Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2

UPDATE!!!!

I did hear back from my contact who is an early childhood professional in England with regards to the issue on poverty. I know that we have begun a new conversation, but I wanted to share the information she sent me with you!

Sue explained that poverty is quite a big issue in England at the moment. In 2010, the government published a report by Frank Field. She explained that the document was named, "The Foundation Years" preventing poor children becoming poor adults and talks about they can break the circle of poor children becoming poor adults. After the publication of this report, the government introduced the two year funding. Children from families who are in the benefit system can access 15 hours free nursery (what we call child care). All children over 3 years have been able to use this funding for about 20 years.

The report also goes on to say that only nurseries that have a good or outstanding status will be able to offer families with the help they need. Children who attend settings that do not have good standards can be more harmful to a child than staying at home.

Sue explained that so far, there has not been a great uptake of this funding in this area, but some intercity areas have had a better uptake.

This was the information that Sue communicated to me regarding the issue of Poverty. I have not been able to connect again to gain any further insight on this issue, but I was pleased to have received a response!!! :)

I was hoping to hear back from both of my contacts regarding this week's assignment about any additional information they have about the issues of equity and excellence, but I have yet to hear back! I will update my Blog once I get a response.

  

Sharing Web Resources

http://www.zerotothree.org/

The reason I was drawn the ZERO to THREE website was the fact that they provide parents, caregivers, and professionals with a variety of meaningful and relevant resources that help answers questions they have regarding development. Two of the courses that I teach are Child Development and Environments and Curriculum for Young Children and this website has great information that I can readily access for my courses. Students always have questions regarding challenging behaviors and how to manage behaviors such as how to handle the "NO!" that toddlers are famous for. This website has great strategies, tools, and hints with how to guide behaviors in a positive manner. I will continue to encourage my students to visit this website so they can build resources as well as their knowledge regarding young children.

The information in this website reinforces within me the importance of providing children with early experiences that sets the foundation for all of the learning that follows. I love how the website explains that just because a child puts on their big backpack and heads off to kindergarten does not mean that children are magically prepared and ready with the necessary skills and tools to start school.  Learning does not just start when children begin their journey in school rather it begins the moment children begin life and with the relationships they build with the people around them.

The website has a section on public policy which provides information on their years of research-based expertise on infant and toddler development to ensure that public policies reflect best practices and current research in support of young children (Zero to Three, 2012).  The ZERO to THREE website has a Policy Network that can be used as a vehicle for professionals to use their knowledge and expertise to impact public policy for infants, toddlers, and their families.

Getting to Know My International Contacts - Part 1

                                        

I was fortunate to make contact with two international early childhood professionals from New Zealand and England the first week of classes, but I am awaiting their response to the e-mail I sent on Monday regarding the issue of poverty.

On Monday, I e-mailed both of my contacts explaining how learning from someone who works in a different part of the world will help me grow a professional early childhood educator. I continued to explain that in the course that I am currently taking we have been examining different issues that impact our programs and communities. I explained how this week that the issues related to poverty are the focal point. I asked each contact to identify any issues of poverty that they may encounter in their professional life. I also asked them if they are aware of any initiatives or organizations that either support poor children and families, or work that towards the elimination of poverty in their community.

Due to the fact that I did not receive a response prior to today, I decided to do the alternate assignment which was to visit the website of the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre to read about childhood poverty in one country, however the website was not working. http://childhoodpoverty.org/

            

Since I could not access the website for the alternate assignment, I decided to do my own search on the issue of childhood poverty in New Zealand. While searching, I came upon the website of the Child Poverty Action Group. http://www.cpag.org.nz/about-us/

The Child Poverty Action Group was formed in 1994 out of the concern of the increasing level of poverty in New Zealand and the effects that is has on children. 

Guiding Principle:

Their guiding principle is the right of every child to security, food, shelter, education and health care.

Core Objectives:

The Child Poverty Action Group’s Core Objectives is to promote better policies for children and young people, to promote awareness of the causes and consequences of child poverty, and to ensure all activities and decisions respect other cultural perspectives.

