DAILY SUPPORTS

     My definition of support is to sustain someone while they are going through difficult times and help them to maintain their existence by helping to supply them with the necessities needed in life. Throughout my life, I have had the support of my husband, children, family, friends, church family, and professional family. 

     My husband supported me in every aspect of my life.  When I decided to go back to school to obtain my associate's degree, he encouraged me to follow through to accomplish my goals.  He support me by helping with the household chores and the children. He would help cook, help the children with homework, and help prepare the children for bed.  On the weekends, he would help me with household chores and iron all the children's school uniforms for the next week.  All of this was done while he held a full time job.  After I graduated, my husband encouraged me to go back to school to obtain my bachelor's degree, but I put it off and said that I would do it later.  After my husband pass away in 2007, I decided that I need to make some career changes in order to provide for myself and my children, but I was scared.  I could still hear my husband's voice encouraging me to go back to school.  My children also supported and encouraged me to continue my education.  I decided to enroll at Walden University in 2009. My children helped in anyway possible.  They did extra chores so that I could study.  They helped prepare meals.  They also helped me study.  In May 2013, I graduated from Walden University with a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education.  During my husband illness and after he passed away, I had a lot of support from my family(parents, sister, brothers, and aunt), friends, church family, and professional family (co-workers). They cooked meals for my children and I.  They helped with household chores. Some of them would just talk to us and encourage us. Many of them prayed for us.  They were concerned with our overall well being and helped in anyway to make sure that we were okay. I don't know what we would have done or how we would have made it, if we did not have the support of the many people in our lives.

     The challenge that I chose is taking care of my mother after a leg amputation.  This is a very big responsibility.  In order to accomplish this task, I need support from a lot of people.  The support of my siblings is needed for the immediate care of my mother.  The immediate care consist of feeding, bathing, and clothing my mother.  The doctor's recommend that she is not left alone at any time, so I need the support of family and friends to help.  Everyone schedules a time to sit with my mother. I also get support from her doctors and nurses.  They train me on how to take care of her wound and how to administer the medicine. If I would not have gotten the support that I received from everyone, my mother would have been put in a nursing facility.  Thank God for support systems.  Support systems work.

Relationship Reflection

Nay(daughter)-ME-Calvin(son)

      Throughout our life, we will experience many relationships.  Some of these relationships will be good and some will not.  We will have to make some hard decisions, whether to hold on to the relationship or let it go. Letting go is hard especially if you have put a lot of time and effort into the relationship.

     I have several relationships in my life.  I love all the people that are connected to me through these relationships. The first relationship and partnership that I shared was my marriage to my late husband.  We shared a wonderful marriage for 26 years. We loved, respected, and cared for each other deeply. When my husband passed, my life changed forever.  He was my partner and I did not know how I would cope with the lost.  By the grace of God, through prayers, and counseling, I have done a lot of healing.  I still have days when I am very sad and I want him back here with me, but I know and understand that is not possible.  The next relationship is the relationship between my children and I.  I love my children very much.  We have a very close relationship that grew even stronger when their dad passed away.  We do a lot of  family things together.  We share our thoughts and ideas with each other and support each other in whatever decision we make.  We laugh and cry together.  The next relationship that I share is with my grandchildren.  I adore and love them very much.  Whenever I am having a sad or depressing day, I can surround myself with my grandchildren and it's amazing the joy and happiness that they can bring into your life.  I also share a relationship with my co-workers.  Because our office is small, we have built a working relationship that has turned into a family relationship.  My church family and I also share a relationship.  My church family was there with me every step of the way when my husband passed.  They helped me and my children to seek counseling.  My parents and siblings also share a special relationship with me.  The most important relationship is the relationship that I have with God.  He has always been there for me and has never let me down.  When I thought that I would lose my mind after my husband passed, God stepped in and saved me.

When I Think of Research

     When I saw the word "research," I was very nervous about this course because I know that research involves a lot of intense and in depth work.  After starting week one, I realized that doing research can be complicated, but also rewarding.  This course taught me that when researching a study certain steps should be followed because researching is a process.  Important steps to follow when conducting research are:

• select a topic
• search & review the literature
• formulate a specific research issue/question
• design the research
• collect data/information
• process/analyse data
• draw conclusions
• write research reports

If the research topic is too broad, the topic can be divided into sub-topics.  It is important to always use quality information when conducting research.

     The main idea about research that has changed for me is my fear of conducting research.  I have learned that there are challenges, curiosity, and downfalls involved when doing research, but it the research process is followed, the research journey can be successful and exciting.  I have also learned that not all research is good.  It is important to use several methods to collect data..  "Quality research is always ethical, purposeful, well designed, transparent, contextualised, credible, careful, imaginative, and equitable (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, Siraj-Blatchord, 2010)."

