Children Are Gifts to Treasure!

 

"Each child is unique in their appearance, personality, gifts, and talents. A child's individuality should be recognized and nurtured."

- Nicolette Theodore-Moad



My  daughter, Alexandra- 16, playing
baritone in a marching band competition- September 2012.



My daughter, Athena-13, cheering at a football game-
September 2012

 

My daughter, Adriana-11, after a softball
tournament- Summer 2012



My son, Anthony-5, truly enjoying his ice cream.- Summer 2012

 

 

"Childhood should never be taken away. Children should be

allowed to explore, discover, laugh and play."

-Nicolette Theodore-Moad



(My preschoolers playing in the leaves while we were on a
nature walk- September 2012.)





"Violent people have little or no empathy with their victims,

so empathy is crucial if we want to create a world where

people are pro-social and caring towards others."

-George Hosking- The Wave Trust organization





(My preschoolers wanted to decorate a preschool shirt
for one of our preschoolers that was leaving our class
in October 2012.)

"There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again."- Elizabeth Lawrence





Left to right:  Athena- 12, Alexandra- 15, Anthony- 5, Adriana-10

The Whole Child

How Do We Measure Intelligence?

 

I never cared too much about IQ tests and standardized tests as a child and now as a teacher because I don't believe those tests give us the whole picture of the child.  If we were to base a child's intelligence purely on tests, teachers might as well pack up their bags and go home.  What would be the purpose of teaching if we relied solely on test scores?  The truth is that we can't and hopefully don't.  But the sad truth is that teachers feel pressured by their state standards to "teach to the test" for fear that if their class does poorly, it will be a reflection on their teaching.  When in fact, if a teacher is looking at the whole child and how they learn, there won't be a reason to "teach to the test."  Teachers have fair reason to feel the way they do because often times people that are not in education are creating the standards and creating them in a way that's easy to measure.  But what happens to that child that doesn't test well?  Or even the child who does test well but can't apply what they know?

 

I consider myself fortunate to be teaching in the field of early childhood education because I have various opportunities to observe children's learning and learning processes.  I also have opportunities to notice each child's learning style and tailor the instruction to their learning.  All teachers have these opportunities but often don't take advantage of them for fear that they are deviating from textbooks and material that they should be using.  It's time to realize all children do not grow and learn at the same rate and that we have to use assessments that will measure each child's growth and learning abilities and use the assessment data to help us as educators move each child forward.  Is it difficult? Yes.  Is it time consuming? Yes.  Is it worth it?  Yes because then each child is being taught to their level and not given a "cookie cutter" curriculum that is supposed to "fix" everyone.

I came across an article at the American Psychological Association website while looking for information about IQ testing.  The article helps to put IQ testing into perspective and what the actual use of it was intended for and that the importance of IQ testing is being broadened to include other forms of assessment.  The article goes on to say that IQ tests are used in a variety of venues such as at workplaces, military and schools.  The article also mentions the use of other intelligence assessments such as emotional intelligence and the seven intelligences but reminds the reader that not all assessments are full proof and must be administered correctly by someone who is properly trained in order for the assesments to be valid (Benson, 2003).

"Intelligence tests help psychologists make recommendations about the kind of teaching that will benefit a child most, according to Ron Palomares, PhD, assistant executive director in the APA Practice Directorate's Office of Policy and Advocacy in the Schools. Psychologists are taught to assess patterns of performance on intelligence tests and to obtain clinical observations of the child during the testing session. That, he says, removes the focus from a single IQ score and allows for an assessment of the child as a whole, which can then be used to develop individualized teaching strategies" (Benson, 2003).  I quoted this part of the article because of the resonance of taking the child into consideration as a whole and using the IQ scores as one measurement that will assist in developing individulized teaching straegies.

