Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds

My hope is that people working with young children make it a priority to think about and reflect on how their biases or microagressions may be impacting the children and families that they work with.

One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice

That teachers strive to provide the best possible classroom environment that is welcoming and safe for all children, while providing support to and being respectful of all families.

A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

I would like to thank my colleagues for taking the time to share personal experiences that I hope not only helped them to reflect, but also gave me the opportunity to learn from them as well.  I have definitely appreciated professional feedback and insight that my colleagues have provided myself and each other with for the past eight weeks.  I hope you have much success in your careers as you continue on with your courses and I hope that I “see” you in future courses.

Welcoming Families from around the World

Country of Origin: Peru

At least five ways in which you will prepare yourself to be culturally responsive towards this family:

After determining the new family’s language is most likely Spanish, I would take time to learn common phrases and greetings in their language to assist with making them feel welcome. Words such as “Hello,” “Goodbye,” “Thank you,” and “Bathroom” would probably go a long way towards this effort.

If I did not have a translator available, I would ensure that I had access to an electronic translator such as Google Translate or Altavista to help me with translating and understanding basic elements of the foreign language.

I would offer opportunities to play games that are popular in Peru, most notably soccer.

I would provide play materials that, as much as possible, might be familiar to the new child in the classroom. This would potentially include games, dolls, foods and clothing.

I noticed in my research that table manners are important in Peru, but are not necessarily enforced in each family. I would be aware of the child’s habits and behavior in the classroom, and I would help the child understand the expectations of proper manners during snack time if they happened to be different.

A brief statement describing in what ways you hope that these preparations will benefit both you and the family:

Learning the basics of Peruvian language, culture and activities are all ways to help make my classroom a welcoming environment for both the child and their family. By learning basic foreign language phrases and attempting to use them, I am demonstrating to them how important it is for me to communicate with them, and that I care very much about including their child into my classroom. Similarly, by making an effort to focus on games or sports that the children may have been exposed to in Peru, I am helping make the transition to American culture more seamless. Although I have researched the background of Peru and its people, those generalizations do not necessarily apply to the family I have in the classroom, so I will continue to make a concerted effort to learn the child and their family on an individual basis.

http://www.countryreports.org/country/Peru/facts.htm

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice and Opression

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression?

                A recent situation had happened which mad me very upset.  My husband and I were at a restaurant and we were sitting at the bar waiting for our neighbors to arrive.  Our neighbors are a gay couple and we were saving them two seats.  There were no other people waiting to sit but when our friends arrived, the bartender told us that we could not save the seats that they were for “other people, other couples.”  I was horrified and asked him what that was supposed to mean because I did not see anyone else waiting.  He said “you know other couples.”  My husband could knew that I was upset and I was trying to make it so or friends could not hear.  My husband took my arm and told the bartender that we understood and would be taking our business elsewhere.   

•In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

                The bartender diminished equity by implying that our friends, a gay couple should not sit at the bar, that they were not worthy of sitting there.   

•What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

                I was horrified, I felt so upset and embarrassed that anyone would say that.   

•What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

                I feel like I knew what I wanted to or should have said but that I was so in shock that I just froze.  I would still not have stayed and given them our business but I wish that I would have calmly made the point that the seats at the bar are for any person or couple.  Our friends did hear what was said and I was glad that we were able to have a genuine conversation with them at a different restaurant.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Describe at least one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from another time. In what context did the microaggression happen? What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggression?

The example I have is one that I was involved with but did not notice it right away.  This week I attended a meeting for a military spouse’s board that I am on.  During the meeting the treasurer informed the board that her husband had just received orders so they would be moving before the organizations 2015-16 year would be over and that we will need to find a new treasure to at least finish out the year.  Right away one of the board members said “we should see if VeeVee would like to be the treasurer, I bet she would be good at it.”  Veevee is one of the only active members who is Asian, and by the board member assuming that she would be good as the treasurer I felt like this was a racial microagression.  The board member does not know VeeVee but is assuming that she is good with numbers/math.  I did not realize this as a microaggression until later in the meeting and I did suggest another active member who might be interested in the position (the woman happened to not be Asian).  I suggested that we ask a few different people if they would be interested because we do not know any of them well enough to know if they would want the position or be good at it.  I felt upset that some of the women on the board would stereotype or make an assumption about someone we do not know.      

In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people.

