“It has always seemed strange to me that in our endless discussions about education so little stress is laid on the pleasure of becoming an educated person.”
~ Edith Hamilton
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
A holistic approach to educational assessments
As educators it is extremely important we get to know each child on an individual level, identify their individual needs, and provide them with the necessary tools for a productive learning environment. As children enter the school system they are expected to meet certain standards developed based on learning objectives for their age group. Schools gage students' success based on standardized tests. These tests, unfortunately, are administered the old fashioned way. Test booklets, #2 pencils, and time restraints. As we all know, not every student has the same learning style, and these tests are definitely not designed to take that fact into consideration.
Prior to testing, teachers can identify students who are having difficulty and recommend them to be evaluated. Special education professionals, school administrators, and parents hold a conference and designed what is called an IEP, or individualized education program. The purpose of an IEP is to describe how the student best learns, how the student can best demonstrate that learning, and what teachers can do and services the school can provide to assist the child (as stated by WikiPedia). The IEP should also have specific learning objectives stated and a plan to keep the student in the least restrictive environment possible.
Teachers receive copies of these IEPs and work together with everyone involved to help them achieve their goals.
Is this process always effective? Probably not, but it's an attempt to identify and meet children's specific needs. I was doing some research on how other parts of the world implemented a holistic approach to assessment, and came across a website for "The Wishing Star". This is a Canadian based foundation. They provide what is called, "Psychoeducational Assessments". See the description below:
Prior to testing, teachers can identify students who are having difficulty and recommend them to be evaluated. Special education professionals, school administrators, and parents hold a conference and designed what is called an IEP, or individualized education program. The purpose of an IEP is to describe how the student best learns, how the student can best demonstrate that learning, and what teachers can do and services the school can provide to assist the child (as stated by WikiPedia). The IEP should also have specific learning objectives stated and a plan to keep the student in the least restrictive environment possible.
Teachers receive copies of these IEPs and work together with everyone involved to help them achieve their goals.
Is this process always effective? Probably not, but it's an attempt to identify and meet children's specific needs. I was doing some research on how other parts of the world implemented a holistic approach to assessment, and came across a website for "The Wishing Star". This is a Canadian based foundation. They provide what is called, "Psychoeducational Assessments". See the description below:
Psychoeducational Assessments
Preschoolers, grade school students, and college or university students are referred for a psychoeducational assessment for many reasons:
Beyond their expertise in the field of school psychology, our registered psychologists are unique in that each of them has completed intensive clinical internships and comprehensive counselling training, allowing them to bring a holistic lens to each of the psychoeducational assessments completed at The Wishing Star.
At The Wishing Star, the psychoeducational assessment process is informed by the most current information about brain development, and takes into account not only an individual’s strengths and needs, but also the role of family, school, and other contexts in the individual’s learning experience.
Although the components of a psychoeducational assessment vary greatly depending on the age of the person being assessed, each of our assessments is guided by contemporary intelligence theory (called CHC Theory). This understanding of intelligence suggests that all people have different "types" of intellectual abilities. To ensure a well-rounded understanding of an individual’s learning needs, it is therefore important to include a wide variety of activities that measure as many different “types” of intellectual abilities as possible.
Beyond the assessment of intellectual functioning, a psychoeducational assessment may include some measures of language development, social-emotional development, behavioral patterns, motor development, and academic achievement or school-type performance. We are pleased to offer our holistic approach to psychoeducational testing to children and students who are preschool aged, in grade school, or in post-secondary institutions.
At The Wishing Star, we endeavour to make the assessment process a seamless and positive experience for the student, the parent(s), and any involved professionals. For a full psychoeducational assessment, we begin by scheduling a parent information session. At this session we call upon your expertise as parent to your child to let us know your child’s specific needs. We will walk you through a comprehensive clinical interview. This provides a starting point for our assessment process. This is typically a session just for the parent(s) although it may be appropriate for an older student to be involved with this session.
Next we will meet with the student for 4 to 6 hours of direct assessment time on average. This is typically scheduled across two assessment sessions. These sessions are student-lead in terms of work-load, frequency and length of breaks, etc. It is important to us that the student is functioning at their best during these sessions and we work hard to be very encouraging and to keep things comfortable for the student, including giving the student’s brain the rest required be attentive and engaged.
