My vision is to open a high quality child care where children and families from all abilities, socio-economic group, race, religion, and any background can come and know that their child is being well taken care of by a quality staff who will not only work on academic with their child but all aspects of development. This is greatly lacking in my small community. As a mother of a child with ADHD and one with autism my kids have been kicked out of varies center all because the staff does not know what to do with them nor are they willing to learn.
I hope that with the center that I will open that parents and staff from diverse background will work together to provide the best possible care for all the children in our community. I want to show our community what can be accomplished when we all work together and do not settle for mediocre.
I would like to see the entire early childhood community come together and work on how train and support staff and families related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice. I would also like to see a curriculum made to help staff with how to teach these issue to young children.
Thank you to all my colleagues for continue to challenge, and grow my worldview. I wish you all the best of luck and hope to work with you all again. I know that we will help to shape and change the field one child/family at a time.
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Friday, December 15, 2017
Welcoming families from around the world
I just found out that in two weeks I will be getting a new child in my class from Andorra. Where in the world is Andorra? I start doing research so that I can make this child and his family feel welcome. First I look up Andorra on the Department of State website. I find out that it is a tiny country between France and Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains. I find out it is a popular tourist destination due to duty-free shopping and variety of winter sports. I then do a google search to learn about the culture and costumes of the land.
From the world factbook, I learn that Catalan is the official language though many speak French, Portuguese, and Castillian. The dominant religion is Roman Catholic. This is still just superficial facts, I need more info on what the culture is like. I do an image search to see what the culture is like. The scenery is breathtaking. I print off some of the pictures to make a book to talk to the class about before our new friend arrives. We look up how to say hello in Catalan and practice saying it. I looked up youtube videos about the culture and life and showed appropriate ones to the class. We also researched the food of the area and talked with the cook about adding some to our menu.
I hope that this preparation will help me make the family feel welcomed and that we are here to partner with them in their child's education.
From the world factbook, I learn that Catalan is the official language though many speak French, Portuguese, and Castillian. The dominant religion is Roman Catholic. This is still just superficial facts, I need more info on what the culture is like. I do an image search to see what the culture is like. The scenery is breathtaking. I print off some of the pictures to make a book to talk to the class about before our new friend arrives. We look up how to say hello in Catalan and practice saying it. I looked up youtube videos about the culture and life and showed appropriate ones to the class. We also researched the food of the area and talked with the cook about adding some to our menu.
I hope that this preparation will help me make the family feel welcomed and that we are here to partner with them in their child's education.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression
My friend Kelly is white and she has six wonderful biracial children. One day about seven years ago we meet up for lunch. She had two of her children with her who look more like their father than her. We were eating and laughing as one of her children was doing different impressions of famous people. An older man came over and I guess thought that Kelly and I were a couple. He said, "it's a shame that you two are living in sin, but to bring kids into this is a shame, besides they should be with their own kind." We sat there in shock and then I busted out laughing, at no point did we act like a couple or anything. However, the kids sat there with their heads down, no longer smiling or laughing like earlier. Kelly sent them to the car, and she told me that being told they should be with their own kind is something that they deal with often. I did not know what to do or say.
I felt so sorry for the kids to have to deal with ignorance from adults, I feel angry for adults treating any child this way and heartbroken for Kelly as she does not know what to do or say to help her children cope.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions
Observing microaggressions this week has been tough since I have been on at home all week. However, we decided to go Black Friday shopping and that changed everything. I went with my mom and took my oldest daughter who is 13 for the first time. We waited in line at Game Stop for over an hour, and as we got ready to leave, a lady came in and asked about one of the consoles they had on sale to a young man who was working. The boy looked to be in his late teens and already overwhelmed by everything going on. The lady was in her late 30's early 40's with three preteen kids with her. She wanted him to hold a console for her. He told her that he could not do that and he could not guarantee that they would have any left when she returned. She called him a "dumb kid" and threaten to punch him in the face and asked to talk to someone older. The manager came out and told her the same thing. She left at that point.
I felt sorry for this young man and I thought about getting in between him and her and telling her that he was only doing his job. He was not rude or disrespectful in any way and told her the same script that he told everyone else, but she felt that she could disrespect him because he was younger than her. I think this is an example of micro assault, micro insult, and micro invalidation. I love that the manager told her the exact same thing that the young man said. I used this as a teachable moment for my daughter, who says she is never working retail.
Before this experience, I never really thought about younger people being the target of micro aggression just because of their age. It is something to be aware of and watch for.
