Team Development: The Adjourning Stage

I imagine that I will have adjourned from the many groups of colleagues while working on my master’s degree in this program. We all have come together to understand an important component and contributor to the field of early childhood education. We have shared our different paradigms and have further shaped our own. We have also opened doors to future communication past this course, if desired. Effective communication is what is needed to be able to become responsive to the needs of diverse children and their families. I feel that adjourning is an essential stage when working in teams because every member has the chance to elaborate on their part in completing the task. I have grouped with many people when completing tasks and have experienced that the adjourning stage allows people to open up and express their social identities past the task at hand. I have built relationships with people that I have been assigned to work with. I met my husband during the adjourning stage. I visited a church in Lagos, Nigeria with missionaries from the States in 2012. After the events were over, we had the opportunity to reflect on what occurred that day and we began to enjoy each other’s conversation. Yes, it was hard to leave, but I am thankful for this stage of development. I think that it is important to implement the five stages of team development when collaborating with others. It gives everyone the opportunity to come together and communicate towards a positive cause and could possibly build relationships. Reference: O'Hair & Wiemann. (2012). Real Communication: An Introduction

Conflicts

I have had many conflicts where I work. I will admit that having the ability to shape who I am has helped me to deal with the conflicts better. I am employed in a low income community of predominately Black children and I become frustrated because their development is viewed to be elusive. I advocate for children and hope that teachers have positive thoughts about children and their future and not speak of negative thoughts about children and their families. One conflict that I have is the fact that our young children need to fully be understood before we can say that they are failures; for we have no clue as to how their home environment is. Many of the students that I work with have to help their parents financially and/or have issues with maintaining a functional family. We have to understand that children will bring their stressors to school and act on them. It is our responsibility as educators to identify anything that will harm children’s development and look past viewing them as future investments. I find that many of my colleagues are struggling with following the written curriculum and are becoming burnt out with the behaviors of children. Well, I feel that there will continue to be negative behaviors until teachers learn ways to alter or modify the curriculum to fit the needs of individual children. I am often told that the written curriculum is challenging enough and that teachers don’t receive the support that they need to help to close the gap of children falling behind in their development. Individuals learn at their own pace and we as educators need to embrace their differences in order to create effective teaching. I will continue to research for ways to promote effective communication. I will also continue to research the issues of laws and curriculum set forth by policy makers for our future. I often think of how could diverse groups be identified and respected when guidelines that are written complicate current issues of diversity. I personally think that issues begin with some of the guidelines that are put in place for others to follow. I think that there is a need for many guidelines to be revised due to the changing times of our society. How are we fostering positive development for young children and families, if we do not fully understand them? How can we help assist individual needs?

Communication Evaluations

The one thing that surprised me the most about the evaluations is that my colleague and my mother both evaluated me about the same. After reviewing the results, I believe that one has to know one before they evaluate them to yield accurate data. As far as the information gained that was very helpful, I enjoyed learning a bit more about myself. I need to improve on my anxiety level when communicating. I can honestly say I am the one whose heart beats in small meetings. I believe it is because I am very loquacious but afraid to make a mistake when speaking. I know, I am only human, but when you have people starring at you anxiety can set in. I am aware of this issue and will find ways to manage my thinking process when in meetings and/or communicating with others. I appreciate encoding the resources for the week and learning more about my colleagues at Walden University.

Competent Communication with Passion

When thinking about someone who demonstrates competent communication the person that comes to mind is my mother. She was a single parent that led the young girl scouts of the community where we lived. We lived in a low income community of the same culture as ours. She always found a way to help others. She had the ability and the passion to successfully communicate with diverse families about the goals of their children. She built positive relationships and helped many families with other needs that they had. I can remember my mother delivering food baskets to the families of the young girls and was often invited to family functions. My mother’s diverse behaviors while communicating with others were effective and I wish to model some of my communication skills after her. She made people feel comfortable when communicating with her and they felt as if they were treated fairly. She now runs a daycare from her home and continues to demonstrate competent communication. I wish to build positive relationships with others while I respect their differences. It is crucial to understand the needs of families and offer support when needed. Communication is essential to encoding knowledge about others.