     The planning, designing, and conducting phase of research is very important.  Time should be spent designing what it is you will do and planning how to carry it out.  Planning is necessary because it provides structure and certainty.  The research question is answered by research design.

     My perceptions of an early childhood professional have modified as a result of this course because I realize that early childhood professionals are great researchers.  Early childhood professionals are constantly conducting observations, assessments, and evaluations on children and their families.  This information is used to determine what is best regarding the child's education, development and learning.

     The knowledge that I gained regarding the research process will help me while continuing my education and in my professional career.  I would like to thank everyone for the support and feedback given to me in this class.  I wish everyone the best of luck in your professional careers.

Research Around the World

Some current international research topics are:

1.  Supporting Best Practices

2.  The Importance of Touch

3.  Becoming culturally competent

4.  The Well Being & Development of Young Children

Facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood that I gained from exploring this international early childhood website are:

1.  Everyone involved is an advocate for children.  They are committed to the rights of the children.

2.  No matter what international country you study, the well being of the child is most important and well            supported.

3.  Investments in early childhood education increases every year in Australia.

The organization Early Childhood Australia (ECA) has a strategic plan that ensures every child will thrive and learn.  They also assure that early childhood education and care is of top quality.

Research that Benefits Children and Families---Uplifting Stories

     A positive example of the effects o research on children and/or families is family involvement in early

childhood education.  "Early childhood education programs encourage and validate family participation in

decision making related to their children's education (www.naeyc.org)."  Family involvement promotes 

children's cognitive and social development.  Educators must develop positive partnerships with children

and their families.  This can be done my having positive communication between the school and family.

It is important that the classroom is a welcoming environment to attract parents.  Class activities can be

extended from the school to the home environment.  Parents can be involved by volunteering at the school.

Educators can also make home visits that are in an informal setting.  These visits also allow the educator an

opportunity to get to know the child better.

     Family involvement is important to a child's learning and development because:

     1.  It supports school readiness.

     2.  It promotes academic success.

     3.  It promotes growth and development.

     4.  It improves communication with parents and increases understanding of the child.

Halgunseth, L. C. & Peterson, A. Family Engagement, Diverse Families, and Early Childhood Education

     Programs:  An Integrated Review of the Literature. Retrieved March 22, 2014. www.naeyc.org.

Poverty in Early Childhood Education

     Children living in poverty are at high risk for academic underachievement.  Poverty has a negative effect 

on school readiness.  Parents must invest in resources that will help their children learn, grow, and develop. 

Head start is one resource that can be used to help children and families that live in poverty.  The purpose of 

the Head start program is to make sure that children are ready to enter school on an equal level with children that are not living in poverty.  Some children are born into poverty and some children fall into poverty because of different circumstances such as lost of a job, sickness, or death.  Children that are born into poverty are better able to handle the situation than children that fall into poverty later in life.

     It is important that educators evaluate, assess, and observe all children to determine who may be at risk.  Poverty is a major risk factor.  Educators should connect with children, families, and the community.  Getting parents involved with their child's education will show the child that their parents care and the learning process will continue at home.  The most important job of an educator is to strengthen and support children and their families.  There are programs that can help children and families in poverty.  Educators can expose these programs to children and their families.  These programs can help change and build their lives.

Sharing Web Resources

By: Violet Watson

 

The organization I chose to research was the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). While reading through various emails on www.naeyc.org, the topic I chose to read more abut was “Effective Teaching in the Kindergarten Year”. This newsletter explained the importance of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP). DAP is important to the early childhood education because this is the manual, the philosophy and the way of teaching for early childhood educators. The Kindergarten year is one of the most important years of early childhood education. This is the year that the children learn most of the beginning skills they’ll use in later years. This newsletter explained the importance of connecting common core state standards and DAP in the Kindergarten year. Connecting the two as one strategy will help teachers out a lot.

                         Getting to Know Your International Contacts

By: Violet Watson

 

The first insight that I found is the wage inequity for the teachers. Some teachers make less than $25,000 a year. There are a lot of teachers that work second jobs to make ends meet. A Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree will help improve salaries. Most teachers know that they will not become wealthy working in this field, but it’s for the love of working with the children that keeps them in this career.  

According to Mrs. Vasquez, early childhood educators are still viewed as babysitters. Though this statement is false, many parents believe they drop their child off to the caregiver and the caregiver just watches them or lets them play. People view early childhood caregivers and educators as babysitters because in the past years, anyone could become a childcare giver, as long as you weren’t on the sex offenders list. Parents don’t know and haven’t paid attention to the new requirements of caregivers working with public funding. It is required that all Head Start teachers must have at least an Associate’s Degree. This means each child’s teacher will have a degree and will have had at least two years of college. While in college, the teachers learn all of the appropriate ways to teach children and they also learn all of the inappropriate ways that shouldn’t be taught to the children. So, are early childhood caregivers just babysitters? The answer to that question is no. early childhood caregivers teach the child developmentally appropriate skills. They aren’t just letting the children play all day. Early childhood caregivers and early childhood educators should be given more credit. They go to college for at least two years just to make sure each child learns the age appropriate skills and develops appropriately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resource:

 “Excellence and Equity of Care and Education for Children and Families-Part 3” (approximate length: 12 minutes). Conversation with Delila Vasquez (Director of Program Services, Los Angeles University Preschool) about issues of equity and excellence related to EC professionals.

