A Word of Thanks

I would like to thank all of my classmates for such a wonderful and successful semester. I feel that I have grown so much during this time and I will take everything that I have learned with me as I progress in this field. So much has been discussed throughout this semester that it is hard to just pick one thing that I loved the most. The videos that were provided by Walden University were such a big help in understanding how children developed through the years and I am glad that I am able to be apart of the Walden community. I would like to thank our wonderful instructor for opening our eyes to so many different issues as well as fascinating developments within children. I wish everyone a great Christmas Holiday break and a wonderful 2013.

Education is the Key to Unlock Treasure

"No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure" ~ Emma Goldman

To Test or not to Test?....that is the question!

In the society that we live in there is pretty much a test fro any and everything imaginable. Don't get me wrong most testing strategies are good especailly when it comes to overall health. I for one am truly grateful for the test that can determine cancer and other termianl diseases but when it comes to education, the United States has gone a bit over board. In Louisiana, testing is required to see if a child is ready for pre-K and Kindergarten or whether a child can progress to the next grade. When it came to aptitude testing I was a complete wreck. My palms would become sweaty and I would be extremely nervous because I knew that if I did not pass the LEAP test, then I would be held back in that same grade. Testing and assessments should be done to measure the amount of knowledge a student has but I believe that their present grades within those subjects should aslo be taken into account. Many students have excellent grades on their report cards and then when it came time to graduate they could not because of their scores on the states testing exam. Louisiana testing is a statewide assessment regardless of what area of the state you are living in. Some parishes have better schools than others and often if a school ranks too low on testing then the state can take the school over. In other countries testng is peformed more on a local basis. Finland assessments are performance-based and created locally (Parker, 2012 www.adn.com ). Teachers in Finland focus more on preparing their students for critical thinking skills and often have test scores higher than U.S students on international assessments.

Parker, Tim. Standard tests don't promote real education.  April 6, 2012. www.adn.com

Stressors of Life

A friend of mine experienced racism as a young child from one of her own family members. Her mother is white and her biological father was Native American. When she was 2 years old her mother and father separated. When she was 4 her mother remarried and her stepfather (who was also white) adopted her as his child. Her stepfather's mother (her grandmother) never truly accepted my friend because she felt that her skin was too dark and that she could not pass for being "all white". For Christmas the other grandchildren would get nice toys and sometimes money, while she would receive old hand me down sweaters. Several times he mother questioned the grandmother about her treatment towards my friend but the grandmother just disregarded the questions as if they were nothing. As my friend got older to began to distance herself from her grandmother as much as she could even though her mother was trying to get them to make a bond of some kind. For years she hid her pain from the rest of the family because she did not want them to know that the treatment bothered her. Everyone else in her family truly loved her but it did not make up for the pan that was caused by her grandmother. Now finally as an adult she constantly wishes her skin was lighter like her other two siblings and it is difficult for her to explain to people why she and her sister look so different. The trauma that she experienced as a child still haunts her today.

Hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa has the 2nd worst hunger cases, approximately 239 million people are going hungry. A third of all child hood death in Sub-Saharan Africa is caused by hunger (thp.org). Children who go through hunger do not develop as normal children would. The brain development is much slower due to the lack of myelin in the brain because the brain does not have enough nourishment to function. Children who are malnourished have no body reserves to protect them against common diseases (Berger, 2009). If malnutrition goes too far a child can through marasmus, which is when the body starts to slowly waste away and the child stops growing. The Hunger Project is making an effort in areas such as Africa to provide them with food and clean water.

Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

www.thp.org The Hunger Project

Immunizations in Brazil

Immunizations for me is a big topic because it's there are times that you here of someone who traveled to a country for a vacation and a few days or a week later they are in the hospital fighting some type of unknown disease. Brazil is a beautiful country with a lush culture and it is home to the Amazon and the Iguazu Falls. Even though it is very beautiful there are some immunization requirements for visiting this country. Yellow Fever is a vaccination requirement for all passengers who planb to visit the rural areas of this country like Amapa, Amazonas, Mato Grosso and so forth. Brazil does not have a outbreak of yellow fever at this time but it does not mean that one should be not prepared. Malaria and Heptatitis A are also among the required vaccinations. This topic is meaningful to me because I have often thought about traveling to different countries for vacations as well as doing some mission work. It is always helpful to do your research before visiting a country and if a vaccination is needed then it is wise to get your vaccination then wait 4to 6 weeks to allow the vaccination to work before traveling. To find out more information about the requirements for Brazil you can visit www.braziltravelinformation.com.

Birth In Other Countries

In the Netherlands docotrs are not involved in the delivery process unless the case is high risk. Most women who are pregnant are seen by their family doctor and referred to a mid wife for the delivery. Majority of the women choose to have their babies at home rather than in a clinical setting, which is not so different in the U.S. More women in the United States are choosing to have babies at home where they are comofttable and have more privacy. In the Netherlands epidurals are not a normal choice for pain because most epidurals are only given if there is an anesthesiologist is avaliable. This one thing that is very different in the U.S. because epidurals are discussed with the doctor before delivery and so the mother-to-be can opt in or out before her delivery date.