Welcoming Diverse Families

A family from Nigeria has recently immigrated into the United States and their female child will be enrolling into the daycare center that I am employed. The family is from the Delta State part of Nigeria where female education is not as serious as the boys. In an article provided by the UNFPA, Nigerian Girls, states that poverty and economic issues, early marriage and teenage pregnancy, inadequate school infrastructure and cultural and religious misinterpretation are the main issues that prevent girls from going to school compared to the boys. (UNFIEC, 2007) As child care director, I would have to educate myself and my staff on ways to first communicate with this family. We need to know what gestures offend this family as well as their surface and deep culture. We have to be aware of our personal or hidden biases. We have to learn ways to understand their mission for enrolling their child into this program. Once we understand the family’s mission for their child, we can begin to further help them with needed resources to understand the center’s mission to educate young children. Opening communication doors can involve the director asking questions to see if the family needs further assistance that the program can offer, such as resources for housing, employment and so on. I think that this will help to break cultural barriers when help is offered from the people that will be embracing their child. Understanding their rituals and beliefs is also important to understand and made a note of for future events that may go against their cultural beliefs. Allowing the child to bring items from home will help the child with the transition. In conclusion, welcoming the family and fully understanding their individual need is important to their child’s process. The family enrolling their child into the program should be a must know that this family goes against the fact that girls education is not equal as the boys in the area that they are from and values their female child’s education. Reference: UNFIEC. (2007). Nigerians Girls. Nigeria Country Office http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/WCARO_Nigeria_Factsheets_GirlsEducation.pdf

Memories that can be harmful

When thinking back and digging into my journey thus far, I can remember many experiences with biases, prejudices and oppression from my own race as well as others. One incident of oppression that I experienced while I was going through grade school, middle school and high school was being called a white girl although I am Black. I tried my best to fit in with my own culture but it was difficult to be accepted by them. I felt as if I was hated because of the tone of my skin. One prejudice that I can remember that is fresh living in a suburban neighborhood with the dominant culture. The people that surround me make it obvious that they do not like Blacks. My family has not done anything to receive the looks and lack of waves from the neighbors. It is sad, but it has become funny because it reveals one’s ignorance on diversity, it shows me that some have cold hearts, plus, it is a great teaching moment for my children so that they will not endure harm for being different. I laugh because I want my children to get use to the way that the world really is. It also helps them to accept the ignorance of others in a better way as well as accepting the cultural differences of others. I tell them that it is not our neighbors fault; for they are only human. These experiences are events of diminished equality. I grew up feeling as if I was not good enough for neither group, my own race nor the dominant race. I later learned that I had to change those negative feelings into positive ones, so I began to use them as motivation tools. I strive to become successful at a level to where my children are comfortable; for they are part of the reasons as to why I continue on this journey of positives over negatives when thinking of the paradigms of others. I refusing to accept the oppression of others. I feel the need to educate young children on equal rights for all and to treat others like they want to be treated. I want all children to love the skin that they are in and that no one can tell them who they are; for they can have the abilities to be successful. I want to help children to understand the deep meaning of respecting diversity and having equal rights. In conclusion, I think that my experiences have helped to make me the strong woman that I am today. I wholeheartedly believe that the passion that I have for everyone helps me to cope with my own issues with the views of others as I strive to be comfortable in the skin that I am in.

Awareness of Microaggressions

An example of a form of microaggression that I happen to view this week occurred a few days back when I was standing in line at the Driver’s License Facility in Belleville, Illinois to get a sticker renewal. The lady that was in front of me needed to have her address changed on her license, but failed to have the three proper identifications needed for this process to happen. The lady was disable and she slowly walked with a cane. The lady failed to bring two bills from the new address that she needed to reflect on her license. She only had one along with the lease. The lady insisted on being able to have this process done without two bills because she had her lease. The receptionists was clearly irritated because I saw her she sigh more than once, looking over the facility for another staff member, with a rude look on her face. She did not like that the lady challenged her with her knowledge of knowing that it could be accomplished. She was right, it was accomplished. The receptionists then turned to her colleague and began to discuss the nerve of the lady to talk to her as if she was her boss, but the lady was just stating her knowledge. The receptionist was so loud that everyone that was around heard her. The lady that knew that she could have her address changed looked at the receptionists and said, “Excuse me”. The receptionist ignored her and smiled at the next customer saying, “May I help you.” The other customers by me were saying how rude the receptionist was to because she was talking about the lady. I was hurt for the lady and I felt the dehumanization as well. She could not handle being wrong to the older disable woman that was clearly the same race as her, white. The form of microaggresion that I figured this case to be was the disability microaggression. The lady needing the services was clearly poor and had on clothes that were not so clean. I also felt that the receptionist did not want to work help her because of this reason. I don’t know if the receptionist was just upset due to the lady’s demand or if she was ashamed that a member from her culture was disable and dirty. I thought about the way that the lady felt, but she picked up on the microaggression from the receptionist. Our world needs to understand how hidden biases can be revealing to the eye of others, if not that person that is being targeted.

