International Early Childhood Education

Over the past several weeks I have been looking at quality early childhood care and education both in the United States and internationally. It is through this research via it be through international contacts, professional organizations, newsletters, blog posts, videos, or pod cast this has consequences both for the profession and myself personally. These consequences can be both positive and negative.
1. They say knowledge is power, but it is actually what you do with the knowledge that is power. When you aware of an issue you have a choice to act or to ignore. It is through the action of those working in the field that we will begin to see change and this change will impact the globe for years to come. There are so many opportunities to become part of the international world of early childhood education to help improve the lives of children everywhere.
2. We live in a global world and that means an increase in communication of needs, issues and successes in the field. We need to communicate with one another and collaborate for change.
3. As humans we tend to make comparisons and I have seen this in many of my readings and research. We compare the systems of early care and education in countries around the world. We need to use this comparative research to determine what systems and standard yield the best results for children and create a universally recognized set of criteria in which to measure quality and effective programs around the world.

I have though a lot about where my career is taking me in the field and as my life situations have changed over the past several months I feel that I need to begin to look beyond my local community and have a larger impact on the field than I can do at the local level. I don't know what this looks like right now, but it is something that I will be spending a lot of time looking into.

United Nations and Early Childhood Education

This week I have been struggling with the idea of quality in early childhood programs. As a nation we the United States has not developed an agreed upon standard that defines quality in early childhood education. If we as a developed nation can not agree what quality care looks like how can we help develop policies and support developing countries in providing quality early care and education. The United Nations has a website dedicated to Early Child Care and Education at http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/.

The United Nations website discusses the lack of a universally agreed upon criteria for quality in early care.The greatest hindrance for including the United States in increase access to quality care bringing together resources both public and private to support services as is the case in Singapore, where most preschools are run by for-profit corporations and registered with the Ministry of Education that provides support for low income families. Most children in grade 1 in Singapore have had at least one year of preschool. There needs to be some degree of collaboration between the public and private sectors.


While exploring the United Nations website I came across a policy brief that really made me think about how we determine the value we place on early care and education. The Brief entitled What is your image of the child? discusses how our view on children shape ideas and policies on early childhood education. If we don't view the child as whole, able, and complete then we approach early care different and place lower value on the investment of early care. 

I do feel that the view of early care is changing around the world, but it needs to start in the field itself. Teachers need to look at what their views of children are and the value they place on children and early childhood education. If we view ourselves as more than mere babysitters, then we will raise the quality in our own classroom and then we can begin to change the field.

Digging deeper in the field

I often ask myself, am I doing enough for the children and families I serve on a daily basis, lately this I have changed this to wonder if I am doing enough to help the field of early childhood education? What contributions an I making and how can I become an advocate for change? As I searched deeper into the NIEER website I had those thoughts and questions in mind. This week I looked at the videos on the website and watched several videos on the benefits of and barriers to quality preschool education. There was one video that really struck me, it was titled The State of preschool 2011: On the edge of crisis, this short video showed that while enrollment in preschool has increased funding has decreased. This lack of funding means lack of access and a limit to quality. This has been a key area that needs to be addressed by individuals working directly with children daily. Teachers and program administrators need to follow quality standards and become strong advocates for Universal preschool and national standards for quality.

Here is the link to the video

http://nieer.org/publications/nieer-videos/state-preschool-2011-edge-crisis

Global Initiatives

The Global Children's  Initiative is an organization that was established to use a collaborative science-based research  base to help improve the lives of children around the world. They have several partnerships with organizations  around the world. One of the partnerships  they have is with Nucleo  Clencia Pela Infancia  (NCPI). The NCPI is a Brazilian initiative to increase the knowledge of how lifelong health and wellness begins in early childhood.  The NCPI is working to build a scientific  community around child development  to work with with policy makers to improve the lives of all young children  in Brazil. The other important two task that  the NCPI is working on is to take the research to build social policy and build leaders in the field, also since it is a global partnership  they have to translate all research to Portuguese so it is accessible  to all Brazilians.

