Nutrition in India

Nutrition/malnutrition

Nutrition/ malnutrition is a topic of particular interest to me.  I live and work in a town where many of the citizens are at or below poverty level.  They are not able to provide their children with the proper nutrient that are needed for their healthy growth.  Many are overweight because they only have access to fast food because it is cheap and they can get a lot more for their money.  Many rely on their children’s school’s to provide their children with free lunches, which are also not the healthiest despite the countries attempt to make them.  Many children are also going to bed hungry and not sure of when their last meal will be.  I know that I have a few students in my class where they do not have enough money to eat dinner.  Or one particular child lives in a house with multiple families and shares a bedroom with his mother.  Whenever they do have food, the other families eat it before they can.

One part of the world in which I sought information is India.  This country has many issues regarding low birth weights and both iodine and vitamin A deficiencies.  Many newborns are being born with very low birth weights causing a higher rate of SIDS.  They are also getting PEM or protein energy malnutrition.   Some disorders from PEM are irritability, hair discoloration, and growth failure.  Although the children I work with are not this severely malnutrition, it is still difficult to think about children the age of my students suffering like this.

The information that I have obtained about India will help me take a greater appreciation for what I have and how fortunate my students are to be in the program I work with.  The mothers are also taken care of in the Early Head Start program, making sure they are getting the proper nutrition to help their unborn child strive.  India needs a program similar to this to help them help end some of the problems such as the low birth weights.  This will affect my future work by having a greater appreciation for what the parents of my students do for them.  Although they may not be feeding them the proper food, it is the best they can do with what little they have.  It makes me open my eyes and want to help the children in India more. 

References

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/434445/nutrition-problems-in-india

Child Birth Experiences

Since I do not have any children, I do not have a personal experience to discuss or share.  However, I know from what my mother has told me about my own birth that it was scary for her and my father.  When I was born, I was in distress.  I was suffering from an asthma attack as my mother described it and came out all blue in the face.  They immediately rushed me away without informing them of anything and became to do CPR.  After some time, which I’m sure seemed like forever to my parents was crying and fine.  I did not suffer any complications due to that experience and currently do not suffer from asthma.  I’m not 100% sure if that is what caused me to come out blue but it was the explanation they were given.  I also have a 15 month nephew who was an emergency C-section due to the doctors losing his heart beat and not wanting to risk him any further stress, they decided to take him out.  In the end he is perfectly healthy and has had no issues.  It was only scary for all of us, especially my sister.

One country that interests about childbirth and their procedures is Spain.  Having traveled there a few years ago, I like the culture and the people there.  The women there see midwives throughout their pregnancy instead of a doctor.  The births are done as termed by the site, “old fashioned” with stirrups and many people in the room.  There are a high number of C-sections done in the country as well.  Women were complaining because the babies were whisked away before the mother could see them and no one was allowed in the operation room with them.  The experiences described by the women who discussed their child’s births sounded similar to how my sisters C-section went.  The mother did not get to see their baby just like my sisters situation.

One major insight that I gained from the experiences, especially after doing research, is how different every single birth is.  Even after learning about my own birth, it is clear how different and scary they truly can be.  I do not have kids but plan on it someday and now have a better understanding of what to expect in terms of our countries prenatal care and after care.  It was interesting to see how different women are treated in other countries when it comes to childbirth. 

References

http://www.mumabroad.com/interviews-with experts/Midwife_Alex_Weatherhead_on_childbirth_in_Spain-10723

Meaningful Code of Ethics

One of the codes of ethics that is meaningful to me comes from the DEC site states: we shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child.  I find this very fitting working with young children.  It is difficult at times when a child is not getting the lesson after several attempts or they are misbehaving to the point where we want to rip our hair out.  As teachers, we must remember that each child is different and needs our individual attention to help them succeed.  One sibling may not be able to do what their brother did the year before.  We must remember that every child is different and treat them as such.

A second code of ethics that is meaningful comes from the NAEYC.  It states: respect diversity in children, families, and colleagues.  I work in a town that is often referred to as a “melting pot” since so many different cultures and religions work and reside there.  The same can be said for my school and my classroom.  It is important to remember that in my professional life I must respect everybody regardless of what my personal beliefs are.  I am there to help each child obtain the education they deserve and will do whatever it takes to help them succeed.  I love where I work and enjoy working with such a diverse and unique group of individuals.

