Blog: Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that I have when working with children and families from diverse backgrounds is that they feel welcomed in our center and that they see themselves in the classrooms. I want children and families to feel safe and comfortable. I hope that my center is well rounded and gives the feeling of acceptance for all!

Side note: I wrote a grant through my community college a few weeks ago to add diversity to our classrooms and got it! I am very excited. I have $4000.00 dollars to get our classrooms up to speed reflecting the families and community we serve. :)

The one goal I would like to set locally for my center is to be an example of diversity, equity, and social justice.

Thank you to all of my peers for sharing all their information through discussions and blogs. I appreciate everyone's willingness to express their personal thoughts and feeling on diversity, equity, and social justice along with all the other topics we discussed over the course of 8 weeks.

Josie Zbaeren

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The family I chose is from Brazil. After researching families in Brazil I found out some interesting facts.

Facts and Culturally Responsive:

1. The language of Brazilian people is Portuguese. I will learn some key words to help the children adjust to my child care center.

2. The common religion of Brazil is Roman Catholic. I would talk to the parent’s about their traditions and find out their family values. I would explain that our center respects all families. The culture of our classroom is reflective of all children and families. I would address who they asked me to on educational related topics (father, mother, or both). In many Brazilian families there is a hierarchy and I would want to know where they stand not to offend their traditional values.

3. The country is diverse in culture. The majority of the population comes from mixed races. Most people come from a mix of European, African and Indigenous ancestry (kwintessential, 2012). I will post pictures that are familiar to the family. Invite them to share photos as well so the children feel represented in the classroom.

4. There is a class order in Brazil, which is based on economic status and color of skin. I would take interest in how they feel about “class” order. I would let them know that we strive for equity in our center and everyone will have the same opportunities to explore, learn, and create as individuals. I would also explain our curriculum on cultural acceptance.

5. Brazilian families are often large and extended family is important. I would meet with the family and have an interpreter available if needed. I would ask what their goals for their children are. I would ask what their experiences with childcare are and how I can help their children feel safe and welcomed.

The ways I hope these preparations benefit both myself and the family is taking away the unknown. I believe getting to know each other’s expectations takes the fear out of joining our early learning center. I want to respect the family as individuals and their values as well. I also want them to understand our mission at my center.

Josie Zbaeren

I chose Brazil for this assignment because my sister in law, her husband, and their daughter are moving to Brazil at the first of the year for her work. They will live and work in Brazil. Chase their daughter will attend 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd grade in Brazil. They have started to learn Portuguese and they are preparing for an exciting adventure!

http://family.lovetoknow.com/family-values/brazilian-family-values

 http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/brazil-country-profile.html

Perosnal Side of Bias

I remember as a child watching the show Different Strokes. This show was about a white family (man and daughter) that adopted two black boys. A guy friend asked the daughter to a dance. He was a racist. She tested him by coloring her skin black like her brothers to see if he would still take her to the dance. He did not take her because he did not want to take a black girl.

He did not look at people of color as equal to him. At the time I did not feel much however it did bring up conversations in our family. It was a time of learning. We are equal regardless of skin color. In this incident the boy would need to change in order for equity to occur.

Josie Zbaeren

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

This week I have heard several micro-aggressions. I had my church friends over last night for bunco. Some ladies were signing (being silly) and the song said "gay" in it. One of the ladies mentioned that, “We can no longer use the word gay." Another person replied, "Unless you are wearing pointed shoes and flipped her hand down." I thought the comment was inappropriate and a micro-assault.

The second micro-aggression I heard was while we were changing tables at bunco. A lady said, "where did you get this card table and chairs I think they were made for Asian people they are so little?" Again the comments were insulting.

The third micro-aggression was today from a college student. She was talking about her sister’s basketball game and made the comment about the black girl on the team being really black. I called her out on it and she said, "What I was not being rude I like, it is cool."  

The words of the ladies did not make me mad but I was taken back. I know these ladies and for the most part they are kind, loving people however they are obviously greatly unaware of the effects of their words. I knew I could approach them on the subject of micro-aggressions. I pointed out how their words are a form of racism. It ended up being great conversation. I think they learned a little and I felt good telling them what I have learned. This exercise helped me and others understand how easy it is for us to ignore or unintentionally insult people different then we are

Perspectives on Diversity & Culture

Person one: “Culture is a person’s background and experiences that have made them who they are. Culture generally speaking is a person’s age, ethnicity, disabilities, abilities, family dynamics, socio-economic status, and their geographic location,” (M. Jackson).

Person one: “Diversity is the span of differences between people. Diversity is the things that make people different from each other,” (M.  Jackson).

Person 2: “Culture is your family traditions, values, and beliefs. It is how a person is raised,” (J. Bredfield).

Person two: “Diversity is embracing other cultures that I did not grow up with. It is learning about people’s differences and what they do,” (B. Bredfield).  

Person 3: “Culture is a part of how I define myself. It has numerous aspects for example I am a child of the 7o’s and that affects my thoughts and feelings. My economic status in which I was raised is part of my culture and it molded my views and beliefs,” (A. Williamson).

