Sharing Web Resources

As you may have read last week, I am exploring the website of Zero to Three (www.zerotothree.org). This organization's focus is to provide parents, professionals and policymakers with the knowledge on how to nurture early childhood development. Their mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers, setting children on a course for lifelong discovery.

As part of my exploration, I was able to subscribe to their free e-newsletter From Baby to Big Kid. This is a newsletter geared toward parents, designed to teach parents scientifically based information about how children learn and grow, month to month, from birth to age three. It is tailored specifically to the general developmental age of your child (you enter your child's birthday when you register). While I have not received a copy of this newsletter yet, because of it is published on the first of each month, I can share that this newsletter includes general information about child development, articles about common child rearing issues and challenges, activities that promote bonding and learning between parent/caregiver and child and research on child development and how parents can apply it to their daily lives.

Since I have not received a newsletter, I tried to obtain more information about Zero to Three's other publication, the Zero to Three Journal. This journal is costly to subscribe to, and I was hoping that Walden University had a subscription for us to use, but alas, it does not. I was able to preview the current issue (blurred, so you can't read it very well), and found that this journal addresses topics such as well child care, brain development, safe environments, the importance of reading to infants and young children, and the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.

Another source of information Zero to Three provides on its website a series of twelve podcasts for parents and families, featuring an interview with an expert and how to apply current research to daily interactions with your infant or toddler. Focuses include coping with crying, sleep issues, emotional development, nutrition, self esteem, the development of self control, nurturing healthy brain development, the influence of television and other media on young children, the role of grandparents, the influence of fathers, partnering with your child's caregiver, and encouraging parents to reflect on their family history and how it influences the way we choose to raise our children. I can't wait to be able to have time to sit and view these podcasts! As a parent and educator of three year olds, these really caught my attention, both as personal resources and resources to pass on to the parents of children in my class!

There are other resources to explore on this website, such as a section on public policy, but I ran out of time to explore it!

A search of the website for "changing demographics and diversity" produces a wealth of information regarding different types of families, including the different pathways to parenthood. It also includes exploring cultural differences to communication, television viewing, and points to consider when observing children psychosocially. Unfortunately, to view the articles in their entirety, you have to be a subscriber to the Zero to Three Journal.  I wonder if I send a request to the Walden University Library, perhaps a subscription could be purchased for Walden University student use?

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

This week for our course assignment we had to establish contact with at least two early childhood professionals outside the United States. We also had to explore at least one early childhood website that was unfamiliar to us.

I attempted to contact early childhood professionals from Canada and Argentina. I emailed both of them and am waiting to receive a reply. Hopefully I will receive one soon. I chose these countries because I have family ties to both of them. My grandmother grew up in Canada and my husband and his family are from Argentina, so I would like to know more about early care and education in these areas of the world. That being said, I know there are parts of Canada that do not speak English, and hope that the language barrier does not become a factor here. I am also nervous about contacting a representative from Argentina for the same reason. Perhaps if I don't hear anything from the Argentina representative I can have my husband help me translate my email to Spanish and get results that way. I am very excited about learning more about the issues and trends in early childhood in other parts of the world.

For the second part of this assignment, I chose to explore the zero to three website (www.zerotothree.org). I chose this site because I am the proud parent of a nine month old boy, and found its content both interesting professionally and personally. I was also looking for resources to share with my husband, as he is exploring his new role as stay at home dad, and spends the day with our son.  I was surprised to learn about all of the resources they had to offer both parents and professionals and look forward to exploring this site more and receiving its free e-newsletters. I hope to learn from the professionals I contacted above if their countries have similar resources and advocate as strongly for their young children as this organization does.

I am interested to learn about what my colleagues can share about their experiences, and look forward to exchanging information over the next eight weeks.

My Supports

     Within our daily lives, we all need support of some kind. Some of us require technological supports, such as the use of our electronic devices for telling time, keeping schedules, and staying organized. Others require visual support, such as through the use of glasses or contacts. Other people need the use of assistive devices for physical support, such as walkers, chairs that lift us to stand, wheelchairs, or canes. Like many others, I have supports that extend across many different domains. I am supported by others throughout my day, both at home and at work. I also provide support for others within these environments, in a partnership or collegial manner.
     For example, I rely on the emotional support of my husband and extended family to carry me through difficult days, when things just seem too difficult, too overwhelming, or too many. My family helps me calm down, prioritize, and tackle any task that needs to be done. I am supported daily by my husband helping me around the house, getting the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and just about every other household chore done that is necessary to keep the household going. He even makes lunches! There would be no way I could do everything I need to do without such support.  I would not be able to work full time, complete my school work satisfactorily (to my satisfaction or our professor's), and fulfill my other obligations without him. Thanks honey!!! I rely on the support of my colleagues at work when faced with a challenging situation involving my students. We collaborate on how to best meet the needs of our students when one of us is stuck (and sometimes frustrated). Without the support network of colleagues at school, I would have made many mistakes providing my students with the best possible education. Sometimes the perspective of another person, one who does not work with the students day to day, is the best one because it encourages you to think outside the box, to look at the situation differently, which leads to more creative and sometimes more effective solutions. I would definitely not be so successful in my career as a teacher without my colleagues. I am not talking about status as a teacher, title, or anything else other than providing students with the best possible learning experiences. I measure my success by how I am doing as a teacher, meeting their needs. I have definitely benefitted from the knowledge and expertise of many different professionals along the way, and without them I would not have the knowledge, skills, or attitude necessary to meet their needs. Thank you to all of my colleagues who have offered knowledge, skill trainings, ideas, or support to me throughout my career.

