Equity in Research: Moving Beyond Equality to Justice and Fairness

The insights that I have gained about research has been endless to begin with I never knew there were so many components to designing research. It was quite enlightening to discover the differences between the quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method approaches. Then determining which approach best satisfies my research simulation. Furthermore, I gained a greater understanding of the ethical issues involved in research. Like attaining consent and making the participants aware that they have the option to withdraw from the research at any time. I found the week we addressed independent, dependent, and extraneous variables informative, I did not realize how important those factors were incorporate in to the research process. Finally, identifying the different sampling process was appealing as well.

My ideas about the nature of doing research has changed in that I am aware of the components that best support each research design approach. I am now capable of applying the most appropriate design to the particular research simulation that I would be studying. I also realize the importance of also getting consent from the children that are participating in the research project as oppose to just getting consent from their parents.

The lesson I learned about planning, designing and conducting research in early childhood field is that it is very detailed and involved. Every avenue is relevant to the process and there are no short cuts. Prior to beginning this course I suspected that research would be quite time consuming and from this course I gained verification that every portion of the research process is quite intense.

One of the greatest challenges, I encountered was gaining a good understanding of the terminology. I often felt like the information was provided in a foreign language. In order to address this I read over and over again for understanding. I also appreciate the comments left on the discussion board by the instructor.

My perception of early childhood has change in that I strongly feel that children are really affected by all the things in life just as adults. As early childhood providers it is important to prepare ourselves with every aspect of life. In this field we will eventually come in contact with situations that we are not comfortable addressing. However it is in the best interest of the children and their families to obtain the knowledge needed to support them as they experience the different process of life.

Quantitative Research: Deductive Reasoning in Action

Research Around the World

To prepare for this assignment I chose to explore Early Childhood Australia. The Australasian Journal of Early Childhood (AJEC) contains many research article associated with the early childhood field. One of the most recent research topics I discovered was Curriculum guidelines for early literacy: A comparison of New Zealand to New England. The article forms a comparison of the New Zealand early childhood curriculum which is referred to as (Te Wha-riki) with the curriculum in England called The Early Years Foundation Stage or (EYFS).

Another research article I located was Korean children’s cultural adjustment during transition to the early years of school in Australia. This research used a case study methodology to investigate factors affecting the cultural adjustment of young Korean students after their relocation from Korean to Australian education settings.

The facts, insight, and new ideas about early childhood I gain from exploring this international early childhood website were located in a magazine on the called Every Child Magazine. There was an article that discussed about building on what children know. The article basically explained to identify what children know so that you can help them to believe in themselves a capable, resourceful learner. As a confident learner children develop competencies that help them to be successful. The article identified taking time as a significant factor in smoothing transitions for children; time to get to know each child to find out what they already know and can do. Providing this time is the responsibility of centre directors and school leaders, knowing that it will pay off in terms of children’s long-term learning success

The other noteworthy information I discovered on the website was there is a link available that provides information of Supporting Best Practice in early childhood. This link provides literature on the best ways to support children whether it’s their emotional well being, development, advocacy or professional development. This section is quite informative and will be very useful in the future. Through exploring this site I was even able to locate additional links that provided me with information regarding the simulation topic I chose on How to Support Children in the Grieving Process. Through this resource I gained another perspective on how children perceive death and how parent can support them in the process. I was completely surprise that this particular website contain information regarding this topic. However it does verify that internationally that have concerns in some of the same areas we do.

Reference

Early Childhood Australia: This is the Australian equivalent to the U.S. based NAEYC. Retrieved from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/  

Ethics in Early Childhood Research: First, Do No Harm

Research that Benefits Children and Families

For this assignment I chose option two.

If I possessed the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in early childhood the topic I would choose would be the benefits of play in the early childhood environment. I would definitely want to follow babies from through adulthood. The research would compare children who experienced limited play in early childhood environment to that of children who experienced an educational setting that provides more play. In the research I would like to uncover which set of children overall are more school ready in all areas.

 The contributions I imagine are that all of the children developmental stages would be established through the different forms of play. Additionally, children will be fully prepared for problem solving, critical thinking, socialization and physically fitness. As a result of families understanding and recognizing the benefits that play offers they will place their children in early childhood setting that focus on more play to enhance their development and future success. They will refrain from taking the fun out of learning by trying to turn their children into learning machines.

