Thanks Walden Colleagues!

8 Weeks Have Gone By so Quickly!

Our Foundations 6005: Early Childhood Studies class has caused us to see how we might make our way towards becoming the leaders, advocates and professionals that we desire to be. Our minds were opened and challenged to think beyond the surface of what we think EC field is… and have gotten to the root of the matter… which is research, inquiry and evidence based practices to support professionals, advocates and leaders.

Our Professor Morgan has been excellent and has challenged us with probing questions and responses to our work... getting us ready for what is to come next. Thanks Professor Morgan! We'll make you proud!

To my dear Walden University colleagues in the field, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and sharing your thoughts and comments with me on the discusion board. I appreciate you all and wish you much success.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Examining Codes of Ethics

Examining Codes of Ethics - My Core Ideals

Reading through the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment, and the DEC Code of Ethics, there are ideals and principles that reign true to my heart and in the professionalism I seek to carryout in this field of early childhood education.  The purpose of these ideals and principles are to provide professionals consistency and a format of daily practice for dealing with children and their families in the programs for children ages birth to 8 years of age. The Ideals I highlight from NAEYC are;

·         Ethical Responsibility to Children – meaning our responsibility is to provide care and education in settings that are nurturing, healthy, and safe; while positively responsive to the needs of each individual child.

I-1.10 To ensure that each child’s culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure are    recognized and valued in the program.

·         Ethical Responsibility to Families – meaning that we must understand that families are of primary importance in the child’s development. Professionals must acknowledge a responsibility to bring about communication, cooperation, and collaboration between home and the EC program practitioner in ways that will enhance the child’s development.

                    I-2.2 To develop relationships of mutual trust, to create partnerships with the families.

           

I-2.3 To welcome all family members and encourage them to participate in the program.

·         Ethical Responsibility to the Community – meaning EC programs must operate within the context of the immediate community which they serve. This community is made up of families, and other institutions concerned of the welfare of children. The primary responsibility is to meet the diverse needs of families, to cooperate with agencies, and to assist in developing community programs that are needed but not currently available.

I-4.1 (Individual) To provide the community with high-quality early childhood care and education programs and services.

I-4.2 (Collective) To promote cooperation among professionals and agencies and interdisciplinary collaboration among professions concerned with addressing issues in the health, education, and well-being of young children, their families, and their early childhood educators.

I-4.4 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.

The item that stood out to me from the DEA Code of Ethics was from strand 1 dealing with professional practice. To define professional practice for the EC field is the practice of principles to promote and maintain high standards of conduct for the EC and special education professional. This matter is important for me in the fact that children and families will respond to a high standard of conduct when it is presented. In my experience, the families “come up to practice what they experience from their EC practitioners. I you conduct your business in a “low budget” fashion then the families will respond with “low budget” activity. If you are presenting high end, high quality conduct and service; the families will respond and become accustomed to that conduct and practice that themselves.  I have seen behavior such as described at the schools I have taught.

I. Professional and Interpersonal Behavior

1. We shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child.

2. We shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families and of those with whom we work.

3. We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to the suggestions of others.

           




There are many more items I could highlight in terms of professional practice, but these here are a core representation of what I would like to strive for in the advancement of quality care for all children.

References 

The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.dec-sped.org/

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

The Wisdom of Early Childhood- Course Resources for EDUC 6005-7: Foundations: Early Childhood Studies

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://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
  
  
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title.

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

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

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

Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations

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

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

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

Additional Resources
(concerning teachers,the field of early childhood, the education of young children, and families)


This is an interesting article! For you fellow agents of change in the education industry,take a look!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anthony-jackson/invest-in-teachers_b_844983.html

I just absolutely love this site, your class will love visiting this site for computor time!
http://www.starfall.com/

4c for Children is the local advocacy group in my area serving the Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. They provide great support to parents of young children.
http://www.4cforchildren.org/index.html

This item is certainly a heart felt article from NAEYC. Read it and tell me what you think of this issue!
Readiness.pdf
School Readiness

Meaningful Quotes!         

"My hope is that no matter the age of the children you work with, you take time to encourage a positive perspective on all of the possibilities each day brings, accidental or otherwise." - Angie Good, Growing Children

 

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

I have identified two persons for this week’s discussion :

Abigail Elliot - a pioneer in the nursery school movement in public education.  Of her Unitarian faith, Eliot said, "Religion has always been an important part of my life—a subconscious influence, as well as a conscious directive."

1926- Dr. Abigail Eliot and Patty Smith Hill found NANE-the National Association of Nursery Educators-the precursor to the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Janet Gonzolaz Mena – was very instrumental in childcare being diversified in its operations and an advocate of professional development. In the care of young children she states ,“Part 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

Teaching "Diversity": A Place to Begin By Janet Gonzolaz- Mena

How can we best prepare children to meet the challenges and reap the benefits of the increasingly diverse world they will inherit? We can raise children to celebrate and value diversity and to be proud of themselves and their family traditions. We can teach children to respect and value people regardless of the color of their skin, their physical abilities, or the language they speak.

How to Begin

As our nation grows increasingly diverse, there has never been a better opportunity for us to learn to live respectfully together and benefit from one another's wisdom and experiences. But sometimes fear, uncertainty, or discomfort prevent people from talking to each other. This is especially true when it comes to the topics of race and racism, cultural differences, language and bilingualism, and the myriad questions that arise in a world where these issues have such a powerful place in children's lives. As professionals who partner with families to nurture young children, parents often regard us as a resource on a wide range of issues connected to diversity. We are in a unique position to engage in conversations that ask us to consider important questions such as;

·         What does it mean to be a parent raising a child in this diverse world?