Many parents wonder what to tell their child about the assessment. We encourage an honest response that includes discussion of the purpose of the assessment, which is to make sure that all of the big people (parents, educators, other professionals) are doing their jobs in the best way possible for learning to be fair for the student.
When the direct assessment time is complete, the psychologist will then take 2-3 weeks to create a very comprehensive written report documenting the assessment results and presenting pertinent recommendations and, when appropriate, accommodations to ensure practical application. At The Wishing Star, our reports are carefully crafted to meet the needs of both parents and professionals supporting the student.
When the report is complete, the parent(s) are invited to an assessment debrief session. During this session we review the assessment outcomes and details of the report. You have the opportunity to ask questions and really understand the meaning of the results. You will be invited to review the report and provide feedback to the involved psychologist prior to final signatures. Although there are certain things that cannot be altered in the report, it is important to us that you have a final report that you are comfortable with and that adequately represents the child you know.
Following the parent debrief, the child is invited for their own debrief, depending on the child’s age and stage of development. During this session, the psychologist talks with both the parent(s) and the child about the assessment results in child-friendly terms to help the child understand his/her own learning profile.
For the adult student, the debrief session would be available for the student and any of his/her identified supports (parents, friends, involved professionals).
After the debrief(s) are completed, The Wishing Star psychologists are available to liaise with educators in schools and post-secondary settings to communicate the assessment outcomes as well as be part of program planning and support implementation.
**********************************************************************************
I really feel this is a thorough, trustworthy type of assessment and it touches on each aspect of the child's life. All children are unique and when there are special needs involved everyone in their life, most importantly their parents and teachers, must try to understand those needs and accommodate them. I know it is costly and I am sure not everyone can afford this type of service. I feel as if these types of outside agencies should be funded through state funds instead of spending so much money within the school environment. If we could allocate some of the funds and provide them to families based on need, these professionals could work with the teachers. I also feel health insurance companies should offer coverage under "mental health" for visits such as these. So many children suffer from depression due to learning difficulties, and if children are not treated properly, this could lead to long term problems or even suicide.
We have a long way to go before we are able to truly provide students with the care they need and assess them with proper tools. I think a re-evaluation of funds allocation and identifying a more suitable cause would be a good start.
- difficulties learning at school, college, or university
- "gifted" learning profile
- concerns regarding child development
- behavioural challenges at school
- concern that a student’s true potential is not being realized in the classroom
- the need for "accommodations" in the classroom and for exams (i.e. the removal of "barriers" that get in the way of student being able to succeed)
- questions regarding ideal school placement or programming
Beyond their expertise in the field of school psychology, our registered psychologists are unique in that each of them has completed intensive clinical internships and comprehensive counselling training, allowing them to bring a holistic lens to each of the psychoeducational assessments completed at The Wishing Star.
At The Wishing Star, the psychoeducational assessment process is informed by the most current information about brain development, and takes into account not only an individual’s strengths and needs, but also the role of family, school, and other contexts in the individual’s learning experience.
Although the components of a psychoeducational assessment vary greatly depending on the age of the person being assessed, each of our assessments is guided by contemporary intelligence theory (called CHC Theory). This understanding of intelligence suggests that all people have different "types" of intellectual abilities. To ensure a well-rounded understanding of an individual’s learning needs, it is therefore important to include a wide variety of activities that measure as many different “types” of intellectual abilities as possible.
Beyond the assessment of intellectual functioning, a psychoeducational assessment may include some measures of language development, social-emotional development, behavioral patterns, motor development, and academic achievement or school-type performance. We are pleased to offer our holistic approach to psychoeducational testing to children and students who are preschool aged, in grade school, or in post-secondary institutions.
How it Works
At The Wishing Star, we endeavour to make the assessment process a seamless and positive experience for the student, the parent(s), and any involved professionals. For a full psychoeducational assessment, we begin by scheduling a parent information session. At this session we call upon your expertise as parent to your child to let us know your child’s specific needs. We will walk you through a comprehensive clinical interview. This provides a starting point for our assessment process. This is typically a session just for the parent(s) although it may be appropriate for an older student to be involved with this session.
Next we will meet with the student for 4 to 6 hours of direct assessment time on average. This is typically scheduled across two assessment sessions. These sessions are student-lead in terms of work-load, frequency and length of breaks, etc. It is important to us that the student is functioning at their best during these sessions and we work hard to be very encouraging and to keep things comfortable for the student, including giving the student’s brain the rest required be attentive and engaged.
