"A person's a person, no matter how small."- Dr. Seuss
I chose this quote because I work with the younger age group. Often times, there are special events, activities, and treats for the older children and nothing ever geared for my infants and toddlers (before I moved to preschool). So I began to include my children in each event that was happening and modifying it so that my children were able to enjoy it as well. I was always told "by my boss" that my babies were too young, until they saw my ending appearance and exactly HOW I was able to modify.
"Never underestimate what you are too lazy to try"- Sherrell Widgeon
I would like to personally thank everybody in our class whom I've had the pleasure of; blogging, discussion boards, and working with, during these past 8 weeks. I have truly learned a lot from each of you, and will be taking bits and pieces from each of your wonderful insights and implementing them within my classroom, and or storage for personal knowledge. I look forward to continuing on my Master's program, hopefully with some of you in my furture classes.
I hope and pray that everyone has an uplifting and spirt-filled Christmas, New Years, or whatever holiday that you may celebrate. Stay safe and always safe traveling for those who may be driving for the holidays.
-Sherrell
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Testing for Intelligence?
When we observe, assess, and evaluate; we are looking into so many different areas of the child. For instance; the various stages of develpmet, social interaction amongst peers and also their teacher, perception, performance, comprehension, etc. The next process would be if the child is being referred as showing signs of a delay. I do believe all of these areas should be measured; however, not measured based on "general standards", but according to the performance and abilty of each individual child. I feel this way, because each child operates and thinks differently; therefore every chld will not do as well as the next child if one shows signs of being delayed in math but brilliant in writing.
When researching Haiti, I wasn't able tofind much information about the educational aspect in the classroom; however I did find a lot of statistics about 400,000 six to eleven years old are out of school, 38% preschoolers are overaged and 72% being basic age group, as well as the illiteracy rate of thirteen years old and older are 57%. From digging a little deeper, I learned that Haiti does not assess their chldren because "the country suffers from a lack of qualified teachers and inadequate curricula" (2010, Office of The Special Envoy for Haiti)
I really believe that all schools should revisit their guidelines for assessment, because a teacher can not accurately prepare students for testing if they are not allowed to put their 100% inventiveness in it. What I mean, is that the teachers should NOT be mandated to teach per the curriculum, but from experience, sparked interests of the students, and passion. When you release so many controlling chains you tend to have a better outward response, which in this situation would be from the children and their performance levels.
Resources:
2010, Office of The Special Envoy for Haiti
When researching Haiti, I wasn't able tofind much information about the educational aspect in the classroom; however I did find a lot of statistics about 400,000 six to eleven years old are out of school, 38% preschoolers are overaged and 72% being basic age group, as well as the illiteracy rate of thirteen years old and older are 57%. From digging a little deeper, I learned that Haiti does not assess their chldren because "the country suffers from a lack of qualified teachers and inadequate curricula" (2010, Office of The Special Envoy for Haiti)
I really believe that all schools should revisit their guidelines for assessment, because a teacher can not accurately prepare students for testing if they are not allowed to put their 100% inventiveness in it. What I mean, is that the teachers should NOT be mandated to teach per the curriculum, but from experience, sparked interests of the students, and passion. When you release so many controlling chains you tend to have a better outward response, which in this situation would be from the children and their performance levels.
Resources:
2010, Office of The Special Envoy for Haiti
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Consequences of Stress on Children's Development
The stressor I'm going to discuss is "Natural Disater". I have experienced my first Natural Disater last month around Halloween time, when Hurricane Sandy; approached, hit, and destroyed many areas in my state of New Jersey. You always see of things as such happen on the news from places far off; however, you never can really "feel the pain" until it hits home and you've become a victim of it. Although other areas (closer to the shore- Atlantic City) received much worse damage and turnmoil than I did, I experienced it as well. I never witnessed an Hurricane before, so not knowing what to really expect going into it, except from what the news reporters were saying. I just kept hearing it's going to be a bad storm, prepare, stockup, relocate, and etc. As days got closer certain areas were being told to vacate their areas because their lifes were in extreme danger.
