When I think of Child Development

When I Think of Child Development…

…I think of the guiding hands      

and giving hearts of those that choose to influence a young one... 

  ... to live a life of exploration, awareness ... 

 

DISCOVERY, continual growth and learning.

I think of PARENTS...

    

... who try to create nurturing  environments for children to grow,


and learn ... and be ... 

CHILDREN!

I am very happy to have had the opportunity to learn from some very awesome professionals  while in this class.  Your entries and posts have been heartfelt, insigtful, enlightening and even humorous at times. I want to thank you for contributing to my learning experience and I hope in some way I have made a contribution to yours.

Warmest Regards,
Sheila Lee

Assesments

Assessments; Telling the Whole Story

I am a believer in the use of defining intelligence by the use of multiple intelligence assessments. I currently formulate lessons for my student around this concept and it absolutely reaches all level or better yet “the whole child”.

The theory of multiple intelligences was developed in 1983 by Dr. Howard Gardner, professor of education at Harvard University. It suggests that the traditional notion of intelligence, based on I.Q. testing, is far too limited. Instead, Dr. Gardner proposes eight different intelligences to account for a broader range of human potential in children and adults. These intelligences are:

·         Linguistic intelligence ("word smart")

·         Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart")

·         Spatial intelligence ("picture smart")

·         Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart")

·         Musical intelligence ("music smart")

·         Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart")

·         Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart")

·         Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")

Dr. Gardner says that our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. We esteem the highly articulate or logical people of our culture. However, Dr. Gardner says that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live. Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts don’t receive much reinforcement for them in school. Many of these kids, in fact, end up being labeled "learning disabled," "ADD (attention deficit disorder," or simply underachievers, when their unique ways of thinking and learning aren’t addressed by a heavily linguistic or logical-mathematical classroom. The theory of multiple intelligences proposes a major transformation in the way our schools are run. It suggests that teachers be trained to present their lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, inner reflection, and much more.

Assessments should not be geared to a standardized test but to the concept of understanding material that has been covered. There a many ways of assessing students to see if they understand and can retrieve data. For example the format for which this class uses for assessment. When we are doing these charts, it helps us to place information categorically so that we can mentally retrieve information.

In our assessment of children, we can use various projects and activities and not make testing a series of memorized information stored in the short term memory that will quickly be forgotten once the class is over

Let’s Look at France! 

Believe it or not IQ testing began in France in 1904 under psychologist Alfred Binet. He was commissioned by the government to differentiate between the children who were intellectually normal and the children that were “inferior”. The purpose was to put those that needed the extra attention into special schools and the disruption to those of normal intelligence would be avoided. Education in France is compulsory for children aged six to sixteen. State (public) education is free, secular with mixed-sex classes. Education is also available in private, fee-paying schools (which include most religion-based and international schools). Mothers' help, crèches, kindergartens and nursery schools fall outside the official school system

Halte Garderies are open to children under the age of 6. Children may attend a few days or half-days per week, as the parent chooses. Children are under the guardianship of a qualified midwife, pediatric nurse or teacher. The is usually a small fee to pay. Ask at your Mairie for details on local facilities.

Écoles Maternelles

École Maternelle is comparable with nursery school or kindergarten in anglophone countries. While not compulsory it is considered essential in preparing a child for school. Maternelles are for ages two to six and provide optional education for children. Enrolment for the local école maternelle should be done at the Mairie. It is free of charge (aside from extras, including lunch).

Children who are two at the rentrée - the start of the new school year in September - are accepted provided they are sufficiently mature and "socialised". (This is gauged by a doctor who will issue a certificate). If the child turns two before the end of the year, and the school has space the child may be admitted. If there is no Maternelle in an area, a child may start at the école élémentaire in the section enfantine from the age of 5 years.

The Maternelle is divided into:

• Petite Section: 2-3 years
• Moyenne Section: 3-5 years
• Grande Section: 5-6 years

The assessment of children in France is based on knowledge solely on the subjects and they must be known or memorized in the testing.

Consequences of Stressors on Child Development

Maltreatment and Trauma

My husband has had a rather tumultuous childhood, full of high points and low points. He has emerged from what one may call a traumatic upbringing to become a courageous, loving, inspirational adult through all of the adversity.

Howard McClearin Lee was born November 26, 1959 to a young unmarried woman. The great thing is that her family background was loving, supportive and very large. Howard had a loving Grandfather, a praying Grandmother, 5 aunts and an uncle on his mother’s side of the family. Which means there was loads of love and support for the new baby boy. His Father was lost to the streets but wanted to marry his mother. With family pressure, she refused. Howard had relationships with his paternal grandparents and uncles.

His mother eventually married three years  after he was born to another man. This man turned out to be physically abusive to both Howard and his mother. She remained in the marriage for years 8 years. She was shot and fatally wounded by her husband while they were separated. Howard and his brothers were split up between the aunts to be raised. His mother recovered but her health was fragile.

