Start Seeing Diversity Blog: Creating Art

Throughout this class, I have learned to explore my biases and learned more about myself and how I view others. Exploring my biases, I found that to become an anti-biased educator, we have to be honest to ourselves and help children understand that it is OK to be different. I hope my collage shows that even though children are diverse does not mean that they cannot be friends.

"We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

A time when you witnessed an adult (or yourself) reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different (e.g., “That lady talks funny,” “That man only has one leg!” “Why is that man so pretty!”). Include what the child said and what the adult did or said in response. (Note: If you cannot think of a specific time ask a friend or family member.)
About 10 years ago, I witnessed the following in a town center:
A mother and her child were walking in the street. The child was about 4 years old. The child pointed to a woman in a wheelchair and turned to her mom saying: "Why is this woman in a chair?" The mother turned bright red in embarrassment and mumbled to the child: "It is not polite to point." Then, the mother took the child's hand and rushed her off. The child had a rather confused look on her face but went with her mother.

What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult’s response.

The child was curious about the woman and asked an honest question. However, the mother's response had a negative message for the child. Instead of taking an opportunity to talk with the child about disabilities, the mother felt embarrassed and rushed her off. This can teach children that if you have a disability is something you do not talk about or feel embarrassed about. The child seemed confused by the mother's reaction.

An example of how an anti-bias educator might have responded to support the child’s (or classroom’s) understanding.

An anti-biased educator can support the child's understanding by talking about different disabilities. This can help children understand that there is nothing wrong with disabilities. By talking about the disabilities, an educator can teach about inclusion. I remember the first time I saw "I am Tyler! Don't be surprised." Tyler talks about his own disabilities and how his teachers and friends challenged him and treated him as anyone else. He was able to feel and do things just as a regular teenager without feeling his disabilities are a crutch or something to be ashamed about. This movie was eye opening to me and I think we should teach all our children to include everyone no matter their race, religion, gender or ability.

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

Homophobia is reflected in children`s lives everywhere. Take children`s toys for example. One of the most popular toys for girls is Barbie. The image that is portrayed is that you have to be thin to be pretty. Of course, Barbie had Ken who was her mate. The same is true for other popular toys which are based on the concept of the traditional family concept: a mother, a father, and siblings. The same is true for most children stories and movies the happy ending is only achieved if family is reunited with a mother and a father. It would be unimaginable to have a family depicted as same sex partners.

In our society it is still promoting the same　standards when it comes to families. It is seen as outrageous to talk about same sex marriage. I cannot imagine the discussions programs are facing if they were to include books and toys that promote other lifestyles. I personally believe that quality early childhood programs should reflect all lifestyles, including family diversity such as two mothers or fathers. Yet, I can understand why many programs shy away from this option because of the difficulty that comes with being so open.

Reflecting on Communication in the Early Childhood Field

As our journey begins to end, I feel sad as well as happy. I am glad that I met so many of you who were able to help me with my journey through the early childhood field. It was great to share my thoughts with you throughout the journey and gain more insights in all the different areas of early childhood education. I am sad to see many of you leave and move on to other classes. Yet, I think all of us are glad to be able to finish our journey and help others learn about the importance of early childhood education. I have learned many new insights from almost all of you by reading your Discussion Posts and Blog Assignments. I am proud to be a member of the Walden team and hope to see some of you move on in the same area as I am.
For those who I am not going to see again, I wish you best of luck in your journey and I hope all your wishes and dreams come true. Keep up the good work and help make the field of early childhood much more successful. Thanks for all your insights and helpful posts.

Team Building and Collaboration

In my opinion, the hardest groups to adjourn from are the groups that had shared a common goal. I had many group experiences and I find that I can leave most of them easily because my experiences were mixed. Some group members I worked fine with while other team members were unreliable. I was often glad when our groups had finished their assignment. However, some of the teams I work with, the adjournment stage was harder. It was with groups that in which all participants worked hard on a common goal. We had a vision and work collaboratively to achieve our goal. We often went out for lunch or dinner to celebrate our achievements and I am still in touch with some of them.

When I think about leaving my classmates from my Masters behind, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I am glad because I will have achieved my goal of earning a MA degree. On the other hand, it will be sad to see some of my colleagues go. I learned a lot from discussion questions and blog assignments and  think the collaboration was great.
I think the adjournment stage is important because everyone feels a sense of achievement. When you work hard on a common goal and vision and see it achieved, it gives you a sense of reward. Just as teamwork is important, adjourning and reviewing all that has been achieved is equally important.