The article ends with this statement which I find reassuring when talking about the history and use of IQ and/or standardized testing. "We will always need some way of making intelligent decisions about people," says Halpern. We're not all the same; we have different skills and abilities. What's wrong is thinking of intelligence as a fixed, innate ability, instead of something that develops in a context" (Benson, 2003). 

While researching assessment practices in other countries, I came across an article about assessment practices in China.  What I found interesting is that children do not start their formal education until after the age of 6 and sometimes 7 years old depending on the area in China (Zhang, 2004). Standardized testing is used primarily empasized on Chinese and math but children are also assessed with term-end tests for other subjects to determine their learning abilities and levels.  In order for children to move on to junior high and high school, they have to pass a graduation exam from elementary school and junior high (Zhang, 2004).  Children attend elemenatary school for 6 years, junior high for 3 years and high school for 3 years (Zhang, 2004).

 

I also ran across an article that discusses the issue of comparing our test scores with those of children of the same age in other countries.  A great deal of research is finding that by comparing our children's performance to those of children in other countries is futile for many reasons.  One reason being that no two assessments are alike in any two countries so it's kind of like comparing apples to oranges (Kirkland, n.d.).  Also, the age at which students are starting their formal education is different in other countries and the age they are exiting their elementary/high school education is different.  In some countries, some children are graduating high school by the time they are 15 (Kirkland, n.d.).  The article concludes by saying, "Indeed, our nation (United States) is at risk. And it is not because our students or students in other countries are failing. Our nation is at risk because we are failing the greatest test of all: to write a system of education in which no one fails" (Kirkland, n.d.). 

 

Even as assessments and tests are being evaluated in our own country and other countries, there seems to be a growing realization that we need to work on educating the whole child and adapting our educational system in order to do just that.

References

Benson, E.  (2003).  Intelligent intelligence testing:Psychologists are broadening the concept of intelligence and how to test it.  Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb03/intelligent.aspx

 

Kirkland, D. (n.d.). US Perspectives on Student Assessment in Other Countries:  Report Issued by the US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence.  Retrieved from http://ott.educ.msu.edu/excellence/web/publications/perspectives_on_student_assessment.pdf
 

Zhang, J. (2004). China’s Skill Assessment System. Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EDUCATION/Resources/278200-1126210664195/1636971-1126210694253/China_Skills_Assessment.pdf



Childhood Stressors

 

I have a dear friend who was physically, verbally and mentally abused by his father while he was growing up.  His father also abused his mother.  My friend grew up with two younger sisters but they were never abused by his father.  My friend attributed the reason for the abuse was because he was always sick as a young child and his father had difficulty accepting him.  My friend also attributes the abuse to alcohol use, job stress and that his father was abused by his own father when he was growing up.  My friend didn't really have any resources growing up except his mother but it was difficult for her to fight back since she was getting abused as well.  Although my friend's father stopped drinking and job stress seemed to go down, his father would continually tell him that he was never good enough; grades were never good enough, moving to a place that wasn't good enough and his jobs he obtained were never good enough.  This continual abuse put alot of stress on my friend and still continues today because although his relationship with his father has improved and the physical abuse is not continuing, the verbal and mental abuse continues.  My friend has never sought counseling for the abuse he endured as a child and young adult and I see how it consumes his life when he is trying to deal with daily job stress and his own relationships and family life.  Although he has vowed to "not be like his father in the abusive ways", he does not always have a strong self-worth and feels that other people's downfalls are his fault.  I have noticed that my friend's experiences have impeded his abilities to enjoy his life and be happy. 

 

Stress in Syria

 

The war and poverty in Syria have taken their toll on the children.  It was reported by the UN in June of 2012 that children were being used as human shields during the fighting in Syria.  Children in Syria are not only living with war but displacement from their homes and schools.  UNICEF reported that they were collecting and sending winter clothes, blankets and food to families in Syria because the families in peril were only able to leave with summer clothing.  The temperatures are falling and families in Syria affected by the conflict are not ready for the cold.  So not only are the children dealing with the stress of war but also with poverty and hunger.