The final code of ethics that I find meaningful comes from the DEC site.  It states: we shall use individually appropriate assessment strategies including multiple sources of information such as observations, interviews with significant caregivers, formal and informal assessments to determine children’s learning styles, strengths, and challenges.  Working with young children, it is often difficult to determine what learning style works best for them.  Using age appropriate tests and taking observations, has helped me alter my plans to help every student obtain the most possible from each lesson.  I do not want to present a lesson that is all auditory when I have students who learn better when their visually see what we are discussing.  I have found that talking with the families in terms of what the students enjoy doing at home also helps me ensure that I am using appropriate strategies. 

References

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

Additional Resources

Early Childhood Education 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

Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.

Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

Article: UNICEF (n.d.). 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

World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep-usnc.org/

Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/

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/

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.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067

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

Three additional resources that I found are:

http://www.earlychildhoodswi.org/EarlyLiteracy.html

This website has very good information, even books which they break down according to different age groups.

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/teaching/eecd/curriculum/planning/edudev_art_00421_081806.html

I found the Head Start information especially informative, mostly because I work for one of the programs.  It was interesting to see how they explain what the program does for the children and how it actually runs within the school.

Teaching for creativity: Examining the beliefs of early childhood teachers and their influence on teaching practices. Full Text Available By: Cheung, Rebecca Hun Ping. Australasian Journal of Early Childhood. Sep2012, Vol. 37 Issue 3, p43-51. 9p. 3 Charts.

The article, although it deals with students in Hong Kong, is very recent.  The author asks teachers questions pertaining to what they feel is good teaching methods for use in a early childhood classroom and then broke down what methods they actually used.

Influential Quotes

The two people that I found who truly made a difference in the Early Childhood Education Field were President Lyndon B. Johnson and Dr. T. Berry Brazelton.  They both impacted the field in various ways and have left lasting marks on how we teach our students.  Below are a few quotes which stuck out to me.

President Lyndon B Johnson -

 

Quote from a speech about the beginning of the Head Start program:

“This means that nearly half the preschool children of poverty will get a head start on their future. These children will receive preschool training to prepare them for regular school in September. They will get medical and dental.”  Working in the Head Start program and seeing how much the children are benefiting from it, it is extremely warming to know how much the program is helping them get the push that many of the students need in the right direction.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=26973

This is another quote from President Lyndon B. Johnson.  Although it does not deal with education, I felt it was important to share with my fellow women.  “The women of America represent a reservoir of talent that is still underused. It is too often underpaid, and almost always underpromoted.” (Remarks at the Federal Woman's Award Ceremony at the White House; March 2, 1965)

http://www.ourwhitehouse.org/prespgs/lbjohnson.html

Dr. T. Berry Brazelton -

Quotes from Dr. T. Berry Brazelton during an interview about child’s self-esteem and development:

“Feeling loved no matter what does not fill us with illusions about how wonderful we are, but helps us to tolerate our imperfections.”  I personally feel as though this quote speaks volumes about how important it is to nurture out children, both at home and in the classroom.  We do not know exactly what their home life may be like and by us as their teacher giving them the positive encouragement that many of them crave will assist them develop properly.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/dr-brazelton-on-self-esteem-discipline-and-learning-from-your-kids/

One quote that I found from the media segment is by Louise Derman-Sparks; “I had a built in passion to make a real contribution to the world, to fix the injustices that existed in the world, and I wanted to do that through teaching.”  Louise knew what she wanted to do even as a child.  She may not have realized it but teaching was something that motivated her, even in play.  This quote makes me see how much teachers try to fix the world’s problems, one small classroom at a time.  By us having the passion and wisdom to help our students, we in turn are passing on knowledge that will help them become better people.

