Art Gallery - What I Have Learned

One hope I have for working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is to be able to see each individual for who they are oppose to who I would expect them to be.  It is important to look beyond the stereotypes placed on each individual and/or group in order to help their needs. 

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to work towards eliminating bias and provide support for all children and families regardless of their background.  By doing this we will be setting/meeting goals of the family's needs opposed to us setting/meeting goals that we feel is needed. 

Thank you to all my colleagues for supporting and encouraging me throughout this course.  I appreciate your comments and post and have learned from all of you.  I wish everyone the best as you begin your next course. 

Creating Art

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

There has been many times where I see a child point out or comment on another person's physical appearance to their parent or caregiver.  I often notice these comments when standing in line to check out at a store.  Just last week when I was waiting in line to check out, there was a man with no legs in a wheelchair.  Behind him, was a mother and young child.  The mother was distracted putting her groceries on the belt when the little girl pointed at the man and very loudly stated "Mom, that man has no legs."  The mom very quickly said "Emma don't say that, it's not nice."  This brought attention to the situation by other people standing in line, including the man in the wheelchair.  Obviously the mother was embarrassed and was unsure how to respond to her child.    If I was the child, I would have felt that it was not ok to talk about other people who look different.  Which would then lead to me being afraid to talk about those things.  As an anti-bias educator, I would have acknowledged what the child said as she was clearly trying to understand why this man looked different.  I would reaffirm the child's comment by saying "Yes, Emma that man has no legs and that is why he needs his wheelchair."  I would follow up with Emma later and ask if she had any questions about what we talked about earlier.  As these situations occur, they are teachable moments where we as parent's and educators have the opportunity to teach our children and help them better understand the world around them.

"Start Seeing Diversity Video” Blog: Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

After reviewing the videos, I was reminded of the importance of being open minded to issues regarding gender and sexual orientation.  While I am aware of both of these topics, I have yet to see a push to educate young children about sexual orientation.  Many of the books and materials, including many of the curriculum that we use do not incorporate differences such as differences in sexual orientation.  Gender, on the other hand, is discussed and gender roles are identified and incorporated in the curriculum.  In my opinion, it is more difficult for children to understand the differences in sexual orientation when it often goes against what they learn about typical gender roles.

When discussing the issue of avoiding books that depict gay or lesbian couples, I would think it would depend on the situation.  Many people have very strong opinions on this topic.  If materials were presented that depicted gay and lesbian couples, there may be a very strong opinion against such books.  If this is the case, it may do more harm than good to have these materials in these classes.  However, the main purpose of books is to help with the education of children.  Therefore, I would not necessarily avoid a book because it depicted gay or lesbian couples if I thought it was relevant to the topic being discussed.

Thank You

Thank you to all my classmates for supporting me throughout this course.  I appreciate all the feedback and responses you have posted to my discussions and blogs.  I have learned so much from each of you and look forward to support all of you and learn more in the future classes.  Best of luck to everyone!

Team Building and Collaboration

As there are many different stages of groups, I find that the groups that I have successfully gone through each stage with are the most difficult to leave.  When completing tasks with a group, relationships are built and trust if formed.  Successful groups work well together and have formed the relationships needed to complete the task.  There is little doubt that when a group is successful, positive relationships have been formed.  Adjourning the group can be difficult if relationships have been formed.  It is difficult to leave a group when there has been success.

When adjourning a group, it is normal to gather to tie up any loose ends.  In some of the successful groups that I have been part of, I have developed positive relationships with other members.  When adjourning, I make sure that I am able to connect with them outside of the group situation.  Wishing the members good luck on future tasks is also a common occurrence. 

Adjourning is an essential part of teamwork.  This is the stage that everyone gets closure on the task, and assurance that the overall goal has been accomplished.  Without this stage, the team is unable to celebrate the success of the group.

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

Conflict is a normal part of any relationship whether it is personal or professional.  How we go about resolving these conflicts will strengthen or weaken the relationship between you and the other person.  One conflict that often arises between me and my husband is sharing responsiblilty of household tasks, which I wish would never happen.  Between work, kids, and various commitments throughout the week, it is easy to feel overwhelmed or left with the feeling that you never have enough time to complete everything.  We often find ourselves having disagreements regarding whose repsonsibilty it is to complete certain things.  This conflict is ongoing and at times left with frustration and disappointment.  One strategy that I could use to help resolve this conflict would be to compromise with my husband regarding these issues and respect each others time and effort.  This strategy would be more effective because it would lead to a resolution that both of us would be happy with.  Considering respect in this situation would help us consider the other persons feelings and see it from their point of view. 

