Continuing Our Communication

 

I have really enjoyed learning more about how to become a more effective communicator.  In my efforts to continue building upon my skills, I would like to continue to keep in contact with you.  Please feel free to email me at

 

rojackson1976@gmail.com

 

 

I would like to give a great big thank you to my colleagues and Dr. Dartt for a wonderful class!

 

 

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Saying "Good-bye" or "See you soon"!

Adjourning put the word "teamwork" into a new light.  I did not think about the time I would have to participate in the adjourning process when it came to the completion of my master's degree program.  It is important to reflect on our accomplishments in order to stay encouraged.  We will endeavor on different projects where we will need to remember our accomplishments while working on our master's degree.  Our failures needed to be reflected on also.  Our ultimate goal is to meet the needs of our young children and their families in order to sustain our future.  We need to analyze our failures to try new techniques and ideas.  I hope to maintain the relationships developed with my colleagues through the duration of our program.  I would like to use my blog as a contact source to keep in contact with my colleagues in my program.  As we grow professionally, we will need encouragement and someone on the outside of the situation to collaborate with in order to receive additional ideas. 

I think high performing groups are difficult to leave due to the fact of feeling productive and useful.  I would see results.  Groups, where the norms are clear, are also hard to leave due to the fact everyone feels essential on the team and their strengths are appreciated to meet the overall goal.  The hardest group I had to leave was the group with the norms which were clear.  I enjoyed having my talents used to enhance the team to meet the goal. 

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Conflict Resolution

I have a colleague which is very defensive.  Unfortunately, my supervisor does not support me wen the colleague attacks me.  I have learned to watch what is going on in my work environment and how the colleague is behaving without being judgmental.  As I am observing the situation, I need to be thinking about words to communicate my ideas without coming across being crutical.  My colleagues need to feel they can trust the fact that I am not trying to do anything intentional to hurt then or mislead them. 

 

I need to focus on the outcome I want instead of what I do not want.  When colleagues try to demand something form me, I can change the negative tone to a positive tone by making it a request.  Adults do not want to be treated like children.  Children want to be seen as humans.  Ultimately, humans want to know they are heard and their point of view is valuble.  I have learned that a major way to resolve conflict is to listen.

 

 

www.cnvc.org/training/NVC-concepts

"It takes a villiage to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Perception

I was surprised to find out that self-denigration can prevent the needed improvement.  It is one thing to recognize your weakness though it is unhealthy to attack yourself or self-denigration.  It can be very overwhelming making sure all families feel comfortable at our facilities and it may not come together the way we expect.  We still do not want to commit self-denigration.  In order to escape self-denigration, we need to redirect our energy to positive experiences to promote positive communication (O'Hair & Weimann, 2012).

 

 

Self-concept is very powerful when communicating with others.  The way we view ourselves through examining our strengths and weakness effects when or how we communicate with others.  Our perception of ourselves causes us to think about others through the way we view ourselves.  Social comparison also plays a large role in how we view others next to ourselves.  We may view ourselves as more of an expert on children than the families we work with in our facilities.  As a member of the infants and toddlers program, I see myself as an asset to the team due to the fact that my child went through the program and understand what many of the families are going through.  Currently, I am not a highly qualified teacher and I am unable to assess or provide services to the children in the program (O'Hair & Weimann, 2012).

 

Individuals with high self-esteem typically demonstrates more confidence in their interpersonal relationships.  They feel they have the necessary skills to make others smile when they smile.  I learned that individuals with low self-esteem will flaunt that fact they are in a relationship by showing an abundance of affection in public to show they are loved.  Those individuals which are confident in who they are tend not to flaunt their abilities or look for others to tell them they are doing good work.  The service providers who are good at their jobs do not boast about their skills and are team players.  The service providers which has low self-esteem are not team players and think the team is out to get them when helpful information is shared (O'Hair & Weimann, 2012).

 

When it comes to self-efficacy, it is not good for the individuals to be overconfident in their ability.  We model techniques to assist parents in their children reaching their full potential.  There needs to be a confidence of knowing we can teach children with various abilities while incorporating the unique attributes of their cultures.  As an early childhood professional, it would be beneficial to understand that even though we are responsible for educating society about the importance of early learning, we still have to realize there is so much to learn from or families (O'Hair & Weimann, 2012).

 

Reference

 

O’Hair, D. & Wiemann, M. (2012).  Real Communication:  An introduction.  New York:  Bedford/St. Martin’s.





