Change, Contexts, Consequences, and Constraints

This has been a tremendous journey learning about different cultural aspects of international professionals and trying to get in tune with how early education programs achieve the highest-possible quality, performance, and maximum impact for the children. The consequences for professional development include learning how other countries working hard to constitute the right of every child in every nation by having access to a quality education.  The type of education that will prepare children to become responsible and engaged citizens and ready them for life in a changing world.  The consequences are indeed positive simply because you  connect with different cultures and get insight on what steps different countries take in order to eliminate challenges of:  national early childhood education standards, national licensing and accreditation system, child care resource and referral system, or professional development system.   Professionals learn about who and how they collaborate with others in their country.  One goal that should be mentioned when discussing international awareness of issues and trends should be to consider the ongoing changes of early childhood in those specific countries and what we as professionals can do as family to help them find a resolution to problems in hopes that we may receive exchange of information as well. 

Exploring Professional International Contacts

Setting the Pace for Success

It is such a great challenge trying to get in touch with international contacts!! It has thus far been the greatest challenge of all my assignments!!  After viewing the alternate website I found interesting topics such as access, quality, investment, and governance.  A professional goal(s) that I would love to attain definitely relates to all of these because they all are important components that foster high quality programs.  How can you have high quality programming without having full access for each and every child and family? The website discusses how international countries provide equitable resources for disadvantaged children to make sure access is equitable.  As far as quality, it shares information on what quality programs should have and be able to do for the children.  For instance, it states that early childhood care and education programmes should emphasize the child’s holistic development and extend beyond assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling.  High quality childcare, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness. Upon reaching the dream of owning and operating my own child care facility, I can refer back to everything I have learned.  Investing is absolutely the gateway to securing funds and resources for high quality programs.  The website gleans about how the greatest difficulty faced by countries in their efforts to expand and improve the quality of early childhood care and education is the mobilization of resources.   Governance is defined as having control, or authority and I can see why it should play a part in child care success.  Early childhood care and education is often the concern of several government sectors and usually these are education, social affairs and health. The multi-faceted nature of early childhood care and education gives rise to the challenge of effectively coordinating provision of policy development and implementation across the different sectors.  Effective coordination must exist among sectors at both national and local level, and also between public and private establishments. Child care indeed need governance.  Effective coordination must exist among sectors at both national and local level, and also between public and private establishments. 

The website discusses the Education Regions Africa, Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and North America, Latin America and the Carribean.  It offers tremendous information on how policies and education are supported within these regions.  I enjoyed exploring the site.  


References:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources-

Upon clicking on researchnet on the naecte website, it was interesting to read about the purpose of the establishment, and what the program offers.  This program facilitates scholarly pursuits on collaborative research projects that relate to topics of early childhood teacher education.  It provides a focus for conducting research studies, and outlet for dissemination of research results and professional development opportunities for NAECTE.  The ResearchNets meet during the fall and/or the spring conferences to organize, plan research projects, and share research results. They also continue to network through email, listservs, conference calls, and on the NAECTE website.

I also read a journal article entitled, Call for Papers that discusses the importance of inclusion and how teachers need to be sure to include each child by access, participation, and supports.  That itself adds to my understanding of equity and excellence.  Additional information to add to my learning would include professional development that promotes inclusive practices.

The link to the site is:  http://www.naecte.org/

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

On the harvard website, it simply explains it's mission and the purpose for the Global Children's Initiative program.   The program is committed to building a unified science of health, learning, and behavior to explain the early roots of lifelong impairments; it leads the design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative program and practice models that reduce preventable disparities in well-being; it catalyzes the implementation of effective, science-based public policies through strategic relationships and knowledge transfer, and preparing future and current leaders to build and leverage knowledge that promotes the healthy development of children and families and brings high returns to all of society. (Global Children's Initiative)  There are three objectives or domains that the program concentrates on for enrichment, early childhood development; child mental health; and children in crisis and conflict situations.  I learned about the importance of the program and how it plays a role  in focusing on the developing opportunities to provide leadership training for individual researchers, policymakers, and institutions.


I want to share with you an international contact from Aceh.  Meridas Eka Yora is the founder and director of the institution Fajar Hiayah for Islamic Education and Director of the Yayasan Fajar Hidayah Foundation. Meridas developed three boarding schools for children orphaned as a result of that devastation in Aceh.  Aceh, a special territory on the Southern tip of Indonesia, was the closest land to the epicenter of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, in which more than 225 Indonesians were killed and 500,000 left homeless.(World Forum Radio)  This was a tragedy never forgotten and still affects the communities to this day.