My husband tells me that he felt during that time like a vagabond , going from house to house to live until his mom recovered and was well enough to get her children back. Even then when she would have health episodes, Howard and his brothers had to be moved again. His activities while in school were football (where he could release the hostility he felt) and music. He was a drummer in a band.

He went on to play football in college and studied to become a very effective, minister. His Ministry is far reaching and very influential to young men, inspiring them to be all that God would have them to be, in spite of the hard times and circumstances in life. He encourages them that they could make a decision to fall victim to what life offers or rise above it, advising that there is divine help if you are willing to make a change.

My husband realized that there were things (as we all do) he had to work on like temperance. But he overcame the violent circumstances from his childhood and used that experience to give hope to others that there is life and that your life could be lived abundantly.
The Children of Somalia
I had come across an article that really blessed my heart to see and read. It was in reference to the children of Somalia. We have all heard that the region is in a state of civil unrest, torn with war, famine, and receiving not much help from a corrupt government. Nancy Lindborg, an official with the U.S. government aid arm, told a congressional committee in Washington on Wednesday that the U.S. estimates that more than 29,000 children under age 5 have died in the last 90 days in southern Somalia. In Somalia, the children are forced to participate in Al-Queida  and pirate activity.

　

The picture shows the children playing

Somali children play in floodwater on Wednesday just outside their refugee camp in Dadaab, north-east Kenya. The UN says the floods could be the worst in the region for 50 years.

　

Where there is nurturing, there is hope

　
　

Somali women are the basis on which Somali society continues to thrive and exist. They take care of the household chores, they work, they raise children, they keep the family together, and they regularly send money to the extended families back home in Somalia. Click below to read more.
　
thrivehttp://aduunyo.com/2010/06/somali-women-the-better-half-of-the-society/



The thing I believe that helped my husband most to be a productive adult and not go the path of his father ( who eventually gave his life over to God and became a powerful preacher) was faith and positive nurturing relationships with in his family circle. To help the children of Somali overcome the violence they face daily it would most likely take the same ingredients; faith, family, and perseverance.

　

　

　

Child Development and Public Health

Beware of . . .BPA!

             

　

An issue that I find rather scary as I have been hearing more information about it, is a toxin called bisphenol-A (BPA). This element is found in many things that we come in contact with on a daily basis. Traces of BPA can be found in paper money, sales receipts, water bottles , baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, toys, canned food (the lining inside the can is most likely to contain BPA). Studies have linked exposure to bisphenol-A in lab animals to a number of problems, from obesity to diabetes, early onset puberty, impaired immune function and even breast cancer.

Health Effects

Bisphenol-A is an hormone disrupter (endocrine) which can mimic the body's own hormones and may lead to negative health effects in animals, including humans. These disruptions can cause cancerous tumors, birth defects, and other developmental disorders. Specifically, they are known to cause learning disabilities,severe attention deficit disorders, cognitive and brain development problems, deformations of the body (including limbs); sexual development problems, feminizing of males or masculine effects on females, etc. Any system in the body controlled by hormones, can be derailed by hormone disruptors.Early development appears to be the period of greatest sensitivity to its effects and some studies have linked prenatal exposure to later neurological difficulties. Regulatory bodies have determined safety levels for humans, but those safety levels are currently being questioned or under review as a result of new scientific studies. A 2011 study that investigated the number of chemicals pregnant women are exposed to in the U.S. found BPA in 96% of women.

The critical period of development for most organisms is between the transition from a fertilized egg, into a fully formed infant. As the cells begin to grow and differentiate, there are critical balances of hormones and protein changes that must occur. Therefore, a dose of disrupting chemicals such as BPA, can do substantial damage to a developing fetus (baby). Whereas, the same dose may not significantly affect adult mothers but BPA is said to encourages obesity, and thyroid problems.



A Global Effect a Global Initiative
Canada has declared BPA a "toxin", therefore they are eliminating the production of products using this chemical. Judging from many of the health issues people in our country face, the United States should do the same. Or will there be profits over people? In April 2008, Health Canada concluded that, while adverse health effects were not expected, the margin of safety was too small for formula-fed infants and proposed classifying the chemical as '"toxic' to human health and the environment."
After the release of that assessment, Canadian Health Minister
Tony Clement announced Canada's intent to ban the import, sale, and advertisement of polycarbonate baby bottles containing bisphenol-A due to safety concerns, and investigate ways to reduce BPA contamination of baby formula packaged in metal cans. While the agency concluded that human exposures were less than levels believed unsafe, the margin of safety was not high enough for formula-fed infants. Around the same time, Wal-Mart announced that it was immediately ceasing sales in all its Canadian stores of food containers, water and baby bottles, sippy cups, and pacifiers containing bisphenol-A, and that it would phase out baby bottles made with it in U.S. stores by early 2009.

I say bravo for Canada, China, Malaysia, Europe, and some of the States in the US who have banned the import and production of items using this dreadful chemical .
Who do you think would be most affected by this toxic chemical? That’s right …poor people.



