“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” Plato

“Play is the only way the highest intelligence of humankind can unfold.” Joseph Chilton Pearce

    "Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."
   - Maria Montessori

"If you're going to equalize the academic playing field, you've got to get the kids in early childhood programs."
- Paul Vallas quotes

I chose these particular quotes because they speak to the importance of play in a child's life. A child develops physically, cognitively, and psychosocially while at play. Throughout this course  I was constantly reminded of the health benefits of allowing children to play, but one other important benefit is that it encourages creativity, and is therefore beneficial to a child's cognitive development. Play is the most natural, uninhibited way of children to express themselves, and it is through play that they not only develop a sense of identity, but they learn through exploration, and also develop social skills through group play.

Testing for Intelligence?

Different children learn and develop in varying degrees throughout the first eight years of their life. It therefore paints an inaccurate picture of a young child’s competencies when standardized tests are administered in school. Research conducted by Alliance for Childhood states that “standardized tests do not accurately measure young children’s knowledge and are not reliable indicators of future school success.” A young child’s performance is reliant upon the emotional and physical needs of the child during testing.  A child being hungry, for example, will take precedence over him or her focusing on successfully completing the assessment. The skill level, therefore, is not accurately measured. Cases could also arise where the standardized assessment is so basic that it does not show what level some more advanced kids are in their cognitive development. On the other hand if the child does not do as well on the assessment, he may be subject to biased treatment from teachers.

The best way to observe and assess children is in natural environments. During this time, each child can be assessed n an individual basis. One of the most natural settings for a child is when he or she is at play. During play, teachers can observe social interactions, motor development, speech and auditory problems, and any other behavior which may appear unusual. They can get an accurate, untainted view into a child’s biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial development and make their assessments then.

If teaching methods become a bit less structured, students can develop a personal understanding of educational material and have a better grasp on the information being taught to them. England has shared a system of standardized testing, similar to that of the United States since the 1980’s, but now, recommendations have been made to discontinue this method of evaluation. The Welsh system, which was formerly known for rigid testing has already implemented a new method. Welsh teachers have partnered with the government to create their own local tests. Instead of being limited to a teaching curriculum designed to simply learn what is necessary for testing purposes, educators “employ out-of-school experiences, in-depth research, and presentations, emphasizing applied learning” (FairTest).  This form of learning and testing has greatly benefitted the students. The results are summed up in the words of head teacher,  in Wales, Brian Lightman, "Our students now are so much more independent and capable of organizing and analyzing what they're doing, and they're able to improve as a result of that. They are very different in the way they go about their learning."

 http://www.education.com/magazine/article/testing-kindergarten-realities-dangers/

http://www.fairtest.org/wales-drops-most-standardized-testing

Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development

“Every 6 seconds a child dies from hunger-related causes,” That’s all I needed to hear to jump into action.  

In March of 2011, I had the opportunity to the volunteer for a food packing event. We packaged dried foods to feed the hungry kids in Haiti. By myself I cannot solve world hunger, but I was able to contribute my time to combat this problem and it was very fulfilling.

The organization responsible for this event was Kids Against Hunger. Kids Against Hunger is a non-profit organization dedicated to solicit donations to target child hunger in the USA and worldwide. These 25 cent meals provided all the nourishment that is needed to reverse the starvation epidemic and restore the health and well being of the children.

This  picture shows a child who benefitted from the meals provided through this organization. Prior to receiving these nutritious meals, he was limp, weak, and unable to walk; severely undernourished. In the “after” picture, he is clearly strong enough to stand, and much more alert & aware.

This is just one example of a typical case in Haiti. Life expectancy is short since malnutrition is rampant, and with that, sickness and disease permeates the nation. This young boy fully recovered and continues to flourish today. He now has hope for a brighter future, or simply put, a future.

... but what does life look like for a child in Haiti who is not as fortunate as this one?

Haiti is a poverty-stricken country and so many children are forced to become house slaves from as young as 4 years old to as long as their 18^th birthday. Most of these children are girls. Children withstand verbal, physical and sexual abuse for many years just to be able to afford food, and survive.