I felt sorry for this young man and I thought about getting in between him and her and telling her that he was only doing his job. He was not rude or disrespectful in any way and told her the same script that he told everyone else, but she felt that she could disrespect him because he was younger than her. I think this is an example of micro assault, micro insult, and micro invalidation. I love that the manager told her the exact same thing that the young man said. I used this as a teachable moment for my daughter, who says she is never working retail.
Before this experience, I never really thought about younger people being the target of micro aggression just because of their age. It is something to be aware of and watch for.
Friday, November 17, 2017
What is culture and diversity?
When I first started to work on this assignment, I thought, I don't know three people whose culture is different than my own. I started to scroll down my facebook friends list and quickly realized that I know several. The three people that I interviewed are very different. One is a missionary in Paupa New Guine, One is a friend from high school who is transgender, and one is a former coworker who is bi-racial.
I expected each of them to have a different definition of cultural, but they were all pretty similar. All three said that culture was how a particular group of people lived. I think this is the definition that we all were taught in school. However, each of them had a different definition of diversity. Erica, who is a missionary, said that diversity was blending different cultures together. Dannie, the friend from high school said that diversity was the differences in all the cultures. Rose said that diversity was people of different cultures living near and working with each other.
Let us discuss culture first. Everyone had the same definition of culture, which is vague, but as I have discussed before, it is difficult to get an exact all-encompassing definition. This definition also does not take into consideration that families and individuals within a particular group can vary. That is why I like Nadiyah Taylor defined culture best by saying, it is "our way of being in the world."
I think my own definition of diversity is the same as Rose's, however, I think all three are aspects of diversity. It is the differences and the similarities between cultures, and people of different cultures living and working together, and at times blending those cultures together to make a new one.
The most interesting part of this assignment was seeing how three people who are very different all had the same definition of culture but different definitions of diversity. Erica is a missionary and her family blends their traditions with that of PNG, and thus her definition. Danny is transgender, and her definition focuses on differences, Rose is bi-racial and her definition focuses on people living and working together.
References
Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Family cultures: Dynamic interactions [video file]. Retrieved from http://class.waldenu.edu.
I expected each of them to have a different definition of cultural, but they were all pretty similar. All three said that culture was how a particular group of people lived. I think this is the definition that we all were taught in school. However, each of them had a different definition of diversity. Erica, who is a missionary, said that diversity was blending different cultures together. Dannie, the friend from high school said that diversity was the differences in all the cultures. Rose said that diversity was people of different cultures living near and working with each other.
Let us discuss culture first. Everyone had the same definition of culture, which is vague, but as I have discussed before, it is difficult to get an exact all-encompassing definition. This definition also does not take into consideration that families and individuals within a particular group can vary. That is why I like Nadiyah Taylor defined culture best by saying, it is "our way of being in the world."
I think my own definition of diversity is the same as Rose's, however, I think all three are aspects of diversity. It is the differences and the similarities between cultures, and people of different cultures living and working together, and at times blending those cultures together to make a new one.
The most interesting part of this assignment was seeing how three people who are very different all had the same definition of culture but different definitions of diversity. Erica is a missionary and her family blends their traditions with that of PNG, and thus her definition. Danny is transgender, and her definition focuses on differences, Rose is bi-racial and her definition focuses on people living and working together.
Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Family cultures: Dynamic interactions [video file]. Retrieved from http://class.waldenu.edu.
Saturday, November 11, 2017
My Family Culture
A catastrophe has hit and I can only take three items that represent my family. What would I take? The first that I think of is a 4x6 family photo. My second item would be the Bible that my grandma gave me when I was in high school. The third item is a plaque of all six of our handprints that we hang in the living room. We made this shortly after my husband and I got married to show that we are one family.
How do these show my family culture? Family is very important to me whcih is why I chose the family photo. I want to remember the happy times, remember how blessed we are to still be together, and remember when my kids were little. I don't know how well my phone would be working, if I still had access to the photos on it, so I want to have a hard copy. The second item, my Bible, is important to me. This is not the Bible that I currently use, but this is the Bible that my grandma gave me after I was saved. It reminds me of her, her faith, my faith, and how God will never leave me. The third goes along with the first, that family is important and it is important for us to remember that no matter what we are a family.
If I was told that I could only keep one, I would be sad to have to give up two of my items, but I know what choice I would make. The picture and the sign are important, but we can make another. My Bible with a personal message from my grandmother is irreplaceable and depending on the country maybe be illegal and unable to even get another Bible.