Changes In My Environment

A disaster has occurred in my country that causes me and my family to move to a different country. I have to evacuate and adapt to this different location that is very different from my own country. I think that I will be able to adapt in a different country because of my adaptation in my own country. I was told that I could only take three items with me upon my departure. My first item my dog Smokey because she is a part of my family and my kids consider her to be their siblings, the second thing that I would take is a picture of my mother because without her help I feel that I would not be the person that I am today. Looking back at her from my child hood is the reason I am a single parent she has been my rock and a good role model. The third, although difficult to identify would be a phone to communicate my where about with others. I say that the third item to bring because I would be grateful for life alone after such disaster, I would be upset if I had to give up two items, but keeping in mind that I am alive will help me to release them. With my mother in my memory, I would hand over her picture with my family alive and safe, I would give up the phone, my dog Smokey will remain because she means so much to me and my children. This exercise has opened my eyes to fully understanding that I know that I’m able to weather the storm and stand strong for my family, I have the ability to cam plague with diversity and protect my own family. I will continue to uphold if not overestimate, my abilities on diversity.

Encoding Course Materials

When thinking about knowledge that I have encoded through this course, I have clarified my mission to the field. I appreciated learning the Knowledge, Paradigms and Methods of early childhood teachers. I have changed my mission in the field to help other teachers understand what is needed to fully protect the rights of young children. I’ve learned the many designs and I have grown to respect that it depends on the case study to understand what methods one should take as a researcher. I now want to be a part of the decision making process that affects our young children, and together, we can help to close important gaps in the field of early childhood. The number of successful individuals will rise when their rights are being fully understood and exercised. I also enjoyed reading the thoughts of my classmates. Hope to meet you guys in other classes to come.

International Reseach Information

When viewing the website offered by the University of Victoria, I had the opportunity to read articles from the university’s students. The School of Child & Youth Care allows their student’s to upload valuable information that professionals and families can learn from. The student’s have listed different Major Projects that focuses on the well being of child development in the Sub-Saharan parts of Africa. (SSA) I think that it is great to learn and create diverse ideas that opens doors for deeper understandings of how professionals approach different avenues on ways to enrich professionals development, involve families in programs and their activities, and ultimately protect and support the well-beings of young children. I like how the website offers topics of research that ranges from empowering professionals, to families, to communities that young children reside in and their individual family status. The website is an umbrella that has helped me to further understand how much family involvement means to other children in other countries, such as Africa. I appreciated viewing the ways that the University of Victoria tackle situations that foster development period, as well as ways to improve methods, knowledge and different paradigms of professionals when supporting early child development. What touches me the most is that such collaborators is needed here in the United States. I really appreciated the article, Assessing the Influenced of Different Early Childhood Development Models on Pre School Readiness in Kenya by a student by the name of Samuel Nguruiya from the University. Young children’s families were studied and compared. I agree with the author when he speaks of culture and the need for shifts in paradigms. Everyone views development differently, but the fact still remain that our young children’s development needs attention globally. References: Nguruiya, S. (2004). Assessing the Influence on Different Early Childhood Development Models on Children’s School Pre-School Readiness in Kenya. University if Victoria http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/major_projects/Ngaruiyae41d3.pdf