This experience opened my eyes as to how often microaggressions happen and how nonchalantly they seem to be part of people’s conversations.  Even though I did not recognize it right away, I was trying to think that if I did not read about this week and was not looking for microaggressions would I have just not recognized it.  I believe that the other members did not recognize it for one of two reasons; either they, too, assume all Asians are good at math or they feel that it was actually a compliment.  I think that many people do not always recognize microaggresseions because it seems to be covered with some type of compliment.  I now know that I need to be aware of what I am saying, along with recognizing when other are using microaggressions and be willing to enlighten others as to the assumptions or stereotypes they are making.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

For this assignment I spoke with my husband and a few friends, all of which are at least in one way culturally different from myself.  I asked a few extra people just to make sure that I had at least three and then I couldn't decide which ones to select so I will include them all.

Definitions of Culture:

Culture is the culmination of ancestry, customs, traditions, practices and behaviors that dictates who we are and how we act.

So I went to sleep last night fleshing out what culture means to me and realized I was only capturing it from a personal stance as an afro-latina, and not the term itself, and my mind had a full out conversation covering the many ways culture is applied outside of my identity, such as with rape culture. In the end, for right now, culture has 2 definitions for me: 1) the rituals, language, art, and energy tied to one's historical practice of their ancestors. 2) the unspoken practice of habits tied to someone's environment, that individuals may or may not be an active participant of.

Culture is what we have been inculcated with based on the values of our families and community organizations (church, military, etc).

Culture is the common world view that associates you with a certain area/region/country or group. It shapes how you view the world and how the world see's you.

Definitions of Diversity:

 Diversity is the recognition of the collective uniqueness of people and the traits that make them unique or different from each other.

Diversity defies boundaries: diversity of age, sex, gender, thought, experience, etc

Diversity is best defined by the lack of similarity. In terms of social science, it is a dissimilar cultural basis

I believe that all the aspects that were mentioned in the definitions were discussed and studied. I realized that some aspects that were omitted are how culture even impacts our body language and parenting styles.  Reflecting on what other people’s definitions of culture and diversity are provided me with another example of how when asking people the same questions, the answers are going to be different due to their personal experiences.  Depending on what people consider as important to culture and diversity and impacts them, that is what they included in their definitions.

My Family Culture

A description of the three items and what each of these items means to you

A Cookbook- this particular cookbook was given to me by my father and was originally owned by my grandmother.  It has all of the traditional Swedish recipes that my grandmother would cook for us.  Although I was not a fan of some of the recipes, I enjoyed trying everything because I could see the joy in my grandmother’s and father’s face when we all were able to enjoy dishes together from when both of them were growing up.  Even though I do not cook from it often, it seems to be one of those things that I just cannot part with every time my husband and I are trying to consolidate for another move.

Ring- my wedding ring is one thing that I would want to take as it is a daily reminder of the best days in my life and a reminder of the important commitment that I made to the most important person in my life.  It also reminds me of the important job I have as a military spouse, even when we can’t be together I can glance at it and I am flooded with beautiful memories.

A Dala Horse- these are wooden horses originating in Sweden.  They are hand carved and brightly painted horses of all different sizes that children play with.  Although children still play with them they are often used as decorations.  I can remember my grandmother giving me Dala horses to play with when I was young and when I got older, before she passed away, she gave me two beautiful ones that have belonged in the family for years.  I have always imagined explaining what they were to my children someday and watching them play with the horses.  In some sense they remind me of how much I want to be a mother.

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 can only imagine that this would be devastating to be forced somewhere new and then be told to give up what few possessions you have.  The whole situation would be very emotional and I would feel as if they were also taking part of my dignity. 

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

At first this assignment seemed very difficult to me because I like to think that material objects do not represent my family culture.  That my family culture is guided by certain beliefs and morals that run deeper than picking an item.  However, my husband was discussing this with me and asked me, what are some items that no matter where we move and it is time to consolidate and pack that I cannot part with.  This is how I thought of these three items and after reflecting on why I cannot part with these items I realized that these are the items that for me represent and celebrate my family culture.

When I Think of Research...

• What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

I have gained many new insights about research but becoming aware of research terminology has been the most helpful.  In the past I would skim over research/studies and not exactly have a clear understanding of it due to the complexity of the vocabulary.  Each week I was able to learn of a new concept and the vocabulary that went along with it, which was very helpful in being able to learn in sections.