My faith and my family are extremely important to me and this assignment proves that even more.
my kids and family
How do these show my family culture? Family is very important to me whcih is why I chose the family photo. I want to remember the happy times, remember how blessed we are to still be together, and remember when my kids were little. I don't know how well my phone would be working, if I still had access to the photos on it, so I want to have a hard copy. The second item, my Bible, is important to me. This is not the Bible that I currently use, but this is the Bible that my grandma gave me after I was saved. It reminds me of her, her faith, my faith, and how God will never leave me. The third goes along with the first, that family is important and it is important for us to remember that no matter what we are a family.
If I was told that I could only keep one, I would be sad to have to give up two of my items, but I know what choice I would make. The picture and the sign are important, but we can make another. My Bible with a personal message from my grandmother is irreplaceable and depending on the country maybe be illegal and unable to even get another Bible.
My faith and my family are extremely important to me and this assignment proves that even more.
my great grandma, my mammaw, mom, and me
Saturday, October 28, 2017
When I think of Research
- Why is your simulation important to the field of early childhood?
My simulation is about what teaching methods are best to use when working with children affected by drug abuse. This topic is important to the field of early childhood because drug addiction is a growing problem that many faces in our country. Children are often caught in the middle and are behind their peers, academically, socially, and emotionally. We need to find effective teaching methods to help these children catch up, learn to cope, and develop executive function and end the cycle of drug abuse.
- If you were to conduct your simulation proposal, who would benefit
Teachers, students, social services, and communities would all benefit from this study for the reasons that I stated above.
- What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this
My perceptions have not changed about early childhood professionals.
Saturday, October 7, 2017
Research around the world
For this assignment I chose the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). From the link I learned that some of the research conducted internationally are similar to what is being conducted in the states. In the United States, we hear about leadership training for those in the field and how to get parents more involved. http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php, I saw several research projects with similar topics. "Involving fathers in early childhood care and education." "Leadership Skills Training for Administration and Parent Support Training for Caregivers," and "Improving the Quality of Childcare Through Parenting Enrichment and Training of Trainers: The Eritrean Model." I was surprised by the similarities that I found. All around the world people want quality early childhood programs with well trained staff and families that are involved.
I also found a few that I think are unique to the area that the research is done in. There are several about utilizing indigenous stories, culture,and knowledge into early childhood programs. I think that this is important for everyone to know their heritage and be able to celebrate their culture and who they are.
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php
I also found a few that I think are unique to the area that the research is done in. There are several about utilizing indigenous stories, culture,and knowledge into early childhood programs. I think that this is important for everyone to know their heritage and be able to celebrate their culture and who they are.
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Uplifting stories
If I could research any topic in the early childhood field, what would I research? I have a few topics that are near and dear to my hear. One would be autism research. What causes autism, what are the best ways to raise awareness, and acceptance. The second is my current topic, what are the best methods to teach children that have experience trauma, and how best to work with the family. What I image the outcomes to be is a better understand of autism, and better teaching methods to work with at risk children to help them see that they don't have to live like this, they can choose to stop the cycle and have better lives.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Personal Research Journey
My chosen topic is how to teach children who have experience trauma, primarily trauma due to parents drug problems. I chose this topic because it is an issue that I deal with personal and professionally. Three of my children are adopted, their birth mom is in and out of prison for drug related charges. Before I adopted them, it was common for them to go a whole weekend without food, because their birth mother sold their food stamp card for drugs. The kids deal with high anxiety, toxic stress, and feeling abandoned. I see similar situations in my classroom as well. Over half of my class last year were living with relatives or in foster care due to parents being in prison for drug realted charges. Several of the children came to school late and hungry. I use to keep snacks to feed these children when they arrived. Besides feeding them, what else can I do to help them?
Friday, August 25, 2017
Week 8
I have enjoyed learning about the international early childhood field these past eight weeks from the Association of Childhood Education Internation.
The three consequences of leaarning about the international early childhood field are: 1.) You can no longer live in a bubble. The world is much bigger and the need is bigger than you thought. 2.), The ways of the United States are not the ways of the world. Many countries do things different and better than what we do. The third consequence is the feeling of wanting to do something to make a difference. ACEI offers a variety of programs and groups that I have dissussed these past few weeks to get involved in.
