When I think of Child Development

More Quotes about children: "Children are made readers on the laps of their parents." — Emilie Buchwald "Many things we need can wait. The child cannot. Now is the time his bones are formed, his mind developed. To him we cannot say tomorrow, his name is today." — Gabriela Mistral "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go." — Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!" Retrieved from. (http://www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/quotable/). These quotes about reading and children are inspirational to me because they are true about the benefit of books and reading. I value books in my house, I love to read, and I love to offer new and exciting books to my children. Books offer new information, as well as a journey, or escape to a world of imagination, which makes us unique. Lastly, books are a way to offer children a new way to obtain information other than their relatives, or through the internet. I would also love to give a shout of thanks to all of the important people in my life at the moment. My colleagues and Instructors are important for helping me through my journey to advance in my field of study. I value all of your remarks, criticisms, and words of wisdom. You indeed help me go another day with true passion to teach and love young children. I hope that you continue your positive path towards making an impact in our world, and to value the job that you do because it does help others. You helped me. Thanks again and take care. References Reading Rockets: Teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle. Retrieved from . (http://www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/quotable/).

Testing for Intelligence?

• Considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically (i.e., a commitment to "the whole child"), what, if anything, do you believe should be measured or assessed? Explain your reasoning. I do believe that children should have testing to measure if they are developing or progressing as expected via their age. Also, I believe that some tests can let teachers and parents have ideas as to where a child needs improvements or is advancing. I also, believe that as teachers and parents learn about how children learn, they are also developing strong bonds and relationships with the children. • In what ways are school-age children assessed in other parts of the world? (Choose a country or region of the world for which you have a personal affinity.) School-aged children are tested in West Germany, the Netherlands, and England just as it is in the US. Standardized Tests are used for special needs assessment and educational guidance and there is some trend toward increased use of graded objective tests. Germany uses testing to measure intelligence, while standardized tests are rarely used because “it was generally found that teachers do not use standardized tests of their own accord, mostly because tests are not tailor-made for what the teachers have been teaching” (Neville, P. T. November, 1986). • What additional ideas, comments, suggestions, examples, and/or concerns related to assessing young children would you like to share with your colleagues? I feel that testing children to see if they are progressing in school is a great way to see if they are ready to move on to higher learning. Also, by watching them in their natural environment, with their peers, and during play, we can really see how a child is developing and grows. The issue of testing can be a way to measure competency, and to measure skills of the whole child, but testing can also discourage children, especially the kind of test that measures intelligence. I feel that observation is the best way to learn from a child. References Neville, T. Postlethwaite. (November 1986). “The use of Standardized Tests in Secondary Schools in four European Coutries. National Center of Educational research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. (38 pp.). retrieved from.( http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED304455.pdf ).

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

Poverty affects children on a global level, not just children of the United States. As a young child, I was raised by my single grandpa. He by no means could afford to pay for me and my three siblings. He had to rely on his Social Security Income, and his retirement just to pay the rent. I remember him also having to spend all day in the local Welfare office to apply for food stamps for us. Although, we were at the low-income level, we still had food in the fridge and clean clothes. There are many things that I remember when I was a young child- like not having the cool or hip clothes that my friends had, or more than three pairs of shoes, but I had family, happiness, and parental guidance. One of the ways that I dealt with our hardship was to make friends at school and not to let my financial hardships embarrass me. I remember my friends telling me that they loved to come to my house because my grandpa made the best beans and rice ever. They never judged me for my clothes or shoes, my friends came over and we played, and some even spend the night. Japan is one of the biggest financial powerhouses in the world, but they still suffer from poverty. Not only parents suffer from economic burden, but children are the ones who suffer the most. According to Masanori Matsumura, “a primary school teacher for 30 years, a growing number of children in Japan today cannot even afford classroom supplies "such as paints or craft materials." He adds, "The expanding poverty is hitting the most vulnerable victims – children." (Murakami, M. 2010). Parents are having to work more than one job just to make ends meet, which leads to parents not having time to spend with their children. “Children grow frustrated – even turn violent in some cases – when their parents are not around to take care of them because of the resulting neglect by parents” (Murakami, M. 2010). There are other consequences to being poverty level as well. Parents cannot provide for school lunches or pay for health insurance, which leads to poor health. “The local media, for instance, reported that 33,000 children across the nation did not have health insurance” (Murakami, M. 2010). To overcome the issues of poverty, Japan is relying on tourists to spend money at their shops, food, and vacation resorts. “Another policy guarantees free senior high school education for everyone, with the government pledging to pay 120,000 to 240,000 yen (1,287 to 2,574 dollars) for each student, depending on the schools’ and parents’ incomes” (Murakami, M. 2010). Although poverty strikes everyone, there are certain measures that can be done to help allocate for spending, but if children are important enough, society will do everything in their power to ensure a safe and healthy future for the children. References Mutsuko, Murakami. (January 8, 2010). Japan’s rude awakening: Poverty hurts. Retrieved from. (http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=49915).