 

Jamie Dettmer is an independent foreign correspondent. He has been a staff journalist for The Times of London, Sunday Telegraph, Scotland on Sunday, and Irish Sunday Tribune and was recently the comment editor of The Hill.  He reported on his article, "Syria's Children of the Rubble" dated November 24, 2012:

 

I was talking with a rebel fighter the other day who told me how he and his 9-year-old son returned home after a bombing, and how they had to collect the body parts of the boy’s mother and sister into three plastic bags,” says Mohamed Khalil, a psychiatrist and director of the U.K.-based Arab Foundation for Care of Victims of War. “Skin and flesh were apparently plastered all over. The little boy said later, ‘I want to play with my mother and sister.’ He didn't fully appreciate they were dead. (Dettmer, 2012). 

 

Michael Wessells is an author of a book called Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection that talks about how children who are exposed to war in their country end up becoming soldiers themselves because of promise of food and a better life when in turn it becomes a traumatizing and even fatal experience for these children.  Wessells also goes on to say:

 

Children who have been brutalized will reproduce the violence they experience—not because they are “bad” but because violence has saturated their environment. (Wessells, 2009).

 

The one story I read from Dettmer's article and the statement made by Wessells came off as very powerful and moving to me.  It is unfortunate for any child to endure abusive and neglectful conditions and any kind of stressors but even more unfortunate when children are in the midst of war and then thrust into it as a means of survival.

 



 

About UNICEF: UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

 

Dettmer, J. (2012).  Syria's Children of the Rubble.  The Daily Beast.

 

Retrieved from www.unicef.org

Wessells, M. (2009). Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection. Harvard University Press.



To breastfeed or not to breastfeed; that is a loaded question!

 

I know how I felt when I started having children and feeling the pressure to breastfeed or not.  When my husband and I first talked about having children, he asked me if I was going to breastfeed or not.  My first response was no because it would hurt and I really didn't know that much about it.  My mother did not breastfeed and at the time, I did not know alot of people that did.  It wasn't until a friend of mine had her baby and breastfed him that I was able to understand the benefits and beauty of breastfeeding. 

 

Women have been breastfeeding ever since the beginning of time.  So why aren't all women breastfeeding?  Although my mother did not breastfeed her own children, she was very excited for me to breastfeed and became my number one cheerleader!  She was willing to read along with me about how wonderful and beneficial breastfeeding can be for the baby and the mother.  I asked her why she didn't breastfeed and she said that it wasn't encouraged very much when she was having babies and there wasn't alot of breastfeeding support and teaching for mothers back then.  My husband's mother never breastfed either and she was very skeptical when we wanted to breastfeed our children.  She had mentioned that her mother tried to breastfeed and one of her children almost starved because not enough milk was being produced.  So for my mother-in-law's family, everyone had given up on breastfeeding because of lack of support for her mother and misinformation.  Of course that made me want to breastfeed more.  So I did read up on it so that I would be better prepared before my child came.  I realized it was a hands on experience so I made sure I bought a pump ahead of time to know how to use it in case I needed it.  My friend that I mentioned above was also very supportive and was able to give me some tips and pointers. 

 

So why did I choose to breastfeed?  After talking to my doctor and reading, I discovered that breastmilk would provide the best nourishment for my baby because breastmilk provides more nutrients than formula and breast milk is easier for infants to digest.  "Breastfed babies have a decreased likelihood for allergies" (La Leche League, 2006 & WebMD, nd.). "They also benefit from appropriate jaw, teeth and speech development as well as overall facial development." (La Leche League, 2006).  Babies who are breasfed for at least the first six months experience less illness and fewer trips to the doctor (WebMD, n.d.).  Breastfeeding mothers are at lower risk for ovarian and breast cancer  (La Leche League, 2006).  Breastfeeding mothers also save time at feedings because they do not need to prepare formula and get a bottle ready.  The baby's milk is with the mother at all times and she can breastfeed any time the baby needs it. 

