Thinking About Child Development...

For me, thinking about child development is thinking about a bright future…children have so much potential and as professionals we can help guide them on the right path. Even a child facing adversity still has the chance to succeed! 

"Miss Jen and Logan Picking Flowers"
December 2010

This is a picture that one of my students gave me, I love it because I think that it shows that children are so eager to learn- it's a picture of her and me (her teacher!) picking flowers.

To me, child development is an amazing topic and I am lucky to be a part of this field. This quote captures how I feel:

“Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation.” C. Everett Koop

Children are the future and it is wonderful to be able to work with them and help give them a bright start. 

…And just a quick note; it has been so interesting to learn other’s perspectives, I just want to say thank you for sharing your support, encouragement and wisdom with me, this has been a wonderful journey so far! Thanks!

Assessing Children

In the US school system today, there is much focus on assessing students. On a large scale, schools assess students to see the school’s performance as a whole compared to other schools. In fact, here in California, many teachers “teach to the test” and do not go outside the curriculum that is on the test because the school’s test scores are tied to the school’s funding. School’s overall test scores determine how much money the state will allocate to the school-a vicious cycle is created as schools with low scores receive less funding and face possible closure or restructuring but are lacking the money to spend on new resources and equipment. According to the state, testing serves as a way to hold schools “accountable” and if the school is successful it can be labeled as such (California Department of Education). The testing includes the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program tests grades 2-11 annually and the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) for seniors in high school (California Department of Education). The focus then becomes on the assessments that the students take and the curriculum focuses on state standards, assessments, and goals, sadly leaving out many subjects and areas of interest that are not on the test.

On a smaller scale, students are individually assessed to see where they are compared to the rest of the students. If students are at the lower end of the spectrum they may repeat a grade or be placed in a modified class. They may also be assessed to see if they need extra accommodations or supports.

The school system in France is also based largely off of assessments. There are three main stages of schools in France: primary school, secondary school (collège), and lycée. School is compulsory for students aged 6-16 (6 year olds start at primary school) but almost all children attend la maternelle, (nursery school), between the ages of 2 and 5 (Mills). All students go through primary school and secondary school. At the end of secondary school, an assessment is given that determines which lycée the student may attend. The lycée a student attends may be either a general, technical, or vocational one, and each lycée prepares students for a corresponding assessment at the end called le baccalauréat- passing this examination allows entry into higher education and acts as a diploma (Mills).

National assessments are given to students twice in primary school to “identify pupils struggling in school” (France). Students who are seen to be struggling are given extra help from supervised tutoring and/or specialists. In some cases, the student may be placed in a special program that includes adapted classes. These programs either have classes that are integrated into the primary school and secondary school or a completely adapted curriculum that gears students toward achieving a certificat d'aptitude professionnel instead of le baccalauréat (Mills).

I think that if schools are committed to viewing young children holistically, then the focus should not necessarily be on assessments. Children have multiple intelligences and often assessments do not take into account social or cultural contexts nor do they focus on other aspects of the child. However, assessments can be beneficial in seeing whether a child qualifies for needed accommodations or supports and making sure that they stay on track to succeed, but assessments also should be socially, culturally, and developmentally appropriate.

References:

California Department of Education. (22 January 2010). Testing & Accountability. Retrieved from California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/

Mills, Ian C. and the Wharton Group. (1997-2010). EDUCATION in FRANCE. Retrieved from Discover France: http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Education/DF_education.shtml#Structure

Consequences of Stress on a Child's Development

I had a child in a class a few years back who was the sweetest boy. He was smart but a bit of a loner, he stood apart from his classmates and never really got too close to anyone. He had model behavior and did his work meticulously. At first glance, he seemed pretty normal-he was a little smaller than his classmates but appeared healthy. However, after getting to know him you would see that there was something a little off with his emotional development. He was emotionally young for his age and could be extremely clingy once he began to reach out. He would flinch if you patted his shoulder without warning and if anyone raised their voice he would cower. He shied away from the more aggressive boys and would sometimes come to school just completely shut-down and blank. Unfortunately, his behavior was most likely from the violence he witnessed at home. Child Protective Services became involved and he was removed from the unhealthy situation. He returned to school after being placed in the home of his grandparents and after a rough, emotionally stressing transition he began to blossom! This is one story about a child who was fortunate to receive support and be removed from a stressful situation

Witnessing violence is just one of the many stressors that impact a child’s development. Other stressors include war, poverty, racism, natural disasters, isolation, noise, chaos, disease and environmental pollution. Stressors like these can impact a child’s physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. Although some children are lucky to receive supports, many worldwide are not although agencies (such as UNICEF and WHO) work to provide supports.