Want ToRead More?   I have included web sites for your convenience to check this info out for yourselves. It is evident that consumers have to take responsibility for their own safety and not leave it to chance in the hands of companies that profit from this product. Do it for yourselves, if not, then do it for your children


http://www.momknowsbest.ca/en/latest-news/c377976190/index.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/prenatal-exposure-bpa-affect-childrens-behavior/story?id=14793835

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44600724/ns/health-childrens_health/t/controversial-bpa-found-canned-kids-foods-report-says/

http://amomsblog.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/bpa-in-gerber-baby-food-containers/

http://www.thirdage.com/news/bpa-industrial-chemical-found-in-kids-canned-foods_09-22-2011

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/consumer-protection/plastic-safety-heat-food-6

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/4885

Birthing Experiences

My Birthing Experience

I am a mother of four daughters, so I have had four separate birthing experiences. I‘ll elaborate on my very fist pregnancy and birth experience.

For me and my husband we were overjoyed 27 years ago when we discovered we were having a baby. I knew I had to find an obstetrician so that the pregnancy could be tracked. We had no insurance then and didn’t make a lot of money as we worked in ministry. I enrolled at the nearby clinic that allowed for the sliding scale fee and was seen monthly. The staff was so nice and attentive. They made sure that I was given information to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. My pregnancy, for the most part was BLISSFUL. I can say that because I had no morning sickness to speak of, or swelling or other aches and pains that went along with the blessed event. The only issue I had, was fighting hard to keep my iron count up. If I went in for examination and my iron was even one half point down, I would get scolded. So, I ate right and took my vitamins and iron pills. The Baby came two weeks after the projected due date along with a long, hard labor nearly 30 hours!

The attending physician at the hospital made certain that our baby girl was healthy and that I was doing fine after such a long laborious delivery…natural, without anesthesia or other medication! (No medication is crazy talk nowadays!) The delivery was in a room where it was given a home-like atmosphere, not at all clinical and sterile. Post partum depression, never heard of that! All was well with the world, my baby and I were healthy and happy. I do believe I may have been a little anxious being a new mom. To top it off, I lost all the weight gained rather quickly.

The pregnancy experience I believe, helps to shape the unborn child developmentally. My husband did his part by making sure I ate right, and got rest and great foot rubs and backrubs! All of that activity may have played an important part of a pleasant experience for me.

An Experience in Venezuela

I read about the experiences in Venezuela where many of the births at one time were done in the homes through midwifery. Now with modernization most births are performed in private clinics under the direction of a physician who will most likely give a caesarian-section. I came across an interesting story of a physician who turned midwife and fought to maintain the traditional practice of childbirth through midwifery at homes and to make that birthing process be legitimate and recognized . Please read further of this gentleman who was going against the establishment. Here in the US, a woman can have a choice to go to a hospital or give birth in her home with the help of a certified midwife who will make note of the birth and vitals of the newborn.

Insights gained form this information is that modernity is not necessarily better. The midwives offer wisdom to the expectant mothers and families. With the modern facility, traditions are thrown off, and the human experience as mentioned is the article is made to be more clinical than natural.



The Story of a Male Physician-Turned-Midwife
[April 2008]

My name is Fernando Molina, Family Physician, Certified Prenatal instructor and Midwife by heart. I am called “el Partero” in my hometown of Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, which has a population of approximately one million people.

Let me give you some idea of how women are giving birth in Venezuela. In 2006, 98% of births were attended by MDs, and 2% by traditional midwives in rural areas.

Births attended by midwives have been a dying infrastructure for the last 40 years. In Venezuela we hear about midwives mainly in the west Andean mountain region. In the East, where I live, there are a handful of traditional midwives, very old in age, with no new generation taking over their knowledge and wisdom. They feel very alienated by the medical establishment. We do not have any university that certifies midwives.

More numbers: In 2006, in private clinics, the c-section rate in private clinics was 80% and the vaginal birth rate was 20% (in the public hospitals it was 30% c-sections and 70% vaginal births). These figures are given by the Latin American network for the Humanization of Birth, who somehow monitor what is happening in Latin America.

Unfortunately, in Venezuela midwifery is not recognized in the infrastructure of perinatal care. For babies who are born outside hospitals or clinics (and are not taken to these premises afterwards, where mother and baby would be hospitalized as “infected”), in order to register the baby, the government has a network called the LOPNA (law for the protection of children and adolescents), where the few midwives who deliver babies have to take four witnesses to the birth and the signature of the “chief of the neighborhood” where the delivery took place. This paperwork is a hassle.

I have had the honor of delivering babies at home since 1983, with the birth of my own son. During the last 10 years, I have been dedicated exclusively to gentle homebirths, mostly waterbirths. Since I have an MD degree, I asked the Public Health and Sanitary Dept. to allow me to register “my babies” directly in the official department of newborn registration without the hassle implied in outside hospital births. They could not understand me and were very reluctant at first, so I had to hire a lawyer to help me in the matter. Finally we won the case. I became (with pride) “el Partero.”

This is my humble experience in Venezuela.

God Bless,

— Fernando Molina

http://www.midwiferytoday.com/international/Venezuela.asp

　

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