“Playing should be fun! In our great eagerness to teach our children we studiously look for ‘educational’ toys, games with built-in lessons, books with a ‘message.’ Often these ‘tools’ are less interesting and stimulating than the child’s natural curiosity and playfulness. Play is by its very nature educational. And it should be pleasurable. When the fun goes out of play, most often so does the learning.” ~ Joanne E. Oppenheim (child development expert, author).

I have always been a firm believer in children learning through play.  Playing should always be fun!  In my experiences, children obtain more information when they don’t realize they are learning.  Play exercises the imagination and allows children to solve problems and experiment with different ideas.

I have never done well at taking tests.  I always dreaded taking any type of test in school to rate my intelligence level.  There are many children who have the same problems.  Children should be tested in many different areas.  Most of these areas should not be “tested” by answering questions on paper.  Children learn in different ways and often take different approaches in showing their intelligence.  It is important to make sure children are where they should be at developmentally according to their age.  I feel there should be a separate list of what children should be able to do at their age.  An example would be an assessment that lists what a six year old can do socially, cognitively, physically and emotionally.  I think professionals should take time to speak to the individual child and perform a proper assessment on each individual skill.  The most important thing is to make sure that each child is properly developing according to their age.  Speaking with the child will help decide whether or not they need extra help and attention. 

In African countries, professionals use a holistic approach to assessment.  The holistic approach assesses the social and emotional well-being of children.  African countries unfortunately see a lot of things such as hunger and disease.  The negative experiences can cause many problems for children, affecting their development.  Professionals want to figure out why a child is having problems and get them help.  If a standard IQ test was done for these children, a lot of them could have low scores.  The reason for low scores could not be because they are not intelligent, there could be many reasons as to why the score was low. 

References:
PEAR. The Holistic Student Assessment. (2014). http://www.pearweb.org/tools/hsa.html

 

 

 

I went to Catholic School my entire school experience.  There was not much variety in the type of students that went to the schools.  Up until my Sophomore year of high school, there was never an African American that attended any school that I did.  This individual was a male. He was a very nice and well mannered young man.  There were many students that were very negative to this student.  I am sure it was because they have not been exposed to any other race or ethnicity before.  He became very shy and uncomfortable.  He never attended any sporting events or activities.  He ended up changing schools and had to be put in counseling due to all of the ridicule he was put through.  He lost a lot of confidence in himself.  I have since spoken to him on facebook. He is currently a school counselor.  He says that is the best decision he ever made.  He is very grateful that he is able to help children that go thought the same type of turmoil that he did.

The experiences for African American Women in the United States can be very negative.  The effects can be very riskful to their health.  “FOUR YEARS AGO, researchers identified a surprising price for being a black woman in America. The study of 334 midlife women, published in the journal Health Psychology, examined links between different kinds of stress and risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Black women who pointed to racism as a source of stress in their lives, the researchers found, developed more plaque in their carotid arteries -- an early sign of heart disease -- than black women who didn't. The difference was small but important -- making the report the first to link hardening of the arteries to racial discrimination” (Drexler, 2007).  

Breast Feeding

There are many benefits to breastfeeding. It benefits mothers and babies.  Babies are less prone to illnesses and diseases.  Formula feeding raises a higher risk of asthma, diabetes, and respiratory infections.  Breastfeeding is also better for the mothers.  It lowers the risk of postpartum depression and forms a tremendous bond between baby and mother.  The mother can be alone with her baby and give him/her the closeness that babies require.  Babies need to be held and nurtured.  I breast fed my son when he was a baby and I would not have had it any other way.  I did not have to worry about bottles and making sure they are properly cleaned.  When he was hungry, he ate.  I was able to pump milk and freeze it for when I was not able to be around him.  Breastfeeding is a healthy and un-costly way to feed your child knowing that they are getting all of the nutrients they need. 

In countries that suffer from poverty, breastfeeding is a must.  Families are poor and cannot afford to properly feed their children.  Another factor in these countries is that the water and food can be harmful.  Mothers do not have a choice other than to breastfeed for the safety of their children.

“The nation benefits overall when mothers breastfeed. Recent research shows that if 90 percent of families breastfed exclusively for 6 months, nearly 1,000 deaths among infants could be prevented. The United States would also save $13 billion per year — medical care costs are lower for fully breastfed infants than never-breastfed infants. Breastfed infants typically need fewer sick care visits, prescriptions, and hospitalizations” (Women’shealth.gov., 2011).