For my current course, I need to choose a challenge to hypothetically face, and to brainstorm the supports necessary to be successful to overcome or manage it.

For this exercise, my challenge would be to use a wheelchair and have difficulty communicating verbally. Within my daily environment, I would need to live and work (or attend school) in an environment that is relatively easy to navigate with my wheelchair. This means that it would be free of obstacles, with space between the furniture for easy turning. Furthermore, I would need to find a system of communication that worked for me, whether it was some kind of visual communication board, assistive technology(such as computer, iPad, or eye gaze system), sign language, or any other means necessary to complete my daily tasks. I would need the emotional support of my family and friends to encourage me to keep going when things get tough, to always do my best no matter what, and to believe in me. Without these supports, my physical, social, emotional and cognitive needs would not be met. Physically, because I would not be able to navigate my environment, I would be unable to be independent, something we all strive for. Socially and emotionally, my needs would not be met because I would have no way of communicating them, and people would have no way of knowing what I need or want. Cognitively, my needs would not be met because often, when someone can't speak, people assume that you are mentally disabled as well, and avoid trying to communicate. Life would be very difficult, and would probably lead to feelings of isolation, frustration, anger, depression and possibly even illness if I fell ill and could not communicate my need to see a physician.

As I end today, think about all the supports you have in your life. Who couldn't you live without? Go thank them. And do it often. What couldn't you live without? Now think of how you would do things without that object. Remember this the next time you encounter someone with a disability. How would you like to be treated?  How can you help that child or person be the best person he or she can be? What can we all do to make each other's lives a little bit easier? Now go do it!

My Connections To Play

My Connections to Play

Quotes About Play

"Play brings joy. And it's vital for problem solving, creativity and relationships. "
Margarita Tartakovsky

"Playology is about waking up our senses, infusing our organs of seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, tasting - and the higher cognitive senses as well, with the spirit of play. Play ignites creativity and spontaneity. Playing together leads to trust and cooperation. "
Ellie Katz

"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning."
Dianne Ackerman

"Serious play is not an oxymoron; it is the essence of innovation."
Michael Schrage

"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. "
George Bernard Shaw

Essential Play Items from my Childhood

       

  

As a young child, I remember spending countless hours building with Tinker toys, playing with my mother's pots and pans, and stacking or making forts out of her Tupperware. In addition, I also remember spending countless hours exploring my neighbor's barn and observing her farm animals- sheep, steers, goats, pigs, peacocks, chickens, and ducks, and playing with the never ending supply of kittens from the barn cats. This type of play utilized no toys at all.  Adults in my life supported my play by asking questions, offering suggestions on how something might work better, and answering my questions about just about anything. While I know that I was a helpful child (my parents and other close family tell me so),I don't remember feeling like helping any of the significant adults in my life was work. As Dianne Ackerman said above, "Play is our brain's favorite way of learning." I feel that my helpfulness to others was a form of play, because it helped me learn new things, feel useful and most importantly, it was enjoyable. I also note that most of the things I played with were used in an open-ended manner, and did not have a specific thing I used them for alone. Imagination was key in my play and was encouraged by the adults who cared for me and about me.

Today I notice that many children have difficulty using toys or materials that are open ended. Their first question about a new toy or material is "what does it do?", not "what can I do with it?" I also notice a trend toward electronic toys. This is very disturbing to me because i notice that children do not seem to have the kind of imagination or deep imaginative play that I remember engaging in as a child. This is very different from the creative play I remember from my childhood. I struggle to find non-electronic toys for my young child, ones that encourage exploration and later, as he begins talking, questioning.

I also notice that children today do not seem to have the same amount of time to play as I remember having as a child. Children today seem overscheduled and tired. They do not have the carefree attitude I remember from my childhood, and I am saddened about this. It also worries me about their lives as they grow up, and the added stress. Play is a natural reliever of stress, and if they do not know how to play, the stress continues to compound, therefore causing more and more problems, physically, emotionally, and mentally. It is my hope that more parents and teachers realize the value of play, and the need for children to engage in open ended, creative play, and how important it is to their development. As a new parent, I hope to provide my son with the most free play time possible, so that he can enjoy the same carefree childhood that his father and I remember enjoying as children. We are only children for a few short years, we are adults for much longer. There is plenty of time for work, children need to play! For that matter, adults need to remember to play too. Play relieves stress!