"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Communicating Differently

 

I do communicate differently with colleagues at work than my family.  When I communicate with my colleagues, I do not speak about personal concerns in my life.  I keep the conversation about assisting the families we work with and meeting their needs.  I discuss the bare minimum about my personal life and usually only if it is an issue which will cause me not to be in the office.  I avoid having a personal conversation with my colleagues at work.

 

I am more comfortable being myself with my sister.  I do not feel the need to watch how I say things due to the fact she understands who I am.  We have a similar point of view politically where we can celebrate when certain people are elected into office.  We also value the principles of Christianity and support each other accordingly.  I have know my sister since I was two and half years old and we have a history which can not be forgotten.  My sister is a part of who I am and love.

 

Unlike my colleagues at work, my sister appreciates me for who I am.  I can trust that she will not lie to me and will communicate ideas to help me instead of hurt me.  Since this is the case, I feel more comfortable communicating with my sister than my colleagues at work.  I am also confident that she will not use what I say against me and truly consider my point of view.  My sister communicates her love for me and concern for my overall well-being.  In knowing my sister genuinely cares for me, I am more inclined to communicate with her about my personal and professional life.

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Communication with Archer

Archer is the main character in the show.  In the episode I watched, a solider in uniform shocked Archer with jumper cables.  A distinguished lady with a suit seems to be Archer's boss.  She tells others to do things to him.  The lady with the tall boots and brown hair is his partner.  They became intimate.  After that, their relationship became more childish in nature, by knocking items out of Archer's hands.  Many of the women Archer comes in contact with have intimate relationships with him.  The relationships turn into relationships without trust and/or disgust.  Archer seems to manipulate his relationships and in turn, people find it difficult to trust or understand why he does certain things.

 

I feel the characters in the show do not like Archer.  The body language expressed that people do not believe what Archer tells them after they learn he will manipulate the situation.  The characters expressed nonverbally their dislike for the way Archer presents himself both professionally and personally.  Archer seemed to ignore their non-verbal cures.

 

The assumptions I made was the woman in the suit was Archer's boss and the woman with the tall boots and brown hair was his partner.  I assumed the man in the uniform was trying to harm Archer by getting him to tell secrets.  The assumptions I did make were correct about the relationships.  The assumptions about the details about how the relationships came to be was inaccurate.

 

The lady I thought was Archer's boss is his mother.  The lady with the tall boots and brown hair was Archer girlfriend for several months.  The man in the uniform worked with Archer and his mother told the man in uniform to simulate a very uncomfortable situation to test if he would revel the secrets.  The man in the uniform was found later in the episode that he was a spy.

 

I feel I would have been more accurate with a show I have seen before.  I would understand the details of the characters.  I would have a better understanding about why they make certain decision and how they feel about different ideas.  I would also have a better idea of the inner working of the show.  I feel I have developed a relationship with the characters in the show I enjoyed watching.



"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Communication

 

My best friend is a wonderful communicator.  Our conversation are honest and I know she will tell me the truth even if I do not want to hear it.  I trust her with my feelings and I know she will respect my point of view even if she does not agree.  We are free to communicate how we feel about diversity and equity.  We help each other maintain healthy mental health to better serve our families.  I know she cares about me and I care about her.  We have a mutual understanding of our unique needs for our families.  We constantly are collaborating about how society needs to strive for equity.  We can talk about what we need to do to serve our families better with breaching the confidence of our families.

 

We do model communication styles after one another.  The main attribute is honesty.  Families need to be able to trust me and being honest is a main characteristic which leads to trust.  In my relationship, I know that since she will not lie to me that the suggestions or advice she may give is because she genuinely cares for me without having an alternative motive.  Families are giving us their most precious gifts, their children.  In order to be able to serve the families and work together to form a team, trust is a must.  If we do not have trust, we will be unable to work as a team in order for their child to reach their full potential.

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Professional Hopes and Goals

 My hope is that the children and families I work with feel comfortable with who they are where they can share different aspects of their background no matter their culture.  Children need to feel that it is okay to be themselves without being ridiculed.  Families need to feel their children are able to express the culture in a safe environment.  By having a diverse classroom presents the opportunity for the children to learn about different ideas around the world.  In turn, our children would be more of a well-rounded thinker in order to contribute additional ideas to an evolving society.

