Seeing Diversity...Creating Art

During this class I have had the chance to really evaluate my biases and gain a deeper meaning as to why I feel or felt the way I did. I've examined the way my biases and discomforts have had an affect on me and the way I teach and model these discomforts to my children. Over the course of these few weeks of class I realized that my bias was toward immigrants from other countries. I realized my bias was made based on what most of the media fed us about others. As a result my art work below reflects my bias and how I've come to learn about immigrants, their struggle and what they endure. Although I will never truly know how it feels, or what immigrants have to go through I have realized that my shameful bias was one I am truly sorry for but very thankful to have been able to stop, educate myself and move forward in a more positive direction.

Start Seeing Diversity: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

This week our assignment is to write about a time when you witnessed an adult (or yourself) reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different (e.g., “That lady talks funny,” “That man only has one leg!” “Why is that man so pretty!”). Include what the child said and what the adult did or said in response.

What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult’s response

An example of how an anti-bias educator might have responded to support the child’s (or classroom’s) understanding

Once while on a vacation in Las Vegas as my husband and I walked down the main street "the strip" we saw many people performing and such. We saw a man in a wheelchair who was disabled with a sign that sat on his lap next to a bucket - which asked for money to eat. He had one hand that was able to control the wheelchair while the other hand was paralyzed. He didn't say anything but made eye contact with everyone he passed. As we passed a little girl stood staring at him while her parents looked inside the window of a store. The little girl yelled out, "Ahhh...scary monster man on wheels! - ahhhh....mommy what's wrong with him?" The mom quickly rushed over when she heard her child yelling and said "oh he's a drunk or on drugs sweetie, stop looking at him." As the disabled man passed, the back of his wheelchair had a sticker that read "War Vet".

It's unfortunate that children deal with these situations and experiences daily and are provided the wrong guidance. This child may now grow thinking that most disabled people in wheelchairs are on drugs or drunk.

An anti-bias educator may have said to the little girl that some people are disabled for various reasons and each with difference circumstances. This does not mean this man doesn't have feelings and doesn't want to be treated equally and respectfully like everyone else. Its not nice to yell and call anyone names and in this case the rule remains - be respectful.

EDUC-6357-6 Diversity, Development, and Learning

This is our first blog for the new Walden Univ. masters ECE course. This course, EDUC-6357-6 Diversity, Development, and Learning has been a great eye opener for me thus far. Over the past few weeks I've really had to dig deep and learn to understand myself, who I am, how I feel and what I represent. This weeks assignment continues that pattern and ask some important questions in regards to gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. We were asked the following questions.

• If you have ever used or heard homophobic terms such as "fag," “gay,” “homo,” "sissy," "tom boy," or “lesbo” as an insult by a child toward another child? Or, by an adult toward a child? Describe what occurred. How might these types of comments influence all children? (Note: if you have not had a personal experience ask a family member, friend, or colleague)

Unfortunately I have heard another child address another child as being a “fag”. I serve on the PTA board at my child’s elementary school and one day while walking the halls a young boy in 2^nd grade told his peer he was a “fag” because he wouldn’t share his snack. The recipient of the word looked puzzled unsure of what had been said and what it meant. The name caller explained, “it means you like boys!” The recipient still looking a bit puzzled yelled, “no I don’t! You do! Get away from me.” When I reflect on this situation it makes me wonder how this word was introduced to the first child and how the recipient will be affected. The recipient of the word had never heard the word and now he has learned a new word with a bad experience to go along with it.

• Any other related situations, thoughts, concerns, questions, and/or areas of discomfort you would like to share related to children, gender, and sexual orientation

I have a sibling who is gay. Our family has not embraced him and unfortunately many of them will not talk to him. Last year at a family event one of our uncles yelled across the room to a younger cousin “stay away from him (my sibling), he’s a fag and I don’t want you to catch it! Ha ha.” I couldn’t believe what I had just heard, and from someone who was in my family nonetheless. I feel that its people like this who are uneducated about the topic or just mean are the ones we have to worry about. They are the ones we need to teach students to be careful around. My cousin who was standing next to my sibling stood still as she had no idea what the word meant. She later asked her mom if my sibling was sick because she didn’t want to catch what he had. It’s so hard to hear how children have to learn about these degrading words and in this case by someone you love.

