Harvard University Center on the Developing Child

After thoroughly exploring Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website, I was originally struck by the interactive resources, especially “How Early Experiences Get into the Body: A Biodevelopmental Framework.” In this interactive resource, researches discuss how a strong foundation is necessary for a productive society. “These scientific advances explain how early experiences are biologically embedded in the development of the brain and other organ systems and have long-term impacts on physical and mental health as well as cognitive, language, and social skills” (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/).  The resource seeks to identify ways to prevent unhealthy developmental experiences in an attempt to strengthen our families, communities, and society as a whole.

            From exploring the website, it is evident that the Center on the Developing Child has tapped into, is aware, and is sharing its findings on the role of science in the development of children. Several articles and publications discuss the brain and how it shapes experiences during the early childhood years. When I think of how this applies to equity and excellence in early care and education, I can’t help but shift my mind into preventive mode to ensure that each child, under my care, has positive experiences to build on. Sharing this information with parents, colleagues, and community members may help increase awareness as well as encourage others to begin ensuring that they provide children with the opportunity to make positive connections with the world around them. If this is done, children and students may inherit a desire for learning and interaction and explore the world around them more freely, without fear, hesitation, and limits.

Sharing Web Resources: NAEYC

Over the past four weeks, I have been navigating through and studying the resources located on the website for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. This website offers a plethora of informational resources, but this week, I decided to focus on their position statements. As an early childhood professional, these resources help me to remain centered on child development and early learning within the classroom and are crucial to my professional development. They help shape my beliefs and classroom practices as we move towards a central focus on early childhood care and education within the United States.

            This week, one particular position statement, titled “Still Unacceptable Trends in Kindergarten Entry and Placement”, caught my attention. After reading articles about economists, neuroscientists, and politicians supporting early childhood education, this article helped continuously bring awareness to quality early childhood programs and practices in which investments can be made and lifelong benefits can be achieved. Reading this article provided greater clarity and balance as it pertains to administrative and educator roles and the way young children learn.

            Due to outside factors, administrators, educators, and parents are pressured for children and students to learn developmentally inappropriate standards using developmentally inappropriate methods. Given this outside influence, economists, neuroscientists, and politicians have the ability to make decisions and share information that promotes quality early childcare and education. The opportunity for collaboration across each field is evident as we all work together to ensure children are receiving a quality developmental experience.

Source:
www.naeyc.org

Poverty in China

            Though I have yet to give up hope on making professional contacts with those from another country, while I await responses, I have taken a look at the condition of poverty amongst children in China, courtesy of the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Center’s website. I was particularly interested in China because of its One-Child Policy. Naturally, one would think with such an attempt to control the population, childhood poverty couldn’t possibly be a threat. Well, like many others, I have had to rethink my thoughts. In China, a surprisingly 4.2 million children live in absolute poverty and 8.7 million live in disadvantaged conditions. This is significantly less than the 16.4 million children who lived in poverty when the 2010 Census was taken.
            Though China does have a one-child policy, population can’t and hasn’t protected the country from experiencing poverty. Over the years, China has increased its interdependence on other countries which has increased the amount of goods, services, technology, and capital leaving the country. This alone increased the nation’s vulnerability to poverty. Also adding to the likelihood of poverty becoming a striking trend throughout the country, education costs drastically increased, and due to the economy, families were not able to afford them (www.childhoodpoverty.org).

References

Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre. (n.d.) Country overviews. Retrieved from http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo

NAEYC

This week, I reviewed the website for the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The mission and vision of this organization is to “is to serve and act on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being of all young children with primary focus on the provision of educational and developmental services and resources.” One prominent theme presented throughout the website that ties directly into the organization’s purpose is informing the early childhood community (professionals and families) about current news in the early childhood field. The homepage of the website is filled with excerpts from recent publications of Young Children and other NAEYC books. The website’s resources have a clear focus on assisting the community in providing quality childcare and encouraging the whole development of young children.

For more information, visit the National Association for the Education of Young Children online at www.naeyc.org.

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

This week, I attempted to establish contact with two early childhood professionals. I used the Global Forum website in order to assist me in this endeavor. I am still waiting for a response from them both, however, most of the emails that I tried that were listed on the site returned invalid. If I do not receive contact by the end of the week, I will consider completing the alternative assignment to Part I.

            For Part 2 of the blog assignment, I have chosen to review the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s website at http://www.naeyc.org/. I look forward to not only reviewing their website, but also reading their position statements on their beliefs about the Early Childhood field.

