Saturday, December 19, 2015

Thank you to all in My Child Development Class!

Hi All.

I wanted to make a special thanks for all of the people in my Early childhood development class as well as Dr. Nagel.  I definitely learned a lot from all of you and got a lot of great insight from your opinions and posts I wish you all nothing but the best as you continue on your Journeys in your prospective fields I really enjoyed this class and have taken a lot from it!

Thanks,
Brittney Williams

Week 8 Quote about children.

Children are not things to be molded, but are people to be unfolded." 
  — Jess Lair, author 

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Testing for Intelligence

My view on Assessing Children 

I believe the knowledge of a child should be tested because children are so unique and different.  It is important to know what children have knowledge on and what they know.  The reason for this is so that you know where a child should be placed as far as school and so that they are not limited.  Some children are a lot smarter than what you would expect and have a lot of knowledge about things you would not think they would.  Children like them should be in special programs and around children like them.  


Assessing Children in Japan 

The country I chose to talk about is how children are assessed in Japan. Japan has a very high and competitive examination system. They have a variety of standardized testing that the children go through.  They also have a variety of self evaluation tests for children to be assessed with.  In Japanese public schools, Elementary, and post secondary schools, the students do not take any high stakes exams, they also are not placed in schools by achievement.  Japanese children face a lot of competition with each other in the school system and a lot of pressure when it comes to exam taking.  They are put on a lot more pressure than most parts of the world.  

Additional Info

I find it interesting the different ways that are used all around the world to assess children.  Compared to how children are assessed in japan to how they are assessed in the united states.  There are many ways all around the world to assess children and their knowledge from standardized testing, and any other exams that specific countries may have they use to test the knowledge of children.  I do believe there should be more creative activities put into place to measure the knowledge of children.  Something that will interest the child more than just an exam.  

Resource:

http://neqmap.unescobkk.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Assessment-Around-the-World.pdf  

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

The person I know that did deal with many stressors as a child was my dad and the main stressor he dealt with was poverty as a child. He grew up in a household of 10 children including himself plus my grandma and grandpa in Tchula, Mississippi.  My dad told me when he was a child they did not have a lot of money and that he and his siblings had only a few pairs of clothing and shoes to get them by.  They had an outfit for school and a few outfits for play. He did mention one thing that stuck out to me was that his parents could only afford to buy them all one pair of shoes each which was a pair of dress shoes they needed for school, my dad said that his dress shoes got so worn out that he had to put cardboard and tape at the bottom to cover the holes.  This was so sad to hear what he had to go through but he said he was taught by his parents to appreciate what they do have.  My dad said he never complained he would work extra hard to keep the things he did have in good condition because he knew he would not get another pair to replace the things he messed up because his parents couldn't afford it. He said this taught him to appreciate everything in life and it made him a better person and he worked extra hard to make sure that all of his children, me and my siblings never had to go through that and I am grateful for that.

Stress on Children in Africa

Many children in Africa seem to deal with a lot of different stressors from their economy and one happens to be disease.  Children in Africa face many different challenges and things that can cause disease to them such as clean drinking water and environment.  Many families in Africa suffer from poverty which in turn makes them unable to always provide clean drinking water for their children.  The rate of death among children has decreased over time in regards to disease and poverty, but there is still a long way to go.  In places like Kenya and Uganda poverty is a very complex problem.  In Uganda the access to clean water can be scarce and families usually have to travel a great distance to get clean water supply.  So a program was launched in Uganda in the Wakiso District child fund  to give families water jars so that they do not have to travel so far to get clean water.  Clean water was also a problem in Gambia until recently families use to have to rely on unclean and overused water.  The child fund for the child development centers in Sibanor got funding from the world bank and local partners to construct a water pyramid which collected rainwater for the families and children in Uganda.  The water pyramid has really helped the people of Uganda, it provides more that 1,320 gallons of water to the people and children daily. Although children still do suffer from many diseases that cannot be prevented in Africa there are many child funds and partners who work to collect funds through monthly giving partners that can help to fund more programs and different things to help with the poverty and disease.