The program shows excellence and equity by actively collaborating with a network of local and international organizations to engage in social and educational developments and programs.


References

(N.A)(N.D.)Global Children's Initiative. Center on the Developing Child.  Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/

World Forum Radio

Sharing Web Resources

There are plenty topics to cover when discussing current professional development but as I was reading current issues within the National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators, I found discussions about inclusive early childhood teacher education.  The article, Inclusive Early Childhood Teacher Education, states that even though there are increases awarenesses and well-established policy initiatives about inclusion for children with disabilities, exclusion still exists.  But on the other hand, the purpose of the article is to explain that programs are now meeting the challenges of preparing them for inclusive childhood settings.  Inclusive early education values policies and pratices that honor the right to all young children regardless of ability.  Inclusive teachers will provide access, participation, and support with the collaboration of other professionals and families.  From observing programs such as these, I can say that I understand the genuine capacity of inclusion.  I understand that policy makers and other professionals are willing to do what it takes to meet the needs of children with disabilities far and beyond.  I can feel the sense of longevity and persistance throughout the article.

References

Couse,L. and Recchia,S. (2011) From the Guest Editors: Inclusive Early Childhood Teacher Education. Journal of Early Childhood Educators (32) 4.  Routledge

The Focus on Poverty

Upon reading the article about India and poverty issues saddened me.  What concerns me the most are the varying health issues.  The communicable diseases, malnutrition issues all play a part in the strain on society in India. The poor children are just suffering and I really sympathize with those individuals because there is so much that our country can offer and so many resources that should lend a helping hand to these individuals. Thank goodness that there have been drastic improvement, although poverty issues still exist.  It was interesting to know that the children worked so young to provide for themselves and family.  There have been action taken into account and it has made a dramatic change in the lives of those who are considered to be poor.   I have a new outlook on how poverty affects the lives of all health wise, socially, physically and mentally.  I have a greater respect for individuals who survive through poverty stricken times and can still maintain to be successful.  I have even a greater respect for the individuals who created the programs to help these families strive for a better way of life.

Sharing Web Resources

The focus of the organization consists of all aspects of early childhood and the E-letter clearly defines the organization’s purpose.  Their focus is to promote the professional growth to their membership, to discuss educational issues specifically, to advocate for improvements in early childhood teacher education, provide a forum for consideration of issues and concerns of interest to educators of early childhood teacher educators, provides a communication network for early childhood teacher educators, facilitate the interchange of information and ideas about research and practice, and cooperate with other national and international organizations concerned with the study and education of young children.  What caught my attention in the newsletter fall 2011 issue was the presentation of a book that explores each stage of teacher research, from conceptualization, to generating research questions, identifying data sources, gathering and analyzing data, interpreting results, sharing results, to taking action based on those results.  This really caught my attention because I am not the expert on research and I have trouble finding valuable and or legitimate resources when needed.  I guess with more experience, it will become easier.  What I learned that was closely related to the discussion of issues and trends is that for every issue, there is a solution, good or bad and for every trend, there is always a way to make a positive change, if needed.  This organization fights for achievement in many ways and I can sense it from reading about the different programs and or resources they offer in order to form the most reliable and well qualified teachers in the early childhood community.  It was an honor to gain knowledge from this site. 

Creating Professional Relationships

As I attempted to contact international early childhood educators, it was quite challenging.  Since I have not gotten a response from anyone yet I have to take another route.  I went to World Forum Radio and listened to a few podcasts and here are the main points that I interpreted from the interviews: 

Barbara Jones, who is a resident of the East Coast, traveled to California in search of a preschool to teach. She got the opportunity to become a Montessouri teacher in San Diego.  She worked there for 6 years and decided that she wanted to open her own private day care.  She worked at YMCA and decided that she really enjoyed the early childhood field.  She traveled back to Maine and she noticed a boarded up empty building and envisioned to turn it into her own childcare center.  She bought the building and established the Pine Grove Center child development center in Maine in 1984.  It has been up and operating for twenty-five+ years. 

Maysoun Chehab is a resident of Lebanon whose job title is regional early childhood care and coordinator with the Arab Resource Collector.  She works with policy makers and ece community.  They focus on awareness of child rights and train cargivers on best practices for the children. They work in Palestine, Jordan and a few more countries. They produce Arabic resources that are not available in those countries.  Her most rewarding project to date was after the war of 2006 in Lebanon on psychosocials.  She was very passionate during her interview.

 I hate that I have not yet to hear from the international educators but I will keep trying to reach out until I hear something.