·         What does it mean to be a young child growing up in this diverse world?

 To read more of this article by Janet Gonzolaz –Mena click on to the following link;

 http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/teaching-quotdiversityquot-place-begin

Passion, Motivation, and Wisdom

Here is a quote that really caught my attention from the first professional,     Louise Derman –Sparks, on the week 2 multimedia presentation,

“I researched how young children develop identity and attitudes and discovered that the preschool years are the most critical, the most fundamental period where in fact children are noticing who they are and noticing the attitudes and stereotypes and discomforts of positive and negative messages about their skin color, racial identity, their ethnic identity and teachers did not know they were interested in that.”

 

I did not know this information by learning of it, but inherently I knew the issue of children’s identity in early education was important.  Here again is a nugget of knowledge with which to hang my hat on to be an effective EC professional.

My Personal Childhood Web

Our assignment this week for the MSECS Foundations class is to create a space to list our childhood web of support. Now, I have to really think back to remember those outside of my immediate family! Childhood for me was.... a little while ago (I'll be 50 January 5th!!). But one amazing thing about this assignment is the timing. I lost my mom a few years ago and this activity would allow me to  pay a special tribute to her on November 17th, her birthday. 
 Happy birthday Mommy, I love you!

My Mom: Lillie Lee a very nurturing and giving person, taught me to behave like a lady, to believe and trust in God. She was the one who told me that I was beautifully and wonderfully made. She'd  say what ever I set my mind to do, I could do It! I know she is in heaven along with the other cloud of witnesses looking down and cheering me on right now! 

My Dad: Leroy Roberts was always there for me, a good provider and made sure  I did well in school. His work ethic was exemplary; I don' t recall him taking days off from work! He is now retired at 72 and still has a part time job.

My Little Brother:  Everett Roberts was more like my peer than a little brother. It's funny, I was the older sister, but my little brother taught me how to ride a bike! I was eight then and he was six!

Uncle Buddy and Aunt Maggie: supported me with their love and fun family cookouts and vacations.

My Family's Church: Dixon United Methodist: this is the place where my mother's older friend with the blue hair would constantly affirm me by saying "Oh you are such a pretty little darling!"Sunday school was fun. My mother sang in the choir and would move the people to tears with her beautiful voice. Her singing made me happy.

My Elementary School:  St James. Grades 1st-8th. If there was ever a school I would model my own early academy after, it would be this one! Every single one of the teachers nurtured  as well as pushed the students to succeed; even if they weren't in their class. The teachers cared about the students, made sure that each student was culturally literate and aware! We learned that our brown skins, no matter the hue, were beautiful, with poetry, with music, discipline, love, and lots of healthy physical activity!

My immediate family with the exception of my mom and uncle are still important in my life. My school and church has really impacted me professionally in that the special gift of learning and the way it was taught to me, I want to pass it along; a love for God, for learning, and respect for others.

I Am Somebody!

To start off,
I would like to share with you a poem I taught my kindergarteners; " I am Somebody" by Reverend Jesse Jackson.We recite it often as affirmation of who we are and what we can accomplish when we set our minds and will to do it. I also use poetry as self management mechanisms for the students if unwanted behavior occurs ( and from time to time, it does occur!) It is good to have management tools in place to remind the students to stay on task.

Now take into account this is recited loud and strong, using gestures so that any hearers and "see-ers" would know that we mean business!

I Am Somebody

I am somebody!

I am capable, and lovable, and teachable,

Therefore, I can learn!

I can do anything when I try!

I will respect myself and others.

I will be the best that I can be each day!

I will not waste time because it is too valuable,

And I am too precious and bright!

I am somebody!        

         ~ Rev. Jesse Jackson

Sown Seeds Produce a Passionate Educator!

I did not begin my teaching journey 23 years ago knowing that I loved to teach young children. Actually, at that time I was a mom with three young ones of whom I loved very much and wanted them to have the best education possible. Before marriage and family, I was studying to become a fashion buyer and designer at University of Cincinnati. I wanted to take the fashion world by storm, and oh, how I loved to shop! “Who could have a finger on the fashion pulse better than me ?”,  I thought. Love and marriage suddenly came for me; my children, four girls, quickly followed. With all of that activity, it was best for me to became a stay at home mom.

While observing the preschool class that my second daughter was in, the teacher noticed how I interacted with the other children in the classroom. She mentioned that they were looking for teacher aides and if I would be interested. The opportunity to work and be with all of my children at the same place was a Godsend. Without hesitation, I accepted the teacher aide position. Working with that wonderful teacher those many years ago , learning from her and other compassionate and dedicated teachers had opened a brand new world  for me that is both fulfilling and challenging all at the same time; teaching early learners.

I worked as an aide for a few years, and then with the educational training, I became a preschool lead teacher. I decided to complete my BA in Organizational Management with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. With awesome mentors in my life, I worked and studied hard to obtain my teaching Certification which enabled me to instruct children at the kindergarten through grade school level. A short time ago, I was attending another university to complete a Masters in Education Program. I came to realize at this stage of my life that my true  desire is to pass onto other educators that same care , concern, dedication and professionalism that those early teachers and mentors shared with me. The Walden University Master of Science in Early Childhood Studies with the administration, leadership, and management specialty strand is the perfect program to equip me for the task of training others.  I plan to use my skills acquired through MSECS courses to own and operate an early learning center and become effective at leadership as well as management. It is most important to become an advocate for working families with young children. I am always looking to perfect my teaching craft; I would like to pass along skill sets and valuable information on to others. A solid education, while gaining more technical and networking experience  through the Walden on-line program will help me accomplish that goal and so much more.