A recent disagreement that I had with a co-worker was regarding strategies that this co-worker wanted to incorporate into the classroom.  I felt that these strategies were not age appropriate for the children we were providing services for.  Using a broader range of solutions to our disagreement would allow us to use some of the current ideas while making them more age appropriate.  By using this strategy we would maintain some of the original ideas making my co-worker more willing to accept my thoughts and opinions. 

I found this weeks resources to be highly beneficial and helpful.  It is imporantant to consider each of these strategies when resolving conflict.  By recognizing the conflict, we can find more specific strategies that then lead to more positive resolutions. 

Communication Evaluation

The task of interviewing myself as a communicator, along with others evaluating me was very insightful and beneficial.  I was able to learn more about myself and what others saw in me.  I have always felt nervous when speaking in large groups or in public.  I tend to rehearse repeatedly prior to speaking in public and often thought I was viewed this way as well.  One insight from the evaluation that I found surprising, was that my family member and a parent from my parent group did not view me as uncomfortable or anxious when speaking in groups or in public.  One insight I gained this week was that I appear more comfortable than I thought I was when speaking in groups or in public.  I need to gain confidence in my speaking abilities within this area.  Hearing how other people view me gives me more confidence and encourages me to do this more often.  Another insight I have gained this week was learning about my strength in listening.  I have always enjoyed listening to others and being in the position to help or encourage. It is reassuring to know that I am being viewed that way and hope to continue to listen effectively.  This assignment was rewarding and insightful in many ways.  I hope to continue to learn more about myself and others in terms of communication and ways to be a more effective communicator.

Communication and Culture

I do find myself communicating differently depending on the individual or group of people I am communicating with.  When communicating with friends and family, I tend to be more informal.  I am more comfortable and not as concerned with the conversation formalities.  When communicating as a professional, I tend to be more formal and precise.  When communicating I am more focused on the message I am trying to convey, as well as listening to others. 

One strategy I would use to effectively communicate with others is to verify my perceptions.  When communicating with others, I tend to jump to conclusions before fully assessing the situation.  It is important to take time to consider the other perspective before making and judgements.  A second strategy I would use is to look beyond first impressions.  It is very easy to make assumptions based strictly on your first impression of someone.  I need to make sure to take time and get to know someone before making any judgements.  Another strategy I would use is to be mindful when communicating.  It is important to be mindful when communicating with others.  There are so many ways that people can be diverse, we need to be open minded because we can't understand the way they are different. 

Communication Skills

I chose to watch sitcom called "Up All Night."  This was the first time this show was aired.  After watching the show with the sound off I was able to make many assumptions regarding the couple's relationship.  Based on the pictures I was aware that the couple was happily married and just had a baby.  As the show went on I noticed tension and stress between the couple.  I could make assumptions regarding their mood based on their body language and facial expressions.  I could tell that they were upset when they were arguing because of how animated they were when they spoke.  I could see that the couple was exhausted and tired.  I also noticed how loving the couple was to their baby by their facial expressions and the way they looked at her.

Watching the show with the sound on, confirmed my assumptions.  However, being able to hear what they were saying, I was able to have a better understanding of why the couple was stressed and feeling the way they were.  With the sound off, the communication between the couple was very animated and tense.  After listening to the conversations between the couple, I became aware of the resentment between the couple, due to the husband choosing to stay home with the baby, and the wife going back to work.  In the end, the wife showed her love and commitment to her husband and baby by choosing them over her boss.  I feel that I would have made better assumptions with a show that I already knew.  Because this was a new show, I did not know the history between the couple and their personalities. 

Competent Communicator

In my everyday life, I am surrounded by many strong and influential communicators.  When looking at strong and competent communicators, my husband stands out in comparison to anyone else in my life.  When communicating in his professional field or with family and friends, he is well spoken and is understood.  He maintains focus on the conversation and is able to clearly state his point and opinion.  When communicating, he does not dominate the conversation and allows others to participate in the conversation.  When adding to a conversation, his comments and opinions are relevant and people listen to him. Most importantly, he listens to others and respects their thoughts and opinions.  When communicating, I would like to model patience and focus as my husband does in his conversations. It is important to show all these qualities to make the conversation effective. 