The three consequences of leaarning about the international early childhood field are: 1.) You can no longer live in a bubble. The world is much bigger and the need is bigger than you thought. 2.), The ways of the United States are not the ways of the world. Many countries do things different and better than what we do. The third consequence is the feeling of wanting to do something to make a difference. ACEI offers a variety of programs and groups that I have dissussed these past few weeks to get involved in.
Resources
http://www.acei.org/
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Professional Goals, Hopes, and Dreams
I have recently made the switch from teaching for Head Start to being a kindergarten teacher for a Christian school. Yes, this is a big change. In Head Start, we constantly talked about quality, professional development, and how to improve our program. So far at the Christian school, I am constantly told that I do not need to do everything that I am doing, parents only care about academics. My room would pass a Step Up to Quality and NAEYC inspection. I have centers, I have 10 min breaks planned in between subjects, and a long recess in the afternoon. I think I need more social emotional activities and more unstructured time, but the other teachers look at me like I am crazy and tells me to just stick with the workbooks. I think I will win them over before the end of the year, (hopefully).
There is no talk about professional development or quality at this school.
Opportunities for professional development, is limited in this county. I usually check my professional development portal (OCCRRA) to see what trainings are in Columbus or Cincinnati and go on my own. The only training that I am required to keep for my current position is CPR/first aid. I currently do not have any professional development requirements. When I taught for Head Start I had to have 10 hours of training minimum each year.
What are my professional goals?
We need high quality child care in this area that accepts all children, including those with disabilities. The only programs that participates in Step Up to Quality (Ohio's quality rating system) is Head Start. I plan to open up a child care center and show this county what high quality looks like. I eventually want to add a K-3rd grade programs and service all of early childhood years with no worksheets, kids up, and actively involved in what they are doing. This is my goal.
There is no talk about professional development or quality at this school.
Opportunities for professional development, is limited in this county. I usually check my professional development portal (OCCRRA) to see what trainings are in Columbus or Cincinnati and go on my own. The only training that I am required to keep for my current position is CPR/first aid. I currently do not have any professional development requirements. When I taught for Head Start I had to have 10 hours of training minimum each year.
What are my professional goals?
We need high quality child care in this area that accepts all children, including those with disabilities. The only programs that participates in Step Up to Quality (Ohio's quality rating system) is Head Start. I plan to open up a child care center and show this county what high quality looks like. I eventually want to add a K-3rd grade programs and service all of early childhood years with no worksheets, kids up, and actively involved in what they are doing. This is my goal.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Sharing Web Resources part 3
This week, I am looking into the Center for Educational Diplomacy. This is the last of the three programs that the Association for childhood Education International offers. The center's mission is to promote the well-being of children worldwide. It has three goals. They are: lead the development of the concept of education diplomacy, provided resources for organizations and individuals working to incorporate education diplomacy into their efforts, and to create a cadre of experienced education diplomats to further global education and development goals, (educational diplomacy, n.d.). The center offers courses and certifications for professionals. There is a ton of information on this site that tells the difference between being an educational diplomat and being an advocate. I found this to be interesting.
The main difference is that advocacy uses persuasive arguments to meet its goal. Diplomacy uses a variety of diplomacy tools such as negotiation and mediation. I believe someone who is an educational diplomat could use their skills and knowledge to promote equity and excellence in early care and education. In fact, I think that is the primary goal of Association for Childhood Education
I searched the site for information on working with immigrate families but I was unable to find anything. I also subscribed to their newsletter at the beginning of this course and I have not received anything yet. I am hoping to become a member soon and I am looking into some of the courses offered, after I finish my masters.
Resources
http://www.acei.org/
http://www.educationdiplomacy.org/
Friday, August 4, 2017
Week 5
I have had no luck of writing to professionals from the podcast and hearing back from them. So for this assignment I researched the Harvard University's "Global Children's Initiative." The initiative works with Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and has a program called Saving Brains. The title of the last one caught my attention. "Saving Brains seeks to improve outcomes for children living in poverty through interventions that nurture and protect early brain development in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life," (Harvard University, 2010). Saving Brains uses science to to address the issue of children who do not reach their potential, (Harvard University, 2010). The program operates in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, and Latin American. I think this sound amazing and I want to learn more.
In Brazil, the initiative works with law makers to strengthen leadership and policies for early childhood. They are translation research for a Brazilian audience to understand the science of early childhood.
I found it odd that there is an initiative in Canada. When I think of global initiatives, I think of poor third world countries. The initiative in Canada works to support research in early brain development, and translate the research for policy makers, healthcare, and the public, (Harvard University, 2010).