The website has many resources such as articles, papers, events and presentations that everyone has access to. There are many topics that the website discusses such as; health, education, social security, social hazards, household expenses, and tax policy. The website also identifies effective ways that people can help.

I also found a great article, "Solutions to Child Poverty in New Zealand: Evidence for Action for further information if you are interested. http://www.occ.org.nz/assets/Uploads/EAG/Final-report/Final-report-Solutions-to-child-poverty-evidence-for-action.pdf

I understand that people are busy and maybe my contacts required more time to think about the request regarding  the issue of poverty. I hope they respond and if they do, I will update my Blog. :)

  

Sharing Web Resources

We have been learning throughout the course of our studies that the early years set the foundation for a child’s healthy development and life-long learning. We understand the value and benefits of building early relationships with children as these positive relationships help to provide positive learning experiences. When asked to find an early childhood related website I was drawn to ZERO To THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families as I share the same values, beliefs and passion with regards to children.

ZERO to THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families.

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/

Here is the ZERO to THREE Organizational video so you can learn more about their website.

ZERO to THREE is a national nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers with the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development.

Their mission is to ensure that all babies and toddlers have a strong start in life. ZERO to THREE was founded in 1977 by experts in child development, health and mental health. Their role is to promote the understanding around key issues affecting young children and their families, including child care, infant mental health, early language and literacy development, early intervention and the impact of culture on early childhood development.

At ZERO TO THREE they envision a society that has the knowledge and will to support all infants and toddlers in reaching their full potential.

ZERO TO THREE is unique in their multidisciplinary approach to child development. Their emphasis is on bringing together the perspectives of many fields and many specialists is rooted in the robust research studies showing that all domains of development—social, emotional, intellectual, language and physical—are interdependent and work together to promote a child’s overall health and well-being in the context of his family and culture

ZERO to THREE website has a free monthly e-newsletter. The monthly e-newsletter includes:

* Age-based information on child development

* In-depth article on common child rearing issues and challenges

* Parent-child play activities that promote bonding and learning

* Frequently asked questions

* Research on child development and what it means for parents

The website also includes issues on maltreatment with regards to child abuse and neglect, the importance of health and nutrition, challenging behavior, and many other issues relevant to parents and professionals.

One thing in particular that caught my attention was the heading "Behavior and Development" and how they have 14 topics under that particular heading. Each topic has information, interactive tools, handouts, articles, and powerpoint slideshows all the help parents and professionals in supporting and nurturing the health and development of infants and toddlers.

The website also has a bi-monthly journal that you can subscribe to which is ideal for professionals who work with and care about very young children and their families.  The May 2014 issue is "Addressing Maternal Depression."

This website provides a wealth of information and I look forward to sharing more with all of you on a weekly basis!

.

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

        Establishing Professional Contacts

At times I get so busy with what surrounds me, both personally and professionally, that having this opportunity to connect with other early childhood professionals outside Canada and the United States is an amazing chance to gain more knowledge and learn from other professionals from around the world.

I have had the pleasure of teaching many students who bring an abundance of diversity to my classroom. I also have the opportunity to teach many International students who come to Canada to study Early Childhood Education. We have students from Egypt, China, Japan,New Zealand, India and Africa. Some of our students in our program are also very fortunate to have the opportunity to do their last practice teaching placement abroad. I just supervised two students who completed their final placements in England and Italy....what an experience that would have been for them! 

Being so fortunate to have connected with so much diversity has been amazing. These connections helped me with the process of contacting other early childhood professionals living outside Canada. Last year I had a student who did her final placement in New Zealand and she had an incredible experience. I contacted the manager from “KiNZ Early Learning Center” in New Zealand and introduced myself and explained the reason for contacting her. I was so surprised that she replied the following day explaining that she would love to share their experiences with me. She added that if there was anything I needed in particular that she would help as much as she could. She expressed that they are involved in many changes and it would be great to connect. In her e-mail, she sent me the link to her program. https://kinz.org.nz/Kinz/Templates/KinzHome.aspx?siteId=4&menuItemId=122

One of my students who just graduated from our program in April is from Nigeria and I contacted her to see if she could help direct me to the path towards finding an early childhood professional in Nigeria. She explained that her sister who stills lives there is also studying early childhood education and that she will contact her and see if she can help. My student was so excited to have the opportunity to help me with this request….I hope it all works out!!

