When I Think of Child Development

Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."

 

 

Henry Ward Beecher, reverend and social activist

"Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven."

 

Lady Bird Johnson, former U.S. first lady

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."

 

Brad Pitt, actor

"Let us be the ones who say we do not accept that a child dies every three seconds simply because he does not have the drugs you and I have. Let us be the ones to say we are not satisfied that your place of birth determines your right to life. Let us be outraged, let us be loud, and let us be bold."

 

Dr. Seuss, author

"A person's a person, no matter how small."

 

            I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks to all of my fellow colleagues and say I much I appreciated the insight that I have gained from each and every one of you. I also wanted to take this time to give thanks for all the personal stories that you have shared and all the experiences you have poured out to everyone. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors

Testing for Intelligence

I believe that when you are trying to measure young children holistically on an academic level I think there is a wide spectrum of things that you should look at one being the overall outcome of what they have learned over time. I think for every child they are not going to pick up on a topic in one day or one week, it takes time to introduce a subject or topic and then to let them absorb the content takes practice and hands on exercises to get them involved and understanding the content. I feel that this should be the same way the results of what they have learned should be measured, over time and not in one day or one week. I do not agree with standardized testing and I never have and it is for this very reason. We cannot just look at test results to measure the content of what a child is absorbing over the context of a year. The day of testing may not be a good day for the child, they could have been effected by varying circumstances the night before the test such as not having enough food to eat the coming days before the test, parents arguing or fighting, a death or illness in the family, or even a divorce. Many family circumstances can affect the child in the coming days before the test and all of this can have an effect on even the smartest child not scoring high on a test. We should measure or assess our children based on their overall grades and performance throughout the year to determine their outcome. Even if a child starts the year off with a bad start and coming to the end of the year the child has improved and starting getting reputable grades that is a great accomplishment and should be looked at as well.

I decided to reflect on the school age children assessment for Asian children and children in china because it seems many times when they come to this country they are already excelling in math and science classes no matter the grade level. Since traditional testing is still used most often for its own purpose, classroom assessment should coincide with what the students are learning and how they have learned it. Among the assessment tools that teacher will use for classroom assessment include:

• Performance-based assessment tasks
• Self assessments
• Peer assessments
• Teacher observations
• Portfolios
• Quizzes and tests

“A growing array of standardized, external assessments is available to measure student performance and program effectiveness. With the exception of Lingua Folio, which focuses on students' self-assessment and reflection, the testing instruments listed below allow the program to compare its results with those of other students and programs nationally and internationally” (Asia society,2013)

            For me personally I think standardized testing is not fair in accessing young children. I think there are many other successful ways that we can find out what level they are on and how much they are progressing.

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

Week 4 Assignment

When I was younger I would go with my Aunt to the food bank at our local church where she would volunteer and I would help her on the weekend. We would serve the food to the homeless or the families who did not have enough food to feed their entire family causing them to be faced with hunger. Hunger is something that is becoming more and more common in our country due to the economic crisis and as a result of many Americans losing their jobs. We are feeding families that were never in a position to receive any form of assistance and they are so afraid to request the services. Before when you would think hunger you would think of a country far, far away but now it is so common in our own backyards. The children at the food bank did not realize the reality of malnutrition and the detrimental effects it would have if they are not getting the nutrients that they need to support healthy brain development. It could cause all forms of learning disabilities as well as many types of health problems. It was a heart breaking experience at the food bank when you would see the many children who had no clue the circumstances that they are facing.

Many of the children would seem so happy and cheerful at the large tables close to their parents eating their dinner for the night. Many of the parents would worry day to day trying to figure out where their next meal would come from before they discovered the food bank and if the food bank was not available. I would serve the food and try not to get absorbed in the emotions of the situation, but tried to help everyone as quickly and nicely as possible.

          I have some parents that are from Kenya and they speak of some of the devastation that they face in their country. Poverty, drought, high population growth, internal conflicts, political stalemate and the growing problem of refugees are among the many factors that have recently affected this area of our world. Kenya faces an extremely high poverty level which makes hunger a very prevalent issue among the children in this country. Poverty is leading to many other conditions that the children of this region face. Isolation, hunger, Chaos, diseases, environmental pollution and violence. Hunger is a growing problem that is not being solved quickly enough and this is something that as a nation we need to think fast to minimize for the sake of our children’s healthy development.

