When I think of Research...

These past few weeks have allowed me to gain a detailed overlook of what research in early childhood entails. During this course, I learned that research can be used as a tool. From this standpoint, early childhood professionals address topics and or questions that they may have experienced professionally o personally. Regardless of how you come to your topic, it is by learning to use research as a tool that you can answer the question or questions you set out to address and inform others of what you have found (MacNaughton, Rolfe, Siraj-Blatchford, 2010, p.8).

Prior to this course, my understanding of what research was consist of finding at least three resources related to your topic. with that information, you would carefully expand on your topic. In this course, I learned that there is so much more to research than one would expect it to be. With the different approaches, types of research and designs of research, my nature of research have changed. I perceive research to be a more strategic approach, one must clearly decide if the study will be non- experimental or experimental. One must also choose the design that will be used to conduct the study. Much valuable research involves observing or documenting things that occur in everyday life with the aim of understanding, rather than explaining (MacNaughton, Rolfe, Siraj-Blatchford,2010,p.108)

One challenge that I faced in the course was deciding on my topic for my simulation. It was hard because I never thought I would conduct a study in early childhood field. As the course progressed, I became intrigued with how effective each of the designs, approaches and methods are to ensuring that truthful results or solutions are achieved. with this new information, I now perceive early childhood professionals as the pioneers for providing educators the support they need to provide young children a learning experience that will spark in their latter educational journey.

References
Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2^nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

 Research Around the World

For this assignment, I decided to investigate Early Childhood Australia website.  I immediately notice how familiar the site is to the NAEYC website. On the top of the page are tabs that are related to various topics, such as resources for parents and information on how to become a member of the association. I really enjoyed reading about their Learning Hub program. This program offers educators the opportunity to obtain training at their convenience and with a group of people. 

To look further into what this website offers, I researched the website to see if I could find information on my research simulation topic and was successful. There were a variety of resources available to assist this topic.  In my search resource books, articles, and even newsletters were recommended. Knowing that there are resources available worldwide for research is a rewarding experience.

References

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

My Experience with Research

Almost a year ago this month. I had the opportunity to participate in a research study conducted by Johns Hopkins University.  During this study I was to introduce my students varying from ages 3-5 yrs old to vocabulary words they may have never heard or explore before.  Prior to starting the research project,  I sat down with the lead researcher and she explained to me why this project was being conducted in local Head Start programs. Research has shown how children from low income families had hard time reading when they entered into kindergarten.  As a precaution to the ever growing achievement gap between preschool and kindergarten JHU decided to team up with Temple university and develop a curriculum that will improve the language development of young children through story telling.

 The  JHU provided each participating classroom with the lesson plan and the story books to go with.  They also provided visuals to go with the vocabulary words as well follow up question being iterated the focus words. This was a year long study (school year)  and three times out of the year the children we're assessed by the researcher or teacher on the words they have been learning. Once a week the researcher would come in and video the teacher in the act of implementing the lesson.

The same research project began to introduce the same concept athome as well.  They had the same curriculum except they did not video.  This was a really neat but intense project to guide educators and their families on the importance of language building in young children

My Research Journey

For this course, I have chosen to conduct my research simulation on the topic of effective leadership in early child care. This topic has inspired me to pursue my education with hopes of becoming an administrator of  a child care program. In my years of experience, I have worked under some supervisors who lacked the ability to inspire their staff. They were able to manage the program but lack those people skills needed to inspire and motivate their staff to excel in all they do for the program, children and families.

Through my research thus far, I have found articles that I redeemed useful for the topic. These articles were located on the NAEYC website. Here I was able to locate three articles that can define the purpose of effective leadership and the benefits. I am also open to learning of any other resources that will assist me in gaining more knowledge on my topic.