 

Some breastfeeding facts from around the world



"Seventy-one percent of Namibian babies are breastfed at birth. Exclusive breastfeeding in an infant’s first month of life has increased from just under 30% in 1992 to over 50% in 2007 but begins to taper off by four to five months. Of those who breastfeed, 65% continue to breastfeed their children at 12 to 15 months of age" (Childinfo, 2012).

 

"Although breastfeeding is promoted by the Catholic church in Italy, bottle culture made a significant impact in the 1970s and became fairly entrenched. Although hospitals and pediatricians support breastfeeding in theory, the majority of hospitals use pacifiers, glucose and formula (and are sponsored by formula companies), instead of coaching the mother when breastfeeding difficulties arise. La Leche League reported that 85% of infants are breastfed at birth, while only 19% are breastfed at four to six months" (La Leche League, 2012).

"It is common to see mothers breastfeeding without shame or protests from passerby in Peru, even when breasts are exposed, as breastfeeding is considered normal and natural. Ninety-seven percent of Peruvian infants are breastfed at birth and 69% are breastfed exclusively from birth to five months. Out of these 69%, almost all (95%) breastfeed for an average of 20 months. Although Peru was one of the first countries to sign the WHO restrictions on marketing of breastmilk substitutes, globalization, formula advertising and images of bottle-feeding in U.S. sitcoms have caused a decrease in exclusive breastfeeding practices" (La Leche League, 2012 and Childinfo, 2012).

 

I will be the first to admit that breastfeeding is hard work and may not be for every woman and it is a personal choice that the mother needs to make for her and her baby. If the mother is not comfortable breastfeeding, that will cause undue stress to mother and baby which can lead to future troubles.  The mother has to take into consideration any medications that she is taking and how that may affect her breastmilk. People in certain societies do not see breastfeeding as natural so it is important for the breastfeeding mother to have some support systems in place, especially if she experiences any difficulties along the way.  Support systems such as friends, family and hospital staff provided me the confidence to breastfeed my other three babies.  I also became the breastfeeding poster child for my husband's family and my husband's cousins and sister breastfed because they saw me as a model with my own babies.

 

I would never make a mother feel bad for not breastfeeding her child but I would at least encourage her to try. I know for me, I really enjoyed that skin to skin contact breastfeeding relaxed me which allowed me to be less stressed with my babies.  I would hope that I could continue to be a support for new mothers based on my knowledge and experience with breastfeeding so that they can make an informed decision on how to feed their baby and have a positive breastfeeding experience if they choose to breastfeed.

 

Listed below are websites where I retrieved information.  I hope you will find them to be useful resources for yourself others that you may encounter needing more information on breastfeeding.

http://www.childinfo.org/

 

http://www.incultureparent.com/2012/03/breastfeeding-around-the-world#slideshow

 

http://www.lalecheleague.org/nb.html

 

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/breastfeeding-9/nursing-basics

 



 

 



Birthing Experiences in Greece

 

          Because of my ancestoral ties to Greece, I was curious to read about birthing experiences and was quite disappointed but maybe not very surprised by what I found out.  According to an article in Penn Bioethics Journal, the author of the article, Julie Nusbaum, chose to research Childbirth in Modern Athens: The Transition from Homebirth to Hospital Birth.  She interviewed women who went through childbirth as well as midwives and an OBGYN.  It was interesting for me to learn that Greece discourages home births and promotes more hospital births for two reasons: 1.  The doctors in Greece see pregnancy as purely medical and that something can go wrong so they want to be prepared and 2.  Home births are seen to others in the community as the "poor way" to have a baby  as opposed to hospital births being the choice of the "rich." It was also discovered in Nusbaum's research that just until recently in the past few years, it was common for women going through childbirth in hospitals were forced to be shaved in the childbirth area, not allowed to move around and given drugs primarily if the doctor deemed but not necessarily consenting the mother.  More women who are pregnant in Greece are wanting home births due to these factors and also that the doctors are not talking and/or listening to them through the process.  It was even reported that there are more cesarean births in Greece because doctors will do them purely because they get "bored" waiting for the mother to push the baby out.