When I was in the middle of asking this question a white middle-aged man joined the conversation and said we don’t have a culture and were not diverse. He believes because he is not of specific race he does not have a culture at all. “We are boring white class American’s.”

Person 3: “Diversity is the combination of different cultures coming together. It is the differences in beliefs, actions, and values. It is what makes the world interesting. Diversity is accepting that we are all different and that differences are okay,” (A. Williamson).

The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied and that have been included in the answers I received are culture and diversity are about age, ethnicity, background, where a person lives and is raised, it is about family dynamics, eras, economic status, abilities, disabilities, traditions, and beliefs.

The aspects that were omitted about culture and diversity include language, heritage, religion, education, as well as culture being part of an identity which is ever changing.  That a group of people that share similar qualities for example African-American’s  do not necessarily share all the same beliefs, they may not all like the same foods, music, and they may not even speak the same language.

Listening to others talk about culture and diversity makes me realize that people see more surface culture or diversity rather than culture or diversity as personal. I think diversity is deep and not shallow however it is hard to understand. I think it is important that early educators talk more about culture and diversity and that it looks different to everyone. It can even look different to people in the same family.

Josie Zbaeren

My Family Culture

A description of the three items you would choose:

The three items I would take include a bible, my wedding band, and a small family photo. The bible represents me and my family as Christians, the wedding ring represents my love for my husband and the importance of our marriage in our family structure, and the photo represents the unity of our family.

 How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you?

I would describe the bible as a tool on how to live my life. The bible holds valuable information and stories from the past that teaches me how to act, react, love, care, and treat others. My wedding ring is a symbol of a promise I made to my husband to love, honor and cherish him and our relationship until death do us part. My wedding band includes diamonds from my engagement ring, my mother’s wedding ring, and my grandmother’s earnings from my grandfather. My ring is symbol of forever. Every man I love is represented in my ring and every loving model of marriage I was shown as a child is represented in my ring. I love it! The family picture represents the people I love the most in the world. 

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you.

I would feel sad, disappointed, and hurt. I would want to know why. I may even feel angry. I would give up the ring and the picture if I had to but I would not want to.

 Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise?

The insights I gained about myself is what I feel really matters. I know I want to have a bible with me now and forever. I learned it was not difficult to know what three items I would choose however very difficult to choose between the items.

Josie

When I think of Research

There are a lot of new insights I have gained from this course beginning with the process of researching in general. I loved learning how to get research started, the ethics behind research, and the responsibilities of the researchers to conduct sound bias free research.

I did not realize everything that went into research. I have a better understanding of the amount of time research takes. I also did not understand how confidentiality was guaranteed and what that looked like. I now understand that just because you work for a research firm does not mean you have access to all research projects. Each individual has access to certain parts and concealing information is crucial.

I now understand planning research is a process that is not to be taken lightly. How the research is going to be done, where, the time frame and who is participating all happen during the planning phase.

Designing the research is open to different options or choices. Designing a question for the research is also part of this phase. The researcher has to answer what and how the research is to be done. A clear topic must be defined. Conducting the research is another story. Conducting is the action of the research. It is putting the design into motion. It is collecting data as well as analyzing it.

One of the biggest challenges I encountered was early on writing the literature review. This was hard because it does not allow for a particular writing style it is the facts. I struggled but took it in stride trying to give the information with little of my  own input. I pushed through and moved on.

Through this journey I realized the importance of early childhood educators that dedicate their time to research. It is a daunting task that I could not do on a regular basis. I love learning new ideas and I love observing children and educator’s interacting however the task of formal research is not my love. I respect the work researchers do and appreciate their work.

Josie

Research Around the World!

I looked at the Early Childhood Australia website. I was struggling to find a research focus and finally decided on the article The Swedish National Curriculum: Play and Learning with Fundamental Values in Focus. This article speaks about research on play in combination with values such as, “children’s rights, gender equity, and education for sustainable development,” (Ärlemalm-Hagsér &Sandberg, 2011).  The research piece that grabbed me is the power of play. It is not new news that play is powerful however this particular article gives insight on research that proves quality play has lasting effects. Children that participate and or are exposed to quality play create crucial foundations for educational building blocks for future school success.

 

While reviewing this website I started to understand that early childhood education is growing around the world not just in the U.S. I understand that we are all striving for best practice, new research practice, and insights on brain development.

I guess the noteworthy part of this website is it has a wealth of information and tips. The entire website is worth looking at. I read a little about childhood fears and nightmares. I learned a little about the patterns of dreams and nightmares, what causes them and some tips on helping children cope with them. I gained some new information.