 

My goal is to become a socially diverse individual.  I need to experience more activities of different cultures and inquire about the reason the people participate in the activity.  I would like to get a deeper understanding of why different cultures eat the types of food they do.  I believe that will give me a better understanding of how those families lived and what they needed to do to survive.  I would also like to understand why the culture wears the type of garb I see.  It will give me a better understanding of the type of climate they are accustomed.  I plan on taking the information to become less judgemental.  When I see a child that does not have an appropriate coat for the "cold snap" does not necessarily mean they do not have the financial resources.  It may mean they are not familiar with the climate in our community.  It will help me see each family uniquely instead of being judgemental.

 

Thank you colleagues and Professor Tammy for all of your encouraging words and support.  I look forward to the continued opportunity to grow together professionally.  Thank you for sharing your personal experiences.  It helped me realize I am not the only one finding my way in a society which is not always supportive of our cause.

 

 

Thank you again & Good fortune in all you do!



 

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Welcoming Families From Around the World

 

We are welcoming our new family to our child care facility from the Cote d'Ivoire.

I have learned that the background of the Cote d'Ivoire is French and Portuguese.  They are referred to as Ivorians.  Ivorians wash their hands in basins before their meals.  The climate is very warm all year long.  Many of the families participate in agriculture where the children tend not to complete school to work on the farm.  They are experiencing war and conflict which makes it tough to enjoy the beauty of the country.

 

www.our-africa.org/ivory-coast

 

 

These preparations will help me understand my new family for who they are on the inside and the outside.  The Cote d'Ivoire is know for tropical fruit, coffee beans and cocoa.  I could find decorations of tropical fruit and ask them to bring in items which would represent their family.  The information I gathered will help me establish a common educational goal with the family.  I would be able to use French to communicate with he family or providing some words in their country's language.  I would also put words in Portuguese around the classroom.

 

I believe this will help develop a positive relationship with the family.  I would hope that the family would be able to identity with the items in the classroom.  The main goal is to reach a common ground in what is best for their child educationally.  Parents need to feel their child's identity will not be compromised.  I am hoping when the family identifies their culture being represented in the classroom that they will feel more comfortable sharing the part of their culture which cannot be seen.



"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

 

When affirmative action was created for African Americans to have an equal chance to gain employment as their European American counterparts.  It applied to college entrance also.  Many European Americans were upset and felt African Americans were given a free ride where they did not have to work hard in order to earn the slot or position.  Affirmative action intentions were to make a level playing field.  Bias were formed when standards were lowered for African Americans to meet the mark in order to get into institutions of higher learning and for employment.

 

Affirmative action diminished equity by adjusting the standards for African Americans.  African Americans did not have the same opportunities in education as their European American counterparts.  Historically, African American families were denied the right to education for many years.  African American families were already at a disadvantage.  Even though affirmative action was suppose to empower African American families, it created a bias in making African Americans seem to have less intelligence than their European American counterparts.

 

The feelings which were brought out of me was disappointment.  African Americans were already at a disadvantage.  Historically, education was a privilege that European American males were privy to.  Since African Americans did not have the same resources or opportunities as the European Americans have had in education, it will take longer for African Americans to discover the necessary resources to help their children ultimately succeed in education.

 

Affirmative action can be an equity experience.  Now, affirmative action has been expanded to women and minority cultures.  Employers need to state general requirements for jobs and make sure the applicant is qualified despite their culture background or ethnicity.  The focus needs to be on the personality and willingness to work as a team player of the applicant.  I believe it provides a more level playing field for all applicants no matter their privileges.

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

 

I was in the nail salon and my son, who is within the autism spectrum, dropped a piece of paper on the floor from his lollipop.  An European American woman looked at me and said in a condescending way that there was paper on the floor.  I asked my oldest child for help to pick up the paper.  While the woman was leaving, she made another comment about the paper on the floor.

 

When my four African American children entered the nail salon, the European American woman did not have a pleasing expression on her face.  She behaved as though my children were automatically going to disrespect the nail salon by leaving trash everywhere.  Her tone and words were very condescending.  Since my son, which is within the autism spectrum does not look like he has unique needs, it is easy to misunderstand what he says and how he behaves.  At times, he will behave like he is a younger child.

 

The European American woman made me very angry.  Her demeanor was as if African American children do not understand how to behave in public places and do not clean up after themselves.  My children were viewed as if they were going to disrespect the nail salon property due to the size of the family and ethnic background.  The European American was so concerned that my children would disrespect the property, that she disrespected my family with her degrading comment.

