett is more like a sister. Bridgett taught me how to be a "tom boy." We would play soccer and catch salamanders in the creek. She also taught me how to fish. She listens to my problems and offers advice and vice versa. We can talk to each other about anything and she is really a valuable voice of reason for me.
My aunt Joy also lived in the house that I spent many childhood years in. Joy always made me feel special by playing dress up with me and doing my hair and makeup. Even though I was little, she would include me when her friends came over, and that really meant a lot. As I got older, she taught me all of the girly things to do, like hair and makeup. We would always go shopping together and get a cookie at the mall. Like my aunt Bridgett, Joy is much like a sister to me. She offers great advice and life experiences whenever I am going through something tough. And she is still the best shopping partner :-)
Summary
My family is very close. At one time, there were a whole bunch of people in a little house and everybody was in everybody's business. To this day, it's still very much like that. While everyone is now grown and has their own home, my momma, grandma & grandaddy, aunt Bridgett and aunt Joy all live in the same neighborhood; different blocks but still within walking distance of each other. I love this about my family and wouldn't change it for the world. We are so close and everyone helps each other out, in my book, it's perfect. And as you can see from the picture above, we love to have a good time!
5.14.2013
Knuffle Bunny - My absolute fave!
We all have a favorite book that we read to children. That one book that, at this point, is completely memorized by both ourselves and the child. Mine is Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems. If you've never read the book, it's about a little girl who loses her "knuffle bunny" one day while out running errands with her dad. She can't talk yet so she babbles and screams and flails around trying to tell her dad what the problem is. Eventually she gets reunited with her "knuffle bunny." It's a super cute story and I love it because it makes you feel happy after you read it. And the pictures are great!
5.07.2013
A Newbie to Blogging
Welcome everyone. My name is Cassie and while I am a newbie to blogging, I am looking forward to this journey.
"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
- Margaret Mead
"Children must be taught how to think, not what to think."
- Margaret Mead
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