International Early Childhood Education in Kenya

When viewing the website offered by the University of Victoria, I had the opportunity to read articles from the university’s students. The School of Child & Youth Care allows their student’s to upload valuable information that professionals and families can learn from. The student’s have listed different Major Projects that focuses on the well being of child development in the Sub-Saharan parts of Africa. (SSA) I think that it is great to learn and create diverse ideas that opens doors for deeper understandings of how professionals approach different avenues on ways to enrich professionals development, involve families in programs and their activities, and ultimately protect and support the well-beings of young children. I like how the website offers topics of research that ranges from empowering professionals, to families, to communities that young children reside in and their individual family status. The website is an umbrella that has helped me to further understand how much family involvement means to other children in other countries, such as Africa. I appreciated viewing the ways that the University of Victoria tackle situations that foster development period, as well as ways to improve methods, knowledge and different paradigms of professionals when supporting early child development. What touches me the most is that such collaborators is needed here in the United States. I really appreciated the article, Assessing the Influenced of Different Early Childhood Development Models on Pre School Readiness in Kenya, by a student by the name of Samuel Nguruiya from the University. Young children’s families were studied and compared. I agree with the author when he speaks of culture and the need for shifts in paradigms. Everyone views development differently, but the fact still remain that our young children’s development needs attention globally. References: Nguruiya, S. (2004). Assessing the Influence on Different Early Childhood Development Models on Children’s School Pre-School Readiness in Kenya. University if Victoria http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/major_projects/Ngaruiyae41d3.pdf

Realizing The Positives of Deception During Research

One positive example of the effects of this research can have on young children and families happened have occurred at the school where I where I am employed in Illinois, in the year 2009. I noticed a student refusing to go to class due to personal issues that caused him, to be embarrassed by other students. The students would talk bad about the way he smelled which made him dislike school. The principal allowed this child to walk around and skip classes daily. The teachers did not care enough to report issues that were visible. This young man, age 12, had developed a great relationship with me because he knew that I cared about the overall outcome of his academics as well as his personal interests. My gut wouldn’t let this situation ride. I began to research his family’s history and found out that there were sexual predators in his family. I could not share the knowledge I had gained because I was afraid that if I told him that he would close up and not share any information. After I figured that he was being sexually abused, I got permission from my principal to interview him to find out any facts that would help my thoughts of abuse. I opened the interview by asking him if there was anything that was bothering him that causes him not to want to attend his classes. I could tell from his body language that it was more to this problem. I began to tell him that anything that he shared with me would not leave the room, although I knew better because I am a mandated reporter. The child was resilient to opening up to me, I felt it. I thought quick and grabbed his hands and told him that I had been through what he is going through, although what I said was fabricated. This was the only way that I could get him to be honest with me. I told him that it happened to me as a child and I was doing the same things that he was doing- acting out. I said that I was younger than he was when it happened. I then asked him if this was happening to him, reassuring him that I would not share this information and that I only wanted to help him cope with his issue. He told me that he was being raped by his older brother and his uncle which was his mothers brother. I knew that my gut was right. He shared with me that this had been going on every since he was five . Again, as a mandated reporter, I had no choice but to help the child. I told my principal my findings and we called the Department of Children and Family Services of Illinois. Yes, I felt bad for telling the child that I would not share the information. I manipulated my words to grasp my findings, but I knew what was more important. The Department Of Children and Family Services found this allegation to be true. I feared that I had lost my relationship with that child because I deceived him to get the information that I needed to help him. I was touched when he hugged me when he saw me again, after he was removed from his mother that knew about this abuse. The uncle and brother are still in jail to this day. It has been almost a four years and we still have a great relationship. He is now in school, and he loves young ladies. He even has a few young ladies that he visits often. I was frustrated that my colleagues did not care enough to step in and help the child. I know that I have a place in helping children of all ages, but I prefer to be in Early Childhood Education. I want to be a part of helping to shape young children’s overall outcomes, as I offer passion, dedication and love for them. We have to care enough to step in and help to stir the needed changes to the field.

Quality Teachers: Paradigms, Methods and Knowledge in Early Childhoo...

Quality Teachers: Paradigms, Methods and Knowledge in Early Childhoo...: The topics that I chose to explore further are paradigms, methods and knowledge when dealing with young children. In reading ahead in the re...

Paradigms, Methods and Knowledge in Early Childhood Education

The topics that I chose to explore further are paradigms, methods and knowledge when dealing with young children. In reading ahead in the required textbook, Doing Early Childhood Research, 2nd Edition, I found these topics to be of interest to me. Paradigms are the ways that each individual child learn and encode knowledge at their own pace. As Patrick Hughes said in Chapter 3, a paradigm is a way to “see” the world and organize it into a coherent whole. Young children are different from one another. They need to be fully understood when implementing methods and helping them to encode knowledge. I’m currently employed in a low- income school district in Illinois at the high school level, but I have a strong passion for what is needed to help close some of the gaps in the field of Early Childhood. From my professional experience from working with early childhood, middle school children and high school kids, I notice a need for change when children are reaching the high school level. They need to have their right’s exercised. I think that this could be accomplished hen early childhood is fully understood. I want to be a part of the research method when educating young children. I feel that it is important to know knowledge that is needed to help young children flourish. Reference: Naughton, G., Rolfe, S., and Siraj-Blatchford. (2010). Doing Early Childhood Research. 2nd Edition