Josie Zbaeren

Arlemalm-Hagser & Sandber, (2011). The Swedish National Curriculum: Play and learning with fundamental values in focus, Malardalen University Sweden, (36)1. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Child Research

I would like to share a personal story about the positive effects of research. My husband Bill has a muscles disease call VLCAD. You may be wondering how his muscle disease has anything to do with children and research. Well, 13 years ago while climbing Mt. Saint Helens Bill was airlifted to St. Johns Hospital after suffering from an episode from his illness. At that particular time he did not know he had a disease. He was a state swimmer in high school, a United States Marine who served his country, and an avid runner. While in the service he was given IV's after strenuous activity, his urine would turn dark brown a sign of dehydration. The problem with that was he was not dehydrated his muscles were breaking down and all of the "junk" from his ripped muscles were going through his body damaging his liver and kidneys.

 

After many doctor's appointments one doctor from Kaiser remembered hearing about a childhood disease called VLCAD and sent Bill to a children's hospital in Portland Oregon called Dornbeckers located at Oregon Health and Science University. Bill was tested and sure enough he was diagnosed with a childhood disease that children die from at birth and while sleeping. Bill’s disease was often mistaken for stillborn deaths or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

 

Bill is currently a part of a research project. The research will last for three years. Last spring he stayed at the hospital for 5 days running tests including physical tests, full body scans, blood tests, and so on. He now takes “medicine” that helps him process long-chain fats. Part of the subjects in the study take medicine that they know helps and some take medicine they think will help more. None of the subjects know which they are taking. The hope is that the drug being tested will work to help people that suffer from the painful disease VLCAD.

 

Research helped the doctor’s understand that people live with VL-Cad, that there is medicine to help, and that children that have VLCAD do not have to die from the stress of childbirth or kidney failure in their sleep. Bill had to suffer through some tests and experience pain from slight muscles breakdown however the risk was worth the benefit. The outcome of the research project may be positive for children with VLCAD.

 

Josie Zbaeren

Personal Research Journey

 

I chose the topic of parental sensitivity and infant-father attachment. I chose this topic because I am interested in knowing the difference between infant-mother attachment and infant-father attachment. I want to know what is already known about infant-father attachment and how it has changed over the years. More dads are staying home with their children than ever before. I want to know what the benefits are, if any.

 

I know I loved my dad so very much. I also know that my daughters are very close with their dad and I feel it has made a world of difference in who they are. They are great girls that feel good about whom they are, that are confident, passionate, loving, and that follow their instincts. Did a secure attachment with their parents (dad) aid in their development?

 

My personal experience honestly is a lot of questioning myself. I love what I am learning however I am concerned about processing everything correctly. The hardest class I took for my undergraduate degree was statistics and this class gives me the same anxiety.

 

I think all of the information is useful. I think it is important for us to be able to read scholarly research and make sense out of it. The guide to reading research is a lifesaver!

I will take any advice my classmates can give me. Please send me some wisdom! :)

 

Josie

3 Consequences and a Goal!

Three consequences while making contacts with others or in my case searching sites and listening to global podcasts are:

1. New information related to the early childhood field. For example what is happening across the nation and in other countries as far as quality or equity in care.

2. New ideas for wrap around services. The best idea I heard about was the Cradle to College program from the Harlem children Zone.

3. The eye-opener that what is happening or NOT happening in my community is real! Learning about how others struggle or how other center's are succeeding opens up new possibilities yet shows the hard work needed.

The one goal I have is to get more connected in early childhood by joining NAEYC or WAEYC to be in the loop about what is going on in the early childhood field. My goal is to stay current. :)

Josie Zbaeren

Part 3

The issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals that are being discussed where I live and work are proper education for early educators, the cost of quality care, and compensation for early educators. In the state of Washington the standards for lead teachers are low and it is a concern for parents and professionals. The cost of care is high compared to the wages being earned in my local community and many families cannot afford licensed care. The wages are low for those working in the field unless they are working for Head Start, Early Head Start or the community college.

The opportunities for professional development include courses at the community college and STARS credits through a variety of sectors. The requirements for a lead teacher are 20 Hours Basic Training, food handler’s card, first aid and CPR, and a TB test.

My professional goal right now is to complete my master's degree in ECE. After that I would like to gain some more experience as a mentor teacher and adjunct faculty at Lower Columbia College. Eventually I would like to be full time faculty at LCC.

Being a full time instructor is also part of my hopes and dreams. The challenges I face I am unsure of at this time. :)

Josie Zbaeren

Sharing Web Resources (more about HCZ!) :)

The website for the Harlem Children’s Zone is so grand that I feel as though there is more to explore. This week I decided to see what job opportunities there are as well as the qualification requirements for the jobs at HCZ.  Through my research I noticed that there are quite a few job opportunities. I wanted to see if this particular program stood up to the higher expectations of education and followed the recommendation for equity in the field. Most jobs required a bachelor’s degree and those that did not preferred one.  All of the job descriptions expressed the need for positive instruction, experience, education, collaboration, and flexibility. I was impressed! There was not a pay scale on the website and none of the job descriptions listed anticipated pay.  I thought that information would also give me more information to HCZ commitment to equity in the field.