Being an early childhood  educator  in the United States it is easy to get caught up in the needs of our own communities, which is important,  but we need to become a global community and be part of a global  conversation about addressing the needs of young children around the world.

Politcs of Preschool- Web Resources

This week the National Institute for Early Childhood Research had a link to an article written in the Atlantic written by Alia Wong. In her article titled The Politics of 'Pre-K', Wong discusses the push for universal Pre-K programs, and how politicians use the word Pre-K as opposed to preschool because it signifies the one year prior to kindergarten entry. Many pre-k programs that are funded by government agencies will only fund children for one year, but many state and federal politicians are really beginning to view early childhood as an investment, as are businesses who are looking for skilled workforce.

As I looked through the website I saw that there were several articles from several newspapers and other publications discussing  the need for expansion of universal preschool programs, the more that the topic is making mainstream media the more traction the movement gets.

References

Wong, A. (2014, November 19). The politics of ‘Pre-K’, preschool and prekindergarten are the same thing—aren’t they? The Atlantic. Retrieved from: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/11/the-politics-of-pre-k/382878/?single_page=true.

Childhood Poverty in Ethiopia

This week I have been exploring the issue of childhood poverty around the world. While my primary focus is on childhood poverty in the United States and specifically in my community, but in order to be an advocate for the field of early childhood it is important be aware of the needs of children around the world. During my reading about poverty and child nutrition I came across a paper written by Catherine Porter of Oxford University on child nutrition in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries in Africa and 44% of the population is suffers from under-nutrition. The children in the study they conducted lived in families that had less than a dollar a day to spend, but they did find that children who had even a small amount more money had a a greater chance of catching up and refusing some of the effects of malnutrition even if they were underweight. The earlier that they are lifted out of poverty the better the chance they have of catching up developmentally and physically. Throughout the years of following the children the researchers learned that family wealth was a direct indicator of child health even in the poorest country where the wealthiest families are still far below the global poverty lines.

References

Porter, C. (2013, January). Nutrition in Early Childhood: Insights from rural Ethiopia. Retrieved November 16, 2014, from http://www.unicef.org/socialpolicy/files/Catherine_Porter_CPI_Jan2013.pdf

Sharing Web Resources

There are several resources that support teachers in the field of early childhood education. As a professional I am very familiar with a few of these, but have recently looked to expanding my resource library and becoming more familiar with other resources to not only support my professional growth, but also to help me support to professional growth of my staff.

One of the websites that I have been exploring over the last few weeks is the National Institute for Early Education Research or NIEER (www.nieer.org). The NIEER conducts research in the field of early childhood to help enhance the quality and effectiveness of programing for young children in all domains of development. The NIEER also provides research results to policy makers in order to influence positive change in the care and education of young children.

One of the first things that caught my attention on the website was the Annual State Pre-K Yearbook. The yearbook is a comprehensive report on how each state is doing meeting the needs of 3 and 4 year olds. The NIEER looks at enrollment, spending amounts per child, and government subsidies as well as what each new legislative measures have taken place over the last year. In CA one of the biggest moves the state has seen is a move to developing a statewide quality rating system using the Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant, proving that this is an exciting time to be an early childhood professional in California.

Global Perspectives and expanding resources

It is important as an early childhood professional to make connections and become advocates for children around the world, and to reach out and create a global network. This week I reached out to a few resources for global connections with no reply. Still wanting to be as informed about what is happening in early childhood education around the world I began looking into professional global organizations that support early childhood professionals around the world. As I searched for the podcasts of the World Forum Organization with no luck I came across Bonnie's Blog (http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/bonnie/) on their website. As I read her recent blog post I was struck again on the importance of  thinking about the and taking action for young children and early childhood professional around the world.

I have spent time looking for and expanding my resource library and have found that the Zero to Three website www.zerotothree.org is a very valuable resource for early childhood educators and one that while I have gone to to find specific resources or articles I have not fully immersed myself in it and can not yet easily navigate it, so I look forward to spending time learning more about it.