The End...for now

As we are in our final week of Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field I would like to take a minute and just thank all my peers who are on this journey with me. This has been one of the most enlightening courses in my program thus far. I wish you all nothing but the best as we continue on this journey to completing our degree.

Team Building and Collaboration

This week we are talking all about team building. This is so appropriate to where I am in my life right now and serves as great advisement on what I need and should be doing with the various groups I am working with.

The group I always think about is my child care center staff I served as director to. It took me well over a year to build up a staff of 26 women. We went through many trials and in the end that only made us stronger. When reflecting on all the stages of team development the adjourning is always the hardest for me. I reflect on what has happened, what obstacles were overcome and the fun times that were had. This situation was extremely hard to leave. In another group where I served as team mom for my daughters soccer team and the other parents on the team were required to assist me and failed, I was extremely happy to be done and adjournment was not an issue but more of a relief. In the case with my child care center position we had a huge party where we all cried about me leaving and talked about the good times. In the case with the soccer team parents were so uninvolved that many didn't shop up to the party at McDonald's that I planned for the players.

I think I've made many connections in my program here at Walden University but I'm not sure those connections are strong enough that I would be extremely emotional over adjourning. I imagine its because I transferred in and didn't start with majority of the students I attend class with.

I agree adjourning is important for any team relationship. It provides a sense of closure which is important in any relationship.

Nonviolent Communication

This week we needed to think about any disagreements, or conflicts, you have recently experienced or are currently experiencing at work with a supervisor or colleague, or someone in your personal life. Share at least two strategies you have learned about that might help you manage or resolve the conflict more productively, and why these strategies might be effective.

For example, could you suggest a compromise? Could you look for a broader range of solutions to your disagreement? Could you use some of the principles of nonviolent communication or the 3 R's to better help you resolve this conflict.

As a PTA board member for my daughters school I am always approached by teachers and parents who offer suggestions or their opinions. I was approached recently by a teacher who demanded that her class be in charge of the concession stand for the fall festival happening in the coming weeks. At the time of the disagreement I went back and forth with her on why it wouldn't be fair for her class to take the entire stand over and other issues which she was aware of. Thinking back on what happen and what we've been studying regarding non-violent communication I can think of many ways I could have resolved the issue before it began.

My Strategies

1. I could have listened more rather than trying to determine an immediate resolution and arguing back and forth about the problem. Perhaps if I would have actually stepped back and tried to internalize the problem and frustration the teacher was feeling I would have had a better end result.

2. I could have provided a compromise rather than just saying no. I could have asked the teacher to list out her plans and explain that I would meet with the board regarding the matter. I think pulling from the 3 r's of respect, reciprocate and resolve I could have done better at reciprocating the information the teacher was trying to give in addition to being better at resolving the issue.

Who Am I As A Communicator?

For the blog this week, we were asked to think about the similarities and differences between how we evaluated ourselves as a communicator and how others evaluated us.

My evaluation of myself reflects exactly how I see myself. My listening style is reflective of being a people-oriented person who listens and cares. My verbal aggressiveness score reflected that of being a good balance between both viewpoints and my communication score was also listed in the moderate area. I see myself pretty neutral all the time. I am the one who stays in the midpoint during discussions and arguments. I have always thought of myself as more of a peacemaker. However, these quizzes show and reflect exactly who I am.

For this assignment, my husband and my assistant of 3 years evaluated me. Both my husband and assistant evaluated my listening style as people-oriented. They weren’t surprised from that score and neither was I. My assistant scored my communication anxiety also as moderate as I did myself, however I was surprised to see that my husbands answers placed me in the elevated area. I usually don’t find myself unsure in many communication situations so I’m unsure as to why this score was reflected. The verbal aggressiveness score was in the moderate box from all of us. I was happy to see that I am reflected as having a good balance between respect and consideration.

Through this weeks assignment I gained great insight and perception. I’ve learned a lot about how I perceive others and how my assumptions about others affect many of the relationships I have with others. I have realized that I do a lot of assuming prior to actually knowing a person – it may not be a stereotype but it is still an assumption, which isn’t something I should do. I’ve also learned how others reflect me. Although my husband and I live together his score of me didn’t reflect my exact score, however my assistant who has been working with me for 3 years could verbal give examples of each score and how it pertains to me.