On the website searches are available under category. I did a general search to begin with and moved to early childhood education. Some of the titles for jobs were Program Director (Baby College), Parent Engagement Coordinator, Outreach worker, and Family Aide. Most of these positions also required a bachelor’s degree in ECE or related field. They too asked for experiences, excellent communication skills, and commitment to the mission HCZ.

Looking through the website and the expectations of the Harlem Children Zone I see a definite trend. I see them working towards meeting the standards for quality care and instruction. As we learned last week teacher qualifications matter. The outcomes for children are higher when teachers with bachelor’s degrees are teaching. I also see the HCZ working to set an example of quality care. They serve the child and the child’s family offering services beyond traditional education.

Josie Zbaeren

Getting to Know International Contacts Part 2

One interesting insight I learned through my exploration of Harvard University’s Global Children’s Initiative is the economist Günther Fink and Zambian Ministry of Education along with other groups have taken an interest in the children in Zambia and the effects of malaria on their development. Malaria is a devastating disease that kills many children in Zambia each year. In 2004 an anti-malaria initiative was set in motion to decrease the effects of malaria on Zambian children and families. Fink with help from Beatrice Matafwali was able to create an assessment suitable and appropriate for Zambian children testing their development. Before Fink’s assessment children’s development was based on their height or lack of height based on age. In other words if their growth was stunted they were considered delayed and if not they were not considered delayed (Lawton).

The second interesting insights I gained for researching the website is the strategic objectives of the Global Children Initiative including educating higher level decision makers on the importance of a healthy start and child development, making connections and offering education globally on healthy development, unhealthy development, and how to keep it on track or, “get it back on track” and increase the amount of leadership from other countries. 

The third insight that I learned is the hard work Brazil is doing to make a difference in obtaining stronger policies for children and child development. They are using the science of child health to get policy makers and investors interested in early childhood. Facts lead to action and Brazil is headed in the right direction for children and families.

The website I have chosen to explore is the Harlem’s Children Zone at http://hcz.org/home .

There are several sections on this website that are relevant to my current professional development however the one that tugged on my heart is “The Baby College”.  The website explains the baby college as, “a nine week parenting workshop to expectant parents and those raising children up to three years old,” (HCZ, 2012). The program focuses on reading and literacy for children 0-3 as well as proper discipline techniques (redirection). I am working on my education in early childhood education and in the future I would like to pass that knowledge onto others in the field and to parents.

The resource that I found the most news worthy is the concept of serving children from “cradle to college.” We have a lot of programs that aim at specific age groups for example 0-3, 3-5, or school-aged however I have not heard of any other program that serves children from 0-college. I think it is an amazing concept! I think that the Harlem’s Children Zone understands the sooner care or services begin the better and that the longer they are provided the better the outcomes. The website claims that, “90% of the children that graduate from the program go on to college,” (HCZ, 2012).

The website has media coverage on the changes it is making in the lives of children and families 100 blocks wide and long. Barack Obama talks of the baby college; the early education programs, the free medical program, food programs and afterschool education programs. He explains how excellent the Harlem Children’s Zone is and promises to place 20 more programs around the country funded partially by the government and encourages others to put forth the dollars needed to get the projects off the ground. This part of the website is controversial in a way because of the amount of money taxpayers will shell out. That being said it is newsworthy because if it happens it will change the lives of children and community members forever.

Other insights I gained from the website are the importance of covering a variety of issues with families beyond early education in the classroom. Serving children and families is more than learning about developmentally appropriate activities for children. The Harlem Children’s Zone offers classes, programs and information on obesity, asthma, drug and alcohol abuse, anger management and the list goes on.

Poverty affects children in a variety of ways. Three insights I have learned or am more aware of now after researching poverty include:

·        Poverty affects children’s development. Children that face malnutrition may never recover from the damages of inadequate nutrition. Last year in our community a school employee and his wife were arrested for starving their adopted children.  The oldest son was 13 when Child Protective Services removed him from the home. The boy weighed 49 pounds and stood 4’4” tall. This a case of abuse not poverty however the reports on this case explained that the lack of nutrition has affected the child’s cognitive ability and he is permanently stunted because of malnutrition. 

·        I also learned that there is a lot more research to be done on how children can be trapped in poverty and how to help them escape. “Poverty can be passed on from generation to generation affecting long-term health, wellbeing and productivity of families and of society as a whole,” (Child Poverty and Research Center, 2012). There is an article on this website titled Promoting Disadvantaged Young People’s Employment-What Can Be Done that is worth checking out.

·        I also found out there are a lot of agencies working in collaboration to help curve poverty and the effects on children and their families. CHIP has set goals on changing policies to eliminate childhood poverty, spreading the news on childhood poverty and working with others to develop strategies to lesson poverty as well as work internationally to reduce childhood poverty.