My Supports

I look at my life like a house, it needs several things in order to stay standing and weather any storm that comes my way. The first support in any house is the foundation, for me this is my husband. He is my foundation, I lean on him so often both physically and emotionally. He is  my second half, he anticipates sometimes before me. My husband and I have been apart more often this year then ever before and I have wavered more and come through storms a little more beaten then when he is by my side.

On top of the foundation is the the frame for me the frame is my assistant. She lays out the structure of my day, sets my appointments and is the keeper of my schedule. She knows when to and when not to set appointments. She handles little details of my day and keeps me organized.  Without her I end my day more tired and disheveled.

Then we have the plumbing and wiring this in my technology that allows me to complete my day. I rely on email and phone calls as a means of conducting business. Email connects me to parents and families. Busy families need to be able to quickly communicate and receive replies when I lose my technology I struggle with my day to day operations.

The other parts of the house that is my life are the walls,my morning routine is a key part of my day and sets the tone for the rest of it, each morning I walk the dog, workout, prepare my meals for the day and spend time looking over my schedule and making notes on how to tackle each item. When I do not have the time to complete these task I am a little off during the day. It is hard to describe, but when my morning is off the whole day is off.

Every good home needs comfort, and I am no different, my dog and cats are a huge comfort and support to me. Walking the dog in the evening grounds me and reconnects me to home after my day at work. When I am stressed or overwhelmed my cats know to come and curl up on me and help me to relax and unwind.   

Each of these are important supports to me and I need each of them to create a support system that allows me to make it through each and everyday.

My Connections to Play

"Almost all creativity involves purposeful play. "

-Albert Maslow

Growing up I was always in roller skates, everywhere I went skates were my main means of transportation. When I was wearing skates I was happy I felt that they were connected to me. When I didn't have my skates on it was like a piece of myself was missing. The second I got home from school my skates would go on, my mom would continually send me outside because I would be skating in the house. When she sent me outside it was not only to get me out of the house it was to get me to play and explore. My  mom bought me pair after pair of roller skates, and never questioned why I was wearing them. I could skate around the block, to the park, friends house and school without concern or worry. I did not have a cellphone and was not required to be supervised every second of the day.

 

 

The second item that I played with on a regular basis was Legos. I played with my Legos almost every day. I would sit on the floor (in my roller skates) and build with Legos for hours. Legos provided me with a way to explore design and building because when I was a child Legos did not come in kits with complex instructions or a right way to build a building or car. I was not limited by the instructions, I could create using a variety of little bricks in a multitude of colors.

Today most toys or play items have a purpose or a correct way to use then. Children are given kits to create an certain item or object. We are not giving children the time to explore and create on their own without rules or instructions. Children need to be given materials and told to create.

"Play fosters belonging and encourages cooperation."

-Stuart Brown M.D.

Relationship Reflection

Each one of us is shaped by the people in our lives that we interact with, some on a daily basis some less frequently. I have at times felt like I am an island all alone in my journey but when I look and reflect I know that I have so many relationships that help me along the road. Some I interact with daily and others less frequently but they are still important to not only my professional journey, but also my personal journey.

My husband and partner is life is one of the most positive relationships that I have, he is my sounding board and know when I need him to be a coach or a cheerleader and supports me in all decisions that I make. He provides constructive criticism and keeps my spirits up when I am feeling overwhelmed. This relationship has taken years to develop and nourish with open communicative and while we have struggled and had many growing pains we have always found common ground in our love and respect for another. 

My children are another positive relationship that has continually grown and evolved throughout the years, from tiny babies to adulthood my relationship with them has changed based on what they needed from me and what I could provide. As a parent it is hard always keep positive and support you children when they are challenging you at every turn, but after each period of disequilibrium come balance and peace. It is the knowledge that they will be at peace and will one day understand why I said no, or required a certain action from them that allows me to push forward and strive to maintain a relationship with my children. I once told someone that it is the parent's responsibility to seek their child out and meet them where they are, I have found that this is true for all relationships. Each of my children have different needs from me on different days and I need to be available to them and try (I may not always succeed) to meet their needs.

