Web Resources

Website Resources for Study

One website resource that I chose to study is the following:

Pre[K]Now: A Campaign of the Pew Center on the States
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/initiatives_detail.aspx?initiativeID=31672
(Newsletter: http://www.preknow.org/signupform.cfm )

I chose this resource because I had heard many colleagues talk about PEW research and information they had gathered for grants and presentations from them.  Their mission is to “develop policy solutions that make government more effective and deliver results for states and public good.”  They inform the public of issues and solutions on a variety of topics.  This week my particular interest was a report on the findings of a ten year campaign to “advance high quality, voluntary pre-k for 3-4 year olds.”  As a result of this study, they are encouraging policy makers to move to a model of Pre-k to grade 12 public education.

One interesting piece of this report is an infographic containing the work that has been done by each individual state regarding pre-k advancements.  I certainly thought that Virginia was doing a good job until I viewed this graphic.  Check out your own state by going to this website  www.pewstates.org/research/data-visualizations/proof-into-policy-pre-k-milestones-infographic

Other topics I want to learn more about include home visiting, the Children’s Dental Campaign and Family and Health issues.  I have signed up for a newsletter, but have not received one either electronically or through the mail.

Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/
(Review also these online resources at: http://acei.org/knowledge/ )

I am also following this international site.  Their mission is to “promote and support optimal education and development of children worldwide and to influence professional development of educators and other interested parties in the needs of children” (Association for Childhood Education International, 2012).  I like how this website is set up.  It is very user friendly.  Global news allows you to read about education in countries around the world and issues that are important to them.  They are also affiliated with the United Nations.

They recently held a Summit in Washington, D.C. to discuss issues relevant to all countries around the world.  During that Summit, they discussed ideas related to their emphasis for the next ten years The Decade for Childhood.  During that time they hope to examine the following questions and more:

·       What is our view of the human being and how does that affect our view of childhood?

·       Have changes in child-rearing practices and societal expectations of children served children well or contributed to a decline in their overall well-being?

·       What supports children—and ultimately all of us—in creating strong relationships, a healthy environment, and opportunities for lifelong growth and learning; and how do we make these a normal part of every child's life? (Association for Childhood Education International, 2012)

There are several other campaigns that they are involved in promoting.  I will be exploring them more in the future.

References

Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/

Pre[K]Now: A Campaign of the Pew Center on the States
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/initiatives_detail.aspx?initiativeID=31672

Establishing Personal Global Contacts and Expanding Resources - Wk 1

This has been an interesting week in trying to establish personal global contacts and expanding resources.  I have spoken to several volunteers and parents from other countries.  It has been interesting to hear their stories of early childhood education in their countries.  In Russia, for example, children begin "kindergarten" at age 2.  They are in school all day because their parents are working.  The first couple of years are like our daycare system in the United States.  At ages 4-5 they begin to study in preparation for school.  At one time it was free.  Now it is very expensive and there is competition to try and get your child into the program.  



Early Childhood Education


I am also talking to one of our parents from Poland.  Her mother-in-law is the director of a kindergarten there.  I look forward to hearing what she has to say as well.


As I expected, early childhood education is nonexistent in Rwanda because of the civil war going on.  Survival is the education of the families there now.

Children of all nations deserve the right to learn

I have also contacted via email several of the resources listed in our resource section.  To date I have not gotten any response from individuals or organizations that were suggested to us.  I cannot wait to read other blogs and hear about how you are able to contact people from other countries.


I have been reading articles from Pre[K]Now: A Campaign of the Pew Center on the States.  I have been a part of the improvement system in Virginia for early childhood education.  In many ways we are in the infant stage of developing quality child care birth to five.  There is still a great deal to be completed.  As I expected, California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey are leaders in this field.  I know that North Carolina is developing a great program as well.  It has several great articles about early childhood education.  The Pew Center is a research, evidence based program that helps states look at their policies and procedures.

We can all learn together!

