Sharing web resources

Sharing Web Resources

Center For The Child Care Workforce

http://www.ccw.org/

The focus of the organization is to improve the quality of early care and education for all children by promoting policy, research and organizing that ensure the early care and education workforce is well-educated, receives better compensation and a voice in their workplace for all families regfardless of their ethnic background.

The Newsletter for the month RIGHTS, RAISES, RESPECT
News and Issues for the Early Care and Education Workforce
This newsletter contains the latest information on policy, research and organizing developments around the country related to the early care and education workforce. It is distributed electronically on a monthly basis. It gives information about policies pertaining to diversity in the classroom and elsewhand how important it is to share light on the issues to families.

There is an article that caught my attention. Preschool Curriculum: What's in It for Children and Teachers
Report from the Albert Shanker Institute, 2009
As the Obama administration turns its attention to expanding access to quality preschool education, a new Shanker Institute report shows that the efficacy of preschool programs, both in stimulating children's cognitive development and effectively reducing the achievement gap, can be significantly improved if programs are aligned with new research about how children learn in the academic areas of oral language, literacy, math, and science

The organization highlights English Language Learners who struggle to adapt to their new environment. As Dr. Grace (2011) suggested that parents should continue to speak the home language and provide opportunities for children to engage in the home language while they learn a new language. As professionals  we have to change our way of thinking towards demography and diversity.

The organization directs our attention in helping our children succeed in a diverse environment. I am aware that:

·         Our instructional practice should support children's language;

Our classroom should be rich in language of different cultures

·         All children should be engaged in developmentally and culturally appropriate activities that will promote all aspects of learning and development.

Resources

http://www.ccw.org/
http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=8524857620692207525

Establishing Professional Contacts

Establishing Professional Contacts Blog Assignment Part 1: 
Since I am a member of the NAEYC I chose this website to become more acquainted with issues globally. I contacted the NAEYC SEEKING GENERAL INFORMATION CONCERNING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WELL BEING and the issues pertaining to their well being.

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

I have also contacted Radmila Rangelov- Jusovic through e-mail.
Email: radmila@costepbystep.ba

I have chosen Website: World Forum Foundation. “A foundation whose mission is to promote an on-going global exchange of ideas on the delivery of quality services for young children in diverse settings.” http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php 
It was difficult to get in contact with this organization. However I have sent an e-mail using this website info@WorldForumFoundation.org

Blog Assignment Part 2: Expanding Resources

I signed up to receive newsletters from the two organizations below.

National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/
(Newsletter: http://nieer.org/resources/newsletter/index.php 

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducts and communicates research to support high quality, effective, early childhood education for all young children. Such education enhances their physical, cognitive, and social development, and subsequent success in school and later life.

National Black Child Development Institute
http://nbcdi.org/
(Newsletter: http://nbcdi.org/support/sign-up-for-nbcdi-newsletters/

Since 1970, the National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) has remained steadfast in its mission –“To improve and protect the quality of life for children of color and their families by giving every child a chance.” 

Center for the child care workforce
http://www.ccw.org/

Since there was no specific organizations related to Early Childhood in the Caribbean/West Indies I will further explore the Caribbean to find out about other organizations working for children and families. Specifically, I will contact the Ministry of Education in Grenada, my native island regarding trends and issues in the Early Childhood education.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&xhr=t&q=map+of+the+world&cp=11&qe=bWFwIG9mIHRoZSA&qesig=7wBky6UUs_ZEQNEwPL_BDg&pkc=AFgZ2tlRMZWvZNN6B1yu9o_LZzo1ceVgWYXz1pSnXpSOSlfqb0-zu4YLzPjQGUHZabFsaKNy2Bbw8H8rVqQLAacS_KWXZYfiCQ&biw=1024&bih=546&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&wrapid=tljp130961886179608&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

WHEN I THINK OF RESEARCH

When I Think of Research

Insights gained

Research is a process and researchers need to go through each step if we want our research to be informative, ethical, meaningful, persuasive and significant. 