In my professional life I have a team  of teachers that I can look to for support, suggestions, and collaboration.The staff and I have the same goals which is to provide the highest quality care and education to the families we serve, they cannot do it without me and I cannot do it without them. This is a partnership and while my interactions with each of them are different and unique it is important that they are treated equally and with the same level of respect. 

Working with a variety of personalities and often times struggling to put my own personal agenda aside has allowed me to be able to work with families in order to be their coach or cheerleader, maintain open communication, meet them where they are and treat all of them with the same level of respect.

My view of child development

My view on child development has largely been shaped by those who came before me. Early in my career I saw a quote by Jennie Lindon who is a child psychologist who has written many books about early care and learning. The quote is


 " A skilled five year old grows from a busy four year old, a curious three year old, a cuddled two year old, an adventurous one year old and a communicative baby."

This quote embodies how children grow and develop. Infants who are spoken too, held and communicated with form secure attachments and begin to explore on their own all the while still knowing that they can come back to the adults in their environment and be reassured and know that they are loved and cared for. The secure attachments that develop during the infant and toddler years allow for preschoolers to ask questions and try new things. It is trying new things that increases skill level and abilities that are the foundation for later school and life success.

Violence and War

There are children all over the world that are struggling with war and violence. Several years ago I met a child who had two very loving adopted parents, but this children struggled with self-regulation, impulse control, and had some cognitive delays. As I spoke with the parents and begin to learn about the child's past I was shocked to hear about the violence that not only they witnessed, but also endured themselves. Even though this child was removed from the violent environment before two years of age the lasting impacts of it were still evident at age four. When I met the family every day was a struggle, the child was not able to spend any time in the classroom with having a tantrum or violent outburst. It took time, lots of patience and an understanding of the history involved. The family found counseling not only for the child, but for everyone in the family. The child also received speech, Occupational Therapy and behavioral therapy. The road to recovery was not an easy one and the family had many set backs but they also had many successes and soon the good days out numbered bad. The overall outlook for this child is great and when I check in with the family I hear the joys and successes they are having in elementary school. This is not the case for all children

There are several war torn countries in the world right now, and the largest causalities of these wars are the children. Children in war torn countries can suffer from both direct and indirect violence or effects of war. Children are often forced into service or witness their homes, schools and families destroyed. The children in war-torn countries suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome with symptoms ranging from insomnia, avoidance, and cutting off their feelings. There is still little mental help for children in war torn countries but UNCIEF, Save the Children, and other organizations are developing programs to assist these children.

https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/10828/multi0page.pdf?sequence=1

Breastfeeding and Overall Health

Today I had a great and in depth conversation with a young pregnant women about breastfeeding, she was weighing the pros and cons of exclusively breastfeeding or doing a combo of breast and formula. As we talked I begin to see how confusing and difficult feeding an infant can be, but it doesn't need to be. Simply put "breast is best".  Her concerns about breastfeeding were valid and centered around her return to work, pain of breastfeeding and fears that her child would not get enough to eat, but the benefits to not only the child but to the mother as well out weigh any cons that may come with breastfeeding. First is the health benefits- Children who are breast fed have overall better health than children are are formula fed, this first stems from colostrum- the first milk produced is rich in antibodies and gives the infants immune system a boost. This overall better health carries on for a lifetime in terms of weight and overall health. Secondly- Breastfeeding support strong attachments and bonding, this is not to say that children who are formula fed do not have strong attachments, but the intimacy of breastfeeding provides for a natural attachment to form between mother and child. There is several new studies emerging in regards to the importance of positive strong early attachments and future academic, social- emotional and cognitive success.  Lastly is simply the convenience of breastfeeding- Breast milk is always prepared, it comes out at body temperature and usually where they baby is. In response to this mom's concern about returning to work and finding time to pump, this is the biggest concern and hindrance of continued breastfeeding when mothers need to return to work. While it is often a challenge several steps have been taken to ensure that nursing parents are supported at work with time to pump and effective in 2012 breast pumps are covered by insurance companies.