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

The conflict I want to describe is a personal one. First, I think I need to state a little of the background leading up to the conflict. I have recently accepted a new government job and have moved to Japan. I am a Civilian employee and my move has been everything but smooth. Usually I am a very calm person since I do not like conflict. However, because this move has been rather stressful, I have snap at people more often out of frustration. Therefore, this weeks assignment came at a good time. The problem I am currently struggling with is that my household goods who should already have arrived are missing. No-one can give me an answer to were or when my furniture will arrives. When I get someone on the phone, I want to yell at the person. Then, I remembered the 3 Rs we discussed this week. I realized that yelling and interrupting the other person on the phone is most likely not going to help my case. I tried to stay calm and listen to the other and ask questions rather than get agitated. In the end, the conversation went rather pleasant and the person was able to contact the shipping company. I am still unsure were exactly my household goods are but I felt a lot more relaxed than before. I think this week has shown me that it is possible to resolve conflicts in a civilized manner. It helps everyone to stay calm and relaxed which in the end leads to people trying to help each other rather than work against each other.

Who Am I as a Communicator?

This week was interesting for me because I had to judge myself as a communicator. I also had a family member judge me as well as a coworker. For the most part, I found that they judged me in similar ways as I judged myself. I see myself as a good communicator. I was glad that others feel similar about me. However, some of their answers surprised me. The biggest difference was the type of listener they thought I was. While my mother agreed with me and saw me as a empathetic listener, my coworker judged me as a more business-like communicator. This showed me I do communicate differently at work than I communicate at home.
In addition, I learned this week that it is important to read non-verbal sign to identify whether or not someone is pleased or displeased. Sometimes, when I talk with someone who is from a different culture, it can be difficult to judge if the person you are talking with is pleased or dissatisfied with the outcome of the conversation.
Another important factor I learned this week is time management. I learned that I sometimes do not want to interrupt others during a conversation. However, this can be a problem at my place of work since I have to balance conversations with the time I have at work.

Watching in Silence

The show that I watched is "Two and a Half Men." This is a show that I usually do not watch. At first, I watch an Episode without the sound. I could pick up a lot of the jokes do to body language or facial expressions. However, I also got confused at times because what was happening and the nonverbal signs seemed to be in conflict with each other. When I watched the show with the sound I found that I missed some of the jokes since they were in the verbal communication rather than the facial expressions. However, for most of the show, I was able to follow the storyline without a problem by just watching the context and reading the nonverbal signs.
The assignment showed me that we can learn as much from nonverbal communication as we can from the verbal conversations. However, I found that when I watched with the sound, I could anticipate some of the verbal jokes because I was more attuned to the body language and facial expressions. It made me more aware of how important it is to watch nonverbal signs as well as the verbal signs.

Communications between cultural groups

I definitely communicate differently amongst different groups and cultures. For example, I come from a culture in which swearing is not a big deal. Most people in Germany swear on a regular basis it is even condoned on TV or the radio. However, when I came to the US, I found that it is looked down upon to swear and people usually do not swear in public. I adjusted my form of communication changed. When I talk with others in the US, I do not use swear words. Yet, when I talk with my family or friends, I find using certain swear words without thinking about it.
I also adjust my talk depending on whether I talk with a coworker, someone who is superior or families. Every time I meet someone new, I try to judge how they would like to be treated to make sure I do not offend them and shut down communication. I find myself closely observing other and letting them talk before I respond. I am very careful with how I phrase opinions to make sure I take their needs into consideration.
It can be difficult at times to adjust how you communicate with different groups because you may not know much about their culture. It is important for us to keep in mind that different culture may have different tradition when they communicate with others. We have to adjust to the situation to keep communication going.

Communicating and Collaborating

The person I choose for this assignment is my former boss. She is a great communicator because she listens carefully to you and is an active listener. Before answering any question or addressing any concern, she repeats carefully what she believes you said to ensure she understood you correctly. Then, she takes a short pause to think over her answer. Whenever she does answer, she words her thoughts carefully to make sure misunderstandings are kept to a minimum. Yet, she is firm when she talks to you and she always gets her point across without being disrespectful. I would adapt many of her communication skills to guarantee that I become an eTh qually skilled communicator. One of the most important skills she taught me was to become an active listener. I always rephrase what others say to ensure that I understood them correctly or I ask for clarification.

Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds (any format and any length)

My hope for families is that as a society we become more open and accepting of others. I work with military families who are as diverse as they can be. Sometimes I feel sad when I see that children have to struggle with whom they are and do not get support. As early childhood educators, it is our responsibility to welcome all families and their children. It is important to accept all of them for who they are rather than their race or lifestyle. Therefore, it is my biggest hope that by learning more about diversity, we all go out and advocate for our families.