Consequences of International Early Childhood Education

There are three consequences that I have learned through building relations with international early childhood professionals in Africa. One consequence that causes young children to be left behind is that the prognosis for Africa’s future economic growth and social development is poor. Secondly, over half of Africa’s students are not learning basic skills by the end of primary school, and thirdly, 61 million children will reach adolescence without basic skills needed to lead successful and productive lives. African children do not encode many skills while in school and the children that do not attend school are not any worse than the children that do attend. Nigerian, Ethiopian and Zambian children are suffering from inequalities that they face because of their country’s lack of needed tools that help children to properly develop. One goal for the field of early childhood related to international awareness of issues and trends is for every child to have access to needed tools that will help them in their adult lives. I have wholeheartedly enjoyed the works of my colleagues! I appreciate you guys’ feedback on my works. It has been a great experience for me to build collegial relations within this course. I hope to collaborate with you all again in the near future. Thank you all for your support. Reference: Fleet, J. (September, 2012). Africa’s Education Crisis: In School But Not Learning. Brookings

The Ultimate Issue with the Field of Early Childhood

One issue with the field of early childhood has been viewed as elusive for over 30 years now. Great theorist and scientists of the past have helped to pave the way for young lives by creating a foundation that children can thrive from. They knew that children needed age appropriateness along with the quality of professionals that encounter young children daily. The work of those important contributors have been used to try to formulate guidelines for states to follow, but are falling short on the fact that this is a crucial times for all young children. Some professional’s issues stem from not continuing to gain the ever-changing knowledge of the Early Childhood field to better serve the children and their needs. Professionals can obtain quality by setting aside expectations and relate to diverse families and by understanding their needs and desires unconditionally. Early childhood is not called a field for nothing; you have to know the community you service; to understand the changes, contexts, consequences and challenges that families and young children face. Issues will remain issues until professionals step outside of the box and try to make a difference; for they are the leaders of our nation. Communication, caring, understanding trends and issues of the field and determination are key components to reaching our ultimate goal in the filed- NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND! Not quite yet succeeded! Ive encoded so much from my colleagues and look forward to having you in class again! I will continue to advocate for families of poverty in need. Mia

Nigerian Newsletter on Girlls Education

http://www.unicef.org/wcaro/WCARO_Nigeria_Newsletter0308.pdf The UNICEF has created a project that focuses on the girls education in Nigeria. The article states that young girls education has not been valued enough. They are now focused on investing in young girls to help the economy and to lower numbers of birth in Nigeria. I think that this is a good idea to invest in young girls as well as young boys. They should receive equal education for they have rights. Ayalew Abai is a representative of the UNICEF that has gathered many stories from families of these young girls that need attention, concerning equal education for them. She states that professionals, families and children they need to know certain things to move forward. It is a very interesting, heart beating newsletter. Enjoy!

The Center on the Devloping Children- Harvard University

Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to grasp hold of my primary contacts for the second time. I have reached out and it is disheartening that I get not one response. I guess I am fortunate to have reached others prior to this week’s assignment. I chose to explore the Harvard website offers great insights by providing useful information concerning the health of young children globally. The Center on the Developing Children’s website elaborates on the need of focus on early childhood development, child mental health and children in crisis and conflict situations. These important domains are researched by the university and they have set objectives to further for fill the needs of all children around the world. The three insights mentioned above are strongly being reviewed by scientists to help better the lives of young children according to the website. The site is a great guide that professionals can visit to appreciate and understand the constant shifts of needs with young children. Policy makers are trying to refocus on the important needs of development to foster better futures for our young. It is interesting how Harvard University collaborates with other counties to reach out to them and create projects to help close the gaps in early childhood education. References: The Center of the Developing Child, Harvard University