In most developed countries women breastfeed their infants almost exclusively for the first six months, this differs in undeveloped nations where many moms cannot produce enough milk due to malnourishment or were encouraged not to breastfeed because of HIV/AIDS, new research suggests that even these children should be breast fed to avoid malnutrition or starvation.


In the end whether or not a new mom breast feed is her choice, but I think that everyone needs to be educated as to the benefits to breastfeeding.

Birth Stories

Women all over the world often share their birth stories with one another as a way to bond with one another. Birth stories also serve another valuable purpose, they serve as a verbal history for the earliest development of a child. As the mother of three children I have shared the stories of my children's birth with many people, including pediatricians and therapist.
I had my first two children when I was a teenager and was not fully aware of what was happening in my body as I brought another person into the world. In my twenties I gave birth to our youngest and was more aware of my labor and the changes taking place in my body.

On April 20, 2014, I sat in my Ob's office as he told me he wanted to induce labor because he feared that the baby was getting to big and he feared that I was going to need a c-section. He gave me the option of the next day which was Friday or the following Monday. We choose Monday so we would have the weekend to prepare. At 10:00 am on Monday morning we went to the hospital, got checked in and I was hooked to an IV with Pitocin to induce labor. I labored comfortably making some progress for two hours. At 12:00 pm my OB came in to check on my progress and to break my water to help speed my labor along. At this point I was having several small and inconsistent contractions and the doctor was concerned. After several increases in my dosage of Pitocin I began to get uncomfortable and was having regular contractions. At 3:00 pm I was told by the nurse that the doctor was on his way back and had ordered an Epidural and the anesthesiologist was on his way. I had not wanted an epidural, but because the nurse and doctor felt that I was not progressing as they wanted I was going have a cesarean section and the epidural was necessary. I was helped back into bed and was checked again for progress, the nurse surprised everyone letting us know I was fully dilated and the baby was coming. There was no time for an epidural, eighteen minutes later we welcomed our daughter Annika into the world weighing in 7pounds even and measuring 19 inches long. After her birth Annika weighed, measured, examined and given eye drops before she was put in my arms. Once she was in my arms we were able to bond and the nurses left me and my husband alone for two hours for bonding. The lights were dimmed and the room stayed quiet and we had no interruptions. At the two hour mark we were transferred from labor, delivery and recovery to the maternity ward, where Annika and stayed for 24 hours. The next day we were discharged from the hospital.

I think that Annika's birth story is a very common story in which mom's are pressured into inducing labor because medical professionals feel Annika was not too big, she was not overdue but I listened to the medical experts. For many women this doesn't turn out as my delivery did, with a vaginal-pain free delivery, but with a delivery that ends with a c-section.

The childbirth experience in Sweden is different than in the United States. In Sweden the majority of women receive prenatal care via a midwife, with only medical intervention if there are complications. Sweden is one of the safest places to have a baby while the United States ranks number 27th.
Maybe less intervention is better...

Ethics in Early Childhood

When I first started teaching I didn't realize that there were so many resources for professionals in the field of child development. As I began to become really invested in the field and joined the NAEYC I was looking for guiding principals to help me be the best early childhood professional I could be. One of the most important resources I found and still refer to is the NAEYC position statement on Ethical Conduct. This important document gives professionals guiding principals on our responsibilities to children, families, and each other. I think that there are a few that are the most important values and all inservice teachers need to be aware of. These values are 

1. We shall strive to build individual relationships with each child; make individualized adaptations in teaching strategies, learning environments, and curricula; and consult with the family so that each child benefits from the program. If after such efforts have been exhausted, the current placement does not meet a child’s needs, or the child is seriously jeopardizing the ability of other children to benefit from the program, we shall collaborate with the child’s family and appropriate specialists to determine the additional services needed and/or the placement option(s) most likely to ensure the child’s success. (Aspects of this principle may not apply in programs that have a lawful mandate to provide services to a particular population of children.)

2. To respect the dignity and preferences of each family and to make an effort to learn about its structure, culture, language, customs, and beliefs to ensure a culturally consistent environment for all children and
families.