I continue to be amazed at all the information available and the efforts that so many are making to make quality early childhood education a reality for all. I like that they talked about using science to encourage lawmakers to make changes and make it so that the audience can understand it.
I do not know if I just over looked it, but I was unable to find the link to the "Current Issues in Comparative Education." However, I did find an article on the Center for Global Education that talks about equity. "Educators agree that understanding the world and demonstrating critical skills such as empathy, communication, collaboration and perspective-taking are foundation to an equitable education," (Center for Global Education, 2016). The article went on to talk about how a school in London made great improvements and using it as a model for other schools. The school in London achieved success by having, "A belief that all children can succeed and a relentless focus on improving teaching and leadership capacity, using data at the school and student level, and creating effective and highly collaborative networks and partnerships, drove success," (Center for Global Education, 2016). They came up with four key points to make a education system high quality. They are: teacher development, consistency of policy and supports, community voice, and flexibility for local leaders and educations in responding to the needs of students in their communities," (Center for Global Education, 2016). I bookmarked this as I think it is a great resource to use.
Reference
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children's initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/
Center for Global Education. (2016). Global Competence and Equity. Retrieved from http://asiasociety.org/education/global-competence-and-equity
In Brazil, the initiative works with law makers to strengthen leadership and policies for early childhood. They are translation research for a Brazilian audience to understand the science of early childhood.
I found it odd that there is an initiative in Canada. When I think of global initiatives, I think of poor third world countries. The initiative in Canada works to support research in early brain development, and translate the research for policy makers, healthcare, and the public, (Harvard University, 2010).
I continue to be amazed at all the information available and the efforts that so many are making to make quality early childhood education a reality for all. I like that they talked about using science to encourage lawmakers to make changes and make it so that the audience can understand it.
I do not know if I just over looked it, but I was unable to find the link to the "Current Issues in Comparative Education." However, I did find an article on the Center for Global Education that talks about equity. "Educators agree that understanding the world and demonstrating critical skills such as empathy, communication, collaboration and perspective-taking are foundation to an equitable education," (Center for Global Education, 2016). The article went on to talk about how a school in London made great improvements and using it as a model for other schools. The school in London achieved success by having, "A belief that all children can succeed and a relentless focus on improving teaching and leadership capacity, using data at the school and student level, and creating effective and highly collaborative networks and partnerships, drove success," (Center for Global Education, 2016). They came up with four key points to make a education system high quality. They are: teacher development, consistency of policy and supports, community voice, and flexibility for local leaders and educations in responding to the needs of students in their communities," (Center for Global Education, 2016). I bookmarked this as I think it is a great resource to use.
Reference
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children's initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/
Center for Global Education. (2016). Global Competence and Equity. Retrieved from http://asiasociety.org/education/global-competence-and-equity
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Sharing Web Resources part 2
Last time, I researched Global School First, and this week I looked into Innovations Exchange from the Associations of Childhood Education International. "Today’s education innovation movement believes that a quality education should also promote better health, democratic participation, gender equality, and environmental sustainability—leading us to a more peaceful, prosperous world. As we move further into the 21st century, we must move toward a new standard of global education that puts this ambitious belief into practice," (acei, n.d., par.2).
The innovation Exchange strives to be the first resource for teachers looking for new ideas and approaches in education.
I find this helpful to me as I am moving from being a preschool teacher to a kindergarten teacher. I want to know what is the current and best practice, and gain new ideas with what to do with my classroom.
I think this ties in with our study about how economist, neuroscientists, and politicians fit into the early childhood field, because it is something new and innovating in the field.
"We reach a global audience working to create positive, sustainable futures for children and youth by developing and seeking out innovative solutions to education challenges," (acei, n.d., par. 5). Could the economists' view be an innovating solution to education challenges? This is a new idea that I have never thought of.
References
ACEI. (n.d.). Innovation Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.acei.org/innovation-exchange/
image from google images
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Getting to know Belize
For this assignment, I decided to research Belize. I have visited the beautiful country while on a cruise a few years ago. I knew that it was an emerging country, but I had no idea of the issues children in this country face. Belize has the highest HIV/AIDS rates in Central America, (Niles, 2008). Along with the aids problem; drugs, violence, and prostitution are common problems. UNICEF has a program called My Neighbours and Me, that provides a safe place for kids after school. The program offers dancing, arts and crafts, homework help, etc. It also talks with the kids about how to prevent HIV/AIDS, protect themselves, and how to use a computer. The teachers in the area praise the program for teaching self discipline and self-control.