My Supports

My Supports

The Important People In My Life

 

 

   As a child, I was not aware of what support meant being that I grew up in a family who really did not show affection in the household.  I was never rewarded on my academic achievements in school or when I participated in extracurricular activities.  I lived in a very unhappy household so I did not know the meaning of "support".  It was not because that is how my parents wanted it to be, let's just say, some things are just not meant to be.  My sister and I experienced our parents divorce at ages 13 and 12 and it was always unpleasant moments from the both of them.  Anywho, besides that, thanks to the positive people in my life, I now know the real meaning of support.  A few supports that I have within my daily environment now consists of my co-workers, my family, and myself.  My co-workers support me through advice forums to let me know that just because I am a single mom, I still can be successful and become whatever I may choose to be if I set the goal and follow through.  They always encourage positivity in every aspect and have pep talks with me to keep me striving.  My co-workers always get me to see the bigger picture when I am stressed or feel like giving up.  My family supports me now more than ever because I am in school.  They always make sure to keep my daughter when I ask them to with no complaints or even expect anything in return.  I admire their support greatly, because I missed out on it within my childhood.  My family believes in me more than I believe in myself at times and that motivates me to take that extra step.  Most importantly, I support myself to the maximum.  Even when I do not feel confident in myself on occasions, I have to snap back in motivation mode and get back on track.  I support myself  greatly because I can confide in myself to keep moving forward, encourage myself, and have faith in knowing that hard work pays off.  If I did not have support, I would not be working towards a master's degree.  I would not be sane enough to handle my full time job, along with my daughter and being a full time student.  Supportive people and or things shows you that you are cared for and someone is looking out for your best interest.  Everyone needs support.  Without support systems, we do not have grounded emotional and mental health.  If I did not have support systems, I feel as if I am disconnected from the world.  It is good to share experiences with others and interact with them on social levels.  Support systems should be what someone wants and need for the reassurance.  It does not make you weak because you need a support system. We all need them!

My Connections to Play

ITS OK TO BE A KID AT HEART!!  EVEN IN ADULTHOOD

As a child, my sisters and I would play with whatever materials that were in our surroundings.  In single parent families,  it is somewhat hard to get children every toy that they plead for and for some reason we did not care if we had toys or not!  We used our imaginations for everything!  Two quotes that pretty much compresses my childhood explains how play molds a child for success as well as the importance of using creativity and your imagination. 

"Creative people are curious, flexible, persistent, and independent with a tremendous spirit of adventure and a love of play."

Henri Matisse
French painter
1869–1954

"When children pretend, they’re using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero."
Fred Rogers
American children’s television host
1928–2003

Those three items that I have chosen, all symbolize responsibility.  I enjoyed dressing my barbie up and combing her hair to make her pretty.  I enjoyed the swing set because it was adventurous.  A child can do multiple things on it.  That is what makes it special.  A child could never get bored.  The cash register allowed us to create our pretend grocery store and exchange money and goods amongst each other.  My parents allowed my sisters and I to play as much as we wanted, because most of the time they did not want us lingering inside the house all the time.  They even would come out and play along with us just to make us feel special.  They would play games, swing with us, teach us how to swing bats, and bounce basketballs.  All of this sculptured fundamentals in us as children.

During my younger years, playing outside was an absolute must.  O gosh if it was a rainy day, my siblings and I would have a yucky day.  My mother loved the fact that we always wanted to be in the outside atmosphere, where we used our imaginations for everything!  In society today, I feel that children linger more on the inside now that crime rates are higher and because parents buy all the high tech devices.  (PSP's,  Nintendo Ds, Play Station, Wii, X Box, Kinect, Ipods; you name it)  Most children would rather stay inside with the video games rather that burn energy on the outside.  I sometimes wonder if this apprehends the child from being creative or imaginative.

In the aspect of play, we must realize that play allows children to interact with the world around them.  They learn how to work in groups and negotiate conflicts eventually.  They also can learn decision making skills and see what areas interest them most.  Even as an adult, I am a kid at heart.  I love humor and I love to be in comfortable atmosphere.  A little play allows adults to do that.  Do you agree?

My Supports

My Supports

 HOW I MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAYS!!!!!

