Week 8 Reflection

Hello everyone,

I also want to thank those who contributed to my weekly blog posts. Special thanks to Janet and Melissa for posting on weeks 1 and 4. I could not find a blog post web address for Melissa to post directly to her blog. However, I noticed she responded on the first blog posting. Thanks for your reply to my posting. I have learned that we can learn so much from each other if we are willing to share our perspectives, opinions, and experience.

Thanks again everyone and much success to all of you in the future.

NAEYC and DEC Code of Ethics

The three code of ethic principles that I would like to discuss state :

We shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child.

I feel in order to support each child's development, an educator must realize that no child is the same.Therefore, structuring a classroom considering the whole class as well as each student is vital. In my experience, I have observed how individualized plans can assist educators in achieving the goals that they have set for each child during the school year and beyond.

We shall build relationships with individual children and families while individualizing the curricula and learning environments to facilitate young children’s development and learning.

I strongly agree with this statement. As a result, I feel like there is not a set of guidelines or teaching strategies that apply to all students. Therefore, that is why individual plans that involve the child's family is so important because it allows the educator to set specific goals for each child with a corresponding plan of action. With that in mind, these children would be more equipped for academic success and it would help to ensure that, "No Child is Left Behind."

http://www.dec-sped.org/uploads/docs/about_dec/position_concept_papers/Code%20of%20Ethics_updated_Aug2009.pdf

To be familiar with the knowledge base related to working effectively with families and to stay informed through continuing education and training.

This statement "struck a chord" with me because my perspective is that you can never have enough knowledge about the Early Childhood field. This field is ever changing and there is new information that is being introduced all the time because of new research data that has been collected from various studies. Nevertheless, I want to stay abreast with this information to be effective in the classroom and better service the needs of the families involved. That is my reason for seeking out professional development opportunities and furthering my education.

https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201320_04/MS_MECS/EDUC_6005/Week%207/Resources/Resources/embedded/naeyc_codeofethicspdf.pdf

Early Childhood Resources

This is one of the first resources I utilized as I completed the coursework for my Bachelors degree.

https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201320_04/MS_MECS/EDUC_6005/Week%205/Resources/Resources/embedded/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf

This was a resource I used to research the UNICEF organization to become familiar with how they advocate for children, families, and communities worldwide.            

http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

I did not include this resource as one I reviewed in preparation for this week's discussion posting. However, I have referred to it to gain information about the High Scope curriculum. This curriculum is currently being used at my place of employment which has just recently become somewhat familiar to me.

Lastly, I have also referred to the Indiana State framework for Early Childhood education. This resource has been useful to me as I began to familiarize myself with standards specific to this state which will help me as an educator assist in ensuring Kindergarten Readiness.

http://www.doe.in.gov/achievement/curriculum/early-childhood-education

Passion and Motivation for Education

           Although Abigail Eliot was known for being a pioneer of the nursery school movement, she was also proud of her Unitarian faith. She comments, “Religion has always been an important part of my life –a subconscious influence, as well as a conscious directive”. As a result, she was active in her roles in the Unitarian church schools where she was a teacher and program director.

Robbins, P. (2012). Abigail Adams Eliot Nursery School Movement Pioneer.

            Retrieved from: http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/eliot_a.htm

           Patty Smith Hill comments about how budget cuts could affect the youngest of learners the most. Therefore, she recommends a solution that she feels would help to curve some of these adverse effects. She comments, “Why must the youngest children suffer most and most disastrously?” Would it not be more just to all to make cuts with a fair percentage of budgets lowered all along the line from kindergarten through the elementary grades, high schools and colleges –cuts indicating evidences of an equal consideration of all that promotes growth of body, health of mind, sanity of emotional and social adjustment throughout the whole system?”

Hill, P.S. (1934). The Practical Value of Early Childhood Education: Objectives and Results of

Nursery School, Kindergarten and First Grade Education. Retrieved from http://

           
           babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.30000047748383; skin=mobile#page/30/mode/lup

          In addition, the two early childhood professionals that I chose were Louise Derman

Sparks and Raymond Hernandez.

          Louise Derman Sparks discusses her passion for teaching , “ As I grew up I wanted to be a teacher because I believe that I had a built in passion that it was important to make real contributions in the world and  to fix the injustices in the world and I wanted to do that through teaching.”

          Raymond Hernandez speaks about his passion for his efforts in the early childhood education field. He states, “A lot of my passion comes from the intrinsic motivation for the work that I do. Every day I go to work I look forward to it because I know that the services I provide it is for their benefit. 

        “I started off my career training educators to be more effective. But, I wanted to do more that is the reason why I became an administrator because I knew that I could have a greater impact. I wanted to see how to develop programs that would benefit not only the  children, but their families.”

Course Media: "The Passion for Early Childhood"

       Five early childhood professionals share passion, motivation, and commitment to the early

 

      childhood field.