Resource:
https://www.childfund.org/Assessing-the-Burden-of-Disease-in-Africa/

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Week 2 Child Development and Public Health.

Nutrition/Malnutrition

The reason why I chose the topic of nutrition/Malnutrition was because It is a very important topic today. It is very important for parents to provide nutritious meals to their children, even if you cannot afford it there are programs out that do support people such as WIC, this is a very popular program for new and existing mothers.  This program helps to provide the assistance needed to get those healthy and nutritious meals for children in need. The affects that malnutrition can have on a child can be very dangerous and life threatening. Malnutrition happens when the body does not consume enough food to help aid in the growth of the human being.  It is important for children to have healthy and nutritious meals daily because that is the time when we are growing the most when we are a child, what children eat affect their growth tremendously. Malnutrition is something that does not only happen in the United states but I happens all over the world in places such as china....

Malnutrition In China

The children of rural china face a variety of Different issues that are non existent in the cities and one of the issues happens to be malnutrition.  Unicef estimates that 12.7 million children are stunted in china and this is due to a serious lack of nutrition for the children.  This is a long term affect that happens mostly for children during early childhood.  There are many areas of china that seem to be in a struggle for poverty and it seems to be unbreakable.  This is one of main reasons for the malnutrition in children, The families simply cannot afford to keep their children healthy.  Many parents in china often do not mind spending the money on the food but they don't know the importance nutrition is for children, whereas in America we know the importance and most of the parents just cannot afford it. 

What I learned from this weeks blog assignment is how important it is for children to be healthy.  Going into teaching children it will also be my responsibility to provide food for the children.  Being able to provide nutritious meals on my end as well as expressing the importance to the parents of how important it is to provide nutritious meals will be a duty of mine.  I know that the growth of a child is important and making sure that they grow healthy is key. 

Resource:

 "Malnutrition Plagues Children of Rural China." (2014) http://borgenproject.org/malnutrition-plagues-children-rural-china/. Bridget Tobin.

Saturday, October 31, 2015

Childbirth in my life and around the world

I do not have any personal experiences with child birth as of yet.  I am sure I will in the future though the only instance where I can remember coming close to getting an experience of child birth is when my Boyfriends cousin gave birth.  We were actually at the hospital with them and I did not get to go in the room but I did get to go in right after she gave birth.  The first thing that I remember is how small and cute the baby was and I remembered the look on her face. It was a sign of so much happiness and relief mixed with exhaustion at the same time.  She was holding her baby girl and gazing into her eyes and it was like it was the only thing she could see nothing else around her mattered.  The way she was looking at her baby girl brought tears to my eyes.  I do remember he saying "The pain was worth it."  She and the baby went to sleep soon after, but that was the closest experience I have gained as far as child birth once I have my own children I am sure that will be a great story to tell.

Germany

 In Holland, Germany women see midwives for their prenatal care. In fact, midwives are so respected that by law a midwife must be present at every birth, and a doctor is optional.
Malin Haugwitz, a Berlin resident who is originally from Bethesda, Maryland, says that German women focus on the event of giving birth almost more than the outcome. Following her second c-section, she heard many words of pity from friends and even from her midwife, who asked, "Do you see it as a failure?"
German women who hold full-time jobs can feel secure knowing their position will be waiting for them when and if they decide to return to work. As soon as a woman tells an employer she's pregnant, she cannot be fired. Thus, during economic downturns, being pregnant can essentially save your job. Women may stop working six weeks before their due date and are forbidden from working for eight weeks after giving birth, all with full pay. Mothers may even take up to three years of unpaid leave, the third being a floating year that can be taken at any time and by either parent.

It was very interesting to read the different birth customs from around the world and how they differ from that of the united states.  The united states does things mostly the same and the women give birth inside of a hospital under the care of Doctors and nurses and it was interesting to see that in other countries it is different and birth customs vary.  This is what makes each county unique in their own way.

