"Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate."-Anonymous

I like this quote because it shows how parents and caregivers impact the lives of children on a daily basis.  If a child sees love and compassion shown on a regular basis, he or she will show it to others throughout life.  If a child witnessess anger and aggression, he or she will show some of the same emotions to others.  It is up to us as educators and parents to be a positive role model to out children.

Testing for Intelligence?

When attempting to assess a child’s intelligence, there are several areas one must look at because there are several factors that may play a role in the learning process and development of the child.  When testing a child’s abilities, we must make sure assessment methods that are developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically responsive, and tied to children’s daily activities.  When administering a test, there is not a guarantee that the child was exposed to a particular test item he or she was asked to perform.  I feel that every child is unique and learn differently.  Therefore, every child will not respond the same way. In order to get an overall picture, educators must look into the child’s medical history, environmental background, intelligence, achievement, and social-emotional background.

I researched South Korea’s educational system and how the students are assessed.  Recently, its system has reformed to align the curriculum with the ‘knowledge based society’ of the 21 st century.  Most South Korean children spend their entire high school life preparing for the college entrance examination. Pre school education is not included in the formal school system. Kindergarten is the main facility for preschool educationin South Korea.  The first ten years of school education from primary first grade to high school grade are set as a national common basic education period. During this period, students learn from a national curriculum. In revising the national curriculum, the MOEHRD judged that a flexible level differentiated curriculum would address each student’s different ability, interest aptitude and career direction; and also promote gifted and talented education while satisfying the requirements of a common basic education.  Teachers at the start of the year are given a clear, succinct and easy to follow syllabus of what should be taught. School text books and teacher training support such syllabuses and there is regular testing to ensure that all students are at or above the required standard. There is also a very clear expectation that all students by the end of each year level will have reached the required level of ability.

References
South Korea
Retrieved from: www.det.wa.edu.au/education/accountability/docs/south%20korea.pdf

Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

I chose to do my Blog on poverty I haven’t been affected by this personal but it’s something that been going on in our cultural for generations after generations.    In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared war on American soil: the War on Domestic Poverty. Since then, hundreds of billions of dollars have flowed from the U.S. government to large and small towns across America. Our government has provided free food, repaired dilapidated homes and furnished jobs to those in need.  Government agencies have indeed provided millions of Americans with much needed aid. Nevertheless, our country has not won the War on Poverty. In 1996, millions more Americans lived in poverty than in 1964. A 1996 Fordham University report says that the country's social well-being has reached its lowest point in a quarter century, with children and young people suffering the most.

Unfortunately, not all of America's poor have been so fortunate. According to figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau in September 1996, 13.8% of Americans live in poverty. Many more are on the borderline. Poverty affects all ages, but an astonishing 48% percent of its victims are children:

·         About 15 million children -- one out of every four -- live below the official poverty line.

·         22% of Americans under the age of 18 -- and 25% under age 12 -- are hungry or at the risk of being hungry.

·         Everyday 2,660 children are born into poverty; 27 die because of it.

·         Children and families are the fastest growing group in the homeless population, representing 40%.

Even a small amount of your time can make a big difference for a child. And society benefits, too. Crime rates decline; youngsters become better educated and then see their futures with more optimistic eyes.

How Poverty Affect Children in Africa

Poverty in Africa means more than not being able to pay the bills on time. It means lack of education and jobs, poor or nonexistent health care and sanitation, vulnerability to disease, hunger and often, death. It is impossible to describe the effects of the widespread poverty in Africa without also discussing the causes to some degree, because one of the main effects of poverty is to perpetuate the problems that cause it. The statistics are chilling. One in three Africans do not have enough food to eat, and for the majority of these people, chronic malnutrition is a life-threatening fact of everyday life. Lack of food for pregnant mothers leads to low birth weights and high infant mortality. In the Sudan, 90 of every 1000 children die by age 5. In Ethiopia the figure is 164 per 1000, compared with a norm of 4-6 per thousand in industrialized nations. For adults, lack of food and money means lack of health care, made even more dangerous by living conditions marked by lack of clean water and adequate sanitation. The effects of poverty are not limited to hunger and disease; these are only the most obvious consequences. For most children in Africa, education is limited if they receive any schooling at all. On average, 62 percent of children in Africa do not complete primary school, and in 19 nations the figure is under 50 %. Literacy rates are low. For example, Kenya at 77% and Zimbabwe at 85 % are among a handful of nations with fairly good literacy rates. More common are literacy rates well under 50%, including Ethiopia at 33%, Gambia (39%), Mali (32%, and Niger (13%). As each generation grows up, the lack of education means another opportunity to break the cycle of poverty is lost. Those who do get good educations tend to leave Africa altogether, frustrated by the lack of opportunity to use their skills.

SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME

SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME
In my reading on the subject of SIDS, I found that SIDS deaths are not related to any kind of diseases or there is no kind of warning signs to prevent this from happening to infants in the United States or in other countries. I was so amazed how the researchers said to lay a baby on their backs instead of their stomachs. When I was having children laying a baby on their stomachs were the appropriate way. I have learned that in order to prevent SIDS, you should not smoke during pregnancy or around the baby, limited caffeine intake, don’t put blankets on babies. Do not sleep with baby in the same bed as others. Put babies to bed with a pacifier. You should breast feed babies instead of bottle feeding them. Researchers say boys are more likely to die from SIDS than girls. I found out that babies in Japan and the Netherlands have the lowest SIDS cases. Statistics show that Sudden infant death syndrome have a decrease in the death of infants in the United States and other countries, like Japan have a 30% decline and the Netherlands and Norway have an 82% decline in death rates We can teach new parents-to-be about the facts and statistics about the danger in smoking and drinking alcohol while pregnant to help them know more about SIDS, and to help them to protect their babies.

My most memorable moment in time

 

My first birth experience was in 1977, I remember this, like it happen just yesterday. I was young when I first gave birth to my 7lbs. 4 1/2 oz. little bundle of joy. When I first went into labor, I thought I was having cramps, they kept getting harder and harder. then my water broke, my mother told me that I was about to have my baby. I stayed in labor for twelve hours. The doctor thought that I was going to have to have a ceasean section, but thank GOD, that I didn't. I remember the doctor telling me to push, push. Then he told me to stop. I chose my first birth experience beacuse I wanted to share my story with my collagues.My thougths about births and the impact on child development is, it gives you the insights on how amazing  infants grow to toddlers, and then into adulthood.

 

I chose the country Brazil, because the culture of the Caesarean is done in this country like it is in the Unites States. In much of the world, the procedure is intended only for high-risk pregnancies. Here, Caesareans is  removing a baby through an incision in the abdominal wall have come to be seen by many women as modern and desirable, as opposed to normal childbirth. Part of this is driven by Brazil's male doctors, because their decisions are not questioned by patients.

The cultural phenomenon are two fundamental issues is  time and money. Doctors say they often find it more convenient to schedule a Caesarean rather than let nature take its course. In different parts of Brazil, caesarean sections are planned for Friday afternoons. They nicknamed it the Beach Caesarean sections because doctors don't want to be distrubed on the weekend. The Brazilian doctors are put on salaries for deliverying babies.

Examining Codes of Ethics

Connecting with others through standards

Developing and revising standards for early childhood professional preparation, NAEYC connects its vision of excellence with that of many other groups who are concerned about teacher preparation and performance. NAEYC works especially closely with the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) to ensure that our standards complement and support one another, so that all early childhood teachers are well-prepared to teach young children with and without developmental delays or disabilities.

Teacher preparation standards and positive outcomes for children

We need high expectations for the preparation and performance of early childhood professionals—expectations that are articulated in this document. Indeed, as the image shows, all of these expectations are linked together, and all are needed to support young children’s development and learning. Finally, we need a system for financing early education—a system that ensures the resources needed to build an infrastructure for excellence.

Using development knowledge to create learning environment

Bringing change to the classroom may mean making personal changes. It may not be easy and it will no doubt take a great deal of work. But, if at the end you can stand confidently in front of a class and know that they are with you 100% then I think most teachers would agree that it would be worth the effort. So what does a teacher need to do in order to have a classroom where students are more interested in learning than misbehaving? I have come to the conclusion that there are four qualities that a teacher needs to possess in order for this to happen.

Resources

Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/53029/CRS-CW-4465393/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~images/pdfs/snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al.  (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title. 