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

If I had to choose a goal, I would choose advocacy. It is important to go out and educate others about the importance of learning and accepting diversity. Yet, I find that most programs just go through the motion and think setting up a multicultural week once a year is all that is needed. Welcoming families to our programs can only work if we educate ourselves about different cultures. We often ask some questions of our families when they first enter the program but we don't do anything with the information provided. We should always correspond with our families and invite them to share with us information about their culture. Teachers are often not trained in how to incorporate all the diversity into their culture and are overwhelmed. By advocating and teaching others how to become more inclusive can help everyone.

A brief note of thanks to your colleagues.

I want to take the time to thank all who participated in this class. I was amazed to see how much diversity is reflected within our small community and liked that everyone was so open about the things that affected their lives. It was great to be able to participate with so many of you and bounce of different ideas from each other. I definitely learned more about diversity and myself. Thanks everyone.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Setting: Child Development Center
The name of “your” family’s country of origin .

Zimbabwe

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

1) Internet research about different lifestyles in Zimbabwe.
2) Research of Family dynamics in Zimbabwe.
3) Contact someone from Zimbabwe that works in the early childhood field.
4) Research dominant culture and minorities in Zimbabwe.
5) Find pictures that display different families from Zimbabwe.

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

I hope that finding out more about different groups of people and families that live in Zimbabwe will help me understand more about the family in general. In addition, it will prevent me from making Microinsults because of not knowing how to approach the families. I would also try to find picture from the area to make my program more inviting for the family. Furthermore, I would try to contact an early childhood professional from Zimbabwe to find out more about what the educational standard is like. I would try to find out more about the dominant culture and the minorities in the area and maybe prepare a traditional welcome.
I believe that all the research and preparation described above will help the family feel more welcome in our program. Nothing is more difficult for a family then leaving their children with someone else. It is important for families to feel that their children are taken care of and accepted in early childhood programs. However, this can be difficult if we do not know anything about the families or their culture. We may offend them or their tradition out of ignorance. Therefore, it is important for early childhood professionals to learn more about all families before and after they enter a program.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

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?

I most striking incident that came to my mind was my mother. My mother is one of the first female computer programmers in the world. She worked very hard to gain supervisory positions that were usually dominated by male counterparts. When she turned 50, the firm she was working for was taken over by another company. She was not taken over and had to find new employment. However, due to her age, she got discriminated against by companies. Even though she had a great deal of experience and knowledge, companies often chose younger counterparts who just finished college over her.

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

My mother is very open about her age and is not afraid to share her age. However, in our society, once you have gained a certain age, companies often choose not to hire you because most people do not want to associate themselves with the elderly. My mother was often times the most qualified person who applied, yet she never got chosen.

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

After talking with my mother about why she often did not get chosen made me feel sad because even though she did not admit it, it hurt her feelings. I often find that most of us do not appreciate age and feel that we have to look and act younger than we are. What I don't understand is why so many people are afraid of getting older. I remember that I had many friends who dreaded becoming 30. Most of them told me "Just wait until it's your turn." My 30 birthday came and nothing changed for me. That surprised many but I don't feel that a number tells much about how we perform in life.

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

I think the only way to gain more equality with any "-isms," we have to change our point-of-view first. Oppression and inequity can only go on as long as we as a society allow it to happen. I never thought about ageism much because I do not care about getting older. That is why I treat everyone with respect despite their age. I try not to judge a book by the cover and I don't think age should be such a big deal. Why hide how old we are? I think we should let our performance speak for itself rather then judge someone for their age.

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?

One example of microaggression actually happened to my husband. His coworker was talking about immigrants and how they should not be allowed to enter our country and become US citizens. He did not just mean illegal immigrants but all immigrants in general.. His coworker is aware that I was born and raised in Germany and became a citizen just a little over a year ago. My husband just look at him and asked him: "Are you serious?" His coworker did not understand why he was getting upset. My husband then told him that I, his wife, was an immigrant and that most of this country was based upon immigration. His coworker was quiet embarrassed about his statement.
I know and like my husbands coworker and think that in general, he is a good person. When he talked with my husband, I don't think he realized how offensive his comment actually was. My husband told me the story and I was quiet shocked at first but I was relieved that my husband defended me.

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

My experience with microaggression made me aware of how many times people speak before they think. I am quiet certain that my husbands coworker never intended to insult me. Because he knows me and my English is so well, many people seem to forget that I was not born in the US. However, this comment was still hurtful to my husband and me. My observation made me aware of how many times, I may have done the same to others without realizing the harmfulness of some of my comments. I believe we all have a tendency to stereotype others without meaning to. Yet, if we are aware of our biases and the way we stereotype other, we can make sure to improve on it in future conversations.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I spoken with my brother and two of my friends. My brother's definition of culture is how people interact with each other everyday. He believes that culture is the way we act, speak and make decisions. His definition of diversity is things that make us different from each other.
My best friend, Sonja, defines culture as the place we live in. She believes that culture is the society we live in that makes the rules of how we live together. She defines diversity as a the uniqueness of each individual . She believes taht each one of us is diverse from the next person.
The last person I interviewed is Yuko, an early childhood professional from Japan. She defines culture as a something that lives in us and around us. She believes that culture is expressed in art, mannerisms of each other, and the way we treat people in our society. Her definition of diversity is a difference in our manners and abilities. She believes that our diversity makes us unique in our experiences and interactions.