Critical Consumers of Research: Standard and Guidelines

Your Personal Research Journey

The topic I chose for simulation is How to Support Children during the Grieving Process. I chose this simulation because often times when children have being affected by death in some time of way little or no emphasis is place on children. Having young children I have found that when their peers have in encountered the death of a love one they wanted to support them however they were confuse as to how to support them. Adults sometime take for granted that children do really understand the death process and do not acknowledge children at all.  Death is a nature part of life and children are affected by it as well therefore, as I grow in the field I want to be accurately support children with this process.

I had so many questions it was difficult to narrow my simulation down. There were several angles I could explore with this topic. Overall, I feel that focusing on support children during the process the most important.  As a result of constructing the research chart I was gained insight on how to locate answers I had to questions.  Although, I found challenges with determining credible web sources after farther exploration I was able to determine techniques to identify credible web sources.

If any of you have any advice, encounter a resource on tool that you feel could assist me with proceeding in this process or with this course please do not hesitate to share it with me. As I locate resources I will share them with you all as well.

Reference:

Slaughter, V., & Griffiths, M. (2007). Death understanding and fear of death in young children. Clinical Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 12(4), 525–535. Retrieved from the Walden Library using Sage Premier 2010 database.

 Evaluating web pages: Techniques to apply & questions to ask. (2010). UC Berkeley Library. Retrieved from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

Issues and Trends: Change, Contexts, Consequences, and Constraints Revisited

One consequence of learning about the international early childhood field, it provides awareness on the challenges other countries experience in providing and establishing early childhood care and education. Then it gives the opportunity to view what techniques other countries use to prepare their children educationally. Finally it allows the opportunity to compare the United States to that country and determine similarity or differences in the two countries apply it to personal and professional development.

The goal I have in regard to international awareness is to keep exploring website to gain more understanding on the issues, trend and challenges of early childhood on every level. I feel that having collaboration with other professionals in other countries will help to develop the early childhood field even more and ensure that we have the components need to develop successful children.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

One of the new ideas or insights I gained about issues related to international early childhood education that relate to my professional goals is UNESCO and the Council of Europe are finalizing guidelines for policy-makers towards ensuring the right to basic education for Roma children, with particular emphasis on improving access to early childhood educational opportunities and their transition to quality primary education. These guidelines, entitled “Including Roma and Traveler Children in early Childhood Education Services” are expected to significantly contribute to making Roma’s and Travelers’’ rights to quality and successful early childhood education a reality, and to guarantee an easy transition to primary school.

The next insight or ideas that relates to my goals is the ECCE workforce is often made up of a diverse group of pre-school teachers, care workers, and other professionals. Adequate training and work conditions are essential so they can integrate the content and practice of early childhood care and education and address the transition to formal schooling. The service setting and physical infrastructure may vary greatly within countries. Regular inspection and follow-up of the service setting as well as adequate health and nutrition components are also crucial for meaningful learning to take place.

The final insight or ideas that relates to my goals is a section on a conference held in November of last year entitled The Convention on the Rights of the Child. The conference covered information on every child having the right to an education. It is an example of the largest number of ratifications of any convention. What is needed now is a sharper focus on the universal and effective application of the right to education. The gap between ratification and implementation can be seen in the 69 million children, most of them girls, who are still deprived of their right to basic education. Even those children who do have access to school often suffer from poor quality education and leave school without having acquired basic skills.

As guarantors and promoters of the right to education, they must reflect these obligations in their Constitution and laws and take steps to improve education policies and strategies to give it effect. The biggest challenge is to eliminate disparities in education and to ensure that the core obligations of States regarding the right to education remain in the forefront, not only for accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, but for pushing the Education for All agenda forward. The right to education is not only a human right in itself but also essential for the exercise of all other human rights.

Reference
Early Childhood Care and Education retrieved from (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/)

Excellence and Equity of Care and Education for Children and Families (Part 2: Availability, Accessibility, and Affordability

In following outside links that I have not explored yet, I was drawn to a section entitled Early Care and Education. This resource provides information on the things that parents should concern themselves with when preparing to welcome their baby home and plan to return to work, what are the qualities they should be looking for in a child care setting? What is considered a high-quality child care setting for infants and toddlers? How do you prepare your baby or toddler for the transition to child care? 