• In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

My ideas about research have changed because I have a better understanding of the process that goes along with creating a study and the importance of showing the validity of research by many processes, including the different types of triangulation.

• What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

I am now aware of the many steps that go into planning, designing and conducting research.  I realize now how important it is to consider the rights of the participants and because the participants in this case are children, the family is also involved at a minimum of gaining consent. 

• What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

I believe that one of the most challenging weeks of the course is when we discussed ethics (Chapter 5).  I feel that this is challenging for myself and others because no one should be causing harm to a child, but in situations where a child may be dying, to what extent do you allow research to be done to try to extend their life if it may cause harm?  Another thought with ethics, if a child is put into a condition that would not be made up, for example in the story of Genie, as researchers it is important to not cause more harm to her by trying to collect data about her.  I would have to say that I learned to read more about research studies and look at each case individually evaluate if it is ethical research.

• What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

My perceptions have changed because I am able to read a study and make my own judgements on the validity of it.  I do not read research and believe it is valid, I have a process that involves researching about it.  Some of the steps I now take are that I see who the researchers are, I check to see who the participants of the study are, what methods are used, and what the researchers use to show the validity of the study.   

Research Around the World

This international early childhood organization that I selected to explore is the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA).

http://www.eecera.org/

What are some of the current international research topics?

In the most recent journal (Volume 23, Issue 3, 2015) the topics of studies/research were all somehow connected by the topics of gender.  Here is a sample of some of the article topics:

Gender balance in ECEC: why is there so little progress?

Does gender make a difference? Results from the German ‘tandem study’ on the pedagogical activity of female and male ECE workers

Behavior management strategies: beliefs and practices of male and female early childhood teachers

Doing gender and professionalism: Exploring the intersectionalities of gender and professionalization in early childhood education

Men in childcare services: From enrolment in training programs to job retention

 

What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?

            EECERA seeks to advance in research while still keeping roots or guided by the traditional early childhood theorists.   I learned that the European Early Childhood Education Research Journal (EECERJ) is the only European early childhood journal cited in the prestigious Social Science Citation Index (SSCI).  The SSCI is very selective and only includes “four journals with an early years' focus, and of these four, only one is produced in Europe, the EECERJ.”     

What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

            The “Most Read Articles” and the “Most Cited Articles” sections are of interest to me, on topics that colleagues have picked for their research simulation and topics that relate to the Walden courses I have taken thus far.  I recommend checking the sections out.  I feel overall that the website is user friendly, it is easy to explore the journal issues.  You are able to explore the journal issues and see all of the article titles and their abstracts.  However, unless you are a member you only have limited access to see the full articles listed as “free access.”

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

Imagine that you possess the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field. Imagine further that you are not restricted by the reality of the present. What topic would you choose?

If I had the power to conduct any research study it would be on the quality of food within the United States and how it affects the learning, behavior and quality of life of children.  Research in this area has become popular recently, but I would do a long term, large scale study.  I would look at thousands of children across all demographics, their diets, behaviors and quality of life.  After that year long period of study, every child (except a control group) would be provided a healthy, non-genetically modified diet for a year.  A researcher team and I would then reevaluate each child’s behavior and quality of life at the end of the year.  This process would also require that the families actively participate and provide feedback.  I would want a very knowledgeable team to conduct the study, and this would include working directly with Robyn O’Brien who has been called food’s “Erin Brockovich.”  She is working to shed light on how the changing landscape of food and health are impacting the food industry and our economy.

Imagine that your study will make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families.  What can you imagine the positive contribution(s) would be?

I can imagine that my study would show that children will become better behaved, they will be more attentive at school, obese children will lose weight, children will be healthier and their quality of life will improve. 

I would hope that this information would be important to politicians and the FDA, and that it would be enough to show the importance of removing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from our food sources within the United States.  .

Finally, I would hope that it would encourage families to start taking steps towards eating a less processed diet.

 

 

 

 

http://robynobrien.com/

http://robynobrien.com/robyn-obrien-tedx/

My Personal Research Journey

My research topic is Technology in the Early Childhood Classroom

The three subtopics are:

1. Benefits of technology within preschool and kindergarten aged classrooms.
2. Barriers to incorporating technology into preschool and kindergarten aged classrooms.
3. How technological tools can support a learner-centered and play-oriented early childhood curriculum as well as teacher directed group learning.