Cultural Diversity and Communication

This week we have discussed communication and diversity. Included in this is how we as early childhood professionals communicate with others. This week we are to reflect on the ways we communicate with others.

As I reflected on my communication and reading of course materials I realized that I do communicate differently with people from different groups. I don't communicate with my mom the same way I do with my daughter. I also don't communicate with my preschool parents as I do my husband. With people who are closer to me such as my daughters and husband my communication is more relaxed whereas communication with my peers is more professional.

Three strategies that I believe I could use to help me communicate more effectively are:

1. I need to make sure I am more open-minded and open to others opinions

2. I need to make sure to treat others how I want to be treated. This includes when communicating think about how I am making others feel.

3. I need to work on not making assumptions or stereotypes

Communication Skills: Language, Nonverbal, Listening

This week we have discussed communication skills and its various styles. For this assignment we were told to record an episode of a television show you do not normally watch. Watch the show with the sound turned off and then on.

I chose the show Seinfeld. I've heard how funny it was and decided to watch an episode. I first watched with the sound off.

Based upon how the characters are communicating it seems they're gestures are portrayed it looks like they are all trying to get things out of each other. It seems they are trying to get each other to do things the other does not want to do. No one is laughing or smiling much so I'm not sure what type of comedy this is.

Much of the show it seems they are expressing confusion toward one another. It seems during conversation one persons face always shows signs of confusion while the other of explanation. The characters use great communication skills to emphasis their points. There are lots of hand gestures, head movements and various facial expressions.

Here is what I determined after watching with the show with the sound on...

I assumed that the plot was based on money or at least something more serious than the actual problem. In this episode the main female character was arguing with her boyfriend over his name, and the main character Seinfeld wanted his girlfriend to provide him with a massage. Now that the sound is on I can see the comedy in the show however you rarely see any of the characters laugh or smile.

I believe if I had been watching a show I was more familiar with I would have been able to guess just about everything that happened because I would be more familiar with the characters and how they communicate. I would have been able to watch their gestures, hand movements and facial expressions.

Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field - Competent Communication

This new class is all about communication and I am super excited about what I'll be learning. Our first post assignment is about competent communication. We have to think of someone (e.g., family member, celebrity, politician, friend, or professor) who demonstrates competent communication within a particular context. What behaviors does this person exhibit that make him or her effective? Would you want to model some of your own communication behaviors after this person? Why or why not?

I have a friend who is a teacher and teaches preschoolers ages 2- 4. She is great at her job! I think a lot of that stems from the way she communicates with her small group. She is always sure to get down on their level, look them in their eyes and use a welcoming positive tone. When telling a story she is very animated for the children and when explaining directions she makes sure to calm her voice so they can understand and get the cue of how important it is to listen. When she speaks with adults she can turn off the preschool teacher switch and turn on the regular speaking adult switch just like that! I love the way it seems that her students are so responsive to her voice and pay such close attention to her cues and tone. I am also a preschool teacher and have used many of her techniques to communicate with my class with great success. These techniques seem to help the day progress more smoothly with the students.

My Professional Hopes and Goals

As the end of the course draws near I have reflected on my educational experience in learning about diversity.

One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that I can make each family as comfortable as possible by integrating their culture into ours. Whether it be asking the parents to come in to volunteer time, or including their cultural dishes in a family potluck. In addition I would love to incorporate a cultural day at our school where all families come out and we celebrate together the diversity.

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field as it relates to diversity, equity and social justice is to add a requirement to those educators teaching in the classroom or who come into contact with children to undergo a yearly training about diversity. I think this class has been such an eye opening experience for me and in turn beneficial to my students. I believe educators would benefit highly from taking a training that would provide them with tools on how to deal with diverse families and how to teach children about diversity.

As we all move on to our specializations I thank you all for the great discussions we have shared, the suggestions and feedback you provided and dialogue on diversity we have shared. I wish you all nothing but the best! Good Luck!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

If I were advised to assist a family from a country I knew nothing about I would be nervous but would definitely try to prepare myself.

The country I chose was Brazil. The five ways I would assist this family in transitioning to the U.S. includes:

1. I would do research on the country and the school system in Brazil and what their curriculum and schedule consists of.

2. I would try to be sure to have questions prepared to ask them about their child. I would have the questions prepared in their language (majority speak Portuguese) with a translator with me for reference.