   As a child, I was not aware of what support meant being that I grew up in a family who really did not show affection in the household.  I was never rewarded on my academic achievements in school or when I participated in extracurricular activities.  I lived in a very unhappy household so I did not know the meaning of "support".  A few supports that I have within my daily environment now consists of my co-workers, my family, and myself.  My co-workers support me through advice forums to let me know that just because I am a single mom, I still can be successful and become whatever I may choose to be if I set the goal and follow through.  They always encourage positivity in every aspect and have pep talks with me to keep me striving.  My co-workers always get me to see the bigger picture when I am stressed or feel like giving up.  My family supports me now more than ever because I am in school.  They always make sure to keep my daughter when I ask them to with no complaints or even expect anything in return.  I admire their support greatly, because I missed out on it within my childhood.  My family believes in me more than I believe in myself at times and that motivates me to take that extra step.  Most importantly, I support myself to the maximum.  Even when I do not feel confident in myself on occasions, I have to snap back in motivation mode and get back on track.  I support myself  greatly because I can confide in myself to keep moving forward, encourage myself, and have faith in knowing that hard work pays off.  If I did not have support, I would not be working towards a master's degree.  I would not be sane enough to handle my full time job, along with my daughter and being a full time student.  Supportive people and or things shows you that you are cared for and someone is looking out for your best interest.  Everyone needs support.  Without support systems, we do not have grounded emotional and mental health.  If I did not have support systems, I feel as if I am disconnected from the world.  It is good to share experiences with others and interact with them on social levels.  Support systems should be what someone wants and need for the reassurance.  It does not make you weak because you need a support system. We all need them!

 

 

 

My Supports

 HOW I MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAYS!!!!!

   As a child, I was not aware of what support meant being that I grew up in a family who really did not show affection in the household.  I was never rewarded on my academic achievements in school or when I participated in extracurricular activities.  I lived in a very unhappy household so I did not know the meaning of "support".  A few supports that I have within my daily environment now consists of my co-workers, my family, and myself.  My co-workers support me through advice forums to let me know that just because I am a single mom, I still can be successful and become whatever I may choose to be if I set the goal.  They always encourage positivity in every aspect and have pep talks with me to keep me striving.  My co-workers always get me to see the bigger picture when I am stressed or feel like giving up.  My family supports me now more than ever because I am in school.  They always make sure to keep my daughter when I ask them to with no complaints or even expect anything in return.  I admire their support greatly, because I missed out on it within my childhood.  My family believes in me more than I believe in myself at times and that motivates me to take that extra step.  Most importantly, I support myself to the maximum.  Even when I do not feel confident in myself on ocassions, I have to snap back in motivation mode and get back on track.  I support myself  greatly because I can confide in myself to keep moving forward, encourage myself, and have faith in knowing that hard work pays off.  If I did not have support, I would not be working towards a master's degree.  I would not be sane enough to handle my full time job, along with my daughter and being a full time student.  Supportive people and or things shows you that you are cared for and someone is looking out for your best interest.  Everyone needs support.  Without support systems, we do not have grounded emotional and mental health.  If I did not have support systems, I feel as if I am disconnected from the world.  It is good to share experiences with others and interact with them on social levels.  support systems should be what someone wants and need for the reassurance.  It does not make you weak because you need a support system. We all need them!

My Connections to Play

These two quotes best describe what play meant to me because they express the fact that whether people realize it or not, play surely teaches a child fundamentals about many different things.  Play broadens imaginations and elongates creativity.  Play keeps the mind ready for challenges and endless possibilities.

Those three items that I have chosen, all symbolize responsibility.  I enjoyed dressing my barbie up and combing her hair to make her pretty.  I enjoyed the swing set because it was adventurous.  A child can do multiple things on it.  That is what make it special.  A child could never get bored.  The miniture four wheeler expresses swiftness.  It makes a child feel in charge and large. 


My parents allowed my sisters and I to play as much as we wanted, because most of the time they did not want us lingering inside the house all the time.  They even would come out and play along with us just to make us feel special.  They would play games, swing with us, teach us how to swing bats, and bounce basketballs.  All of this sculptured fundamentals in us as children.

"Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn."

O. Fred Donaldson
Contemporary American martial arts master

"Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities."

Stuart Brown, MD
Contemporary American psychiatrist

Relationship Reflection

Explain why relationships/partnerships are important to you  Relationships are very important to me because it represents a bond between you and the other person.  Dictionary.com defines a relationship as

1.  a connection, association, or involvement.

2. connection between persons by blood or marriage.

3. an emotional or other connection between people.