Many parents wonder what to tell their child about the assessment. We encourage an honest response that includes discussion of the purpose of the assessment, which is to make sure that all of the big people (parents, educators, other professionals) are doing their jobs in the best way possible for learning to be fair for the student.
When the direct assessment time is complete, the psychologist will then take 2-3 weeks to create a very comprehensive written report documenting the assessment results and presenting pertinent recommendations and, when appropriate, accommodations to ensure practical application. At The Wishing Star, our reports are carefully crafted to meet the needs of both parents and professionals supporting the student.
When the report is complete, the parent(s) are invited to an assessment debrief session. During this session we review the assessment outcomes and details of the report. You have the opportunity to ask questions and really understand the meaning of the results. You will be invited to review the report and provide feedback to the involved psychologist prior to final signatures. Although there are certain things that cannot be altered in the report, it is important to us that you have a final report that you are comfortable with and that adequately represents the child you know.
Following the parent debrief, the child is invited for their own debrief, depending on the child’s age and stage of development. During this session, the psychologist talks with both the parent(s) and the child about the assessment results in child-friendly terms to help the child understand his/her own learning profile.
For the adult student, the debrief session would be available for the student and any of his/her identified supports (parents, friends, involved professionals).
After the debrief(s) are completed, The Wishing Star psychologists are available to liaise with educators in schools and post-secondary settings to communicate the assessment outcomes as well as be part of program planning and support implementation.
**********************************************************************************
I really feel this is a thorough, trustworthy type of assessment and it touches on each aspect of the child's life. All children are unique and when there are special needs involved everyone in their life, most importantly their parents and teachers, must try to understand those needs and accommodate them. I know it is costly and I am sure not everyone can afford this type of service. I feel as if these types of outside agencies should be funded through state funds instead of spending so much money within the school environment. If we could allocate some of the funds and provide them to families based on need, these professionals could work with the teachers. I also feel health insurance companies should offer coverage under "mental health" for visits such as these. So many children suffer from depression due to learning difficulties, and if children are not treated properly, this could lead to long term problems or even suicide.
We have a long way to go before we are able to truly provide students with the care they need and assess them with proper tools. I think a re-evaluation of funds allocation and identifying a more suitable cause would be a good start.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The effects of poverty on children
As a child we lived below the poverty level. My mother and father were divorced when I was three and my mother and I moved into a low income neighborhood. She worked but received minimum wage. She decided to enroll in college, but it took her several years to get her degree because she could only attend part time. Those years were tough. I can remember my mother asking me, “do you want those new shoes or groceries for the week?” She wanted me to realize money was scarce and we had to provide for our needs before we could buy things we wanted. I learned valuable lessons at a young age and also watched my mother work very hard juggling her job, school and taking care of me.
Aside from the possibility of having an empty refrigerator, I also suffered in other ways. My mom wasn’t home that much and I was either with family, a babysitter or alone quite a bit. My mom also suffered from depression and I was tremendously impacted by that. I often felt she was emotionally unavailable. Also, I hurt for her and worried about her very much. I suffered from depression myself and sometimes still battle the disorder.
Speaking in developmental terms I know I was affected cognitively and psychosocially. I did not ever have any problems with my grades but I will admit I was (and still am) a bit paranoid and insecure. Emotionally I know I have suffered and have always been very dependent on my relationships with others, to the point of needy. With age and experience, however, I feel better every day. Also becoming a mother helped me grow and realize I have to be independent and strong for my own son.
When researching other areas of the world, I chose to find out more about poverty in Mexico. When I was twenty years old, I traveled to Cancun. It was my first time out of the country and the resort was beautiful. We decided to venture out and go to the pyramids at Tulum. We drove for a while and I was shocked at what I saw outside the resort area. There were people living in cardboard houses. It was surreal for me. I guess I just thought everything was like the United States. You can hear about it, but until you actually experience it, you don’t really know.
When I began to research children and poverty in Mexico, I came across the term “street children”. UNICEF has classified three types of street children: street-living, street-working, and street-family. Here are the descriptions:
- Street Living Children: children who ran away from their families and live alone on the streets.
- Street Working Children: children who spend most of their time on the streets, fending for themselves, but returning home on a regular basis.
- Children from Street Families: children who live on the streets with their families.
