My Connections to Play

Play, while it cannot change the external realities of children’s lives, can be a vehicle for children to explore and enjoy their differences and similarities and to create, even for a brief time, a more just world where everyone is an equal and valued participant.

Patricia G. Ramsey
Contemporary American educational psychologist

Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.

Kay Redfield Jamison
Contemporary American professor of psychiatry

Creative play is like a spring that bubbles up from deep within a child.

Joan Almon
Contemporary American educator

          I am dating myself when I talk about play for me as a young child.  I was fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood where there were a lot of children.  When I was really young (3-5), I played closer to the house, but my two best friends lived two and four houses away.  I was free to go to those homes whenever I wanted as long as I told my mom first.  
 As I got a little older, I was free to go anywhere in the neighborhood.  After breakfast I would go outside to play and not come in again until my mom called me for lunch.  There was a creek that ran behind our home that we would play in when it was warm enough.  There were woods behind the creek.  We would play in the woods for hours.  Our dads together built us a tree house in one of the trees.  It was three stories tall.  They put old furniture in it.    Our dads also hung some swings from trees where there were openings in the woods.  We also made pine tag forts.  We went bike riding for hours on end.  There was a huge field two doors down from our home.  We would play ball or different forms of tag there.  We played hopscotch and jumped rope on the dead end section of the road near our home.  There was a farm beyond that.  Geese, ducks and cows would escape from the farm and come into our yard.  We would chase the animals back to the farm.  Disappointment filled the air when our moms called us in for supper because we knew that we wouldn’t see each other until the next day.

 

We also played at school during recess.  There was a huge playground.  There was a blacktop section for jump roping or Chinese jump rope.  A baseball field was also a part of the playground.  There were swings, seesaws, sliding boards, a merry-go-round, monkey bars and stationary bars for doing pull-ups and chin-ups.  Learning to take turns and negotiate were a big part of recess because several classes would be out at the same time.

Play is similar today in that there are opportunities for children to do the same kinds of things that we did as children.  Where I live now, I am glad to see children out riding their bikes or playing a game of kickball in the street.  They make hopscotch boards on the sidewalk.  Not all children have that same opportunity however.  Some of our Head Start children do not live in neighborhoods that are safe for play.  That is why I am glad that we have a playground when it’s nice outside and a gym for play when they cannot get outside to play.  Our classrooms have 30-45 minutes of outside play.  It is unstructured, but teachers help with problem solving ,as needed.

Play is different because many children are involved in at least one organized sports or other activity.   I sang in the choir and was in Girl Scouts.  That’s all there was as far as outside activity.  There are all kinds of technology to entertain children today.  We had transistor radios and a tv with four channels.  I do remember watching Captain Kangaroo.  I still remember and love the books that he used to read to us.

I think that it is important to continue with play throughout life.  For me, working in the garden, going for a walk, swimming at the pool, doing counted cross stitch, riding bikes with my grandchildren are ways of escaping the workaday world.  Being outside brings me a sense of peace.  It helps to relieve stress.  It also can help with decision making and problem-solving.  You just have time to think about anything or nothing at all.
I just read an article in AARP Bulletin about multigenerational playgrounds in Florida.  Grandchildren and their grandparents can do exercise in the same place and both benefit.  How cool is that!

References

Ginsberg, K. (2007, January). The Importance of Play in Pormoting Healthy Child Development

       and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. Pediatrics, 119(1), 182 -191.  Retrieved from

       http://www.aap.org/pressroom/playfinal.pdf
Ramnarace, C. (2012, March). A Whole New 'Go Out and Play!'. AARP Bulletin, 53(2). 16-18

Relationship Reflection

Relationship Reflection

On the wall outside of a classroom this week:  "Relationships shape behavior not rules."

This is my mom.  She and I have always had a close relationship.  I am indebted to her for my faith and to the example she sets to try new things and to make a difference by doing all that I can to improve myself and make the world a better place.  We don’t always agree, but that is because we are similar in many ways.  We both love music, animals, cooking, gardening and hand work.  She has taught me perseverance and that I can do whatever I set my mind to do.

This is my husband, Bob.  We met after we had both finished college.  We have music and the love of reading in common.  We are very different as we look at how to handle things.  Because of that, we have learned a great deal from each other.  Our roles at this point have reversed.  He used to be very outgoing and wanting to relate to other people.  He was great with people during his 26 years in the ministry.  Now he is very quiet and prefers to be at home.  I used to be shy and learned from him how to relate to people and make them feel good about themselves.  Now I love being around other people.  The children that I work with help to keep my young and young at heart. I take my marriage vows very seriously.  My husband used to be the leader in our family.  Now it is my turn to be wife and caretaker to my husband.  This has taught me that relationships are constantly evolving.  We will be married for 33 years this summer.  We’re going to the beach with the children and grandchildren.