 

 

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I have received definitions people in their 60's and 30's both male and female. 
The first person shared with me that their definition of culture is the beliefs and historical views as to how to live.  It is how you choose to live with your family.  It consists of family customs and values.  Their definition of diversity is all inclusive which encompasses everyone and everybody.

The next person I spoke to defined culture as habits, beliefs and lifestyle of people.  They defined diversity as difference among the group and a large group of people that have differences.

The last person I asked about their definition of culture is family values, ancestry, traditions, families doing things for each other.  It also deals with food and living life everyday.  It deals with how you worship/religion and passing down traditions from one generation to the next.  Diversity was defined as mixture of people and different ethnic backgrounds.  It deals with a mixture of people with various background which are not in the same family or culture.

Many of the answers I received for the definition of culture explained how they are unconscious rules that govern everything we do.  None of the people I spoke to referred to the way men and women fit in culture (Gonzalez-Mena, 2008).  The definitions did include how culture relates everything we do.  I did not recall anyone mentioning parenting patterns in their definition of culture.  All the definitions explain how complex culture is to define (Laureate Education, Inc., 2007).

When speaking about diversity, it was agreed upon that it means difference and even difference within the same culture.  They did not imply prejudice or inferior ways of thinking when speaking on diversity.  The definitions of diversity explained to me a positive way of accepting no one is the same (Laureate Education, Inc., 2007).
 
After listening to the definition received from the persons I interviewed, I realized that culture is seen as a part of who you are and what you do everyday.  I was excited to hear no negativity within their definitions.  I have learned that some members of society may see culture in a negative light.  It was nice to experience generation variance and gender differences explain culture and diversity.  It helped me re-examine how society views culture and diversity in order to determine where society stands in these areas.

References

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2008). Diversity in Early Care and Education. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2007). [DVD]. Family Cultures, Dynamics Interactions. Baltimore, MD:  Author.



"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

My Family Culture

The three items I would bring with me are my wedding album, my beanie baby which has "mom" sewn on it and a framed picture of my family.

 

 

I would bring my wedding album which has pictures of my side of the family and my husband's side of the family.  My kids would be able to see their family: aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents.

The beanie baby is the first item I received from my mom when I brought my oldest son home from the hospital.

The framed picture of my family is important to me.  When I look at the picture, it reminds me of all the things we made it through as a family.  It is amazing how fast children grow and how the picture captures the most special moment in my life.

I would be extremely hurt and angry if I found out I could only keep one item.  It was tough enough leaving my home and everything behind except three items.  It took time to decide which items would come with me.  Now, I no longer can keep my three items which I chose in order to help my children stay connected with their family.  The wedding album reflects my celebration of love with my family and friends.  The beanie baby with "mom" sewn on it is very special due to the fact my mother gave it to me where I first became a mother.  The day I brought my son home from the hospital, the baby room was made up and the beanie baby bear was waiting for me in my room.  The framed picture of my family reminds me of the happy times we shared.  It would give my family hope that better times are in our future.  It would feel like the hope and promise for happier times are taken away when I am forced to keep one of three special items I chose.

I have learned that if a person is forced to let go of their culture, they are not happy.  The person may not reach their full potential due being made to feel it is wrong to be who they are.  Culture is a part of the person.  It can not be separated.  It is not possible to leave your culture behind due to the fact it is a part of you.  I found it very difficult to chose three items from my culture to be immersed in a culture which is completely opposite of mine.  It is difficult to think about how I would make sure my children understood their background and knew their family.

It must be very difficult to let go of your culture in order to submerge yourself in another culture which is completely opposite of your culture.  I would feel lost and very sad.  I would feel like I could do nothing right and who I am is a mistake which needs to change.



"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

When I Think of Research.........

Early childhood research should not be taken lightly.  Even though I have learned a great deal about conducting quality research, there is still much more to learn.  The techniques acquire by reputable researchers takes time and a lot of practice.  I have learned that it may take longer preparing for the study due to unpredictable circumstances.  The greatest challenge I anticipate is remaining objective. 

My background consisted of chemical science research.  I am learning a completely different style of conducting research.  The more methods used to collect data, the more thorough the research will be.  It is important to bring in experts on particular areas in order to establish proper definitions and greater understanding for the readers.

There is a systematic way to conduct research.  Each step needs to be carefully thought through and provide enough time for revisions.  A balance of power between the researcher and participants is essential.  Objectivity is also a challenge.  In order to addresses my biases, I will make a list of the issues.  I have learned it is crucial to understand my biases to remain objective.  An objective viewpoint will allow me to obtain data based on what I observe without my opinion included.