Consequences of Learning Early Childhood for My Professional and Personal Development

                                                          By: Violet Watson

 

There are many consequences of learning about the international early childhood field. The first consequence of learning about early childhood education is working with the other professionals sharing ideas and comparing similarities and differences in early childhood education. Having the opportunity to communicate internationally is enlightening, instructive, and enriching. Learning about international early childhood education allows us to learn how other countries help children to learn and develop. It also allows different countries to adopt new methods of teaching and learning.

 

The second consequence of learning about early childhood education internationally is the opportunity to learn about the culture of another country. Studying the language, culture, customs, environment, and communities will promote understanding about that country. Learning the importance of another countries culture also improves one’s greater appreciation for that culture. While some countries teach at an individualist perspective others may teach at a collective perspective. For example, Asian children may be quiet in a classroom and make eye-contact with the instructor, while American children like to participate in the classroom. In most countries the culture, language, and environments may be different, the foundation for teaching is the same. Developmentally appropriate practices are used in most countries to promote growth and development in children.
 

The third consequence of learning about early childhood education internationally is the effect of poverty in early childhood education. The quality of education is different for children that live in poverty. Children with low-income families have a greater chance at decreased school readiness. This can cause a gap in early childhood development and early childhood education, which can lead to long-term consequences. In countries like America and China, most children are able to attend an early childhood development school, but in a country like Africa, children aren’t able to attend any type of school because of poverty. Poverty also affects the well-being of a child and the child’s ability to learn. Educators must assess, evaluate, and observe all children in order to determine the needs of the child and the child’s family. They should do whatever is necessary to help them meet their everyday needs by informing them f all resources that are available.

Since taking this course, one of my personal goals is to continue to try to contact an international educator. I did not receive a response during this class period, but I plan to continue reaching out until someone responds to my request. It was really enlightening and interesting to read some of my classmates’ response from their international contacts. This class has been very interesting and I have gained many new insights in the early childhood field.

Sharing Web Resources

     NAECTE is the organization that I explored.  The outside link that I followed was the journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education.  This site contains information on current issues, most read articles, most cited articles, authors and submissions in Early Childhood Teacher Education.  While searching one area of the site, I found the article A Promising Strategy for Connecting Future Teachers to the Lives of Diverse Children and Their Families.  This article contained information about students and families.  Students, families, and teachers spent 30 hours of service learning with diverse families.  They focused on family events at different schools.  My understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education was broadened through this article because I recognized the value of different ways of learning and developing.  

     Equity also ensures that everyone can achieve within a nurturing and supportive environment.  New insights that I gained are that everyone can't be treated the same and equity is not limited to a single population.

A Promising Strategy for Connecting Future Teachers to the Lives of Diverse Children and

     their Families.  Retrieved: Feb. 16, 2014.  www.naecte.com

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

     "Equity within early childhood education means that all children and families have equal access and opportunity to benefits from all the field has to offer.  Access to high-quality services, for example, is not dependent on monetary resources, a child's abilities, or program availability.  Social equity through access and opportunity means high-quality early childhood education for all" (Darragh,2010)."

     The podcast talks about standards, school readiness, and achievement gaps.  There are gaps in cognitive development, social-emotional development, and health status.  Programs are being created to ensure a more even start at the school entry level. Standards should be set for educators so that they are knowledgeable of what children need to know.  They need to know where the child is coming from and what the child already knows. According to the podcast,  Head Start is set up to address achievement gaps and school readiness.

     The first new insight that I have gained is the issue of child mental health.  The child mental health issue is under-addressed, but is very important to a child's development.  Research is being done globally to find out why this issue exist.  The second insight that I have gained is the importance of setting patterns for educators.  Setting patterns for educators is a standard that is needed to help promote development and learning in children.  The third insight is the importance of educating leadership.  Effective ways must be found to communicate with global policymakers about the issue of child development.

Darragh, J. C. (2010). Introduction to Early Childhood Education-Equity and Inclusion

Course Media: "Excellence and Equity of Care and Education for Children and Families—Part 1" (approximate length: 8 minutes) Conversation with Delila Vasquez (Director of Program Services, Los Angeles Universal Preschool) about equity and excellence of care and education for children and families—focus on curriculum, assessment, achievement gaps, standards, etc.