 

Reference:

(2011).  Women’shealth.gov. Breastfeeding. http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/why-breastfeeding-is-important/

 

 

I have a six year old son.  I had a normal pregnancy.  The only thing that was out of place was his father.  He was never around much and drank alcohol heavily.  I was left to do everything on my own.  I had a short labor, lasting about 7 hours.  I was on so much pain but was focused on the outcome. I knew I had a tough road ahead of me and that I was basically on my own.  At that time in my life I had an Associate Degree in early education.  For me, this was a huge task that I had competed.  When it was time to push, I got very scared and anxious.  The second he came out, I knew that I needed to make some changes. As soon as I heard him cry and saw his beautiful chubby little face, I knew what I had to do. All of my fears and anxiety went away for just a few minutes the first time we locked eyes with each other.  This little baby was set to rely solely on me and I had to do everything I could to protect him and take care of him. I knew without a doubt that I was going to put this baby first in every situation.

 

The culture I chose to do some research on was the Chinese culture.  It was interesting to read about some of their rituals and how things are different than in my culture.  In this culture, it is considered unlucky to have a baby shower before the baby is born.  The maternal grandmother waits 3 days then sees the new baby, bring gifts and all of the necessities.  Before being born, babies are given a fake name to scare away evil spirits.  A baby is never given their proper name until after birth.   Another interesting custom is that children of the Chinese culture are typically given multiple names.  One name for birth, one during early childhood, graduation, and sometimes a different name after passing away. 

 

Reference:

 Brown, Leah. Babyzone. Childbirth Traditions Around the World: China. http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/labor-and-delivery/childbirth-traditions-china_70703?page=2

NAEYC

I-1.7—To use assessment information to understand and support children’s development and learning, to support instruction, and to identify children who may need additional services.

I have worked with children with special needs for three years.  I have learned a great deal about what to look for when trying to decide if they need additional services.  I have a better understanding of all of the many resources and options available to these children.  All children develop differently.  Some children cannot make certain connections and are not able to perform in the same ways as their peers. 

I-1.10—To ensure that each child’s culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure are recognized and valued in the program.

Every child is special in many different ways.  It is important to appreciate each child’s culture and background.  When I used to teach preschool, I would always incorporate the cultures of different students.  I would always celebrate Chinese New Year and Cinco de Mayo.  Acknowledging the different cultures made those children feel more welcome and appreciated.  It was also very beneficial in teaching the other students about new and different things. 

 I-2.2—To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.

As professionals, it is part of our job to communicate and involve families.  Children need a strong and positive support system.  Teachers and families can share sources and ideas.  The more those involved in a child’s life build a positive relationship, the more the child will succeed.  Families need to feel just as welcomed.  I am constantly in contact with the families of the children I am involved with.  I send home daily communication pages that tell about the student’s day and it there were any issues that came up that day.  Every parent has my personal email and cell phone number and are well aware that they can contact me at any time with questions or concerns. 

DEC

Responsive Family Centered Practices

6. We shall respect families’ rights to choose or refuse early childhood special education or related services.

This is another issue that is a significant part of my current professional position.  Special education can be very extensive or rather minimal.  I have seen how it affects children and their families.  Having a child that needs special education services can be very difficult for some families to accept.  Often times, it takes parents a lot of thinking and weighing pros and cons before committing one way or the other.  It is important to make families aware of the services that are available and give them all of the information they need to make the proper decision.  I need to be respectful of whatever decision they make and allow them room to change their minds if they are not happy with their decision.

References:

Article: NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from

http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Article: The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from

http://www.dec-sped.org/

 

Position Statements and Influential Practices

•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

•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.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

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

World Forum Foundation

http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us

 World Organization for Early Childhood Education

http://www.omep-usnc.org/

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

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/

Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library

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

Boyse, Kayla.  (2013).  University of Michigan Health System. “Developmental Milestones”.  http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/devmile.htm

(2014). Gulf Bend Center. “Child and Adolescent Development: Overview”. 
http://www.gulfbend.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=7924

(2014). Tuesday’s Child. “Child Development”

http://www.tuesdayschildchicago.org/google/childdevelopment.htm