Equity is another challenge.  This means more than making everything equal, it includes respect by seeing participants in research as people.  It is very daunting thinking about how to achieve equity throughout the entire research process.  I believe one way to make the task less daunting is by forming a standard which encompasses multiple cultures. 

An early childhood professional has an awesome responsibility.  Research can have major ethical dilemmas.  Early childhood researchers are concerned about the overall well-being of the children while conducting research with their best interest at heart.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their support and suggestions for my study.  Thank you very much.  Good fortune in all of your future endeavors.





"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Research Around the World

I read about research which has been conducted on different settings of staying and playing or playing and chatting in reference to supported playgroups.  The two different environments have been furthered studied between Australian supported playgroups and English Parent-Toddler groups.  The main focus was on parents talking and the children playing.  It has information examining the similarities of how service models function (Needham & Jackson, 2012).

A study was done in Dutch daycare centers to examine how friendships are developed and what factors have the greatest impact.  The two- and three- year-olds tend to develop friendships with other children which were the same gender including age.  The cultural background had no noticable effect on the friendship developed between the children.  The major effect on friendships and young children was when children attended the program part-time.  It created an environment which is unpredictable.  The information provided in this study suggests that cultural diversity is not an issue for young children to make friends (van Hoogdolem, Singer, Wijingaards & Heesbeen, 2012).

The article focused on the negative perspective pre-school and kimdergarten teachers have on mathematics.  A survey was given to pre-school and kindergarten teachers.  The results showed that an active and  constructive way to learning mathematics was accepted.  The pre-school and kindergarten teachers suggested that their service training needs to have more in-depth insights to teaching including learning mathematics (Benz, 2012).

I found the study about young children developing friendships was eye opening.  Many of my education classes stress cultural diversity.  Young children do not see different cultures.  Young children do not have an issue making friends with other children which have a different background.  They prefer to play with other children which are the same age and same gender.  The techniques I have learned to make children more comfortable in the classroom would not effect the child making friends.  The families as a whole may feel more comfortable displaying different items from their culture.  It may be that displaying culture items from different cultures will make the families more comfortable allowing their child to be educated in our school. 







This is a wonderful resource for my future plans in opening my own school.  I will be able to join as a partner and be able to develop an exchange program.  There could be research opportunities within the collaboration with European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA).  The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education has a link.  They have an issue with parents preferring to raise their children in a childcare facility.  In Korea, they also face the concern of parents not having the options to raise their child at home.  The population which does receive a childcare stipend prefers to use the childcare facility to raise their children.  Even in Korea, salaries effect their society from raising their children at home.  I am looking into becoming a member where I would have full access to all the journals.

www. eecera.org

References

Benz, C. (2012).  Maths is not dangerous- Attitudes of people working in German kindergarten about mathematics in kindergarten. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20(2), 249-261.  doi:  10.1080/1350293X.2012.681131

van Hoogdalem, A., Singer, E., Wijngaards, L. & Heesbeen, D. (2012).  The role of familiarity and similarity in friendship relationships in toddlers in Dutch daycare centers. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20(2), 189-204.  doi:  10.1080/1350293X.2012.681134

Needham, M. & Jackson, D. (2012).  Stay and play or play and chat; comparing roles and purposes in case studies of English and Australian supported playgroups.  European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, 20(2), 163-176, doi:  10.1080/1350293X.2012.681133





"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Research that Benefits Children and Families- Uplifting Stories

One of the families I have the pleasure to assist participated in a six month study for young children on the autism spectrum.  The study took place in a pre-school setting.  The parents were very pleased with the results of the study.  Their child demonstrated minimal skills compared to his typically developing peers.

The family was extremely concerned about the well-being of their child in a pre-school setting.  By the end of the six month study, the child was demonstrating many age-appropriate skills in order to socialize and succeed academically.  The parents noticed a huge difference in their child.  Several months later, the family followed up with Kennedy Krieger Institute Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) as part of the study.