Resource:

http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Professional Thanks to all of my Colleagues at Walden University!

I want to take the time to send a special thanks to all of my Colleagues at Walden that I have connected with in my Early Childhood Foundations class.  I really enjoy beginning my journey with you all and I enjoyed gaining insight from you all throughout the course.  I have definitely learned a lot from different points of view and hope to continue to get to know you all more.  I wish you all the best of luck on your Journey as an Early Childhood professional! feel free to contact me and stay In touch!

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Examining Codes of Ethics Ideals

NAEYC CODES OF ETHICS

I-1.1—To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.

I-1.3—To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.

I-1.9—To advocate for and ensure that all children, including those with special needs, have access to the support services needed to be successful.

**Each of these ideals have great significance to my professional life because I do feel like it is important for my own personal career to stay informed and to continue to learn more and more throughout my career to help to guide me.  Also I plan to work with diverse children and I feel it is important for my own career to know how and what to do when working with diverse children and providing them with what they require to get a proper education. 

DEC CODES OF ETHICS

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. 

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.

1. We shall demonstrate our respect and concern for children, families, colleagues, and others with whom we work, honoring their beliefs, values, customs, languages, and culture.


**All of the ethics in this section apply to me and my career specifically because I plan to work with different types of children.  So that mean being able to be an example to the children and being able to respect and acknowledge their disabilities is important as well as communication with the families is important.  Never passing judgment and staying informed and recognizing how special each child is. 

Saturday, October 3, 2015

New Resources Found for the Early Childhood Field


Here are some of the additional resources I found that I feel will help guide me as I take my journey into teaching in the early childhood education field

-Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education By Nicola Yelland Open University Press, 2005

 

-Early Childhood Education: The Promise, the Challenges By Sadler, JoanneForum on Public Policy: A Journal of the Oxford Round Table, Spring 2007

-Pioneers of Early Childhood Education: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide By Barbara Ruth PeltzmanGreenwood Press, 1998

Course Resources For Eary Childhood Education

Position Statements and Influential Practices

Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

Selected Early Childhood Organizations

Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library


YC Young Children
  • Childhood
  • Journal of Child & Family Studies
  • Child Study Journal
  • Multicultural Education
  • Early Childhood Education Journal
  • Journal of Early Childhood Research
  • International Journal of Early Childhood
  • Early Childhood Research Quarterly
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Social Studies
  • Maternal & Child Health Journal
  • International Journal of Early Years Education



  • Saturday, September 26, 2015

    Quotes from major contributors in Early Childhood Education



    “Home is a child's first and most important classroom.”
    Hillary Rodham Clinton, It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us

    "All of us have to recognize that we owe our children more than we have been giving them."

    -Hillary Rodham Clinton

     
    "We know that teachers are the key to good child care - and as long as teachers are undervalued, American children, too, will keep getting less than they deserve"

    ~ Marcy Whitebook
     

    “These truths about the early care and education workforce are not breaking news. We have known for two decades, since the release of the National Child Care Staffing Study in 1989, that limited education, lack of specialized early childhood training and poor compensation are inextricably linked to the poor to mediocre quality common to the majority of early care and education services across the nation. We have known, almost for that long, that the education level and pay of the workforce play a critical role in whether services can improve.”

    ~ Marcy Whitebook
     
     
    My passion comes from my personal experience…It’s in early childhood education that I was able to see what a unique opportunity we have to make a difference in the lives of children.” ~Sandy Escobido

     
    “It was the most joyful feeling. I felt everything in me was being called on to teach. It made me feel whole. It made me feel creative. It became my life long work, the passion that children are taught in an environment to nurture their ability to grow and develop”. ~Louise Derman-Sparks
     
     
     
    A good teacher can help foster a love of learning for a child.  I want to be a part of creating lifelong learners.  To give children the tools to ask questions, investigate things and problem solve. -- Reneatta M. Cooper
     
     
     
