Sharing Web Resources - Wk 6

Follow some of the outside links that you have not yet explored. Where do they lead?

One of the outside links that I explored lead me to a site that informed me about the latest policies regarding children from ages zero to three.  It allowed me to see who was on the policy board along with their credentials.  I was able to see what changes had been made and how it will impact the children.

Thoroughly search one area of the site. What do you find?

I searched through the journal articles the site zerotothree.org provides.  I was able to break down the sections and only focus on the area of play and this specific age group.  I found a page in which concerned parents can post questions about their children and a professional from the site will answer them the best they can.  It was very informative to see the different responses and questions that were posed.

If you receive an e-newsletter, follow a link related to one of the issues you have been studying. What new information is available?

Unfortunately I have no received an e-newsletter from this site.  I am hoping to do so soon.

Does the website or the e-newsletter contain any information that adds to your understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education?
One aspect of equity in early child care and education that was mentioned was how to help a parent select the proper program for their child.  The site offers questions for the parents to think about when looking at programs such as the experience and training of the staff.  This information is very helpful for first time parents putting their children in a day care or preschool setting.  The article can be found at the link http://www.zerotothree.org/early-care-education/child-care/choosing-quality-child-care.html.  I think everyone should check it out.

What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain this week from exploring the website and/or the e-newsletter?
Another trend that I explored this week was regarding school readiness and signs to look for.  The site composed a brief article for parents to look at and identify key factors to look for in their children who will be starting kindergarten.  This is important especially this time of year when the school terms are ending and children will be moving on to another class.  It will help both the parents and children develop over the summer and understand what is coming up for them within the next school year.

Wk 5 Blog Assgn.

Three insights that I have gained from the site http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/ are:

The organization Global Children’s Initiative is launching Nucleo Ciencia Pela Infancia in Brazil to help raise the level of education for young children.  Some of the activities they will engage in is translating material for the Brazilian audience as well as strengthening leadership roles around the field of early childhood development.

In Chile there is a program, Un Buen Comienzo or A Good Start in English that was developed to help improve early childhood education through teacher professional development.  They want to make the quality of education that is being presented to four-six year olds better, especially in the language development.  This will also help to improve school attendance.  It will help to involve the families more in their children’s education as well.

A humanitarian named Betancourt is currently helping families in Rwanda gain a better understanding of HIV.  Most parents see it as a death sentence and do not understand that they can live a long life with the disease.  Their children are developing fears as well due to their parent’s misunderstanding. 

Sharing Web Resources

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

The one section on the site zerotothree.org that was particularly relevant to my current professional development was the article about how to determine if children are school ready.  Many of my students will be entering kindergarten next year.  It is important for me as their teacher to ensure that they have the necessary skills and abilities to enter without having any difficulty.  The article also gives key tips for the parents to help them feel comfortable sending them to school and what signs to look for if they may develop trouble.

 •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?

One idea that was on the site that made me think about the issue in a new way dealt with trauma.  I understand that many children go through some sort of trauma, many on a daily basis due to their lifestyle.  I never understood or realized how much it impacted them later on in life.  The journal article explained how the experiences they have now can ultimately affect them later in life.  They may not show signs of anything now, but it may develop once they reach adult hood.  Although children may seem to recover fine from something, we never know if it will bother them once they reach a certain age.

 •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 website offers various links and resources that helped me understand how economists support the early childhood field.  It offers articles in regards to the public policy and how education will be impacted due to the most recent budget cuts.  It explains how the president has given additional money for 2014 to the Early Head Start programs because each child needs the extra help when it comes to education.

 

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

One trend that I gained from exploring through the website is about military families.  The website zerotothree.org offers various suggestions and resources for military families to explore.  They offer book suggestions to help young children understand why a parent may not be home for a long time as well as various activities to do with them.  It is a very useful tool, especially now when many families are dealing with this issue.

References

http://www.zerotothree.org/

International Contacts - Week 2

I chose to research the country Mongolia and its struggle with poverty.  One interesting insights that I gained was reading that it appears the economic system of Mongolia is improving and becoming more stable, little are seeing the benefits.  The gap between the people living there benefiting from the better economy and those who are not is steadily increasing.

Another insight that I gained is as of 1990 about 96% of the population was illiterate.  Due to significant budget cuts from the national budget, the education programs suffered.  After time, the enrollment rates are beginning to rise and dorms are beginning to open up again.  Children living in poverty have a high dropout rate due to economic reasons.  The buildings and equipment are of poor quality, making the teaching quality to suffer as well.  The children that are fortunate enough to attend school are not getting the education they deserve.