The parents expressed that they would not be able to teach their child the skills they learned through the Kennedy Krieger Institute (CARD).  They were grateful the study existed and their child has able to participate.  The child's parents were encouraged due to the child developing the essential skills in order to reach their full potential from participation in the program study.  The six month research project helped families with young children on the autism spectrum  learn skills which will assist them in reaching their full potential in a pre-school setting.

www.kennedykrieger.org





"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

My Personal Research Journey

The general topic I chose is assisting young children with special needs reach their full potential.  I broke my general topic down to co-teaching opportunities for early intervention specialists and early childhood professionals; behavioral concerns in the classroom; and behavioral concerns in the home environment.  Many of my families are exasperated finding techniques to handle behavioral challenges of their young children with unique needs.  Families have little options which result in medication management to deal with the increasing concerns with behavior.  Personally, behavioral issues in young children with unique needs is close to my heart due to the fact my youngest son has unique needs where his behavior can be very challenging.  I am fortunate that he does not require medication management in order to function.  More families need more options to handle behavior challenges in young children with unique needs.

Now that I have taken the beginning steps to research, I have learned there are quite a few additional steps which must be taken before data collection can begin.  The Ethics Committee at Walden University has approved the research, it is essential to map out the timeline.  Whether I chose the qualitative approach or quantitative approach, unpredictable factors can occur.  If I chose quantitative approach to collecting data,  I must collect the approvals from the directors of the facilities in order to interview the teachers or staff.  I realize it is wise for me to allow for unpredictable circumstances with the research in my timeline.

Colleagues, do you have any additional resources about young children with unique needs and behavioral concerns identified in the classroom or home environment?

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Connecting Internationally- Major Benefits

In attempting to connect with an early childhood professional internationally, I have learned that many countries face similar issues as the United States.  The affordability of high quality early childhood programs, accessibility of high quality early childhood programs to young children in rural areas and poverty are a few consequences which have affected me and my professional career.

The country's economy plays a large part in the disparity of the socio-economic population.  In Mongolia, families living in poverty increased in the 1990's.  Young children and their families do not have adequate health care which effects their overall development.  Migration is a technique used to assist families living in poverty to relocate into urban areas.  Then families will have more opportunities for education and employment.  I plan to continue communicating with international early childhood professionals to find different ways to allow more families to access high quality early childhood programs (Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre, 2012).





Many countries have issues with accessibility and funding for high quality early childhood programs.  There is great difficulty training staff and locating staff to work in high quality early childhood programs.  Young children with disabilities do not participate in high quality early childhood programs due to being hidden or placed in institutions.  Societies need to understand the importance of investing in high quality early childhood programs to ensure our future.  Young children with various abilities require opportunities to assist them reach their full potential.

www.worldforumfoundation.org



Even though I was unable to to make contact with an early childhood professional internationally, I will continue to try and make contact with an international early childhood professional.  Once I make contact with several international early childhood professionals, I would like to form an exchange program in order to experience situations they face on a daily basis with their young students.  It will also provide opportunities to understand the unique characteristics of different cultures by being immersed in the culture.  In re-examining my professional goals, I plan to encourage my staff to develop relationships with international early childhood professionals and provide opportunities to live in their country.  They would also have the opportunity to work with my staff.  I am confident several of my international contacts will respond where additional opportunities for collaboration shall begin.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues and future international colleagues for your support.  I look forward to continued collaboration.  Good fortune on your future endeavors .



"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Getting to Know My International Contacts- Part 3

Unfortunately, I have not been able to make a contact with a international early childhood professional.  I am still going to continue to try even with this class has ended.  I am excited that in time, I will make a contact.  I look forward to building a relationship where we would be able to participate in exchange programs.  I will continue to try and make a contact with a international early childhood professional.

The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is responsible for the first World Conference.  During the conference, the global action agenda was developed for the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE).  The UNESCO makes sure the Moscow Framework allows all young children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The 2000 Dakar Framework for Action reinforced how essential early childhood programs are for proper development.  Countries which are committed to expanding opportunities for young children to access early childhood programs have developed policies to assist lower income families.  Some countries work to provide opportunities for young children with little to no means to access early childhood programs where funding is reduced for young children which have means to access early childhood programs.  Governments must provide high quality early childhood programs for all young children without making one socio-economic group more important.

There is no specific criteria to quantify ECCE quality.  Several factors need to be considered.  The materials for teaching, setting for service, parental education and involvement play a large part in the quality of early childhood programs.  The ECCE workforce consists of a diversity of pre-school teachers, care workers, informal carers and other professionals.  It is crucial to have adequate training and work conditions to ensure high quality early childhood programs.  The physical infrastructure does change from country to country.