 

 

I encourage you to read the full article at http://www.bioethicsjournal.com/v2i2/nusbaum.html

 

 

 

 



My Athena Birthing Experience

 

           I have given birth to four beautiful children so when asked to give one example of a childbirth experience was difficult.  However, I chose to tell about when my second child, Athena, was born because she was one of my children that really knew when it was time to be born.  When I was pregnant with Athena, I had a great OBGYN which was not the case with my first child.  And having a great doctor makes a huge amount of difference!  When he told me my due date for Athena, he told me October 31, 1999.  I told him there was no way I was going into the hospital on Halloween- Halloween is usually a busy night for people doing not so intellingent things and ending up in the hospital.  Of course, he thought this was funny and I was ok with it because he had a good sense of humor.  He liked to tease me that I was going to have a baby on Halloween but I usually came back telling him that it wasn't going to happen.  About a month before Athena was due, I started experiencing a great deal of shoulder pain in my left shoulder and couldn't shake it.  About a couple of weeks before her due date, my doctor was concerned that the shoulder pain might impede my efforts to push so he suggested a cortizone shot.  He explained any risks but was confident that it would help with the pain and me being able to push at childbirth.  So I went ahead with it.  About a week before the due date, he checked the weight of Athena and noticed Athena's weight was already at 8 lbs and again became concerned.  He told me that if I didn't go into labor by October 26, come into the hospital that evening and I would get induced the next morning.  Of course, I did the "I told you so" about Athena being born on Halloween.  Sure enough, my husband was driving me to the hospital that evening on the 26th. My mom met us at the hospital to pick up my oldest daughter who was almost 3 and my sister met us at the hospital to help keep me company.  My sister had been with me for the birth of my first child and I was looking forward to having her with me again. I was in a warm, home like birthing room in a bed that could be upright if I wanted.  I was encouraged to walk around, stand up, sit up, or lay over the huge pilates ball if I wanted.  This was very different from my first child because I was not allowed to get up once they put all of the needles and machinery on me and I do think it made a huge difference in my second child's birth.  Since I wasn't getting induced the next morning, I was just expected to relax and not worry about anything until the next morning.  Well apparently, that is not what Athena had in mind.  She was ready to come out that evening/early morning.  My husband, sister and I were playing cards and around 10:00 pm, I started getting contractions that were about 5 minutes apart.  We called the nurse and she called my doctor; he had just left the hospital to go home.  The nurse called for the anethesiologist to give me an epidural.  My husband and sister had to leave the room for the epidural so it was just the nurse and I and she was awesome!  And that makes a huge difference as well!  As I was sitting up waiting for the epidural, I told the nurse that they needed to hurry because the baby is coming.  She quickly relayed the message to the anethesiologist and intern learning how to give an epidural.  The nurse laid me down and called my husband and sister back in.  My contractions were now coming every minute and I was having trouble breathing in between so the doctor on called ordered an oxygen mask for me.  My doctor called me from his car and said "What the heck are you doing, I thought we were having the baby tomorrow."  Of course I had to laugh and he got there in time to deliver Athena.  I only had to push 3 times and Athena was born.  The nurse put her in a bassinet on the other side of the room and I could hear her sucking reflexes from across the room.  Needless to say, she was my baracuda breastfeeder:)!  And needless to say, Athena is very strong minded to this day and knows what she wants to do:)! 







Code of Ethics and Practices

 

After reading the ethics statements from National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and The Division for Early Childhood (DEC), these are the statements that resonated the most with me and their significance to my professional life.  I encourage anyone in the field of early childhood to closely review both of these documents to better understand the philosophy and practice of early childhood.

