Week 8 - Finishing EDUC6160!

As an ending quote for this course, I would like to leave you with the following words of wisdom.

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again.  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, 1762

The next time you observe your children playing, remember, they are learning.  They are developing.  They are socializing.  The developmental domains your children are exploring are creating learning moments and memories.  Let your children play!

Mary L.

Week 6 - School Assessments

The PA Keys website is the resource I use for assessment in my daycare, and is the resource I feel comfortable recommending to any teaching professional.  This website provides a detailed summary of the measurement process for children’s development and learning.

PA Keys defines the purpose of assessment measurements not primarily as a tool for diagnostics, such as identifying deficits or delays in children.  Assessment measurements are used to provide information used to plan curriculum that will assist in the promotion of each child’s progress.  Assessments are not used to verify a child’s readiness or exclusion from an education setting.  Assessments are used to modify the setting to accommodate the child.    

 Often, when large groups of children must be evaluated, a screening tool is used.  These tools do not assess the whole child, but are easy to use with large groups of children.  Screening tools are often used in schools evaluating kindergarten readiness.  These screening tools are usually effective only for catching severe cases of children who need to be assessed at a more thorough level.

The ideal method for childhood assessment in through ongoing observations.  These observations should include a wide variety of activities which will give a thorough assessment of the whole child.  These activities should include, but not be limited to, social, physical, constructive, creative, communicative, mathematical, and scientific domains.  The use of portfolios, notes, observations, and checklists are a few ways observations can be recorded.  School age children can be evaluated in this manner, but teachers have problems handling the larger class size.  Therefore, to save time and consolidate paperwork, the school age teacher usually reverts to testing for scores.

I feel that our school system caters to children that excel in logical and linguistic learning.  However, the children that have problems taking tests, the children that know the school work but cannot produce a good test result, are labeled unsuccessful.  Large class sizes, and a lack of teaching using modernized multiple intelligences theories, creates an environment that is not conducive to learning for a large number of children.  I feel that all children can succeed at school, if they are taught in the way they are able to learn, in the way their brain shows strengths.

China is commonly known as our primary educational competitor.  China has the largest student population in the world, approximately 320 million students.  Some differences between China and United States educational systems are worth mentioning.  In the United States, a majority of our teachers are over 40 years of age.  In China, most of the teachers are under 40 years old.  In the United States, the accountability assessments focus on science, mathematics, reading and writing.  In China, assessments focus on the whole child, which includes their academic growth, their learning style, their emotional health, their values, confidence, and fine arts.  In China, the unit of analysis is the child, whereas in the United States, the unit of analysis is the school.  In China, the child evaluates themselves, the teacher evaluates them, and the teacher evaluates themselves.  In the United States, evaluations are by the teacher, concerning the child.  China evaluates school children using a much more comprehensive system than the United States uses.

I feel that school age children are not being assessed and evaluated in the most complete way in our school systems.  Teachers are often teaching children using boring, old fashioned methods.  Children that don’t fit in are being labeled, and often are being medicated!  How can we change the system?  We need some advocates to become interested in the situation, and attempt to make a change!

References

Case, B. (2005).  The age of accountability. Retrieved from http://www.pearsonassessments.com/NR/rdonlyres/9B951F2F-37A6-4508-A656-3EF8FE346B19/0/AgeofAccountability.pdf

PA Department of Education and Public Welfare. (2005). Early childhood assessment for children from birth to age 8 (grade 3). Retrieved from http://www.pakeys.org/docs/EarlyChildhoodAssessment.pdf

Week 4 - The Great Depression - Japan's Children

My parents were children during The Great Depression.  They were raised in extreme poverty.

As a child, my mother would help her father grow vegetables in a large garden.  Her mother sewed all the clothes for the family.  Meals were eaten at home.  For a cool treat on a hot summer day, my mother would follow the horse drawn ice wagon as it delivered ice to families, for their ice boxes (no refrigerators).  She would ask for chips of ice.  At lunch, she would carry baked potatoes to her father and older brother, who worked at a nearby hospital.  For Christmas, her uncle would give her an orange, and Santa always dressed her doll in a new outfit!  Medical coverage was not affordable.  My uncle, born a preemie, was kept warm in a basket on the back of the coal stove. 