Mexican street children facts & statistics
- Mexico City has 1,900,000 underprivileged and street children. 240,000 of these are abandoned children. (Action International Ministries)
- In the central area of Mexico City there are 11,172 street children. 1,020 live in the street and 10,152 work there. (City of Mexico/Fideicomiso, Report, 1991)
- In 1996, the Inter-American Development Bank and UNICEF estimated there were 40 million children living or working on the streets of Latin America--out of an estimated total population of 500 million.
- Begging - Some 20% of the children survive by begging, 24% by selling goods, and others by doing subcontracting work. ("Over 5 Million Child Laborers in Mexico", Xinhua: Comtex, 14 September 2000, citing National System for the Integral Development of the Family (DIF), "Prevention, Attention, Discouragement and Eradication of Childhood Labor")
- 8-11 million children under the age of 15 years are working in Mexico. (US Dept of Labor, Sweat and Toil of Children, 1994, citing US Dept of State, Human Rights Report, 1993)
This information can be found at http://www.mexico-child-link.org/street-children-definition-statistics.htm.
As far as the effects of poverty on children, the American Psychological Association released the following information:
- Psychological research has demonstrated that living in poverty has a wide range of negative effects on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s children.
- Poverty impacts children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in their neighborhoods and communities.
- Poverty is linked with negative conditions such as substandard housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of access to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and underresourced schools which adversely impact our nation’s children.
- Poorer children and teens are also at greater risk for several negative outcomes such as poor academic achievement, school dropout, abuse and neglect, behavioral and socioemotional problems, physical health problems, and developmental delays.
- These effects are compounded by the barriers children and their families encounter when trying to access physical and mental health care.
- Economists estimate that child poverty costs the U.S. $500 billion a year in lost productivity in the work force and spending on health care and the criminal justice system.
Poverty and academic achievement
- Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood.
- Chronic stress associated with living in poverty has been shown to adversely affect children’s concentration and memory which may impact their ability to learn.
- School drop out rates are significantly higher for teens residing in poorer communities. In 2007, the dropout rate of students living in low-income families was about 10 times greater than the rate of their peers from high-income families (8.8% vs. 0.9%).
- The academic achievement gap for poorer youth is particularly pronounced for low-income African American and Hispanic children compared with their more affluent White peers.
- Underresourced schools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning needs of their students and aid them in fulfilling their potential.
- Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty.
- Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems.
- Some behavioral problems may include impulsiveness, difficulty getting along with peers, aggression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder.
- Some emotional problems may include feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
- Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who may experience chronic stress, depression, marital distress and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors. These are all linked to poor social and emotional outcomes for children.
- Unsafe neighborhoods may expose low-income children to violence which can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties. Violence exposure can also predict future violent behavior in youth which places them at greater risk of injury and mortality and entry into the juvenile justice system.
Poverty and physical health
Children and teens living in poorer communities are at increased risk for a wide range of physical health problems:
- Low birth weight
- Poor nutrition which is manifested in the following ways:
a. Inadequate food which can lead to food insecurity/hunger
b. Lack of access to healthy foods and areas for play or sports which can lead to childhood overweight or obesity
- Chronic conditions such as asthma, anemia, and pneumonia
- Risky behaviors such as smoking or engaging in early sexual activity
- Exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., lead paint and toxic waste dumps
- Exposure to violence in their communities which can lead to trauma, injury, disability, and mortality
Further information can be viewed at http://www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx#.
Friday, November 11, 2011
The nightmare of malnutrition
Malnutrition
The Food and Agriculture of the United Nations most recent report from 2008 indicates 850 million people are undernourished in the world. This number represents 13% of the people on Earth. Malnutrition in children is a very serious problem that can stunt children’s growth, weaken their immune system, and cause their brain to develop abnormally.
The website for the Food and Agricultural Organization has a feature where you have access to a drop down menu and an interactive hunger map; when you select a country the percentage of those suffering from malnutrition epidemic is displayed. The website is as follows: http://www.fao.org/hunger/en/.
After reviewing several countries, I chose to do some research on Haiti which is very close to Florida where I live. The total population of Haiti is 9.7 million. Of that total, 5.5 million, or 57% are malnourished. This number is alarmingly high and it is from 2008. Since then Haiti has been devastated by a hurricane and earthquake. I found another website, www.wfp.org. This is the page for the World Food Programme. They listed the following information regarding Haiti:
Poverty, malnutrition, high food prices, hurricanes and now an earthquake. Here are ten facts that give the measure of the hunger crisis facing Haiti, a nation which was already struggling to feed itself even before the earthquake.
