When I Think of Child Development

Testing for Intelligence?

I feel like assessments are needed to assess how well a child is progressing.  However a lot of students don't test well so I don't think assessments should be the only tool used to measure performance. It has gotten to the point were educators have to be so focused on assessments that they are only teaching the material that they know will be on the assessment.  I was having a conversation with a teacher at my daughter's school, and she said they have to do so many assessments that it is getting to the point where there is not enough time in the day to focus on teaching.  I hate that education has gotten to this point because it's making  a lot of educators look into other fields.  I came across an article about how China is winning the school race.  This article goes in to detail about how competitive China is regarding assessments.  In Shanghai more than eighty percent of older secondary students attend after-school tutoring. They also spend another three to four hours each day on homework.  They are under close supervision by their parents while doing homework.  The parents are devoted to their children's education.  I think that's the major problem we are facing here in the US. Parents have gotten so busy that they don't have time to sit down with their children to do homework.  The responsibility is being pushed back on the educators, but they can only do so much.  It goes back to parents needing to review homework, and asking questions to reinforce what the teacher is teaching.  Schools should feel like a fun place where children want to learn. It shouldn't be an environment where the kids are so stressed out about passing assessments that they can't even focus on learning the material to retain for years to come.

Reference

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-14812822

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

In today’s society, there are a lot of stressors that affect children.   I don’t know anyone personally that experienced these stressors as a child.  However, my mom shared with me once I got older about the violence she went through with my biological father.  He is now deceased.  My mom and dad got a divorce when I was very young.  She said that he would go out and have drinks, and once he returned home he wanted to fuss and fight.  She said that was not the environment she wanted to raise  a family in.  She would leave and go stay at her mom’s house, and he would beg her to come back.  Her mom and sisters were her support system.  They didn’t want her to be with him because they knew how crazy he acted when he got drunk.  He would give her a sad story about how much he loved me and her.  She would constantly go back only to endure the same violence month after month.  She finally got fed up and couldn’t take it anymore. That’s what brought them to divorce. 

Poverty is a stressor that affects a lot of children.  I know poverty affects a lot of countries, but I chose to explore the issues in Guyana.  Guyana is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, but has a wealth of natural resources, including fertile agricultural land, minerals and large swaths of tropical forest.  It ranks 117th out of 187 countries on the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index and is classified as a lower-middle-income country by the World Bank.  Roughly two-thirds of Guyanese citizens living in poverty, or 29% of the population, can be classified as being extremely poor. Most of the poor live in rural areas and work as agricultural laborers. Though Guyana’s farmers have access to adequate land resources, their productivity is extremely low.  It saddens me to know that countries such as Guyana experience poverty like this.  It really makes me appreciate the abundance of resources that we have in the US.  I hope that one day these same resources can be sent to places like Guyana to help eliminate some of the stressors the children face.

References

http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/country/home/tags/guyana

Child Development and Public Health

I chose breastfeeding as my topic for this week.  Breastfeeding is meaningful to me because I breast fed both of my kids.  After taking a breastfeeding class with my first child I knew I wanted to at least try it.  My first child was breastfed for six months because we had some latching issues from birth, and I had to supplement with formula.  At first I was beating myself up because I had to supplement.  I had read all these comments about how you are letting your child down if you are not strictly breastfeeding.  I finally had to get myself together and realize that as long as my child was getting the nutrients she needed that was all that mattered.  I received encouragement from a breastfeeding peer counselor that really helped me through the process.  The encouragement I received just reinforced my reasoning for wanting to breastfeed when I had my second child.  My second child was breastfed for one year.  We didn't have to supplement formula with her because she latched on with no problem from birth.  She was a stubborn baby that wouldn't take a bottle so needless to say she was attached to me.  With my first child, I had to get comfortable with breastfeeding in public.  However with my second one, I wasn't nervous at all about breastfeeding in public.  I came across an article that talked about how different parts of the world view breastfeeding in public. In this article a mom talked about how in the US people frowned upon her when she breastfed her baby in public.  However once she moved to Europe, she  didn't experience any bad looks.  I feel like breastfeeding is the best for a baby.  Unfortunately not all moms are able to breastfeed, and they shouldn't be criticized if they are not able to.  I feel like as long the baby is healthy and getting all the nutrients he/she need society shouldn't be making a big deal out of it.

References:

http://wsimag.com/wellness/10973-breastfeeding-in-europe

Childbirth In Your Life and Around the World

The birthing experience that I would like to share is my own through the eyes of my mom.  I can’t remember this experience because I was too young.  However, I have a scar where tubes were that will always remind me of why I am here.  I was born at 28 weeks weighing 2 lbs. 6 oz.  My mom had to have an emergency cesarean due to severe preeclampsia.  Preeclampsia is a serious condition that affects about 5 percent of pregnant women and typically starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy.  Elevated blood pressure is the primary symptom, but there may be others such as protein in the urine, or liver or kidney abnormalities.   My mom had a lot of swelling beyond the normal pregnancy weight gain. The preeclampsia was so bad that she could have died having me.  She said looking back on the situation if she would have had proper prenatal care throughout her pregnancy this condition would have been detected earlier.   According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, proper prenatal care is essential to diagnosing and managing preeclampsia.  I feel prenatal care is very important.   I made sure I went to every appointment with both of my children.  The advice that was given at those appointments made me want to take care of myself mentally and physically.  Thank God my mom is still here to tell my story!  I am a healthy young lady, and if you look at me now you would never know I was born premature.