 

(NAEYC) 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.

(NAEYC) I.- 1.3- To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities and potential of each child.

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

These resonate with me because I have found through my professional life that when we as early educators can educate ourselves and continue our education, we are able to provide the best care and education to the children and families we serve.  So I feel the the first and third ideals that I listed go hand in hand with each other.  The second ideal has always been near and dear to me and important for me to fulfill.  As I grow as a professional, it becomes more and more important for me to be able to understand each child that I teach in order to provide them with the best education and care they deserve.  By recognizing each child's uniqueness, I am also able to determine their emotional, physical and cognitive needs.

 

(DEC) I.-1.- We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to the suggestions of others.

(DEC) II.-4.- We shall support professional new to the field by mentoring them in the practice of evidence and ethically based services.

(DEC) IV-1.- We shall rely upon research and interventions to inform our practice with children and families in our care.

Again the first one and third one go hand in hand and mirror what NAEYC says.  However these two ideals tend to address more of the professionalism we should have as early childhood educators, especially being able to respond to other's suggestions.  That is something that can be hard to do and I have made that as one of my professional goals.  The second ideal I have listed from the DEC is important to me because I think we as early childhood educators in the field need to be a positve force to those entering the field.  Many times I see people entering the field feeling overwhelmed and I want to continue mentoring others coming into the field so they have a good support system and empower them to be positive impacts in the field of early childhood.

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.dec-sped.org/

Early Childhood Resources from Week 5

 

 

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 media segment 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/
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/
  
• 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/

Other Early Childhood Resources I found interesting


Helm, J. H., & Katz, L. (2011).  Young Investigators The Project Approach in the Early Years (2nd ed.).  New York, N.Y.: Teachers College Press & the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

 
PBS Teachers:  Early ChildhoodEducation                             http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/
 
 
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning http://csefelvanderbilt.edu/


 

 

Meeting Judy Harris Helm!

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting one of the co-authors of Young Investigators The Project Approach in the Early Years, Judy Harris Helm.  Saturday began my journey on learning more about The Project Approach and how I can start to implement it into my classroom.  In one day, I've learned so much and am looking forward to applying it in my classroom tomorrow!  Judy Harris Helm is an amazing speaker and advocate for the early childhood field.  If you ever get the opportunity to go where she might be speaking, I highly recommend it.  She has done alot of research on the brain and how we as educators can build the mind/brain capacity.  She also informed me when I told her I was enrolled at Walden University that she has done videos for Walden about brain research.

"We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child's life for the better."- Sandy Escobido

"First, infants, even ones that seem vulnerable, are highly capable when they are born.  A newborn already has nine months of experience when she is born. She is capable of controlling her behavior in order to respond to her new environment.  Second, babies "communicate" through their behavior, which, although it may not always seem like it, is a rational language. Not only do infants respond to cues around them, like their parents' faces, but they also take steps to control their environment, such as crying to get a response from their caregivers. Third, infants are social organisms, individuals with their own unique qualities, ready to shape as well as be shaped by the care giving environment."- Dr. T. Berry Brazelton

"Parents don't make mistakes because they don't care, but because they care so deeply."- Dr. T. Berry Brazelton

"Experts generally agree that taking all opportunities to read books and other material aloud to children is the best preparation for their learning to read. The pleasures of being read to are far more likely to strengthen a child's desire to learn to read than are repetitions of sounds, alphabet drills, and deciphering uninteresting words."- Lilian Katz

"As you consider whether to move a child into formal academic training, remember that we want our children to do more than just learn how to read and write; we want them to learn in such a way that they become lifelong readers and writers. If we push our children to start learning these skills too far ahead of their own spontaneous interest and their capacity, we may sacrifice the long-range goal of having them enjoy such pursuits."- Lilian Katz