- Assessments show that 3 million people may need humanitarian relief, including food assistance, in the wake of the earthquake.
- Even before the quake, 1.9 million people were ‘food insecure’, meaning they needed assistance to stave off hunger.
- Only 50 percent of Haiti population has access to safe drinking water.
- Some 55 percent of Haiti’s 9 million people live below the poverty line of US$1 a day.
- Rural households spend almost 60 percent of their income on food; the poorest groups spend more than 70 percent.
- Chronic malnutrition affects 24 percent of children under five, rising as high as 40 percent in the poorest zones.
- Poor diet means many women and children suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. Anemia affects 59 percent of children between the ages of six months and 5 years.
- During 2008, high food and fuel prices triggered violent demonstrations and political upheaval.
- In the same year, three hurricanes and one tropical storm struck Haiti, killing 800 people, destroying 27,000 homes and raising the general level of hunger.
- Food prices have declined since September 2008, but remain higher than the four-year average.
This county is suffering and children are not developing the way they should. Every child should have the opportunity to experience a healthy development. This information has really touched my heart and I will dedicate time to fight for providing these countries with food. I run a Christian preschool and we are always trying to do things to help people. Each year I will make it a goal to collect food and money in support of these countries.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Personal Birth Experience
I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Riley Tarrant Wilson, on October 22, 2005. I was working in the office of an OBGYN group, so I received top notch medical care and could have ultrasounds whenever I wanted. The doctors and nurses were very supportive and I had a wonderful pregnancy.
I remember the day I gave birth like it was yesterday. It was a Saturday morning and I was a little over 38 weeks pregnant. I had a bad cough left over from a cold I had just gotten over. We decided to clean up the garage and run some errands. We were in line for the drive up window at the bank and I had a cough attack. All of the sudden I stopped and said, "I am not sure, but I think my water may have just broke". We headed home and by the time we got there I was sure! We called my doctor and he said he would meet us at the hospital. When we arrived it was about 11am. The staff prepped me for labor and my doctor saw me around 1pm. He said I was only dialated to one and my water broke early because of my deep cough. He stated it would most likely be a very long labor, between 24 and 36 hours. He was known for his amazing c-section deliveries and asked me if I wanted to go that route. He said I could have my baby by 5:30pm later that day, or be in labor until most likely Monday. My ex-husband said, "Let's do it now my football game starts at 6:00pm and I want to watch it!". Now you can see why he is my ex! Anyway, I decided to go ahead and do the c-section because I could not bear the thought of having to wait so long in agony.
The nurses prepared me for the transfer and I was taken into the surgical room. I had never had any type of surgeries before that point, so I was very nervous. The surgical room was very white, cool and sterile. Everyone had masks and scrubs on including my son's father. They had me on the table and hung a barrier sheet between at just past my neck. I was looking around and joking with them, saying I felt like I was on the TV show ER. When I am nervous I tend to seek comic relief! The had to insert an IV in my spine for the anesthesia and that was very scary. They say if an error is made at this point it can cause serious damamge. I felt it going in all the way up my spine and down my leg. It felt like someone was tugging on my nerves. Then I went totally numb from the chest down. I was awake and totally aware and could only feel a bit of pressure whey they were making the incision. They pulled my son out and I heard him cry, it was a crazy, amazing sound. I was filled with so much emotion at that point. The brought him to me and I looked at him. His father held him and then they took him to clean him off. Then, they had to finish everything up. I was a bit scared at this point because I felt a ton of pressure on my chest and was having a hard time breathing has they moved things back into place and sewed me up. Once that was over they took me into the recovery room.
I remember wanting something to drink so badly but they said I couldn't have anything for a while After a while in recovery they took me back to my room where about 6 family members were waiting. I felt horrible and the room was stuffy. I really just wanted everyone to go away. I was totally out of it. Everyone was happy around me, and they all got to take part in washing the baby, taking his hand and foot prints, putting on his first diaper and dressing him. I couldn't do any of it because I was drugged up. After begging for something the drink the nurse was apprehensive but finally gave me an ice cube to suck on. I immediately started vomitting. It was then I understood why I couldn't have anything. Anyway, that night was horible. I was having some sort of allergic reaction to the morphine. I was scratching myself all night, all over my arms. They asked me if I wanted my son to sleep in my room but I refused hoping to get some rest. I figured they would take better care of him in the infant room since I was feeling bad. The next day they switched my pain medication and I felt better. They brought me my son and I had him with me the rest of the time. I was in the hospital for three days and then it was off to motherhood! My son was a wonderful baby - I was very fortunate!
