Sunday, June 30, 2013
Thanks and Support
The last 8 weeks have introduced us to many new concepts and new people. It has been an eye-opening experience. I did not realize how much I still had to learn, especially in regards to advocacy and working with families. "Meeting" new colleagues in the field of early childhood has been great. I have appreciated all of the feedback on discussion posts and blog assignments. Learning together online was a whole new experience for me. Even though we were not in a traditional classroom setting, I appreciated that there was still interaction between colleagues. Thank you for the support and good luck in all your future endeavors.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Significant Ideals
Ideal 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 believe that we are meant to be lifelong learners. It is important to stay informed and
up-to-date on issues relating to your profession. Students need to know that the important
adults in their lives are learners as well. I want the children in my classroom to see how
passionate I am about learning new things; hopefully it will ignite their
passion for learning, too! There is
always something new to learn and try. I
strive to have a humble attitude and readily admit that I have a great deal of room
to learn and grow.
Ideal I-1.7—To use assessment information to understand and
support children’s development and learning, to support instruction, and to
identify children who may need additional services.
When you start out as a new teacher, it is sometimes
difficult to know what to do with assessment data. You assess because you are required to, and
you want to know what children know and still need to learn. Then what?
I think it is important to use assessment data for a purpose. Analyzing data will tell you what you need to
re-teach, what children are struggling, and what children need more of a
challenge. Data can also be tracked to
monitor the progress of a student who may need special services due to a
learning impairment.
I-1.12—To work with families to provide a safe and smooth
transition as children and families move from one program to the next.
Having strong connections with families is important. When children are moving from grade to grade,
I think it is great to have open communication about the transition. I take parents questions and comments into
account when thinking about the teacher that will get their child the next
year. Spending time deciding the teacher
who best matches each student that transitions out of my classroom ensures them
a great start to 1st grade.
It is important that these transitions occur smoothly so children know
they are well cared for, no matter where they are in the school community.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
Early Childhood Resources
My resources:
- Parents as Teachers
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Safe Kids Worldwide
- Center for Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
- Play for Keeps: Resources on Play
- Let's Move: Healthy Kids
Course Resources:
- NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://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 May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
- NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://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 May 26, 2010, from http://main.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 May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
- 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.
- Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdWorld Organization for Early Childhood Education
- Websites:
- World Forum Foundation
http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment 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/
Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.
- World Forum Foundation
- National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/ - The Division for Early Childhood
http://www.dec-sped.org/ - Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/ - WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm - Harvard Education Letter
http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85 - FPG Child Development Institute
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/ - Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/ - HighScope
http://www.highscope.org/ - Children's Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/ - Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/ - Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home - Institute for Women's Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/ - National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/ - National Child Care Association
http://www.nccanet.org/ - National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/ - Pre[K]Now
http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067 - Voices for America's Children
http://www.voices.org/ - The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Passion, Motivation, & Wisdom
This week I read about the contributions of Deborah Leong and Marian Wright Edelman. Below are two quotes that I enjoyed from my readings.
Speaking about developing literacy skills through play: "To read, children need to realize, for instance, that c-o-w represents the word cow, and the word cow represents the animal. Play that promotes this understanding involves children in using their imaginations with open-ended materials - a marker might become a magic wand, a block can turn into a boat." - Deborah Leong
Speaking about child care and health services: "The Lord didn't tell us to take care of every other child. I think he really did mean for every child to have a fair shake." - Marian Wright Edelman.
In week 2, Raymond Hernandez's presentation was the one that spoke to me the most. I loved the following two quotes:
- "Passion comes from wanting to make a difference."
- One little sparkle will make a difference for me."
Speaking about developing literacy skills through play: "To read, children need to realize, for instance, that c-o-w represents the word cow, and the word cow represents the animal. Play that promotes this understanding involves children in using their imaginations with open-ended materials - a marker might become a magic wand, a block can turn into a boat." - Deborah Leong
Speaking about child care and health services: "The Lord didn't tell us to take care of every other child. I think he really did mean for every child to have a fair shake." - Marian Wright Edelman.
In week 2, Raymond Hernandez's presentation was the one that spoke to me the most. I loved the following two quotes:
- "Passion comes from wanting to make a difference."
- One little sparkle will make a difference for me."
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Personal Childhood Web
When I think about the people who nurtured and cared for me as a child, I think of my Mom, my Step Dad, my Great Aunt, and my Grandma.
My Mom has always encouraged me to be creative and try new things. When I was younger, it was not uncommon for me to request some random items for an experiment. I might say, "Mom, I need a needle, some tape, a balloon, and some Vaseline." Without batting an eye, my Mom would get me these items and ask if I needed help. She was never concerned that something was too messy or too silly. Everything was a learning opportunity and she was happy to let me explore. When I asked for an Easy Bake Oven, she handed me a brownie mix and said, "We have a real oven." I was worried that I would mess up, but she assured me that I could always try again if they didn't turn out right. Her attitude towards learning and exploration still influence me today. I am confident enough to try new things, and I view learning as a fun, sometimes messy, hands-on process.