As a child, my father, one of 17 children, worked in the vegetable garden.  He shelled peas, dug potatoes, and helped with canning.  His mother baked every morning, loaded a wagon full of baked goods, and my father pulled the wagon around town, selling the treats!  My father climbed an apple tree, or raided the garden if he was hungry.  At mealtime, siblings would jab for food quickly, or go hungry.  Often, a sibling would reach with a bare hand, and receive a fork wound!  For a bedtime snack, the children would be allowed canned fruit, stored in the basement.  My grandfather was a plumber by trade.  The boys all learned the plumbing trade.  The family was very religious.  My father was not allowed to accept a college scholarship which he had earned, because the college was not affiliated with the acceptable religion.

Today, my parents are hard working, a trait they learned from childhood.  They are family oriented.  Their parents spent quality time with them.  They did not have money, but they had time to interact.  My parents are also very religious, and feel that nothing is impossible, if you just have faith!  These are all coping skills they learned from their families, as they survived The Great Depression.  My parents also feel that you take care of yourself first, and worry about others only after your own personal needs are met.  They are intolerant of laziness, intolerant of different races and religions, and demand perfection in all they accomplish.  To survive the poverty, they had to put themselves first.  They feel that they were the lucky ones.  Others were starving, some parents sent young children out on their own, because they could not feed them.  My parents are also very community oriented.  They are proud of their town, and their home.  They lived, laughed, loved, and suffered in their town, and they will never leave it. 

Japan has been on the news, due to the severe earthquake and tsunami in the recent past.  I wonder about the children.  The earthquake and tsunami struck in the middle of the afternoon, when many of the children were in school!  According to reports, there are approximately 100,000 children that have been displaced.  Many of these children have lost their homes, their pets, their schools, their toys, and often family members! 


The immediate needs for these children are fresh, clean water and adequate food.  Shelters are available, but in deplorable shape. The conditions are very crowded, cardboard mats are being used for beds.  Many shelters are without electric or heat, and the outside temperatures are cold enough to produce snow.  Without power, sanitation must be a concern.  The lack of clothing, medications, and other personal items is devastating!   


Psychological stressors are associated with the earthquake and frequent aftershocks.  The children are living in fear, worrying about a reoccurance of the tramatic events.  They are worrying about family members that are missing, wondering if they are alive somewhere.  They are worrying about their bikes, dolls, pets, clothes, blankets, and snugglies.  In addition, there is nothing for these children to do, schools are closed, parks are ruined, and the children are bored.  This boredom turns into frustration and stress.  How will this tramatic event effect the children?

Japan’s children that have been affected by the recent tramatic events are highly susceptible to developing a condition named PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), according to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.  This disorder includes mentally reliving the experience over, and over.  It also includes sleep disturbances and a numbness of emotions.  Difficulty concentrating and outbursts of anger are also common symptoms.  Japan’s children need immediate counseling, in order to lessen the effects of this disorder.  Even with counseling, Japan’s children may suffer from PTSD for the remainder of their lives.

References:

 McCurry, J. (3/2011). Japan earthquake: 100,000 children displaced, says charity. Retrieved 3/22/2011 from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/15/japan-earthquake-children-displaced-charity.

 

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (2010, October 1). After traumatic event, early intervention reduces odds of PTSD in children by 73 percent. Science Daily. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100929123632.htm

Week 2 - Immunizations

Immunizations protect our children from disease.  Why are worldwide immunization programs important to us?  Our children are vaccinated!    Immunization is necessary to erase the threat of a global pandemic influenza, which could be caused by an influenza that runs rampant anywhere in the world.  A pandemic, or a new strain of flu, would not be covered by our immunizations, and it would be resistant to our medications.  Our local health depends on our global health.  Illness is only a plane trip away.  Traveling from a foreign country to the United States by an infected individual could cause an epidemic in our country.  The youngest of our citizens have not yet received all of their vaccines, and are particularly susceptible.