What have I learned?
I knew that many in Belize lived in poverty, but I did not know about the issues with AIDS, drugs, and violence. I am glad that there are programs to help get kids off the streets and in a safe environment that will teach them skills to end the poverty cycle. The amazing information that I learned is that this program was started by two teen brothers, who were 18 and 13 when they opened the program.
References
Niles, Chris. (2008). 'My Neighbours and Me' offer children positive alternative to drugs and crime. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/belize_42770.html
pictures retrieved from same website.
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Sharing Web Resources
I chose the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). Their goal is to work for education of all children with a focus on the most fragile and vulnerable children, (ACEI, n.a). I love their mission statement. “Our mission is to promote innovative solutions to education challenges and inspire action that creates positive, sustainable futures for children and youth worldwide," (ACEI, n.a.). They have three programs that help meet their goal and mission statement. They are Center for Educational Diplomacy, Global Schools First, and Innovative Exchange.
The Center for Educational Diplomacy uses education as a way to promote peace, prosperity, and changes. Global Schools First, seeks "education that empowers learners to value national, social, racial, cultural, and religious differences while embracing our common humanity. To prepare children to be dedicated stewards of an increasingly interconnected world, global citizenship education must be placed at the center of learning," (Global Schools First, n.a.). I absolutely love this statement! The third program, is Innovative Exchange. The Innovative Exchange says that learning and innovation go hand in hand. This programs seeks to share knowledge and thought with educators around the world.
I am interested in learning more about the Global Schools First program, it sounds like this would be a great resource to learn more about diversity and appropriate strategies. I am excited to dig in.
links are posted below.
http://www.acei.org/about/
http://www.acei.org/global-schools-first
http://www.acei.org/innovation-exchange
http://www.educationdiplomacy.org/
Friday, July 7, 2017
Expanding Horizons and Expanding Resources
For expanding horizons, I reviewed the World Forum Foundation about us page. This organization looks interesting. "The mission of the World Forum Foundation is to promote an on-going global exchange of ideas on the delivery of quality services for young children in diverse settings," (World Forum Foundation, n.d.). The foundation is made up of early childhood leaders from all over the world. There are conferences , leadership meetings, groups, and forums. Each forum is hosted by a group and each group is in charge of a specific early childhood topic. If someone is interested in getting involved, you can join a conversation on the forum, join a focus group, or become a global leader for young children.
I also listened to one of their pod cast, which I was surprised to not find mentioned any where on their about us page. The pod cast that I chose was an interview with Susan Lyons who is the director of the Innovative teacher Project in San Frisco. The project is a network of schools and teachers that want to learn more about in depth approach to learning inspired by Reggio Emilia. Each month a teacher presents their school to the group and they have discussions about the school. This has helped the schools and teachers in the area to grow and develop to make each school an inspiration.
I would love an opportunity to go to one of these meetings and see what all is going on and how this network has helped these teachers and districts.
For part two of this assignment, I chose the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). I chose this because I am interested in learning more about education in other parts of the world. I signed up for emails, which I am hoping means their e news.
Resources
Association for the Association for Childhood Education International. (n.d.). http://www.acei.org/
World Forum Foundation. (n.d.). about us. Retrieved from http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
I also listened to one of their pod cast, which I was surprised to not find mentioned any where on their about us page. The pod cast that I chose was an interview with Susan Lyons who is the director of the Innovative teacher Project in San Frisco. The project is a network of schools and teachers that want to learn more about in depth approach to learning inspired by Reggio Emilia. Each month a teacher presents their school to the group and they have discussions about the school. This has helped the schools and teachers in the area to grow and develop to make each school an inspiration.
I would love an opportunity to go to one of these meetings and see what all is going on and how this network has helped these teachers and districts.
For part two of this assignment, I chose the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). I chose this because I am interested in learning more about education in other parts of the world. I signed up for emails, which I am hoping means their e news.
Resources
Association for the Association for Childhood Education International. (n.d.). http://www.acei.org/
World Forum Foundation. (n.d.). about us. Retrieved from http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
World Forum Foundation Radio. (2011). Interview with Susan Lyons. Retrieved from http://www.podcastchart.com/podcasts/world-forum-radio/episodes/world-forum-radio-susan-lyon/pop
Saturday, June 17, 2017
My Supports
I am a preschool teacher and currently I am on summer break. My daily environment looks different in the summer than it does during the school year.