My Step Dad, Wally, has been in my life since I was very young. My parents divorced and I no longer saw my biological father. Wally was around as far back as I can remember, though. He is a man of few words, but shows he cares in other ways. When I was little, Wally would use his work printer to make these huge posters on my birthday each year. They were probably 6 feet long and had pictures of all my favorite Disney and cartoon characters on them. He used to use the phrase, "That isn't necessary" all the time. If I wanted to sleep over at a friends house or wanted a new toy, that was the standard response. While it frustrated me to no end at the time, I am much more careful with the use of my time and money because of it. Wally hasn't become more talkative, and our relationship has never been a typical father-daughter relationship. I have, however, learned to appreciate his loyalty, his commitment to family time, and his actions that speak louder than words.
My Great Aunt Elfride took care of me when I was very young. She never had children of her own, but she made up for it by nurturing every child who crossed her path. Aunt Elfride showed love through food. She is an amazing cook and would spend all day in the kitchen to make your favorite meal. She is an expert at making apple pancakes and stuffed cabbage. She was one of the first people to help me learn to cook. My skills in the kitchen are proof of her continued influence in my life. I also have taken on her love of cooking for others.
My Grandma, or Oma as I call her, was another special influence when I was young. She loved to take me swimming and was always working in her yard. Oma taught me the value of hard work at a young age. I thought it was fun and helping, but she helped me to learn that chores come first and play comes second. I still live by that today. While I make time for recreation, I know that my studies, work, and "chores" need to be done first.
My Mom has always encouraged me to be creative and try new things. When I was younger, it was not uncommon for me to request some random items for an experiment. I might say, "Mom, I need a needle, some tape, a balloon, and some Vaseline." Without batting an eye, my Mom would get me these items and ask if I needed help. She was never concerned that something was too messy or too silly. Everything was a learning opportunity and she was happy to let me explore. When I asked for an Easy Bake Oven, she handed me a brownie mix and said, "We have a real oven." I was worried that I would mess up, but she assured me that I could always try again if they didn't turn out right. Her attitude towards learning and exploration still influence me today. I am confident enough to try new things, and I view learning as a fun, sometimes messy, hands-on process.
My Step Dad, Wally, has been in my life since I was very young. My parents divorced and I no longer saw my biological father. Wally was around as far back as I can remember, though. He is a man of few words, but shows he cares in other ways. When I was little, Wally would use his work printer to make these huge posters on my birthday each year. They were probably 6 feet long and had pictures of all my favorite Disney and cartoon characters on them. He used to use the phrase, "That isn't necessary" all the time. If I wanted to sleep over at a friends house or wanted a new toy, that was the standard response. While it frustrated me to no end at the time, I am much more careful with the use of my time and money because of it. Wally hasn't become more talkative, and our relationship has never been a typical father-daughter relationship. I have, however, learned to appreciate his loyalty, his commitment to family time, and his actions that speak louder than words.
My Great Aunt Elfride took care of me when I was very young. She never had children of her own, but she made up for it by nurturing every child who crossed her path. Aunt Elfride showed love through food. She is an amazing cook and would spend all day in the kitchen to make your favorite meal. She is an expert at making apple pancakes and stuffed cabbage. She was one of the first people to help me learn to cook. My skills in the kitchen are proof of her continued influence in my life. I also have taken on her love of cooking for others.
My Grandma, or Oma as I call her, was another special influence when I was young. She loved to take me swimming and was always working in her yard. Oma taught me the value of hard work at a young age. I thought it was fun and helping, but she helped me to learn that chores come first and play comes second. I still live by that today. While I make time for recreation, I know that my studies, work, and "chores" need to be done first.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Children's Books
I have a passion for reading aloud to children. My students know they can always convince me to read one more story. I also never say no to the same book over and over, even if I'm tired of it! My favorite picture books to read aloud are books that contain humor, rhyme, or allow me to use silly voices.
One book that I always share with my class is The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian. It is a book that I remember reading when I was little, so the majority of my students have never heard it before. The story is great for teaching rhymes. It also allows the children to interact and predict as you read.
One book that I always share with my class is The Hungry Thing by Jan Slepian. It is a book that I remember reading when I was little, so the majority of my students have never heard it before. The story is great for teaching rhymes. It also allows the children to interact and predict as you read.
As far as chapter books go, I really enjoy reading Junie B. Jones books to my Kindergartners. She is a character who is a Kindergartner through and through. My children can always relate with her worries and crazy antics. Throughout the school year they get to "know" her and are able to make great predictions about how she will solve her problem in the story. We're currently reading the last Kindergarten Junie B. Jones book. I always get a little choked up when her teacher talks about how much she will miss her...and my little ones think it's hilarious that I'm so attached to a book character!
Meaningful Quote
When I was in High School, I had a course called Child Care. I was exposed to the quote below and I fell in love with it. Too often people talk down to children or underestimate their capabilities. I believe we need to listen to their ideas, encourage their spirit, and allow ourselves the opportunity to learn from them as much as they learn from us.
"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today." - Stacia Tauscher
"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today." - Stacia Tauscher
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