I think the feedback I received showed how we all see culture in a different line. Yet, most of the definition were similar in  My brother and my best friend defined culture as the dominant society.Yuko who is an early childhood professional had a broader definition of culture. I believe that when most people define culture as part of the dominant society because it is most prominent. We often omit the families that we grow up with or don't think of it as part of our culture. All of them defined diversity as being different from each other. Both Yoku and my best friend believed that being different shows uniqueness.

Receiving feedback this week has showed me that in order to understand culture and their differences, we have to dig deeper and show others how deep cultures run. It can be difficult to understand cultures if we are mostly focused on the dominant cultures. This class has shown me that there are many layers of culture and I think we sometimes forget that it is not always only the dominant culture that shapes us but also our families and friends.

My Family Culture

The three items I would choose would be my last family picture, my son's bike, and my laptop.

My last family picture is important to me because it holds memories that are dear to me. I would take my son's bike with me to ensure that even though we may be displaced in location, he would have something of his with him that brings him joy. I would also take my laptop because almost all my pictures, college work, and other valuable information are stored on it.

I would be most hurt to loose any of these items. If I had to choose, I would probably stay with my laptop since it contains the most valuable information for me. However, it would frustrate me to leave anything behind that I hold dear.

Overall, I think this exercise has shown me how difficult it can be to choose from personal belongings. I think I could give up most of my possessions since my family is the only thing that I am really attached to. As long as I have them with me, I am happy. I believe that possessions are always replaceable but family is not.

When I Think of Research

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

I have gained many insights about research while taking this class. However, what I learned most of all was how much work it takes to even get a research study started. I liked having to think about each step to improve my topic and make sure that I have covered all potential questions to ensure the research study is more successful.

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

One of the ideas about the nature of doing research that has changed for me was to rethink my research question on several occasions and formulating a hypothesis. I always assumed it would be easy to find a good research question however, having to rethink my research question and modifying it to become more manageable has helped me understand the importance of being prepared.

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

I think the biggest lesson learned was how much it can help to plan and design a research study before starting research. While conducting every step, I began to realize how many challenges a researcher has to face and how complicated a research study can become. However, with every step of planning, I become more confident in my topic.

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

One of the biggest challenges that I found was finding a topic that could become condensed enough to formulate a good research question. Most research questions are too brought and defining it in a meaningful way was challenging at first. However, by planning carefully, it became easier to find a research topic that is manageable.

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

I think that my perception has change because I now understand the importance of research in the field. Yet, I also understand the challenges that they come with. I think being prepared on what research entails helped me understand how to make my research more meaningful for others.

Research Around the World

1) What are some of the current international research topics? I explore the Early Childhood Australia website at http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/. Some of the topic that I found on the website are similar questions that are commonly explored by early childhood organizations in the states. One of the topics explores how different states rate in early childhood reforms. I found this an interesting topic since I find that this seems to be an international question that is explored by many early childhood professionals. Another interesting topic was how to minimize stress during the first year of school and whether teachers often are ask to teach content but are not asked to deliver it competently. A last topic that I found interesting was that quality is more important than costs.
I think what I found most interesting about the current international research topics on the Australian website is that most of them are very similar to research topics found in the US. This showed me the importance of all them.

2) What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?
One of idea I learned from the website is how you can help children prepare for school. I like reading different tips about what parents can do to help children with the anxiety they feel before their first day of school.

3) What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?
The website had a lot of good information. I liked a piece on how to encourage exploring and discovering through the different ages. I find that teachers often teach rather than having children explore and discover on their own. I found several articles on the website that gave useful information and helped me find many different ways to teach others the importance of letting children be the little scientists they are and explore the world at their own pace.

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

I think if I could choose any topic and was not restricted by the present, I would like to do research on how traumatic experiences can effect children in a lifelong sense.I work with many military children and believe this research would be essential in helping the children and families I work with cope with their very difficult lifestyles.  The positive contributions would be to understand the effects of children undergoing traumatic experiences such as war, death, poverty, deployments, and much more. Children growing up in our society today are under a lot of stress and we still do not know about all the long lasting effects these stress factors have.

In my research, I would try to explore how children's learning and development can be delayed during stressful times. In addition, I would try to explore how we can help children learn better coping mechanisms and how parents and caregivers can provide them with strategies to use stress in a more positive way. Everyone is surrounded by stressful situation on a regular basis and coping mechanisms are very important. However, it is also important for adults to understand how to teach those coping mechanisms.