Meningococcal is the cause of epidemic meningitis.  In Africa, the disease kills thousands of people every year. Major epidemics occur about every 7-14 years.   Young adults and children are the most susceptible, and usually die within two days of the onset of the symptoms.  The survivors often suffer from hearing loss, a learning disability, or brain damage.  In 2009, this illness killed more than 5000 Africans, and disabled over 80,000.  The World Health Organization is trying to eradicate this illness in Africa.

Somalia has been free of polio since March of 2007!  Volunteers and health workers vaccinated more than 1.8 million children under five.  They went to houses and villages, traveling the countryside, vaccinating as many children as they could.

 Polio is rampant in the Afghanistan and Pakistan areas, but is close to being controlled and eventually eradicated.  The World Health Organization partnered with the governments to run a vaccination campaign, which lasted for five days, in an effort to control the Polio.  Nigeria and India also have endemic polio, and are not close to eradication.

 The World Health Organization is working with other governments and volunteers to eradicate many different health risks around the world.  Most of the unvaccinated live in South East Asia and Africa.  The America’s are not immune.  Approximately 10% of the children in our country go without vaccinations.  The current financial climate creates excuses for many middle class families, who cannot receive subsidized medical care.  Some children are not vaccinated due to religious affiliations. 

I am currently witnessing the lack of immunizations in my local area, as my daycare prepares for inspection.  Some families are not having their children vaccinated, and complain that they cannot afford the vaccines.  I have given each family information on low cost insurance programs and free clinics.  The free clinics only serve low income, and the low cost insurance has a six month waiting list to get on.  We are currently taking donations, with a vaccination drive, to anonymously assist those who cannot afford vaccines.  I am also offering a reduction in daycare fees equal to the amount of the cost of the vaccine for families who are having financial issues.  I feel that it is important to ensure the vaccination of every child, and that it is the responsibility of every person to assist if possible.

References:

World Health Organization. Features:  immunization retrieved from

http://www.who.int/features/immunization/en/index.html

Childbirth - In Your Life and Around the World

In 1951, my sister was born.  My mother went into labor, but the baby never dropped.  Long forceps were used to pull her from the womb.  The doctor acidentally cut the babies head with the forceps, causing permanent brain damage.

In 1957 I was born.  My mother went into labor, but I never dropped.  A C-Section was performed to safely remove me from my mothers womb.

In 1982 my daughter was born.  She never dropped.  My doctor refused a C-Section, and instead I survived three days of labor, including two trials of medically forced labor.  My husband stepped up, verbally fought with the doctor, and I had a C-Section at 3AM on June 12, 1982.  My husband was escorted into the room by security, as the doctor was afraid of him, due to his anger about the situation.  I was exhausted after three days of labor.  Our daughter was beautiful!  Our daughter has many health problems, caused by partial crushing of her head during my three days in labor.  If my husband had waited any longer to complain, my daughter's head would have been irreversibly crushed into my backbone.  Our daughter is mentally very quick, but has many physical problems, which seem to be caused by the malfunction of the gland located in the center of the head.  A gland that was damaged due to pressure on her head during my labor. 

Today, I question the cause behind the familial history of difficult births in my family.  My daughter has had two children with the same scenario, two C-Sections.  I have questioned the physicians, and they cannot tell me what makes a baby drop.  My family seems to proove that it must be an inherited, genetic trait.  I would challenge any researcher to discover the genetic dispositon which causes the birth problems that run in my family.  Due to the birth problems, we have many relatives with cognitive damage, psychological damage, and physical damage. 

