~~~~~~~~My Connection to Play~~~~~~~~

It is a happy talent to know how to play.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
American writer
1803–1882

The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.
Carl Jung
Swiss psychoanalyst
1875–1961

I chose the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson because it represents happiness. My memories of playing as a child are happy. I was in love with play and couldn’t wait to begin a new day of

play! I worked very hard to develop play as a talent! My dad (pictured below) provided a wealth of themes for

play. Our favorite game was to use our toy tractors and wagons to gather grass clippings - just like my dad was doing with hay. My cousins named our game, “Uncle Dom” after my dad. (My daughters, Sarah and Allie are pictured above on their "wheels")
My parents were very supportive of play in that they bought toys and games for my siblings and me. Sometimes my parents would play with us, especially board games. More times than not they allowed us to play uninterrupted. We were permitted to invite friends to our house to play - usually our cousins, and we were permitted to go to their house to play. My parents gave us permission to use two out-buildings in our yard for play houses. We designated one as “for girls only” and one “for boys only”. We would spend days cleaning and decorating and making signs such as, “No boys allowed” and “Keep Out!”. My mother didn’t interfere with our playing and always made sure we had supplies to make signs and decorate. We also had a swing set. We took the swings off and used the bars to make up and perform gymnastic tricks.
I chose the quote by Carl Jung because of the creativity and creations produced by play. When my sisters, cousins and I developed gymnastic tricks, we did it by pure play instinct and creativity. None of us had gymnastic classes. We organized our gymnastic tricks into “shows” and sold tickets for our “performances” to our parents. My uncle always bought a ticket and would compliment us on our ability. Another reason I chose this quote is because of the fun I had designing my child care center. I was very focused on an activity of my choosing. No one was directing me and I was able to use the knowledge I had gathered in college and work situations (scaffolding) in a creative and rewarding way. My memory of the fun I had is equivalent to the fun I had creating a gymnastic show as a child.
When I was a child, growing up on a farm, we did not fear strangers. I could run freely throughout our neighborhood, which consisted of about a dozen houses, and all over the farm. My parents encouraged play in the house, and especially outside. A neighbor allowed us to use his open field as a baseball field. All the neighborhood children would participate, regardless of age (as long as you were old enough to be allowed out of the yard). We all had the same instructions from our parents, “Be home by dark”. My children experienced the same freedom I had on a much smaller scale since our yard was only one acre. However, they didn’t have freedom to wonder around the neighborhood freely because I was afraid of strangers and wanted my children within sight when they played outside. When they were invited to a neighbor’s house I watched them walk until they were safely in the neighbor’s yard. I played games with my children, and allowed for them to play uninterrupted and without my input. My emphasis with my children was on creativity and self-directed play. I knew the benefits of play and had such fond memories of playing as a child I wanted my children to experience the same kind of fun.
Play has been tremendous throughout my life. My earliest and best memories are of playing. I remember playing in the dirt when I was two. The memory sticks with me because my older cousin told me I was going to be in trouble for getting dirty and I remember my fun instantly turning into fear. I associate play with laughter. My sisters, brother and I would laugh and laugh until tears ran down our cheeks. Sometimes we would laugh just because we wanted to. As an adult, laughter is still very important to me. If I find myself not laughing, I know it’s time to “regroup” and take time out to play. My play has changed over the years. Sometimes I consider shopping with one of my sisters play. We make jokes and laugh, and for that brief amount of time we become worry free.

Relationship Reflection

************No man is an island, entire of itself************

This is a quotation from John Donne (1572-1631)

Human beings do not thrive when isolated from others. Donne was a Christian but this concept is shared by other religions, principally Buddhism.

We are social beings. Our lives begin with relationships. As we grow we begin to understand connections between our actions and the way others react to us. This becomes the foundation of forming relationships and understanding how they work. When we cry and someone comforts us we feel a warm satisfaction. When we laugh, others join in and we again feel a warm satisfaction. We are learning that relationships involve give and take and that they meet our needs. We soon develop beyond forming relationships to have our immediate needs met to forming relationships on a higher level that involves companionship and camaraderie.
Reflecting on the role relationships have played in my life, the most outstanding is the relationship I have with my family. In times of joy and sorrow, my family is there to share, support and comfort me. We laugh and cry together, we work and play together. We also grow together. The relationships I have with my family taught me that maintaining relationships over time involves change and growth.
Outside of my family I have several close personal friends, friendships with co-workers, and friendships I maintain with my book club members. Each group represents a different type of relationship with different purposes and different effects on my life. All of my friendships provide companionship/fellowship and support. My friends are very important to me because we have a connection of understanding (interconnectivity) that validates us.