Child Development and Public Health

Week 2, Blog Assignment

Breastfeeding is on the rise and now mothers of newborn babies are realizing why this is so. Breast milk is complete nutrition and nourishment for your baby. Breast milk provides natural protective antibodies and it can boost a newborns immune system fighting many diseases and infections. Breast milk provides a healthy environment within your baby’s digestive system giving the support of live probiotics which can help aid in the maturation on the immune system. The composition of breast milk adapts to meet the changing needs of your growing baby. Breast milk provides natural fatty acids that play aid in the healthy development of brain and eye development. Breast feeding also provides an ample amount of positive results for the mother as well. Breast feeding helps your body to produce oxytocin and this is a hormone that will make your uterus contract causing it to quickly return to its normal state which reduces the risk of infection or long term problems. Breast feeding will help in reducing your risk of breast cancer or ovarian cancer. Breast feeding also allows you to develop a strong bond between you and your baby that is like no other. Another really great positive aspect of breast feeding helps you to return to your pre pregnancy weight by burning extra calories and lowering fat that is stored.

Breast feeding is really important to me at this time because I am almost 7 months pregnant and I was unable to breast feed my oldest son because of some underlying medical problems that prevented me from successfully completing my task of providing him with the best possible early nutrients possible. My son was diagnosed with childhood asthma at the age of two years old and he is still suffering with many allergy problems today. I hope that by providing my new baby with all the healthy components of breast milk that he will not have any of the same problems as his older brother.

South Africa is one of 12 countries where the infant mortality rate is on the rise. It has one of the lowest levels of exclusive breast feeding as estimated 8%. Children who are not breastfeed are 6 times more likely to die from diarrhea and have a higher chance of respiratory illnesses. Breastfeeding has been scientifically shown to be the number one most important intervention in preventing children’s death in South Africa. The country’s health system is in opposition and are not supporting the practice.

I never realized until I had a child of my own on how important breastfeeding is to the healthy development of a growing baby. Many mothers that I deal with on a day to day basis are also not aware of how important breastfeeding is to a newborn growing baby. It will be a part of my mission to spread the word starting locally within my community and my facility how important starting off your child’s life with healthy practices of breast feeding. It  is very important in the initial healthy start for you and your child.

Childbirth In Your Life and Around the World

Blog Assignment #1

My childbirth experience with my son was a little terrifying to say the least but the overwhelming joy of his presence was all worth it. I was 5 days over do and was more than ready to deliver. I had went to the doctor early that day and was given an induction date if he did not come on his own. Later that night I was feeling really weird and thought I should go to the hospital and luckily I did because my blood pressure was high and I was induced that same night. I was given an epidural that worked for the first 6 hours or so and then I started to feel the pain only on one side which was extremely uncomfortable. About 15 hours later the doctor had told me that I had not dilated more than 1cm and they insisted on a C-section because my baby’s oxygen level had declined and his heart rate started to drop. I was so scared to say the least but later that night I woke up in recovery and saw my precious baby boy for the first time weighing in at 9lb 2oz. looking back this was the best day of my life and I would not change it for the world. I think that a risky childbirth experience can have a great impact on child development because if something goes wrong it can create conditions like cerebral palsy which can cause a great delay on the development of a child. I think that being educated on your options and the risk factors involved are very important in having a healthy baby and a happy child birthing experience.

We are very lucky to have advanced medical treatment in delivering our babies and alternate birthing methods as an option not an expectation. In Africa maternal death rates are extremely high because of unskilled midwives, obstructed labor, anemia, malaria and HIV. Many women die giving birth due to unsanitary conditions while giving birth. The women of this country are too poor to get medical care so they are expected to give birth at home without the proper resources. If a complication should arise then death is certainly likely. In Kenya there are 488 deaths of the mother for every 100,000 live births. I have learned that I am extremely grateful for our modern day technology and are ability to have access to them in America. Even though my birthing circumstance came with some problems I was lucky to have the medical team there and able to react fast to my needs. If I were giving birth to my son in Kenya me nor my son would have probably made it through.  If I lived in Kenya I would never want to have children due to the risks involved.

A Note of Thanks and Support

A Note of Thanks and Support

Jo Hester- Hello Jo I would just like to say that I have admired your dedication and hard work throughout this course. You have been there with support since the beginning and you were the one that gave the suggestions that helped me to get my blog up and running properly when I was moments away from giving up. I hope to share some more classes with you so I can get the inspiration that you have provided to me from the beginning. I wish you the best of luck in all your future courses and all your future endeavors. Good Luck on your Leadership Conference!

Sincerely, Kereba English

 

Lah-Lah Devine- Hello Lah-Lah I can sense your passion in this field. You have a very strong and supportive family and it shows through your passion. I have learned a lot from you from your discussions and your blog postings. You have a great insight on the field and I have noticed your enthusiasm when it comes to issues of diversity and I must say that I feel very strongly about diversity issues as well. I just wanted to say the best of luck to you and all that you do and until we meet again keep the passion lively and continue to do what you do.

Sincerely, Kereba English

Blog Assignment Week 7 - Examining Codes of Ethics

 

Blog Assignment Week 7- Examining  Codes of Ethics

 DEC (Code of Ethics)- Professional Development and Preparation

1.)    We shall be responsible for maintaining the appropriate national, state, or other credential or licensure requirements for the services we provide while maintaining our competence in practice and research by ongoing participation in professional development and educational activities.