Save The Children Organization and Contibutions

What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development? In reviewing the website Save the Children, I notice how the organization keeps their investments growing. They provide the adequate information to show the public that their passion truly lies in the lives of struggling families and children in need. They spread their passion by providing information on different social websites nation-wide. The specific section that the organization provides that is relevant to my current professional development is that they actually show that they care about these families and children in need. How We Use Our Funds 89% on Program Services - You can be assured that Save the Children spends dollars efficiently. Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways? When asking for donations, in the world that we live in today, it is sometimes tricky on what organization you can trust. Many organizations use hardship events to get rich and do not help the issues at all. I was thinking about Haiti and the wrong doings of organizations that people were actually supporting. It is disheartening to have to wonder where your donations go, but as I give donations and have faith that the giving will continue to reach the right source. The statement from the Save the Children’s website that made me think is, “Our independently audited financial statements consistently show that nearly nine out of every ten dollars we spend goes to programs and services for children and families in desperate need.” This statement made me think of the many scams that some create to get rich as they leave these families behind. Inflation is one way some organizations and departments financially gain investments from people that actually care about these children and families. What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neurosciences, or politicians support the early childhood field? I can see how economics, neurosciences and politicians support the websites mission to help families and young children globally. Politicians have touched on the issues of poverty around the world, and put emphasis on their contribution towards the issues, but often use organizations ideas to gain office. Neuroscience study the issues and trends to further assist these families and their children in need. They have to continually research to stay abreast of the supply and demand of families and young children. Economists help to improve family’s economic hardships by also staying abreast by researching the changes in demographics and beyond. What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website or e-newsletter? I gained new insights about the help that this website offers. It is moving to learn that they strive to assist families that live in poverty. They are focused on changing the lives of others. I gained new ideas on how I can contribute to families and young children globally. I feel at ease with this website when donating…let’s help to save the children.

Passionate Connections

I am glad to introduce the e-mail exchange that I have had the opportunity to encounter with one of the professionals chosen from the Global Alliance website that Walden University has provided. Mrs. Bimbo Are is the Assistant Director of the AL QALAM KIDDIES SCHOOLS in Ibadan North, Oyo, Nigeria for six years now. Her passion lies with teaching young children how to read, particularly the girls. The children are first taught their primary language and then English. The foods they eat are culturally healthy for the young children. Yams are the best resources of food that the children in Nigeria like as well as different soups, like Egushi soup. Variety is at a limit. French fries is a delight for young children in Nigeria. I have also had the opportunity to gain a more personal relationship with a Nigerian man named Frank Oghenekenyoro from Delta State. We talk EVERYDAY! I am learning so much. He helps me to understand the ways of Nigerians. Intriguing! I have not had the opportunity to hear back from my second choice of professionals from the list that Walden University provided to connect with professionals world-wide. I will not give up hope on this contact. I will continue to e-mail Rev. Charles Arko-Nunoo in Ghana to learn his passion towards the field of Early Childhood Education and beyond; although I have reached out to Mr. Eric Atmore in South Africa at cecd@iafrica.com. It is a powerful feeling to reach out and encode knowledge needed to understand the mission and goals of other countries as they foster healthy development with their young children. I thrive to further understand how Africa and other parts of the world operate. I want to know their contributions towards the field and ways they help to close the gaps of malnutrition that is a consequence of poverty. I patiently wait for my new discoveries.

Quality Teachers: Nigeria's Partnerships: Guiding crutial developmen...

Quality Teachers: Nigeria's Partnerships: Guiding crutial developmen...: I chose to focus on the malnutrition issues that many organizations focus on helping to problem-solve. The country that I chose to explo...

Nigeria's Partnerships: Guiding crutial developmental milestones

I chose to focus on the malnutrition issues that many organizations focus on helping to problem-solve. The country that I chose to explore further is Nigeria in Africa. The UNICEF partners with other country’s government to help close the gaps of malnutrition. They have partnered with Africa to help children of families that do not have the resources that they need to be healthy individuals. These partnerships are important to collaborate to value young children’s rights to a healthy life. The article that I chose to share is linked above. It tells about the partnerships that have been formed to provide a range of opportunities for young children in Nigeria. I have learned that there are many resources in place to help children that are lacking in different areas. It is a great feeling to know that policymakers, researchers and other professionals stay abreast of the ever so changing demographics and diverse society that is needed to know to help others to flourish in their communities.

