Educational Policies

School policies have been around since the 1800’ with Horace Mann and the start of the Common School. Horace Mann believed that the current school system was inadequate and none of the schools coordinated with each other and none of the children were learning. With his Common School all white children regardless of religion, family heritage or sex would be provided the same type of education with certain standards/polices. ( Fowler, 2013).

 As an early education teacher I have never been one to question policy and procedures. I just followed the rules and regulations/policies. I know the basics; teacher-child ratio, adult-child ratio, teacher salary, illness and vacation time, what to do when a child is picked up late, how to fill out child abuse reports, mandated assessments, renew my teaching permit every 5 years, and take a first aid and CPR class every 2 years. I have started to wonder who made these policies and why. How old are these policies and do they really benefit students, teachers or parents. Do these policies need to be revisited or changed? As I delve into this class I will discuss my goals with my peers starting in my classroom, then branch out to the whole center and into the college class that I help teacher

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The first professional goal I would like to work on is to create and maintain a stimulating outdoor environment. Outdoor play is a vital part of our youngest learner’s development. Playing outdoors has many health and fitness benefits. (NAEYC, 2008). With parks being closed, parents working longer hours, children are eating fast food instead of healthy foods.  Many children are not getting enough physical exercise and are being becoming overweight or obese.

Many teachers do not like going outdoors because it is too cold or too hot for them. I have seen classes stay inside for those reasons. Bringing the research to these staff members is a way to start a dialogue about the many benefits of learning outdoors, along with demonstrating what my class can do while outside. Should outdoor play be mandatory and become a policy for our youngest learner?

The second professional goal I would like to do is to visit other preschools, learn about their curriculum, philosophy, values and approaches to teaching and bring back the information to my school and share new ideas and concepts that could be used inside and outside  through professional development

Outside professional development has fallen by the wayside over the years. Since many teachers do not go back to school, professional developments are a way of learning the latest and newest skills in the area of child development. Districts or individual schools should decide or set goals yearly on new subjects in the field or revisit and improve on an existing topic.

The last professional goal is to continue to spread the word that we are not babysitters, we are early childhood educators. Starting first by having a dialogue and inviting elementary school teachers over to visit and see what we are all about. “Through increased communication and collaboration, both worlds can learn much that can contribute to improving the educational experiences of all young children.” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). Local districts, state and federal agencies should also recognize early childhood educators as equal to other teachers and give them the same pay, educational opportunities and respect.

References

Copple, C., Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs. National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington, DC.

Erickson, M. (2008). Ensuring That All Children Can Spend Quality Time Outdoors. Retrieved from naeyc.org/learn from nature.

 Fowler, F. C. (2013). Policy studies for educational leaders (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Final Thoughts

Final thoughts

This course has opened my eyes to see all the work that still needs to be done as an educator, a parent, a female, and a minority in the world regarding race and culture. It is sad that in the twenty-first century we as a society face many “isms”. Are we going forwards or backwards?

In the video, The Danger of a Single Story, Chimanda Ngozi Adichie, discusses how single stories create stereotypes and robes people of their dignity.  I connected with this video the most. We are quick to stereotype a person without even knowing anything about them, where they are from and what they might be going through.

I also connect with the book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. Valuing another person’s culture and allowing them to practice it is very important.  This book demonstrates what can happen to a child or anyone when there is a cultural barrier, lack of communication and lack of compassion. The ending of this book is what I found most surprising. I thought that Lia would die, but love can conquer all and her parents did love her and did the best that they could

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My selected challenge foster care was also surprising and is something that I would like to investigate more and maybe even volunteer with one of their projects. I did not realize that so many children are in the foster care system. It is scary to think that if these children do not find someone to care about them, mentor them or adopt them, they could end up homeless, on drugs, in jail, pregnant, and or abused.

Adding a section about children in foster care and the foster care system in a cultural class is something that I would like to do in the near future as an adjunct college instructor. Future teachers need to learn about various types of cultures so that will be prepared to teach in a diverse class setting
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In closing, here is part of President Obama’s State of the Union Address, 2015, which is also my hope and belief for the future. “I want future generations to know that we are a people who see our differences as a great gift, that we are a people who value the dignity and worth of every citizen…”

Best wishes to all as you continue your education and future endeavors.

Resource

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/state-union-2015-full-text/story?id=28353845

Module 6 Assignment The Interview Process

The interview process has been interesting and exciting. Learning about something new (pregnant teens in foster care) and gaining insight to how the foster care system works has stimulated my social conscious to ask many questions? The people that I found to interview have been very up front and friendly. It would have been easier to interview the social worker by phone and on line if there had been a prompt with school letterhead letting them know that I am enrolled in college and what class I am enrolled in. Doing this is a major part of identifying yourself especially when have never met the interviewee face to face.

Meeting Janelly(former pregnant teen living in foster care) and starting the interview process was full of discovery for me. She had been in foster care since the age of 12, and lived in more than 4 foster homes. She said that she never felt welcome anywhere until she came to her last foster home. It is hard to image not feeling welcome at anywhere. What effect does that play on a person’s emotional state?

What I have learned from this is to make all children feel welcome at school. You can learn a lot about a person by just showing a little kindness.

Working on the course project and all its parts is progressing slowly in to a finished product. There are so many facets to foster care, they all are interesting. Even when narrowing it down to pregnant teens, there are still many avenues a researcher can ponder.

What can our society do to ensure that all children have a safe, warm, and welcoming place to live where they are treated with respect?

Foster Families

 The next few entries are going to be about something other than bulletin boards. The subject is foster families. I will still continue to post bulletin board ideas while introducing the public to foster care.