    “At A very Young Age, I realized families need support” Leticia Lara LCSW

    Friday, September 18, 2015

    Personal Childhood Web

    5 people who nurtured and cared about me as a child:

    Mom-  My mother is my rock, she is the one who birthed me and has definitely aided in my growth.  She always made sure I was in activities and explored my creativity and she did what she had to do for my brothers, sisters and I too make sure we had a positive upbringing.  She would always tell me how smart and beautiful I am and always pushed me to follow whatever it is I wanted to do.  She still to this day encourages me and tells me how proud of me she is and she continues to support me throughout everything. She has always told me if I need to talk to her about anything she will listen and has been my best friend since birth.  She made sure I knew about certain things in life and is still here for me to offer advice and help me because I still need my mom no matter how old I get. She makes me want to push forward in my dreams because she has believed in me so much and still does.

    Dad-  My dad has always been in my life from birth.  He has always taught me the importance of getting an education because that is something he wished he further pursued. When I was young he made sure I was surrounded by the right people and always took and extra care in my schooling and grades as well as activities.  My dad would always spread his wisdom of how lucky me and my siblings are because he didn't have half the stuff we have access to because he grew up in Mississippi.  My dad continues to support me in my dreams and always tells me to never give up an to push forward. He makes me feel like I can be on top of the world and to go after it all the sky is the limit and that is what I continue to do.

    Grandma- My grandmother Helen was very special to me growing up.  She would always take and interest in what I liked to do and when I would spend time with her on the weekends she would do those things with me like go to the park.  I liked reading, and cooking.  She is the one who taught me how to cook along with my mother.  She told me that education is important and not to get mixed up or be around people who are not any good.  She continues to take an interest in my life and encourages me on everything. She is really supportive of me and talks to me about life and her experiences. I love her for always being their and being a backbone to my family,



    Grandpa-  My grandpa is the sweetest and most supportive.  He is a very hard worker and would always tell me and my brothers how important it is to work hard.  When I was younger he would tell me that I am going to be a star and I will go far in life.  He believed in me and still believes in me that much and tells me every time I talk to him on the phone to keep pushing for what I want.  He really motivates me to keep going and believe in myself and not to let anything stop me.

    My oldest sister- She has been more like a second mom to me, I remember when I was younger she would always help to pay for things for me and my brothers. Things like school activities and field trips and anything that would help us. She offered advice on me in my early childhood field and has been an influence to that.  She also would help me to plan out my goals and dreams to go after them.  She has always encouraged and been there for me and says if I need someone to talk to I can come to her about it. 

    Friday, September 11, 2015

    Favorite Quote for Early Childhood.

    “Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.”
    – Maria Montessori

    This quote really speaks to me because it's so relevant to what we do when teaching children. We are what helps guide children in the world and the ones who open up children to new possibilities in exploring their mind.  This is what is important to me making that impact and watching the children to blossom. 

    Thursday, September 10, 2015

    The Cat in the Hat

    The Cat in the Hat happens to be one of my all time favorite children's books. As a child I had and read all of the Dr. Suess books but this was my favorite out of all of them.  I love this book because It tells a story like most of Dr. Suess books. A fun an interesting story I was also love the riddle and rhyming that the book has, it was very easily understood and very entertaining to read along with the pictures.  I will definitely have the Dr. Suess books for my own children because of how entertaining it was for me as a kid and I believe every child should read these books.

    My Baby Picture (8 month old Brittney)


    Thursday, September 3, 2015

    A New Beginning!

    Hi! Thank you for following along on this journey with me into kind of a new/other career.  This is my first blog and I mainly want to use it as a tool to put my ideas out there and to share with my subscribers things that interest me in early childhood education and education in general.  I do want to use this blog to express my creativity and everything that I encounter as I take this journey.  I am learning day by day and want to continue to get inspired.  With this blog I hope to build on it and come back to it periodically.  It will sort of be an insight on me and everything that goes along with my career as well as what I plan to do with what I do learn in early childhood education.  I am excited and nervous but very optimistic about the future and what it holds for me.