Other countries face funding concerns and decisions when funds are limited.  Many countries decide to use the funding for formal education foregoing the importance for overall development in young children.  An idea is to improve pedagogy in preschool which is a part of the formal school, especially when preschool is not funded as a early childhood program.  Parents and communities must be actively involved in appropriate play and educational supplies for early childhood programs to meet the needs of all children while other stakeholders maintain operations on an ongoing basis.

The largest obstacle countries face is increasing and providing better quality early childhood care and education.  Developing countries may not make early childhood education and care a priority.  Universal primary education would take top priority.  The 1990 Jomtien Declaration on Education explained that countries need to examine early childhood as a foundational part of education.  The government has major challenges making sure early childhood programs are funded.  As a general rule, governments set aside a small amount of funding for early childhood programs and care.  This fact makes it very difficult to provide the necessary training and resources to ensure all young children have the opportunity to attend high quality early childhood programs for their overall development.

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-system/early-childhood/



"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Sharing Web Resources- Zero to Three

Early Head Start National Resource Center

There are baby products which identify themselves as preventing SIDS.  The FDA made an announcement that the agency has never cleared or approved a baby product to prevent or reduce the risk of SIDS.  Baby products which have these claims would be medical devices and they would be monitored by the FDA.  The information provide is to make manufacturers of baby products and parents aware of the laws and regulations for medical devices according to the FDA.

Additional information can be found at:

http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/Resourcesforyou/Industry/ucm275776.htm (Letter to Manufacturers)

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/Consumerupdates/ucm275847.htm  (Consumer Update)

Another resource I found on this link is Online Lessons.  It is information which can assist early care professionals reflect on their care practices and infant/toddler development.  The link is Digging Deeper.  This section is exploring "Looking Beyond Behavior to Discover the Meaning of Biting."  In this lessons deals with why infants and toddlers bite?  There are three lessons on the importance of relationships.  It helps early care professionals identify positive and supportive relationships, recognize relationship building skills and reflect on your own skills in promoting positive relationships with infants, toddlers and their families.

www.ehsnrc.org/Publications/onlinelessons.htm

The section I focused on is "Public Policy" on the Zero to Three website. 

• Building Early Childhood Systems - Early childhood professionals understand the need for all infants and toddlers to have access to affordable high quality childcare.  The only way programs and services can address the diverse needs of the families is with a strong infrastructure.  The resources listed below can assist early childhood professionals enhance high quality prenatal to five services where you live.
• Policy Guide is the Early Experiences Matter Policy Guide provides policy briefs, useful tools and comprehensive policy papers.
• Baby Matters:  A Gateway to State Policies and Initiatives is the Baby Matters database with information on state policies and opportunities which affect infants, toddlers and their families.
• Professional Resources is a great information source to enhance early childhood programs.

www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/building-early-childhood-systems

Infants-Toddlers Policy Issues uses the science of early childhood development.  The whole child philosophy was used when developing this detailed resources for families with infants and toddlers to assist then by providing techniques which ensure healthy overall development of their child.

Good Health is a resource to support overall healthy development.

Strong Families is a resource to assist with developing a strong family foundation and with unique needs of the families with young children.

Positive Early Learning Experiences is a resource which gives examples of positive early learning experiences. 

www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/infant-toddler-policy-issues/

I have not received a newsletter yet.  I did receive the Zero to Three Insider.  It has wonderful resources.  The resources they focus on divorce and young children, working with special needs children, resource guide to assist early childhood professionals, evidence based practice, reflective supervision and child's play.  Another article listed in the insider deals with babies that are in foster care in the hospital.  The Insider mentions an article in May 2012 journal which addresses how young children can remain emotionally connected when their parents are away for prolonged amount of time or repeated experiences of separation like military deployment.  Parent-child separation is very stressful.  The article provides techniques for early childhood professionals to support families with young children during these stressful moments in their lives.

www.zerotothree.org

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Getting to Know Your International Contacts Part 2

Unfortunately, the international early childhood professionals I contacted did not respond.  I will continue to try and make a contact with at least one international professional.

This week the topic of discussion was equity in early childhood education.  The young children with special needs have many challenges which creates concerns about receiving an equal opportunity to succeed like their typically developing peers.  I inquired about the "Working Group on including children with Special Needs".  In the world, there are approximately 650 million persons with disabilities.  Unfortunately, children which have special needs experience being excluded, hidden, left to survive on their own placed in a institution and treated horribly.  Over 97 percent of children with disabilities do not go to school. 