The subtopic that I selected to focus on is the benefit of utilizing technology in the early childhood classroom.  However, I feel that in order to research and provide comprehensive information on this subtopic I also need to include some elements of my second subtopic, the barriers commonly faced with technology integration in the early childhood classroom.

I chose this topic because I feel like it is a current hot issue.  Within my preschool classroom I utilize different types of technology but do not have any actual computers for the children use.  On a daily basis I have access to a camera, video recorder, ELMO projector, Bluetooth speakers and overhead projector.  I carefully integrate all of these forms of technology to enhance the lessons or teachable moments I have with the children.  I use interactive stories with the children that feature them as the characters in the books.  I record plays and the children watch them afterwards.  By the end of the school year, they are directing the plays with very little guidance.  Both the books and plays are projected from my laptop to the projector.  I use the ELMO projector for items that we find outside that we want to project on the big screen so we can all look at and discuss together.  During free choice, the children also enjoy writing something or drawing a picture to show their friends on the big screen, which is another useful function I have found with the ELMO projector.  Parents are required to volunteer throughout the year and technology makes it possible for parents who can not get time off from work or who are deployed.  I have been able to record a parent reading a book after school or have had a deployed parent email me a video of them reading a story.  I am able to project that onto the large screen and the children are able to have their parent read a story to the class.    

One way I have used a short clip to enhance a lesson about apples was to show the children a short one to two minute clip of children going to an apple orchard and picking apples off of a tree.  We talked about what they saw.  They noticed that some of the children needed help to reach the apples, and that the children had to pull the apple or twist it to get it off the tree.  This did not replace any part of the lesson, it helped to enhance it.  The children still listened to and comprehended a story about apples, felt and tasted apples and cooked with them.  The short clip allowed the children to see an apple orchard, notice the apples on the trees and how the children harvested them.  The children also noticed the faces that the children made when they bit into the apples and we guessed from their facial expressions whether the apples were sweet or tart.   

This is only a small sample of the ways that I have successfully integrated technology into my classroom.  I am also aware of the frustrations, barriers and lack of support for ordering classroom electronics and technology that early childhood educator’s face.  I am very fortunate to work at a school where the principal provides me access to these materials along with the required support and budget.  I am one of the few preschool classrooms in my district to have made significant advancements in classroom technology integration, and I try to embrace and appreciate that privilege. 

I am curious to hear if any of my classmates have access to classroom electronics or other technologies that have helped with their teaching.  If so, what and what is an example of how you use it? 

6162 Final Blog Assignment

 

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your professional and personal development:

Learning about different international organizations and exploring their websites ignited my passion within the field!  Although much attention is needed in regards to issues that impact early childhood, it is beautiful and inspiring to see that people are coming together and working hard to make positive changes for children, families and the field worldwide.

Since taking this course and reading how much of an impact that different issues have on young children and families, I find myself more engaged with the topics covered in this course than I ever have been before.  By digging into the resources I have been exposed to issues on a more in-depth level, and that cultivated my desire to learn even more.

Learning about international early childhood issues made me reflect on the issues that we have in the United States.  I thought about what is being done and how many children and families it affects worldwide.  I have a deeper understanding of the fact that most issues are not isolated, but that they affect children and families everywhere.
 

One goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations:

To continue to stay abreast of worldwide issues that impact young children, their families and the early childhood field, including seeking out and maintaining international early childhood professional relationships to use as a resource.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3 (Alternative Assignment)

http://en.unesco.org/



"UNESCO advocates for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programs that attend to health, nutrition, security and learning and which provide for children’s holistic development. It organized the first World Conference on ECCE in September 2010, which culminated in the adoption of a global action agenda for ECCE called Moscow Framework for Action and Cooperation: Harnessing the Wealth of Nations. As a follow-up to the World Conference, UNESCO works in partnership with Member States, partners and other stakeholders to encourage timely and effective implementation of the Moscow Framework so that all young children develop their potential to the fullest." (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/)

 

The fist insight from the website that I will share is a section that is located on the right hand side, opposite of the early childhood sections that are listed.  Every section (Access and Equity, Quality, Investment and Financing, Coordination and Integration) has a Related Information component that offers links to articles relating to the specific topics.  For example, while in the Investment and Financing section, I clicked on a link titled Partnership with Non-Public Actors: Singapore's Early Childhood Policy which brought me to a UNESCO policy brief. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001494/149486e.pdf    This article was very interesting, discussing how there are no public preschools or child care centers in Singapore and how children enter primary school at age seven.  It also mentioned that when child care centers became non-pubic that all families became entitled to receive subsidies that cover about thirty percent of the fees, and that additional assistance was available for lower income families.  It is stated that the subsidies that all families are entitled to for child care were intended to make it affordable, and to expand early childhood services.   

