My Supports

Throughout this year especially I have found out just how important and necessary the support I have from my family and friends are to me. I was always one for keeping my family on the outside of my personal life because I never wanted to give them any more concerns or have something else in their life to worry about. This year I had to reach out to my family for support due to the fact that I am going through a divorce right now. My job has provided me the support I needed in order to financially go forward on my own, and the distractions I needed to get through the day. I’ve learned the importance of lists and notes and the support they give me to keep abreast of what needs to be done in order of importance. Without these certain supports in my life I know I would not be able to get through this unexpected time in my life. The support I have had this year has come from phone calls, emails, text messages, or even just a hug. All these have helped me to cope with certain difficulties in my life.

The challenge I chose to write about is being pregnant but also being a single mom. I could only imagine the supports that I would need in my life in order to get through this difficult time but also being able to enjoy the many memories that are to be had. While being pregnant of course I would need the support of my Doctors/Nurses to show me what needs to be done on my part to keep myself and the baby healthy as well as what to prepare for in the upcoming months. Knowing I had positive and helpful people a phone call away to answer any questions, silly or not, would help put my mind at ease. I always relied on books to give me the support of questions I had and during a pregnancy I would rely on informational books to help me learn the wonderful world of childbirth and infancy. Books bring an array of knowledge and would definitely be a support of mine during this time. I don’t think I would be able to get through a time like this without the unconditional support of family and friends helping me. Whether it be helping to get the nursery set up, grocery shopping when my feet are too swollen and sore to walk or just to show me what I was in store for with sharing their own experiences. Again, having the aid of lists and notes to make sure that I have everything prepared before the big day would be a big help. Without any of these supports in my life during a time like this It would be very difficult for me. These factors play a very important role in knowing that I could do this by myself but that there are people there in case I need any help or have any questions.

My connections to play!

These are 3 quotes I found that spoke to me regarding play as a child:

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” -  Fred Rogers

Some things can only be understood when you're in a tree house.  With a pile of warm chocolate chip cookies.  And a book.  ~Dr. SunWolf, professorsunwolf.com

Always jump in the puddles! Always skip alongside the flowers. The only fights worth fighting are the pillow and food varieties. ~Terri Guillemets

As I was thinking about play items I had that were essential to my childhood, I kept remembering the awesome items that were a staple to my childhood. I found more than I needed to post, but I wanted to share them anyway. Here they are! (When uploaded they do not take the form of an image, I've tried multiple ways to paste them....if scrolled over the top of box and click it, it does show the item. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. )

 

Technology and media is much more accessible these days to children even at an early age. Yes, when I was younger I had Nintendo and Game Boy, but that was only on occasion and mostly something to do on a rainy or snowy day. There were no IPads, IPods or laptops for kids that took up most of their time. My kind of play involved being outside getting dirty and using my imagination. There is a big push I see for sports and extracurricular activities which is wonderful, but takes much time away from that pretend play and free time that children need to develop. More time is spend using paint and drawing programs on the computer instead of using real life art materials to create a masterpiece. I know we live in a world today where technology is everywhere and is a necessity to learn, but I feel it is taking over the lives of children. Yes, they need to know how to use different forms of technology for school use and to retrieve information, although I don’t feel it needs to be so apparent in the life of a child. 

My parents always encouraged me to go outside and play instead of being inside. I was able to use household items to create whatever it was I was fabricating in my head. I had the push and incentive from my parents to be creative and I feel that is why I am the adult I am today. I feel things have become simpler for children today which doesn’t give the children that opportunity to use their creative side and their imagination to make their thoughts and visions come alive. In my opinion too much time is spent being inactive when children should be moving, creating and exploring. 

Relationship Reflection

This year I’ve had the chance to really reflect on the relationships, past and present in my life and which ones were worth fighting for. I’ve always had relationships in my life that have come and gone, a few that I know will be with me forever and one I knew that would last a lifetime. This year I wound up realizing that what I thought was a positive relationship in my life was really a negative and unhealthy one. I made the decision to end my marriage, a relationship of 14 years because I realized the importance of positive relationships, and unfortunately mine was not anymore. The hardest decision I ever had to make became easier because of the other relationships I have in my life. The reason I share this information is because the friend that came into my life shortly before this happened and the relationship I have with her is what pulled me through and kept me a float during this time. She brought back the smiles that were gone and the good that was lost. A very unexpected relationship, but one that I needed in my life to show me the great that is out there in the world. She showed me the true importance of having strong relationships in your life and the happiness they can bring, and I am happy to share the joy she has brought back into my life. There are many kinds of relationships in this world, finding the positive ones became a challenge for me for a long time. Although a once forever relationship has come to an end, it has given me the strength to strive for better, knowing there are people in my life that are there to pick me back up if I fall. 

In my family there are many broken relationships, which have made me realize the importance of maintaing the ones I have. The relationship I have with my mother has shown me the pure strength that relationships can hold, and that some cannot be broken. Being able to believe that someone will always be there for you, stand by your side and willing to work through opposing beliefs is a great feeling. Although I feel no relationship or partnership can be perfect. It is what you make of it and the way you work to keep it alive. 

I don’t know why certain people come into our lives and why we develop relationships with them, but I know I would not be where I am today in my life if not for many of these relationships I hold, old and new. I am so grateful to the people in my life that have shown me what it is I truly deserve. Maintaining these strong and healthy relationships are not easy, but one that deserves my full attention and commitment. 

Thank You!

There is so much wonderful knowledge and insight that is shared every week through our discussions and blog posts. It is hard to just thank one or two people for their gracious comments and additions to our posts back and forth. I have gained much respect for everyone that chooses to share with us their personal experiences so we can all learn and grow as early childhood professionals. If I do need to thank specific colleagues for their Blogs, I would have to say thank you Dalhia Lloyd, Laura Vasquez and Samantha Testa for always putting your heart into what you write and sharing your personal experiences with us. I hope to work with you in the future!