Professional Hopes and Goals

When working with children and families with diverse backgrounds, I hope that I make each individual feel comfortable with me and program in which they are enrolled in.  By creating a safe environment with these families, I hope the family and I create a relationship where they are able to come to me with questions or concerns.  Working with each family gives professionals the opportunity to eliminate gaps that occur because of different cultures. 

My goal for the early childhood field would be to create equity and social justice by educating all professionals in the field about multicultural issues in order to eliminate bias.

Thank you to all my colleagues for supporting me in this class.  Your thoughts and responses were beneficial to my learning and understanding of this course. 

Welcoming Families From Around the World

When a new child enrolls into a school or program, it is important to have a good understanding of where that child is from and what makes this child who he/she is.  I will be getting a new family in my preschool program.  The family's country of orgin is Algeria.  There are numerous things that need to be done to better my understanding of this child and where they are from.  The first thing I would do is basic research about Algeria.  This would include everything from population, household sizes, education, and health care.  I would next make contact with another individual from Algeria.  Speaking to someone from this country would give me a new perspective on life in Algeria that I would not be able to get by doing basic research.  I would connect with one or more professionals from other preschool or school programs.  By speaking to other school professionals, I would understand the make up of their schools and their expectations in place for each child and family.  Researching various programs and services that are available in Algeria would give me a better understanding of what was available to this family and ways to transition them from what they know to what is available to them here.  Learning this families basic language is key to my relationship with this family and to help make this child successful.  I would also learn more about this families culture including their values and traditions. 

By doing these things I would be more prepared when this child enters my preschool program.  I would have a better understanding of this child and his/her to family to help make a smoother transition.  By having this background information I would be able to incorporate this families culture into my preschool program, which when then narrow the gap between his culture and the main culture.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

An incident that comes to mind is a past experience while working at a family fun center.  A group of Amish families came to ride go-karts and bumper boats.  I could hear many customers making rude comments about their beliefs that were offensive to the Amish families.  These comments consisted of being able to drive go-karts but unwilling to drive cars.  There were also comments made regarding their personal appearance and hygiene.  Due to the comments being made by several customers, these families were unable to enjoy their time at this family fun center.  Due to their background and beliefs they did not have the same experience as other families did in this given situation.  At the time I was employed at this job I was a recent high school graduate.  Even for being young I still recognized the comments to be offensive and rude.  I felt so bad for these families and spoke to a manager about the situation.  The manager was then able to remove the rude customers so these families could enjoy their time there.  In order for this to be a more equitable situation, the customers who were being rude would need to have a better understanding of the culture and beliefs of the Amish families. 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Microaggressions happen to people everyday regardless if there intentional or unintentional.  When communicating with other's we need to be aware of and sensitive to other's feelings and background.  Recently I witnessed a microaggression occur between a husband and wife.  My husband and I were invited over to another couple's house for dinner with other couples.  Before dinner the couple who was hosting the dinner was showing us a room they recently painted.  Knowing the wife painted the room herself, a comment was made by one of the other couples stating "You did a nice job painting this room."  The husband replied. "Yeah it turned out pretty good, considering a girl did it."  This is an example of a microaggression against a girl because of her gender.  Although it was a harmless comment made by her husband, it still suggested that a woman is inferior to a man when it comes to painting.  Normally I would take this type of comment simply as a bad joke however, after learning about microaggressions I recognize this situation as such.

Things that I noticed this week when looking for microaggressions, was that there seemed to be a lot of settle occurrences.  All of the microaggressions that I noticed were based on typical stereotypes that many people have.  Many of these times I would not have noticed, but when simply looking for them it was obvious.  While people are not intentionally trying to hurt other's feelings, it is important that we all think about consequences of our comments. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Learning what others definition regarding diversity and culture was interesting and inspiring.  When asking my brother in law who is Hispanic he mentioned that culture relates to your ethnicity, traditions, and values.  To him diversity is the differences that lies among us.  My friend who is married to someone of a difference race said that culture is basically who you are and how you relate to your traditions, beliefs, and family.  She said that diversity is the difference between people and the way they think or act about certain issues.  My co-worker stated that culture is all the the things that make you who you are and the decisions you make.  She said diversity consists of the difference between different ethnic groups.