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

Josie Zbaeren

Sharing Web Resouces

Blog Assignment: Sharing Web Resources

The Harlem's Children Zone is a program aimed at serving not only children but the community. They work to help children succeed in school as well as life. They are a support system from early on, through college and onto employment. The program covers over 100 blocks in Central Harlem. Their goal is to lead by example surrounding children and parents with support from highly qualified and goal-oriented leaders. The HCZ project offers parenting classes for parents of children ages 0-3. They also offer developmentally appropriate early education programs, before and after school programs, and social and health services for children and families. The HCZ serves children 0 through college age and their families.

One current issue/trend that the Harlem’s Children Zone has listed on their website is the Harlem Armory which is a fitness center focused on healthy choices.  The children or participants are educated about exercise and healthy eating. The armory is a gym where the children have exposure to sports, games and large motor play. The children have the opportunity to run, jump and play like all children should get to do. Many children in the program have limited space for large motor activities and the armory is a welcomed addition the HCZ project.

The Harlem Children’s Zones is working to help children in generational poverty. They have different programs that help children of all different diverse backgrounds. For example they have a program focused on helping teenage boys beat the odds despite their neighborhood situations. They have another program that helps families living in low-income apartments buy the apartments and turn them into co-op owned living quarters they can be proud of. They offer a program to help families with mental health issues. They serve families with different backgrounds and encourage them to come together for the good of all people in their community.

The website for Harlem Children’s Zone is:

http://www.hcz.org/home

Josie

Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

My Blog by Josie Zbaeren (WK1Assign2) EDUC 6162

For part one of this assignment I decided look into the World Forum Foundation. I listened to a podcast on World Forum Radio about the work a principal in Canada is doing at an Indigenous charter school. She speaks of the troubles the school has including the turn over rate of super attendants of the school. She admits it is tough program to work for and lead. The children come from broken backgrounds and face hunger, depression and lack of hope. She has decided to stick with it because the children deserve a leader that can show them how to believe in themselves and see they are worth something. She wants the children to learn to build relationships, aspire to be something and follow their dreams.

The second podcast I listened to was also from the World Forum Foundation also on their radio. This podcast was delivered by Barnabas Otaala the Dean of education at Uganda Martyr’s University. The podcast focused on children suffering from HIV/Aids in Namibia. He emphasized the importance of families having the opportunity to partner with doctors as well as early educators to help children diagnosed with HIV or Aids get the services they need. He believes that it is important for early educators to pay attention to signs of ailment in children and share concerns with parents while also supporting them and encouraging them to take their children to the doctor. 

World Forum Foundation. "A foundation whose mission is to promote an on-going global exchange of ideas on the delivery of quality services for young children in diverse settings." http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php

For the second part of the Blog assignment I decided to look into Harlem Children’s Zone. I was not able to access their newsletter it was unavailable however I did check out their website and they are working hard for children. They have a parent educational piece to their program, which includes helping parents set up their homes to become a place for children to learn. I encourage everyone to check them out I am impressed with what I have seen thus far. See link below. 

Harlem Children's Zone
http://www.hcz.org/
(Newsletter: http://support.hcz.org/site/PageServer?pagename=signup )

My Supports!

I have daily supports both at home and at work. I see my husband and my mom as home supports. My husband helps out around the house with the cleaning and cooking. He is very active in our children's lives and we work together to run a happy household. My mom is also a huge support for my family. I work early in the morning and my mom provides transportation for my girls when my husband cannot. She will take my girls to appointments when we need help and she will also take the girls to the library or out to eat while we are working. I love my husband and I would be wreck without him. If something happened to him I would of course do my best to take care of my children and provide for them however I think it would be very difficult.

My work supports are my boss and my co-workers. I feel my boss is my "go to" person when I have questions or concerns. She has many years of experience in the early childhood field and I value her expertise. My co-workers are supports because they  are the people I work closely with on assessing children, creating curriculum, and bouncing ideas off of. I know that our program needs to have a director and a number of staff so I will always have someone to work with which I think is comforting. I would feel lost if I were the only person running the show.

There are a number of challenges I could face in the future including hearing loss which a several of my family members have faced. I would want my husband to continue to support me by listening to my concerns and understanding my feelings. I would see my doctor as a support because he or she would be able to answer my questions and give me options. I would also see technology as a support such as closed caption on the television, hearing aids to help me hear, and the computer to help me stay current on research related to my challenge. The computer and phone would allow me to communicate effectively as well. The benefits of my husbands support is to make me feel loved regardless of a challenge. The benefits of the doctor is health and the benefits of technology is to keep current. Without these supports I would feel less hopeful and probably sad.

Josie Zbaeren

My Connections tp Play!

Play is the beginning of knowledge.” ~ Anonymous

“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” Kay Redfield Jamison (professor of psychiatry)

I had a lot of fun as a child and my life was full of play experiences. I remember playing army men with my brothers, or house using my dog as the baby, or playing ballet instructor at our family friends house in their pool. I played barbies at my friend Teresa's house well into junior high however that was our secret. I loved playing at the creek on my grandparents property, too. It was a blast. My parents allowed us to explore and encouraged play. We were not huge television watchers and we were encouraged to stay active. My grandma would play "ballet" with me and I would put on recitals. I would always want her to come out of the kitchen and I would come out of the bedroom and down the hall to make my entrance. My mom and dad would play in different ways. My mom would play house with me and my dad and I were dance partners often dancing to Elvis Presley.