   This is my son, Thomas, his wife, Misty and our three grandchildren—Kimberly, Zach and Elizabeth.  Until I was a grandmother, I didn’t realize what a wonderful experience it is.  I only get to see them about once a month because they live an hour away and are very busy with their own lives.  Through my grandchildren I have learned that relationships are the most important thing.  No thing is as important as the love between people.  I have a lot of patience.  I am grateful for that as I interact with these three totally different children.  Because of them I have been taking better care of my health.  I would do anything I could do for them.  Thomas and Misty are great parents, and they complement each other.  Each has special gifts they bring to their relationship.  That is true of all relationships.  They all have value in their own way.

This is my daughter, Rebekah.  She is a very strong young woman.  She says that it is because of the example I have set.  We have been through a very trying time with my husband being very ill.  She has been very helpful as we have moved through this experience together.  I have learned to be more assertive through watching her strive to achieve her goals.  She is the director of activities at an assisted living facility.  She and I share the love of music and reading.  Rebekah has her dad’s sense of humor.  I appreciate good humor and see how it is useful in diffusing situations.  I am more serious, but have learned from her that life doesn’t have to always be serious.

 Jean is my best friend.  I also consider her my guardian angel.  We met 15 years ago while teaching at a private school.  She moved to Virginia from Rochester, NY.  We became almost immediate friends because we have a lot in common.  She helped me through my daughter’s teenage years.  She also has a very relaxed way of looking at life.  Jean has taught me that there is nothing to lose by taking chances.  I love her sense of humor.  She also helps me to not take life so seriously.  I appreciate her staying beside me as I dealt with my husband’s illness.  We love going to craft shows together, singing, ringing bells, and gardening.  Our husbands cringe when we go shopping together because we always spend more than we should.  I have learned from her that no matter what happens you can get through it.

This is Olivia, a true stereotypical cat.This is Lucy, our grandcat.  She is loaded with personality.  She likes her schedule to go a certain way.  Unfortunately, she has not liked graduate school at all because she hasn’t had the time in grandmother’s lap she would like.   She greets me each morning with a conversation and again when I come home in the afternoon.

 Olivia is a rescue cat that we found behind some bushes at a friend’s home.  She was severely underweight when we found her.  After six months with us, she decided to take a ride inside Rebekah’s car motor across Richmond.  She lived outside for 3 weeks before Rebekah spotted her at work.  We captured her and brought her home.  She was so grateful.  She has not tried to escape again.  From our cats I have learned that cats, like people can be very different.  I have to respect each one for who they are.

This is the group of people I work with every day.  Dr. Whitehead, on the far right, is my boss.  She is a great person to work for because she looks for the positive in every situation.  We have a great deal in common as well.  We both love music, and her husband is a minister.  We both have a heart for the children we serve.  Sometimes it can be heartbreaking.  She is my mentor because I have learned so much about being an administrator by working with her.  She has taught me the importance of getting buy in from all parties in a situation.  Beside her is Janet Harris, the health coordinator.  She arranges for all of our health screenings to be done and then follows up with the parents.  She is very straight forward.  I respect her for that.  She also is a child at heart.  Her favorite holidays at work are St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween.  She has as much fun as the children do on those days.  She has a Master’s Degree in business.  I have learned a great deal about getting all the facts and documenting everything from her.  The gentleman in the middle is our transportation coordinator and fatherhood specialist, Morris Randall.  He can be serious, but he prefers to be funny.  He has a gift for working with people.  He is very good at reading people.  He is also a pastor of a church in a community nearby.  We have to work closely together because the aides from my classroom also ride the bus with the children.  They also drive the bus if the bus driver is absent.  Next is our secretary, Claudette Whitaker.  She is like a mother to me.  She keeps telling me to work as long as I can.  Her husband is ill also so work is an outlet for her.  She is a very good writer and is the first face that our clients see.  Like me, she has had to refresh her Spanish because almost one third of our children are Latino.  Missing from the picture is Jennifer Jules-Best, who is the Family and Community Partnership Coordinator.  She brings a great deal of experience working with families.  She and her staff help the parents create goals for themselves.  We work closely together because she recruits the students that will go into my classrooms.  We are very different individuals, yet, we each are experts in our fields.  We respect each other’s gifts.    Like brothers and sisters, we get on each other’s nerves, but we still respect them for what they bring to the team.  Ultimately,  we all agree that what is best for the child and family is what we need to do.