Many of the things these people used to define culture and diversity relates to what we have been learning about in this course.  I have heard many times that culture is what makes us who we are.  I have also learned that ethnicity, traditions, values, family, beliefs are also related to culture.  Everybody touched on pieces on diversity which include the differences between one another.

Overall, they gave brief explanations regarding culture and diversity.  They only touched the surface with regards to the both of these topics. While they noticed the obvious characteristics of culture and diversity they didn't mention the more subtle aspects of culture and diversity such as the differences of opinions and the differences in interests. 

This assignment made me realize that many people view culture and diversity in very basic terms without having a deeper knowledge of what culture encompasses.  It is important to understand not only what culture and diversity is, but what it means to you. 

My Family Culture

When you going through a catastrophic event the most important thing to me would be family.  As long as I had my family I know that everything else would fall into place eventually.  If I were to be moved to an unknown country the three items in addition to my family and change of clothes would be my Bible, family album, and my family cookbook.  I would share with others that my faith and my relationship with God is my first priority in life.  My Bible is one of my most valued possessions that I hold dearly.  I live my life through my Bible and I reference it often to help get through difficult times.   The second item I would take is an album with family pictures.  This album represents my family and the history where I come from.  My family is a big part of who I am and feel truly blessed.  The third item I would take is my family cookbook.  This cookbook is filled with recipes from my great grandmother, grandmother, mother, aunts, and cousins.  These recipes are staples at every family gathering and is something that I would like to continue using to represent my family culture. 

If I was told that I could only keep one item, I would choose to keep my Bible.  As difficult as it would be, my faith is my foundation and with that, I could lean on God to face any struggle and begin to build a new life for myself and my family. 

As culture is important, and would hate to loose many of things that make me who I am, I also realize that my culture and my values are instilled in me and would go with me wherever I went. 

When I think of research...

My view of research has changed quite a bit during this course.  While I always knew that there were a lot of things to consider when doing research, I am now aware of how intricate of a process completing research is.  It is not as simple as coming up with a question and trying to find the answer.  The question has to be written clearly and in a way that allows the research to lead to an answer that can be understood clearly.  I also learned that there are different processes and methods that can be used to complete the research.  Many things like researchers bias, ethics, data collection and analysis, and issues with participants all need to be considered when completing the research.  Any mistake in any of these areas or in the research design could lead to invalid data, in turn, wasting the time and effort of the researcher.  As an early childhood educator, my view on research has been enhanced when considering the effects the research can have on children.  Not only can research provide children and professionals with information that can improve the development of children, but we also need to consider the impact that allowing children to participate in the research project could have on the child.  Children are often an essential piece of the research design when completing research to help children.  We need to make sure that their best interest is always in mind when completing the research.

A big thanks to all my colleagues for sharing their views and insights throughout this course.  I wish you the best with your upcoming classes.

Research Around the World

I chose to review the Early Childhood Australia website (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/).  This site offered a vast amount of information regarding early childhoold.  One of the research topics mentioned on this website was Everyday learning about responding to the emotional needs of children, Respecting diversity: Articulating early childhood practice, Learning and teaching through play, Children's resislience: Working with the early years learning framework. 

In the early childhood news it mentions a media release regarding "How does your state rate?"  This is a new report regarding the progress that each state is making towards the National reforms of the early childhood education and sector.  It mentions that changes have been made and their will continue to be changes in the future.  It also mentions that new standards have been placed and will continue to be implemented.  I find this information insightful as here in the United States early childhood is evolving and is in the process of setting higher standards as they are in Australia.  As early childhood is an ever changing field it is important that we continue to set new standards and ensure their implementation. 

I found the link "Socially and Emotional as a basis for curriculum" in the Every Child magazine to be noteworthy.  This link discusses why should social and emotional learning be the basis for curriculum and how do we teach social and emotional skills.  It mentions the importance of relationships to learning and making meaningful relationships with each child so they feel safe and valued.  The link http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/ was offered as a resource to provide additional information on this topic. 