From the newsletter there was a podcast series available entitled New “Little Kids, Big Questions”. This is available to help parents and professionals “plug in” for information on how to raise children, ZERO TO THREE is meeting the need with its new podcast series. While everyone seems to have an opinion about how to handle parenting challenges, this podcast series empowers listeners to find their own way through, using research as their guide. Little Kids, Big Questions is a series of 12 podcasts with leading experts that translates the research of early childhood development into practices that mothers, fathers and other caregivers can tailor to the needs of their own child and family.  This information does add to my understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education it indentifies that parents really want the best for their children but sometime they may not know what the best really is. The resource provides a snapshot of the best resources for children.

The new insight about issues and trends in the early childhood field I gain from the newsletter is ZERO TO THREE secured another major competitive contract from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration to operate the new Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Technical Assistance Coordinating Center.

The Center will provide coordinated training and technical assistance to states and grantees to identify the fundamental aspects of home visiting programs across selected evidence-based program models; promote the implementation of a service mix which ensures strong outcomes for vulnerable children and families; help each model convey what it does best, for whom, why, and how it works and how it can be improved by creating strong research to practice learning communities and foster strong interagency collaborations at both the Federal and state levels to help facilitate the performance of programs within a system context.

Reference:

Zero to three. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

The three new insights I gained about early childhood systems around the globe came from the Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website. As I explored the site I found it interesting that in order to improve early childhood education Un Buen Comienzo (UBC), established a program called A Good Start it is a joint task in Santiago, Chile to improve early childhood education through teacher professional development. The program targets children four to six. years old it to improve the quality of education.  The focus area is language development.  It is designed to intervene in critical health areas, improved school attendance, socio-emotional develop and include family involvement.  UBC also integrated a comprehensive evaluation and an arbitrary experiment in the schools. This is particular longitudinal evaluation in early childhood education has not been carried out in any other country in Latin America and place Chile in the forefront of demonstrating high quality education.

In further reviewing the site I gained insight about the Global Children Initiative with regards to Children and Crisis. The goal of this effort is to foster interdisciplinary partnership that incorporates a science-based, developmental perspective into the assessment and management of child well-being in a range of natural and man-made crises, focusing on both immediate circumstances and long-term adaptation. There are two issues that are the initial focus of activity in this field. They are exploring comparable approaches to surveying child status in post-earthquake Haiti and Chile and bringing the science of child development into strategies for addressing acute malnutrition.

The third insight deals with child mental health concerns this issued is under addressed  but has significant  consequences for the broader health and development of children and society.  There is an urgent need to identify the scope of the problem within and across countries and to develop evidence-based approaches in policy and service delivery that are responsive to diverse cultural contexts. To address this issue a working group developing a focused agenda in research, education and public engagement to address the gaps in knowledge. The project selected to evaluate under this project is Assessing the state of child mental health services in Shanghai, China;

Developing and evaluating family-based strategies to prevent mental health problems in children affected by HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; and addressing child maltreatment and mental health outcomes in three Caribbean nations (Barbados, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname). 

Reference:

Center of developing child Harvard University, (n.d,).Retrieved fromhttp://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/global_children_s_initiative__activities/

Sharing Web Resources

The information that seemed particularly relevant to my current professional development from the Zero to Three website deals with a video that explains how funding is disburse in the early childhood field by congress.  This video explains how children and their families will suffer as a result of budget cuts everywhere. It explains that due to funding in the area of early childhood that is only way some families can afford early childhood services. If funding is cut some parent may be forced to quit their jobs to support their children because childcare may become too expensive. As a result I feel that it place those individual farther into poverty.

The idea of placing more interest in the area of play is the ideal I felt could be controversial. I now strongly believe in the benefits of using play as a resource to learning.  Sadly today there are still people that feel that it is more important to place emphasis on academic as oppose to using play to develop children academically.

The information that the Zero to Three website contains that adds to my understanding of how economists, neuroscientists,or politician’s support of the early childhood field again refers to the area of funding to the early childhood. It is important to advocate for funding in this field because of the long term risk extend to the nation not just to the children and their families. The nation will not have well qualified and developed employee in any area or they will have a very limit supply.