My closest friends are Joyce and Jacque (pictured above). Joyce, Jacque and I refer to ourselves as the three J‘s. Our friendship has stood the test of time because of our unconditional support and honesty with each other. Other important aspects of our friendship are open communication and respect for each other.
Over time I have learned that friendships take work and commitment. Forming new relationships involves creativity to build upon common interests. Sometimes people are hesitant to form a friendship due to a past negative experience or because of a time factor. Making friends with someone who is hesitant involves learning about their past and finding common ground to build upon. Flexibility, understanding, and persistence may be needed to develop new friendships. The rewards of putting forth the effort to build new friendships are great because as stated in the above quote, “we thrive from the relationships we have.” My closest friendships have stood the test of time because of the effort we each contribute.
Having positive relationship experiences will greatly contribute to my future work in the early childhood field because I am aware of the commitment involved in forming relationships and/or partnerships. I understand how to be flexible and persistent, as well as to learn about someone’s past experiences, all important ingredients needed to develop partnerships with parents. Having good communication skills, the foundation of all relationships, and the ability to be creative are other needed ingredients in forming partnerships and will enhance my future work in the early childhood field.

Let a child take you by the hand and show you life, and what it’s all about:
....That time is not a pendulum, but a tire swing, on a big oak tree
.....That clouds are not Cirrus or Nimbus, but giraffes, elephants, and big billowing sails on a pirate ship
…..That summer storms don’t erode lawns, they make mud puddles
Author Unknown

The following poem is a favorite of mine....

"Children Learn What They Live"

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte


Dr. D. and classmates,
Thank you for your support!
Good luck to everyone in future classes!!
Joey

******************Testing******************

Assessing development and accomplishments is an important part of educating children. Viewing a child from a holistic viewpoint involves assessing that child on an ongoing basis to determine his strengths, weaknesses, interests and dreams. Tests/assessments are tools to guide educators in providing appropriate programming to meet the needs of each child and assist him in reaching his dreams. Tests should be used to assist educators and parents to know the child better. Although I think children’s progress needs to be assessed, I don’t agree that the only method or even correct method is a standardized test. Daily assessment through observation and participation are essential to knowing and understanding each child in order to adapt the environment and teacher directed instruction to meet immediate needs. Learners need practice to internalize new skills. As children get older, they are able to evaluate their own progress and set their own educational goals so standardized test may be of more value to them if used properly. Assessments/tests should be used by educators to determine a child’s progress and show areas that a child may excel or need further development, not to determine how much funding a school will receive.
Testing in the United States confuses me. Reasoned speaking and logical argument are not taught in the United States where children are expected to have opinions, not necessarily logic (Berger, 2009). Aren’t many aspects of standardized tests are based on logic? The United States was not much above average on the Trends in Math and Science Study (TIMSS) and it has been suggested that this poor performance is one reason the Unites States has stopped participating in TIMSS (Berger, 2009). Why not use the results to improve programming? I think the answer, in part, may be because tests are used to determine funding, not to determine how to better meet the needs of each child. I think we may have ‘missed the boat” in our way of thinking in the United States. We take music programs, family and consumer science programs, and sports programs out of a school’s curriculum (based on funding) and then wonder why our children aren’t doing well in math. Why are we not applying the knowledge we have about brain development to our educational system after the early childhood years? Too often in the United States teachers are teaching “the test”, which is not addressing “the whole child”. Learning to play an instrument or a second language or spending time painting and drawing or participating in sports are very important for the overall education of children. As stated earlier, the purpose of assessment/testing is to know the child better, help him reach his dreams and provide the appropriate environment and programming to accomplish these goals.
The educational system in Chile involves annually conducting a series of unified tests using Sistema de Medición de la Calidad de la Educación or SIMCE (Education Quality Measurement System) (ABBYY). The test had been used beginning in fourth grade, but in 2010 third grade assessment of the subsector Middle English began. SIMCE collects information about teachers, students and parents through questionnaires of context. This information is used to contextualize and analyze the results of student performance (What is SIMCE, 2009, 2010). Chile’s approach to standardized testing is more child centered. Socioeconomic characteristics are considered. Initiatives implemented at schools based on the results of SIMCE are assessed to determine if a positive effect was accomplished on the level of student performance. The results should help teachers become aware of the diversity of students. The information provided by SIMCE is used by the Ministry of Education to know features of the school and family environment in which students study (What is SIMCE, 2009, 2010). SIMCE is also used to compare Chilean student performance to that of other countries. Although the articles I read described SIMCE as very “child oriented” assessment system. The articles indicate that teachers adjust their classrooms to better accommodate the needs of the children as demonstrated on SIMCE. It would be interesting to observe a classroom in Chile to see this process in motion and compare it to that in the United States.