Research that Impacts Children and Families

When looking into the early childhood field, there is endless research and studies being conducted.  Many of these studies have made an impact or will make an impact on a child or family in some way.  No matter how big or small the impact was, it made a difference in a person's life.  If I had the means and knowledge to conduct a research study, I would choose to research the effects of parent involvement on children's school readiness skills.  I feel that the effects of this study would make a positive contribution to the well-being of children and families.  As parent's are a child's first and most important teacher, we need to give families the tools and knowledge to help their child become successful.  Most importantly we need to find ways to involve families in their child's education.  As early intervention is also key to a child's success, the earlier in a child's educational process parent involvement begins, the more powerful the effects. 

The positive outcomes from this study would show:

Higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates
Better school attendance
Decreased use of drugs and alcohol
Better self-esteem

As the lack of parental involvement is the biggest problems facing public schools, we need to give parents the tools necessary to help their child be successful.  In doing so, we will have positive outcomes that will make a major impact in a child's life. 

Your Personal Research Journey

I chose to research ways to promote healthy social emotional development in young children.  I chose this topic for my simulation as this is one of key factors when looking at the social emotional development of a young child.  Social emotional development is a personal interest to me as I am involved with this issue on a daily basis in my current position.  In order for a child to be succesful, we need to be aware of their social-emotional needs and address them.  As there are many factors when looking at the topic of social-emotional development, I feel forunate to have the opportunity to research and learn more on this topic.

When completing the simulation process, I found that narrowing my research to one chosen topic beneficial as it was easier to find more specific information.  This allowed me to direct my research more specifically.  I was able to understand how to use the literature review and how it can be very beneficial to research.  This process helped me direct my reading and to find the imporant information from within the reseach report. 

Completing the research chart was very beneficial as it guided me through the research process.  As many of these terms and strategies are new to me, looking deeper and defining these terms gave me better understanding of research and how to conduct it.  Many of the articles in the learning resources of this course have given me a wider range of strategies and ideas to help in my research process.

When looking at the topic on social emotional development, are there any resources or experiences you can share with me to give me a different perspective on this area?

Resources to share:

Baggett, K. (2009, November). Technologies for Expanding the Reach of Evidence-Based Interventions:  Preliminary Results for Promoting Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood Retrieved from Walden Library http://tec.sagepub.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/content/29/4/226.full.pdf+html

Final Blog Assignment

One consequence I learned from the podcasts is the passion that each professional had for the early childhood field.  This was shown by the way they spoke about their programs and communicated their personal stories.  Having passion for the field you work in is essential in order to have the greatest positive influence on child's life. 

A second consequence is the knowledge and information I gained from various countries and programs.  I was able to get a better understanding of various programs and how each one of them impacted and made a difference in a child's life. 

A third consequence is the implications of access or lack of access to quality health care and the impact it has on children.  Health plays such a vital role in the development of a child.  Those without health care are without a great disadvantage.

One goal is provide awareness and access to high quality programs for all children.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

I listened to a podcast provided by Irma Allen.  Irma is Chairperson of the Swaziland Environment Authority (the equivalent of the EPA in the United States), and a member of the World Forum Nature Action Collaborative for Children.  She is passionate about early childhood.  One of the challenges she faces is the ability to train teachers and community members with regards to early childhood.  Her focus is on the nature dimension of early childhood.  There are no classrooms and that nature is the classroom.  They take opportunities throughout the day to teach children what is happening in their environment.  In her conversation, she mentioned a person who once attended their early childhood center and he shared that this program helped him appreciate his country and his environment more. 

The website provided by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organizations gives information regarding education systems and how to strengthen them.  The section discussing early childhood has three of the main areas to focus on with trying to improve education programs.  The first category is access.  It is believed that learning begins at birth showing the importance of early childhood education.  The second category is quality.  It insures quality programs by providing trainings, materials, and curriculum that focuses on all children holistically.  The final category is investment.  This is an extremely important issue as many countries are struggling to provide the fund to create quality programs.  Providing quality programs to children and families is part of my professional goals and along with ensuring the needs of all children are met.  The information provided by the website goes along with my professional goals by addressing this issue in a much larger scale.

Sharing Web Resources

The Zero to Three website includes a section regarding maltreatment.   In this section, there are outside links to resources that respond to the needs of children and families impacted by maltreatment, violence, loss, and disaster.  The links included “Child Maltreatment” and “Defining Trauma and Child Traumatic Stress.  I chose to look deeper in the site “Defining Trauma and Child Traumatic Stress”.  This site spoke about the two different types of circumstances that children and adolescents experience trauma.  The first circumstance is called Acute traumatic events.  Acute traumatic events occur at a particular time and place and are usually short-lived.  Traumatic events include school shootings, gang related violence, natural disasters, serious accidents, sudden loss of a loved one, and physical or sexual assault.  The second type of circumstance is chronic traumatic situations.  Chronic traumatic situations is exposure to trauma that can occur repeatedly over long periods of time. Chronic traumatic situations include some forms of physical abuse, long-standing sexual abuse, domestic violence and wars.