My Daily Supports

When I think of the word support, my mind is immediately drawn to the role of cheerleaders in any given sport, cheering their team on to victory. When I look at the environment around me, including the people in my life, I am surrounded by supportive friends, family and colleagues who help me achieve my goals in numerous ways. I'm the first to say that being a teacher and being in graduate school isn't the easist task in the world, but it's something that I have chosen to do for me and for my students. With this task comes the juggling of everyday housekeeping, yardwork, exercising, and making time for family and friends. When socializing with my friends, they constantly ask me if I've finished my homework and how I'm doing on my assignments. Some of my friends offer to help me by mowing the lawn and fixing odds and ends throughout my home. Without these supports, I would definitely feel as though I had the weight of the world on my shoulder. My friends realize that I have a lot on my plate and oftentimes make it easy for me to achieve my goals by helping me without hesitation.

My family is also very supportive. Though I live far away from my parents, my brother, and my extended family, they are just a phone call away. They are there to talk to about important events that are happening in my lilfe as well as to provide encouragement for me daily. When speaking with my colleagues about our graduate work, we develop a sense of unity that we are all here to accomplish the same goal, and that is being dedicated to the quality education of young children. We share ideas, stories, struggles, and successes, which brings us closer to each other and gives us strength to make it through the day, week, month, and year. All of these support systems together help me and encourage me in reaching my goal of obtaining a Master's degree here at Walden.

Without these supports,  I'm almost positive that it would be difficult for me to maintain focus and balance in my life. Having studied throughout the Early Childhood Studies program, I believe that it would be very difficult for me to survive mentally, physically, and emotionally without these supports and relationships in my life.

At this stage in my life, I think it would be very challenging for me to accept anymore responsibility roles, such as leadership, at work. Though I do have a desire to make a difference in the lives of children, I don't want to overwhelm myself. I believe with more responsibility at this stage of my life, something (either my health, my family, my quiet time, etc) would suffer. A former college professor once mentioned that whenever we give 100% to one thing, something else goes lacking. In order for me to take on more responsibility at work, I would definitely need more help at home. It may have taken me a while, but I do realize that I can't do everything by myself. I've taken off my superwoman cape and only take on the things that I can manage.

My Connections to Play

Though I don't remember much about play in my early childhood days, this quote summarizes what I learned from some of my most enjoyed activities with family and friends.

"Playground games such as "Mother May I?" or "Red Light/Green Light" develop self-control and social skills; board games promote taking turns, strategic thinking, and problem-solving; sports, playground equipment, and blocks or other construction activities augment physical coordination; and word games promote lingustic and social skills. Children need an atmosphere in which exploration and play ar...e valued and encouraged, a print-rich environment in which books encourage verbal skills; materials challenge the imagination, and there is positive social interaction. A play-derived environment in which children rely too much on "screen time" - video games, television, movies, and computer-based diverion - to fill their time is sterile and seldom draws upon creativity." - Miquela Rivera, "The Powerful Effect of Play in a Child's Education".

Miquela Rivera's explanation of the importance of play reminds me of what it was like as a child. It's unbelievable to read this, look back and realize that those games had an underlying purpose and the experiences were priceless.

"Play has been man's most useful occupation." - Frank Caplan, Contemporary American Author

Though I'm not ver old, I can remember my uncle taking the time to make me a doll house by hand. After constant visits to his house and watching step by step, the product was finally finished and ready to take home. Once home, I enjoyed hours upon hours of play with my newly built doll house and felt very special that he would take the time to do something like that, just for me.



Living in a major city and driving on interstate highways reminds me of the times my brother and I used to race our cars on the windy tracks on my bedroom floor. Then, I lived in a small town and I had no idea that a "Spaghetti Junction" could be real. Today, I frequent Spaghetti Junction, and I still find fascination in the loopdy loops. 

Though a more structured play, I distinctly remember playing basketball outside with my brother and children from our neighborhood. Though there were already rules to the game, playing basketball with other people helped develop social skills amongst me and my friends.

Reading about the different types of play has encouraged me to attempt to incorporate them more into my early childhood classroom. Now that I am responsible for teaching Science and Social Studies, I believe that I can incorporate constructive play more into the classroom. Knowing that each type of play has a direct effect on a child's development, I can make a more deliberate attempt to meet students needs in this area.