When I think about child devlopment....

I found two quotes about child development that I really enjoyed. I hope you like them as well.

"The child's personality is a product of slow gradual growth. His nervous system matures by stages and natural sequences. He sits before he stands; he babbles before he talks; he fabricates before he tells the truth; he draws a circle before he draws a square; he is selfish before he is altruistic; he is dependent on others before he achieves dependence on self. All of his abilities, including his morals, are subject to laws of growth. The task of child care is not to force him into a predetermined pattern but to guide his growth."

Arnold Gesell

"If nature has commanded that of all the animals, infancy shall last longest in human beings--it is because nature knows how many rivers there are to cross and paths to retrace. Nature provides time for mistakes to be corrected (by both children and adults), for prejudices to overcome, and for children to catch their breath and restore their image of themselves, peers, parents, teachers, and the world."

Loris Malaguzzi

Testing for Intelligence

Children need to be motivated and engaged in the classroom or there will be no higher order thinking going on. Also, a child needs to be safe and healthy for any learning to be had. Looking at assessment in regards to the whole child seems to be a way for every aspect of a child’s developmental needs to be addressed. I came across a website the other day while doing some research on assessments, and I found an article that speaks about assessing through the student’s eyes. I was hooked to read further into what they had to say. Rick Stiggins is the author that talks about a new vision for assessments that taps into the confidence, motivation and learning potential within each student. What they did was examine assessments through the eyes of the assessment winners and assessment losers. They want to make the dynamic of assessments to support learning, which they call this assessment for learning. 

Extensive research conducted around the world shows that by consistently applying the principles of assessment for learning, we can produce impressive gains in student achievement, especially for struggling learners (Black & Wiliam, 1998). The starting point of assessment for learning is the teachers sharing achievement targets with students. The teachers will present to the students the expectations in a language that they are able to comprehend and process, as well as examples of commendable student work. What makes this type of assessment great for students is that there are frequent self assessments that provide them, as well as their teachers, with continued descriptive feedback they can manage effectively. This way the students can track their path toward the achievement targets that have been established by the teacher. I love when the students are in full control of their educational development. They get to use the feedback gained from the assessments to see where they are now in relation to where they want to be and discover how to do better the next time. Students are able to set their own goals on their journey toward achievement. This assessment for learning gives the teachers and students the opportunity to work together and it provides them both with information they can use immediately to improve the students’ performance. 

Unfortunately, I have seen so many children fail under the pressure of standardized tests. I feel there should be some alternative to these old fashion tests, something that is geared more toward the student and the age level. There were so many times I knew some of my students knew the information, but froze when the test was in front of them. Looking at the whole child perspective on things seems to be a better way of looking toward assessing children with their academic and emotional status in mind. 

When I was researching information about assessments in other areas of the world I was intrigued about how high student achievements rates are in Finland and why that was. FInnish citizens hold teachers in high regard and is one of the most competitive fields, even above medicine and law. In the 1980’s Finland abolished standardized tests and went with a trust based system where teachers have a certain freedom to teach with creativity. Also in Finland students are in school 2 to 3 hours less than students in the U.S., which gives the students more time to work on their studies and teachers more time to prepare fantastic lessons. With that said Finland is the highest performing nation. 

 What Accounts for Finland's High Student Achievement Rate?, Asia Society. Retrieved from: http://asiasociety.org/education/learning-world/what-accounts-finlands-high-student-achievement-rate

Stiggens, Rick. (2007) Assessment Through the Student’s Eyes.  Educating the Whole Child, Volume 64 (8), pages 22-26.

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may07/vol64/num08/Assessment-Through-the-Student's-Eyes.aspx

Childhood Stressors

My cousin and her young children experienced one of the worst natural disasters NJ has had in a while almost a year ago now, Hurricane Sandy. Being told to have to evacuate their house not knowing when they will be able to return and in what condition are they going to find the place they called home for almost 15 years is a stressor I would not want to have by my side. Packing just as much as they could grab for the short time they had to move on out and hoping their childhood memories and family heirlooms would not get completely destroyed. Her and the children were not able to return to the development where she lived for almost 3 weeks living with friends and family who didn’t have it as bad as they did. People around the world have the stress of preparing for a natural disaster as much as you can and wondering what they are going to have to deal with afterwards. There were many who were affected by Hurricane Sandy and are still trying to repair and restore their lives. There were so many wonderful people out there who gave their time and energy as well as their own personal belongings to help out communities in need. They found comrade-re in those that were affected by the hurricane as well. The children were all able to get together and try to find some sort of comfort and routine in their daily lives again. 

The last time we had to blog and research malnutrition in other countries I chose South Africa, so this time I chose to continue my research of childhood stressors in Africa and South Africa. Some traditional childhood stressors that seem likely in the United States could be parent’s divorce, hospitalization and possibly separation from parents. Children in South Africa have daily stressors of war and terror. There has been specific research conducted examining the emotional status of children exposed to political violence in the squatter camps of Cape Town. Stressful life events have been linked to major psychiatric disorders in South Africans as well as substance abuse and impulse control disorders. There are trauma support groups available for people in South Africa, some mainly geared toward children to help them cope through education and understanding. 

A quote I found through my research of South Africa I thought fit this assignment.

Children are not strangers to stress. Over a significant span of human history they have been more often the victims of the slings and arrows of an uncaring society than recipients of its beneficent protection. (Garmezy 1988, p 49

http://www.csvr.org.za/index.php/publications/1554-growing-up-in-violent-situations-the-south-african-situation.html