I thought that I should try and make another connection just to be sure! One of my students who just completed her final practice teaching placement is England had an amazing experience, so I thought it might be great to connect with them. I contacted the manager of “Daisies Day Nursery” in England and explained the reason behind my e-mail. I am just waiting upon her response.

Expanding Resources

Wow! What a great list of resources to choose from that not only enables us to expand our resources, but also our knowledge. I must be honest as it took some time to choose! J  The early childhood related website that I decided to choose is, “ZERO to THREE: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families.” I find that their website has so many relatable topics that are relevant and meaningful for parents and educators.  ZERO to THREE is a national nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers with the knowledge to nurture early development. Their mission is to promote health and development of infants and toddlers. Here is the URL for their website. http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/

I was successful with signing up for their newsletter and I received my confirmation on Wednesday that they received my request. In my confirmation they explained that I will receive my first newsletter the first of next month! J

I am very excited to begin this journey of connecting with other early childhood professionals and building my resources. It will be interesting to read the different websites that other classmates chose and to learn from one another!

My Supports

                      

I have been very fortunate to have been surrounded with a support system throughout my life. I have had the support needed each time I was introduced to a new adventure, when I ventured off the path and needed to be pulled back, or when I worked towards a new milestone in my life. I have been given advice, hugs, smiles, suggestions or at times left to make mistakes and then given the support I needed after realizing the choice I made wasn't the best....without judgments! The support I have received throughout my life has made me the person I am today. Even though the support that I necessitated remained a constant, the type and level of support has changed and evolved with the transformations that were occurring in my life at the time. When I stop and take a moment to reflect, I realized that the varying amount of support from varying people was priceless!

As I became a wife, mother, and a professional, my view on supports changed as now I view myself more of a supporter rather than the one needing support. Why is that? I think that I began to re-evaluate the level of support I might need in my life when I began thinking about starting a new journey and applying for my Master’s degree. I didn’t have the confidence in my skills and abilities and thought that I wouldn’t be successful. The support that began to flood around me with not only encouragement, but also the push to believe in my skills was outpouring. I had to reflect and see if I had a big enough support system to help me balance being a wife, mom, professional, and now a student.....oh, and how could I forget.....house cleaner, cook, dishwasher, clothes washer.....! :)  Do you get my point! I thought, how am I going to be able to handle all of this and that is when I realized that I will now be the one who will once again need help. I remember speaking with my enrollment officer from Walden and he told me that we could write up a contract for my husband with all the things he will now have to do when I begin my studies! If I think back, I don't think we got my husband to sign it!!!!!! Since I began my studies, I have realized that once again, I do have an amazing support system! I not only get constant encouragement, but I do get help around the house. My husband is a great cook and the best at getting groceries. My son will come by as I am sitting at my laptop and rub my shoulders and he is always the first one to say, "Great job mom!" when I get my marks back. My daughter keeps me balanced and knows when it is time to take the dog for a walk when I need some fresh air or when it is time to go out for ice cream! Humor is a huge part of my life and the best support is when I can be silly with my family and share laughs together. The most important support of all is when we share our "I love you!' at the end of the day....that is the best support I need! I know that I have just begun this journey, but if I didn't have support, I would have had many more challenges trying to balance everything. I am not saying that it is not challenging, but without my friends and family it would have been a lot harder!!

Mild Intellectual Delay Combined with Anxiety

If I were to imagine that I had a specific challenge, I would choose the challenges listed above. 

I am not working at the same grade level as my peers as it takes me longer to learn concepts than it would typically developing children. I am working at least 3 grades behind other students for most subjects and I read 4 grades behind most children in my class. I also worry when there are changes in my daily routine or schedule and I get very upset when these changes occur. 