Even though every country has its unique challenges, they are some issues that are shared.  Many countries find it challenging to access and improve funding.  The use of certain terms are not constant throughout.  A positive way to help society in all countries find ways to deal with stigma and negative ideas about disabilities.  Several countries have trouble locating staff which are trained and training staff effectively.  Many countries are finding it difficult to have policies coincide with the best practices.  It is disheartening that other countries face helping families in poverty without having enough resources.

I have joined the mission to regain the vision of inclusion in their country.  I am looking forward to working with my colleagues in other countries to ensure that our youngest children are included on matter their disability throughout the world.

www.worldforumfoundation.org

The global children's initiative concentrates on finding ways to open global dialogue to educate essential international agencies on the necessity of investing in the earliest years of a child's life.  Another important mission is to ensure that the health and development of young children are being met by making sure countries are providing quality childcare programs, researching disease control, and providing the necessary interventions for quality preschool. 

Mental health in children is an issue that has not been explored in depth across the countries.  More research opportunities are being developed which will influence policy and services provided to children with various background.  Even though the Global Children's initiative has several priorities, the main focus is to build an infrastructure that will work with educators in a setting with global diversity.  Leadership training will be provided for researchers, policy makers and institutions located in the major areas of the world.

www.developingchildharvard.edu

As I read about early childhood professionals around the world, many countries have the same issues we have the United States.  Many countries are finding ways to make sure the young children have quality education and are healthy overall.  Young children and their families around the world are facing challenging due to poverty, opportunities and resources.  Urban areas have the more of the resources needed to provide quality education to their young children throughout the world.  Harvard University Center on the Developing Child is working with the majority of countries around the world to find techniques through research to solve the issues plaguing the early childhood field.

"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-

Sharing Web Resources

Mental Health in Young Children

Below is a video on the first congressional brief held February 16, 2012.  It is monumental.  They met to discuss the developmental needs of homeless infants and toddlers including how to protect their future.  Many young children start out their life homeless.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid4853363001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAP1OrgE~,Pg4k-7G5h8q5f5a18Ed-9RBn57qq9pZW&bctid=1543532738001

 

1 in 45 are homeless in the U.S.  One third of the homeless is families.  1.6 million were homeless in 2010.  Forty-two percent of the homeless are children between the ages of zero to five. 

Seventy thousand homeless are infants and toddlers.  They do not have their own things to make them feel secure.  Healthy development thrives from relationships.  The stress of being homeless cause relationships to less stable. 

Since the relationship is less stable, children experience altered brain development.  Homeless children are four times likely to become sick and twice as likely to become hungry than their peers.  These children are more likely to have development disabilities and emotional issues.  Chronic stress is not good for development due to a harmful chemical which is released for a long period of time.  If there is intervention early, it can change based off the brain's being mailable. 

Conrad Hilton Foundation founded Strengthening At-Risk and Homeless Young Mothers and Children.  They work with locally based partnerships that includes:

-housing

-homeless

-child development agencies

-family preservation

-domestic violence

-mental health

-substance abuse

-other support services

The program has marked improvement in health and behavior. 

May has been designated as Children's Mental Health Month.  I explored the website for mental health resources for infants and toddlers in honor of Children's Mental Health Month.  It is essential that babies and young children are loved by the people who care for them.  Caregivers which have the primary responsibility of the young children develop responsive relationships.  It assists with the healthy social-emotional development.  This is where the foundation is established for mental health in young children.

The video below is the renowned "Still Face" paradigm.  It is an experimental procedure designed by Edward Tronick to study the effects of social emotional development.

http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/early-childhood-mental-health/

Healthy social and emotional development is early childhood mental health.  There are techniques for promotion, prevention and treatment services which I looked into.  Parents of very young children receive information about how to take care of their children's social-emotional wellness to maintain good mental health.  Families which are dealing with large amounts of stress are at greater risk of mental health issues.  Support groups are offered as an outlet for families.  Members of the family can receive information about establishing a healthy environment to support social-emotional development.  Several resources are available to treat issues related to mental health and developmental concerns which are public/private mental health and early intervention programs.

After reading more about mental health, I am realizing that there needs to be more resources in early intervention.  In my program, we focus on the overall development of the young children while assessing for delays or gaps in development and supporting the family.  More families have concerns about mental health and behavior which are challenging.  There has been more young children being diagnosed with mental health concerns.  Our families need support with mental health concerns and our county is in great need of more mental health resources.

www.zerotothree.org



"It takes a village to raise a child." -African Proverb-