Personal Childhood Web

Me- Age 2 in Greece visiting family

My mother is an amazing woman.  She had me after seven miscarriages and then lost my younger brother at the age of 7 weeks to SIDS and then had my sister.  She then went on to become a single parent that worked outside of the home.  She is a woman of strength and courage and I have learned so much from her and still learn from her.  She was my rock growing up because no matter how busy things got, she managed to come to concerts, swim meets, bowling meets, spelling bees, and anything else my sister and I were involved in.  She always told us "you are my pride and joy and I wouldn't change a thing about my life because if I did, then I wouldn't have you girls."  My mother taught me and is still teaching me how to cook Greek food, to be strong in my faith, love other people, love what I do, and treat others with the respect you want to be treated with.  When I was little, my mom stayed home with us and let us help her cook and do things around the house.  We always went on vacations and spent time with family.  It was important for my mother to teach us about other places and people outside of our little world.  My mom taught me how to crochet, knit and sew.  My mother inspired me to be a teacher because of her loving and nurturing way she had whenever she taught us something new or sat down to talk to us.  I remember her asking about our day while sitting down to a home cooked meal.  I always tell my mom that the activities I do with my own kids and my preschoolers are because of her.  She inspires me every day because of how involved she allowed us to be in her daily life.  Just recently, my mom had to have surgery on her foot because of an infection.  I went up to see her in Chicago after her surgery and spent a couple of days with her and my sister getting her moved to an assisted living facility until she recovered.  After I got her settled, I went back to Burlington because of my own family and work but I checked on my mom every day until she fully recovered.  She kept me updated about her progress and my sister was there to take her to appointments.  I felt bad that I couldn't stay but she said that my calling and checking on her made her feel so good and uplifted her and that my sister and I were a big part of the reason she was recovering so quickly.   Even when my mother is struggling, she always manages to be grateful and thankful for her blessings.

My younger sister, Mary, and I have always been close, especially when my parents divorced. I was 9 and she was 7. It was hard for all of us but my mom, sister and I stuck together and supported each other no matter what hard times we were experiencing.  My sister and I are like night and day and I often had to remind my teachers that when they would say to her "why can't you be more like your sister, Nicki."  I was thankful that my sister had a different style.  She was more outgoing, daring and vocal where I was shy and more of an introvert and cautious.  But hanging out with my sister gave me the confidence to try new things and helped her realize that she might want to be a little more cautious with her decisions.  And yes, she was definitely the baby of the family and we had our share of sibling rivalry but she was and always is still there for me to cheer me on when I need it.

My Aunt Marijo is my mom's younger sister and has always been around since I was born.  My aunt is 11 years younger than my mom so she lived with us for awhile in my younger years.  My aunt always took us to Cubs games, the park, the library,  and other activities that were fun for kids.   She always called herself "the fun aunt". And she was fun and always made us laugh.  I get my sense of adventure and some of my humor from my aunt.  She would also accompany us on vacations and she was the aunt that liked to ride the adventurous rides that no one else wanted to ride.  My mom and aunt share a strong sisterly bond that provided a good model for the bond I created with my sister.

My Aunt Marijo, My sister- Mary, My Mom- Irene, Me



Even though my dad moved down to Florida when I was little, I still remember my dad spending time with me and the summers my sister and I spent down in Florida.  My dad loved jazz music, baseball and his Greek heritage.  I have a great love of all of these because of him.  He introduced me to jazz music when I was very young and have loved it since.  My dad was not as nurturing as my mom but there were times when he was a softy.  He always liked taking my sister and I for walks on the beach in Florida and also took us on his friend's boat where we learned to fish and got to see the ocean.   My dad also loved watching and one of my favorite things to do was watch westerns with him.   My dad was also a good Greek cook and taught me how to make lemon soup from scratch.  He told me "it's a two person process so make sure you have someone else to help you."  Although my dad never got to meet his grandchildren in person, we always called to give him the news when one was born.   When my oldest daughter Alexandra was two, she would talk to grandad on the phone.  He got such a kick out of her that for her Easter he would send her fruit baskets that came with fresh oranges and grapefruits and chocolates.  He loved to hear that she ate the fruit more than the candy.  The last conversation I had with my dad was the day after Christmas 11 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter, Adriana.  He told me to call him when the baby was born.  He died on January 3, 2001 the morning Adriana was born.  I always tell people that even though my father didn't get to meet Adriana, I'm betting their souls passed each other as he was leaving this world and she was coming into the world.