Final Blog

Over the past seven weeks, I have enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with my fellow early childhood professional. During this time I was given insight to issues and trends from another country that are very similar to the United States. Three of the consequences of learning internationally is, shared passion, limited resources and support. During these past seven weeks, I have gained insight to how similar our passion for early childhood amongst the two of us. She has also shared with me the limited resources that she is able to receive because of community she lives in and the opinion of her government officials. Due to this shortcoming, it does not provide much support for her and her program.

One goal that set forth to accomplish is to advocate more for early childhood programs in my local community. By doing this I will still make a substantial contribution to the lives of young children and their families which is my ultimate goal.

International Contacts Part 3

This week I reached out to my international contact Jane, who lives in Kenya. I must say that I am very impressed with her drive and passion for the children in her community. She works really hard trying to educate her students. In our conversations in the past, we discussed the hardships she faces with trying to keep her families involved in the children's education.  With the demand of working overriding the need for education, she does the best she can do with the children and resources she has.

When we spoke about her professional goals she informed that there are places she can go for professional development, but they are too far way for her to attend. In order for her to attend the universities, she would have to to make a sacrifice, which she did not elaborate on.  But what intrigued me was Jane mentioned that she wants to obtain her education so that she can make an impact on her community. She believes that if the younger generation sees that she obtained her education that they would want to do the exact same thing. A humbling way of inspiring the youth in her country to shoot for the stars.

This conversation has raised the issue of the importance of education no matter what country you live in. Early childhood education is and will always be the foundation that education is built on for all cultures.

Sharing Web Resources
Zerotothree.org

As I continue to explore Zero to Three website, it becomes evident that this website is very informative.  As a new Infant Toddler teacher, this website would be a great resource for me. I looked deeper into the Resouces tab I found an article related to Early Learning for Infants and Toddlers. I choose the topic Early Literacy nd found various resources on the topic. One article I found "Learning to Read the World: Literacy in the first 3 years" provides caregivers insight on how their everyday interactions can help to build culturally appropriate language and literacy developmental skills in young children. It expresses the importance of doing this to help children build on these skills in later years.

What I found interesting in tab was at the end of every article are tabs that you can connect to other resources related to the topic.  I also found information that allows me to connect with this weeks topic. Under the same tab, there are resources that guide parents, teachers, or other professionals in ways to find quality child care. Whether it is center based, or a close friend watching your child, there are articles that will guide your decision on what type of care is best for your child(ren). 
As I continue to explore this website I am learning how beneficial the resources are to all who care, provide or educate professionals in early education.

Resource
https://www.zerotothree.org

International Contact - Part 2 

This week we made another frequent connection with our international contact in Early Childhood. My contact name is Jane and she is from Kenya. In my conversations with her, I have learned that issues in Early Childhood are very similar around the world. The only difference would be the available resources to assist the programs policy and or standards.

Jane had shared with me the process she had to undertake when opening her school in Kenya. I found the process there to be familiar to the opening and operating of an ECE program in Maryland. She shared that first one must be trained to teach, fingerprinted by police and have good conduct. Once that is done then you can proceed with obtaining the deed to some land and the public health process.

When it comes to the equity and excellence in ECE, Jane shared with me that the government does not consider ECE programs at all. The parents are usually the providers which are scarce. Government funding is rare in her country and every household can not benefit from it. So in Kenya, there are not many ECE programs and if there are it is up  to the program to provide for the needs of the children.

More on Zero to Three Website

As I continued to explore the website of Zero to Three organization, I found that they have a section for professional development. They offer continuing education units to help you meet the required licensing standards for your particular role in the center. The professional development can be conducted in group settings, webinars or customized to your individual needs.

What I love about this website is that if you do not see a certain topic or resource that you can utilize the search tab to find the information you need. For this week’s topic, I was able to find resources that will help me gain a better understanding. Once I conducted the search I was given resources, such as articles, service centers, and tools that I could use on my on time.