Finally the other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field I gain from exploring the website deals with Caring for Infants and Toddlers in Group: It provides parent with developmentally appropriate practices and the latest information about the elements of quality care that supports optimal development and learning for young children. This resource is very informative.

Reference:

Zero to three.(2011) Retrieved from http://zerotothree.org/.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

I have not yet received a response so I went to the website of the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre’s page. I read about childhood poverty in India. The website was very informative.

The insights I gained from studying the website. First I learned that approximately 400 million of India populations are children who are between the ages 0-18. The children there experience a difficult life. Just about half of all of the children are under and age 5 and are malnourished. Many of the newborns are born with low birth weights. There have been significant changes in health and education. As a result, infant mortality fell from 80% per 1000 live births in 1990 to 69 in 2000. I thought it was interesting that primary school age enrollment in school rose from 68 % in 1992-93 to 82% at the end of the decade. However they still have a great number of working children and many of them are under the age of 16.

The additional insight I received is in regards to providing for the well being of children is mostly determined by the children gender, instead of the need of the child. Sadly, girls are limited in their opportunity for survival in India. They experience this immediately at birth and it follows them throughout their childhood and into motherhood then past on to the next generation. Female children are neglected, their ratio is lower, less female are entitle to go to school and they are more likely to be subjected to child labor force.

Finally, the insight I gained on the ways India tries to address the issues of poverty in their country. There program are run by central government. They focus on three types of rural employment. The targets are infrastructure development, self employment and food subsidy programs. Each of the programs has made modification over the years in an attempt to provide for those who are definitely in need and cover more area. They also have food subsidy program the largest is the Public Distribution System which clearly targets the poor. In regards to children the largest program is Integrated Child Development Services Program (ICDS) which targets children that are in the 0-6 age range.  

As of result of reading about poverty India I was able to visualize how tough it is for children in that country. The information was overwhelming especially the way the girls are treated in that country. It is truly heart breaking.

Reference:

Childhood Poverty Research and Policy. (n.d.). Retrieved from   http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php

Sharing Web Resources

I chose Zero to Three and the link is http://zerotothree.org/.

Zero to Three is a national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.

Their mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers.

The issue that attracted my attention on the website was a video on Promoting Early Language and Literacy Development. The video addressed literacy as the window to the world that allows all children the opportunity to seize the potential for future success. It explains that we can make success a reality by investing our children early through supporting parents and caregiver as they encourage language in literacy and development.

Children develop language skills through exploration, discovery, and everyday activity and by listening to stories. The video identified that children become effective communicators through simple activity like singing, dancing and telling their own stories.

Establishing a loving and caring environment lays the foundation for future success. As parent and caregivers it is our responsibility to help infants feel safe to explore the world and the country responsibility to support the adults with training and resources to support this endeavor. It explained that positive relationship leads to trust and trust equal confidence. Children that are confident are better able to explore and learn. Leading them to a more successful life regardless of what course they pursue.

Also on the website there is an area that addresses establishing policy regarding early childhood. The Early Experiences Matter Policy Guide is your set of tools for taking action and improving public policies that impact the lives of infants, toddlers, and their families. 

The Early Experiences Matter Policy Guide offers a wealth of policy options and strategies to use in your efforts to affect policy change for infants, toddlers, and their families. It includes mini policy briefs, practical tools, in-depth policy papers, and more.

Getting Ready--Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

The steps I have taken so far to develop a professional contact with representatives in other countries. I started on Wednesday by going to the Global Alliance National Association for the Education of Young Children website. I reviewed the list of name given to select from and chose Ajoke International School located in Nigeria.  The contact listed was Mrs.Bimbo Are then I emailed her at arebimbo@yahoo.com.
Next, I went to UNICEF website a selected the country Kuwait I sent an email to the listed email which was riyadh@unicef.org. In both emails I identified myself as a student of Walden University I explained that I am interested in developing a professional contact with them or a representative regarding Early Childhood in their country as an assignment. I requested a prompt response. However as of 09-09-11 I have not gotten a response. As a result, I would like to allow them until Monday to respond to the email and then I will follow through with the alternative procedure to part one of the blog assignment.

