Assessing Young Children

In early childhood, I believe children should be assessed on what they know when they enter a class, what skills and concepts they develop while in the class and the skills they master before they move up to the next level. Testing children in early childhood is ineffective in my opinion. Half of them pretend they do not know tins to frustrate their caregivers and the other half cannot sit still long enough to participate in the test. I teach at a private preschool and we have an assessment that aligns perfectly with the curriculum we teach. Every activity we do as a standard attached to it. This allows us to track what our students are doing and most importantly what they are learning.

Poverty

Poverty

There is a family of six that live across the street from me and they are living in poverty. The parents seem to be in their late 30s. Neither mom nor dad work. The oldest boy is in high school, the middle boy and girl are both in middle school, and there is a four-year-old little boy. The older children are usually in school or away with friends. The four-year-old has two toys; a bike that they retrieved from the dumpster in the back of our apartment building and a truck that my son got too old for. He does not attend school because in order for him to go to public school he has to be five, and they cannot afford to send him to a private preschool. I have mentioned to his mom that they could consider Head Start, but she considers it a waste of time. He comes over to play with my son in the evenings and they rarely play together because his eyes are always glued to the television. They don’t own one. The soup kitchen delivers meals to their home a couple of times a week and mom has expressed to me that she thinks it’s embarrassing to apply for SNAP benefits. About three months ago the oldest son was brought home by the police for stealing. From sitting on my porch, I’ve noticed that the other kids in the neighborhood tease them and they get into a lot of trouble in school for fighting. They wear clothing that is way too big or too small. Each one of the children has been referred to a counselor by the school and two of them have IEPs. I have tried to make suggestions but mom is set in her ways, does not want to work, and is oblivious to how their situation affects her children. The older children cope by spending as much time away from home as possible, but the youngest son does not have that option. Entering the school system and interacting with children of his own age on a daily basis will be beneficial to him.

Singapore

The people of this country have such a high standard of living that I wondered what kind of things actually cause the children stress. A study was conducted that analyzed the sense of belonging, independence and generosity of 1,941 children in five different schools from Singapore (Kwang, S. P. & Tang, S., 2011). The results concluded that the children of Singapore are confident, they are aware that they are in charge of their behavior, they give without selfishness, and have a deep respect for their elderly (Kwang, S. P. & Tang, S., 2011). The biggest things that stress them out are schoolwork and making new friends (Kwang, S. P. & Tang, S., 2011).

References

Kwang, S. P. & Tang, S. (2011). Singapore youth resilience survey:

Examining the stressors, risks and resilience of young people.

              Beyond Social Services. Retrieved from

Click to access SYRS_final%20report_.pdf

Giving Birth

Old Computer pics 874I gave birth to my son on November 3, 2010. He’ll be five next week! It was the most amazing and stressful even I’ve ever endured. I was in labor for 36 hours and I ended up asking for a C-section because I felt as though I was not progressing with my dilation. My son was huge. he weighed 9 lbs. 3 oz. and was 22. 5 inches long. I breastfed him up until two weeks after his first birthday. I can’t wait to have at least 3 more children. Hopefully I’ll get a girl next! My pregnancy was easy and I really enjoyed it. No sickness, no pains. He was almost 2 weeks overdue when I was induced and still wasn’t ready to make his big debut. It was all well worth the struggle though!

Childbirth in the Middle East

The most interesting things I learned about childbirth in the Middle East has to do with breastfeeding. Everything the mother does postpartum caters to breastfeeding. They are allowed 40 days of rest. They discourage women from eating cold foods because they believe cold foods may cause a women health issues because their “bones are still open”. They are encouraged to eat hot meals because that help warm and  increase the milk supply. They wean their children off the breast after two years and if they cannot produce milk another women will breastfeed their child. I don’t believe I would allow another women to breastfeed my child. That seems to be overstepping some boundaries for me. I also don’t think I would be able to rest for 40 days afterwards. I was back at school 2 weeks after my son was born. That was probably not the best idea but being stuck in the house for that first week almost broke me!

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and The Division fo Early Childhood (DEC) Code of Ethics

  • We shall respect, value, promote, and encourage the active participation of ALL families by engaging families in meaningful ways in the assessment and intervention processes.
  • We shall empower families with information and resources so that they are informed consumers of services for their children.
    — These two ideals from the code of ethics go hand and hand. We as educators are qualified and well-equipped with the necessary information and resources that we must share with children and their families. We provide children with the necessary knowledge to grow and develop into model citizens of society. It is also our duty to get parents and families involved in their child’s education. This is a huge part of every child’s life and if home and school work simultaneously the child has a better chance of being successful.
  • We shall recognize and respect the dignity, diversity, and autonomy of the families and children we serve.
    — One of the most amazing parts of educating young children is the diversity and uniqueness each child possesses. They all have different background and personalities, they learn differently, and they all strengths or gifts that make them exceptional! Their minds are beautiful and to have the job of developing, stimulating, and enriching those beautiful minds is major.
  • To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.
    — I cannot stress enough how important developing relationships with children, families, and coworkers is to a successful environment. I can honestly say I work in an environment where I trust the people I work for and the ones I work with, and the children in my care and their families trust me. My employer trusts me to do my job morally and ethically. My coworkers trust that I will help them and coordinate with them to achieve any necessary task to make the days go by smoothly. Families simply trust me to take care of their children socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. They know that I am qualified to do this. Most importantly my children trust me to deliver a day filled with fun activities and enjoyable learning experiences.