 

 



       

          My Dad- Jim Theodore

 

My Aunt Georgia is another person who helped to shape me but it wasn't until my older years that she had an influence on me.  She was a teacher for over 30 years so she was the person I could talk "shop" with when I was pursuing my teaching degree.  Even though she was "old school" teaching, she had words of wisdom for me and she appreciated my views on teaching.  My Aunt Georgia is very intellectual, avid reader and knowledgeable about a variety of topics.  She always compliments me on what a good mother and teacher I am for my four children.  She loves seeing the children and how caring and good natured they are with each other.  She loves sharing books with us and loves that I read to my children.  My family and I recently visited with my Aunt Georgia and she is losing her sight and memory.  It was very hard for me to see such a strong woman become so frail.  She can no longer care for herself and is living in a nursing home with my uncle.  I was sitting next to her holding her hand and my oldest daughter, Alexandra, was sitting next to me and said "mom, are you ok?"  I said "it's hard to see your Aunt Georgia like this."  My daughter Alexandra held Aunt Georgia's hand and very calmly started talking to her asking how she was doing, has she heard any good books on cd lately and if there was anything she could get for her.  It warmed my heart to see my daughter carry on some of the same qualities my family instilled in me.

 

 

 

 





 

 

                      
          My Aunt Georgia



 



I love to read to children so when someone asks me what my favorite story is, I have a hard time just choosing one.  One of my favorite authors is Mo Willems and I had the pleasure of meeting him at a bookstore six years ago with my children.  He is just as funny reading his stories as he is in his writing.  One of my favorite Mo Willems stories is "The Pigeon Wants a Hot Dog" because it addresses the issues of "mine" and "sharing."  Mo Willem's stories are full of childlike expression and feelings that young children can relate to and the stories are fun.  I love reading these stories because it gives me the opportunity to be expressive and silly with children.  I've attached the link so you can check out Mo's website.  Enjoy!


http://mowillems.com/

This is a picture of me reading to my preschool children from last year.  It was choice time and two children asked me to read a story to them.  Before I knew it, three other children came over and wanted to hear the story.  I love reading to children and I love that they want to hear stories.

This is one of my favorites!  I find it to be so true and have seen the negative and positive phrases in action.  Nicki

 

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte

This is the complete version. Click here for the author-approved short version.
This free mini-poster is provided by EmpowermentResources.com ["http://www.EmpowermentResources.com/" with the written permission of Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D. The book Children Learn What They Live is on sale in the Books for Parents section of EmpowermentBooks.com ["http://www.EmpowermentBooks.com/"]. Posted 4/17/97. Author-approved short version posted 7/10/98.
The complete long version of "Children Learn What They Live" with the author's heart and flower design is available in a hand cut, beveled mat (please specify soft green, mauve, or natural), ready for an 11x14 frame. Cost- $12.95 USD includes packing, shipping, and handling. Organizations can order poem reprints for distribution use at $7 per 100. Please do not send cash. Mail requests to Dorothy Nolte/BJK Triplet, North 921 Adams, Spokane, WA 99201, phone 509-326-7046.

 

 

Wow!

I am excited- I set up my first Blog!  I can't believe I am starting on a new educational journey to pursue my Master's in Early Childhood Education!  I am looking forward to meeting people in my profession.

Have an awesome day!