Week 8: A Note of Thanks and Support

Somehow, we have come to the end of this eight-week journey. It has been difficult and overwhelming for me, at times, but the support that I have gotten from my classmates through blog posts and the course discussion board has been very helpful; I appreciate your kind words. I feel that I have grown tremendously as a professional by reading and about the passion and interests of my colleagues and other professionals in the field. I hope to learn and grow even more throughout each step of the process.

Good luck to you all!

Week 7: Code of Ethics

The following ideals from NAEYC's code of ethics have significant meaning to me:

· I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child. As early childhood professionals, it is important that we realize that each child is an individual with his or her own strengths, weaknesses, skills, preferences, learning styles, et cetera. We cannot disregard this fact.

· I-1.10—To ensure that each child’s culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure are recognized and valued in the program. Children need to see themselves reflected in the classroom. This fosters the development of their sense of self and self-esteem.

· I-2.2—To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve. Establishing and fostering relationships and partnerships with families is in the best interest of children. It allows for open, honest lines of communication which is particularly helpful at times when challenging situations arise.

· I-2.6—To acknowledge families’ childrearing values and their right to make decisions for their children. We all do things differently and have different perspectives on what is “right”. Recognizing this difference and not trying to force our opinions or philosophies on families is incredibly important in maintaining a respectful relationship.

· I-3C.1—To promote safe and healthy working conditions and policies that foster mutual respect, cooperation, collaboration, competence, well-being, confidentiality, and self-esteem in staff members. Working environments should be comprised of people who feel respected, supported, and valued.

· 1-4.1—To provide the community with high-quality early childhood care and education programs and services. We should never settle for adequate or mediocre. Programs and services should be developed with care.

The following ideal from DEC's code of ethics has significant meaning to me:

2. We shall provide services and supports to children and families in a fair and equitable manner while respecting families’ culture, race, language, socioeconomic status, marital status, and sexual orientation. We must respect and welcome families without judgement. I am very passionate about this ideal, in particular, as I feel that many families tend to feel excluded based on their sexuality, SES, culture, et cetera, and this should NEVER be allowed to happen.

Week 5: Resources

Course Resources

Position Statements and Influential Practices

1. 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
2. NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
3. NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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
7. 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
8. FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
9. 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.

Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

1. 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
2. World Forum Foundation http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
3. World Organization for Early Childhood Education http://www.omep-usnc.org/
4. Association for Childhood Education International http://acei.org/

Early Childhood Organizations

1. National Association for the Education of Young Children
   http://www.naeyc.org/
2. The Division for Early Childhood
   http://www.dec-sped.org/
3. Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
   http://www.zerotothree.org/
4. WESTED
   http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
5. Harvard Education Letter
   http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
6. FPG Child Development Institute
   http://www.fpg.unc.edu/
7. Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
   http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
8. HighScope
   http://www.highscope.org/
9. Children's Defense Fund
   http://www.childrensdefense.org/
10. Center for Child Care Workforce
    http://www.ccw.org/
11. Council for Exceptional Children
    http://www.cec.sped.org/
12. Institute for Women's Policy Research
    http://www.iwpr.org/
13. National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
    http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
14. National Child Care Association
    http://www.nccanet.org/
15. National Institute for Early Education Research
    http://nieer.org/
16. Pre[K]Now
    http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
17. Voices for America's Children
    http://www.voices.org/
18. The Erikson Institute
    http://www.erikson.edu/

Professional Journals

1. YC Young Children
2. Childhood
3. Journal of Child & Family Studies
4. Child Study Journal
5. Multicultural Education
6. Early Childhood Education Journal
7. Journal of Early Childhood Research
8. International Journal of Early Childhood
9. Early Childhood Research Quarterly
10. Developmental Psychology
11. Social Studies
12. Maternal & Child Health Journal
13. International Journal of Early Years Education

Additional Resources

1. Child Care Resource Service for Champaign, Vermillion, Macon, Douglas, Iroquois, and Piatt counties http://ccrs.illinois.edu/
2. Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies http://www.inccrra.org/
3. American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx
4. Illinois After School Network http://www.ianetwork.org/
5. National Education Association http://www.nea.org/
6. International Reading Association http://www.reading.org/
7. Champaign County Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children http://www.casa4kids.org/

Week 4: Words of Inspiration

Inspiring Quotes from Janet Gonzalez-Mena

"Routines should be anything but routine except in the sense that they happen over and over. Instead of putting yourself on automatic pilot and getting the job done, you should view these special times every day as opportunities to interact with each child on a one-to-one basis" (Gonzalez-Mena, 2002, p. 11).

"The ideal is for the caregiver to use feeding, napping, and toileting or diapering routines as opportunities to build a close personal relationship with each child while the caregiver attends to the child's individual physical, emotional, and developmental needs" (Gonzalez-Mena, 2002, p. 11).

Inspiring Quotes from Lilian Katz

"You've got to get it right in the first six years."

"Rather than “delivering” education, we are most likely to help children by “providing” experiences known to be beneficial to young children" (Katz, 2010, pp. 3).

"Take other's views seriously — there may be much to learn from them — but not more seriously than you take your own; for that is the essence of self-respect, and I believe that children benefit from being around self-respecting adults" (Katz, 2009, pp. 4).

Inspiring Quotes from Other Early Childhood Professionals

"I see adults finding their voice as a result of doing this work; it's like they reclaim and heal" Louise Derman-Sparks, on anti-bias education (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). 

"It's not all about you; you've got to take your ego out of it and make it about what's best for this child" Renatta M. Cooper (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). 

References

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2002). Infant/toddler caregiving: A guide to routines. San Francisco, CA: California Department of Education.

