Uplifting Stories- Research That Benefit Children and Families

My oldest niece, Jakyla, was born in December of 2000. From birth she was a happy, healthy newborn who was very alert. Around 2 months of age, my sister Constance, Jakyla's mom, noticed some unusual jerking movement that Jakyla would experience while she slept. Once Jakyla was taken to her pediatrician it was determined that she was having seizures. Over the next couple of months Jakyla's seizures began to intensify, causing her to be hospitalized many times. Right before her first birthday Jakyla's pediatrician's determined that not only was she experiencing seizures, but that she was physically and mentally delayed. After being taken to specialist in Durham, NC Jakyla was given only a year to live. On this December, Jakyla Amara Patrice Sams will be 12 years old. Although Jakyla was not the direct participant in any research, research that has been conducted on the medicine that she takes has helped her to live 10 years past what doctors predicated. In addition, Jakyla is enrolled in public school and research has been conducted in order to determine the best curriculum needed to aid children who have similar medical, physical, and mental conditions.

My Research Journey

For the purposes of this course, I identified the topic of developmental stages as an EC topic that interest me. I chose this topic for a particularly sweet 11 lb (as of 2 weeks ago) reason, my daughter Andrea. My daughter will be 2 months on Wednesday March 13, and for the past few weeks I have noticed that she has been doing things that are unusual to see in her developmental stage. As an undergraduate student, I was a B-K major before changing my  major to Sociology. Even as a Sociology major, I took several B-K courses as electives. Due to my educational background and work experience I am familiar with the developmental stages of children. However, now that I am a mother, I am further interested of in learning even more about this topic.

The simulation process has shown my how to properly gather my thoughts and concentrate on one idea at a time. Thus far this course has allowed me to truly identify the importance of a credible resource and the difference between what’s credible and what's not. I am interesting in knowing how my colleagues who work and have families balance home, work, and school. This course is going to allow me to get back to the root of conducting research and writing a research based paper.

Final Blog Assignment

Over the course of eight weeks, I have listened to podcast of international ECE professionals, visited webpages, and read articles that have given me an insight on Early Childhood Education around the world. From these various sources I have gained insight into the lives and education of young children. Professionally I have learned that many countries value Early Care and Education, implement similar curriculum, rally for children's right and the funds to benefit these programs. Personally I have learned that one will learn to be thankful and appreciative of the small things in life, once you have been given a glimpse into the lives of others around the country and even in your own community.

If I could set one goal for in relation to international awareness and collegial relations, it would be to stay abreast of international Early Childhood news. This goal can be achieved by making an effort to personally contact international ECE professionals or via the methods I have used throughout this course.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts Pt 3

For this weeks assignment, I chose to explore the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s Early Childhood Care and Education site.Under this portion of the website, I read two articles concerning Early Childhood Education around the world. 

The first article was Solutions on Early Childhood Development in the Asia-Pacific Region Discussed. In November of last year a Early Childhood Development conference was held in Singapore.  Those in attendance discussed the importance of early childhood education for children under 3 years of age. According to the press release this is an age group that is often neglected due to the focus placed on pre-school and primary school. A highlight of the conference was the  launch of the “Resource Package for 0-3". The purpose of this package was to equip policy makers, practitioners and parents with a variety of information on Early Childhood Development for children 3 and under.

The second article was The Education of Roma Children Among the Subjects of World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education. In the article UNESCO director Irina Bokova states “Children are our most precious resource, and education is a basic right . The denial of this right leaves everybody much poorer." (UNESCO 2010). At the time of this press release UNESCO and the Council of Europe were finalizing guidelines to present to policy-makers concerning the right to basic education for Roma children.  Improving access to early childhood educational opportunities was a top priority.

The two articles mentioned above have proven to me how important the ECE field is not only in America, but various parts of the world. Just as the ECE community give their all to enlighten policy makers in the U.S. the same urgency is extended all around the world. The effect of Early Care and Education knows no country or continent, its impact is needed and felt all across the globe.

The Education of Roma Children Among the Subjects of World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/education_of_roma_children_among_the_subjects_of_world_conference_on_early_childhood_care_and_education/

Early Childhood Development in the Asia-Pacific Region Discussed http://www.unescobkk.org/news/article/solutions-on-early-childhood-development-in-the-asia-pacific-region-discussed/

Sharing Web Resources

The link I chose to follow was "Oral Language Tips". This page is centered around English Language Learners. This site listed 4 stages of language learning. The four stages are:


Home language use—Children continue to use their home language because they have not realized others do not speak their language.

• Nonverbal period in the new language-Children learn by watching and listening to English

• Telegraphic and formulaic language-  Children begin to name objects and people or key phrases in social surroundings

• Productive use of new language- Children begin to combine phrases and names of objects

This site also mentions ways that teachers help foster language development.

The Center for Child Care Workforce has not updated its newletter page since May/June 2011. I previously explored the newsletter that are posted on the site.

By offering vital information on how to support English Language Learners, this site is taking part in reducing inequity in the ECE field.


http://www.ccw.org/storage/ccworkforce/documents/orallangtipsheet-english.pdf

Getting to Knouw Your International Contacts Pt 2

The Global Children's Initiative was created as an international liaison for children's health and development. This program focuses on three areas:

• reframing the discourse around child health and development
• supporting innovative, multi-disciplinary research and demonstration projects
• building leadership capacity in child development research and policy

These three objectives, helped the Global Children’s Initiative build a portfolio of activities in three domains:

• early childhood development
• child mental health
• children in crisis and conflict situations.

The first program effort outside of the United States was in Brazil. In addition "A Good Start"  was created in Chile as an EC program that focuses on  quality early care and education through staff professional development.

This week I listened to Barbra "BJ" Jones on World News Forum radio. BJ founded the Pine Grove school in Maine.  BJ discussed her journey to founding her school. She was not impressed with the public school system and set out to California to find an alternative to traditional education. She responded to an unemployment ad for a teacher in a Montessori School. BJ eventually earned her Montessori certification in London, England. BJ's story and determination is an inner drive that all EC professionals should posses. We should always find ways to challenge ourselves in order to better serve and educate the children, staff, and families that we serve.



http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php

Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children’s initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/ 

Sharing Web Resorces

In regards to my current professional development, I found the link discussing Quality Rating and Improvement Systems the most relevant. The QRIS is a rating system that assesses early childhood programs. My organization, Scotland County partnership for Children and Families, must go through this assessment at the end of this fiscal year. In relation to my job, I can use the information presented in this section to receive a better understanding of what the QRIS measures. Once I am knowledgeable, I can evaluate my job performance to determine whether I am fully meeting the needs of the children, providers, and families that I serve.

I discovered that the QRIS provides finical incentives to programs that meet all standards. Due to the discovery of this information, it has motivated me to perform my job to the best of my ability. Any monetary contribution can be used to provide better service and programs to our children, childcare providers, and families.

The May/June 2011 newsletter featured an article on President Obama and a Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative Program. In my opinion having the support of the President makes the ECE field an important and every emerging field.

While exploring the website, I discovered that there was program in the neighboring state of South Carolina, that is geared towards children ages 0-3. The Keeping Pee Dee Kids Safe at Home is designed to involve communities in preventing child malnutrition. Overall this website offers valuable information concerning childcare providers, children, and families.