If I lived in Ethopia, or almost any other third world country, I probably would have died during child birth.  In Ethopia, hospitals are scarce.  When a hospital is found, the quality of care is often poor.  A birthing room is nothing more than a room with a table.  Sonagrams, heart monitors, and other sophisticated medical tools often are not available.  In Ethiopia, health centers provide care for the baby after it is born, and delivery services.  However, most women cannot afford the services, or cannot get to the center because it is too far away.  Most women deliver at home, and 1 in 27 die during childbirth.  If my family lived in Ethiopia, we would have trouble delivering our babies.  My ancestors probably would have died during childbirth.  I probably would never have been born.

Source:  Stratten, K., (2010, July 12). The Realities of Childbirth in Ethiopia: a visit to the Adet Health Center in Amhara. Global Health Blog. Retrieved from http://www.intrahealth.org/page/the-realities-of-childbirth-in-ethiopia-a-visit-to-the-adet-health-center-in-amhara

Thank You Everyone!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my fellow students, and Dr. Longo, for the support and commaraderie during this Introductory course in Early Childhood Ed.  The lively discussion boards, and informative blogs created an exciting, challenging atmosphere which enhanced the course.
Thank You,
Mary L.

The Code of Ethics for Exceptional Children

Did you know that there is a Code of Ethics designed specifically for exceptional children?  To reference this code, please select the link under Blog Resources, or enter http://www.dec-sped.org/.

The Code of Ethics of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children is a public statement of principles and practice guidelines.  These principles and guidelines are based on sound ethical reasoning related to professional practice with young children with disabilities and their families and with interdisciplinary colleagues. The code respects the autonomy of families as they make decisions for their young children with disabilities, while practicing a mutual respect for our colleagues in the field. Early childhood professionals that practice within the principles and guidelines of the code will uphold the laws and regulations of our professional licensure standards.

As a child care provider that accepts children with exceptional needs into the program, I found the following portions of the Code of Ethics most significant.

Responsive Family Centered Practices

1. We shall demonstrate our respect and appreciation for all families’ beliefs, values, customs,

languages and culture relative to their nurturance and support of their children toward achieving

meaningful and relevant priorities and outcomes families’ desire for themselves and their children.

2. We shall provide services and supports to children and families in a fair and equitable manner

while respecting families’ culture, race, language, socioeconomic status, marital status, and

sexual orientation.

3. We shall respect, value, promote, and encourage the active participation of ALL families by

engaging families in meaningful ways in the assessment and intervention processes.

4. We shall empower families with information and resources so that they are informed consumers

of services for their children.

5. We shall collaborate with families and colleagues in setting meaningful and relevant goals and

priorities throughout the intervention process including the full disclosure of the nature, risk, and

potential outcomes of any interventions.

6. We shall respect families’ rights to choose or refuse early childhood special education or related

services.

7. We shall be responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the children and families we serve by

protecting all forms of verbal, written, and electronic communication.

Notice that step number 2 of the code requires the fair and equitable provision of services to exceptional children.  I know of many parents of exceptional children that have been turned down for care a multitude of times!  Are most early childhood centers following this code?  As an early childhood provider that provides services fairly and equitably, I challenge others in my profession to do the same.  I will offer any support or services applicable, to any professional, to assist in their compliance with this code.

Also, notice code number 6.  I can tell you from personal experience, it is difficult to sit back and watch a family refuse services that you feel are necessary.  Tactful education and resource selection is one route you can use to state your opinion; however the final decision on specialized care still falls on the parents.  It is inappropriate to discuss the exceptional child, as his/her privacy must be respected (code #7).  We cannot go out to dinner, and openly discuss any child with a group of people, commenting on care, or even laughing about a funny moment, without prior permission of the responsible parent.  Therefore, even if you do not agree with a parent’s decisions, you cannot overrule the parent and take it upon yourself to communicate for the parents about the child. 

It is also necessary to train staff persons on the issues of confidentiality.  While the staff person may not have the ability to enroll students, or to recommend services, the staff person does talk to other people.  Therefore all staff persons must be educated on the importance of confidentiality in the classroom for all families and children.