Well Sandy came and it destroyed. We were displaced for exactly 1 week, coming back to check the house each day to see if the power was back on, if the trees that fell on our house, yard, and middle of the streets had been removed, if there were any leaks and water damage. Each day was a negative to all of the previous questions. Being out of work for a week, not having access to the internet to do school work; it was all becoming my norm as the days moved forward. Luckily we had a bag packed and were prepared as warned, we had clothes to wear and take with us. On the 8th day, we found out the power came back on, to only notice that the heat now was an issue. Another 2days of being relocated until the heat was fixed, and then having to deal with the next stressor of losing all of our food, about a good 7-8hundred dollars worth, and a refridgerator that completely shut down and never came back on. Fema sets up a local station in my area to over assistance to those affected by the hurricane, to only find out we're unelgible because we didn't lose our house. So was this Natural Disater a stressor to my family and I; it definetly was/is.
On June 2, 2011; Springfield, Massachusetts also experienced a Natural Disater, by way of a tornado. Many many people were injured by this devastating event that took place. There were roofs, homes, and even a steepple to a church that were all apart of the damaged property. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown joined Governor Deval Patrick on a helicopter tour to survey the entire area, and the three agreed that Springfield looked like a "blast zone" Those affected by this disaster had to endear the tragedy for days, weeks, and even some for months. Schools were closed, shelters and emergency personnel; such as red cross were made available, as well as federal disaster aid.
Down below is a picture from that particular event in Massachusetts.
Resource:
Singer, S. (2011) Massachusettes Tornadoes Leave People Dead and Towns Damaged.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/02/massachusetts-tornadoes-aftermath_n_870175.html
Well Sandy came and it destroyed. We were displaced for exactly 1 week, coming back to check the house each day to see if the power was back on, if the trees that fell on our house, yard, and middle of the streets had been removed, if there were any leaks and water damage. Each day was a negative to all of the previous questions. Being out of work for a week, not having access to the internet to do school work; it was all becoming my norm as the days moved forward. Luckily we had a bag packed and were prepared as warned, we had clothes to wear and take with us. On the 8th day, we found out the power came back on, to only notice that the heat now was an issue. Another 2days of being relocated until the heat was fixed, and then having to deal with the next stressor of losing all of our food, about a good 7-8hundred dollars worth, and a refridgerator that completely shut down and never came back on. Fema sets up a local station in my area to over assistance to those affected by the hurricane, to only find out we're unelgible because we didn't lose our house. So was this Natural Disater a stressor to my family and I; it definetly was/is.
On June 2, 2011; Springfield, Massachusetts also experienced a Natural Disater, by way of a tornado. Many many people were injured by this devastating event that took place. There were roofs, homes, and even a steepple to a church that were all apart of the damaged property. Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown joined Governor Deval Patrick on a helicopter tour to survey the entire area, and the three agreed that Springfield looked like a "blast zone" Those affected by this disaster had to endear the tragedy for days, weeks, and even some for months. Schools were closed, shelters and emergency personnel; such as red cross were made available, as well as federal disaster aid.
Down below is a picture from that particular event in Massachusetts.
Resource:
Singer, S. (2011) Massachusettes Tornadoes Leave People Dead and Towns Damaged.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/02/massachusetts-tornadoes-aftermath_n_870175.html
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Child Development and Public Health
Choose one public health topic from the list above (or one that you think should be added to the list).
Describe in what ways this topic is meaningful to you.
Find information about this topic from a different part of the world, and include this information in your Blog.
Share ways the information you have learned may impact your future work
- This information will inform all those who work in the educational field, or similar too; to educate, teach, and model the children the importantce of running water; ways to use it properly, and the fact that it is apart of keeping them healthy and clean.
- I have children at my school, who you can tell are not being guided, taught, nor modeled too; about using running water. It really hurts my heart to see children who come to school and you can just tell they have not had a bath in days. Children, not only in foreign countries or far away, but also in our own backyards would be considered "the end of the world" to just be able to have and use claen running water.
- We as professionals should also encourage the parents and provide them with resources about using it for giving the children baths, drinking water because it carries flouride in it and will help protoect children from getting cavities easily.