The ways in which play is different today is a lot of "play" is not about exploration but about mastering a video game. There seems to be less places for children to freely roam, to run, scream, jump, and explore. Play (large motor) is less frequent in public schools and in some school nearly nonexistent. A few years back my daughter Sophia was given a planning time (detention) for running on the playground. Ridiculous but a true story. When I was young I could not wait to get outside to run on the playground but now it is apparently unsafe. I can only hope that through new research about the importance of play educators will demand that children have time set aside everyday for
large motor play as well as free choice play. Our children gain a wealth of knowledge in every domain through creative play and we must advocate for children and their right to play.

Josie Zbaeren 


 

Angie's Early childhood studies blog: Relationship Reflection

Angie's Early childhood studies blog: Relationship Reflection: "Human relationships, and the effects of relationships on relationships, are the building blocks of healthy development" (Shonkoff & Phill...

Thank you for sharing. You have beautiful daughters and it sounds like a wonderful husband. I have 5 daughter's and a wonderful husband as well. I am excited to get to know you through your Blog.

Josie

Relationship Reflection:

I have a lot of relationships that are important to me for example my relationship with my husband, daughters, parents, siblings, church family, close friends and co-workers. I value them all but in different ways.

My relationships with friends, church family, extended family and co-workers are important to me because they are a form of support. I appreciate the people in my life that care for me, respect me, and value my opinion.

The relationship with my husband will be the focus of this Blog. This relationship is so very important to me because Bill (my husband) is my partner in life. He loves me unconditionally. He is my biggest fan and strongest support. He is a fabulous spouse; father, brother, provider, worker, and role model. He is my best friend. I love him!

I have a positive relationship with Bill as well as our daughters Madeline, Emileigh, Olivia, Sophia, and Kiera. I also have positive relationships with extended family and friends. Our family is our priority and because we have committed ourselves to family first we have great relationships with our girls.

My husband and I have a positive relationship because we are supportive of each other, we are respectful of each other, and we share our hopes, dreams, and goals. We are effective communicators; problem solvers and we are responsible. We share the same faith and values. We are connected through our marriage but we are still individuals. We have positive relationships with our children because we are consistent, caring, and responsive, we listen, set boundaries, follow through, and love them always. We have modeled respectful behavior and our girls are respectful.

We have learned over time (Bill and I) to make time for us. We have learned to talk about the good and bad stuff in order to work through it. We have learned that we will fail at times and to ask for help from each other as we need it. We have learned that surprises keep things lively. We have learned to laugh! We have learned to let go of things not in our control. We have learned in order to grow we will face challenges. We have learned life is short so we need to grab opportunities that come our way.

The special characteristics of my relationship with Bill are the love, trust, companionship, support, sense of belonging and the list goes on...

Understanding that relationships are based on trust, listening, problem solving, compassion and hard work will help me be an effective early childhood professional because I will pass these attributes onto the children I serve as well as their families. I will treat them with respect, honor their individuality, listen to their concerns, support their progress and collaborate with them to meet their needs and help them reach their goals.

Thank You!

Class,

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my Blog. I know I have enjoyed reading yours (at least the one's I could pull up)! I hope you all enjoyed my two cents as well. Good luck to everyone in the futre!

My Quotes:

Babies are such a nice way to start people.  ~Don Herrold


Every baby needs a lap.  ~Henry Robin

My passion is infant development (although I love working with many different ages)! I love learning about the impact the early years have on children as well as adults. Love on those babies and watch them grow.

Josie

Michele's Room: Assessments

Thank you for sharing. I agree that there is more to know about children then what we find out from a standardized test. I think there may be a place for them but when they interfere with a child graduating or not it is a problem. I wish public schools would focus more on individuality and different ways children learn. Teaching to different learning styles is crucial for the academic success of all children

Josie

Testing for Intelligence

I think it is important for early childhood educators to assess children however not in the same fashion public schools test children. Young children have short attention spans and grow rapidly and have times of rest as well. Standardize testing does not take in consideration family structure, individualization or cultural background. I found an article that covered the topic of assessments. The article titled Assessing Young Children covered 8 types of assessments used in early education (some more appropriate than others). The eight assessments include observations and checklists, anecdotal records, running records, portfolios, home inventories, developmental screenings, diagnostic assessments, and standardize assessments. I believe teachers can use observation, running records, anecdotal records, portfolios, and home inventories as assessments to guide their planning or “instruction” to better serve the children in their care. I think developmental screenings are useful to detect any developmental delays. I do not think diagnostic assessments are reliable for the classroom and standardized assessments are for policy makers.

I looked up assessments for school aged children in Ireland. It seems as though teachers or parents observe children and if either feel as though a child needs a formal assessment the process begins there. The articles I read listed reasons for assessing children are either for delays or for gifted children. I did not find actual tools for assessing children I found more about the process deadlines. For example if a principal informs parents of a developmental concern he has 3 months to administer the assessment.    