Nicaragua is one of the poorest nations in Latin America-about 45% of its population lives below poverty level (most of the poverty is found in rural areas). This impacts children and their development in a few ways. Physical development is affected as many of the children living in poverty do not receive adequate nutrition, in Nicaragua 10% of children under 5 are severely underweight and 20% have stunted growth (Kathyei, 2009). Psychosocially and cognitively, development is affected as many poor Nicaraguan children work to help support their families. Some of the reasons that Nicaragua has such high poverty levels are stressors mentioned above: Nicaragua’s civil war from 1980-1990 and natural disasters such as hurricanes, notably Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and Hurricane Felix in 2007 (IFAD) contributed to the country’s poverty levels. In addition to impacting development, many children in Nicaragua do not attend school and if they do they often do not go further than 5^th grade (Kathyei, 2009).

Some of the things that are being done to help reduce these stressors include some programs sponsored by the government. One such program is designed to ‘provide free meals, school supplies and transportation for primary school-age children” (Kathyei, 2009). Other supports include UNICEF, who has sent aide and supplies (aimed to help provide clean water, sanitation and education) to Nicaragua after hurricanes. Hopefully these supports will help minimize the harm from the stressors Nicaragua’s children face!

References:

Kathyei. (2009, May 4). Increasing poverty in Nicaragua and its effect on Education. Empowerment International. Retrieved from: http://empowermentinternational.org/2009/05/04/increasing-poverty-in-nicaragua-and-its-effect-on-education/.

IFAD. (2011). Rural Poverty in Nicaragua. Rural Poverty Portal. Retrieved from: http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/web/guest/country/home/tags/nicaragua

UNICEF. (2007, September 6). UNICEF emergency supplies target water, sanitation and education in Nicaragua. UNICEF. Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/media_40801.html

Child Development and Public Health

Breastfeeding is a mother’s personal choice that is influenced by many factors. I had made the decision to breastfeed my son before his birth-I was encouraged by doctors, literature, and my family. I made this choice primarily because I knew it would benefit his health-breastmilk is the best nutrition for the first 6 months of life, it provides nutrients, vitamins, and the baby receives antibodies from its mother that help promote immune system development. What I did not know was that breastfeeding sounds a lot easier than it sounds! At first it was extremely painful (I considered giving up) and then when I returned to work I met with the challenge of pumping milk-but still I continued on, determined to breastfeed my son for at least one year. I felt that the benefits outweighed any of my personal discomfort and I found breastfeeding is a very rewarding bonding experience (in fact, my son is not yet fully weaned and I am actually saddened by the thought that soon he will be!).

However, not all mothers can breastfeed and not all mothers choose to breastfeed. Whether for personal of medical reasons, the mother’s choice should be respected. Breastfeeding was a personal choice and I am a strong advocate for breastfeeding and its importance early on.

Research shows that it is extremely beneficial for the mother to breastfeed their infant within the first hour after birth, exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months, and then continued breastfeeding is suggested until the age of 2 (UNICEF, November 2009). Breastfeeding can not only foster healthy development but can prevent malnutrition and possibly death. While I was well-informed and encouraged to breastfeed my son, many mothers in other parts of the world are not. I wanted to share what I found because I thought that it was extremely interesting and shows how public health impacts development.

In Cambodia, early initiation of breastfeeding and breastfeeding itself has only been recently encouraged. Cambodia has high levels of child malnutrition and infant mortality-in 2000, 45% of children under the age of 5 were malnourished (PRB 2003). Also in 2000, only 11% of infants 0-5 months old were exclusively breastfed (although others were breastfed, they were also given water and/or other liquids, which is not recommended and can actually be harmful for the baby).

One of the reasons that this occurred was because women were not being informed of the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and the benefits of breastfeeding in general were not known. It is also suggested that mothers may have been under the impression that formula was more beneficial and were not encouraged to breastfeed by their doctors before or after giving birth. It was also a common occurrence that babies were given water during hotter times and that they were introduced to solid foods earlier than recommended (PRB 2003). All of these factors are harmful for an infant’s development-infants need the nutrients provided in breastmilk to grow and weaning them too early may have a negative impact on their health and/or development.