This ethical code is important to me because this is what we have been talking about in class with our wealth of resources and continuously being current with what’s new in this field. This is very important to stay current with your credentials this way you can be providing the most updated information to families and children. This field is ever changing with new studies and research always coming into play. We have to be updated through the proper resources so we can stay on top of the changes and make sure our children in our care are always getting the most recent information needed.

 

Enhancement of Children’s and Families Quality of Lives

2.)    We shall advocate for equal access to high quality services and support for all children and families to enhance their quality of lives.

This ethical code is important to me because I think that all children should be given equal opportunities to a high quality learning environment and it is up to us as educators to be sure this happens. The early years are extremely important and all learning environments that support early learning need to provide the best resources available to them. All children should have access to high quality programs no matter where they live and their economic status. I understand that if you pay more you get more and that is fine but even the programs that offer lower rates should still stand on high quality service and we need to ensure that this is being done.

NAEYC (Code of Ethics) Ethical Responsibilities to Children-I-1.5

3.)    To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children’s social, emotional,      cognitive, and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions.

 I find this ethical code to be of great importance because this is what we stand on. An Early Childhood learning environment means ensuring that each child in our care is safe while reaching a level of increasing social, emotional, cognitive and physical growth. If this is not maintained then we need to start all over from ground zero because we missed the mark and we are not understanding the duties of our job. We must continually encourage the children in our care so they can feel important and feel like a worthy part of society.

Growing Your Collection of Resources

 
Course Resources:

Position Statements and Influential Practice

• 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://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf

 
Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

• 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.

 

Selected Early Childhood Organizations

• 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/
• 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/

Journal Entries

• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education

Additional Resources:

Lisa Murphy
The Ooey Gooey Lady ®
Lisa Murphy believes that in order for children to be “ready” for school, they need to have time to PLAY.  The best places for them to play are in child-centered environments.  Whether within homes, preschools, family child care homes, kindergartens, or child care centers, children need to have the opportunity to be engaged in experiences that are relevant and meaningful to them.

Ooey Gooey, Inc. is committed to providing parents, educators and administrators with the knowledge, facts and research that supports this educational philosophy. And it is this information that Lisa shares during the workshops she presents, all over the world. 

http://www.dvaeyc.org/events/annual-conference

 

 

 

 

Cool new ways to celebrate PA's Promise Month
  Here's the deal: All children need quality early learning experiences to succeed in kindergarten and beyond, but not all children get it.  

This October, Pennsylvania's Promise for Children Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of quality early learning and

• Give families information they need to help their young children grow at home and to choose quality early learning programs and services that best meet their needs
• Convince school and community leaders and elected officials to make access to quality early learning opportunities a priority for Pennsylvania

Check out the new ways you can celebrate PA’s Promise Month with new infographics and the “I have the promise to be” story submissions!

http://www.pakeys.org/pages/NewsNotesHistory.aspx#612

 

 

 

 

Welcome to SharedSource Pennsylvania With just a few clicks, you’ll have access to policies, forms, regulations, handbooks, guidance, savings and more - customized for Pennsylvania’s ECE professionals, helping you be the best you can be. http://www.sharedsourcepa.org/index.aspx

Sue Bredekamp Discusses Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP)

Words Of Inspiration and Motivation - Blog Assignment, Week 4




Quote by Dr. Susan Bredekamp

"Effective teachers are intentional in everything they do – they are purposeful, they’re planful, they know what they’re doing and they can explain it to other people” – Dr. Susan Bredekamp, Author of NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice.

I find this quote to be very inspirational because it helps explain my feelings in the Early Childhood Field. Everything I do I do with purpose, I give my all to make a difference in the lives of the children I serve.
I feel she sheds light on this theory in her explanation of Developmentally Appropriate Practice.


Quotes by Marian Wright - Edelman (Health & Well Being Sector)

"I am doing what I think I was put on this earth to do. And I'm really

grateful to have something that I'm passionate about and that I

think is profoundly important.”

 

"Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life,

and not something you do in your spare time. Service is what life is

all about."

- Marian Wright Edelman

 

 

These two quotes by Marian Wright-Edelman speak to me directly I am so grateful to have found my purpose, most people search there entire life and never find their purpose and I am lucky enough to pursue mine. I am giving the ultimate service for the children I care so deeply for. I give them my very best each and every day and I feel that I am fulfilling my gift giving from God and making life worth living for myself.

Marian Wright Edelman. WAMU, American University, 2000.

 

 

Quote by Professor Louise Derman- Sparks (Week 2 Media Segment)

" I had a built in passion that it is important to make a real life contribution to the world and to fix all the injustices in the world through teaching"

 

I find this quote to be meaningful to me due to the fact I feel the same way and always have. I had other jobs in my life but never had and real self gratification nor happiness until I stumbled upon the life of teaching and now my life feels much more complete. I don't feel entirely complete until I reach my goals in this field but I am making the first steps toward those goals and that is very important.