If I had it to do over again I would probably do the same thing. I will always wonder what it is like to deliver a baby naturally and it is a bit sad I missed out on that opportunity, but at the same time. I only felt about one or two of my contractions where they started to get big enough and boy did they hurt! Right when they started to come on it was time for my surgery. The only thing I question is sometimes I hear people say that certain hormones are released when the baby is born that strengthen the mother's bond with the baby. Not sure if that is true because I love my son very much, but it was always a concern when I heard it.
I did some research on how births take place in Ireland. My decendants are from there so I thought it would be interesting. I found a website, http://www.irishhealth.com/ and read an article about home births. It does say that hospital births only became the norm a few decades ago, and an increasing number of women are returnign to the system of labor at home with a midwife as previous generations have done. They claim that it is more comfortable, safer and less stressful for the newborn. Home births take place in a bed or birthing pool. The birthing pool is preferred by some because they feel water is a more natrual transition from the amniotic fluid.
I feel that births in Ireland are similiar to those of the United States, because many women in the US also choose home births. I agree that it is best to be comfortable and natural. I don't think I would have been as comfortable with having a c-section if I did not work for my OBGYN, see many patients and hear comments about how wonderful my doctor was with c-sections, and know, trust and love him the way I did. It will be interesting to learn more about births and how they affect children.
I remember the day I gave birth like it was yesterday. It was a Saturday morning and I was a little over 38 weeks pregnant. I had a bad cough left over from a cold I had just gotten over. We decided to clean up the garage and run some errands. We were in line for the drive up window at the bank and I had a cough attack. All of the sudden I stopped and said, "I am not sure, but I think my water may have just broke". We headed home and by the time we got there I was sure! We called my doctor and he said he would meet us at the hospital. When we arrived it was about 11am. The staff prepped me for labor and my doctor saw me around 1pm. He said I was only dialated to one and my water broke early because of my deep cough. He stated it would most likely be a very long labor, between 24 and 36 hours. He was known for his amazing c-section deliveries and asked me if I wanted to go that route. He said I could have my baby by 5:30pm later that day, or be in labor until most likely Monday. My ex-husband said, "Let's do it now my football game starts at 6:00pm and I want to watch it!". Now you can see why he is my ex! Anyway, I decided to go ahead and do the c-section because I could not bear the thought of having to wait so long in agony.
The nurses prepared me for the transfer and I was taken into the surgical room. I had never had any type of surgeries before that point, so I was very nervous. The surgical room was very white, cool and sterile. Everyone had masks and scrubs on including my son's father. They had me on the table and hung a barrier sheet between at just past my neck. I was looking around and joking with them, saying I felt like I was on the TV show ER. When I am nervous I tend to seek comic relief! The had to insert an IV in my spine for the anesthesia and that was very scary. They say if an error is made at this point it can cause serious damamge. I felt it going in all the way up my spine and down my leg. It felt like someone was tugging on my nerves. Then I went totally numb from the chest down. I was awake and totally aware and could only feel a bit of pressure whey they were making the incision. They pulled my son out and I heard him cry, it was a crazy, amazing sound. I was filled with so much emotion at that point. The brought him to me and I looked at him. His father held him and then they took him to clean him off. Then, they had to finish everything up. I was a bit scared at this point because I felt a ton of pressure on my chest and was having a hard time breathing has they moved things back into place and sewed me up. Once that was over they took me into the recovery room.
I remember wanting something to drink so badly but they said I couldn't have anything for a while After a while in recovery they took me back to my room where about 6 family members were waiting. I felt horrible and the room was stuffy. I really just wanted everyone to go away. I was totally out of it. Everyone was happy around me, and they all got to take part in washing the baby, taking his hand and foot prints, putting on his first diaper and dressing him. I couldn't do any of it because I was drugged up. After begging for something the drink the nurse was apprehensive but finally gave me an ice cube to suck on. I immediately started vomitting. It was then I understood why I couldn't have anything. Anyway, that night was horible. I was having some sort of allergic reaction to the morphine. I was scratching myself all night, all over my arms. They asked me if I wanted my son to sleep in my room but I refused hoping to get some rest. I figured they would take better care of him in the infant room since I was feeling bad. The next day they switched my pain medication and I felt better. They brought me my son and I had him with me the rest of the time. I was in the hospital for three days and then it was off to motherhood! My son was a wonderful baby - I was very fortunate!