Katz, L. (2009, May 13). Insights from Lilian Katz [Electronic newsletter article]. ExchangeEveryDay. Retrieved from http://childcareexchange.com/eed/issue/2256/

Katz, L. (2010, May 01). Standards of Excellence. Retrieved from                         http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/2010/standards-of-experience

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). The passion for early childhood [Video webcast]. In Foundations of early childhood studies. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2098772_1%26url%3D

Week 3: Personal Childhood Web

I was extremely lucky as a child in that I had many people who loved and nurtured me. Many were actual relatives while other were teachers or friends' parents who became like second families. As a result, family has always had special meaning to me and has been my priority. This feeling has magnified even more so since having my children and I hope that they grow to have the same connection that I did.

Even as a very young child I understood that my mom would always be there for me. She quickly responded when I cried, let me sleep with her when I had bad dreams, and let me stick my feet under her legs when my feet were cold (and I still do this!). She is one of the most patient and non-judgmental people I have ever met; this served both of us well when I was a fiery pre-teen and teenager. My mom was present for the birth of both of my children and has been a part-time caregiver for them twice a week. After the birth of my first child, she came to my house each day to make sure that I was feeling okay and adjusting. Her nurturing never stopped and has now extended to my children. It is beautiful to watch. She has taught me how to be a mother.

One of my best childhood memories was when my dad would tell stories with my brother and me. He would start out the story and then would prompt us to come up with our own details. We would record the storytelling sessions on our Fisher Price cassette tape recorder and then listen to it over and over again. My dad worked traveled for work and would sometimes be gone for a week or more at a time, so this was one way that he could spend time with us and have it be especially meaningful since we could listen to it while he was away. My dad worked long hours but always made time for me when I wanted to hear a story, which I frequently did! He has been a big proponent of family; he calls me several times a week just to check in and say he loves me even though he also sees me at least once or twice a week. He also calls daily to talk to my children who are 3 and 5; he sees them up to three times per week. It's safe to say that he loves his family! It would be hard for his affection and dedication to not rub off on me. : )

My dad with a terrible mustache & Little me

My brother and I have always been very close and though I was his younger sister, he often need me in a way that I think really shaped me into who I am today. He was often scared and I would be the fearless leader who would hold his hand or go get his stuffed animals for him and pile them around him in bed. I remember being so proud that my big brother had so much faith and trust in my ability to keep him safe. I still take this role (though he is now totally able to fend for himself) and doubt that I will ever move past it; it is so ingrained in who I am and I really owe that to my brother.

 My grandma Merle was another significant person who cared for and nurtured me. She fostered my love for reading and would take me to auctions to buy boxes full of books which I would then quickly devour. She would stay up late and talk with me about whatever I wanted to talk about, even if she was tired. She referred to me as her "Darling Little Baglady" because as a young child I would collect and hoard buttons, thread, fabric, beads, and just about any other craft item, especially if they were left in the "free" boxes at garage sales. I knew with absolute certainty that my grandma loved me and would do anything for me, regardless of my quirks. She passed away around 8 years ago but I think about her frequently. She did not get to meet my children; my daughter shares her middle name and looks similar to her. Her impact on me has been huge. I'm certain it has much to do with my love for reading and my collegiate study of early literacy.

My daughter, the namesake

Week 2: On Mother's Lap

On Mother's Lap is one of my most favorite books to read to my children. It is a wonderful story about a mother always having room for her children, regardless of the situation. It is a great book for quiet moments and snuggling. I particularly like it because it does not directly address potential jealousy of siblings and instead reinforces the idea of there always being a place for that child. I also love the book because it depicts a baby sleeping in a bed versus a crib; as a co-sleeping family, it is nice to see a representation of our family in literature.

Week 2: Art!

I have spent almost twelve years of my life teaching and supervising art programs for children. During that time, my love for art and for children's art has only multiplied. I have many pieces of children's artwork that are meaningful to me, and as a result, I have the most colorful office in my building, by far! My own children contribute to this collection, as well. Today, my five-year-old son created the mixed-media piece below while at a School's Out program. While his subject matter is the same as usual (Angry Birds) I was surprised to see that he went beyond his normal use of just pencil. Instead, he first drew the characters in pencil, then cut synthetic flower petals from a stem and glued the petals over the pencil outlines. In addition, he used inventive spelling on the picture to say "Julian tow Madlin" (meaning, "From Julian, To Madeline"). Not only was he exploring art, he was also exploring literacy and being pro-social by making something for his younger sister. That's pretty special to me!  : )

Angry Bird on the left, Angry Bird pig on the right

Week 2: Authentic Experiences Are So Important!

One of the things that I love most about working with children is watching the amazing things that they can create and accomplish when given the opportunity to work with their hands.

This past summer, inspired by my son's daycare classroom where the children built picture frames with real wood, saws, clamps, hammers, and nails, I decided to create and implement a one-week camp dedicated to construction. Construction Camp was open to campers between the ages of 5-13 and featured various small-scale building materials including Lego's, Magna-Tiles, PVC pipes, bricks, wood, plaster of paris, wire, and toothpicks. In addition, the campers spent up to two hours each day building a full-scale play structure; this was the highlight of the camp! The campers helped to determine the design, draw the blue print, measure and cut the wood, drill the holes, hammer the nails, and place the screws. In the span of a week, 36 campers built the play structure below. They, along with their parents, were proud beyond words.

My son and the construction supervisor drill guide holes- note the appropriate safety gloves and goggles!

Testing out the second floor. The campers later personalized the structure with paint and decorations.

Week 2: Then and Now(ish)

I was around three years old here; my brother was four. We loved my grandma's house because she had all kinds of boxes for storing things- bread, potatoes, buttons, needles- we spent every visit opening investigating the boxes!

Week One: Welcome!

Welcome to my Foundations blog!