Research is a tool and researchers and learning to use that too will answer the question or questions you set out to address, and inform others of what you have found.

All in all doing research provides the roadmap for critical reflection upon prior experiences, contexts, situations, background and education which can lean to what Giddens (1984) calls “knowledge ability” potentially leading to empowerment and transformative action (Giddens, 1984).

 My ideas about the nature of doing research

Prior to taking this course I never envisioned doing research. I thought research was done only by professionals working in labs, and universities and so on. However, I have come to understand that anyone can do research studies. For example, individuals affected by research can and should do research (Mac Naughton, 2010). Interestingly, those researches might provide knowledgeable information that can benefit society at large.

Lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood

When planning, designing and conducting research in early childhood it is important to think about ethics – risks benefit equation.  We should remember the greater the benefits to be gained from a piece of research the more risks are acceptable. The greater the risks the more questions asked.

Challenges encountered

There were two challenges; refining the topic and reviewing the literature. Despite the many practices in defining and refining the research topic it was difficult for me to make a final decision on the specific topic for the research study.   

Searching the literature in week seven (7) to support my hypothesis was time consuming, at times frustrating, and other times rewarding. There were times when the literature enveloped me and confused me.  Some literature was hard to read and contained information that held little interest to me and the research topic. However, it became rewarding when the possibilities for the investigation began to open up.

Perceptions

The course allows for both critical reflections of my own experiences as well as the opportunity to share the critical reflections of the study participants. There is an increased understanding of how the research process has the ability to empower and enable both researchers and research participants. As an early childhood professional what I knew when I started the course is very different from what I know now. Taking stock of where we were and where we are today is a great focus of our reflection. As a result of our critical reflection we should gain a deeper understanding and knowledge which is able to inform future actions. We now see things with a new vision.

TO ALL OF YOU WHO JOURNEYED ALONG IN THE QUEST FOR DOING RESEARCH I SAY THANK YOU. THANKS FOR YOUR POSTINGS AND BLOGS BUT MOST OF ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. WE ARE WELL ON OUR WAY INTO THE FIELD OF RESEARCH FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. Thanks!

References

Mackenzie, N. M., & Ling, L. M. (2009). The research journey: A Lonely Planet approach. Issues in Educational Research. Retreived from

file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Owner/My%20Documents/EBSCOhost%20The%20research%20journey%20A%20Lonely%20Planet%20approach.htm

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Research Around the World

 RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD

From Early Childhood Australia: A voice for young children
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Current International Research Topics                                   

·         School Readiness and Children's Transition              

·    Childhood Obesity

·     Early Years Education Framework

·    Learning and Teaching through play                           

·   Children's resilience

·   Code of ethics

·    Reapecting Diversity

Whats New on the website include: My interest 

• Every Child- Vol. 17 No. 1 201
• Everyday learning about responding to the emotional needs of children
• Your child's first year at preschool- A book for parents 

What surprising insights/ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring the international early childhood website? 

Many individuals around the world are advocatinfg for young children and families. It is not surprizing to know that the well being of children and families is of vital importance. The magazine, "Every Child" got my attention because of its focus. There was no specification of children, in other words all children regardless of race, culture, color or creed were looked at.  What is important to note is this issue of Every Child magazine focuses on improving outcomes for children, with a special focus on the role of quality relationships in providing the foundation for young children’s future wellbeing and success. This was amazing not surprizing!

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

 Very interesting - the latest e-newsletter topics included   

• Recognition of Indigenous Australians. This topic was interesting since there was a portion in our course we had to consider Indigenous people in research. This was sort of new to me. 

Indigenous Australia map

• Risk-taking lessons not learned in over-strict playgrounds. Should we take this risk or not take the risk? I believe taking the risk could help children develop problem solving skills and learn safety lessons.