Fortunately, a public health initiative was launched in Cambodia to help increase awareness and knowledge about breastfeeding. This initiative included “support to health systems and community-based programs” as well as the use of media (Conkle, 2007). Training health care workers in the importance and techniques of breastfeeding allowed them to pass the knowledge on to mothers. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative was also launched in Cambodia by WHO and UNICEF. This initiative is designed to make hospitals “baby-friendly,” meaning that the hospital “does not accept free or low-cost breastmilk substitutes, feeding bottles or teats, and has implemented 10 specific steps to support successful breastfeeding” (UNICEF, August 2009). Community-based programs include mother-support groups and work with NGOs and other community based programs to increase the knowledge and support network, especially in rural areas. Lastly, the media campaign included TV and radio commercials and songs emphasizing the importance and benefits of breastfeeding (Conkle, 2007).

With this public health initiative, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Cambodia increased-to 60% in 2005-and infant mortality rates decreased. I found this to be amazing-I love this story of how a public health initiative can bring such a positive change! Public health is related to child development in many ways, this is just one example. This shows although breastfeeding is a mother’s personal choice her choice is influenced by the context in which she lives. As a professional, this serves as a reminder of the power of knowledge-we are resources for the parents and families we work with and can help relay information to help them make informed decisions.  

References:

Conkle, Joel. (2007, August). Exclusive Breastfeeding in Cambodia: An Analysis of Improvement from 2000-2005. Retrieved from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/969796/Exclusive-Breastfeeding-in-Cambodia-An-Analysis-of-Improvement-from-2000-to-2005.

Staff Members from Department of Planning and Health Information, Ministry of Health, the Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia, and Population Reference Bureau.(2003, January). Cambodia Falls Short of Early Childhood Nutrition Goals. Population Reference Bureau. Retrieved from: http://www.prb.org/Articles/2003/CambodiaFallsShortofEarlyChildhoodNutritionGoals.aspx.

UNICEF. (2005). Statistics By Area/Child Nutrition. ChildInfo: Monitoring the Situation of Children and Women. Retrieved from: http://www.childinfo.org/breastfeeding_cambodia.html.

UNICEF. (2008, April 1). Mother Support Group Network promotes exclusive breastfeeding in Cambodia. Cambodia. Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cambodia_43437.html.

UNICEF. (2009, August 12). The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Nutrition. Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_24806.html.

UNICEF. (2009, November). The Challenge. ChildInfo: Monitoring the Situation of Children and Women. Retrieved from: http://www.childinfo.org/breastfeeding_challenge.html.

Vachon, Michelle and Naren, Kuch. (2002, August 5-6). Mothers Duped by Milk Products, Officials Say. The Cambodia Daily. Retrieved from: http://www.camnet.com.kh/cambodia.daily/selected_features/milk.htm.

Childbirth

“Childbirth is more admirable than conquest, more amazing than self-defense, and as courageous as either one.”-Gloria Steinem 

My son Jack was born one year ago, at 6:45 am, weighing 7 lbs. 4 oz., 20.5 in. long. The experience I had giving birth was one that I will never forget. I had a high-risk pregnancy and so my labor was induced after the due date came and went. I went to the hospital in the afternoon, I really did not know what to expect and so I was very nervous (plus I am terrified of needles!). I was given Pitocin to induce the labor and contractions started but after a while my water had not broken so the doctor broke it. A few hours later, I was given an epidural and the labor really began. Shortly after, the baby went into distress-this was the scariest part. I did not know what was happening and it felt like I was dying. The doctors rushed in and gave me something to slow the labor done. They put a monitor on the baby and luckily he stabilized. Hours later, the epidural wore off and I was told that I was too far in to receive another. Finally, it was time to push! Even without the epidural, the pain was not too unbearable; I was more scared than anything! After pushing for two hours, the baby began to come and I received an episiotomy…and finally, after over 18 hours of labor, baby Jack was born November 5, 2009! He was given to me almost immediately and I nursed him right away…holding him erased everything that I had been through!

In Central America today, more childbirths are probably in a somewhat similar setting to that of my son’s-more and more women are giving birth in medical facilities and with skilled birth attendants present. In Nicaragua, infant mortality rates are dropping and more mothers are seeking prenatal care (WHO 2010). However, this is not always the case-indigenous women are less likely to seek care at a medical facility and are more likely to give birth at home and without seeking prenatal care (Gallagher 2010). Traditionally, Central American women give birth at home, in a “crouching position. The woman supports herself with a rope strung from the rafters or in the arms of her husband. Instead of painkillers, the woman usually puts her braided hair between her teeth and bites down on it. Traditional birthing attendants and other family members are also usually present” (Gallagher 2010). One reason that some women do not give birth in a medical facility is because their traditions and/or language may not be respected.