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children's initiative. Retrieved 2/8/2014 from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/

Sharing Web Resources

     The information that seemed particularly relevant to my current professional development is the article entitled Professional Development, Opportunities and Challenges.  This article stresses the need for ongoing professional development.  Continued professional development allows professionals to be updated on current information.  Ongoing professional development will give educators the opportunity "to improve the quality of education and the quality of how learning experiences are delivered (acei.org, 2013).  Professional Growth can be accomplished by attending, workshops, conferences, and seminars.  "All schools should take great care to ensure that professional development programs meet the unique requirements of their school and align with existing instructional philosophy, longer-term professional development plans, and community needs (acei.org, 2013)."

     "Assesses the strengths and challenges of a particular education system/structure and the education needs of the community in order to identify specific areas of focus for professional development" is the statement that made me think about an issue in new ways (acei.or, 2013)."  I believe if we focus on strengths and challenges of a particular education system/structure it would allow all children to get the individualize instruction to promote their growth and development.  For example, standardized testing does not measure the individual needs of each child.  These test measure on a national and state level.  All children are different. They learn at different time and in different ways.  One test should not be used to determine everything that a child knows.

     Early childhood care and education is an asset to the economy.  This field also helps the economy by purchasing good and services needed to promote education, growth, and development in children.  Politicians realize the importance of early childhood education.  They understand that early access to early childhood education gives children a good start in life, especially children of low-income and children that don't speak English.

     A new insight about issues and trends in the early childhood field that I gained from exploring the website or e-newsletter is that no matter where you live, education is very global.  "Today's educators need to prepare students for life in plural societies by helping them to engage with complex global issues, connect their own lives and experiences with those of others, and recognize their responsibilities as global citizens (acei.org, 2013)."

Early Childhood Education for All. (2005). A Wise Investment.  Retrieved February 1, 2014, from 

     http://www.web.mit.edu

Professional Development. (2013). Professional Development, Opportunities and Challenges.  Retrieved

     February 1, 2014 from http://www.acei.org

Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 1

My conversation partners for this blog are Speaker 1 and Speaker 2 from the podcast and Dr. Cathy Grace. The podcast was very educational.  From Speaker 1, I have learned that children are the greatest percentage of the poverty rate.  Birth to eight years old are effected most by poverty.  Children born into poverty adapt better than children that may fall into poverty because their parents lost a job, sickness, or economic changes.  It is difficult for them to deal with poverty.  From Speaker 2, I have learned that services should be provided to all families regardless of their income.  Poverty takes people choices away.  It is important to spend time with children and their families.  There are steps to take toward combating poverty such as knowing your community, know what resources are available, utilize public libraries because they are their to serve the community and most of all give of yourself by investing your time to help the cause. Be dedicated when working with children and families.

India has one third of the world's poor.  Forty two percent of India is below the poverty line.  Food is scarce.  Families must put their resources together in order to survive.  Children as young as five and six must go to work.  Education is not an immediate need.  Parents must chose survival over their child's growth and development.  There is a lack of sanitation, nutrition, and clean water.  This cause health problems.  Of all the children in India 42.5% of the children suffer from malnutrition.  Poor families in India live in slums.  The slums have bathrooms that must be shared.  The key to fixing poverty in India is education.  People need to be educated on health, sanitation, skills, and better education in schools.

My new insight on poverty is that it is a major problem all over the world.  People must educate themselves on the causes of poverty and take the necessary measures to eliminate poverty.

Getting Ready-E stablishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

My contacts will be coming from the Alternative assignment.  The websites that I will explore are:

www.globalfundforchildren.org-The Global Fund for Children

Millions of children around the world are born into a stark reality: will they work in markets and 

mines, or go to school? Will they be trafficked into slavery, or be free? Will they be child soldiers, 

or students? These are staggering choices no child should face.  At The Global Fund for Children, 

we transform the lives of children on the edges of society—trafficked children, refugees, child 

laborers—and help them regain their rights and pursue their 

dreams. In other words, we do all we can to let kids be kids—no matter what their circumstances. 

Since 1997, we’ve reached 9 million children worldwide.

www.savethechildren.org-Save the Children

Save the Children gives children in the United States and round the world what every child deserves – a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When disaster strikes, we put children’s needs first. We advocate for and achieve large-scale change for children. We save children’s lives. Join us.

The organization that I will explore is National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators (NAECTE). The list below states the goals of the organization.

To promote the professional growth of our membership

To discuss educational issues specific to our membership

To advocate for improvements in early childhood teacher education

Provide a forum for consideration of issues and concerns of interest to educators of early childhood teacher educators

Provide a communication network for early childhood teacher educators

Facilitate the interchange of information and ideas about research and practice

Use, as vehicles, the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, conferences, resolutions, position papers, and other publications

Cooperate with other national and international organizations concerned with the study and education of young children