As research has found,  most of our happiness comes from our relationships – around 70%. In my belief it is in our best interest, as well as the interest of others around us, to develop and maintain positive relationships. It is truly a win-win scenario.   The most positive relationship I have right now is my relationship with my significant other, whom supports me in everything that I do or try to do.  It's a wonderful feeling to know that someone has got your back no matter what.  We both maintain our positive relationship by providing assurance.   We understand that if we make a thoughtless comment, it makes us feel like we no longer love or appreciate each other. In a moment like this, a few words of reassurance and support can work a small miracle.  We also respect one another unconditionally. Even when upset, we are still be able to express ourr feelings with respect. Another important factor, we are always focused on solutions not problems because I have been around couples who have spent months, even years, on one or two unresolved issues. If you are in a positive relationship you should  identify the problem and then focus your energy on generating solutions to the problem and proving what you know with actions.  We continue to maintain positive expectations of each other.  No matter the situation, we still can honor unpleasant emotions and keep positive expectations for one another.  Just that simple.  Lastly it is important to be flexible. Your brain has to be open to explore possibilities for what works best to positively energize the best in one another, to make conscious choices on how to respond to maintain a love connection.  We are absolutely great for each other and hoping to be Mr. and Mrs. Shannon Smith soon. 

I really do not have any other stable positive relationships with any one else because I have always been the outsider of my family.  Some of the time, I get along with my mother, whenever I am not getting criticized for things that I did not do or when I give her things that she wants.  I experienced my parents getting a divorce at thirteen and I am not sure if she holds that against me or what. 

I have positive relationships with my co workers and we all get along great because we always work together as a team and not one on one.  We respect each other's opinions and do not invade personal space.  In order for me to be an impact as a early childhood professional, it is clear is that, not only do children develop through their relationships with parents and carers, but relationships continue to be of central importance to people’s ongoing development and well-being. Therefore, the relationships that parents have with others, including professionals, have a significant effect on their ability to function well as parents and the same goes for professionals.

References

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/relationship

Zagreb, C.  (2007). Second Conference of the International Society on Early Intervention.

Reflections of Growth

Throughout this course, I have learned to understand the differences of the backgrounds of children and how important it is to accept those differences because children are special beings who can undoubtedly make a difference in this world with the right guidance and leadership skills.  This course indeed enlightened me on understanding that it is important to analyze children based on a biosocial, psychological, and cognitive perspective to truly understand who they are and recognize discrepancies when needed.  I now understand that it is possible to view all children as "Normal" even though they may have a disability or abnormality.  This is very important to me solely because professionals, teachers, and parents should not want to hurt the ego or self esteem of these innocent beings.  The quote that I choose is as follows:  "The principle goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done."


Jean Piaget

Take a moment and think about what this quote means to you and how a person can apply it to daily life.  I can relate to this quote because I am a woman of difference.  I do not desire to do things the way it was done in the past or follow the steps of others.  It is evident that all children are capable to learn and it is an educator's responsibility to instill the skills needed to make this generation better than the last.  Important factors to me is to teach children how to be ambitious and go after what they think they deserve.  I enjoy learning about effective ways to help children and I plan to keep living the education dream.

Intelligence Check?

As we all are familiar with the way the school system works, we understand the to test a child's intelligence solely depends on the scores from standardized testing.  I am not against standardized testing, but I certainly have a problem if it really does not enhance education.  Standardized tests tend to measure the temporary acquisition of facts and skills, including the skill of test-taking itself, more than genuine understanding. To that extent, the fact that these tests are more likely to be used and emphasized in schools with higher percentages of minority students (a fact that has been empirically verified) predictably results in poorer-quality teaching in such schools.  I personally feel that standardized testing does more harm than enhancement.  These test usually point out students from low-income and minority-group backgrounds andare more likely to be retained in grade, placed in a lower track, or put in special or remedial education programs when it is not necessary. They are more likely to be given a watered-down or "dummied-down" curriculum, based heavily on test practice. This only ensures they will fall further and further behind their peers. On the other hand, children from white, middle and upper income backgrounds are more likely to be placed in "gifted and talented" or college preparatory programs where they are challenged to read, explore, investigate, think and progress rapidly.  There are better methods of evaluating student needs and progression. Good observational checklists used by trained teachers are more helpful than any screening test. Assessment based on student performance on real learning tasks is more useful and accurate for measuring achievement - and provides more information - than multiple-choice achievement tests.

experiencing the tribulation of family

Everyone - adults, teens, and even children - experiences stress at times. Stress can be beneficial by helping people develop the skills they need to cope with and adapt to new and potentially threatening situations throughout life. However, the beneficial aspects of stress diminish when it is severe enough to over­whelm a person's ability to cope effectively.  The following list are examples of how stress can occur.