This site also talks about child traumatic stress.  Child traumatic stress occurs when children and adolescents are exposed to traumatic events or traumatic situations, and when this exposure overwhelms their ability to cope with what they have experienced.  Children respond to traumatic stress in different ways.  Many children show signs of intense stress which include disturbed sleep, difficulty paying attention and concentrating, anger and irritability, withdrawal, repeated and intrusive thoughts, and extreme distress.  Even though some children bounce back from a traumatic situation they can suffer from long term consequences and effect their development.  Repeated exposure to traumatic events can affect the child's brain and nervous system and increase the risk of low academic performance, engagement in high-risk behaviors, and difficulties in peer and family relationships.

This website offers a section regarding Early Care and Education.  This section mentions the importance of positive early learning experiences and how it lays the foundation for later school success.  This section offers three links that include Child Care, Family, Friend, and Neighbor Care, and School Readiness Interactive Birth to 3.  All of these circumstances have the potential to provide high quality education for young children. 

After looking more into child maltreatment and traumatic stress it is importance to look not only at current situations, but also past situations that the child was involved with, in order to fully understand and support the child and family. 

International Contacts Part 2

I chose to listen to a podcast done by Delfenna Mitchell.  Delfena Mitchell is a director at Liberty Children's Home in Beliz.  Beliz is placed number one in child abuse in North Caribean.  Children who are in the home are either physically or sexually abused or abanded or neglected.  She spoke about a child who came to the home after being physically abused by family members and also watched his sister be abused.  This child did not speak a word for over a year.  Delfena Mitchell feels that it is important to allow children to take time to heal when children come to the home.  They allow children to be home schooled and placed in informal schooling with providing time to engage in various activities such as gardening and horseback riding.  One day while horseback riding with this child, he began to talk to her about the abuse he experienced in the past.  After that day, he began to open up more and more.  After listening to this story, it reminded me of the importance of allowing children to heal and open up on their own terms.  When working with children in any situation we need to be aware of the child's needs and be patient and give them the opportunity to become comfortable.

After viewing Harvard's University Global Children's Initiative, I noticed that many of the issues mentioned are issues that many of us face in our own communities.  The faculty has begun to build a porfolio of activities in three different domains.  The three domains include early childhood development, child mental health and children in crisis in conflict situations.  In the area of early childhood development part of the initiative is to provide new information based on research to key people involved in international education.  The second part is to fundraise money and pilot common assessments and programs to unify education around the globe.  Mental health is an area that has not been addressed sufficiently.  In order to help in this area funding is being allocated to provide supports in specific areas depending on the need around the world.  Another need is the need to support children who have experienced a crisis.  Programs are being created to help support chidren who find themselves in these situations such as the children in Haiti and Chili after the earthquake as well as the implications from malnutrition. 

While we see many of these issues in early childhood in our country we need to realize that situations could be much worse.  It is necessary for educational leaders around the world to collaborate in order for all children to get their needs met and become healthy individuals. 

Sharing Web Resources

The Zero to Three website offers a variety of information regarding early childhood development that is beneficial to my professional career.  The Zero to Three website provides information by using various media tools such as newsletters, video, featured resources, brain information and downloads of the week.  This weeks "download of the week" is "Healthy Minds 24-36 months".  This article from the National Academy of Scientists shows that scientists are still studying early child development and brain development.  I found this article to be very informative about healthy development and ways to achieve this.  This article provides parents with information to support brain development and ways children grow and learn at this age.  As a parent educator, it is important to learn new ways to support parents in this area and help them better understand their child's development.  With the onset of ADD/ADHD and autism in young children, I found the section regarding challenging behaviors to be beneficial to early childhood professionals.  This section discusses different types of behaviors and how to cope with them.  It also provides handouts to parents and educators to manage and help with these behavior issues. 