So two different birthing experiences- hospital or home, medical or traditional; neither is right, and neither is wrong. The question really is what is best for baby and mother? In doing this research, I found that a number of indigenous women die in or after childbirth because they are afraid to seek medical attention-it is not necessarily that they are not giving the “right” kind of birth but because they may need medical help. To me, this is really a difficult situation: if the medical procedure goes against cultural or traditional values and practices then many women may turn it down even if it is life saving-is it possible for cultural values to be respected when it comes to medical practices? There are some attempts to solve this problem: in Guatemala, they are “piloting an alternative method of maternal healthcare, run by the state authorities: Casas Maternas (‘maternal houses’)" (Gallagher 2010). Here, women from rural areas can come to stay with their spouse before giving birth. In these maternal houses, women can receive medical care and the pregnant woman's family can stay with her to make her feel more comfortable. Another option is a traditional birth attendant- a midwife who can, in some cases, help bridge the gap between culture and medicine. 

I found all of this to be very eye-opening and fascinating. Childbirth is something that occurs everywhere in the world although it does not always occur in the same manner. The care a baby receives both before and after birth can affect its development-for example, children with malnourished mothers may developmentally be at a disadvantage before birth and may not have the adequate nutrition to continue healthy growth after birth. I am fortunate that I was able to receive the prenatal care and care during birth that I did, without this my son may not have turned out as healthy as he did.  Hopefully, infant mortality rates worldwide will continue to decrease and births-no matter what form-will continue to grow safer for both mother and baby.

References:

Gallagher, Cheryl. (2010, September 16). Indigenous mothers-to-be: not mothers enough? New Internationalist. Retrieved from: http://www.newint.org/features/web-exclusive/2010/09/16/indigenous-mothers/

Health, Poverty, Action. (2010, May 5). Traditional Birthing Practices. Retrieved from: http://www.healthunlimited.org/Policy/MaternalandChildHealth/TraditionalBirthingPractices

World Health Organization. (2010). Department of Making Pregnancy Safer: Guatemala Country Profile. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/making_pregnancy_safer/countries/gut.pdf

World Health Organization. (2010). Department of Making Pregnancy Safer: Nicaragua Country Profile. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/making_pregnancy_safer/countries/nic.pdf

Thank You!

I just wanted to say a word of thanks to everyone...Creating this blog has been a new experience for me and your support and positive feedback has made this very rewarding! I look forward to continue getting to know and grow as a professional with you, thank you so much again!

Examining Codes of Ethics

Ideals from NAEYC and DEC Codes of Ethics

Both the NAEYC and DEC have Codes of Ethics that serve as guidelines for early childhood practices. Both codes of ethics are great resources for educators to have and to follow; the following three ideals are ones that especially stood out to me:

1. We shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child (DEC, Personal and Interpersonal Behavior).

This ideal is meaningful to me and significant to my professional life because it really captures the essence of being an early childhood educator. Everyone is unique and has different ways of doing things, learning things, and communicating things-and there is no exception for children! As a teacher, it is important to keep this in mind and realize that every child has something valuable to bring to the classroom and the learning/teaching experience. It is also important not to write a child off because they are not interested in or need modifications to one aspect of the classroom-they still have their own unique potential and as a teacher it is important to realize this and help guide it in the right direction instead of stifling it. This is something that we cannot just say we are in support of but must model and appreciate through our behavior-our actions and teaching.

2. To respect the dignity and preferences of each family and to make an effort to learn about its structure, culture, language, customs, and beliefs (NAEYC, I-2.5).  

This is another ideal that is both meaningful and significant to me as a professional. I chose this one because the relationships between the family, child, and teachers/school are ones that I feel very deeply about. It is important as an educator to respect not only the role of the family, but the family itself. Families are not cookie-cutter perfect, especially in today’s day and age; they come in many different forms and varieties. It is important not only for the educator to respect that but to teach respect for that and model this behavior for the students. This is something that I try to do in my classroom, I feel very strongly that it is important for my students to know that there are many different ways to live and that all ways, even if they are “different” need to be respected.