I chose Nigeria and Kuwait because I really do not know a lot about these countries. I thought it would be interest to learn about countries I had no knowledge of. I know that many U. S. troops have been sent to Kuwait regarding the war. With that in mind I feel that they my have several issues but I would like to know about their perception of Early Childhood Education and so forth. As far as Nigeria is concerned I wanted to learn more about there practices and perception of early childhood because they are a poor country and I am interested in learning ways to assist them.

Regarding part 2 I went to the Zero to Three website and subscribed to their electronic newsletter.

"My Supports"

In my life I have many support factors. Daily, my support comes from my vehicle and my cell phone. My car is beneficial for me because it provides me with the ability to maneuver as I please. My cell phone makes it unproblematic for me to communicate with others and it also makes me accessible to those who wish to contact me. In addition, it keeps my appointments & contacts. Life would be extremely chaotic without my car or my cell phone.

My biggest support system is my spouse and my children. My spouse maintains all of the financial situations within the household. He offers me emotional support while my children simultaneously provide encouragement. They give me a sense of purpose and I think its safe to say that without them, my life would be purposeless.  I couldn’t imagine where I would be in life without them.   

The challenge I choose to take on is opening up a childcare facility. The primary supports I would need would be: financial support, an experienced staff, and most importantly, clientele .  I would also need support from factors within my environment. Computers, for instance, to keep files and data. I would also need support from the surrounding community of the childcare facility. These factor would effectively  aid in the success of my business. Opening a childcare facility would be supplying some of the early childhood educational need for families. Without the computers, the business would be unorganized, without the properly trained professionals the children would be robbed of a high quality early childhood educational experience. Most importantly, without children, I would not be able to run my establishment at all.

My family, and all other assets I mentioned, play a vital role in maintaining my personal happiness, well being, and sanity.

Relationship Reflection

There is a time and a season for everything.  If it was possible to live in this life alone the almighty God would not have created people Adam could have stayed in the garden by himself. This tells me that developing a positive relationship with some one is important. My family is the most important thing to me. First of all I would not take anything in place of the relationship and partnership I have with my husband. We are coming up on our 10^th year anniversary trials tribulation we have had but we not lost site of what was important to us and that being each other. Our marriage has being blessed with the birth of all two children and the joining of our daughter he had from a previous relationship prior to our marriage giving us a total of three children. We both are very supportative of the other and I feel that is would has allow our relationship to strengthened Over time one of the challenges we had to overcome was changing I’s for we or us when you have been single for awhile it is difficult to transition to we. Today that is not an issue at all. In regards to my husband and our relationship together I feel that the best quality we have aside from understanding is we have fun. We enjoy each other and our family. We never send the kids away because we need time alone will due everything as a family and then factor in quality time for the two of us.

As an early childhood professional I feel that as a result of my partnerships and relationship the first quality I could offer to the field of early childhood is patience, understanding and dedication.  

Quote About Children

While we try to teach our children all about life,
Our children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt

Testing for Intelligence?

Environment is a factor that I feel should be taking in consideration when assessing children. Sometime children may be identified as being a slow learner. When in fact this is not the case, they are merely products of their environment. They could possibly have parents who are not educated and therefore sees no need to educate them. Sadly many people still today feel that they made without education whatever and simply feel like it isn’t necessary. I know a little boy who has exceptional potential he has being labeled a slow. He is a grade or so behind. However after talking with some of his teacher and his parents we found he was put in a situation to be slow. Over the years his parents fail to make sure he attended school regularly. Meaning if it was raining, cold and too hot that day he didn’t come to school. Not mention if they had being up all night partying or something. In this situation this child had the physical and mental capability to learn he just wasn’t given the opportunity because his parent did not feel it necessary.  Eventually, this child was removed from his parents for child neglect but the damage was already done. I wish someone would have identified his situation sooner which would have given him a better opportunity in life. I became in contact with this young man because I was the officer that responded to his residence to investigate child abuse.