International Contacts

I listened to the podcasts presented by Susan Lyon and TJ Skalski.  Susan Lyon Ed.D is founder and executive director of The Teacher Project in collaboration with the School of Education at Mills College.  Susan Lyon is an author of many articles and speaker on early childhood education topics.  Susan is one of the founders and a past co-chair of the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA), which works to promote the quality of early childhood education.  Susan Lyon brought "The Hundred Languages of Children" exhibit from Reggio Emilia, Italy, to California's Bay Area. She has also implemented a pilot program using the Reggio approach at the Presidio Child Development Center.  After listening to the podcast with Susan Lyon she communicates her passion for young children and how children see and understand the world around them.  Throughout her professional career she found ways to advocate for young children through her projects and exhibits.  These projects opened the door for collaboration between public and private schools. discussion groups, round tables, and professional development. 

TJ Skalski is the principal of The Mother's Earth charter school in Canada.  This is the first indigenous charter school in Canada.  After listening to the podcast TJ Skalski discussed her calling to working with young children and the path she took to get there.  As difficult as the job is, she remains in that postition in order to make a difference in her students' lives.  She gives reasons for doing what she does and mentions that her strong family values and concern for the community as her reasons for her determination.  She believes that culture and language is priority and essential in the survival and progress of her students.  As many of her students come to her school damaged, she's committed to building dreams, hope, and inspiring students. 

TJ Skalski discusses that many of her students are damaged.  Part of that damage consists of students who are in poverty.  While neither of these podcasts discusses poverty directly, these two people represent the kind of people who are needed to help children who are in poverty.  Both of these individuals take an active role in providing education to young children.   

Sharing Web Resources

This week I chose to review the zero to three website.  This website is available at www.zerotothree.org.  Zero to three is a national non-profit organization that provides information to support the health and development of infants and toddlers.  The zero to three organization offers a variety of parenting resources and new information.  Other topics include behavior and development, maltreatment, care and education, and public policy. 

As the importance of literacy in young children is becoming more prominent, I found a video in the Zero to three website regarding language interesting.  A new resource available this week is a video “Promoting Early Language and Literacy Development”.  This video shows how a child’s success is directly related to early language and literacy.  As parent’s and caregivers play a major role in a child’s awareness and understanding of language, this video communicates the importance of providing parent’s with information and tools to encourage early language and literacy.  This video communicates the benefits of investing in early language and literacy beginning at birth and providing trainings for early childhood professionals to support language development.  By supporting language and literacy development from birth, children will need less intervention and support later in school.  I found this video to be very informative for all professionals, parents and policymakers

Expanding Resources

After reviewing early childhood organization websites, I came across two that I found interesting and provided helpful resources and supports.  I chose the Zero to Three organization as one of my resources.  This website offers a variety of information regarding current issues and research for children birth to age three.  This organization also provides an electronic newsletter that gives additional information.  I also chose the The Global Fund for Children organization as my resource.  This organization provides you with information with current issues regarding children around the world and ways to get involved. This organization provides an electronic newsletter that is published quarterly. 

Zero to Three:  http://www.zerotothree.org/

The Global Fund for Children:  http://www.globalfundforchildren.org

Establishing Professional Contacts

The steps I took to establish professional contacts was to review a variety of major early childhood organizations in different continents.  I also took into consideration the locations of these organizations.  Learning from these organizations from different parts of the world will benefit my understanding of early childhood trends and issues.  I sent emails to organizations from three different continents.  I found organizations in Ghana, Hong Kong and Mexico.  After reviewing information from these organizations, I found the contact information for the professional in that organization.  I have not received a response from any of the organizations at this time however, I am hoping to hear them soon.  If not, I will continue to contact other organizations as well reviewing the information from the World Forum.

My Supports

I am thankful to have many supports in my life.  First and foremost, my husband and children are the most important supports I have.  Without these supports, my life would be very different and difficult.  My family supports me emotionally, physically, and mentally.  I depend on them as they depend on me.  My husband is a major support because of the way he supports me.  Emotionally, he provides support by listening to my "ups" and "downs" of my day.  Physically, mentally, and emotionally I count on him to be a part of our children's lives.  He also provides support by being responsible for our finances and the upkeep of our house.  My children provide support to me everyday by believing in me and loving me.  My parents and in-laws support me by being a part of our lives.  I look to them when needing advice about my life or my children's lives.  I also count on them to watch the kids when we need someone.  My friends provide support by listening to me and giving advice.  I count on them to be there when I need them, no matter how big or small the need is.  My friends provide me with the social support that I enjoy.  In my job, I have many people that provide me with support.  My boss provides support by answering any questions I have and giving advice when needed.  My co-workers provide support by listening and giving advice when needed.  My support system is very important to me.  Without them, my life would be much harder, as I would have to depend on myself to support my needs.