Many children are either still born, have deformities or live poorly nourished lives before they are forced to succumb to the same circumstances as their parents and forefathers. Then the cycle continues...

Education, although important, becomes the least of their concern. These kids therefore grow up with no skills and very underdeveloped cognitive abilities due to both poor nutrition and lack of education. This, coupled with the harsh realities of the lives they have to live, diminishes their ability to be functioning and functional social beings. The streets become their home and they more or less wait for fate to take its course.

http://www.kidsagainsthunger.org/our_testimonials.shtml

http://www.thejuliaproject.com/haitian-children.html

To breast-feed or to bottle-feed, that's the question...

In science class we all learned that breast feeding was always the right way to go. Itcontained the right amount of nutrients  for the baby to develop healthily, it was always at the correct temperature, it was free,  and it was on demand; a hungry baby did not have to wait 5 minutes until a bottle f ormula was made.   The advantages of breast feeding are many, but there over the years I have learnt that are also several drawbacks

Benefits of breast feeding

-Fewer digestive upsets
-Less spitting up
-Less diarrhea
-Less constipation
-Less chance of allergies developing
-Fewer skin rashes
-Fewer weight problems
-Smarter baby
-Convenient for mother
-Closer mom and baby bond
-Cheaper
-Travel is lighter (won't need to pack formula, bottles and water in diaper bag)
-Father doesn't have to get up in the middle of the night
-Mothers uterus returns to normal size a lot faster
-Takes calories to breast feed, which means the mom loses weight quicker.

             Arguments against breast feeding

-Biting
-Lack of privacy in public setting
-Mom has to be careful not to injest certaing fods, drinks and medicines
-Not much alone time for mom; she has to constantly be available for feedings
-Mom will not have a  period but could ovulate and get pregnant
-"Let down reflex" ( milk may be available even when the baby isn’t hungry)

Advantages of bottle feeding formula

-other people can feed the baby
-Easy and less embarrassing to do in public
-Mom can eat what she wants

Disadvantages of bottle feeding formula
-More time consuming (heating and making the bottle
-Expensive
-Mom will miss the special closeness of breastfeeding
-Easier for baby to gain weight-sometimes too much.

Although there are sound arguments for and against both breast feeding and bottle feeding, the “breast is best” (Berger). In countries like Africa where HIV is rampant, or in instances where the mother abuses drugs and alcohol, research has shown that breast feeding is still the best route to go. The risk of the baby catching HIV from the mother’s milk is “less than their risk of dying from infections, diarrhea, or malnutrition as a result of occasional bottle-feeding” (Cohen, 2007).

In those rear cases where the mother is unable to breast feed for whatever reason, the parents should partner closely with a pediatrician for advice on what formula  would meet the baby’s needs at each stage of development, and also any additional supplements that may be needed. As a future advocate in the early childhood field, I have plans to provide parents with the education that they need for proper childcare. I will inform them that, prior to enrolling them in a childcare institution, there are certain important practices that will help guarantee their child’s healthy development. One such practice is breast feeding.

Berger, K. (2005). The Developing Person through Childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY:
Worth.

http://www.infobarrel.com/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Breastfeeding_and_Formula

Childbirth

Two of my closest friends, the Sanchez’s gave birth to their first child about 4 years ago this time. We shared a great friendship and I loved then dearly, so needless to say, I stayed very close to them during this stressful time to lend a hand wherever I could. Around her 39^th week, Stephanie would walk (waddle) around the block daily, while taking periodic stops to catch her breath. She never complained about pain, but gross discomfort. Around 5pm on her due date, Stephanie started having contractions and although they had prepared for this moment, in a quick frenzy, they grabbed everything and rushed off to the hospital.

At the hospital  It was saddening to see Stephanie tossing and turning  in her bed all while listening to painful screams from the expectant mothers in the surrounding rooms. I left at 1pm that night and returned with flowers bright and early the next morning. I was excited to see baby Heather. I practically ran to the hospital room. Luckily I was not seen by any nurses or worse, by security… I burst through the doors with a big smile of expectancy, only to see and hear things just the way I left them. Four long hours later Stephanie was only 4 centimeters dilated. After about an hour there still wasn’t much progress but the doctor observed that the baby was in distress. A sonogram revealed that the umbilical cord was wrapped around Heather’s neck. Within 5 minutes she was off to emergency c-section and Heather breathed her first breath that afternoon at 3pm. What a relief for everyone. Stephanie was still in tears, but this time, the were tears of joy.