There is one more relationship that is very important to me.  That relationship is my church family.  I have only been going to this church for 2 years, but it is so friendly I feel like I have been going for years.  I sing in the choir there.  It brings me great joy.  I direct 2 children's choirs.  As a choir director I am also on the Children's Ministry team and Worship team.  Right now I am in a small group studying the book The Journey.  It is about healing relationships that are broken.  I don't have a picture to show representing them.

In all relationships, trust is of utmost importance.  Communication is also key.  There has to be give and take.  Shared decision making helps to build trust in the relationship (Halgunseth, 2009).  Sensitivity to cultural difference is essential as well.  Listening is also important.  All of these are characteristics that support healthy relationships.  They can also be a challenge.  Finding staff who understand particular languages can be difficult.  Building trust takes hard work on everyone's part.  Taking time to listen is a skill that has to be developed.  Working together everyone benefits.

References

Halgunseth, L., Peterson, A., Stark, D., & Moodie, S. (2009). Family engagement, diverse families, and early childhood education programs: An integrated review of the literature. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/research/FamEngage.pdf

               

                                                                                                         

Thank you to colleauges in Early Childhood Development

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again.  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762


I chose this quote because I truly believe that the most important part of childhood is play.  I knew , but it was emphasized again in this course how important play really is, especially for three to five year olds.  The play doesn't begin or end there, but play is of utmost importance during those years.  I appreciated the reminder how important play is for middle childhood as well.  Children are indeed busy during these years building relationships with other children and with adults.


I want to thank my fellow students for these past eight weeks.  I have gained so much insight by hearing you tell your stories and experiences.  I wish you all well as you continue your studies.  I hope that our paths will cross again as we journey through the next step in our learning and careers.

Assessing Intelligence

                             

I believe that we should use a combination of strategies to measure and assess children.  Bloom’s taxonomy should be considered when creating real life situations that students work to solve so that children learn to develop their critical thinking skills instead of regurgitating information learned about a particular topic.   Can students apply what they have learned to a new situation?  Can they analyze data in order to come to their own conclusions about that data?  Can they evaluate the information they have and apply it to a new situation or create a new way of doing something as a result of reviewing the information given?  These are life skills that the children need to be able to do in order to be successful in life.

There are certain basic skills that need to be assessed such as basic math operations, but it can be done through practical application so that children are able to solve real life problems as they arise.  Assessing children’s understanding of their native language is also necessary in order to be able to effectively communicate.

               Depending upon the topic, children can choose from a variety of ways to present what they have learned.  Gardner’s multiple intelligences would be used to create a rubric to determine the level to which the child has mastered a particular skill or skill set.  This in conjunction with standardized testing, which is required, gives a clearer picture of what the child actually knows.  Some children freeze when they hear the word “test” so giving them other opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge is very important.

               In Sweden, children begin school at age 7 after completing kindergarten.  The objectives that they hope children will attain are as follows:

·        Develop curiousity and a desire to learn

·        Develop their own way of learning

·        Develop confidence in their own ability

·        Learn to listen, discuss and respond

·        Use knowledge as a tool to form and test asssumptions as well as solve problems (Jackson, 2012)

Children do self-assessments of tasks using a four point scale: “fail, pass, pass with distinction, and pass with special distinction.” (Berkeley, 2010).  National assessments are conducted in 5^th and 9^th years of school.  Teachers can choose from a variety of test questions and change the test according to what has been taught.  Then the teachers grade the standardized tests.  This has caused some controversy because of the variance in test scores. Students can also choose to use technology, illustrations or dramatizations to demonstrate their knowledge.

All of us are different and learn in different ways.  We can probably tell you what our preference is when it comes to learning.  Restricting that assessment to the mode of standardized testing does not allow for all children to excel if they know the material.

References:

Jackson, A. (2010, Feb. 10). Sweden: The Answer Isn’t A.B.B.A. Education Week. Retrieved from

               blogs.edweek.org/edweek/global.learning/2012/01sweden_the_answer_isnt_a_b_b_a.html.

Berkeley Education. (2010). Sweden. Retrieved from

               bearcenter.berkeley.edu/measurement/pubs/apG51.pdf.

Steele, S. (2004, July 23). Ways to assess student learning. Retrieved from

               ww.indiana.edu/~theme/elementary/assessmentoptions.htm.