3.  To promote knowledge and understanding of young children and their needs. To work toward greater societal acknowledgement of children’s rights and greater societal responsibility for the well-being of all children (NAEYC, I-4.6).  

I chose this ideal because it really sums up my motivation behind my personal /professional goals and my passion. This ideal is the same vision that I hope to see and strive to make this happen in my community; early childhood is such an important time but it is not well-recognized as such. This ideal is one that will be constantly changing and growing as more research and education about young children’s needs and development emerges but overall the message will stay the same-as a society we need to understand and respect that young children have needs and rights and it takes a society to help make sure that they are met. As educators, this is especially important as we can not only advocate for young children and their families, but help educate parents and others about the importance of the early years and raise social awareness about the issues surrounding them. 

References:

The Division for Early Childhood (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.dec-sped.org/

NAEYC (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Resources

COURSE RESOURCES:

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://www.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, fromhttp://www.fpg.unc.edu/~images/pdfs/snapshots/snap33.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. 

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://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
  
  
• World Organization for Early Childhood Education
  http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English/about_OMEP/
  
  
• Association for Childhood Education International
  http://acei.org/about/ 

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/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/index.cfm
• 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/pages/page.asp?page_id=22807
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/
     

Selected Professional Journals

• 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

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PERSONAL SELECTED RESOURCES:

Websites

• First Five (California)

        http://www.ccfc.ca.gov

Provides information, data, and links to resources for school readiness and health topics.

• California Department of Education: 

        http://www.cde.ca.gov/index.asp
 Provides current information about California schools kindergarten-high school as well as
 criteria and curriculum for the state, data and budget information.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

          http://www.cdc.gov/
 Information on health and safety topics, includes categories for different life span age
groups as well as emergency preparedness and injury/violence prevention.

• Fruit & Veggies: More Matter

           http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=102
Information geared towards parents and teachers about the importance of health and nutrition (mainly focusing on fruits and vegetables) as well as recipes and ideas to involve children. 

• Early Childhood

          http://www.earlychildhood.com/
Information for parents and teachers, provides links to news articles and other resources. 

• Co-Teaching Connection

            http://marilynfriend.com/
 Resources for working with special education and collaborative teaching, provides links
to a variety of resources. 

• Child Development Institute

           http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/
Provides articles on a variety of topics in the child development field.

Books:

• Allen, Eileen K. and Glynnis Edwards Cowdery. (2008). The Exceptional Child. Wadsworth Publishing.
• Feeney, Stephanie and Eva Moravcik, Sherry Nolte, and Doris Christensen. (2010).  Who Am I in the Lives of Children? An Introduction to Early Childhood Education. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.

Inspirational Professionals

Learning more about professionals in the early childhood field has been motivating and inspirational. I have learned new ideas, techniques, and history. Here are some quotes that I found to capture the essence of working in the early childhood field in addition to being particularly inspiring:

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“High hopes made Head Start possible…we need to recapture the hope, to believe once more that it is possible to set the next generation of American children and families on a course toward a better life.”  –Edward Zigler

(I like this quote because I believe that all educators should have "high hopes" for their students and their programs...without this motivation, nothing can be achieved!)

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“We all know how devastating poverty is, but if we help children, they can overcome poverty and move upward and onward.” – Edward Zigler

(I chose this because all children have potential to succeed. It is important as educators to recognize this and help them realize their own potential and unique abilities.)

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“…teachers need to demonstrate through their actions that collaboration is not about working with best friends or, necessarily, with like-minded people. Collaboration is about trust and respect. It's about working together to create better outcomes for all students.” –Marilyn Friend

(I liked this quote because it is a reminder that one of the main goals working in this field is about creating a positive environment and better outcomes for children, not whether or not we like who we are working with!)

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“…and it’s in early childhood education that I was really able to see what a unique opportunity we have in working with children. We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better, and that’s what makes me so passionate about this field.” –Sandy Escobido

(I chose this quote because it is a reminder of how powerful working with young children really is. Although it may often get overlooked, we really are impacting children's lives-this is important to keep in mind and capitalize upon.)

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“Every day, I go to work and look forward to it because I know the services that I’m providing for children, it’s to their benefit. It’s not anything that going to benefit me.” -Raymond Hernandez

(This quote is one of the favorites out of the one I chose because it rings true to my own passion-what I do in my career is not to better myself, it is to better the lives of the children I work with!) 