If I had it to do over again I would probably do the same thing. I will always wonder what it is like to deliver a baby naturally and it is a bit sad I missed out on that opportunity, but at the same time. I only felt about one or two of my contractions where they started to get big enough and boy did they hurt! Right when they started to come on it was time for my surgery. The only thing I question is sometimes I hear people say that certain hormones are released when the baby is born that strengthen the mother's bond with the baby. Not sure if that is true because I love my son very much, but it was always a concern when I heard it.
I did some research on how births take place in Ireland. My decendants are from there so I thought it would be interesting. I found a website, http://www.irishhealth.com/ and read an article about home births. It does say that hospital births only became the norm a few decades ago, and an increasing number of women are returnign to the system of labor at home with a midwife as previous generations have done. They claim that it is more comfortable, safer and less stressful for the newborn. Home births take place in a bed or birthing pool. The birthing pool is preferred by some because they feel water is a more natrual transition from the amniotic fluid.
I feel that births in Ireland are similiar to those of the United States, because many women in the US also choose home births. I agree that it is best to be comfortable and natural. I don't think I would have been as comfortable with having a c-section if I did not work for my OBGYN, see many patients and hear comments about how wonderful my doctor was with c-sections, and know, trust and love him the way I did. It will be interesting to learn more about births and how they affect children.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
We did it!
Congratulations to all of you who have officially completed the first course in your graduate program. I think we work great as a team. I look forward to getting to know all of you better in the near future! God bless each and every one of you for the lives you touch on a daily basis.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Early childhood ethics and how they apply to me
I chose three ideals included in the code of ethics for two well known early childhood agencies. I have listed each ideal as well as a description of how I practice it in my career.
NAEYC – The Code of Ethics of the National Association for the Education of Young Children
CHILDREN
To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.
Each child is a beautiful gift from God and they have a meaningful purpose in this life. It is our responsibility to help them identify their talents and abilities and give them the confidence to let them shine. We administer a pre-test and parent interview prior to the school year to have one-on-one time with the families, answer any questions, and show them their child’s abilities are important to us by assessing their skills so we know how to better serve them.
FAMILIES
To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve.
As early childhood educators it is our responsibility to prove to the families of these children we do have their best interests at heart. We must also present ourselves as the partner in their child’s education. I make it a goal to get to know each family and provide a number of opportunities for the teachers to get to know them as well.
EMPLOYEES
To promote safe and healthy working conditions and policies that foster mutual respect, cooperation, collaboration, competence, well-being, confidentiality, and self-esteem in staff members.
First and foremost, it is my responsibility as a leader to ensure all my employees are respectful and provide love and support to each other. Each staff member is a gifted and talented individual and they each have something unique to contribute to our team. It is important I constantly point out their strengths and provide them with opportunities for professional development.
DEC - The Code of Ethics of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
We shall use individually appropriate assessment strategies including multiple sources of
information such as observations, interviews with significant caregivers, formal and informal
assessments to determine children’s learning styles, strengths, and challenges.
Each child is unique and it is very important we are able to identify their strengths and areas for improvement and communicate them with the families. Beyond the early childhood years it is more and more difficult to provide effective intervention, so any assistance we can provide to parents regarding their children’s needs and learning styles is extremely helpful.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PREPARATION
We shall be responsible for maintaining the appropriate national, state, or other credential or
licensure requirements for the services we provide while maintaining our competence in practice and research by ongoing participation in professional development and education activities.
As the director of a preschool it is my responsibility to make sure we are following all of our accreditation standards, as well as the state standards for health and safety. I must always stay up to date on new developments and adjust our procedures according to the requirements.
RESPONSIVE FAMILY CENTERED PRACTICES
We shall collaborate with families and colleagues in setting meaningful and relevant goals and
priorities throughout the intervention process including the full disclosure of the nature, risk, and potential outcomes of any interventions.
In my position I have to communicate any observations the teacher sees, as well as my own observations, to the parents before we can suggest any interventions. It is then my job to give them options of different routes to go to seek assistance. I must weigh the options for them and provide them with examples of what may or may not occur.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Valuable Early Childhood Education Resources
Listed below are a number of reliable early childhood resources...