child Development and Public Health

Today I am going to talk about Breastfeeding and why I feel that it is an important topic relating to public health and healthy child development. Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for a child’s first year of life. Breast milk contains all of the important nutrients and antibodies that an infant’s body needs for proper growth and brain development. Breast milk is also convenient because there are no bottles to carry around and it is always warm and ready to eat. Breast milk offers a mother and her baby a time to bond because of the closeness and interacting involved in breastfeeding. “Babies who are exclusively breast-fed are less likely to get sick, because breast milk provides them with antibodies against any disease to which the mother is immune” (Berger, 2009, p. 154). As a currently breastfeeding mother, I feel that I am offering my baby Sophia with the most nutritious meals that I can offer her. I have always wanted to breastfeed. I have had difficulty with breastfeeding my first daughter due to hospitalization and her death in 1996, my second daughter was an emergency cesarean and she wanted nothing to do with the breast. As I have successfully been breastfeeding for 8 months now, I have learned a great deal about the benefits as well as, the dedication to my child. Breastfeeding requires a lot of time and patience because there is no given time to complete a task when you have a hungry baby. But the closeness and bond that comes out of breastfeeding is the greatest gift one can be blessed with. I would never trade it for the world. In other countries, where majority of the population is at risk for HIV, breastfeeding may not be the best for the baby. “Other researchers find that bottle-feeding may sometimes be better, such as when the mother is HIV-positive or uses toxic or addictive drugs” (Berger, 2009). In Africa, where mothers may have HIV it is sometimes encouraged because the risk of contracting the disease is “less than their risk of dying from infections, diarrhea, or malnutrition as a result of occasional bottle feeding (Cohen, 2007). Information such as breastfeeding can impact my future work because breastfed babies tend to be sick less often and their immune systems are stronger. Also, it is important to learn about the benefits of breastfeeding to help parents to create better bonds with their infants and to offer their babies all of the nutrition that they need. I feel that having information about breastfeeding is important to share with others so they can raise their children via breastfeeding to reduce infant mortality, obesity, heart disease, and various other killers in children. References Cohen, Jon. (2007, March 9). Hope on new AIDS drugs, but breast-feeding strategy back-fires. Science, 317, 1315-1317. Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Childbirth here and elsewhere

My first birthing experience was a rather traumatic one. I was 17 years old and was having contractions at 35 weeks pregnant. The doctors told me that it was false labor because I was 5 weeks early. They sent me home after telling me that I was one cm dilated and once the shot they gave me to stop the contractions started to work. Later that evening I was sitting down to eat dinner that I prepared for me and my husband at the time and a sudden pain started again. This time it lasted for a day and a half. I timed my contractions and went to the hospital once they were 5 minutes apart. The doctors hooked me up to the monitors and measured my contractions. After one hour of monitoring I went from 2 cm dilated to 8 cm. it was now time to have my very first baby. I was in a hospital in California, which included a private birthing room. I was placed on a birthing bed, and my feet were strapped to stirrups. The nurses gave me an episiotomy and I did not have any medications or pain relief due to the fact that I was already in the later stages of labor. It was 11 pm and they called the Doctor on call to come and deliver my baby. The doctor performed the incision so I wouldn’t tear while performing natural childbirth. After about thirty minutes of pushing Anna Marie came out. At first the doctors were not sure if her feet or he head was coming out first. That alarmed me. Anna was born with her skin peeled off from head to toe. She was bald and had no fingernails and eyelashes. She was rushed to the ICU and treated as a burn victim. She only weighed 5lbs. 8 oz. and she was determined to have a rare skin disorder. She was then transported the next day to Children’s Hospital LA, where they placed her in Neonatal ICU solitary unit. She then passed away three and a half weeks later due to an infection that lead to her heart. Anna Marie’s skin biopsies were stored for future testing in case any other children would be born with the rare skin disorder. Anna’s case was a rare and unique one because further findings were that there was no disease known to man that was exactly like my Anna. I laid her to rest in the family cemetery and have had two more children since. My two little girls now are my blessing from Anna, for I have always wanted to have a daughter of my own to love and hold. The reason I chose to discuss my story about Anna is because I experienced a healthy pregnancy, I ate the right and nutritious foods, I exercised lightly, and I had prenatal care. Anna gave medicine a sample to study and learn from. Anna gave us a little bit of her life to see the world outside the womb, and to greet her mommy and daddy. I feel that her little bit of life gave me strength and knowledge about Child Development in regards to skin diseases and incidents that we have little knowledge of. Feel the world can learn from her and in hopes that no other child will have the same outcome. I performed some research about birthing in Korea. It seems that they have most of the same technology that the US has in birthing. They perform cesareans like the US does. Korea has one unique method of birthing such as a birthing pool. It is only used for non placental deliveries. I feel this is a comfortable way to relieve contractions while getting ready to birth. Korea also performs episiotomies and they have private rooms for the baby to room in but only through private consultations with the Doctor prior to the birth. (http://www.korea4expats.com). I have noticed a few differences with Korean tradition of birthing than with Western procedures. In Korea the husband or father is not present in the birthing room, “Korean births are not always in a private room” (http://www.korea4expats.com). I feel that the birthing experiences in Korea are similar to the US, but the father not being present leads me to believe that the father to child bond is not as strong as in the US or in hospitals that allow fathers to be present. References Korea 4 Expats. com “Having a baby in Korea-Giving Birth” (2011). Retrieved from (http://www.korea4expats.com/article-giving-birth-in-korea.html).