 

 

Personal Childhood Web (Blog assignment Week #3)

Here I am not realizing what the future holds. Not knowing how important the people that I had in my corner would be to my future. I am sitting here possible angry with one of them for not giving me what I wanted at the time. But looking forward 30 years I know how each and every one of those special people influenced and shaped who I am today and I am extremely grateful!

My Mother! The most influential person in my life. She has made the most impact along with the most sacrifice possible for anyone person to make. She struggled most of the time to provide for my brother and me. She even took in her elderly father to care for him when he was ill. I love my mother with every ounce of my soul for being such a dedicated mother. She is the strongest women I know even though she has been through so much in her life after her mother passing when she was young she dedicated herself to be the best mother possible. About 10 years ago she experienced the biggest lost possible, my brother. He passed away at the tender age of 36 suffering a massive heart attack leaving behind a wife and three beautiful daughters. My mother still struggles getting through this tragedy. But she always find a way to still be the best mother possible and giving words of confidence to me all the time. She always tells me how special I am to her especially since I am her only child now. She still encourages me to do anything that I put my mind to and she even helped me to decide    to go back to school to further my education. I am forever grateful to have her around!

My grandmother Laura Brandon (my fathers mother) has also had a really important influence on my life as a child. She is the mother of 9 of her own children. She was always there for me and taught me a lot of what I know today. She taught me how to cook and clean when I was young and I treasure this so much today. My grandmother would sit me down and take time to talk about what life was like when she was coming up and she helped me to realize how different the world is today and how you must treasure good people when the enter your circle. She always gave hugs and kisses and even though she has 32 grandchildren she makes each one of us feel special when we see her. She always tells me how proud she is of me and always wants the best for all of her grandchildren. I love her so much and love the lessons I have learned from her.

My father Bruce & my son Kaden

My father Bruce and my best friend! He is really special to me and has always been there when I needed him. He has been a great influence because he started a business as a young man and always encouraged me to do whatever it is you put your mind to. He would say "make sure you complete what you start and never leave any rocks unturned" He was not great at having a nurturing spirit he more of a strong voice but he still made me feel confident in most things I attempted as child. He always makes me feel special whenever we talk. He is in failing health now and we try to encourage each other during these trying times but we are very happy when we talk and even happier when we spend time together. I love him a lot and am grateful to have him around.

                               My Aunt Linda and her daughter Janene and granddaughter Janai

A very special person to me my Aunt Linda. She was a true nurturer to me when I was young. She would take care of me when my parents had to work and she would always take me on her family vacation and trips with her every year as a child. She would always take time to talk to me and give me encouraging words of wisdom and enforced staying in school and how important it is. She still has a true impact on my life because she always tells me how proud she is that I have decided to continue my education and she always says how she wants the very best for me.

                                                       My youngest niece Tayane

My niece Briyane ( the middle child)

Another very special person to my life was my brother Edward and his daughters Briyane and Tayane. I do not have a picture of him but I do have a picture of his daughters. I had to save the best for last. I think my brother was the most influential person I have known. He was the perfect brother, the perfect son, the perfect father, the perfect husband and the perfect friend and I get so sad that the Lord had to take him away from us but I know that the Lords has a perfect plan in every occurrence so I just have to accept that my brother is in a better place and no longer has to suffer. He would always talk to me even as a child and tell me the right way to go and the right things to do. I know he loved me a lot because he would show it. He would never say it but he gave more than a little to show it. He would give his time and even his money if it were ever needed. He showed me who the Lord was and I am forever grateful for that. I always think of the encouraging words of advice he would give me whenever I get sad that I can't talk to him or spend time with him and I begin to smile. I truly love and miss my brother dearly!

Week2 Blog Assignment: Photo of myself

                                              Picture of me 4 months Prregnant!

Week 2 Blog Assignment

 I have always loved the Berenstain Bear Books! but this book has great significance to me because I am expecting in February. I am trying to figure out how to prepare my son for this life changing experience. Reading this story to him has helped a lot.

Childhood Quote

Hello Everyone, this is just a test!


This is a quote that means something to me because this is so true! I have noticed that many of the children in my program are being raised in single mother households and I can truly notice the difference in the personalities of these children. It seems like they are not guided nor discipline in the same way as the children that have a fathers presence on a daily basis. Now I can justify this statement a little because I was raised by my single mother. Now my father was around and a significant part of my life but he was not no longer in the household after they separated when I was 12 years old. I did still receive the protection of my father but it was in a different context. Now many of the children that I see have no father figure or presence and they do not have the same sense of authority as children with a father around.

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.
Sigmund Freud