When I think about my challenges, I know I would want to be treated the same as every other child in my class. Yes, it may take me longer to learn academic skills, but I wouldn't want to be treated differently. I don't want my teacher to assume that I learn the same way as everyone else, so I will need the teacher to adapt her teaching style as I am a very visual learner and I learn better when the learning is hands on.  I have troubles keeping up writing notes or writing in my agenda, so having it broken down or having the teacher post the notes in our classroom website would be helpful. Spelling can also be challenging, so having access to a computer at my desk at all times with programs such as "Word Q" would help. I will also need my curriculum adapted to meet my needs as I wouldn't be able to understand work given to me if it is not at my level. I find reading challenging, so it would be helpful to have books that I am interested in so it will motivate me to read. I would also need plenty of praise when I accomplish a task and encouragement when I am trying my best. This praise and encouragement will help me to feel good about myself and keep my confidence up. It would also be beneficial if there was an educational assistant in the room that could help me and other children who needed help. It would also be helpful to have to have a daily schedule with pictures so I know what happens next. This schedule is also helpful at home so I know what happens and changes can be identified so I can adapt to  new things. Speaking of home, I would also need support from my family. I want to feel loved and the encouragement to show me that I can do anything that comes my way. When my family believes in my skills and abilities then it helps me to have the same beliefs. I may need a tutor after school to help with my studies and support with my homework. I also want my family to see my strengths and what I do well instead of focusing on my challenges all time! I have lots to offer too!! I am funny, a great swimmer and great snowboarder, so that should be a focus too! I just want to be loved for who I am as an individual regardless of my challenges. 

I couldn't imagine what it would be like if I didn't have a support system put in place. I feel like I would be lost as I would as wouldn't be able to keep up with the expectations. I don't know what my self-esteem or confidence would be like either? For me, support is what is going to help me be a positive and successful person. Everyone deserves support to help them attain their goals!

Childhood Connections to Play

"Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, tadpoles, water bugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud, turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb. Brooks to wade, water lilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries and hornets. And any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of education."
     - Luther Burbank


"Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation."
     - Stuart Brown MD

My memories of play are truly represented in the quotes that I found. I had the privilege of spending all of my summers with my family at our cottage where I spent the majority of my time outside. Our parents encouraged us to think creatively, explore and investigate, solve problems and engage in the inquiry process, and to share our learning with others. The learning that occurred each summer was so valuable....better than anything I could have learned from a worksheet.

                  

                                                                                                                   
When my dad taught us how to build a camp fire, chop wood or fix something it was "learning", but to us it was play. When my mom taught us how make crust for a pie with the berries we picked it was "learning" but to us, it was play. This play was meaningful and relevant to us, and we wanted to embrace each new skill. Even though my brothers and sister were older, they took time to scaffold my learning and help me learn skills that I couldn't do on my own, like how to put a worm on a hook, how to build the best sand castle, or how to catch fireflies. I cherish the play that occurred each summer as it was rich with learning experiences. We swam, caught frogs, picked berries, built forts, roasted the best marshmallows ever, and played!!!

We all have seen play change and evolve, especially since technology has become a significant part of people's lives. Children are spending more time engaged with technology than with nature. Children still play outside, but not as much as when I was a child. When my children were younger, they were always busy building forts and using their imagination and creativity when they played. I always offered them a variety of loose parts to incorporate into their play and you wouldn't believe how long they would be immersed in play. Now that my children are school age, their play has changed as now they crave the technology play. In a few months it will be summer vacation where we will spend our whole summer at our cottage. My children will have the opportunity to transition from the tech world to the world of nature as we don't have internet access. My experiences with play as a child has helped me to understand how valuable play is and the learning that occurs while children play. I ensure that our summers at the cottage are rich with play experiences......similar to what I experienced as a child.....where play is valued! My husband and I make sure that we engage our children with same learning opportunities that I did......meaningful and relevant!