Personal Childhood Web

Personal Childhood Web

Mom, Sister, Great grandmother, Godmother, and Dad

My mom is a very compassionate, spiritual, supportive and optimistic person. She is and was my “go” to person. Every event or activity I had as a child I remember my mom being there for me to support. In addition, as I have been older she commuted me back and forth to school in which the college campus was 45 minutes away.  Emotionally, I feel she has always seemed to know what to say to make me feel better in any circumstance. If she did not have an answer, she would pray with me through the situations I faced and as a result I would feel a sense of peace. She has really prayed me through a lot of intense situations in my life and for me prayer is better than money. You just can’t buy peace. Lastly, she always provides me with the certainty that things will work themselves out. I still spend a lot of time with her and we have a close relationship.

My sister is a very kindhearted, dependable, and trustworthy person. My sister has always been there for me through some of the roughest times in my life when I needed her most. I felt at times like we were twins because I truly believed she felt many of the same emotions I felt during our childhood. I could tell her anything and even now I keep her posted on the details of my life and vice versa. Lastly, with every life changing event I have experienced she was there: the births of my two children, my wedding, and most recently my first graduation. I can count on her to be there physically even when no one else is.

My great grandmother is sincere, wise, loving, and encouraging. She always provided me with encouraging words telling me about how smart I was. She was excited about my progress with school and the fact that I was going to be a school teacher. Unfortunately, it saddens me that she passed before she was able to see me graduate. I kept telling her that I was getting close to graduation and my promise to her was one of the reasons I persevered. But, although she is not physically here with me now I know she would be proud of my accomplishments thus far. She made me feel special because she thought highly of me and she often told me. I spent a lot of time with her when I was younger and I spent a lot of time with her as I got older, helping her as needed and spending time with her as much as I could.

My godmother is supportive, empathetic, and reliable. She is my 2nd cousin and has been the best substitute mother I could have in my mother’s absence. My sister and I spent a lot of time with her when we were little. She took us to church and out to eat. We would spend the night over her house for a sleepover and she was also my Kindergarten teacher and a very good teacher, by the way. She has been dependable at the time when I needed her most. She would transport my children to and from school since they attended the same school where she worked. She would help in any way she could and was there in support of me in any event that I orchestrated from programs at school to garage sales.

My dad is hardworking, driven, and supportive. He had his own way of being supportive to me as a child. Not typically, a supporter in the sense of encouraging me to do better, but I felt that he was my biggest critic. If I got an B+, he was like why didn’t you get an A. But, as I got older those words which I took as criticism motivated me to do my best because if I did my best I would get an A. This statement also aligns with the fact that my dad is one of the hardest workers I know. He has many talents and abilities and has a very strong work ethic. This is a characteristic that I also possess and one that I am happy I have because I know that I got it from him. Since, I have been older my dad and I have a better understanding and I know he is one of my number #1 fans. He often brags about me when he talks to his friends which helps me to understand that all my hard work has paid off and I have made him proud.

 My mom, sister and I

My dad and I

My great "granny"

 

 

All about Education

One of my favorite books is:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/we39re-going-bear-hunt

 

I love how engaged the children become as this book is read. They are also able to participate throughout the story by predicting what will happen next because of the repetition of words.

 

A story of a child that touches my heart is the story of Ruby Bridges. As a little girl, she perserved above racism and segregation which tried to deny her a quality education. But, what is equally inspiring to me is Ruby's teacher, Mrs. Henry. Mrs. Henry loved Ruby, despite the differences in her skin color and racial background in contrast to the vast majority of white students. She taught only one student that year, Ruby Bridges. But, Mrs. Henry's "passion" for education and love for that little girl enabled her to continue to teach as though she had a  classroom full of students. Ultimately, Ruby and Mrs. Henry became pioneers for the integration of that school the following year.

 

http://www.rubybridges.com/story.htm

 

What a wonderful story that depicts a teacher's passion for education and love for all children.

 

Quotes

 

“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” Kay Redfield Jamison (professor of psychiatry)

http://www.thestrong.org/about-play/play-quotes

This quote refers to teachers. I feel that it explains how passionate I am about education.

Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.

John Cotton Dana

http://www.randomterrain.com/favorite-quotes-teaching-and-learning.html

 

The drawing I have uploaded to my blog was drawn by my 6 year old son. He loves art and drawing like I did, as a child. However, I don't draw as much now due to time constraints. But, I was fascinated by this picture because I watched him draw it freehand from a book. As he drew, he was so engaged. Ultimately, I was happy to know that he found his passion!

 

 

According to Hagel (2009) "Passion comes from within each of us, it compels us to move outside, to engage with the word around us."

It calls us to act, inspire, influence and become leaders in our field, education.

Hagel, J. (2009, November). Pursuing passion. Message posted to

      http://edgeperspectives.typepad.com/edge_perspectives/2009/11/pursuing-passion.html