The final insight that I gained from reading about Mongolia and poverty is many children are forced to never attend or drop out of school and work.  They do jobs such as cutting wood or fetching it for factories or markets.  More and more families are resorting to living in the streets with young children, even with the weather reaching as low as minus 30-40 degrees.

The country is suffering and as a result so are the children.  Mongolia needs to reexamine their education system and finds appropriate ways where the children that need to work can still have access to some sort of school.  They can offer courses at night or allow them to bring material home with them to work on independently.  It is difficult to be in that situation, especially if the family ends up on the streets in freezing weather.  They have to find ways to come together as one and fight for their education.

Resource

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo#12

Sharing Web Resources

The organization that I selected is called zero to three and can be found at the website zerotothree.org.  The main focus of the organization is to provide parents, teachers, and caregivers or children from the age of birth to three years of age.  They have a special forum created especially for military families as well to help the children better understand where their parents are and sometimes why they have to move so often.  They state directly on their website what their focus and missions are which is to help promote the healthy development of infants and toddlers.

One particular newsletter from the website that caught my attention was in regards to parents and identifying when their child is ready for school.  This is a main concern for a majority of the parents I interact with in the beginning of the school year because the children are so young.  The letter identifies various ways in which to help get the children ready along with different clues to look for the parents determine if they are or not.  It is a great tool for any parent to read and to help them to help know what to expect when their child leaves for the first time.  The bottom of the article also stresses the importance of sharing the information with any parents that may be struggling with the idea of sending their young child off to preschool.  As they state, “sharing is caring.”

After reviewing the topic of getting children ready for school, I realized how important it is for parents to take time to explain to their children where they are going and what they will be doing there.  The article stressed the importance of emotions and how the parents have to be prepared for their children to become upset when they go to leave them at school.  Some parents have a hard time letting go, especially when it is their first child.  The website explains steps that can be taken to help avoid the separation anxiety on both the parents and child’s part.  That should be a big help for many families new to not only preschool but also leaving their child in the hands of someone else.

 

http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/school-readiness-infographic.html

Establishing Professional Contacts

I began by trying to figure out how I wanted to contact a representative from an international setting.   After carefully looking over everything, I decided that for me the best option would be the alternate assignment for part 1.  Since my internet connection can get a little sketchy at times, I would feel more comfortable knowing I had the option of listening to the professionals on the radio then stressing about responding to emails in a timely manner. 

For the second part of the assignment I decided to select the Zero to Three  (http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/ ) organization to study.  I had previously stumbled upon their sight and found it to have a multitude of resources for professionals in the early childhood field.  I enjoyed the sight and often found myself referring back to it for the current journal articles.

Has anyone else found it difficult to select only one site to study?  I feel as though since we are in the field of early childhood, all the sites would benefit us to become familiar with.

My Supports

I have a few factors in my daily environment that are supportive to me.  The biggest support I have is my fiancé.  Without him I would not be able to function on most days.  I have recently begun my own journey with taking control of my health and although he may think I am crazy at times, he stands behind me.  Whenever he notices I am overwhelmed or simply had enough, he reminds of why I am doing it and always says encouraging words to me. 

Another support is my mother.  Although we may not see eye to eye sometimes, mostly with the wedding planning, she always stands behind me and my decisions.  I know that I can be very difficult to get along with at times and she is the only one that can tell me to calm down without making it worse.

Having two close support systems have helped me feel comfortable in my day to day life.  I know that I always have someone close who I can approach and talk to whenever I feel upset or like giving up.  Without these supports life would be very challenging.  I feel as though I may give up on many of the things I am so passionate about if it was not for certain people standing behind me.

If I ever lost my two support systems, I would probably not be able to make it, especially my fiancé.  I have never been as close with anyone as I am him.  I am able to confide in him things that I have never told anyone else.  He knows me better then I know myself and without him I would be lost.

The challenge that I imagined would be to live in a commynity that does not speak my language or I do not speak theirs at all.  I would want the people I deal with to understand and try to help me get through the task of not being able to communicate with others.  If I had my support systm such as my fiancé, I feel as though I would be able to over come this challenge and issue.  Having him there as y support, I would have many benefits such as someone who would understand what I am going through, make me feel comfortable, and be there for me whenever I need someone.  Without these supports in that situation, I probably would not be able to function and would feel very alone.  Not having anyone around to help, almost isolates people and makes them fall into a depression which I feel is what would happen if I did not have those around me who mattered most.