Personal Childhood Web

It is important for a child to have a strong network of caring people, I am lucky to have a large web! The following people however are those who have impacted my life the most:

My father, my sisters and I: 1990

Chet, My Father:

My father is one of my greatest influences; he has guided and supported me throughout my life. He instilled the values of hard work, honesty, loyalty, and family in me. He also encouraged me to excel in school and go to college and beyond. As a cement mason he works a job that is physically demanding and from a young age encouraged myself and my siblings to further our education and recognize the importance and value of our education. My father is an extremely honest and hard working individual and he puts his family above all. This is something that I saw as a young child but did not always recognize until I grew older and realized how important the values he taught us really are to me. As a young child he made me feel special by taking walks with me. Every evening we would take a walk and talk, this alone time with my dad is something that I have always cherished and am grateful for. Today as an adult my father still continues to impact my life-I find myself having the same ethics as he does, he is always someone that I can turn to for advice and whom I want to succeed for.

My mother and I: 1991

Suzanne, My Mother:

My mother is my other greatest influence; she is one of the most caring and nurturing people I know. As a child she was the one I turned to for comfort and she has guided me and my siblings through infancy, childhood, the teenage years and now as adults. I am truly lucky to have a wonderful relationship with my mother and to have had her as my role model throughout my childhood. As a young child she made me feel special because she gave me a lot of responsibilities and encouraged my role as the oldest child, she did a wonderful job of making me and my siblings all know that each one of us is unique and an important part of the family. She instilled in me compassion and nurturing, I believe that because of her I am the teacher I am today. She continues to impact my life as I frequently turn to her for advice on motherhood and raising my son and I strive to have the same relationship with my son that she has with me and my siblings.

My brother and I, my sisters in
the background: 1994

Valerie, Bree, and Chris, My Siblings:

My siblings have had large influence on my life as they were my main playmates when I was a young child. As a child I was encouraged to set a good example for my siblings (I am the oldest) and I really took this to heart. My siblings and I are all close in age and I would always play school with them-I would be the teacher until they grew bored! My siblings helped nurture my imagination as I was the one they looked to to tell stories and think up new games.  My brother especially helped nurture my love for caring for children as he is the youngest and the one that I really took on as my responsibility to care for. At a young age I helped care for him and took pride in his accomplishments. My siblings made me feel special because they turned to me as a role model and asked me for help and advice. I am close with my siblings and they continue to impact my life today as I still strive to set an example and care for them. 

Mrs. Brown and I: 1992

Mrs. Brown, My Kindergarten Teacher:

My kindergarten teacher had a huge influence on my life; she really started me on the path towards loving education! As a young child she was my first introduction to school and as I grew older she acted as a mentor to me. She made me feel special because she was very welcoming to the children in her class and really took the time to get to know all the students and their families. She is truly an amazing woman, one who was more than a teacher as she became a family friend. She is one of my inspirations and she continues to impact my life as I hold her as an example of the teacher I hope to be. 

A Few Things I Love...

July 2010

Drawing From a Student:

This is a picture that a former student drew for me. This was given to me on my birthday but instead of saying “happy birthday,” it says “thank you.” Inside of the card is a letter that my student dictated to his parent thanking me for being a nice teacher. The cake on that he drew is a “fancy birthday cake” with flowers because, according to him, I am a “girl and girls like cakes with flowers! “  I love this card because it is true that teaching is rewarding and this serves as a reminder to me that I am appreciated!

Quote:

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.”  -Stacia Tauscher

This is one of my favorite quotes and one that I feel should be kept in the back of all parents’ and teachers’ minds, especially in today’s day and age. It is important to let children go at their own pace and be free to explore, discover, and learn. Too much pressure and molding-expecting children to be the smartest in their class and preparing for their future as such can lead to forgetting the importance of childhood and all of the wonderfulness that goes along with it. Of course parents want the best for their child and hope that their child’s future is the brightest, but there is so much importance in the present and in childhood itself that it needs to be realized that a bright start today can lead to a bright future… not only that but children are amazing individuals just the way they are today!

Picture:

My son and I, August 2010

Although I usually do not like my picture being taken, I love this picture because it captures how much I enjoy motherhood! Being a mother has taught me a lot- I have grown, both personally and professionally from this experience. It sounds strange to say that I have grown professionally since becoming a mother, but I think my perspective in the classroom has changed. Communication with parents is extremely important and now I feel like I can relate more to parents’ concerns and desires for their children and have become a better communicator in turn.