If I were to ever lose my job, I would rely on the many supports I have, starting with my husband and children.  While I may need more financial support because of the loss of income, I would also need emotional support to help me get through this stage in my life.  I would look to my husband, friends, and family for encouragement to find more opportunities for employment.  I would also look to my support system as resources and connections to possible job opportunities.  I would need support from my parents and in-laws to help provide care for my children as I was looking for potential employment.  If these support systems were not in my life during this difficult time, it would be a struggle to have the emotional strength to get through this, but also the financial support to get through that time of unemployment.  Without these supports, it would be much more difficult and take much longer to get through situations like losing your job.

My Connections to Play

Children's Quotes

Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.

O. Fred Donaldson
Contemporary American martial arts master

Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.

Abraham Maslow
American psychologist
1908–1970
 

As a child, my play was supported by my family, cousins, and friends. My family would create opportunities for me to play with other kids that were in my life. The type of play was not necessarily created for me, however, the opportunity to explore my environment was. Play for me, as a child, involved playing outdoors, helping my dad outside, playing house and kitchen, and helping my mom around the house. When playing with other kids, we built forts outside in the woods and in the barn. We spent a lot of time on the swing set and riding bikes. Looking back, I remember just loving to be around other kids and having fun.

I feel there are many similarities and differences in the way play is today, compared to when I was a child. One similarity I see, is how kids enjoy play. Children use their imaginations and are very creative when involved in play. Young children continue to be involved in dramatic play such as playing house, kitchen, or school. I also see how children enjoy playing with one another. One of the biggest differences in play that I notice is the amount of time children spend outdoors. Many children spend a lot of time indoors playing video games and watching TV. When I was younger, spending time in front of the TV was not an option. Because it was not part of my everyday routine, I never expected it or missed it. Another difference in play that I see is the amount of toys children have. Because of all the toys, children are less likely to use their imaginations and be creative. One example of this, is instead of building a fort with their parents or friends, they are bought for them. I hope children are given the opportunity to enjoy being a child. Looking back at my childhood, some of the happiest times I remember, is playing outdoors with my sister and cousins and being a kid.

We don't often think about the impact play has on individuals as adults. It is true, adults don't often engage in play like children do. However, play gives us the foundation that molds us to who we become. Many life long lessons are learned, as children, while we are involved in the many different kinds of play.

Access to Healthy Water

It is baffling to see how many parts of the world are affected by water shortages. We take for granted the access to healthy water that is available to us. As safe drinking water is a basic need, it is difficult to imagine there being a lack of water or lack of access to safe water for many countries around the world.

Africa is the second driest continent in the world, after Australia, and millions of Africans still suffer from water shortages throughout the year. Fourteen countries in Africa are already experiencing water stress. Almost half of the population (778 million in 1997) suffers from one of the six major water-related diseases. Every day, 650 people die from diarrhea in Africa, mainly children under five years of age.

Key facts about children and the lack of water

1. Over three million children in the Horn of Africa are currently affected by water shortages.
2. Diarrhea diseases are responsible for filling more than half the world’s hospital beds. Each child in a developing country suffers an average of 10 attacks of diarrhea before the age of 5.
3. The average distance walked to collect water in Africa and Asia is 6km.
4. Worldwide, approximately 443 million school days are lost annually due to diarrhea disease.
5. Only half of schools in developing countries have access to water and sanitation facilities.

Access to healthy water is a global issue that affects many people throughout the world. As water is one of the most basic human needs for survival, it is essential that this issue continues to be addressed. When you see issues like this, it helps me to be more aware of the serious issues that can not only affect someones health, but also their development.

Resources:

Save the Children. (Jan. 2011). The Impact on Children of Water Shortages. Retrieved from http://images.savethechildren.it/IT/f/img_pubblicazioni/img85_b.pdf

The Water Project. (2010). Global Water Shortage: Water Scarcity & How to Help. Retrieved from http://thewaterproject.org/water_scaricity.asp