Hunger in the US and in India

     When you look at hunger in other countries in comparison to the US, our hunger is minimal.  Nonetheless, if you are a person experiencing hunger that is little consolation.  In our Head Start program it is evident each day that there are children who suffer from hunger.  They usually are very hungry in the morning, eating extra food we may have.  The same is true at lunch.  Some of our aide staff also suffer from hunger because they do not have money to purchase groceries.  To compensate, most will buy and serve more carbohydrates because that food stays with a person longer.  Too much of this kind of food can cause obesity without exercise.
       Families and individuals take advantage of food stamps and an outreach program that we have in the community. This program, FISH, gives food, clothing, and items for the home to needy families. People also go to local food pantries in churches or go visit relatives who will feed them. The only fresh fruit that they get is the fruit that is served during the day.  When there are workshops and food is left over, as was the case today, they bring ziplock bags and tupperware containers to take food home to their families.  Luckily our Head Start program helps families without a medical home to find one.  We also refer families without dental insurance to FAMIS, a dental insurance program for families with young children.
     Another issue we have discovered this year as we seek to provide our children and families with nutrition education is the lack of a grocery store in the poorest section of Williamsburg.  The only stores available are convenience stores which charge higher fees and contain a great deal of food that is not healthy for them.  Many of the residents in this area of town do not have transportation either.  The nearest grocery store is 5 miles away.  They can take a bus, but the groceries they would be able to carry wouldn't be groceries enough for the week.  Depending on the length of the bus ride, they would not want to buy foods that need to be refrigerated or frozen.
     I chose to study hunger in India because recently a community group had a Stop Hunger Now campaign.  We raised enough money to feed 15,000 people a meal.  In other countries around the world a meal costs as little as 25 cents to make.  That is amazing considering a happy meal is probably about 5 dollars here in the US.
 There is a great deal of hunger in India.  Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) is working to improve conditions there.  The issues that are faced there include diet quality, illness, appropriate health care,  and poor sewage.  Even before a child is born, women who become pregnant can be malnourished, especially if they are young.  When the child is born, the mother is unable to nurse because she does not even have enough nourishment for herself.  The health care workers in India are working to educate women about good nutrition during pregnancy and after birth as well.  As we discussed earlier, the water quality is not good in this country either which causes a great deal of illness and death.
      The government is slow to move in getting education and food necessary for the children to survive.  People do not have the energy to pursue making changes because all of their energy is used in finding drinkable water and good food sources.  There are also not enough workers to help educate people about good nutrition.
     It is unfortunate that any people have to go hungry, especially considering how many restaurants and grocery stores throw away food each day.  There are also storehouses of food in the US that could be used to help.  Of course, just giving people food does not help the problem overall.  The families must learn to grow their own food so that they know it is good.  Because of the poor sewage conditions that might not be able to happen.
     I know I should not complain about being hungry.  I can't even imagine what true hunger is.  I can and do try to help by donating to our local food bank, working there when I can, and helping to feed people around the world.

Berger, K. (2009). The Developing Person Through Childhood, fifth edition.New York, NY: Worth                        
     Publishers.
Menon, P., Raabe, K. & Bhaskar, A. (2009, July) Biological, Programmatic, and Sociopolitical Dimensions
     of Child Undernutrition in Three States in India. IDS Bulletin, vol. 40(4) 60-69. Retrieved from
     Academic Search Complete/Premier at Walden University Library.

Breastfeeding in the U.S. and in Africa

Breastfeeding is a very intimate bonding of mother and child.  It was one of the most enjoyable experiences for me as a mom.  Even though it has 25 years since I have breastfed, It seems as though it was yesterday.  Having the opportunity to hold my baby close, caress them, smell them was so very special.  I also wanted to provide them with as many antibodies for fighting infection as possible.  Since I taught 9 years before I had children, I had been exposed to many infections and diseases.  I was grateful that I was able to offer this for my children.  I know that not all mothers can or want to do it.  It is definitely a choice.

In contrast, in Rwanda, Africa, it is expected that women will breastfeed their children.  One of the reasons for this is the lack of clean drinking water which is needed to mix the dry formula.  Some mothers have a dilemma with breastfeeding because they are infected with the HIV virus.  If they breastfeed, there is a good possibility that the virus will be transferred to the baby.  If mothers are able to use formula, many babies die in infancy because of diarrheal illnesses.  Fortunately, scientists are giving the mothers medications during pregnancy to help prevent the spread of the disease.  They are now trying to continue the medications after birth to both mother and baby to see if it increases the protection of HIV.  Early indications are that it does.