I read an article about childbirth in Africa.  Africa has a high maternal mortality rate due to childbirth.  One out of every six children in the continent dies before the age of five.  For women, the chance of dying in childbirth is three times higher in Africa than in industrialized nations.  The reason why the mortality rate is higher is because the lack of medical care in those places.  A lot of the childbirths happen at home.  There are countless numbers of women in Zambia and around the continent that have died from botched abortions. They also die from the delay to seek medical care and the lack of appropriate treatment.  Dr. Mulindi Mwanahamuntu, who headed a study on maternal mortality in Zambia, says that rural women who do manage to get to medical facilities often "are in such bad shape that we can't save them." Medical care is crippled by a lack of resources, he says.  Midwives are the front line fighters to try to reduce maternal mortality. But they are leaving the country because the government can't pay them enough.  After reading this story, I realize how blessed we are to have access to good medical care in the United States.  I couldn’t imagine having to give birth in some of the conditions these women experience childbirth in.

References:

http://www.preeclampsia.org/

http://www.babycenter.com/0_preeclampsia_257.bc

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5628726

Examining Code of Ethics

I chose the ethic codes below because they are related to me opening up an early childcare learning center.  I want to make sure that all young children have access to high quality education and early learning programs.  I would like to hire my staff with a very nice compensation and benefits package because teachers at every level don't get the compensation they deserve.

To work through education, research, and
advocacy toward a society in which all young children
have access to high-quality early care and education
programs. (NAEYC, 2005).

To strive to secure adequate and equitable
compensation (salary and benefits) for those who
work with or on behalf of young children. (NAEYC, 2005)

We shall advocate for equal access to high quality services and supports for all children and families to enhance their quality of lives. (DEC, 2000)
 

References:

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
 
The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.dec-sped.org/

Course 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://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
• 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://main.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://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
• 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.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

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://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment on this webpage
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP's mission.
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/
    Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements. 
   

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/
• 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/
• Institute for Women's Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/
• 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.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
• Voices for America's Children
  http://www.voices.org/
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/

Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library
Tip: Use the Journal option under Search & Find on the library website to find journals by title.

• 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 

http://www.edweek.org/topics/earlychildhood/

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/default.aspx

http://www.stanleygreenspan.com/ 

•  

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

"The moment I decided to follow instead of lead, I discovered the joys of becoming part of a small child’s world."

                                                              Janet Gonzalez-Mena

                                                                                         

               

“[P]art of being who you are has to do with feeling your feelings, which means you'll have a wide range of emotions--not just constant sunshiny happiness.” 
 
                                                                                            Janet Gonzalez-Mena
                               



"Self-esteem is an inner feeling: Sometimes it corresponds with outer reality, and sometimes it doesn’t."

                                                                                             Stanley Greenspan

“The child may have a disorder or a set of problems, but he is not the disorder. He is a human being with real feelings, real desires, and real wishes.”

                                                                                             Stanley Greenspan

"It's not all about you...you have to take your ego out of it and think about what's best for the child."

 Renatta M. Cooper

Program Specialist

 Office of Child Care

LA County Chief Administrative Office

"My passion is to make sure that all children are taught in environments and ways that truly nurture their ability to develop and grow to their fullest ability."

                                                                                Louise Dermin-Sparks
                                                                                  Professor Emeritus
                                                                             Pacific Oaks College, CA

Personal Childhood Web

This section is dedicated to the people in my life who helped mold and shape me into the beautiful woman I am today.  I am an only child.  My mother raised me as a single parent until I was 12.  I knew my biological father, but he was never around during my childhood.  My mom married my step-father (pictured below), and he is the father figure that has been in my life.  My mom has been my rock.  She has given me so much guidance throughout the years.  I need more than a page to tell you guys how great she is.

Mom and Dad

My mom has five sisters.  They are pictured below.  They all played a major role in my childhood.

My aunts all nurtured and cared for me in their own special way.  They would pick me up during the week and weekends so I could spend time with my cousins.  By me being the only child, my cousins and I were very close.  Aunt Dorothy would pick all of us up every Saturday to take us skating.  I still remember those skating events like they were yesterday.  We had so much fun, and those outings made us work together as a team and depend on each other.  She would always give us advice on school, and respecting ourselves and others.  Aunt Jackie is the youngest sister, and everybody says that's my twin.  She watched me a lot when I was younger, and I always wanted to go places with her.  As I got older, I would babysit her children.  My adventures in babysitting taught me how to be responsible, and make money at an early age.  My aunts are all like sisters to me now. I can laugh and talk with them about anything.  They all gave me advice when I got married, and had my first child.  I am so thankful to have all of these ladies in my life.

Aunt Savannah, Aunt Ednalene, Aunt Dorothy, Aunt Gennetter, Mom, Aunt Jackie  

Favorite Children's Book Title