Part 2: Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
   
• Websites:
  • World Forum Foundation
    http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep.org.gu.se/English/about_OMEP/
    Read about OMEP’s mission. 
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/about/
    Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.

Note: Explore the resources in Parts 3 and 4 in preparation for this week’s Application assignment.

Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations

• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
• HighScope
  http://www.highscope.org/
• Children’s Defense Fund
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/
• Center for Child Care Workforce
  http://www.ccw.org/
• Council for Exceptional Children
  http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
  http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
• National Child Care Association
  http://www.nccanet.org/
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  http://nieer.org/
• Pre[K]Now
  http://www.preknow.org/
• Voices for America’s Children
  http://www.voices.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=22807
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/
     

Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library
Tip: Use the A-to-Z e-journal list to search for specific journal titles. (Go to “How Do I...?”, select “Tips for Specific Formats and Resources,” and then “e-journals” to find this search interface.)

• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education

Additional Resources:

National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral (NACCRRA

3101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 350

Arlington, VA 22201

1-703-314-4100

www.naccrra.org

 

http://www.firstsigns.org/treatment/EI.htm

First Signs, Inc. is a national non-profit organization dedicated to

educating parents and professionals about the early warning signs of
autism and related disorders.

First Signs, Inc.
P.O. Box 358
Merrimac, MA 01860

Telephone

(978) 346-4380

 

http://www.nhsa.org/


A private not-for-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 2,600 Head Start programs in the United States. The Association provides support for the entire Head Start community by advocating for policies that strengthen services to Head Start children and their families; by providing extensive training and professional development to Head Start staff; and by developing and disseminating research, information, and resources that enrich Head Start program delivery.

Week #4 Quotes from Edward Zigler, Ph.D & Marilyn Friend, Ph.D

I have long believed that the development of a child does not begin the day he is born - or at age three - but much earlier, during the formative years of his parents. -Edward Zigler, Ph.D

It is important to help children learn as much as possible about parenting to help prevent social problems like premature child bearing, and child neglect and abuse. Now that we know more about brain development in the very young, it is critical that we teach our future parents the important role that parents can play in stimulating and nurturing their children, and in preparing them to reach their full potential in school and in later life. -Edward Zigler, Ph.D

At the broadest level, collaboration is important in schools because it has become a defining characteristic of society in the 21st century. If you examine publications in business, health, social services, technology, and other major disciplines, you will find that collaboration is a unifying theme. -Marilyn Friend, Ph.D

I feel like I have a commitment to the services that I want to give them because of the experiences I had  growing up myself, And have people offer me opportunities and opening doors up for me.  I feel like now it is my turn to create opportunities for parents and their children to have those opportunities presented to them.-Ramon Hernandez MS ED

Most Influential People in My Life As a Child

The most influential person in my life is both my mother and father.   In the highs and lows of my family life, I have observed them. Majority of my life I have spent around my family and at home.   As a result, I have acquired most of my parents’ strengths and weaknesses. My parents….they are my foundation. Never have I not felt loved, wanted or needed as a daughter. They taught me to have confidence in myself. To reach for the stars and know that if I failed they would always be there to pick me up. They have always been my biggest fans and always encouraged me to try. They gave me humor, passion and a sense of loyalty to family. They are and have always been my cornerstone. They were my base.
My two older sisters…I remember as a little girl watching your every moves with hawk eyes. You have shown me what it takes to be a lady. You have displayed grace and strength under fire. You have taught me that I will never walk this path alone no matter how much we may disagree. I know you’ll always be by my side. You will push me, pull me and nudge to my goals and for that I am grateful.
My daughters, who taught me as much as I taught them. I watched them grow and by watching them and their encouraging words lead me to going back to school. Although we’re in different states now we still learn from each other from a distance.

My Favorite Children's Book

My favorite children's book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  This book is great for children who are beginning to read.  It's one of the books that you can read over and over again.  The pages are filled with color, which will grasp the attention of a younger child.  This book will allow a group of children to interact with one another while someone is reading it.  Children can do counting exercises, identify colors, sequence events, and more.  This is an excellent book for emergent readers.

Educational Quote

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist."”-Maria Montessori

I love this quote because it shows how kids grow into self-confident thinkers, creative problem solvers, and life-long learners.

School

I am very excited about pursuing my Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education.  I hope my classes are very informative and interesting.