 References

Early Childhood Australia

http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Indigenous Australia (2008). Retrieved  from http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/17/2219766.htm

Research that benefits children and families-uplifting stories

OPTION 1:

RESEARCH THAT BENEFITS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES- UPLIFTING STORIES

Kaezim is a twelve (12) year old boy from Grenada, West Indies who immigrated to Michigan with his parents when he was seven (7) years old.  His mother is a pre-school teacher and his father a machine operator. His parents even though they work full time devoted themselves to taking Kaezim to afternoon extracurricular activities; soccer, baseball, and on weekends, swimming.

Kaezim seemed to be a well adjusted child however; he could not go to sleep at night. Despite a strict bed time hour at 9:00 pm, Kaezim would lay awake for hours until 11; 00 pm and sometimes 12:00 am. Unable to sleep he would read, or play his Nintendo DS or taps the wall. During the day he was noticeable crabby, tired, frustrated and those eyes seem ready to shut anytime. The teacher complained about Kaezim’s not participating in activities and at times he would put his head down on the desk and goes right to sleep.

Concerned about Kaezim his parents accepted an invitation to take part in a survey which they hoped would give the reasons why Kaezim cannot go to sleep and what that lack of sleep can do to his all round development. According to surveys by the National Sleep Foundation, 90 percent of American parents think their child is getting enough sleep. The kids themselves say otherwise. In those same surveys, 60 percent of high schoolers report extreme daytime sleepiness. In another study, a quarter admits their grades have dropped because of it. Over 25 percent fall asleep in class at least once a week.

 Research of this nature helped in the education of teachers and parents in dealing with children in the classroom and at home. Reliable resources would be available for teachers and families, which would show whether or not and how much sleep affects academic performance and emotional stability, as well as phenomena that we assumed to be entirely unrelated. A few scientists theorize that sleep problems during formative years can cause permanent changes in a child’s brain structure. Kaezim’s findings were consistent with other researchers’ work, all of which points to the large academic consequences of small sleep differences.

It has been documented in a handful of major studies that children, from elementary school through high school, get about an hour less sleep each night than they did 30 years ago. While parents obsess over babies’ sleep, this concern falls off the priority list after preschool. Even kindergartners get 30 minutes less a night than they used to. It is also noted that over scheduling of activities, burdensome homework, lax bedtimes, televisions and cell phones in the bedroom all contribute. So does guilt; home from work after dark, parents want time with their children and are reluctant to play the strictest who orders them to bed.

Kaezim’s parents have learned a lot from the research. At the end they followed the procedures given from the researchers and this helped Kaezim in his growing up years. His parent lessened on his extracurricular activities, and thus he was able to fall asleep at normal time and his studies improved tremendously. Convinced by the evidence from the research some parents have been agreed to advocate for later school start in the morning. It was believed that having a later start will make life Easier for all children.

References
Importance of sleep: Retrieved from
http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health

Cant sleep? Retrieved from http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/sleep-related-problems/insomnia-and-sleep

My Personal Research Journey

My Personal Research Journey 


                                                      For most children death is a new experience. Like all other new experiences the unknown can be confusing and frightening. In my experiences working with young children I have seen how the trauma of death of close relatives and even a parent has haunted our children.  Dr. Bruce Perry (n. d.), noted that “Most children do not know what to expect following the loss of a family member or friend. Young children may not understand what death really means and may be confused or even frightened by the reactions of other family members.” While adults may be more familiar with death and the grieving process, young children may not understand and thus will seek answers and comfort from adults, and other caregivers in their lives. Thus I would like some concrete activities that would help young children cope with the death of a loved one.

I have chosen this sub-topic because first, recently a five (5) year old in my classroom lost a parent and it was very difficult for the team of teachers to talk to the child about the traumatic event and knowing how to help that child with the grieving process was very slim. We doubt whether we should talk about it or just ignore it. However, we were forced to intervene when the child’s behavior changed for the worse. The child became aggressive, she spoke about what happened to her mom repeatedly and even though she knew her mom will not come back she envisioned seeing her mom in her sleep. Secondly, I have a personal experience with the death one of my past pupils and I still grieve because I did not get the help I needed at the time.