Course Media: "The Passion for Early Childhood"

Personal Childhood Web

My Mom: Being one of the strongest women that I know, my mom has played a significant role in everything that I have done in my life.  Whenever I have felt like given up or that I had nothing going for me, she always was there to remind me of all the positive that I have.  Growing up, she made sure she did everything she could to provide for my siblings and me.  When my family passed away, my mother raised the four of us and some how made everything work.  She made sure she attended every single event we participated in and went out of her way to make sure we always had everything we needed.  She continues to amaze me with how she cares so much for her grandson and would sell the shirt off her back to ensure he has everything that he could need.  My mom has opened the door to our house multiple times to people who have needed some where to sleep and a hot meal to eat. She is my inspiration and motivation to keep going when I feel as though I can't.  Although I am one of four, she always made time to sit with me and listen to myproblems or help me with my homework.  Even now that I am working on my master's she still assists me whenever I need her.

My Fiance:

I have only been with my fiance for about 3 years but he has left a life changing mark.  We have known each other since we were about 12.  We had the same group of friends and always seemed to be around each other.  He has changed mylife in so many ways.  If it wasn't for his love and support, and slight nudging, I would have given up on my life's dream to be a teacher.  I got too comfortable in a retail job that I hated and he persisted and helped encourage me to take the chance on something new.  I currently have my job that I love and could never imagine going back to the other one.  He makes me feel special everyday when his first words to me are Good Morning Beautiful.  I know my day will be amazing when I have him in my life.

My brother: My older brother is someone look up to a great deal.  After my father passed away, he stepped in as the father figure and helped my mother do what she needed to do.  Even after he got married and moved out, he still comes over to assist us knowing that it's only a house full of women now.  When he got his license, he was more then willing to help drive us around, regardless if he had plans or not.  He goes out of his way to ask my sisters and I how were doing and if we need anything.

My Father:



My father passed away when he was only 50 years old.  It was a very tramatic experience, one that I will not forget.  I unfortunatly witnessed more then I would like and will never get those images out of my head. However, while he was here he, along with my mother, lived his life around his children.  My father worked nights to ensure that he was home during the day for us while my mother worked the day shifts.  He would pick up over time constantly to ensure that we never went without anything and would often stay up after working over night to attend a soccer game or a honor roll assembly.  He drilled into all of our heads that we needed to go to college and do better then he did. To honor him, I kept my grades up, got accepted into college, went on to graduate school, and am currently working on my second master's.  Because of him, I selected the school I went to for my undergraduate.  It has been difficult planning a wedding without him knowing he won't be there to give me away but I feel very forunate to have spent the time with him that I did.

 Brother from another mother:  My brother has a best friend that he has known since they were basically in diapers.  I consider him to be my other brother.  He has been around for all the monumental occasions and has always been there for my family.  Whenever we needed something or a ride to practice, he was always more then willing to lend a hand. He came from a very battered home life and was raised by his grandmother.  He is an inspiration for me and helps drive my desire to help my students.  He's living proof that you can succeed even when your surrounded by negativity.  Even today with my brother moved out, he still stops by to check up on us.



Week #2 quote and book title

Below I have included one of my favorite quotes about early childhood education:

"In early childhood you may lay the foundation of poverty or riches, industry of idleness, good or evil, by the habits to which you train your children. Teach them right habits then, and their future life is safe.”- Lydia Sigourney
The quote really hits home in terms of where I work.  The studnets in which I teach and from low income, poverty stricken homes.  This quote reminds me why I work so hard and strive to help them become all that they can even the short time they are in my classroom.

Below I have also included one of my favorite stories growing up as a child, There's a Wocket in my Pocket! by Dr. Seus.  i love this story, along with many others. This one stands out to me though because the items mentioned and the words he created make me laugh the most.  I get very excited being able to share this story with my students.  I love Dr. Seus and cannot think of a better time of year when we get to celebrate his birthday in school. The students, and teachers, come dressed up in their pajamas to school and wear crazy hats that we make ourselves.  The parents are also encouraged to come to school and read to their children.  The studnets love the day and especially the green eggs and ham they have for lunch!!

 

 

 

Below I have included a picture of my fiance and me while we were at a Beach Boy's concert over the summer.  We are currently planning our wedding and may slowly be going crazy trying to get everything done.  Not a great picture but the best one that I could find to upload and I liked.