Resources:
July 2012, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply_and_sanitation_in_Haiti
Monday, November 5, 2012
Childbirth in Your Life and Around Your World
-I chose to write about this experience, because this was my mother's worst labor and her only late baby of three children. My mother was having other health complications; such as gestational diabetes, and very bad swelling of the legs and feet; which caused her having to use crutches. My mother's other two children, my sister and I were normal deliveries and didn't cause too much pain. :)
-The birth of a baby at times can produce it's ups and downs. But after the end results of some happy and sad times, a beautiful baby is born.
Resources:
Bermuda Hospitals Board, 2012; http://www.bermudahospitals.bm/womens-services/maternity.asp
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Examining Codes of Ethics
I.1.1- To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and traning.
I think this is a very important skill to have, regardless what field of study one may work in. Every year, my job requires that each employee to obtain a minimum of 24 hours of training and workshop hours in our content area. During my quarterly evaluation, I always manage to score high in that particular area, because I try to attend all trainings and workshops that sound interesting. I love learning and also like to stay up to date with current policies, laws, rules, and practices. Once I attend those trainings, I then take bits and pieces from each presenter and incorporate it into my curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom.
I.1.0- To ensure that each child's culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure are recognized and valued in the program.
This idea is also another very important skill to incorporate; not only within your classroom, but also in the entire program. Recently, the influx of international children have increased almost double than years previously, and it is important to instill into the children the meaning of diversity and why we recognize it. There are so many different ways in how you can incorporate diversity and different cultures into the classroom; such as, having family members come in and read a story or share something from their culture with the class, posters and pictures of children from different countries, or you can take a virtual field trip to the different countries that are represented within your class on a computer or white board. All of this can be done, to teach young children that there are different cultures that make up the world, and how to accept and appreciate difference.
I.1.2- To work with families to provide a safe and smooth transition as children and families move from one program to the next.
In my HeadStart program, it is our responsibility to ensure that all children entering the program is able to make a smooth transition into the program, not only for them but also for their families. Our policy states that two weeks prior to the school year beginning, the teachers are to go into the community and conduct an home visit to each of the children's homes that are pre-registered in each class. By doing so, the children are able to meet their new teachers, the teacher is able to see how the home life is setup and flow of how the parent and child interact, and lastly the teacher gets to sit down with the parent to learn some information and facts about the child that can be useful upon the child entering into the program; ie: if this will be the child's first time away from mommy and daddy, and to expect some crying for the first few weeks, the child's been having potty training accidents lately, or if the child only speaks their "native" language. Then the child's actual first day of school, all parents are required to attend with their child that will encourage a smooth transition for both parents and child.
Resource
NAEYC (2005 April) Code of Ethical and Statement of Commitment http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
I think this is a very important skill to have, regardless what field of study one may work in. Every year, my job requires that each employee to obtain a minimum of 24 hours of training and workshop hours in our content area. During my quarterly evaluation, I always manage to score high in that particular area, because I try to attend all trainings and workshops that sound interesting. I love learning and also like to stay up to date with current policies, laws, rules, and practices. Once I attend those trainings, I then take bits and pieces from each presenter and incorporate it into my curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom.
I.1.0- To ensure that each child's culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure are recognized and valued in the program.
This idea is also another very important skill to incorporate; not only within your classroom, but also in the entire program. Recently, the influx of international children have increased almost double than years previously, and it is important to instill into the children the meaning of diversity and why we recognize it. There are so many different ways in how you can incorporate diversity and different cultures into the classroom; such as, having family members come in and read a story or share something from their culture with the class, posters and pictures of children from different countries, or you can take a virtual field trip to the different countries that are represented within your class on a computer or white board. All of this can be done, to teach young children that there are different cultures that make up the world, and how to accept and appreciate difference.
I.1.2- To work with families to provide a safe and smooth transition as children and families move from one program to the next.
In my HeadStart program, it is our responsibility to ensure that all children entering the program is able to make a smooth transition into the program, not only for them but also for their families. Our policy states that two weeks prior to the school year beginning, the teachers are to go into the community and conduct an home visit to each of the children's homes that are pre-registered in each class. By doing so, the children are able to meet their new teachers, the teacher is able to see how the home life is setup and flow of how the parent and child interact, and lastly the teacher gets to sit down with the parent to learn some information and facts about the child that can be useful upon the child entering into the program; ie: if this will be the child's first time away from mommy and daddy, and to expect some crying for the first few weeks, the child's been having potty training accidents lately, or if the child only speaks their "native" language. Then the child's actual first day of school, all parents are required to attend with their child that will encourage a smooth transition for both parents and child.