Japanese Concept of Education and Tests

According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education: "Japanese society is education-minded to an extraordinary degree. Success in formal education is considered largely synonymous with success in life and is, for most students, almost the only path to social and economic status.” In Japan there are tests for everything. Many jobs requiring passing a test or and getting a license that requires passing a test. A test of people’s knowledge of yokai, mythical Japanese monsters, is offered in Tokyo

References:

Hays, J. (2009).  Education system in Japan. Retrieved from http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=833&catid=23&subcatid=150

Consequences of Stress On Children's Development: Poverty and Hunger

“Kvonya, there is this one student. I mean, If the classroom is quiet enough, the other students can hear the [shrill] growling sound within his stomach. Can you imagine how embarrassing that must be”, declared my sister-in-law, Charlotte. Charlotte is an elementary art teacher. She told me of a particular young boy named Anthony whom she had as a student in her art class several years back.  She said that Anthony was often teased in class about his clothing. His clothes were ragged and his uniform pants seemed to be worn repeatedly, without wash, more often than not. She said that the constant teasing had an effect on his work ethic and his confidence. He rarely wanted to participate in class discussions or assignments for fear of being taunted. She didn't know Anthony’s family background that well, but she, along with everyone else knew that his family was poverty stricken. His mother was unemployed, and therefore there was no set annual income. His family lived in one of the most frowned upon parts of town nicknamed “Soy Bean City”.  She went on to explain, “His shoes had holes in them and the rubber soles were almost nonexistent.” “I just had to intervene,” she said solemnly.  So she met with the school social worker and sat down and talked to Anthony about his personal life and how things were at home.  He mentioned that his mother had no job and he wondered sometimes how they even got the few meals that they did have. The social worker visited Anthony’s place of residence and met with his mother. Upon arrival, she noticed that they had almost no furniture within the house. She even noted that there was nothing more than a loaf of bread within the roach infested refrigerator. In the end, Charlotte went to God. She tells me that she prayed and prayed and even brought the matter to her church. After some time, things came through. Her church supplied Anthony’s mother, Sheila, with the money she needed to pay utilities and even get groceries. One of the deacons at her church gave Sheila a job as a receptionist at his construction company and the opportunity to become a tenant in a house that wasn't located in “Soy Bean City”.

These problems exist, at a higher degree, in other parts of the world. My region of interest was Sudan. I recently read an article entitled “Fleeing residents flood Sudan town; food scarce” In this article, several stressors are touched, including poverty, hunger, war, etc. Ayak Adiang, a woman who opened her home to villagers running from violence, stated, “Food and fuel are running short. There is not nearly enough shelter…….with two relatives and a dozen children between them……there is no food…we have to face the fact [that]….what we have is not enough.” This may be impacting the children in that region in an immense way. The overcrowded homes and the fact that there is barely enough food to pass around profoundly weighs on the child’s growth and mental health. Luckily, efforts are being made to combat against these problems. The United Nations has set up a food distribution camp in Turalei, Sudan to help families like Ayak’s and Anthony’s.

Child Development and Public Health

Breastfeeding I chose this public health topic because I got a chance to feel the importance of breastfeeding upon the premature birth of my daughter. I remember the first time I saw her I thought oh how tiny she is. She weighted in at just under 4lbs and I was almost in my eight month of pregnancy. She was about 17 and half inches long (short). She literally could fit in the palm of my hand. I decided to breastfeed because the nurses and doctor encouraged me to. They explained it would help her gain weight, provide her with the best nutrition and other thing to assist her with a healthy development.  Prior to this I was one of those people who thought formula was the answer in fact I did not breastfeed my son who was born 3 years prior.      

In Spain they are understanding and sympathetic to the need of breastfeeding.  They past a law in October 2010 allowing father breastfeeding leave. The ruling grants Spanish dads the same rights as the mother of their child to leave work up to twice a day for a total of an hour or to shorten their workday by 30 minutes for the first nine months of the baby's life.

In the future I will continue as I do now encourage expecting mothers to breastfeed their children. I also will inform them of the benefits to breastfeeding.  

Childbirth––In Your Life and Around the World

Since I have never really taken part in a birth other than the two times I delivered. I will discuss my first delivery. On Sept, 5, 2001, I went to a routine checkup with my OB. Immediately after checking my vitals the nurse discovered that my blood pressure was up. I was one day from being 38 weeks along. The doctor examined me and determined that it was best for him to admit me into the hospital. This was a completely new experience for me. I had just gotten married five weeks prior. I was at the doctor’s office by myself and I really didn’t know the dangerous that my baby or I was in.. I remember the first person I called was my grandmother. I remember telling her that I was going to pick my husband up first because I didn’t want to go to the hospital alone. As I think about it right now it is so funny. She was like if your blood pressure is up go on to the hospital and let him meet you there.  So my grandmother sent my sister to my husband’s job to let him know that I was on way to the hospital. I went to the hospital but I waited for them in the parking lot of the hospital. Once they arrived we entered the hospital and life as I had known it changed forever.