My Presonal Research Journey

The topic for my research is very broadly termed "Positive Guidance." I have worked in a child development center for the past 2 year as a trainer. In my personal opinion, I find guiding children to make positive and socially acceptable choices important. Most of us grew up with a discipline approach, meaning rewards and punishment. Most early childhood professionals know about the importance of positive guidance. However, teaching others to use these strategies and reflect on their interactions with other children can be more challenging.
When narrowing my research topic to three subtopics, I was challenged to think about questions that would narrow my topic. At first I thought this would be an easy step to take but I soon found that there are many avenues to choose from. As a first subtopic, I choose to investigate how positive and appropriate guidance can lead to socially acceptable or unacceptable behaviors in children. I find this subtopic important because we see so many children with challenging behaviors and are quick to judge parenting as the cause without thinking about how our own way of interacting with the children can affect them. As a second subtopic I chose self-reflection and self-evaluation about guidance to see how this can effect the ways of evaluating effective teaching strategies. As a last subtopic, I have chosen to investigate more strategies to teach others how to improve classroom management. I am often confronted with staff members being trained insufficiently and therefore employing strategies that are unacceptable.
I have gained insights from my research chart because even though I have done research in my educational career, there are challenges like skimming articles or finding the specific information that is relevant for my topic. In the last week, I was also reminded in how much research materials are available to us now a days without necessarily being quality.
As far as resources go that I can share, EBSCOT on the library website has provided me with many valuable research articles. The search engine might be valuable to many of you since it focuses on education. Websites I can recommend are Zero-to-Three or NAEYC who also provide many good resource articles for younger children. Both websites also provide a wealth of information about how to share insights with parents.

Final Blog Assignment

Being able to share my thoughts and believes with my international contacts helped me understand that every country has similar and different challenges when it comes to early childhood education. One of the things I learned by listening to my international contact was that collaborating with other early childhood professionals will help find new perspectives to problems. Having different points of views can help establish a new perspective on how challenging a project can be. Another insight I gained from my international contacts is that most early childhood professionals have to struggle with establishing the importance of their work. With economies all over the world being down, many of us struggle with trainings and funding for projects. A last thing that I learned from my international contact is the challenges many families face to find quality care for their children that is affordable. Most families in our society are dependent on childcare, yet for the ones who need it most, it is still unaffordable.

After reading that most early childhood professional face the same challenges, I set a new goal for myself to find ways to support my international contacts. I am planning to keep in contact with Ulrike to discuss more challenges that she faces and try to find ways with her to improve early childhood practices all over the world.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

I spoke to my contact Ms Baumgarten. She explained to me that early childhood education is taken very seriously in Germany. Yet, there are many challenges as well. Families who are dependent child care often choose extended families or neighbors since other programs are rather expensive. Once children turn four, they can join Kindergarten but it is hard to get in. Kindergarten is not mandatory. Most parents have to reserve a place for their children when they first find out they have conceived. Depending on the area, the quality of the programs differ significantly. Kindergarten teachers have less of an educational requirement than school teachers. However, they still have to complete schooling and an apprenticeship for 2 years before being allowed to teach children. New teachers a often paired with a mentor teacher for several years as well. However, the challenges often come after completing their training. Once they are done, not many opportunities are provided to expand their knowledge or advance.
Ms Baumgarten professional goals right now are to educate herself more in her field. She has started taking up some more college classes but has explained to me that it is very  challenging. Germany does not really offer online universities so she has to take night classes at a college near where she lives. However, with a busy work schedule and family, she finds it very consuming. Her professional hopes are that Germany will offer more opportunities for early childhood professionals to expand their knowledge by offering workshops during school breaks or offering opportunities online.

Sharing Web Resources

This week, I decided to investigate the zero-to-three website further. I explored the topic of health and nutrition and found quiet a bit useful information to develop healthy eating habits for children. There were articles to provide children with healthy eating strategies. I think it was very interesting because I have come across many children who are picky eaters. The website offers several suggestions and ways to help parents provide children with the nutrition that they need. Eating healthy and having children get nutritious is important for their development in so many areas. Yet, parents are often frustrated or give in to their picky eaters without providing them with the nutrition needed. I learned many helpful tips on how to support parents through their struggles and help them succeed in providing their children with the necessary tools to help their children eat healthier.