One insight that I gain while I explored the website was a tab that led me to the policy resource information. Here I was able to find resources that could help me understand the policy of early childhood programs that service infants and toddlers.  I could also research what programs in other states are using or how they making a change in their programs as well.  Another insight that I gained was how the website offers training for administrators and mental health. 

Reference:

http://www.zerotothree.org

                        War on Poverty
Prior to this week I honestly thought that poverty was something that happened to folks that had bad luck. Never would have thought that it is an epidemic that is sweeping children and families around the world.  As instructed I made weekly contact with my fellow educator Jane from Kenya. Jane is an early childhood educator who currently works and leads a community school, for children ages 3-9.

When I discussed poverty with her it helps me to realize how this has begun to take over communities around the world. In my conversation with her, Jane expressed how poverty is affecting their families. Many are not able to provide the basic needs for their families.  Unemployment is high as well due to the lack of families obtaining an education. One thing she believes will decrease poverty in her country is educating her people from young to university level on the importance of education.

My eyes have truly been open to the issue of poverty. Poverty is like a virus it spreads around to the weakest system and spreads fast.  I have grown to learn about numerous resources that are national and worldwide assist to families in poverty. With this knowledge, I plan to utilize it to the best of my ability to help as many families strive for a change.

Web Resources     

Great nephew 1yr
Daughter 20 mths

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

ECE Resources from Around the World

This week I was encouraged to reach out to another Early Childhood Professional from another country. My first reaction was, this profession is worldwide. I never thought that other countries needed early childhood education. This was shocking news to me. So the task was now how do I go about finding two individuals to make the connection with. I thought this would be a very difficult task. I was grateful to my professor for providing a starting point because it led me to a page on facebook entitled Teachers Around the World Pre-school Pen- Pals. Here on this page, i felt confident that I would be able to meet the requirements but  I was not successful. Then I tried Walden University Early Childhood Organization (WUECO). Here I was able to make a connection with some from Nanyuki who came highly recommended from another group member.

The one website that I would like to study is Zero to Three. I choose this website due to the career change I will be making. I will be transitioning from Head Start to Early Head start late this fall as the agency I currently work for is in the process of opening a small center. I feel that Zero to Three organization will be a great resource to have as i begin this journey with Infants and Toddlers. 

Reference

https://www.zerotothree.org/

https://www.facebook.com/PreschoolPenPals

 My Supports

I have a strong bond with my sisters that is unbreakable. Before I became a wife, I did everything with my sisters. My sisters have been very supportive in helping with my children and through this journey of continuing my education. One of the benefits of my support system is having four sisters in your corner who look up to you for advice, support, encouragement and occasional fun times with. 
If I did not have this support system, I do not believe I would have made it this far in life. I would have giving up on furthering my education to focus more on my children. My sisters have been that cushion of comfort and encouragement that pushes me to accomplish all obstacles. 

One challenge that I face on a daily basis is not having someone to help with transporting the children to their various activities. Having someone to help me with this matter would allow me to manage my time a lot better. It is very stressful at times when you have to plan around everyone's schedule. If I had this support I would be less cranky and moody with  others. I would also have more time to spend with my family. Being a mom of multiple children have is moments of exhaustion but it makes me a better person.

My Connections to Play

I choose this two quotes because they simplify the importance of play. the first one lists the exact skills and traits that children experience when they freely play amongst themselves or within a group. The second one caught my eye because expresses the impact play have on young children's lives. It is through play that children are developing lifelong skills.






As a child, I enjoyed reading books, roller skating and playing with dolls. My love for reading established when I entered second grade. There was a book report contest going on in our school and I wanted to win a prize. So every day I would read a book, write my report and anxiously turned it into my teacher. My other favorite thing to do was roller skate. I would practice skating every day in my basement until I was ready to skate outside. I also enjoyed playing with my dolls. Caring for my dolls prepared me for motherhood.