Josie Zbaeren

Case, B.J., & Gudderni, M. (2004, February). Assessing young children retrieved from

http://www.pearsonassessments.com/

Stressors

I did not experience any of the stressors listed and was not or I am not aware of any of my family or friends experiencing any of those stressors. Although this is tough for me to share I will share a little and move on. I did experience sexual abuse by my grandfather from ages 3 to 12 until my parents found out. I think I survived because I had my immediate family that cared deeply for me and I had faith. The ramifications are I have poor body image, I am extremely modest, and I kept my feelings bottled up for years. I did get private counseling about a year and a half ago (I am 39) and received counseling through my church as well. I think sexual abuse happens all across the nation and in every country of the world. Cognitively I think the stress affected my learning. There

were times it was hard to concentrate in school. When the abuse stopped my love for school grew and my grades improved dramatically. As far as my psychosocial development it clouded my thoughts about family, trust, and even hindered my social skills. As part of my healing I had to tell my other immediate family members (my brothers) about the abuse because up until a year and a half ago it was a secret. In response both of my brothers (both police officers) said, “oh my gosh now I understand why you are the way you are.” 

In the United Sates there are laws against sexual abuse however many people still do not report or they handle it within the family. As educators of children and parents it is important to remember it is our job as mandated reporters to report any suspicion of abuse. We must educate as many people as possible to protect children!

Public Health Measures: SIDS

The public health topic I chose is SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. This topic is meaningful to me because babies are my passion in the early childhood field. I want to learn as much as I can and pass the information on to the families I serve. Also in my previous job I worked with a teen mom that lost her 4-month-old baby girl to SIDS.

SIDS is an unexplainable death of a baby in its sleep. SIDS has decreased since the public awareness campaign called "Back to Sleep" however the back to sleep method of sleeping is not a cure for SIDS. Risk factors for SIDS include, " low birth weight, over-dressed infants, low SES, formula feeding, and teenage parenthood," (Berger, 2009). Two ways to reduce the risk of SIDS besides back to sleep are breast-feeding as well as introducing baby to a binki during rest times.

The information I learned will allow me to teach new parents about the risks of SIDS. I will also be able to pass the information on to friends, family, and neighbors. Any information that can reduce infant deaths is important information!

Other interesting information I learned while researching SIDS includes, "African-American infants are twice as likely and Native-American infants are three times more likely to die of SIDS than Caucasian infants," (Kids Health, 2008). Boys die more often from SIDS than girls (Kids Health, 2008). Most internet resources I reviewed list Asian babies as the lowest risk race and ethnic group for SIDS. I found this interesting because several articles listed Japanese families as common co-sleepers which is not recommended in the United States because infants can over heat or parents can roll onto their babies.

Josie Zbaeren 

Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood. (5^th ed.). New York,
            NY: Worth Publishers

Kids Health, (2008, Novemeber 1). Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Kids Health.
Retrieved from http://www.bing/

My Third Born:

My Third Born: A little over 17 years ago I was pregnant with my third daughter Olivia. I was not feeling well one December evening and decided to take a shower to help me relax before going to bed. While in the shower I heard a tiny little pop. I quickly shut off the shower and stepped out of the tub to discover my water broke. Within a matter of minutes I was in serious pain. My husband and I gathered up Madeline (3 years) and Emilegh (18 months) and raced down out hill. I knew we had to hurry. I was feeling a lot of pressure. We dropped the girls off at their aunt and uncles and sped to the hospital. The ride from our house to the hospital took roughly 20 minutes.  By the time we reached the hospital I was feeling the urge to push. I walked passed the ER, straight to the elevator, up to delivery. My husband stayed back to sign papers. I explained to the nurse the baby was coming now. She did not believe me at first however as soon as I could I was in the bed and she too quickly realized I was not kidding. My doctor happened to be at the hospital and delivered Olivia Jo Zbaeren 7 minutes after I reached the delivery room. My husband entered the room just in time to see her arrive. 

I chose this experience because it was much different than my other deliveries. (I have 4 biological daughters and 1 adopted daughter). Although my other daughters were born in three hours or less Olivia’s was so short I felt rushed and ill prepared. Olivia was not a planned pregnancy and I was overwhelmed from the beginning of the pregnancy until about three months after her birth. I felt like I was spread thin and wanted to be able to give all the girls all of my love and was not sure how I was going to manage. I did not feel an instant connection with Olivia and needed my husband’s support as well as extended family support. Thank God they all jumped right into help. I suffered from postpartum depression for six weeks or so but did get the help I needed right away.

I think the impact on Olivia was minimal however I think that is due to the fact she was cared for by others especially dad. I understand that an unplanned pregnancy can cause much stress. I focused on my little girls at home and loved my life with them and my husband so I knew everything would work out in the end. I also think my faith kept me strong. The text explains, “bonding after birth is neither necessary nor sufficient for strong parental alliance and for parent-child attachment throughout life” (Berger, 2009). Even after all these years I was happy to read those words. I wanted it to be love at first sight but the fact is it took time.