Another interesting section was about children in care. I think many parents are dependent on other to take care of their children why at work. The section gives parents tool to what they should look for when looking for quality care and how they can improve school readiness with children. They also explore the option of families, friends or neighbors who may take care of children and why. The last section explores resources for parents and caregivers to help children develop key skills for school  readiness, including helpful information to improve language and literacy skills, thinking skills as well as self-confidence and self-control.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

 I finally made progress in finding an international contact. I found Ulrike Baumgarten, a elementary school teacher in Germany. She has taught for 15 years and is currently teaching a second grade classroom. For this weeks assignment, I asked Mrs. Baumgarten about how different equities are effecting early childhood education in Germany. She explained that it has a tremendous effect on the life of children. Kindergarten, for example, is not mandatory in Germany. It is actually very hard to reserve a spot and depending on the kindergarten, it is almost impossible to get a spot. Families reserve a spot in Kindergarten as soon as they find out there are expecting. Mrs. Baumgarten says that children who have been in Kindergarten often are more successful in school. Also, some children she works with are children of immigrants who still struggle with the German language. She is sometimes frustrated because some of the children are bright but do not have enough support from home.

Next, Mrs. Baumgarten explains that in Germany, school split in three different types after 5th grade. There are two vocational schools (Grades 5-9 and Grades 5-10). However, if parents choose those schools, their children will never be able to college. The last school is focused mainly on academics and has grades 5 through 12. This is the only school that allows graduates to go to college if they choose so. She finds it frustrating since parents make the decisions for their children rather than the children. It also prevents children who may be smart enough to get a college degree from doing so. A vicious cycle begins that many children are unable to break out of.

I found it interesting to see how a different country has challenges that are similar and different. Like in the US, upbringing and access to resources can make a tremendous differences in children's life and school success. Mrs. Baumgarten told me that children who have access to quality care in an early life often succeed without as many struggles as children that grow up in a more challenging atmosphere. Knowing that other countries face similar challenges helped me appreciate the services we have and helped me understand what services we need to offer to help all children succeed in school.

Sharing Web Resources

I explored the Zero-to-Three website. One of the most important section of the website for my professional growth was the section about play. I think promoting play in a child care setting is still one of the toughest things to explain to parents and policy makers. The website calls play "the true work of childhood" (Zero-to-Three). As a early childhood professional, I understand the importance of play. However, the website also offers many links to explore different areas of how play promotes development and gives information about how play can be used to communicate with children.

Another great resource that I found at the website over the past view weeks is promoting social and emotional development. While working with children, I came across many children that need to emotional support. Finding more information about how to respond to challenging and how to use children's curiosity to help them explore the world around them, helped me gain perspective on how to help children better handle their emotion.

When I explored how the website promotes how policy makers and economists helped promote early childhood education, I came across a very interesting document about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Act offers funds to benefit infants, toddlers and their families. However, with new funding also came challenges and questions. The document Zero-to-Three offered provides a plan how to spend the funding in a meaningful manner.

Debbie M. Rappaport, Project Director, ZERO TO THREE Policy Network,  states: "From the time of conception to the first day of kindergarten, development proceeds at a pace exceeding that of any subsequent stage of life. It is during this time that the brain undergoes its most dramatic growth, and children acquire the ability to think, speak, learn and reason. Early experiences can and do influence the physical architecture of the brain, literally shaping the neural connections in an infant’s developing brain." This statement made me realize that we need to start advocating for children much earlier than I thought we needed. Reading about how brain development already begins with conception, I began to realize that we need to start advocating for mothers as well to promote their healthy development as well.

References:

Rappaport, Debbie (2007). Partnering with the Business Community & Economists to Advance a Birth to Five Policy Agenda. Retrieved from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/Partnering_with_the_Business_Community_final.pdf?docID=4361Zero-to-Three (2011). Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/play/.

Getting to Know Your International

Unfortunately, I was unable to make contact with anyone from the website. However, I chose to listen to one of the pod casts of the world forum. The person I chose was Susan Lyon. She is the director of the Innovative Teacher Project in San Francisco. Susan has been an educator since she was 22. She started her career by working with children with learning disabilities and emotional problems. Working with children from often disadvantaged families was the beginning of her passion. She was also inspired by an Italian art exhibit displaying the "hundred of language of children." This inspired her Innovative Teacher Project which consists of educator from public and private schools who form discussion groups. The project started in 1994 and is used for professional development. Susan also started a pilot project in Persidio. She founded a child development center 10 years ago which is now thriving.

Listening to Susan, made me realize how important it is for educators to collaborate all over the world. Having many minds work together can help find new ways to help children who face challenges every day. She did not talk very much about poverty but I am assuming that many disadvantaged families are struggling with receiving high quality care and education. Having a project like the Innovative Teacher Project can help educator find ways to help everyone.

When researching the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Center, I chose Kyrgystan to find out more about international poverty. I was surprised to learn how many people were unemployed in Kikyangak, a town in southern Kyrgyzstan. Due to the high number of unemployment, children (Bakt's who is 11) are forced to work to earn enough money to sustain their families. It was shocking to learn that instead of going to school, children are forced to work. I was shocked to learn how children were preferred as workers since they are small enough to get through the narrow tunnels.