My Younger Days

Growing up with my sisters were the best years of my life. It was the bond that was built amongst my sisters that help me to build other relationships. Play help to build my self- esteem as well. I was the quiet and timid one of the bunch. I would play by myself or with my sisters. As I grew older, I began to express myself more. In doing so I was able to meet new people and made lifelong connections. I remember coming outside and a few of my friends younger siblings would follow me around on the playground. Some would eventually start calling me their pretend mother. It was these interactions that my passion for working with children developed.

Play Then and Now

Play for children today involves more technology than I remember as a child. Children prefer to play video games, tablets or smartphones over games with rules and involve interactions with others. When I was growing up you knew when school was out because the children were outside playing until the street lights came on. Now parents fear for their children's safety due to the rise in violence.

For Me

Play has molded me into a big kid at heart. Because I had the opportunity to play as a child with various children, it is portrayed in the work I do with my students. I was giving the opportunity to explore as a child through play and it has given me skills I needed to grow into the adult I am today.

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because I feel a sense of support. I am an individual with a heart of Gold. With that being said, I love to help others out the kindness of my heart. Eventhough I'm a kind person, I still need that supportive relationship/partnership. One of my positive relationships develop from work. My best friend Ebony and I worked together for awhile before the friendship develop. When our work partnership ended we continued to reach out to each other thus the begining of our friendship. She is the one that i can talk too about anything. She was one of the first co-teachers i worked with to share the impact i made on their career as a child care professional.

Then there is my good friend Kali who I thought would be a little uptight. In all reality she is a very funny positive and supportive person. Her personality will light up a room. When we worked together the partnership was one that refelected years of polishing but in reality we were still learning one another. She made working with the children and famiies a joy because she always had something uplifting for us all,  Although I do not speak with these ladies on a normal basis, we maintain our friendship through emails, texts and social media. What i really love about these two woman, we dont have to speak on a daily basis. No matte the time of day, I
can always depend on them and vice versus.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

These two quotes remind me why I decided to become an early childhood professional. Children are uniquely different and learn on various levels. So we as educators ned to find creative and engaging ways to guide our children through development. I want to take the time out to thank my fellow colleagues for inspiring me on this journey. You have shared with me some insights on child development that have truly enhanced my understanding. I have been motivated to continue my career in ECE as a leader who's determined to bring out the best in each child I interact with. Looking forward to future endeavors with you all.

My thoughts on assessing school age children

In today's school system, school age children are being prepared for standardised testing, instead of an education. With those standards in place, student progress and achievement will be measured according to state tests designed to match those state standards and given to every child, every year (Rapple,2004,p. 195). If school age children must be assessed, then they should be conducted three times a year, beginning, middle and of course the end of the year. During these assessments, the teacher would be able to pinpoint the child's progress and develop a plan to help in areas that need improvement. I believe crowding unfamiliar information into the minds of children can be a bit overwhelming.  Most psychologists now agree that the brain is like a muscle, affected by mental exercise which often encourage or discourage by social setting. Brain structures grow or shrink depending on past learning (Berger,2016,p.359).  If teachers are able to teach children the basic skills they need for life-long lessons and assess them on these skills, the scores would be a much better  turn out.

 One of the countries I decided to research was Geat Britain. Just like our American school Britain, have standardized testing as well. But more than three- quarters of teachers believe that pupils' enjoyment of education is being damaged by the Government's methods for measuring and raising achievement - its tests and exams regime( Mansel,2008). It amazes me that the effect that testing has on school age children in various countries. In the article "Smiles better than testing", Warwick Mansel, express the concerns of vigorous preparation for testing have on children. However, many professionals believe that the testing side has dominated, marginalising pupil development. I particular, there is a widespread view that putting children through months of test preparation, with aim of raising their achievement, can be boring for some and make others anxious (Mansel,2008).

Assessing school age children should be an enjoyable moment between the teacher and child. In these moments, one should be able to locate the child's strengths and or weaknesses. From these skills, I believe children should be tested on so that the process can be memorable and a complete success.