UNICEF - Video/Audio - Top 10 Cartoons for Children’s Rights

UNICEF - Video/Audio - Top 10 Cartoons for Children’s Rights

UNICEF - Video/Audio - Connect with UNICEF online with social media

UNICEF - Video/Audio - Connect with UNICEF online with social media

Under the Umbrella of the Global Alliance of NAEYC

Part 1 I have had the opportunity to reach out to two professionals from the Global Alliance of NAEYC... Mrs. Bimbo Are @ arebimbo@yahoo.com in Nigeria AND Rev. Charles Arko-Nunoo @ 2kdotcom@ghana.com in Ghana. I am waiting on their response so I can further understand how they contribute to early childhood field in the world that they live in, different from my own. Part 2 Save the Children http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6146405/k.C7E9/About_Us.htm Save the Children is an organization that helps to create an everlasting change for children in need that live inside or outside of the United States. The staff at this facility helps children to understand belief systems and morals that they bring with them to further help children at risk. These important milestones can be taught to others through the children that attend this organization; helping others to foster morals of their own. Powerful.

Child Development

Child Development When I think of child development, I think of the passion and dedication that is needed to fully monitor a child’s potential. I feel that we need to embrace all cultures by learning the child and their families. Young children should be allowed adequate time to explore the world that we live in as parents and teachers provide age appropriate materials that children will use to enrich their individual development. Again, I believe that it starts with the passion and dedication, with relationships that are collaborated to help foster the future…our children. "It is with children that we have the best chance of studying the development of logical knowledge, mathematical knowledge, physical knowledge, and so forth". - Jean Piaget

Measuring and Assessing Young Children’s Needs

In my opinion, professionals, educators and parents need to continually collaborate together to fully measure a child a whole. Young children learn at their own pace, so I agree that assessing children’s cognition and measuring their abilities need t happen under a much bigger umbrella. Daily anecdotal of children’s behaviors, new discoveries of how children learn with attention from the important people in their lives will help to pin point the issue. Learning should be based around the child’s abilities with new introductions. Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) should not just be stamped on the child; it needs to be fully followed to measure the changes of abilities in young children; for they learn at different paces. Children may need a range of modifications and accommodations for them to be successful in areas that they lack academically. Unfortunately, some catch up and no longer need this aid, but others have deeper needs attention.

I personally think that standardized testing should vary depending on the child’s learning style.  I wonder if three different sets of the standardized testing could be created to satisfy the fact that children learn in different ways. They learn visually, kinetically, or both. During standardized testing in Illinois, where I am employed, only allow extra time for challenging children. My heart goes out to those children, left with a test above their level. They can have all of the time in the world, but if they do not get it, they need help that is forbidden during testing. We try different strategies of pre testing, but again, they learn different and may have test anxiety with frustration of not knowing.

In  Thai China, a follow up study on nine year old children, yield results that Iron and Zinc are essential for normal neurological function in individuals. Iron deficiency (ID) affects myelination, neurotransmitter metabolism, and iron-containing enzymes. In addition, indirect mechanisms may link anemia to poor cognitive development, such as functional isolation, which leads to reduced exploration of the environment and reduced activity. Zinc is also important to both the structure and function of the brain. Zinc deficiency during rapid periods of brain growth can alter emotional behavior, decrease spontaneous activity, and impair memory, attention, and learning ability. Infancy is a period of rapid brain growth. Thus, any perturbations during early childhood, such as malnutrition and poor stimulation, can lead to long-term impairment of brain structure and function. Infants in developing countries are at risk of iron and zinc deficiency because of low intakes, poor bioavailability in complementary foods, and the untimely introduction of these foods.

 The article by The American Journey of Clinical Nutrition was interesting to learn. Apparently,  in China, measuring and assessing children begins during infancy, building positive effects for young children’s cognition.

Embracing the minds of young children will help them to flourish. Staying attentive to their personal needs should help them to build positive self esteem, the ability to focus on school work, play with peers and engaging in activities will produce success when implemented correctly.