My day starts off (most mornings) with a devotional and prayer time. My supports for this are my glasses, (I couldn't read without them), Bible, journal, pen, and phone, (I have a devotional app on my phone). What are the benefits of these supports? It helps my in my walk with God, and makes me a better and happier person. On mornings when my kids beat me getting up, and I don't have the time for my morning God time, I am cranky and not in a good mood. I image if it was every morning my mood would be bad every day.
After my morning devotional time is kids up, breakfast, and chore time. I use a lot of practical supports during this time, such as, dishes and food, wipe board as I make their chore list for the day, and cleaning supplies for what chores they need to do and I need to do. What are the benefits of these supports? I don't have to wash a family of six clothes by hand, the kids can look at the board to see what they need to do instead of asking me fifty times, etc.
Next is free time and I may talk on the phone with my best friend Maria. We keep each other somewhat sane. There are days when this is my only adult interaction. It would be very difficult to stay sane during the summer without these phone calls.
Lunch time and the same supports as breakfast are used. After lunch is errands, library, the Y, bowling, or just some type of outing to get us out of the house. The car is an important support for this. This keeps the kids from fighting and arguing so much, a reason to get their chores done, and something to look forward too. Without this we would be in the house all week, bored, and miserable.
Last is dinner and family time. We play board games, watch a movie, build a fort, etc. This is something fun for the emotional support and bonding for the whole family. With out this support we would not be as close as we are, I would say this is the most important support of the whole day.
My day starts off (most mornings) with a devotional and prayer time. My supports for this are my glasses, (I couldn't read without them), Bible, journal, pen, and phone, (I have a devotional app on my phone). What are the benefits of these supports? It helps my in my walk with God, and makes me a better and happier person. On mornings when my kids beat me getting up, and I don't have the time for my morning God time, I am cranky and not in a good mood. I image if it was every morning my mood would be bad every day.
After my morning devotional time is kids up, breakfast, and chore time. I use a lot of practical supports during this time, such as, dishes and food, wipe board as I make their chore list for the day, and cleaning supplies for what chores they need to do and I need to do. What are the benefits of these supports? I don't have to wash a family of six clothes by hand, the kids can look at the board to see what they need to do instead of asking me fifty times, etc.
Next is free time and I may talk on the phone with my best friend Maria. We keep each other somewhat sane. There are days when this is my only adult interaction. It would be very difficult to stay sane during the summer without these phone calls.
Lunch time and the same supports as breakfast are used. After lunch is errands, library, the Y, bowling, or just some type of outing to get us out of the house. The car is an important support for this. This keeps the kids from fighting and arguing so much, a reason to get their chores done, and something to look forward too. Without this we would be in the house all week, bored, and miserable.
Last is dinner and family time. We play board games, watch a movie, build a fort, etc. This is something fun for the emotional support and bonding for the whole family. With out this support we would not be as close as we are, I would say this is the most important support of the whole day.
Friday, June 2, 2017
Childhood Connections to Play
As a child, my cousins and myself spent hours playing in the state forest behind my grandparents house. We went camping every year with my grandparents and we spent the day crawdad hunting, wading in the crick, fishing, and frog gigging. I was always outside.
As I stated earlier, I played outside all the time until the sun set. We lived up a holler with the rest of my mom's side of the family. My cousin and I would hunt with our bb guns, see who could score the highest with my skip it, paint rocks and pine cones gold, and hide them to have a treasure hunt.
Looking back, I often say, "what was my mother thinking, sending me out in the woods all day." There is no way I could send my kids out all day and not know where they were or what they were doing. It was a different era, one that I am sad that today's kids will never know.
Most parents today would be deemed a terrible parent and probably have children services involved if they let their five year old play unsupervised with a bb gun.
However, if there is ever a zombie apocalypse, I know how to survive the forest. I know what I can eat, how to catch it, and to tell direction based on where the moss is growing.
I would love to see more outdoor/ nature play for today's children. Kid's today have lost imagination, which is important for good mental health (Almon, 2002).
Reference
Almon, J. (2002). The vital role of play in early childhood education. Gateways, 43. Retrieved from http://www.waldorfresearchinstitute.org/pdf/BAPlayAlmon.pdf
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Relationship Relfection
Why are relationships important? God created Adam and saw that it was not good for him to be alone and create Eve,( Genesis 2:18, paraphrased ). God created us to be social beings and to need each other to survive.