References
Mansel,W(2008).Smiles better than testing?TES: Times Educational Supplement,(4780),14-15.
Rapple,Brendan.2004 "Standardised Testing in AmericanSchool:Lessons from Matthew Arnold's Britain:Contemporary Review,285(1665),193-198

Stressors in Young Children. Does it impact the development of the child?

As an educator, you will encounter various experiences with the children. One of the hardest things about this profession is dealing with any type of stressors that may rearrange a child's development. Over the past two years, I have had three of my students loose a loved one to senseless street violence. It's never easy trying to explain to a young child why someone very close to them will not be coming back.  One particular student I had was really having a hard time adjusting to the loss of her dad. She was beginning to be very argumentive with other children. She would sometimes even hit. Every day she had a new story about what she did with her father. So as a concerned teacher , I reached out to the mental health consultant. Later, with permission from the parent as well, she would spend time with the mental health consultant in school and at home to help her grief with her dad's death.

In other countries, such as China, the interactions with the teacher is very different from the United States. Their structure is more teacher lead instructions instead of children leading their play time. One thing they do not tolerate is violence in their classroom. Corporal punishment in schools was outlawed I China in 1986. The habit can easily slip into abuse,scholars say( Tatlow,2016). In China, parents believe in corporal punishment, and later in life, the children grow up to be violent and repeat the same behavior. 

Reference,

 Tatlow, Didi Kirsten, 2016 March "China's Harsh Child Discipline Through the Lens of Domestic Violence"Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/

Immunization

Immunization is something I thought was a mandatory requirement for young children. Children who are given immunizations are least likely to become exposed to other diseases.  As an educator, this topic is very important to me because the health of my students and other staff are at risk. I believe immunizations are beneficial for providing protection from viral outbreaks.  

In Latin America, they have developed a computerized registry that allows them to monitor vaccinations that are administered. These computerized communication technologies are called national immunization registries (NIRs) and can facilitate coverage monitoring in terms of particularity, timeliness, and accuracy. This has been shown to result I better coverage.

Although in my present position it is not my duty to enforce the health policy on immunization but we certainly utilize a system that allows us to keep track of the children’s attendance and health records. With this system, the proper authorities are capable of identifying when a child is due for their physical, dental or immunization checkup.

References

Immunization Registries in Latin America: Progress and Lessons Learned. (Cover story). (2012). Immunization Newsletter, 34(6), 1-2.

Childrearing Methods

I can remember like it was yesterday when I gave birth to my first child. I was two days overdue, so one late evening I thought I was experiencing some abdomen discomfort from my dinner earlier so I laid back down ignoring the pain. Well, the pain just kept coming at a steady pace, so I alerted my mom and we proceeded to the hospital. This is one of my most memorable births because my mom was with me the entire time. She made sure that the staff provided me with the best medical care for my daughter and me especially after I had fallen after giving birth. I believe that childbirth can be very influential to a child's development.  It has been researched and studied how complications during childbirth can affect the development of children if not properly treated.
It was interesting to read on the birthing methods in china, especially the early years. In the article"Childbirth in Early Imperial China" childbirth could have had a positive or negative impact on the mother and family. If the birth was a success then  the family and the community could celebrate. On the other hand, if the mother died

 the child and the family lost support. If the child died it was only a matter of time that the mothers mind and body would be impacted. But as time progressed so did the medical care for childbirths in China. Hospitals were developed to care for pregnant women and their maternal care based on the economic status of the county or township.

After reading on the variations of childbirth compared to my personal birth experience and in China, I still  stand strongly on the connection between birth and development of young children. This is why prenatal care is  very important to the mom and fetus to ensure that both are growing healthy.



ReferencesJen-Der,L(2005).Childbirth in Early Imperial China.NAN NU--Men,Women and Gender in Early Imperial China,7(2),216-286