I never shared this with Stephanie, but I always asked myself, “What would have happened if we lived in a country or a culture where home births were the norm? No one would know the baby was in distress. We would just continue to wait for full dilation and during this time Heather would have most likely died. Instead Heather is a healthy 4 year old, running around driving her parents crazy; but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

Comparing Birth Practices

            I recently read In “Protecting Your Wife in Childbirth,” where David Crank discusses how in 1973,  the us had infant mortality rate of 18.5%, with Sweden, Finland, Japan and the Netherlands averaging 11.5% and less. Countries with lower rates he states, experience this because mothers are under the care of professionally trained midwives who advise the on birthing practices. In midwifery, no medicines are used, since they could potentially harm the baby. and doctors are involved only when complications are expected.

This same article also lists some of the many differences between US birthing practices and their cultures.

1)  Anesthesia can affect the  respiratory system and may sometimes cause brain damage in the child.

    2) Using medicines to induce labor  can  increase the chances of premature births. Too much of this medicine  can also  increase risks of separation of the placenta, scarring of the cervix and birth canal, postpartum hemorrhage and uterine rupture.


   3) If Stephanie had been encouraged to constantly walk around until the very last moment, she may have had the chance to deliver naturally and at the same time be distracted from all her discomfort..

  4) Stephanie did not eat for a day and a half and obviously wasn’t as strong as usual. In other developed countries most women are allowed to eat and drink lightly during labor, helping to maintain their strength and comfort.

 5).Gravity aides the birthing process tremendously. Trying to  give birth while laying flat on her back worked against Stephanie for several reasons. Her blood pressure elevated and her contractions were weak.
http://www.unlessthelordmagazine.com/articles/protecting_your_wife_in_childbir.htm

Code of Ethics

Professionals in all organizations are held accountable to certain practices and guidelines that are expected of all who work in the field. These guidelines are widely referred to code of ethics, and explain the expected ethical and moral responses and actions of all employees. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), has a list of expectations that are specific to all early childhood educators. Three that are particularly meaningful to me are:

Ethical Responsibilities to children

I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training

 Ms Sparks and Ms. Cooper reminded me in this weeks video that information is constantly change  and with that comes the way things are done. New and innovative ways of doing things are always being introduced and we owe it to our students to i,,part the best and most current knowledge that is available.

P-1.11—When we become aware of a practice or situation that endangers the health, safety, or

well-being of children, we have an ethical responsibility to protect children or

 inform parents and/or others who can.

 

In week 5, I read an article called, “Where do we stand on Child abuse.” It was quite disturbing to know how many children are abused each year and that that number continues to be on the rise. As a prospective educator, I realize that I have the responsibility to see to a child’s health and safety and overall well being. Until the number of child abuse cases starts to decline then perhaps we are not doing enough as educators; being sensitive to behavioral changes &warning signs and talking the necessary preventative measures.

Ethical Responsibilities to families

I-2.2—To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.

Among one of the many things I learned from the readings in this course is that once a trust relationship is established with parents, they become more receptive t advice concerning discipline and other childcare best practices. Once this happens then there is a lesser likelihood of children being abused by frustrated parents and they will receive the appropriate care and attention needed for successful development.

COURSE RESOURCES

 Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
  
  
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title.

 Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being

Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf


Websites:

• World Forum Foundation
  http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
  This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage
  
  
• World Organization for Early Childhood Education
  http://www.omep-usnc.org/
  Read about OMEP’s mission.
  
  
• Association for Childhood Education International
  http://acei.org/about/
  Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.

 Selected Early Childhood Organizations

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

 Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library

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

Additional Resources

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/default.aspx
http://www.autism-society.org/

Beginnings & Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education [Hardcover]

Ann Miles Gordon

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Podcast:

http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/teacher_resources/ecnradio.aspx