Position 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://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/72033/CRS-CW-5691431/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf
- 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://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
- FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
- Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.
- Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
- Websites:
- World Forum Foundation
http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us - World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep-usnc.org/ - Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/about/
- World Forum Foundation
Selected Early Childhood Organizations
National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/
The Division for Early Childhood
http://www.dec-sped.org/
Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/
WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
Harvard Education Letter
http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
FPG Child Development Institute
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
HighScope
http://www.highscope.org/
Children’s Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/
Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/
Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/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/
Professional Journals
- YC Young Children
- Childhood
- Journal of Child & Family Studies
- Child Study Journal
- Multicultural Education
- Early Childhood Education Journal
- Journal of Early Childhood Research
- International Journal of Early Childhood
- Early Childhood Research Quarterly
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Studies
- Maternal & Child Health Journal
- International Journal of Early Years Education
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Women who inspire me
Quotes from women who have contributed to the early childood sector
~Hillary Rodham Clinton
Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war. ~Maria Montessori
One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.
~Maria MontessoriNever help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.
~Maria MontessoriEarly Childhood Professional Women who spoke in the multimedia presentation "The Passion for Early Childhood"
“We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better”
Sandy Escobido, Deputy Field DirectorLA Prechool Advocacy Initiative
California Community Foundation
"A lot of this work is equity work, as far as I am concerned. It's also, dare I say, feminist work. I want women to have choices."
Renatta M. Cooper, Program Specialist
Office of Child Care
LA County Chief Administrative Office
Women to Admire
"Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides."
~Rita Mae Brown
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
My Personal Childhood Web
My mom Jerianne....she raised me as a single mother while working full time and attending college. She is funny, creative, intelligent, ambitious, and most of all, loving. She followed her dream to be an art teacher. She always built me up and taught me I could be anything I wanted to be. She gave me an eye for design, a desire to travel, and the ability to laugh at myself and have fun. I admire her and would not be the woman I am without her.
My grandparents Gene and Joan (Nana and Papa)....I am their first born grandchild and I often refer to them as my "angels on earth". I am blessed to still have them with me today. They helped my mom out so much while I was growing up. They love me unconditionally and have always been so proud of me. They taught me that you don't need a lot of money to experience life. They always were able to travel and enjoy all the activities they wanted. They are friendly, funny, helpful, and considerate and taught me the most important thing in this life is family.
My dad Timothy...My parents divorced when I was three and my dad remarried. I didn't see him often growing up, but he is extremely hard working, intelligent, and very funny. We try to see each other once a year now that I am grown and although we may have missed out on a lot, he once said to me "I know your heart", and I do feel the same about him. I respect and admire him and am happy he found happiness in his life. I am proud to be his daughter.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
A picture is worth 1000 words!
This picture was drawn by my son, Riley. He was only 4 years old at the time.
I was remarried about a year and a half ago and I thought it would be special if I had my one and only little boy walk me down the aisle. He was a little shy during the event but he did it!
A month later his preschool teacher asked the students to draw a picture of what they do with their Moms to have fun. She then went around and asked them to describe what was in the drawing and wrote it down for them. I noticed it posted on the bulletin board the next day.
Although he never said anything about it, I was really touched to know that walking me down the aisle meant as much to him as it did to me!
LESSON: Kids may not always be able to express their emotions with words...look to their artwork for their true feelings!
Rainbow Fish
One of the best children's books to teach children that sharing brings happiness and acceptance. All children should own a copy! There are also many activities you can do to go along with this book...
Check out the links below for ideas:
http://themes.atozteacherstuff.com/118/the-rainbow-fish-lesson-plans-activities-ideas/
http://lessonplanz.com/Lesson_Plans/Literature_Activities/The_Rainbow_Fish/index.shtml
(Picture courtesy of Amazon.com)
http://themes.atozteacherstuff.com/118/the-rainbow-fish-lesson-plans-activities-ideas/
http://lessonplanz.com/Lesson_Plans/Literature_Activities/The_Rainbow_Fish/index.shtml
(Picture courtesy of Amazon.com)
Quote that says it all about education...
It's not what is poured into a student, but what is planted.--Linda Conway
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
This is so exciting!
This is a first for me! I am anxious to blog with all of my new colleagues. I feel this will open up so many doors for all of us. I know I have much to learn from everyone and hope I have something to offer all of you as well!
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