Childhood- It's what it's all about......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wIEihDAcpU&feature=player_embedded

"The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him."
-- Pablo Casals

* Childhood is not only the childhood we really had but also the impressions we formed of it in our adolescence and maturity. That is why childhood seems so long. Probably every period of life is multiplied by our reflections upon the next.
- Cesare Pavese

“Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. "            -John F. Kennedy

Children need love, especially when they do not deserve it.

 ~Harold Hulbert

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


A three year old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a fifty-six dollar set of swings as it does out of finding a small green worm.

~Bill Vaughan

The past eight weeks have come and gone so quickly. I have had an over abundant amount of life getting in the way for me and thankfully I have had all of you to keep me focused. I have chosen these quotes and they speak of the innocence of childhood and how important our children are to the future. I have learned so much about the different developmental stages children transform through and have enjoyed the different discussions and perspectives.

Assessments for All

When using standardized tests to assess all children the individual child is not taken into consideration. Standardize test measure the student’s ability to read, write and complete math problems. Through these tests several areas get over looked when considering the holistic child such as physical, social/emotional, language, cognitive development and environmental conditions which all need to be considered. As a parent I have a child who has an individualized education plan which requires someone to read a test out loud for her, as she reads things twist around and get jumbled. I have another who gets test anxiety regardless of the material. In the same home there are other children who have no issues what so ever. Each child is different and responds to teachers differently, as a teacher I am on the fence with Standardized testing I can see why a baseline is beneficial but when you start to base funding and progression of a school the water gets muddy as the bottom line is each child is an individual.  

I chose to look at Japan to find out how they monitor the progression of their students. I found that from kindergarten through the age of twelve, education is free, fun, creative and an overall exciting learning environment. When students turn twelve, the assessments are very rigorous. Students become fixated on passing the required tests. They throw fun and creativity out the window and become a nation of order takers incapable of making a simple decision. 

Resources:

Burns, Kevin., Japan and its standardized test-based education system. Japan Today

http://www.japantoday.com/category/commentary/view/japan-and-its-standardized-test-based-education-system

Consequences of Stress of Children’s Development

Consequences of Stress of Children’s Development

Poverty is a stressor that is ever increasing in India. The above picture shows a little girl whose growth has been stunted by malnutrition and poverty. Although the countries growth begins to prosper small children are still neglected. According to the article posted by the NY times (2009) In India, by contrast, despite robust growth and good government intentions, the comparable number is 42.5 percent. Malnutrition makes children more prone to illness and stunts physical and intellectual growth for a lifetime.

There are no simple explanations. Economists and public health experts say stubborn malnutrition rates point to a central failing in this democracy of the poor. Amartya Sen, the Nobel prize-winning economist, lamented that hunger was not enough of a political priority here. India’s public expenditure on health remains low, and in some places, financing for child nutrition programs remains unspent. I am shocked that politics takes precedents over the needs of humans. This problem effects these children bio socially, cognitively, and there psychosocial development.         

As a child I had the experience of living in poverty. There were times when I would go to bed hungry or eat uncooked ramen noodles just picking at them throughout the day. I can recall being on the free lunch program and an embarrassing stigma that went with it. I guess this is where the resiliency of a child comes into play because honestly I didn’t know there was anything wrong. As I got older and I began to learn I knew I didn’t want to put my own children through the problems I encountered. During school I was a hoarder I would put the food in my pocket and save it to feed myself and my brother. As a teacher from time to time I have come across a few like myself then. I think I am more aware as a teacher and more sympathetic to the situation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/world/asia/13malnutrition.html?ref=world

Child Development and Public Health

Child Development and Public Health

Immunizations

As a mom getting ready to send her son off to college, I found myself pulling out his immunization record. Apparently immunizations aren’t just for infants and babies they are for all ages. My son needs a vaccination for Meningitis which is a common illness that happens to freshmen in college which can be deadly.  The most commonly asked question by parents is why immunize? The purpose of immunization is to build the persons immune system against harmful diseases in hopes to eradicate the disease. According to the Center for Disease Control Diseases are becoming rare due to vaccinations. It's true; some diseases (like polio and diphtheria) are becoming very rare in the U.S. Of course, they are becoming rare largely because we have been vaccinating against them. It recommended continuing vaccinating for future generations.

I turned my attentions to Canada and looked at their public health practices and thoughts on vaccinations and I found they share the same views and us Americans. In Canada, vaccines to prevent the following diseases are considered routine, and are given free of charge to children in all provinces and territories:

       diphtheria;

       tetanus (lockjaw);

       pertussis (whooping cough);

       polio;

       rubella (German measles);

       measles (red measles);

       mumps;

       hepatitis B; and

       Haemophilus influenza type b disease.

I was impressed by the fact that they make these free for all children which is an area Americans are still struggling with. I linked the cdc frequently asked questions page in the word Immunizations listed above.

Resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/default.htm

Health Canada- http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/med/immuniz-eng.php

CHILDBIRTH

My Childbirth Experience:

I am a mother of seven children. I have a blended family where I received two bonus daughters with my marriage. I have had the honor and privilege of experiencing childbirth on five different occasions. I have two sons (19 and 15) and three daughters (16, 14 and 9). I found each pregnancy and delivery to be completely different from each other as their individual personalities to this day. I have a fairly high pain tolerance so all five deliveries were medication free by the time I ask for relief they tell me I am to late. The delivery I will share with you is of my 19 year old son only because I was so young eighteen years old. The pregnancy went well I went from 92 pounds to182 pounds at delivery I really thought I had to eat for two. I went into labor in March and every time I visited the emergency room they would check for dilation and give me a shot to stop the contractions because I was due in April and nobody wanted to be responsible for a preemie based of the ultrasound measurements. April 18^th came around and during a trip to the emergency room while the nurse was checking for dilation and monitoring contractions my son was miss-positioned and grabbed her finger needless to say it scared her and the doctor was in there getting him turned around for a regular delivery. Thirty four hours later we had a healthy baby boy who was 43 weeks gestation. Childbirth is a miraculous experience I will always be grateful I was able to have.

Giving birth in the Netherlands:

The region of the world I chose to look at was the Netherlands. I found that the majority of births are actually done in the home with midwives. If an expectant mother has chosen to deliver in a hospital setting pain relief during childbirth is managed through the use of breathing and relaxation techniques. The use of medication during the delivery process is strongly discouraged in the hospital unlike here in the United States where something to assist in pain relief is suggested.

http://pregnancy.families.com/blog/lets-talk-about-the-cultures-of-childbearing

http://www.expatica.com/nl/essentials_moving_to/essentials/childbirth-in-holland-38191_9489.html

My Heart Felt Thank You

This is a thank you to everyone I have had the opportunity to interact and work with in our MS Early  Education course. I have really had a wonderful time getting to know all of my colleagues and I would like to say thank you. I am very excited to move forward in our journey and I am hopeful that we can progress together in our programs. Good Luck to everyone in the future and wishes of many successes for everyone in their chosen professions.

CODE OF ETHICS DEC

I found a large variety of ethics that I felt were important from both the Code of Ethics and the NAEYC. I chose the three below as they reflect my thought regarding how important it is to maintain high standards for ourselves so that we can help our children and families we work with. I also feel it is important to remain upto date on current issues that effect our field in both positve and negative ways.

We shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all

our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families

and of those with whom we work.

We shall continually be aware of issues challenging the field of early childhood special education and advocate for changes in laws, regulations, and policies leading to improved outcomes and services for young children with disabilities and their families.

 We shall be responsible for maintaining the appropriate national, state, or other credential or

licensure requirements for the services we provide while maintaining our competence in practice

and research by ongoing participation in professional development and education activities.

• Article: The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
  http://www.dec-sped.org/

WHICH TEACHER ARE YOU? I stumbled across a poem I would like to share

FLOWERS ARE RED

The little boy went to the first day of school

He got some crayons and started to draw

He put colors all over the paper

For colors is what he saw

And the teacher said….. What are you doing young man?

I’m painting flowers, he said

She said… It’s not time for art young man

And anyway flowers are green and red

There’s a time for everything young man

And a way it should be done

You’ve got to show concern for everyone else

For you’re not the only one

And she said…

Flowers are red young man

Green leaves are green

There’s no need to see flowers any other way

Than the way they always have been seen

But the little boy said…

There are so many colors in the rainbow

So many colors in the morning sun

So many colors in a flower and I see every one

Well the teacher said… You’re sassy

There’s ways that things should be

And you’ll paint flowers the way they are

So repeat after me….

And she said….

Flowers are red young man

Green leaves are green

There’s no need to see flowers any other way

Than the way they always have been seen

But the little boy said…

There are so many colors to the rainbow

So many colors in the morning sun

So many colors in a flower

And I see every one

The teacher put him in the corner

She said… it’s for your own good

And you won’t come out ‘til you get it right

And all responding like you should

Well finally he got lonely

Frightened thoughts filled his head

And he went up to the teacher

And this is what he said….. And he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green

There’s no need to see flowers any other way

Than the way they always have been seen

Time went by like it always does

And they moved to another town

And the little boy went to another school

And this is what he found

The teacher there was smiling’

She said…. Painting should be fun

And there are so many colors in a flower

So let’s use every one

But that little boy painted flowers

In neat rows of green and red

And when the teacher asked him why

This is what he said….and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green

There’s no need to see flowers any other way

Than the way they have always have been seen

By Harry Chapin, “Living Room Suit” Album Contributed by Judy Van Voorhis

A little side humor When it comes to children we never know what we are going to get.

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/04/06/wits-sweeney/

Early Childhood Studies

Hello everyone I am Melanie Van Meter and I am in group 3. I am excited to get to know everyone in my group. I am very sorry for any inconvenience my other blog caused I really don't understand what happened. I am looking forward to continuing to communicate with everyone and I love everyone pages.