Resource
NAEYC (2005 April) Code of Ethical and Statement of Commitment http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Growing Your Collection of Resources
Helpful Resources:
1) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
www.naeyc.com
- Founded in 1926 by Patty Smith Hill
- Located in Washington, DC
- NAEYC's Mission Statement is based on three main goals:
* Bettering well-qualified practitioners and improving their working conditions.
* Improving Early Childhood Education by working to deliver a high- quality system of supporting the programs.
* Encouraging the excellence in Early Childhood for all children.
2) Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
www.zerotothree.org
Zero to Three is a non-proffit organization; that informs, trains, and supports proffessionals, policymakers, and parents, in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.
- Zero to Three's Mission Statement:
*Is to promote the health and development in infants an toddlers.
3) Highscope
www.highscope.org
Highscope assists teachers and caregivers promote and provide young children learning experiences that will encourage their development.
-Highscope's vision is to create an evironment which all educational settings use active participatory learning so everyone has a chance to succeed in life.
4) Pre[K]Now
www.preknow.org
PreKNow which is also known as "The Pew Center", helps each state deliver better results and achieve long-term fiscal health by investigating in programs that provide the strongest returns.
Three additional resources:
1) Janet Gonzalez-Mena
2) Mari Montessori
3) Howard Gardner
Three educational quotes:
1) An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life. - Author Unknown (Retrieved from www.quotegarden.com, 2010)
2) Aim for success, not for perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will loose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks beind perfectionism. - Dr. David M. Burns (Retrieved from 75 Inspirational, Educational Quotes for the Classroom, 2010) (www.accreditatedonlinecolleges.com)
3) We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but an habit. -Aristotle (Retrieved from www.theteacherspot.com, 2009)
Resources
www.naeyc.com
www.zertotothree.org
www.highscope.org
www.preknow.org
www.quotegarden.com (2010)
www.accreditatedonlinecolleges.com (2010)
www.theteacherspot.com (2009)
1) National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
www.naeyc.com
- Founded in 1926 by Patty Smith Hill
- Located in Washington, DC
- NAEYC's Mission Statement is based on three main goals:
* Bettering well-qualified practitioners and improving their working conditions.
* Improving Early Childhood Education by working to deliver a high- quality system of supporting the programs.
* Encouraging the excellence in Early Childhood for all children.
2) Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
www.zerotothree.org
Zero to Three is a non-proffit organization; that informs, trains, and supports proffessionals, policymakers, and parents, in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.
- Zero to Three's Mission Statement:
*Is to promote the health and development in infants an toddlers.
3) Highscope
www.highscope.org
Highscope assists teachers and caregivers promote and provide young children learning experiences that will encourage their development.
-Highscope's vision is to create an evironment which all educational settings use active participatory learning so everyone has a chance to succeed in life.
4) Pre[K]Now
www.preknow.org
PreKNow which is also known as "The Pew Center", helps each state deliver better results and achieve long-term fiscal health by investigating in programs that provide the strongest returns.
Three additional resources:
1) Janet Gonzalez-Mena
2) Mari Montessori
3) Howard Gardner
Three educational quotes:
1) An educational system isn't worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn't teach them how to make a life. - Author Unknown (Retrieved from www.quotegarden.com, 2010)
2) Aim for success, not for perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will loose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. Remember that fear always lurks beind perfectionism. - Dr. David M. Burns (Retrieved from 75 Inspirational, Educational Quotes for the Classroom, 2010) (www.accreditatedonlinecolleges.com)
3) We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but an habit. -Aristotle (Retrieved from www.theteacherspot.com, 2009)
Resources
www.naeyc.com
www.zertotothree.org
www.highscope.org
www.preknow.org
www.quotegarden.com (2010)
www.accreditatedonlinecolleges.com (2010)
www.theteacherspot.com (2009)
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