I think what shocked me most about Bakt's story was the fact that we take education for granted. The recession has struck our society hard and more and more families and their children are struggling along the poverty lines. However, becoming more aware of other countries where children are even worst of, made me realize that early childhood educators have to speak up and become advocates for children all over the world.

References:
Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Center. Retrieved from http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=casestudies#Kyr

Sharing Web Resources

The website I visited was Zero-to-three at http://www.zerotothree.org/. The website focuses on providing parents and early childhood professionals with information, trends, issues and much more for children ages infants and Toddlers. They also support professionals and policy makers to advance the life of children ages zero to three. Their mission is to further healthy development children up to age three.

 One of the articles that caught my attention this week from the website is an article about early literacy. I love books and literacy is very important to me. Reading strategies on how to improve literacy early on to help with school success was interesting and informative. The article states that in early year, children learn to enjoy books. The article Early Literacy (2003) points out that by "focusing on the importance of the first years of life, we give new meaning to the interactions young children have with books and stories" (p 1). The article also gives advice on what children at different stages like about books and how to evolve their interest in books and stories.

For the topic of this week, I also found an article about the PCAN Curriculum (2011) which focuses on child abuse and neglect. However, the article also goes into detail how this curriculum can be used to form closer relationships with families and how to get to know the cultural diversity. The curriculum is based on a relationship and partnership approach that includes a link between home life and school life.

References
Zero-to-three.Homepage. http://www.zerotothree.org/
Zero-to-three (2003). Early literacy. Retrieved on 12 March 2011 from http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/early-language-literacy/earlyliteracy2pagehandout.pdf
Zero-to-three (2011). PCAN: Curriculum. Retrieved on 12 March 2011 from http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/areas-of-expertise/training-and-professional-development/pcan-curriculum.html

Getting Ready—Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

When I read this weeks blog assignment, I got excited. I thought it would be fairly easy to establish professional contact with other professionals. However, it turned out to be more of a challenge then I thought it would be. I started out contacting two organizations to see if they could get me in contact with other early childhood professionals. One of the organization wrote me back that they cannot put me in contact with anyone but they referred me to another website. The other organization did not answer yet. I also used the Global Alliance of NAEYC website to find email addresses from early childhood professionals. One of the email addresses I found was unfortunately an undeliverable. The other person I emailed has not emailed me back so far. I am still trying to contact others in hope to find at least two other early childhood professionals for this assignment.

I have decided to study the Zero-to-Three website. I was fortunate enough to take part in one of their workshops. The workshop I attended was very helpful and informative. Looking over their website, I found that their mission is to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Having a toddler myself, I am always interested in learning about ways to improve his life. Another reason, I chose this website is that it is easy to navigate and it has many useful features. The website has videos, a newsletter, and different articles on a variety of topics. Zero to Three also advocates for children zero to three. Their research has helped influence policies. All this and more has me interested in this website.

My Supports

There are many support systems in my life. One of the biggest one is my family. My husband is very supportive of me and my job. When I come home and I am upset, he lets me rant on for hours if need be. Sometimes, he take our two year old son off my hands and allows me quiet time during which I am able to relax. My two year old son helps me relieve stress because he makes me laugh every morning. He gives me hugs during the day and makes me laugh when we go to bed. My son is also the reason why I became interested in the field of early childhood education. He gives me a reason to do what I do.

In my work, I have a great boss who supports me in every decision I make. She has an open door policy and provides me with good advice. In addition, I have a great assistant who works independently and does all tasks I give her in a timely manner. This takes a great deal of stress of my plate and helps me focus in areas that I need to focus on.

I also have set up practical support to remind me of trainings I need to give, observations I have to do and other lists that help me track my time in an efficient manner. Establishing lists helped me find effective ways to ensure all tasks get done before I run out of time.

One of the biggest challenges I have come across is parent satisfaction. Our program runs a Preschool program and the majority of our parents expect us to teach their children academically. It is frustrating at times to talk with parents since they do not understand our program. They want their children to do worksheets, be able to calculate, read and write by the time they start kindergarten. They do not see or understand all the different areas children need to evolve in to ensure school success. The type of support I need in this situation is a strong team. Teachers in the classroom have to ensure that children receive a well rounded education. I need my assistant to sit with me during parent conferences to see what I speak with parents about. In addition, I need by boss to back me up when parents come to complain to her about situation that I like this and also educate the parents about our well rounded curriculum.
My husband supports me by letting me rant about parents and asking me questions that make me see things from a different perspective. My son supports me by just making me laugh when I am mad forgetting my troubles for a little while. I think without my support system, my life would shift out of balance. Having no-one around to talk with you and make you feel like you are valued in what you are doing is a horrible thought. Everyone needs strong ties to get through the day without going insane. Sometimes all you need is an open ear.