My doctor had ordered several tests including an ultrasound. So immediately I was taking this procedure and that procedure and so on. Finally, I am in the labor room the nurse starts my IV. She explained that do to my blood pressure the doctor had given them orders to induce my labor. Again I really did know what this entailed. But I did know that I hadn’t eaten since breakfast that morning and I was starving. Little did I know I wasn’t going to get anything to eat anytime soon either.  Now is the hurry up and wait game.  A couple hours passed it now about five o’clock in the evening.  The nurse checks me and I not in any pain it appears that medicine isn’t progressing my labor fast enough for my blood pressure. I might have forgotten to mention that I had no signs or indicator that my pressure was up other than the fact that the blood pressure monitor kept indicating my pressure was up. So the nurse tells us that she has to call the doctor. When she came back in the room she stated that he had changed my medicine and he was going to use protocin to induce my labor and my pains would probably hurt much worse than if I  was allowed  to progress on my own. So here we go wait some more. This time I started having a few pains.  I really can’t  remember what happen to start the next event. But for some reason when I was admitted and given the ultrasound who ever was supposed to read didn’t because all of a sudden they stop the protocin drip. The nurse said that my baby was breached so the doctor would have to make the decision on the best delivery method. Now I am in pain for nothing because the doctor wants to do a cesarean section because of the breach. Needlessly to say now I am hungry, in pain and totally uncomfortable.

It is now September 6, 2001 the doctor comes in and tells me that he wasn’t aware of the breach right away. He explains the risk and benefit to the procedure he doing. He told me that I could be awake for the birth and my husband could be in the room with me. He ordered a spinal tap for the procedure. Then they allowed my husband to come in the room with me and all those other people (doctors and nurses). I would have to say that within minutes of starting the procedure my baby was born.. He didn’t cry right away but he alright and healthy.

On the other hand the spinal block wore off  me before he could sew me back up. So now I am in extreme pain. I heard the doctor tell the other doctor to put me to sleep because I could feel him. I am told my blood pressure went way up. My husband had gone to the nursery with my son. According to the reports, I was in recovered for a  while because they were trying to get my blood pressure down. However the crisis was over and few days later we left to the hospital to go and start a new world of first.

I chose to discuss this birth because it was my first. The article below discusses birth in Spain. It states that it different from the US but I think they use some of the same techniques used in the US. Especially as they discuss all the staff member in the room with you.  I am glad that in the US the medication and procedure used are explained I couldn't imagine going through something like this without being informed of what is going on and what to expect.

What to expect from giving birth in Andalucía

Giving birth in Spain is not quite like doing so in the US. To begin with, there is far less emphasis on patient involvement in the process - at least at public centers. If you go this route, expect decisions to be made for you and expect to be told what to do and when to do it.

Most private centers and some state centers will offer anesthesia. However, you may or may not receive some explanation regarding the type of anesthesia used. And, beware, that in state centers, the doses of pain reliever used in epidurals are often so low they will barely provide any relief. For this reason, many choose to have a natural birth rather than take the risks involved with anesthesia.

While you might have the good fortune of having your own, personal doctor deliver your baby at a public centre, and this is not the case at state hospitals. You will be attended by the doctor or midwife on duty. In the case of the latter, a qualified specialist will be on duty should an emergency occur.

As preparation for birth, Spanish health care workers typically administer an enema and some centers might still require shaving. It is becoming more and more standard to allow fathers to be present during the birth. Also expect quite a number of staff to be present and don't be surprised if someone offers to "help" the baby out by throwing their weight on your belly.

After reading this article and thinking about my own births I am glad to be a United States citizen.

Reference:

Living in Andalucia birth procedures (n.d.).Retrieved from http://www.andalucia.com/living/birthprocedures.htm    

The Code of Ethics of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC)

Professional and Interpersonal Behavior

1. We shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child.

2. We shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families and of those with whom we work.

3. We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to the suggestions of others.

4. We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for the

professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions that

enhance the quality of their lives.

This one is important to me because even though I feel it is important to have good partnership with the families I feel like professionalism is a key element. If its not establish all of your accomplishments will be destroyed. It is possible to be close the family and still be professional.