Reflections on Relationships

"Human relationships, and the effects of relationships on relationships, are the building blocks of healthy development" (Shonkoff & Phillips, 2000, p. 4)

Relationships and partnerships are important to all humans because humans are generally social creatures, and we rely on one another for physical, social-emotional, and cognitive needs. As infants and children, our needs are met by our parents, grandparents, extended family and friends. As adults, our needs continue to be met by family and friends, and usually by our spouse or significant other. Children can also contribute to meeting a parent's needs by teaching us new things, new perspectives, and by their needs for physical affection. Some current positive relationships in my life are the ones between my husband and I, my son and I, my parents and I, and one very special aunt and I. Overall, the factors that contribute to maintaining these relationships are love, communication, and overall interest and concern about each other and what is going on in everyone's life. Many of these relationships have been forged over many years.
One significant relationship/partnership in my life is that between my husband and I. Our relationship obviously began as a romantic one, and has led to our new roles as parents. This joyful occasion led to us changing our roles as life partners to each other to a partnership in parenting our infant son. Clear communication remains a strong influence in keeping this relationship positive, with clear expectations from both of us about each other's roles and responsibilities, and how they change on any given day. When communication fails, this leads to frustration and stress for both of us, and ultimately our child.
In general, communication is the key to maintaining and improving most relationships. Clear communication, with a shared understanding of any goals, hopes, and dreams, makes everyone happier. It often leads to discussion and compromise when differences of opinion arise. However, ongoing, open and honest communication can be difficult, and therefore can also be a challenge to developing and maintaining relationships. This is especially true when differences in opinion arise, that may result in creating a rift between two people. Here it is especially important to discuss differences of opinion, to respect each other's opinion, and come to an agreement that is acceptable to everyone.
Reflecting on relationships contributes to early childhood professionalism because it helps us understand our own ideas, opinions, and biases, and therefore deal with them so that we can be more open and welcoming to the children and families in our programs. It allows us to see that our opinion is not the only one out there, and that sometimes we may be wrong or misguided in our opinions. This allows us to change so that we can improve our relationships with children and their families.

When I think of Child Development

Everyone needs to feel loved and cherished.

It is important to remember that every child can learn, that we all have varying abilities, and that if our methods are not working, we need to change the method to fit the child's needs. The child does not need to change to fit our needs.

This quote is important to keep in mind because as we know, every child needs to feel that someone cares, and as early childhood educators, we can be that someone.

 

Testing for Intelligence?

This week we have been challenged to answer the question: What is the most effective way to measure children’s abilities? I believe the answer to this question does not rest in a single method, but in a combination of methods in order to best measure each child’s knowledge and abilities. Most school systems in the United States rely on the results of standardized tests to measure student achievement. But how many children (and even adults) excel with the standard pencil and paper exam? Or even newer, computer based exams with question after question being asked? Tests like these should only be one component of measuring student achievement. They should not be the end-all, be-all measure we rely on. As we know, people learn in a variety of ways. Some people are visual learners, others auditory, others kinesthetic, and so on. People excel in different subjects. So why are we only testing children one way? It is my opinion that children’s knowledge and abilities need to be tested through teacher observations, student demonstrations or presentations and samples of completed work collected over a period of time, in addition to the occasional standardized test.  This will create a more comprehensive view of the student’s abilities, and highlight areas in need of improvement for reteaching.

                Children’s knowledge should not be measured by one test on one day in their life. Many factors influence children’s achievement on such standardized tests. If the child is hungry, tired, ill, or emotionally distraught due to a personal event, the test results will be skewed and will not be a true representation of what the child knows or can do.

                As part of my research this week, I sought to find out more about how children are assessed in another part of the world. For this assignment, I chose Argentina, a country dear to my heart because my husband was born there, and attended school there until age thirteen. I researched how children are educated there today, compared to what he remembers.  According to my research, children in Argentina are assessed by teacher made tests and observations. Standardized testing for reading comprehension is done in grades three, six, nine and twelve. Other than that, standardized tests are not used except for admission to universities.  When talking to my husband, he remembers attending school in the morning, wearing a uniform, and learning subjects similar to those taught here in the US. He recalls taking written tests, both open and closed book, making posters, and doing presentations in front of the class. Combining these methods presents a much larger picture of the student’s knowledge than each method alone.

 I am concerned with the weight the results of standardized testing is having on our children today. Children are pressured to perform well on these tests, and are often “taught to the test”, at the expense of learning other things. I am concerned that we as a society are putting too much stress on these tests and not looking at children’s achievements as a whole. Children should be assessed as a whole person, not just one test on one day. It is my hope that more educators will stand up and say “This is wrong. We should assess children’s achievement using a variety of methods, not just one.”

http://www.countryreports.org/country/Argentina/kidslife.htm

http://www.iadb.org/res/laresnetwork/projects/pr294finaldraft.pdf