Examining Codes of Ethics

Three ideals contained in the NAEYC codes of ethics that are especially meaningful to me are 1-1.1 —To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training. I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child. I-1.8—To support the right of each child to play and learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs of children with and without disabilities. Retrieved from NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from (http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf). In ideal 1-1.1, I think it is meaningful to possess knowledge of Child Development so we can be passionate about children. Also, it is equally important to be knowledgeable throughout our lives of working in the field to experience new trends and policies in Child development. An experienced and educated child care provider is better than one that makes only educated guesses about the needs and safety of children. In ideal 1-1.3, I feel empowered to be able to experience a wide range of unique qualities that children possess. Each child is different in their abilities and capabilities to perform tasks. I think it is a special privilege to be able to combine children together to learn from one another and to share their unique characteristics with me. Ideal 1-1.8, is meaningful because regardless of their abilities, children can play with children who have limited or no disabilities. I have seen it for myself. And the amazing feats that technology put forth for children with disabilities is amazing. There are walking devices, special chairs, and devices to help children grab and hold things. Inclusive environments help children advance and learn about diversity, and that is a special trait to experience and understand. Three ideals in the DEC codes of ethics that are meaningful to me are numbers 2 and 6 of the Professional and Interpersonal principals. 2. 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. 6. We shall build relationships with individual children and families while individualizing the curricula and learning environments to facilitate young children’s development and learning. And number 1 of the Enhancement of children’s and families’ quality of lives principals. 1. We shall demonstrate our respect and concern for children, families, colleagues, and others with whom we work, honoring their beliefs, values, customs, languages, and culture. Retrieved from. The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from (http://www.dec-sped.org/). Ideal 2 is extra meaningful to me because one should possess honesty and develop special relationships with all children and their families. These relationships will develop into strong ones, and the children will benefit in the long run because parents and teachers will have open communication with them. Also, a parent will have trust and show empathy towards teachers whom they trust and confide in. This positive relationship makes learning about the child easier. Ideal 6 relates to ideal 1, but it requires one to establish their learning environment to meet the needs of families and children. A center becomes an encouraging place to grow and develop when the children can play and work together in small and large groups. Also, a center is beneficial if all children are advancing and no one child is left out. Lastly, ideal 1 of the enhancement of children’s’ and families’ quality of lives is meaningful to me because when a teacher shows outmost concern for a child’s development and their colleagues, we can make sure that the policies and curriculum that is implemented works with everyone’s interests and concerns. By showing respect and interest in other’s religious preferences, customs, and traditions, we can learn about diversity, and try different foods too. Respecting language is also important because communication is the most important way to reach children and their families. I feel that educating ourselves in recognizing different languages can really make a lasting mark on Child Development because we can learn about a child’s full potential. A quote that is meaningful to me states: “Above all, we learned that policy leaders need to be skilled at bridging the worlds of early care and education and public policy as they embark on a long-term journey toward improving the lives of young children and their families” (Rigby, E., & Neuman, M. 2005, January). This quote gives light as to the journey we embark as educators and the roles we must assume in order to do our job in the best way possible. But it also helps guide one to be a constant learner about the field and to learn in every way possible about Child Development in order to help children to succeed and grow.

New Inspirations

Thought flows in terms of stories -- stories about events, stories about people, and stories about intentions and achievements. The best teachers are the best storytellers. We learn in the form of stories.

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-- Frank Smith

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Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.

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-- Goethe Just a few more inspirational quotes to keep the passion flowing for the Early Childhood Professional.