Reference:

The American Journey of Clinical Nutrients. (March 2011). Long-term effects of iron and zinc supplementation during infancy on cognitive function at 9 y of age in northeast Thai children: a follow-up study1–3 Vol. 93. no. 3 636-643

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/93/3/636.full.pdf+html

Poverty in The USA and Africa

    There are children around the world that are faced with many stressors. The stressor that I chose to discuss is poverty.  There are families that struggle with providing healthy meals, clothes, affordable healthcare and attention to young children that need good nutrition, clean clothes and love to flourish mentally. I am employed in a district full of low income families that struggle with poverty daily. Children constantly complain about being hungry, but turn to bags of chips (hot fries) and candy. They and are able to wash their uniforms on campus if needed. Professionals gather baskets of basic needs to help aid the families through their rough times and assist them with resources that would help for the moment.
   “Children that are stressed act out in negative ways. They will develop social problems and their cognitive development will be affected. Children's poverty is an especially troubling form of poverty, as it is a direct affront to our commitment to equal opportunity regardless of birth. It is accordingly important to understand the demographics of children's poverty as well as the mechanisms through which poverty is transferred from one generation to the next”.  (Shonkoff, 2010)  Adults in their lives should pay close attention to behaviors of the child; for they may be acting out trying to cope.

    I chose Africa's children in poverty. Children live in poor conditions with no clean drinking water; no running lavatories and many of the children are born with HIV. The children suffer in poverty mainly because of the government focusing on economic empowerment and consolidation of power instead of focusing on the education of young children and the health of their development.

 I believe that young children’s biosocial is affected because of the lack of healthy nutrition. They will have problems with their physical development. Cognitively they will have problems thinking, and as mentioned in Shonkoff’s article. Their psychosocial development will also be affected and relationships formed will be hard to keep.

References:

Shonkoff, J. (2010-04). The Impact of Early Experience on Childhood Brain Development. The Brookings Institution

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9280481/More-than-half-of-South-Africas-children-live-in-poverty.html

Access to Healthy Water

Access to healthy water is important to infant and toddlers development. Children from six months and up need adequate water to help aid bio-social, cognitive and psychosocial development. I chose this topic because of the changes in smells of drinking water, and  it is now tasting nasty, due to the Mississippi River dropping water levels in the community that I serve, as well as others. My goal in this blog is to help open the eyes of some that lack knowledge on how it is to provide water that is healthy and accessible for our children.
 Although slowly improving, Africa along with many other countries have huge gaps of supply of healthy water. Researchers are doing the best that they can to close the gaps, but the target that they are trying to reach will not be a success if sanitation does not improve.  Many infants and toddlers lack in development because they do not have access to water and/or is drinking contaminated water. I read in an article on water.org, Water Facts: Water that stated that unhealthy water can kill children at a rate equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every four hours...powerful.

UNICEF. (2012) Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation
http://www.unicef.org/media/files/JMPreport2012.pdf

National Park Service. (2013) Water Quality in the Mississippi River

Great Educators!!!!

http://www.bnd.com/2013/03/12/2530517/two-metro-east-educators-recognized.html

Birthing Experience

My first birthing experience was an experience from the unknown. I can remember the contractions that felt like an earthquake was occurring in my belly. I had to sit up and deliver due to the lack of knowledge on child birthing. I knew better the second time around. I went to birthing classes and learned the proper way to push! I chose this example because in reading this week's resources, I learned about the many toxins that could cause harm to the fetus leading to defects in development. I chose this example due to the lack of knowledge I had and to help educate others on the importance of being in the know.
China has a list of beliefs and rituals that they follow before and during child birthing. Very interesting.http://www.hawcc.hawaii.edu/nursing/RNChinese06.htm

My Connection to Play

“The true object of all human life is play”. - G. K. Chesterton

“The opposite of play is not work. It’s depression.” – Brian Sutton-Smith

People around me supported my play by providing me with opportunities of discovery. My mother worked two jobs and went to college, so my grandmother was my primary caregiver. My parents divorced when I was two, which turned out to be a mental challenge for me starting about age 12. I had a sister and a few cousins that I was raised with. We use to take bike rides in the neighborhood and came home before the street lights came on. Children feared their parents back then verses the children of today.

  As a child, I remember being told to go out to the garden and pick fruit and vegetables. I was intrigued with my environment. I loved to find four leaved clovers, making mud pies and sliding on cardboard under the bridge and most of all laying back in the grass soaking up the sun. Back then, children utilized their free time by being creative; finding new discoveries. Today, free time is taken up with television, the radio and video games. Times have changed, but play needs to be renounced with the help of teachers and parents for the good of all children.

Educators and parents need to allow children enough playtime or free time so they can learn themselves and the world around them.

https://move-with-me.com/blog/25-quotes-about-the-importance-of-play