3. I would incorporate their culture into our curriculum – highlighting holidays their country celebrates, music they listen to and books that are favorites of preschool children in Brazil.

4. I would look for toys to purchase online that are similar to those that are played with in a preschool class in Brazil.

5. I would request that the family get involved by perhaps volunteering time to get to know the staff and myself more.

I would really want the family and child to feel comfortable with me. I can only imagine how hard it would be to come to a new country and leave your child with someone who isn’t from your country and you aren’t very familiar with. I think it would be beneficial to all the students in the class and myself to learn about another country. An opportunity like this is rare. I think these preparations would benefit all of us.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

As a junior in high school I spent a lot of time volunteering with children. I participated in Read for America and at my local Head Start program. I loved children so much it came as no surprise to my parents when I told them I wanted to be a teacher. My mom directed me to my school counselor to begin taking classes and participating in extra curricular activities which would provide a better experience for my new found passion. I remember my appointment with my school counselor like it was yesterday. I was really excited to go in and tell her the news. I told her I was interested in pursuing a career in education and in particular elementary education. My counselor began to explain to me and show me various charts highlighting salaries based upon majors in college. Of course education was pretty low on the list but not too bad. She then went on to ask my family history. We talked about how my mom and dad had not attended college but both earned a pretty good living in their own way. My counselor went on to tell me the likelihood of me making it to college was slim to none and if I made it in I wouldn’t graduate as no one in my family had ever done it so what made me so different. I felt horrible upon leaving my counselors office. Through our hour-long session she had pretty much killed my dreams of becoming a teacher and insisted I attend a local vocational school to become a nursing assistant…and that way I could still see children.

As a result, I began college as a pre-med psych major. Although I made it into college I did fail my first psych and pre-med science courses. I soon realized I needed to keep with the path I wanted and felt I was destined for. I went on to register as a Child Development major and graduated with a double degree in Child Development and Social Work with a minor in Pan African Studies.

When I think back on this incident it almost bring tears to my eyes as it really took something out of me. It made me look at education and college differently. I viewed college as such a hard task to accomplish and many times I wanted to give up. I felt so accomplished after completing school.

In order to change situations like this I believe it starts with the training of our school counselors and teachers. I’m not sure what was included with teacher in service days back in the 90’s while I was in school but I recall many similar situations of teachers making comments that were inappropriate or bias. I think if teachers and counselors were given proper training on how to answer these types of questions or concerns from students without showing a bias or insinuating certain things situations like this would not be as common.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

At the beginning of this week you were asked to observe your own and other people’s verbal interactions and detect examples of microaggression. In this Blog Assignment, you will share what you experienced and what you learned from your observations.

• Describe at least one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from another time. In what context did the microaggression happen? What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggression?

Late last week while speaking with a group of women, 2 African American and 3 Caucasian. We discussed education and children in south Atlanta. One of the caucasian women said to one of the African American women when discussing African American families and their involvement in their child's education "well, you know how your people like to do...they only come to the school or do something if the police gets involved."

In my opinion this implied that parents of African American students don't get involved in their child's education. I had to speak up and let this women know how involved my husband and I are in addition to many of our friends...in our children's education. In addition, we not only care about our own children but others in the community. I was appalled at what she said so comfortably within our small circle. It put both myself and the other African American women in a very awkward position.

• In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people

My experience this past week made it very known to me that discrimination, stereotypes and prejudice still exist in 2011. Although we have overcome so much as a nation we have so far to go. It makes me even more motivated to teach my children about the correct way to treat others and to not pass judgement.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

This weeks assignment called for us to branch out and see what others think about culture and diversity. This assignment was particularly interesting as its always great to hear others perspective on things.

For this assignment:

• Call, write to, or talk to at least three friends, family members, acquaintances, and/or colleagues. Include at least one person who you believe is in some ways culturally different from you (a different gender, race, class, religion, abilities, age, etc.). 


• Ask each person to share:

◦ Their definition of culture

Friend 1: I define culture as a person’s race and traditions they do with their family. Traditions that only they share and no one else from another race can really understand.

Friend 2: Culture is so many things. I think each person has his or her own culture. Culture is more than ethnicity to me. Culture embodies all the great things that make us individuals.