3,We shall recognize the contributions of colleagues to our program and not participate in practices

that diminish their reputations or impair their effectiveness in working with children and families

Resources for the Field

I struggle with finding an effective way to store resources especially articles. I have begun to organize printed articles by category and type (for parents, teachers, or both), so I can pull them when I need to. The problem is it takes up a lot of time and space. Compiling resources into one place has been very helpful. The NAEYC website has archived issues of Young Children on their website for members. With this archive all I had to do is to save the table of contents for easy reference and can pull up and email or print the articles I need. This solves some of my problem. The other problem I have is with resource books, I have been called an addict to reading and collecting books on early childhood and education in general. I have a few that never seem to make it back on the shelf and sit dog eared and highlighted on my desk, or in my bag. These three books have been the foundation of my career and are a must for every library

The Visionary Director by Margie Carter and Deb Curtis- This book has been my guide as I have taken on the role of a center director.I have turned to this valuable resource when I am feeling run down and like I should just give. It gives me inspiration and reinvigorates my sprite.

The second book is The Intentional Teacher by Ann Epstein. This book has helped in in guiding my staff and sharing my personal teaching philosophy and  how to  be sure that everything we do with young children has a purpose full-time job.

The last book that I relied on when I started teaching is the NAEYC Developmentally Appropriate Practice. This resource I use often when I need to expand or deepen the understanding of a concept of developmentally appropriate practice.

My Personal Childhood Web

In each of our lives we have people who support, nurture, love, and ultimately shape the people we become. As early childhood professionals it is important to reflect on who is in  or micro-system and how they influenced our values and beliefs so that we can enhance the lives of the children we work with.

My mom- My childhood was far from ideal, but my mom loved me unconditionally and allowed me to express myself how I needed to. My mom was a silent support system and was always there if and when I needed her.

My Siblings- I am the youngest of four and my sibling were often given the task of watching me and helping me accomplish whatever small task I needed to accomplish.

My mom's best friend- My mom's best friend was a preschool director and probably one of the most influential people in my life. I spent a lot of time interacting with and watching her, she wanted the best for me and my siblings and supported my mom in what she needed as a single parent.

This is just a small set of the many people in my life growing up whose daily interactions with me influenced my development and gave me a strong foundation in how I life my life.

Everyday Discoveries

 During my day I often find myself wondering down to the infant classroom and spending time with the infants. One of the reasons I love spending time in there and why I was drawn to working with infants and toddlers was because you see new discoveries daily. Earlier this week during one of my visits I was watching one of the 15 month old enrolled in our infant program sitting and working with a puzzle. Each time he put piece in the spot he would clap. As I watched him I thought about how often we overlook these everyday discoveries because we are too busy to notice. This child was demonstrating a strong sense of self and recognition of his own accomplishments. I moved near him and we he clapped I simply said "You did it, you found another piece", after I engaged him he would look at me and clap each time, so a strong relationship with adults was being demonstrated. He moved around the room to find more puzzles and pieces and brought them back to where I was sitting to complete the puzzle.
This simple story shows how important it is to take time and observe what children are doing before we interrupt and respond.

Chilldren's Books

I love children's literature, there is something about selecting just the right book to help guide a childhood through a difficult time or a book that will spark an idea or conversation. Over the years I have had several books that are my favorite and it is usually because it is of great interest to the current group of children. I also am always drawn to the book Parts by Ted Arnold. This simple book is s great story about growing up and the changes that happen to us like our teeth falling out and peeling skin. As adults we tend to take for granted that children will understand the changes that happen to them and forget to explain what is happening to them.

There have been several quotes that I have heard or read that have inspired me in my teaching career. As a program director that statement has been important to me as I guide and plan for training the staff as been...

"Children who engage in rich conversations with responsive adults become reflective thinkers.  Conversation brings deeper meaning to life as children seek to contemplate and understand their world.  Conversation is the comprehension connection." Ketch

As adults in the classroom we have a responsibility to facilitate conversations with children that not only stimulate them to think and communicate on a deeper level, but conversations that challenge us to dig deeper and answer the questions that the children ask of us.