I am also beginning to study the Association for Childhood Education International.  There are several links within the site to countries' programs, policies, and procedures.   "Our mission is to promote and support the optimal education and development of children worldwide, and to influence the professional growth of educators and the efforts of others who are committed to the needs of children in a changing society. We have consultative status with the United Nations." (ACEI)  Each month there is a focus on a particular country and the issues that they working on.

References

Association for Childhood Education International

http://acei.org/

The Global Alliance of NAEYChttp://www.naeyc.org/resources/partnership/globalalliance

International Society of Early Intervention ( http://depts.washington.edu/isei/ )

Pre[K]Now: A Campaign of the Pew Center on the States

http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/initiatives_detail.aspx?initiativeID=31672(Newsletter: http://www.preknow.org/signupform.cfm )

My Supports

                                                                                                        

In my daily life I am fortunate to have many supports.  My day begins by checking my phone for any staff that may be out for the day.  I call substitutes to cover for the classrooms.  If all of the subs are being used or are unavailable, I contact a colleague to see if one of her staff can cover in the classroom.  I work with a staff of teachers, aides, foster grandparents and volunteers who do a wonderful job supporting our children in the classroom.  Teachers and aides offer suggestions when problems arise that need a solution.  They also offer suggestions when reports have been written to make ensure that all we do is documented.  I also work with three other coordinators.  Often our responsibilities overlap so we need to consult each other before moving forward on decisions that need to be made.  We share a secretary who is invaluable in researching prices for products, making phone calls to parents or partners to set up appointments, arranging for room reservations in our building for meetings, and composing letters of thanks to our 48 different partners.  I coordinate schedules with various community partners.  The assisted living facilities in turn, provide Christmas for a number of our families and provide funding for supplies we may need.  Because we are part of the Virginia Quality Rating Improvement System, we are given a mentor that works with me and our teachers to ensure the highest quality of care for our children.  We compare our CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System) observation scores also to keep ourselves reliable using the tool.  William and Mary students help with projects throughout the year as well.  Right now an intern is inputting data for analysis of our curriculum.  I also work very closely with the school division who provide services for our children with disabilities.

               At home I count on our daughter and my husband to cook dinner two nights a week so that I can work on graduate school work.  My husband is retired so he makes phone calls that need to be made, takes our pets to the vet for their yearly checkups, takes recycling to the dump, does laundry, and fixes things that need repair.  My extended family also provides support for me as I work to attain my Master’s Degree.  They are so excited for me!!!  They call to see how things are going and help me to relax when I am feeling stressed.  My church family also provides support to me.  My husband has a number of health issues.  They offer to take him to the doctor so that I don’t have to take off in order to do so.  All of these supports help me to be able to do what I do.

               The issue that I have chosen to address is one that may become very relevant to me.  I live in Richmond, Virginia but travel to Williamsburg every day for work.  It is about a 45-50 minute drive.  If gas prices continue to rise above four dollars a gallon, I will have to think about relocating closer to home or working longer hours and not going in as many days a week.  If I stay at my current job, which I love, I would need the support of my boss and the Human Resources Department who would allow me to work longer days or perhaps do some work from home.  I would also need the support of my husband if I have to look for a job in education when many schools are trimming their budgets.  I would also want the support of my children and extended family.  Networking would be important.  My husband has a cousin who has been in the local school division for many years.  My church family could also help with networking.  I am on the Linked In website which could also offer some opportunities.  Partners that I work with in Williamsburg may know of job availability in Richmond.  I know some preschool directors of private preschools that might offer help as well.

 This is an issue that will require a great deal of thought, planning and strategizing with others.  The task would be overwhelming without the support of others.  Knowing that I have the support of so many, aides in any difficult situations I face.  Just knowing that I can count on these family, friends, and co-workers and partners makes any decision I have to make easier to bear.  I know I am not in it by myself.  I am truly grateful for all of the wonderful people in my life.

References

Keenan, T., & Evans, S. (2009). Theories in development. In An Introduction to child development (pp. 33-43). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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.