Family Member 1: Culture is a lot of things I share with my loved ones. My culture includes all the experiences I share with my children, our traditions, our heritage and our ethnicity. Culture is our family and all we represent summarized into one word.

◦ Their definition of diversity


Friend 1: Diversity is different cultures.

Friend 2: Diversity is very similar to culture…they go hand and hand. Diversity represents the various differences in each of us. The traits and characteristics that make us different.

Family Member 1: Diversity is various ethnicities and the differences that they have.

After reviewing the notes, I received some similar answers on this topic. Majority of which are quite relative to what I’ve been studying. I think everyone is on the right track but needs to elaborate a bit more. Based upon what we learned I think detailed characteristics of diversity and culture has been omitted from people’s definition of the words. I also think people are a bit afraid to elaborate on the subject for fear of hurting feelings or being viewed as insensitive. I think others need to think of culture and diversity in a less broad term.

My Family Culture

In my new ECE masters course we are studying and learning about culture. This weeks assignment took a lot of critical thinking on my part which I didn't expect. I really enjoyed the exercise and have sense shared it with other family members to get their input.

Imagine the following:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.

• A description of the three items you would choose

The three items I would definitely chose are my grandmother’s bible which houses family history and information inserted in her handwriting throughout the bible. I would also chose the family photo album which has the most current pictures of our family dating back 4 generations. Last I would choose my grandmothers recipe book. This has all her recipes some in her handwriting, and others my cousin and I have typed out.

• How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you

I would explain the significance all these pieces play in not only my culture but my families history and traditions. The bible is something that is extremely sacred to my grandmother and something she shares with all her grandchildren. Its been in our family for many years. The photo album is also a very important part of our family as it has pictures of majority of the members of our families and some include a brief paragraph of their personal history. Last, the recipe book is also important as this will help past down traditions and valuable family history, which for us includes food.

• Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you

I would be totally devastated to give up 2 of the important personal items but I would chose the bible. I definitely feel faith, and the word of God can get you through anything. My grandmother has taught me so much about my history I would just hope that I could serve as the vessel to pass the information on.

• Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise

This exercise really made me stop and think about things that are important to me. I’ve always had faith in God but the thought of being faced with an adversity I thought of the first thing my grandmother and grandfather have always told me…turn to God when in need. This assignment has also made me realize how important it is to me to preserve my families history and overall culture. Its something I really want my children and generations to come to know and understand.

Final Posting

As this is our last blog assignment, I have to say I really enjoyed this class and blogging weekly about such important issues. This week our assignment was to do reflection on what we've been learning.

• Post at least three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your professional and personal development (any format, any length)

1. Politics play a key role in early child hood education all over the world. It is a key factor in what happens in the industry, from the programs that are funded, to the resources given. We need to be sure to cast our votes for people who care about what we do.

2. Other countries seem to value early child hood education more than the United States. They look for ways to fund programs and support educators.

3. Exploring websites that pertain to various topics in our field but in other countries was eye opening. I realize that we all deal with many of the same issues just on various scales. Many countries more than others.

• Post one goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations

My goal is to stay current in my industry with things happening all over the world that involve early childhood education. I hope to keep my list of resources and add to it. I will continue adding to my listing and subscribe to the various newsletters and review podcast. I was a bit sadden by not being able to make an international contact but the alternative assignment helped me keep up with what was going on around the world.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

This week apart of our assignment was to review the website United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (http://www.unesco.org).

Upon reviewing this site I found three things from the site that were insightful. The first, the World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education. This conference discussed funding, political commitments and services offered. This inspires me to know that there are others out there looking to make a difference in our industry. It seems a bit mind blowing that the lack of funding is even a major topic at the national conference as it hails as a problem for all countries. I can only hope those in the position to make the change actually does it and begins funding ECE.

I also noticed the importance of the programs embracing the holistic development idea of taking care of the whole child. Quality was discussed as being able to aid in development through the transition into school. In addition, providing quality care to disadvantaged families was also listed as important.

It seems that funding and lack of resources is a problem for ece professionals all around the world as investing was also a topic on the list. Through the information posted, urging the government to invest more and be particular about where investments were placed was discussed. I think its very important that government in every country distribute funding and resources appropriately so that no matter where a child lives or how much money their parents do not make, they all should have access to quality child care and schooling.