Childbirth Experience

I witnessed the birth of my godchild and let me say that it was the happiest, most anxious and nerve racking expereince of my life. It was August 23rd 2005 and I had just received the call that my bestfriend had just went into labor. She lived about an hour away so I jumped in my car to head out to the hospital. When I arrived I was greeted by a very nervous grandmother-to-be and she was overwhelemed with emotions. I held my bestfriend's hand through this whole expereince. We shared laughs, tears, and at one point I thought she would break every bone in my hand. When my godchild decided to finally make his appearance his lips looked bluish and he did not make a sound. Cheer suddenly turned to panic, while I quicky turned my attention to my best friend to let her know that everything would be fine and they were just cleaning him up. All the while in my mind I was in a panic mode myself because this was her very first child and I knew that if something was wrong it would crush her. A minute went by but it felt like an eternity and then we heard a loud healthy cry and our fears were quickly swept away. I chose to use this example because it was the first time I had ever witnessed the birth of a child. Birth is a stressful expereince on a mother and her child and I beleive that if she can be supported through the experience then the child will be better off as he or she grows.

Special thanks

Sharon Munroe-  I would like to thank you for the support that I recieved this semester. We seemed to agree on several subjects especially when it came understanding children at different educational levels. You understood that every child had the ability to learn regardless of what obstacles faced them. I also want to thank for the comment posted on my last blog in reference to children in the Carribean and their education system. I wish you luck in your future endeavours.

Robin Miller- I would like to thank you as well for what you contributed to my learning experience this semester. Your pasion for children and education was easily viewed in your blogs as well as your dicussion post. I admire your dedication and I wish you the best in your future.

NAEYC Ideals:

I-1.3 To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.

We as professionals must understand that each child is unique in his or her own way and that no two children are just alike. As educators, we must allow each child to showcase their "priceless" qualities and praise them for what they can do and not focus on what they cannot. This ideal speaks specifically about respecting each and every child.

I-1.9 To advocate for and ensure that all children, including those with special needs, have access to the support services needed to be successful,

I have seen situations where children with mild learning disabilities are placed in a classroom where they are allowed to act out and there is no structure for learning. Just because a child has a learning disability does not in any way mean that they can not learn anything. This ideal speaks to me because it focuses on EVERY child not just the "normal" child. Everyone has an opportunity to learn and we as professionals must remember that.

DEC Ethical and Evidence Based Practices:

2) We shall use every resource, including referral when appropriate, to ensure high quality services are accessible and are provided to children and families.

Every organization, agency, community action center and school should just be a phone call away if a child is in need of a particular resource. Professionals must be able to coordinate these services if a child or that child's parent calls on them.

Course Resources

New Resources:

Motivational Learning

www.nasponline.org

Children with Challenging Behavior

www.challengingbehavior.og/do/resources/teaching_tools/ttyc.htm

Food and Nutrition

www.Teamnutrition.usda.gov/resources/nibbles.html

Informative Websites on Young Children

NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap

NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf

NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf

NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf

NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf

NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller

FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf

The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.

Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.

 

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

World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep-usnc.org/
Read about OMEP's mission.

Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/

.

 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/main/about.cfm

Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/

HighScope
http://www.highscope.org/

Children's Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/

Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

Institute for Women's Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/

National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/

National Child Care Association
http://www.nccanet.org/

National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/

Pre[K]Now
http://www.preknow.org/

Voices for America's Children
http://www.voices.org/

The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/

Quotes

Children benefit most from teachers who have the skills, knowledge, and judgment to make good decisions and are given the opportunity to use them- Susan Bredekamp

Fianlly learning occurs within the context of social relationships with other members of the community who have similar, if not identical, issues and concerns from the realm of practice- Virginia Buysse

Personal Childhood Web

When I was a child there were five extradionary people who made my childhood wonderful and are still a major part of my life today. Carmalisa James (my mother) is the nuturing, loving, and happy person that I could go to for anything. She made me feel so special because she told me that she loved every single day and she still does to this day. Phil James (my father) is the caring protective father and any girl would have dreamed of. He pushed me to further my education because he only has a high school degree and wished he could have gone farther. He stressed the importance of education and the main reason why I am in school today. Yaka James (my sister) is the big sis that I would not trade for the world. She taught me how to be strong in very difficult situations and how to speak up for myself. She is the person of courage that sits on my shoulder everyday when I feel that things are getting too tough to handle. Cementra Wolfe (my grandmother) is the 4'11 woman who has skin as tough as leather but her heart is so giving and loving. She was the person I would turn to for advice and she would give it to me straight, no sugar coating here with this lady. Finally Eric Robinson (my godfather) although this loving is no longer on this earth I feel the presence of him all the time. He made me laugh and brought a smile to my face everytime I saw him. He made me feel that when I was with him, I was THE only important thing that mattered to him. All of these people are the reason why I am who I am today. Independent, strong, loving, caring and educated.

The Image of Innocence

 

I chose this drawing because of the use of color and when I was a child I always loved butterflies and this picture clearly shows a beautiful pink butterfly.

Favorite Quote

"Children are our most valuable natural resource" author Herbert Hoover

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" written and illustrated by Eric Carle was on of my favorite books growing up as a child. I was so fascinated with the multiple changes the caterpillar went through and how much he ate as we went through his lifecycle. It was a coloful collage of illustrations that captured the eyes of many young children. If you never had an opportunity to read this book, you should no matter what age you are.

Introduction of ME!!!

My name is Kami and I currently live in Broussard, La (which is about 5 minutes outisde the city of Lafayette). I am married with two dogs (Mia and Lucky), and these three hold the keys to my heart. I graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette back in 2006 and it wasn't until recently that I decided to futhur my education, and I am now enrolled in Grad school!!!! I am nervous and excited all at the same time but I know that all the challenges will be worth it.