The second area I looked into was the Quality section.  It discussed the factors that go into a high quality program and the importance of teaching the whole child.  It also mentions the potential challenges of implementing a curriculum with pressures from primary formal schooling and families.  All of what is discussed in this area is very relevant to this course. In particular to this week when it discussed how diverse pre-school educators are and how proper training is an essential piece of a high quality program. http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/quality/

The third insight from the website is from the Related Information component of the Quality topic section, and is a related article called The Early Childhood Workforce in Developed Countries: Basic Structures and Education. http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001374/137402e.pdf  This UNESCO policy brief about the workforce in center-based early childhood services and the education of its members discusses the education of teachers (pedagogues) in other countries who work with young children.  The brief continues discussing challenges facing countries that are trying to require more education, one being that the public will have to overcome the view that early childhood workers are not “substitute mothers.”   

Sharing Web Resources III

 

 

The most recent emails from ZERO TO THREE contained the new 2015 State Baby Facts.  Fact sheets are provided for every state and they present infant and toddler data in the framework of good health, strong families, and positive early learning experiences. The goal is provide a snapshot of how babies are doing in each state, to hopefully increase investment in programs that help improve the lives of infants, toddlers, and their families.  The link brought me to the webpage where I was able to look up any State Baby Facts sheets (http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/state-community-policy/infant-and-toddler-state-fact-sheets.html).   

Naturally, I looked up California, the state in which I live in now and Massachusetts, the state that I grew up in.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t too shocked with the research and ranking of California compared to the national average because of our earlier assignment in this course.  It was then that I first learned of the population impacted by poverty and lack of supports available.  Sadly, California ranks fortieth in the well-being of children 0-18 (http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/state-community-policy/baby-facts/california-baby-facts.pdf).  I understand that many factors go into the ranking and that there is still so much that needs to be invested in with support for young children and families but I was pleased to see that Massachusetts ranked number one in the well-being of children 0-18 (http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/state-community-policy/baby-facts/massachusetts-baby-facts.pdf).  The fact sheets are very informative and useful, but I was really impressed with the Toolkit that is available (http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/state-community-policy/baby-facts/related-docs/state-baby-facts-2015-toolkit-final.pdf).  ZERO TO THREE uses the Toolkit to show you how to use the State Baby Facts and ways to support young children through additional resources, social media, email, and writing to a newspaper or submitting a press release.  They give you actual examples of what you could post on social media and letters that you only have to plug in your particular information.  On this page, you also have access to the State of Babies in 2015 and the 2012 State Baby Facts for comparison reasons.  If you follow the link to the State of Babies in 2015 it describes in detail through a sixteen page report the factors that were looked at, and provides maps to show you how the states compare to the national average.  These particular resources that I shared complement the topics in this course and provides an in-depth look at the factors that contribute to the national averages, and how each state compares.  This is definitely a resource that I will use and recommend for other professionals in the field. 

 

My Supports

When I think of the supports in my day to day life I automatically think of the people in my life, technology, and my dog.  The people in my life consist of my husband, my parents, my friends and my Navy family.  The technology would be my phone, computer, and specifically email, texting and Facetime.  I also consider my dog, Mojo, to be one of my supports. 

My husband offers me the most support, he is always ready to listen and give advice and helps me through any challenge.  He is creative and has even found ways to be supportive when we cannot be together.  Although my parents are pretty far away they are still very supportive and are only a phone call away.  We still see each other a few times a year and they love visiting in the winter to get out of the frigid New England winter, I mean, to see my husband and I.  I have a few very close friends and although we don’t get to see each other often we always are there to talk to each other or send a quick text to check-in with each other.  My husband is an Officer in the Navy so our Navy family is scattered all over the world. These are the people who, at this point in my life, have offered me the most amount of support apart from my husband.  The military is a different way of life, you move to places where you know no one and then when you get to know people one of them is certainly getting ready to move.  I would say that I have met some of the most amazing people in the military and associated with it.  The friendships are established fast, unlike any other relationships I have had.  It is as if when I meet other military families we all know that we have to make the best of the time we have now and that we are all in the same situation.