Sharing Web Resources

I have continued reviewing the site www.zertothree.org

They send great e-newsletters periodically through my email. All newsletters and correspondences are different which keeps me engaged and wanting to read each post.

This week they sent a e-newsletter about brain development and autism. Knowing that it was recently Autism day I had been meaning to read more on current science development. This journal article discussed brain overgrowth in people with autism. The article said, individuals with autism have reduced synchronization between key brain regions for different cognitive tasks. It went on to describe that the more information and research performed on the topic of autism an lead to the design of interventions that accommodate the way the brains of children with autism function and can allow for more flexible thinking and learning in the field.

This made me think about the topic we've been discussing in class this week...equity and excellence in ece and education. I wonder if we were able to provide more funding toward research in autism and education for teachers to aid students with autism how would this change the way ece professionals view students with autism? In the past, personally I have been terrified with working with children with autism because I know I don't have the proper training to assist in development with children with autism. I think if we give more information...even just research based articles or fact based information pertaining to the topic, it would be helpful to ece professionals like myself. I feel there is not enough information or training available to ece professionals in my capacity about the topic. I work with children 2 - 5 years in my preschool, which is in my home. Although we are required to have a certain amount of hours of state training per year, there is no outline on the topics to be trained in. I think perhaps if this was added as a requirement for providers like myself we would be more knowledgeable and be able to provide a greater quality of care to children with special needs or those identified with autism and such.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

I have again reached out to various international contacts regarding this class and have been unsuccessful with anyone returning emails. As a result I have done the alternative assignment.

Upon viewing Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website I found a few things that stood out to me regarding ECE around the globe.

The hold a Global Research conference where early childhood development is discussed with various ECE professionals from around the world.

I though the conference was a great way to kick off and rally behind what needs to be done. The first thing that stood out to me was definitely the fact that so many ECE professional from around the globe are active in this research based initiative. This global unity can be beneficial in all aspects of ece around the world. I can appreciate that there are so many people in our field making sure to find scientific information to back many of the things we are doing in our classrooms.

I also loved that ECE professionals from various countries are coming together to speak about what works and what doesn't. I think a conference like this is so vital to our industry. We need to continue to make education equal for all students and this is definitely a way to go about doing it.

While reading through information about the conference, I read about tensions flaring based upon people trying to impose their westernized culture onto the various other cultures present and their perspectives, ideals etc. It makes you wonder how can we get on the same page about education equality if we all do live lives so different yet very similar.

However, I feel the conference definitely serves a significant purpose whether cultural ideals are added or not. The goal is to provide researched based information to support the goal of quality equal education for all. This would help policy makers decide where to place funding along with providing economist a reason to push those with the funds toward education.

Continuing to Share Web Resource Information

I have been very impressed by the Zero to Three website. The deeper I get into the site, the more information that pertains to my daily functions as a preschool teacher pop out to me.

This week our assignment is to answer the questions below in relation to our resource site, in my case Zero to Three website.

What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?

On the Zero to Three site there is an interactive tool designed to help parents and caregiver’s support the growth of small children by illustrating four skill sets. The tool provides information on how children grow and develop in language, literacy, thinking and self-confidence. This has been beneficial to me as a provider and a great tool for parents to refer to also. I have listed it in our school's April newsletter for parents to access.

Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways?

In an e-newsletter Zero to Three sent out a week back they listed an article about parents temperament in relation to how it makes our children react to different circumstances. This article really made me think! I have so many preschool parents who have a hard time with their 2 year old children going through developmental phases of temper tantrums, in some cases yelling etc. This article was a great piece written on how a parent can adjust their own temperament to aid in those situations.

What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field?

The Zero to Three site has a whole section on policy and ECE. This section is devoted to various policy changes in the community, state, and federal brackets. This section speaks specifically to the changes that politicians are proposing that would assist or hurt our children. There are also policy guides here to help us better understand what proposals are being made. Zero to Three gave me a greater understanding of the important part a politician plays in ECE. As a student I don’t recall thinking much about how a politician could affect ECE. Now as an adult with children of my own and others that I care for, I think a great deal about the affect politicians have on me and my students – both direct and indirectly.

What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website or e-newsletter?