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct

Ethical Responsibilities to Community and Society

Our responsibilities to the community are to provide programs that meet the diverse needs of families. To cooperate with agencies and professions that share the

responsibility for children, to assist families in gaining access to those agencies and allied professionals, and to assist in the development of community programs that are needed but not currently available

4.1—To provide the community with high-quality yearly childhood care and education programs and services.

This ethical code is important to me because I feel that the quality of the education is going to be very important when parents are deciding on a early childhood education program. If I don't provide quality service I want have any students.

NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct

Ethical Responsibilities to Families

Families are of primary importance in children’s

development. Because the family and the early childhood

practitioner have a common interest in the child’s

well-being, we acknowledge a primary responsibility to

bring about communication, cooperation, and collaboration

between the home and early childhood program

in ways that enhance the child’s development.

Ideals

I-2.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base related to

working effectively with families and to stay informed

through continuing education and training.

I-2.2—To develop relationships of mutual trust and

create partnerships with the families we serve.

I-2.3—To welcome all family members and encourage

them to participate in the program.

I choose this ethical code because I feel that it is necessary. As I worked to establish childrens early childhood foundation it is going to be important to have a good foundation with their families. Sometime to save the child you have to save the whole family.

Personal Resources

Early Childhood & Literacy

http://www2.ed.gov/inits/americareads/educators_early.html


Early Childhood

http://www.earlychildhood.com/

Early Childhood Resources

http://www.earlychildhoodresources.com/

Early Childhood Reference from Resources

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved April 1,2011, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/56611/CRS-CW-4955232/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved April 1, 2011, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved April 1, 2011, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved Aptil 1, 2011, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved April 1,  2011, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved April 1, 2011, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved April 1,2011, from http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved April 1,2011 from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
  
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al.  (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title. 

Part 2: Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved April 1, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
   
• Websites:
  • World Forum Foundation
    http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
    
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP’s mission. 
    
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/about/
    Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.

Louise Derman-Sparks stated “….I had a built in passion that it was important to make a real contribution to the world and to fix all [of] the injustices……and I wanted to do that through teaching.”

Ouote by Dr. Deborah Stipek

    "Teachers can motivate students only if they themselves are motivated. They can make students feel valued and secure only if they feel valued and secure; they can foster enthusiasm for learning in students only if they are enthusiastic about teaching. The school culture can make or break a teacher in the same way that the classroom culture can support or undermine students' efforts to learn."

My Childhood web

My Mother: 

My mother was my biggest inspiration as a child. She did a good job at preparing me for life challenges; although I did not realize it at the time. She would always encourage me to go for my dreams and reach for the stars. Now being a mother myself, I realize exactly what she was preparing me for.

 My Grandmother:

She was a person that I could go to when I wasn’t comfortable talking to my mother. My grandmother always offered good words of wisdom. She never made me feel inferior and she never judged me regardless of the situation. She was always optimistic.

My Hair Dresser:

The hair salon for me has always been a therapeutic environment. My hair dresser influences my life because it seems that regardless of the situation, she always found a silver lining. I swear just when you’d think the situation couldn’t get any worse; she would offer another alternative and shed alot of light onto the situation.

My Aunt:

She is only a few years older than I am. So, she was like the big sister I never had. I enjoyed her helping   to get me ready for prom and other activities. She would always be there when I needed her no matter the circumstance.  

My Best Friend:

My best friend and I first met in the second grade. It seems as though every time I went to go start something new she was there.  We had so many first memories together. We went on our first double date together, we both went to prom, and we shared an abundance of memories. We both understand each other and she has been my only close friend since I can remember.

                                        

My favorite childrens' book

My favorite childrens' book is "The Dot" written by Peter H. Reynolds. I love this book because Vashti, one of the main characters, cannot draw. She's no artist. To prove her point, Vashti grabs a blank sheet of paper, leaving a remarkably angry dot. This is especially important because it shows that one can find creativity in the smallest of things.

One of my favorite quotes...

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."
- Stacia Tauscher

This quote is meaningful to me because we as adults often times forget that children are constantly absorbing new information. We ogle over what they are destined to be, but we must be reminded that what they learn from us today, will mold them as a person tomorrow.