                 Technology is another support, but I can imagine that it would not be as big of a support as it is if my husband was not in the military.  When he is out to sea or deployed, technology is a big piece that keeps us connected.  When he is in an area that supports wi-fi it is amazing to see his face and be able to look at him and have a conversation.  When he is able to text me it is also wonderful to have a real time conversation with him and be able to go back and forth.  We also send cards and letters to each other but email is how we communicate most with each other.  Through these means of technology we communicate to each other and it allows us both a sense of security that we are ok.

                  Last is my dog Mojo, a wonderful little companion.  I enjoy his company all the time but I especially appreciate it when my husband is not here.  There is something comforting in having him there when I get home and when he snuggles up with me while I do school work or watch a movie.  He also keeps me active and reminds me that we have to go outside multiple times a day. 

 

                I cannot imagine any of these supports not in my life but for the sake of this assignment I will think about my life without technology.  I can only imagine that saying god-bye to my husband would be harder if we did not have access to technology.  When I talk to some of the older spouses and how they relied only on letters and maybe a phone call when their significant others were in port, I can only feel blessed about the technology that we have available.  Without technology I would worry more, maybe be emotionally distraught and most likely rely on my other supports more.  Even nowadays the ships are not guaranteed to have a functional internet connection, and the system can be down for days depending on their assignment.  I have to remind myself not to become frustrated, that I have to appreciate it and how most of the time it allows me to be connected with my husband. 

 

 

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2 (Alternative Assignment)

 

I decided to search through podcasts within the BAM Radio Network which was developed by early childhood professionals and today is the largest education radio network in the world, offering programming from top education organizations and leaders.  I came across many podcasts, but this one in particular stood out to me because of the interconnection it had with my focus in one of this week's resources on the inequity of those who teach children.  Like some of the resources from this week, the podcast discusses how teacher turnover impacts more than just the teacher and the child. 

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/teachers-of-the-year-radio/2979-when-teachers-quit-what-happens-to-kids-schools-education-equity

 

When Teachers Quit: What Happens to Kids, Schools, Education Equity

Jonathon Crossley is the 2014 Arkansas Teacher of the Year noted for transformational improvements in student outcome averages.  He is a proud first generation college graduate who is passionate about educational equity. In this episode, Jonathan is interviewed and discusses why teachers leave the field, the impact on high poverty schools and a key factors that could get more teachers to stay.


I really appreciated Jonathan's passion about keeping highly educated teachers in schools, especially in low income districts. He describes education equity as a great civil rights issue in our generation.  He mentions some key factors that can help retain teachers and suggests that teachers have true authentic conversations with their administration about what they are interested in and have a passion for and come up with ways to integrate that in to the teacher's work.  He gives the example of a teacher having a passion for drama or the outdoors and to see how you can find ways to get that into the curriculum.  He states that it can help teachers feel more invested and satisfied with their work.  Jonathan also says that it would be in a teacher's best interest to look at and have an understanding of their state's Department of Education's equity plans.  Another recommendation is that teachers "open their classroom doors" in that they welcome help from other teachers and work together to gain new insight on how they can improve or share ideas to help each other.  He says how lack of collaboration and isolation restrict teachers and that this pushes them out of schools.  With this thought he discusses the importance of observation, observing others and having others observe us, and allowing for opportunities of teacher leadership and peer growth through constructive criticism.  He ends the podcast by stating how important it is that teachers stay well informed and educated.  He recommends the following resources that have been powerful in his career:

    

Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck, in decades of research on achievement and success, has discovered a truly groundbreaking idea—the power of our mindset.

Dweck explains why it’s not just our abilities and talent that bring us success—but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn’t foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but may actually jeopardize success. With the right mindset, we can motivate our kids and help them to raise their grades, as well as reach our own goals—personal and professional. Dweck reveals what all great parents, teachers, CEOs, and athletes already know: how a simple idea about the brain can create a love of learning and a resilience that is the basis of great accomplishment in every area.

Bill Gates: Teachers need real feedback

https://www.ted.com/talks/bill_gates_teachers_need_real_feedback?language=en

Until recently, many teachers only got one word of feedback a year: “satisfactory.” And with no feedback, no coaching, there’s just no way to improve. Bill Gates suggests that even great teachers can get better with smart feedback — and lays out a program from his foundation to bring it to every classroom.