 The number of foster families in the United States has grown over the years. Children are placed in the foster care system due to many reasons such as, child abuse, domestic abuse, and loss of a job, death, natural catastrophe, bills, drugs, alcoholism and mental issues. A child’s family dynamics can change in an instant once they are removed from the home.

The issue of foster families is a topic that is of interest to me as an early childhood educator. Within the past five years I have seen more foster families come through the schools that I have worked at. I chose this topic because I would like to know more about how the foster care system works.

I believe that all children have the right to live in a safe and happy environment, free from any type of harm or negative influences.

These are some questions that I have concerning foster families.

1. Where do the children go when they are first picked up from their home or school?
2. How long does it take to place a child in a family
3. What happens when a child cannot be placed?
4. Why don’t social workers share more information about the child when they are enrolled in school?
5. What can teachers do to help children in foster ?
6. What can teachers do to help foster parents?

Inspirational quotes, pictures, and more!

--Quotes--

"It takes a village to raise a child" - African Poverb
I like this proverb because it is true. It takes a community of families, educators, businesses, health care providers to help a child grow, learn and become a responsible member of society.

"A person's a person, no matter how small" - Dr. Seuss
I like this quote because young children have a voice with opinions and we need to listen to them.

"If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand up for much" - Marian Wright Edelman
I like this quote because young children need someone(adults) to stand up for them and fight for their rights; free education, shelter, clothing, food and health care.

--Pictures--

I chose Sesame Street because I love the show. I watched it as a child, my children watched it growing up , and my students now watch parts of it at least two times a week. This show deals with all types of family situations and finds solutions that are positive.

I chose this image because the world is a melting pot of culturally diverse people. As a scholar for change we must embrace diversity and learn about other cultures. Learning about other cultures will enhance our growth as human beings and allow us to teach our youngest learners to embrace all people.

I chose this image because this is my favorite ride at Disneyland. I enjoy watching all the young children from other countries wearing their native clothing and singing "It's a small world" in their native languages. At the end of the ride their is a representative from each country singing the song in English. If only adults could learn how to respect and love one another for their cultural differences. Once adults learn this, then there will be a positive social change and maybe one day we can actually see children and adults singing this song.

Sources of Inspiration

NAEYC

I chose NAEYC because they are the leading organization dealing with children and education. This organization is in the fore front of new research and theories in the field of child development. I am a member of this organization.

Let Children Play

I chose Let Children Play because this site gave me the inspiration to do my research paper on nature. This site has so many ideas to do with children outside. 

Children's Defense Fund

I chose this site because I agree with the mission statement; children need a healthy start, a head start, a fair start, a safe start and a moral start in life. This organization is in the fore front a achieving these goals for all children. I plan to join this organization.

Module 6 Assignment 2

Nature and outdoor play for our youngest children is diminishing in some areas and flourishing in others. Parents fear taking their children to parks due to crime, drugs, broken equipment and not enough time. Some schools are so focused on the academics that children do not get to spend that much time outside. Other schools are establishing an area at  that is considered nature based, while brand new school are being built around a nature theme approach. Some of the benefits of outdoor play are social, cognitive, emotional, and language skills. Children learn mathematics operations, science inquiry, and physical development

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The blog that I chose, Let the Children Play has influenced the way I use the outdoor environment to teach. I have started to incorporate many of their ideas with my students. Some of their ideas are so simple. Of course you do need some supplies, but most of them are recyclable’s that you can ask families to donate.

We have planted beans, cilantro, sunflowers, and other vegetables using plastic bottles and I have saved a pallet that I am going to ask parents to paint and turn it into a raft or quiet area for the children.

My three year old students are learning; to count, about the plant cycle, about the sun, water, rain and their benefits, language, and socialization skills.

Questions for thought:

What can you do for children who are allergic to grass or pollen?

Do you feel that it is okay for children to go outside for a walk in light rain if properly dressed?

Is it okay to let children go barefoot outside is dirt or sand?

What do you say to your administrators when you want to spend more time outside teaching than inside?

Blog

www.letthechildrenplay.net

Vaccinations Pros and Cons

This past week I spoke with one of my early education colleague of Muslim faith about children and vaccinations. I remembered us talking several years ago about her youngest daughters first day of school and I asked her how she handled getting all of those shots. She told me that she had a waiver due to religious beliefs. I was shocked.

Now move forward a few years. I asked my colleague to explain her believes about vaccinations. Her family has not received in type of vaccinations due to her Muslim faith. She also told me that there are serious sides to vaccinations and some children can even die. She told me that some vaccinations contain mercury and other chemical that are harmful to your body. According to her faith the best way to provide antibodies to your baby is to breastfed them.  Eating healthy and pure foods, avoid pork, alcohol and drugs, will helps keep their bodies strong. 

After doing some online research I found more sources that agreed with my colleague. Just Mommies website has a message board (Welcome to Choosing not to Vaccinate), they even have articles on the pros and cons of vaccination. On ProCon.org another website about vaccinations it list thirteen arguments for and against vaccines. This website also has a video gallery with qualified health care professional’s perspective about vaccinations.

I also found online research articles websites that support my beliefs to vaccinate all children against diseases. Healthychildren.org discusses why children need to be vaccinated. UNICEF gives facts about how vaccinations can save lives and stop diseases.

What is your opinion about vaccinating infants and children?

Do you think all children should receive their vaccination for free?

Do you think we the United States should send medical supplies and vaccines to other countries, when we have children and families here that cannot afford health care, medicines or vaccines?

Resources

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunization/pages/why-immunize-your-child.aspx?

http://www.justmommies.com/family-life/family-health/the-vaccination-debate-pros-and-cons-vaccinations

http://www.mission.comislam.com/health/immmunizationhurtornot.htm

www.unicefusa.org/work/immunization/infographic-unicef-immunization.html

http://vaccines.procon.org