This child mentioned was in therapy twice per week but she was in the classroom daily and we needed concrete activities to help the child with the grieving process.  We did not do a good job in this area. I believe we have failed the child because the child transitioned to Kindergarten and the behavior continued and today I feel responsible for not intervening soon enough to help that child in her loss. My question is “Would an earlier intervention help that child in the grieving process?”  I support the researchers who answered the question, ‘yes!’ Early intervention according to the four of the resources researched would help identify and recognize the trauma experienced by the child and would help us meet the needs of the child by performing assessment, and providing support.

Potential sub-topics in my opinion would be:

• How should I talk about the event
• Bereavement and support for children
• Should I be concerned with child’s behavior
• Resources and activities for grieving and traumatized children

Colleagues, do you have any suggestions or insights into helping children cope with death? Some concrete activities would be helpful. If you have to research this topic, how would you go about the research process?

 Beth Patterson, (2008), working with childhood grief: A case study, stated “An understanding of the child’s emotional and cognitive development will enable me to determine how best to communicate about death with  the particular child, to understand and empathize with the child’s experience and guide the child through the grieving and healing process with appropriate interventions. It is also important for me to be aware of my own triggers around death and loss in order to stay present with the child’s process and deal with the death directly, since shielding children from death deprives them of the ability to grieve and ultimately heal.”  

 

References

Auman, J. M. (2007). Bereavement and support for children. Retrieved from http://jsn.sagepub.com/content/23/1/34.abstract

Patterson, B. (2008). Working with Childhood Grief: A Case Study in Grief, Trauma and Abuse.Retrieved from http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/childhood-grief/

Perry, B. (n. d.). The child’s loss: Death, grief and mourning. Retrieved from http://teacher.scholastic.com/professional/bruceperry/child_loss.htm

"MY SUPPORTS"

"MY SUPPORTS"

Support systems are the people, organization and activities that help you on a daily basis.

My overall support systems include; emotional, spiritual, and practical.

This includes my immediate family, my friends, my teaching team, and my co-workers.

The above mentioned groups listen to my concerns, provide positive feedback, and highlight my successes. My children provide my emotional support by helping me take care of my health. They make certain that I make time for myself and do things that I enjoy. My friends are not many, but the few friends I have offer their support by acknowledging my accomplishments, and motivating me to continue striving for the very best. My co-workers and my teaching team are with me on the job daily. We have a great relationship and we work as a team to fulfill our job responsibilities. We support each other in many ways; too much to mention. We share our hurts, our joys, our failings, and disappointments, but most of all we support each other in our effort to implementing developmentally appropriate and cultural strategies for the benefit of all children.

SPIRITUAL SUPPORT

I depend on my church colleagues for prayers. They offer prayer and worship and I take every opportunity to join whenever I can. I believe the only way for a better life is to depend on your faith in God to pull you through. What or who else? My daily stressful experiences are many, and with the spiritual support of prayer, fasting and worship from my church community and my own support, I have been able to go through my daily routines with confidence and resilience.

PRACTICAL SUPPORT:

My support practically is from the administrative staff. They provide the resources needed for all children learning and development.  The resources assist the teams in planning, assessing, and implementing strategies for all children. They provide access to internet services and other technology use not only for job support but for personal support as well. They also provide professional development for staff throughout the year in order to improve our teaching knowledge and skill. The program also provides a gym with training equipments’ like; the treadmills, and bikes for teachers to work out during their spare time. This helps me in releasing stress and weight loss.

Significant stress and pressure are on early childhood educators daily.  Therefore it is critical that we get all the support we need to help us through those challenging times. Without the above support from the many people and organizations, it would have been somewhat difficult for me to perform my job duties effectively and efficiently; plus my daily routines with hope and confidence. Those supports have a powerful effect on my ability to provide instructions to the children in my care and to overcome everyday challenges.

Quote: "It is amazingly empowering to have the support of a strong, motivated, and inspirational group of people"  (Susan Jeffers ).