I feel for these mothers, especially the ones with HIV.  Choosing the formula has a high incidence of death.  Breastfeeding often leads to transference of the HIV virus.  Either way death of a child is the option.  It is heartbreaking to think about the decisions they have to make.

We are very fortunate in the United States to have so many choices because of all of the resources that we have at our fingertips.  Just from the two weeks of class that we have had, I know that as we study future topics, it will be important to get a global perspective of each one.  There may be options that we have not explored in the U.S. that need to be.  As in my topic this week, there may be complications that I need to be sensitive to as I work with families in my program.  Doing research on different cultures will be important in order to meet the needs of and provide resources for the children and their families.

Slater, Mackenzie; Stringer, Elizabeth M.; Stringer, Jeffrey, S.A. (2010, Feb 1). Breastfeeding in HIV-Positive Women: What can be recommended?. Pediatric Drugs, vol.12(1) pp. 1-9. Retrieved from Academic Research Complete at Walden University Library.

Birthing stories

The birth of our first child, Thomas, was very interesting.  My husband and I were living in Atlanta, Georgia at the time.  My due date was also our moving day back to Virginia.  The obstetricians in both states said, "No Way!"  I flew to Virginia on May 27, and the baby was due on June 20.  I was staying with my parents in Virginia when on June 2 at 2:30 a.m., my water broke.  I went down to tell my mom and she said, "We'll call the doctor in the morning."  I let her know that we needed to go to the hospital.  She was concerned because she hadn't even started to read the coaching book.  I called my husband who was still in Atlanta.  He had been out with friends of ours and had gone to bed only an hour earlier.  He said, "Call a plumber in the morning and shut off the water valve."  I explained that the baby was coming.  We arrived at the hospital about 4:30 a.m.  The baby was breech so I had to have a c-section.  This was disappointing to me because I was hoping to have natural childbirth. Thomas was born at 6:30 a.m that morning.   Unfortunately, my husband was not able to be in the delivery room because Delta was not ready when he was.

Thomas at 2

My husband, Bob was able to spend almost a week with us before he had to go back to Atlanta.  I was glad to have him there because I suffered with some postpartum depression.  As I look back on it, I think it was because I was unable to give birth naturally.  At first, Thomas would not latch onto my breast either.  I know now that it is normal.  Thomas and I spent the next two weeks at my mom's home.  Then my husband moved up on the 20th.  It is a great birth story, and I tell it to my son every year on his birthday.

Elizabeth at 2

I was fortunate to be able to participate in the birth of his daughter, Elizabeth, two years ago.  His wife, Misty, had a natural birth with no stitches, and Elizabeth was 9 lbs. 15 oz.!!!  That was amazing to me.  Both sets of grandparents and Thomas were there for the birth.  Her brother and sister came up later as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins.  What a joyous celebration!



I chose to read about childbirth in Guatemala because we have friends living there and I wanted to view birth from a totally different perspective.  Women giving birth are highly revered there.  In rural areas women go to birthing centers if one is available and they have transportation there.  Otherwise they give birth at home.  Before the baby is born, whenever people gather for a meal, the pregnant woman is invited to eat first.  As the pregnant woman works in the home, she talks to the baby about the jobs that she is doing so that the baby will be comfortable in their surroundings when they enter the world.  She wears a necklace that explains her menstrual cycle.  The husbands make decisions about when the mother will go to the doctor.  When it is time for the baby to be born, the mother can choose a birthing pool, a birthing stool or she can just squat.  Many communities have a trained mid-wife to help with the birth.  The father and the children are not allowed in the room where the birth will take place.  The father buries the umbilical cord in the yard.  After the baby is born, their hands and feet are bound together.  The children cannot see their sibling for 8 days.

The mortality rate is very high because a hospital is too far away or the family does not have transportation to the hospital.  Things are improving because more and more people in the village are being trained as mid-wives.  The only higher mortality rate in the Latino-Caribbean countries is in Haiti.

Maderazo, Jennifer W. (2007, October 25).  Giving Birth in Rural Guatemala. Retrieved from  vivirlatino.com/2007/10/25/giving-birth-in-rural-guatemala.php

WIN News. (2002, Spring). Guatemala:  Too many women die in childbirth. WIN News. Retrieved from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2872/is_2_28/ai_86049667/?tag=content;col1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytjcQYL7Sb0Nov 27, 2010 - 9 min - Uploaded by eyebearah
This is a video project for nursing school. It depicts the pregnancy and birthing practices of the indigenous women