Also through the Zero to Three site I have gained a greater understanding of maltreatment and abuse in children. From the information we studied last week on poverty, to the various articles about abuse and neglect, this portion of the site has definitely given me a different perspective on what some children go through. The saying is very true; we have to be a voice for those that can’t speak. In this case, those children who are mistreated and abused.

Getting to Know Our International Contacts

I am really sad to say I have not received one contact back from any of the ECE professionals I have tried to contact. As a result I am required to do the alternative option on this assignment.

Apart of this assignment is to write about a country listed from the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre's (CHIP) page and a few ideas or insights learned from the review. After reviewing the site I chose to review information for Mongolia. Not knowing much about the country as is, I figured it doesn't hurt to expand knowledge on a topic I am passionate about with a country I know nothing about.

I learned that in 1990 Mongolia went through a major change in government. They went from a one-part state to a multi-party democratic state. Through the changes like with most governments the people suffered. The economy dropped, causing unemployment and inflation in prices. Although things have slowly gotten better they aren't where they need to be.

In 1998, it was reported that 36% of the population was living below the poverty line. And it seems to have gotten worse. There seems to be a huge gap between the poor and rich. As one example is given, the social services in the country use to provide for all. As it stands many poor people in the country are unable to get health care. There are now fees associated as well as restrictions whereas before none of that applied to anyone. Those who can get to clinics also notice a great deal in difference between the care they receive and those who are rich.

It seems that overall the conditions are getting better, but there is so much work to be done. Below I have listed a few key points from the site about the country that I learned.

1. I was surprised to read through all this the birth rate has dropped and more children are surviving these hard times. That seems total opposite to what normally happens in most countries. In addition, less children are getting sick and catching diseases. This is great news. However, malnutrition is now a high concern. Many children are under weight and don't have safe drinking water.

2. Mongolia is a country of migration and it seems many families are choosing to move from rural to urban areas to provide better services and living conditions for their families. However it seems that many children are suffering from the migration. Many children's education has suffered. We know that with lack of education comes so many other negative factors. CHIP is currently conducting a study on the effects of migration on Mongolian children.

3. I was happy to learn that there are policies in action to assist the Mongolian families and the issue of poverty. There are other organizations involved to help their government. I was really happy to go on to read about how involved CHIP has been in researching and providing information about poverty in Mongolia. This will surely aid in illustrating how bad the problem is and perhaps how to effectively to help the people who live there. I think it will be important to be sensitive to their culture, their current government and current state.

Zero to Three

This week in our Issues and Trends in ECE class we are learning more about the organization we chose during the first week of class and sharing more information about it.

I chose to learn more about the ECE site:

www.zerotothree.org

This organization is a non-profit national organization that focuses on providing information to professionals, parents, supporters and policymakers in the interest of young children. Their main focus seems to be health and development in the early years.

I signed up for the newsletter a week ago but haven't received more than a confirmation as of yet.

While browsing the site I stumbled upon a lot of interesting information. What stands out to me about this organization is all the effort put into try to show and convince policymakers how important it is to invest in infant-toddler programs and services. There was also an initiative that caught my attention. This fairly new initiative talks about implementing early learning guidelines that will aid those working with this age on what they are capable of learning and doing. The guidelines would be distributed to each state and its up to that state to decide how to distribute it across the board.

The site is truly informative for anyone who works with or comes in constant contact with a child age birth to 3. I plan to use many of the resources on the site in collaboration with my own preschool.

Expanding my Resources

I decided to check more into the Zero to Three website (www.zerotothree.org) as Part 2 of my first blog assignment. The Zero to Three site offers great information for developmental milestones, current issues involving the age and policy's affecting young children. This site has been a great help for me as I have a 2 year old daughter. I look forward to visiting it more often as it pertains to my preschool age children.

Trying to Make the Connection

Well I have emailed 7 ECE Professionals and haven't received one response. I will look at searching via Facebook as one of my classmates suggested. I'll post if I get something.

Making a Connection

As apart of my first blog assignment in Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Education Field I am required to make a connection with a ECE professional outside of the country...how exciting! I would have never thought to do this! I have sent emails to about 5 ECE professionals in Africa and Asia...wish me luck! I hope to hear back soon.

Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Education Field

I am excited to begin another class with Walden. I was able to transfer in a few units therefore I have only taken 1 class thus far with a lot more to go. The postings following this one will revolve around my current course - Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Education Field.