Early Childhood Course Resources

These are a list of resources my class utilized this past week pertaining to early childhood education:

Here are three additional resources I found to be quite interesting regarding early childhood education:

  • Odom, S. L., Pungello, E. P., & Gardner-Neblett, N. (Eds.). (2012). Infants, toddlers, and families in poverty: Research implications for early child care (pp. 353-371). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
  • Campbell, F., Pungello, E., Keyserling, T., & Steen, R. G. (2012).Does enhancement of academic skills in childhood also enhance adult health status? Retrieved from Campbell_Pungello_Keyserling_Steen_2012_Summit_Health_Disparities.pptx
  • Pungello, E. P., & Gardner-Neblett, N. (2012). Family factors, childcare quality, and cognitive outcomes. In V. Maholmes & R. King (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of poverty and child development (pp. 319-337). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Contributors to the Early Childhood Education Field

Marian Wright Edelman

” Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.”

“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.”

President Lyndon B. Johnson

“We must open the doors of opportunity, but we must equip our people to walk through those doors.”

“Education is not a problem; education is an opportunity.”

Lousie Derman-Sparks

“The passion to create a safer, more just world for children is there, and I suppose it will be there until I die.”

Sandy Escobido

“We as professionals in the early childhood field have the opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better and that’s what makes me passionate about this field.”

Shanicia’s Childhood Web

The following people had a major impact on my childhood and play a major part in shaping the person I consider myself to be today:

My Mommy

Mama Tari      My mom has been the most influential person in my life. I grew up in a single-parent home, but she made sure I never wanted or needed anything. She worked full-time but she spent the weekends with sister and I. She signed me up for any extracurricular activities I wanted to participate in. She always made me feel like I was capable of great things. She never pressured me to get good grades or behave well. I did those things because as a child that was all I could afford to give her; proof of my hard work and her awesome home training. As an adult I still strive to make my mother proud. She encouraged me to further my education at Walden. She is very active in my son’s life and I can not imagine my life without her constant support, encouragement, and unconditional love.

My Aunt

Aunt Lois      I spent many weekends and summer days at my Aunt Lois’s house. She was the sweetest and most loving person I knew. I would stand behind her recliner, comb her long black and gray hair and listen to many stories about my mom and aunts, her sister (my grandmother), and about her childhood. My cousins and I would play dress up in her big closet and try on her clothes and high heels. She would sit on her bed and listen to us make up stories about where we would wear each outfit we tried on. She passed away my junior year in high school but I always remember that she was the one that taught me how to dress, act, and carry myself like a poised, classy, elegant young lady. She made me feel special by telling me how valuable I was, how people should treat me, and that I was a queen.

My Mentor

Mrs. Morrison     Mrs. Morrison worked at my elementary school and went to my church. She noticed that I was making friends with the wrong children and took me under her wing. She supported me and kind of adopted me as her grandchild. I would spend the night at her house with her granddaughter and go on trips with her and her husband. When I got older they would attend my volleyball games and track meets. She encouraged me to apply to a variety of colleges in high school. Now when I go to my hometown to visit, I see her at church. She always wants to know how I’m doing and what she can do to help. She’s acquainted with other members of my family and checks up on me often. She made me feel special because she is the reason why I traveled at such a young age.

My Sister

Daniele      Daniele is very special to me. She is barely a year younger than me but she allows me to be a big sister anyways. She is paralyzed from the waist down but she has always been more independent than I am. I can talk to her about anything and anytime I need anything she’s there for me. Having a handicapped sibling is difficult, but she’s my inspiration. She never lets anything hold her back and when people say I can’t do something, she shows me that I can. She tells me how special I am and leads me to full potential by beating all the odds against her everyday.

My Cousin/Best Friend

Jalissa     Jalissa is my best and first friend. Her mom and my mom are sisters and we were born exactly two months apart. We spent almost every day of our lives together until we went to separate colleges. She has helped me through some major challenges in my life. Getting pregnant in college, being diagnosed with cancer, and getting my degree. If there’s a problem I have that my mom can’t solve, she will assign Jalissa to the task. Now that we’re older and have families of our own we don’t speak everyday, but soon as me talk on the phone or get together it’s as if no time has passed. She makes me feel special because I’ve an impact on her life. I helped her start her own business. She is able to provide a financially comfortable lifestyle for her family.

The Joys of Teaching Are Infinite

Niecy Fro 

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken the joy in creative expression and knowledge.”  -Albert Einstein

I absolutely love this quote, because I believe good teachers make learning a gift for their students. When children develop a love for learning it shows in the questions they ask, the new ideas they explore, and the amazing things they create. My students love the time we spend reflecting at the end of each day. They see as their chance to brag about anything great they did or share something new that they learned. Actually seeing them retain the knowledge I provide is the gift I get daily.

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

This Dr. Seuss classic is my favorite children’s book. I like it because it explains to children that they will go many places, achieve many things and encounter even more obstacles but that’s okay. The objective is to persevere and stay determined throughout the journey. “And will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed! 98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.” I’ve had several of my students’ parents use this book kind of like a scrapbook. They have each of their child’s favorite teachers write a message on a page in the book, and they plan to give the book as gift to the child at their high school graduation!