ABBYY FormReader 6.5 Is Used for National Educational Tests Processing in Chile. Retrieved from:
http://www.abbyy.com/Default.aspx?DN=4c86f1d8-73ab-4b73-9415-b8db23c28f6b

What is SIMCE, 2009, 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.simce.cl/

Berger, K.S. (2009). The Developing Person Through Childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers

Poverty

A very good friend of mine grew up in poverty. Her father abandoned her family when she was quite young. She remembers living in a milk house along with her mother and three sisters because they couldn’t afford to rent an apartment. The family received assistance from the local Children and Youth program such as teaching her mother about good nutrition. My friend became pregnant at the age of 15. Today she understands that getting pregnant was a way out of her situation. She was a very good mother considering that she had two children before she was 17. (I tease her that she and her oldest daughter are the same age.) Her children are both very successful college graduates with families of their own. While raising her children, my friend put herself through nursing school. I’m always impressed that my friend is very disciplined and goal oriented. She has traveled around the world. She enjoys a good life and is someone I can count on in any situation.
I have a special affinity to Italy because it is part of my heritage. It was very interesting to discover Italy is one of the top-ranking nations for early childhood education services (babyzone). The Italians have had a profound influence on early childhood education from Montessori to the more recent Reggio Emilia approach (Early Learning in Italy, 2008). I was not familiar with the Reggio approach and learned that it is named for a small city in Northern Italy. The theme of the Reggio schools is letting children lead. In 1991, Newsweek named the Reggio schools among the best preschools in the world (Early Learning in Italy, 2008).
Although Italy is noted for excellence in early childhood education, the country is not without problems. With Italy’s free, intensive education system, essentially free child healthcare, and paid family leave that enables a parent to stay at home during a child’s first year of life, a number of Italian children experience their share of problems, including poverty, unpleasant divorces, and child abuse (Italy Social Problems). The southern region of Italy has the biggest poverty risk, especially amongst families with children and additional adults. The most vulnerable of all children are those residing with single mothers, where unemployment is particularly high and the risk of poverty is approximately 64 - 66% (Italy Social Problems). A major obstacle in combating child poverty within Italy is its inadequate social welfare system. In 2000, (only) 3.4% of national expenditures were used toward social protection for children and families (Italy Social Problems).
Child abuse is a worldwide problem and exists in Italy. Efforts have been made to combat it. A national commission was established in 1997, which aimed to prevent inadequacies in reporting abuse, and thus control this visible problem . The inadequacy in reporting was the numbers of abused were not reported, only the offender (Italy Social Problems). A program called Neutral Space was set up by Milan council in 1993 with the intent to create a safe place where children and parents can reunite with the aid of social workers (Italy Social Problems).

References:

Italy Social Problems. Retrieved from: http://www.tulane.edu/~rouxbee/kids04/italy/_jfarhoum/SocialProblems.html

Early Learning in Italy, (June 4, 2008). Child development news and resources for professionals and parents. Retrieved from: http://www.childdevelopmentmedia.com/blog/?p=16

Early Childhood Education Around the World. babyzone. Retrieved from: http://www.babyzone.com/toddler/toddler_development/early_education/article/internatio…

Nutrition/Malnutrition

Nutrition is meaningful to me because it is one of our basic needs: food , clothing and shelter. Having raised four children, I spent a lot of time and money on groceries. I am very health conscious and have always taken vitamin and mineral supplements. When my children were young I had a cookbook entitled, “Feed Me, I’m Yours”. When I hear about hunger in our country as well as worldwide, I just want to insist, “feed them, they’re ours”!!
In our readings we learned the importance of fat for brain development and that good nutrition and good health are directly related. As we learn about the development of children, the underlying factor is that mother and baby/child maintain a “healthy” diet resulting in the “norms“ for development such as those used on growth charts. During our last course we learned how the brain reacts to malnutrition. An article on nutrition by The World Bank reiterated the brain’s reaction: In the area of cognitive development, when there isn’t enough food, the body has to make a decision about how to invest the limited foodstuffs available. Survival comes first. Growth comes second. Learning comes last (The World Bank Group, 2011).
Malnutrition or under nutrition indicates a lack of some or all nutritional elements such as protein and vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, iron and iodine (World Hunger Education Service, 2011). Under nutrition impairs behavioral development causing delays in physical growth and motor development. The effects on cognitive development result in lower IQ’s by 15 points (severely malnutrition). Children experience a greater degree of behavioral problems and deficient social skills, decreased attention, deficient learning, and lower educational achievement (The World Bank Group, 2011). Children are the most visible victims of under nutrition. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least half of the 10.9 million child deaths each year. Under nutrition magnifies the effect of every disease, including measles and malaria (World Hunger Education Service, 2011).