War

Poverty

Racism

Natural disaster

Isolation

Hunger

Noise

Chaos

Disease

Environmental pollution

Violence

Of this list, I am blessed and fortunate to say that I have not yet experienced any of the following encounters previously listed, but I have known a few people who have been in situations of such as a child.  This particular young lady I know grew up in violence.  She grew up in a family of Mother, Father, two brothers and one younger sister.  Not only did this young lady experience violence, but her mother and siblings as well.  Her father was a large man, who would get intoxicated just about every night.  This man, as she explained to me, is as hateful as they come.  He made most of the money in the household so he felt like he controlled everyone in the home.  When this young lady would try to do homework in another room because he was always so boisterous, he would try to make her come out because he figured that she was running the electric bill up.  He would come in the room, snatch her homework, tear it up, and then slap her in the face with the book.  He has kicked his daughter on many occasions, very violent and abusive towards his wife, and has even shot at all of them.  Every story that she has shared with me, I consider life threatening and so saddening.  For years, she and the rest of her family have been the blame for his problems.  She has been beaten with cooking skillets and pans and much more.  When I did ask her how did the family cope, she explained that they had to do whatever their father said do and keep quiet. She experienced loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, very sad and depressed.    She explained that the mother and her children wanted to leave, but were very short on money and plus her mother had a nervous breakdown shortly after the birth of her youngest daughter.  They had no place to go, or other family to run to.  When she got of age, she decided to move out to try to forget some of the horrible memories and move past those experiences.

In Afghanistan and a few other countries, child victims of prostitution and sexual exploitation are common.  In times of armed conflict, poverty, hunger and desperation may force women and girls into prostitution, obliging them to offer sex for food or shelter, for safe conduct through the war zone or to obtain papers for themselves and their families.  Sexual exploitation has a devastating impact on physical and emotional development. Unwanted and unsafe sex can lead to unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Some of the adolescent girls suffer in silence after the trauma of sexual exploitation, fearing reprisals from those who attacked them or rejection by their families. They feel a sense of personal humiliation and anguish which causes many of them to withdraw into a shell of pain and denial.
 
There are a few programs created for seeking justice for victims of war crimes.  The widespread practice of rape must be ended and its perpetrators prosecuted. In the case of the gravest abuses, international tribunals have been established to punish perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in the former Yugoslavia and in Rwanda. But in order to fulfil their objectives, the tribunals need greater financial support and more determined political backing. The tribunals established to try accused war criminals in the former Yugoslavia have indicted only eight people on specific charges of rape and assault, despite estimates of up to 20,000 victims. This limited result underscores the difficulties in applying international human rights and humanitarian law to rape, difficulties that are reflected in both the codification and the interpretation of national, and even international, law.
 
 
Truth commissions are another important vehicle that can document the incidence and extent of human rights abuses against women and children in conflict situations, expose wrongdoing and reinforce personal accountability. National Truth Commissions have been established in a number of countries, such as Argentina, Burundi, El Salvador, South Africa, Uganda and Viet Nam. For victims of human rights abuses during conflict situations, they seek to facilitate healing, reconciliation and the reconstruction of affected families, communities and nations. The Commissions also reassert the fundamental importance and respect for the sanctity of human life and establish the ethical, moral, legal and political accountability of leaders and civil society.
Here are some recommendations for action:
* All humanitarian responses in conflict situations must emphasize the special reproductive needs of women and girls, including access to family planning services, care during pregnancy as a result of rape, sexual mutilation, childbirth at an early age or infection with sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Equally important are the psychosocial needs of mothers who have been subjected to gender-based violence and who need help in order to foster the conditions necessary for the healthy development of their children.
* All military personnel, including peace-keeping personnel, should receive, as part of their training, instruction on their responsibilities towards civilian communities and particularly towards women and children.
*Clear and easily accessible systems should be established for reporting on sexual abuse within both military and civilian populations. The treatment of rape as a war crime must be clarified, pursued within military and civilian populations and punished accordingly. Appropriate legal and rehabilitative remedies must be made available to reflect the nature of the crime and its harm.
* Refugee and displaced persons camps should be designed to improve security for women and girls. Women should also be involved in all aspects of camp administration but especially in organizing distribution and security systems. Increased numbers of female personnel should be deployed to the field as protection officers and counsellors.
* In every conflict, support programmes should be established for victims of sexual abuse and gender-based violence. These should offer confidential counselling on a wide range of issues, including the rights of victims. Such programmes should also provide educational activities and skills training.