The most important relationship and partnership that I have is the one with my husband Tim. As many know, marriage is complicated and it takes both of us working together to make it work. How is this relationship positive and how do we maintain it? We make sure that we spend time everyday with each other talking about our day. We have date night once a month without the kids. We pray with and for each other. We discuss our hopes, dreams, and future together. We plan how we will spend our money together and make it a point to be open and honest with each other, which is difficult at times, but worth it. We trust and love each other, which is the most important for a marriage to work.
My four children; Kassie, Evie, Ryley, and Nathaniel. This relationship isn't always positive, but I do the best I can. I hope that I am teaching them how to be good, decent, kind, and compassionate people. What goes into making this relationship work? Them listening to me, which doesn't always happen. They trust me to take care of and provide for them. I love them unconditionally and it teaches me how God loves us.
My best friend and fellow Autism mom, Maria. We were roommates in college and quickly became friends. What makes this relationship positive and how do we maintain it? We celebrate with each other, vent to each other, and cry with each other. We try to have a girls night once a month, but unfortunately it doesn't always happen. We often talk on the phone late at night while hiding in a closet so we don't wake up kids and husband. We keep each other sane in this crazy, busy life.
Troop #8706 keeps me busy, busy. How is this a positive relationship and how do we maintain it? This troop loves to volunteer. In this picture they are volunteering to serve dinner on a Friday night at a local community center. They teach me so much about life, to be thankful, and to be myself. In girl scouts we learn how to be good citizens, a friend, and leader. We trust that we each will do our part to make our the troop the best it can be and to be a positive influence in our community.
I have learned over time that for any relationship to last you must trust each other. Lies is the fastest way to kill any relationship.
There are three characteristics that make a relationship a partnership. They are trust, mutual respect, and love.
How does my relationships affect me as an early childhood teacher? My kids teach me patience and unconditional love, my best friend has taught me to laugh, my husband has taught be how to be a helper, and my girl scouts has taught me how to be leader. All of these are important in the early childhood field.
Criteria for Blog Assignments
The most important relationship and partnership that I have is the one with my husband Tim. As many know, marriage is complicated and it takes both of us working together to make it work. How is this relationship positive and how do we maintain it? We make sure that we spend time everyday with each other talking about our day. We have date night once a month without the kids. We pray with and for each other. We discuss our hopes, dreams, and future together. We plan how we will spend our money together and make it a point to be open and honest with each other, which is difficult at times, but worth it. We trust and love each other, which is the most important for a marriage to work.
My best friend and fellow Autism mom, Maria. We were roommates in college and quickly became friends. What makes this relationship positive and how do we maintain it? We celebrate with each other, vent to each other, and cry with each other. We try to have a girls night once a month, but unfortunately it doesn't always happen. We often talk on the phone late at night while hiding in a closet so we don't wake up kids and husband. We keep each other sane in this crazy, busy life.
Troop #8706 keeps me busy, busy. How is this a positive relationship and how do we maintain it? This troop loves to volunteer. In this picture they are volunteering to serve dinner on a Friday night at a local community center. They teach me so much about life, to be thankful, and to be myself. In girl scouts we learn how to be good citizens, a friend, and leader. We trust that we each will do our part to make our the troop the best it can be and to be a positive influence in our community.
I have learned over time that for any relationship to last you must trust each other. Lies is the fastest way to kill any relationship.
There are three characteristics that make a relationship a partnership. They are trust, mutual respect, and love.
How does my relationships affect me as an early childhood teacher? My kids teach me patience and unconditional love, my best friend has taught me to laugh, my husband has taught be how to be a helper, and my girl scouts has taught me how to be leader. All of these are important in the early childhood field.
Walden University M.S. in
Early Childhood Studies
Criteria for Blog Assignments
Quality
of Work Submitted
|
Exemplary
Work reflects graduate-level critical, analytical thinking.
(2 points for initial post; 1 point for each comment)
|
Satisfactory
Work reflects
some minimal effort.
(0-2 points for post;
0-1 point for each comment)
|
Unsatisfactory
Work
reflects no effort.
(No blog post shown; no
comments given)
|
Adherence to Assignment Expectations
The
extent to which work meets the assigned criteria.
|
Assignment meets expectations
All key components are included
|
Assignment
is close to the expectation.
Some
key components are included.
|
Does
not fulfill the expectations of the assignment.
Key
components are not included
|
Final
Assignment Grade
|
4/4
points
|
1-3/4
|
0/4
|
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)