Of the 925 million hungry people in 2010, 239 million live in Sub-Saharan Africa (World Hunger Education Service, 2011). One in every three African children born suffers from malnutrition. More than half a million African children suffer from vitamin A deficiency, which cripples young immune systems. Well over half of sub-Saharan children under five do not have enough iron to support a healthy lifestyle. (Health of African Children). Poverty is the principle cause of hunger. In sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people in extreme poverty has increased (World Hunger Education Service, 2011).
It appears that poverty, hunger, economic systems and politics are all a part of the cause of under nutrition. Each effects the other in ways that seems to be a cycle. Poverty causes hunger, hunger causes poverty. Economic systems and politics are viewed as means to over come poverty, economic systems and politics perpetuate poverty. There are many reasons for malnutrition. In developing countries the effect of HIV/AIDS can not be ignored as a contributing factor. For me, more important that analyzing the cause of malnutrition is knowing interventions can be effective, especially early in development. Strong evidence suggests that the earlier children begin benefiting from nutrition interventions the greater the improvement on behavioral development. Long-term studies indicate that nutrition interventions aimed at preschool children in the first few years of life lead to measurable improvements in adolescence and adulthood (The World Bank Group, 2011).
I believe education is a key element in helping children living in poverty without enough to eat. Awareness and avenues to provide assistance are very important. As a future undergraduate educator I am cognizant of the importance of imparting knowledge about world hunger, the causes and effects and the importance of advocating for change.

References:

Early Child Development - Nutrition, The World Bank Group, 2011. Retrieved from: http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXXTCY/EXTECD/0,,contentM…

2011 World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics, World hunger Education Service, 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/worl%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm

Health of African Children. Retrieved from: http://senweb.lr.kl2.nj.us/Library/class%20prjects/Stapleford/Children45/child%20health%20lauren.htm

Giving Birth

Giving birth to four children provides me with many memories. Although all my children’s births were memorable, my first and last were the most difficult. I’m going to tell you about my first childbirth experience. I was married for seven years and researched and planned to give my baby the very best start in life. I quit smoking a year before conceiving and was in very good physical shape. While pregnant I maintained a healthy diet, except for satisfying an extreme craving for ice cream. In preparation for delivery I chose a hospital that had a neonatal unit, just to be on the safe side. At all my appointments with a reputable OB/GYN practice I made sure to remind the physicians I wanted a natural childbirth - no drugs! Two weeks past my due date I finally went into labor. Once situated in the hospital I used my breathing patterns learned at Lamaze class. The nurse told me my contractions were too hard and my baby was in distress. I needed to take a new drug called Nubane. So I agreed. Eventually I was taken to the delivery room and my doctor told me I needed a nerve block. So much for no drugs. After the nurse got on top of me to push the baby out and the doctor pulled with forceps my beautiful little girl was born. Nothing in the world mattered except the beauty of seeing and holding my gorgeous baby!! Sarah is now 27. She teaches problematic high school students while working on a master’s degree in administration. Sarah is planning to get married this fall.

Learning about maternal and neonatal programs in developing countries, I am saddened to learn the surprisingly high rate of mortality and morbidity. Best estimates for Jamaica suggest that between 1,300 and 1,900 women and girls die each year due to pregnancy related complications. Most of these deaths can be prevented with cost-effective health care services (Jamaica MNPI). Although, compared to other developing countries globally, Jamaica’s maternal an neonatal programs are rated slightly higher, especially for access to services in rural areas. Jamaica is rated very high globally for encouraging immediate breastfeeding (Jamaica MNPI). The following describes the birthing experience in a Jamaican hospital:

A birthing experience in the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica childbirth is a community event . Women share a labor room and encourage each other during the process. This is where first-time mothers get their first “childbirth education classes”. Women also share the delivery room where midwives and nurses work together and assist one and other with each birth (Wilson, L, 1997).

In the United States we value our privacy that is inherent to our culture. Jamaican culture is more community, thus childbirth is a more joyously shared community event (Wilson, L, 1997)

References:

MNPI Maternal and Neonatal Program Effort Index Jamaica. Retrieved from www.policyproject.com/pubs/MNPI/Jamaica_MNPI.pdf

Wilson, L. (Spring 1997). Birth as a Community Experience: It Can Be Achieved in a Hospital! Midwifery Today issue 41. Retrieved from http://www.midwiferytoday.com/articles/community.asp