The imagination, ideals and energies of youth are vital for the continuing development of the societies in which they live. All cultures recognize adolescence as a highly significant period in which young people learn future roles and incorporate the values and norms of their societies. Adolescents face particular problems during periods of armed conflicts. They are at a time of life when they are undergoing many physical and emotional changes. Yet during or after wars, youth seldom receive any special attention or assistance.  At this very moment, they are working toward resolutions.   When will all the chaos end?




References
http://www.un.org/rights/concerns.htm

Comparison of Birthing Experiences

Birth is a unique, yet an anxious experience that every woman, in my opinion, should have the opportunity to share with someone.  My personal birthing experience is one that I will never ever forget, however there were no complications.  I remember that during my pregnancy all I ate was spicy foods and hot cheetos.  Everyone would always tell me that I would have problems with heartburn.  Well my first six months went really well being that I did not have morning sickness or even a weak stomach.  I attended my prenatal visits normally as scheduled and my OB/GYN always told me that everything looked fine.  Well around the seventh month, I started having pains in my abdomen which were the Braxton Hicks contrations but I really did not know because this was my first pregnancy.  I checked myself into a hospital to monitor the contractions and I received a sonogram to make sure baby was still healthy.  Upon reviewing the results of the sonogram, I received shocking news thatw my fetus's arm and leg measurements were not accurate for her age and that it may be a sign of retardation.  I began to stress because I thought I had done something wrong!  My obstetrician wanted to do a follow up sonogram to check on things and she noticed that my amniotic fluid was extremely low.  After being admitted at thirty eight weeks, I must admit that I was scared and did not know what to expect.  I planned on having a natural birth without medication and that is exactly what I did.  I almost gave in to getting an epidural but thanks to receiving back massages all night, I just toughed it out.  The most memorable moment during my pregnancy was stage II of labor, the actual birth.  After pushing my daughter out after three times was my boastful moment ever.  I thought to myself that it is amazing to carry another life inside of you and when they finally arrive, you just want to love on them. 

Births in India
A total of 22 babies were born dead out of every 1,000 births in India in 2009, the highest number of still-births in the world, a study by British journal.  According to the study, the first to present a comprehensive picture on still-births across the world, the phenomenon remains highly ignored. The report said in India, 22 children were born dead among 1,000 births in 2009. This means, 6,06,523 children were born dead in India in 2009. This is slightly lower than 1995, when the rate was 25 per thousand, translating to 7,28,750 still-births.  The most probable reason why the still birth rate is so high is because of the lack of obstetric care.  So that issue remains because of childbirth complications, maternal infections in pregnancy, maternal disorders, fetal growth restriction and congenital abnormalities.  How can we fix the problem? 

References

http://www.rxpgnews.com/medicalnews/India-has-worlds-highest-number-of-still-births-Lancet_486141.shtml

Immunizations and Its Importance to Society

Vaccinations play an important role in the lives of children and is one of the special keys of maintaining healthy lives.  It has been said that some vaccinations are not safe for children to get, but which is better, getting immunized or getting the sickness?  I would rather take the chance of experiencing a few side effects that will save me from a life long disease.  Just to enlighten others about what vaccinations do, read the following statements.  Vaccination is a way to trigger the body's immune response without becoming sick.  Vaccines trigger the body's immune responses to harmful viruses or bacteria so that the body can build up a resistance to that virus or bacteria. The vaccine contains weak or dead organisms that usually do not cause illness. The body is able to destroy the pathogen in the vaccine and produce memory cells. When the body develops immunity to a specific pathogen, immunization has occurred.  If someone's body is ever exposed to the same pathogen in the future, the memory cells react quickly without a trial-and-error period. This allows the body to destroy the pathogen efficiently before it can cause illness.  (http://www.pediatrics.com/)

The Immune System
The immune system is the body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade body systems and cause disease.The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body.  Each child is born with a full immune system composed of cells, glands, organs, and fluids that are located throughout his or her body to fight invading bacteria and viruses.  Immunizing individual children helps to protect the health of our community, especially those people who are not immunized. People who are not immunized include those who are too young to be vaccinated, those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and those who cannot make an adequate response to vaccination. Also protected, therefore, are people who received a vaccine, but who have not developed immunity. In addition, people who are sick will be less likely to be exposed to disease germs that can be passed around by unvaccinated children. Immunization also slows down or stops disease outbreaks.  Vaccination should not only be important to me, but to everyone.  In East Asia it is said that insects cause diseases such as Dengue, filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, leishmaniasis, and plague. Tickborne encephalitis occurs in forested regions in northeastern China and in South Korea. Protecting yourself against insect bites will help to prevent these diseases.  Malaria, measles, and rabies are other diseases that are common in China.  Vaccinations that you may need for China include:

DTP: Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio. These are advised for most countries outside of Europe, the vaccination is valid for 10 years.
Hepatitis A: Choose from either short or long-term protection, long-term protection is possible for 10 years. Typhoid fever This vaccination is advised for any stay longer than 2 weeks in China, excluding Hong Kong. The vaccination is valid for 3 years.
Meningitis: Is advised for those spending a longer period of time in China and those in close contact with local inhabitants.
Rabies: This vaccination is advised when travelling to remote areas.
Bilharzia: As long as you don't swim in still-standing water, you won't have to worry about contracting this infection caused by worms.  (http://www.chinaonline.com.au/china-visa.htm)

Vaccinations are important because it protects our future.  We don't vaccinate just to protect our children. We also vaccinate to protect our grandchildren and their grandchildren.   Immunization is said to have had "a greater impact on human mortality reduction and population growth than any other public health intervention besides clean water" (Berger 2009) If we keep vaccinating now, parents in the future may be able to trust that diseases like polio and meningitis won't infect, cripple, or kill children. Vaccinations are one of the best ways to put an end to the serious effects of certain diseases in my opinion.  What do you think? 
References:

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

http://www.chinaonline.com.au/china-visa.htm

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/china.htm

http://www.vaccineinformation.org/benefits.asp

comparison of births!!

NAEYC AND DEC CODE OF ETHICS

The three ideals that stuck out the most to me includes the following:  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; 2.  We shall demonsrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families and of those with whom we work; 3.  Lastly, from NAEYC, ideal 1.4 states to appreciate the vulnerability of children and their dependence on adults.  These three statements are fairly important to me for the fact that they hit every aspect of the child's life as well everyone that surrounds he or she.  It is very important to respect the beliefs of others because you would want the same in return.  It goes back to remembering where you come from and not looking down on others because of their beliefs or what their culture is.  Integrity is most important to me because I consider it a motto.  Doing the right thing while no one is looking in everything you do.  From personal experience, I recall working with people who only did the right thing when managers and supervisors only came around.  That's not the way to be.  How can someone rely on a person like that?  If you have integrity, truthfullness will follow and you are then considered trustworthy to the people you work for and to those who you provide service for.  Once you appreciate the vulnerability of children, you will understand the nature of happiness to them.  Children can be easily wounded so it's very important to make sure that they seek happiness!  The children are depending on us (adults) to protect and assure them happiness throughout their lives!!

Resources

Useful Resources of Interest 

 Gadermann, A., Guhn, M., and Zumbon, B. (2011)  Investigating the Substantive Aspect of Construct Validity for the Satisfaction with Life Scale Adapted for Children: A Focus on Cognitive Processes.  Social Indicators Research, Volume 100, number 1, 37-60, DOI: 10.1007/s11205-010-9603-x.  Retrieved from https://springerlink3.metapress.com/content/

 

Kontopodis, M., Wulf, C., Fichtner, B.,  (Eds.) (2011) Children, Development and Education. International perspectives on early childhood education and development., Vol 3,  ISBN 978-94-007-0242-4.  Retreived from http://www.springer.com/series/7601           

"In early childhood you may lay the foundation of poverty or riches, industry of idleness, good or evil, by the habits to which you train your children. Teach them right habits then, and their future life is safe.”
- Lydia Sigourney                                                               

 

 

 Mandatory Resources for Early Childhood Studies

Postion Statements and Influential Practices 

• 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, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://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, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al.  (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title.  
•  Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being
• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
   
• Websites:
• World Forum Foundation http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php
  This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
• World Organization for Early Childhood Education http://www.omep-usnc.org/
  Read about OMEP’s mission.  
• Association for Childhood Education Internationalhttp://acei.org/about/
  Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.

Note: Explore the resources in Parts 3 and 4 in preparation for this week’s Application assignment.

 Selected Early Childhood Organizations

• National Association for the Education of Young Childrenhttp://www.naeyc.org/
• The Division for Early Childhoodhttp://www.dec-sped.org/
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Familieshttp://www.zerotothree.org/
• WESTEDhttp://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
• Harvard Education Letterhttp://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
• FPG Child Development Institutehttp://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conferencehttp://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/index.cfm
• 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.preknow.org/
• Voices for America’s Children http://www.voices.org/
• The Erikson Institute http://www.erikson.edu/
     

 Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library

Tip: Use the A-to-Z e-journal list to search for specific journal titles. (Go to “How Do I...?”, select “Tips for Specific Formats and Resources,” and then “e-journals” to find this search interface.) 

• 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