The Teaching Channel, where you can see hundreds of videos of inspiring teachers.
https://www.teachingchannel.org/?national=1

Jonathan mentions a specific teacher, Sarah Brown Wessling, and although her videos are relatable they pertain more to older children.  I searched for preschool and kindergarten resources and there are several valuable resources that I may use in the future.

 

Sharing Web Resources II

 

http://www.zerotothree.org/

 

 

 

 What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current professional development?

 

There is a Public Policy tab that is available on the website that provides research-based resources for federal and state policymakers and advocates on the unique developmental needs of infants and toddlers.  One resource in particular is called Closing the Opportunity Gap for Babies and Families which you are able to download, it provides a comprehensive road map for the Administration and Congress to ensure families are supported in giving all babies the same chance to thrive and succeed.

 

http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/ 

 

 

 

Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did you find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways?

 

One resource that made me take a closer look into it was the Military Family Projects section. ZERO TO THREE has developed resources and materials especially for professionals serving military and Veteran families, as well as products parents may use as they navigate the many transitions that are a part of military-connected life. This was intriguing to me because my husband is in the Navy and that is what brought us to San Diego, CA.  Not only do I know many military families but San Diego region is also home to the largest military community in the world with numerous units of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard calling this home for over the past 100 years (MilitaryPress).  With so many military in the community that I teach in, I have had the opportunity to work every year with military families.  Until now I was unaware of this resource and will be using it often along with letting the families I work with know that it is available. 

 

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/funded-projects/military-families/

 

http://www.militarypress.com/about-military-press/

 

 

 

What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your understanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early childhood field?

 

As discussed in the first response the public policy tab is a wonderful resource for early childhood professionals and it engages policymakers and economists by providing public policy solutions and investments for the health and development of very young children and their families. Another resource that stood out to me I found via the ZERO TO THREE e-newsletter.  It is a series of podcasts called Little Kids, Big Questions that translates the research of early childhood development into parenting practices that families can have access to.  There are many different topics that are covered and one of the ones that I listened to was called Creating Healthy Connections: Nurturing Brain Development From Birth to Three Featuring Alison Gopnik, Ph.D. This podcast was very interesting, it discussed brain development in the early years and how to support brain development.    

 

http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/funded-projects/parenting-resources/podcast/

 

 

 

What other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field did you gain from exploring the website or e-newsletter?

 

I decided to go to the Find it Fast dropdown bar that allows you to quickly access any of the topics listed.  Since one of the topics this week dealt with the science of brain development, I selected brain development as my topic.  I went through the resources that were available but spent the most time on the Baby Brain Map from BrainWonders. This is an interactive learning opportunity to see how different areas of the brain are working.  You are able to click on a "hotspot" of the brain to reveal questions to find out how a baby's brain develops during this period of brain growth. You'll also learn what you can do to enrich a very young child's development.

http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/brain-development/baby-brain-map.html

 

 

My Connections to Play

 

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”  
― Plato

 

 

Essential Toys from My Childhood

 

Cabbage Patch dolls

 

                                                                           Barbie

 

Pretend Food

 

 

Pool Toys

 

Puzzles

The people in my life, mostly my parents supported the play in my life by allowing me the time to play and providing me toys to play with.  My parents but especially my grandmother when she lived with us, played with me often.  She would take on different roles, she would pretend to be a student or a veterinarian, so I could be a teacher or bring my stuffed animals to her when they were sick.   I feel that the play especially within home life today is different from my experience with play.  I was allowed to roam outside pretty freely with the other children in the neighborhood.  I had access to a pool growing up, my neighborhood and cranberry bogs that were behind my backyard.  I had toys but I did not need them to play, my friends and I would make up scenarios and create props from what we had around us.  If we were outside and playing doctor then leaves, flowers and sticks became the pretend medicine and bandages. Parents today are often afraid to let their child play freely outside and many children are consumed with technology.  My parents are still in the house that I grew up in and when I visit I do not see the younger families with children outside as much.  Nowadays, even in safe neighborhoods bad things can happen.  I think the role of play was essential in my learning.  I had many opportunities to explore and make connections to the world around me.  Play was the strong foundation in my learning and continued to be an outlet for me even in the latter years of school.