My Connections to Play

"Play is the beginning of knowledge."
George Dorsey
I like this quote because is emphasizes how important play is for children. Every time a child plays, they find a new way to make sense of the world and explore it more in depth. I know I still learn more when I have fun (and play) than sitting down and read about it.

You are worried about seeing him spend his early years in doing nothing.  What!  Is it nothing to be happy?  Nothing to skip, play, and run around all day long?  Never in his life will he be so busy again.  ~Jean-Jacques Rousseau
I can agree with this quote since I have a two year old son. He keeps me busy because we are constantly out, playing, running and skipping all day long.

Play gives children a change to practice what they are learning

Fred Rogers
This quote I like because I have seen many children who practice what their learn in play. I have seen children practice writing by pretending to play restaurant or doctor's office. I have seen children practice math by playing board games and much more. I think there is nothing more valuable than giving children knowledge and then seeing them apply it to everyday play.


These three items are important to my younger self because I miss having them in my life. I grew up in Germany and they have a stage with puppets called "Kasper Buehne." I still remember having the puppets and putting on shows for my parents. My siblings and I felt never more loved than when our parents spend time watching whatever we put on without judging us. It was fun and the only time I didn't feel judged by what I did. The second item I chose is a Lego pirate ship. My mother was working when I grew up and we a lot of time with her when we built this ship. The last item are funny looking crayons. I loved to draw and make up stories that my parents would read. I miss today having time to just sit and draw.

I think what all my examples above have in common is that play is important to me personally because it brought me closer together with the people I love most: my siblings and my parents. My parents were both working and did not always have time for us but the times we did play together were of high quality. In addition, my parents supported me because everything I or my siblings did was wonderful and amazing without judgement. Children love to play as long as they can be themselves. I am almost certain that some of the plays we put on or pictures we drew must have been mundane but our parents never let us know when they were. To this day, my mother remembers and tells me stories about the different things we liked to do or play with. It is amazing to see that our play was as important to her as it was to us. I also try to keep this mentality for my own son. I think children need to play to find themselves in it. Play provides the security to try out different roles in life without having to choose one particular one. Isn't this the reason we all like to act out on stages or role play during learning? I find that even adults giggle, laugh, and have fun when training sessions start with them being allowed to be someone else. It gives us a new perspective in life.

Child Development and Public Health

My own experience:
It was around 7 o'clock in the morning on Friday December 5, 2008. I woke up early this morning because I had an appointment in the hospital to discuss a c-section. I was full term but my little boy was still breach. I was scheduled for a c-section for Monday morning. When I woke up, I had slight cramps but I thought nothing of it. My husband and I lived in Japan and the hospital we needed to drive to was an hour away. When we got to the hospital, my cramps got stronger. I was hooked up to a monitor reading contractions. They found, I had started to go into labor. Within the next few hours, I was asked to sign several papers and the doctor decided fairly quickly that my son will be born on this day. Right before 1 o'clock pm, I was taken to a operating room and epidermal was administered. A few minutes later, the c-section started. My husband was allowed to be present in the room. At 1:35 pm, my son saw the light of day. He was taken to the side and cleaned. My husband cut the umbilical cord and brought my son over to my side for me to see. I got my own private room with a little tiny room mate. My son was allowed to stay with me during recovery.

Child Birth in China:
According to Brown (2010), there are many tradition in China that surround pregnancy in China. Be it that Chinese women read poetry or only eat certain colored foods. What I find most astonishing in the article was that "Chinese women traditionally labor in an armchair or a futon" (Brown, 2010, p.1). After birth, the women pray to their godess offering incent and meat. Chinese women also do not choose a child's name before the birth. They chose a false name after the birth to scare away evil spirits. The child is renamed when he/she is older. In fact, a child's name changed four or five times throughout their live time.

I found interesting how different childbirths can be around the world. When I think back on my own son being born, everything was very clinical. I had a support system, medical advice on what to eat and how much, and a hospital to go to to ensure a smooth childbirth. I believe that a child's development is closely connected to all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. I believ that good nutrition is important during pregnancy and through the first years of life. When I read the article about how children are born in China and their tradition, I found that many of them seemed strange to me. I could also never imagine giving birth outside a hospital but in China homebirths are most common. I was surprised to read that a child's name changes throughout their lifes. To me, a name is a form of identity for a child and I never imagined changing my sons name, yet, I can understand why Chinese women have the tradition to protect their children from evil spirits. Reading about childbirth in China definetly opened my eyes to different traditions.

Reference

Brown, L. (2010). Childbirth tradition around the world: China. Retrieved on January 14, 2010, from

http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/labor_birth/birthing_traditions/article/childbirth-traditions-china