FYI: After I adjusted we enjoyed Olivia so very much. She was a pleasant spirited baby and is a wonderful young lady now! I love her!

I decided to look at women giving birth in Iraq. Many women receive or opt out of prenatal care out of fear. There is a poor health care system and often there are only nurses in the hospitals and they carry guns. Women are often charged for ambulance rides to the hospital once labor has begun. If labor begins during curfew hours women fear leaving their homes and try to get assistance from a midwife. If they reach a hospital there may not be a doctor for various reasons one being kidnapping.  It is a scary time for women in Iraq altogether. I felt sad reading this article.

Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Trejos, Nancy (2009). Iraq’s woes are adding major risks to childbirth. Retrieved from

http://www.washingtonpost.com

Josie Zbaeren

Week 7 Assignment

NAEYC: Here are the three codes of ethics that are meaningful to me and significant to my professional life.

1. "Base our work on knowledge of how children develop and learn."
2. "Appreciate and support the bond between the child and family."
3."Recognize that children and adults achieve their full
Potential in the context of relationships that are based
on trust and respect."

These three are meaningful to me for several reasons. First, in order to teach children to move from one skill to another we must understand child development. Second, as early educator's we must be mindful and respectful of family bonds, maintain appropriate boundaries, and provide services that are family friendly. Parents are children's first and most important teachers we must act as supporters of families. Last, trust is the key to any successful relationship. We have the honor of taking care of parents most prized possession and we must work to help children and families reach their fullest potential by building a foundation of trust. Understanding the above concepts is essential to the success of my students. I must understand child development and have parents on board to provide the best services I can for children and families.

Resources (Walden)

Resources from Walden

http://www.erikson.edu/

http://www.voices.org/

http://www.preknow.org/

http://nieer.org/

http://www.nccanet.org/

http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/

http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm

http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

http://www.ccw.org/

http://www.childrensdefense.org/

http://www.highscope.org/ 

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/

http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm

http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm

http://www.zerotothree.org/

http://www.dec-sped.org/

http://www.naeyc.org/

http://www.naeyc.org/

http://www.omep-usnc.org/

http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us

http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf

http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller

My Resources:

http://edkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/

http://childdevlopment.com/childdevelopment/teens

http://oldweb.naeyc.org/

Other resources I use:

Collogues, instructors, trainings.

Josie Zbaeren

Week Four Quotes

Quotes:

President Clinton Quote: “We cannot build our own future without helping others to build theirs.”

In an article by Marcy Whitebook entitled No Single Ingredient she states, “a review of evidence for both K-12 and ECE reveals three key ingredients that contribute to effective teaching across all age spans: first preparation matters, second support matters, and third reward matters,” (2010).

Passion:

Louise Derman-Sparks (her passion)

“To make sure all children were taught in environments and ways that truly nurture their ability to grow and development to their fullest potential.”

Leticia Lara

“My passion has been evolving through the years. It’s an ongoing process.”

I like these two statements because I too want to help children grow to their fullest potential. I also want to continue to grow in my filed and keep the passion brewing.

Josie Zbaeren

Picture for Web: My girls and my nephews! :)

Personal Childhood Web

Personal Childhood Web:

1. My number one support was and is my mom Jo McDaniel. She has always been there for me. She was involved in my education, she supported me as a dancer, and she attended all the events in my life. My mom taught me to respect others and myself. She put her family first always! She is a continued support as a fabulous grandma and my closest friend.

2. My dad, Jim McDaniel, was also a huge supporter of mine. I was the only girl in the family and my dad made me feel special by setting time aside just for me. He always picked out a special birthday gift for me on his own each year. I loved listening to his Elvis records in the morning and dancing around with him. He was a great leader of our family and lead by example. My dad died when I was 26 and I miss him greatly!

3 & 4. My grandparents Harris and Darylene Raleigh were my 3^rd and 4^th supports. My grandma took care of me after school when my mom worked, took me to dance class and was involved in my life on a daily basis. My grandparents took my two brothers and I on vacation in the summers to visit my mom’s sister. We would fly clear across the country with them and loved every minute with them. My grandfather died in 1992 and my grandmother 11 years later.

5. My brothers were also big supports. Although we had some sibling rivalry issues we always had each other’s backs. My brothers made me feel special by attending all of my recitals or events growing up. They would take me places, help me when I needed it and give me sound advice. They continue to be supports because they are supportive of me as an adult. Our families are close and our children love each other. We have family dinners, spend holidays together and support each other through life’s ups and downs. 

The Way I Feel

I like this book because it is a fun and easy way to talk to children about feelings. If you read it with a lot of emotions they will make facial expressions to copy the words. They talk about what scares them, what makes them happy or angry or proud.

Quote by: John Fitzgerald Kennedy

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future."

Learning to Blog

I have set up my blog and I am hoping I find my way back to it.