A Big Thank You!

Thank you to all of my colleagues who have taken the time to read my weekly blogs, respond to discussion posts and offer encouragement and ideas. The collaboration has made this first course a smoother transition that I anticipated. Thank you and good luck in your academic journey!

-Robin

Code of Ethics

Division for Early Childhood (DEC)

 III. Responsive Family Centered Practices

                        Enhancement of Children’s and Families’ Quality of Lives

4. We shall advocate for equal access to high quality services and supports for all children and families to enhance their quality of lives.

It is quite scary how some students never receive the services they need for a broad range of reasons. As educators, we need to make sure that we are advocating for all of our children since their families may not be able to do so. So many supports and services are available but they have to be pushed for as they never seem to be easy to get.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

I. Ethical Responsibilities to Children

I- 1.5. To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions.

It is so important that children not only feel welcome in a classroom but that they feel safe. In some cases, school may be the only place that a child feels safe and receives affection. As educators, we are trying to help children develop in all areas, not just in academics and we need to make sure that we are paying attention to doing so in a safe and healthy way.

III. Ethical Responsibilities to Colleagues

I-3A.2. To share resources with co-workers, collaborating to ensure that the best possible early childhood care and education program is provided.

Being a team-player is the best thing for working with colleagues. Working together to find strategies and resources for children will benefit them immensely. Our co-workers are resources and they have their own strengths that can be used when collaborating to make sure that our children are receiving the best care possible.

                 

Course 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://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
•  NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
•  Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://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://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.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.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

 Article: 

• UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

Websites:

• World Forum Foundation
http://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/


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/8
• FPG Child Development Institute
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc
• HighScope
http://www.highscope.org/
• Children's Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/
• Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/
• Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org/
• Institute for Women's Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
• National Child Care Association
http://www.nccanet.org/
• National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/
• Pre[K]Now
http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
• Voices for America's Children
http://www.voices.org/
• The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/

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

Additional Resources

Childhood 101  http://childhood101.com

Couple, C., Bredekamp, S., Koralek, D., & Charner, K. (2014). Developmentally appropriate practice: Focus on kindergartners. Washington, D.C.: NAEYC.

Esquith, R. (2007). Teach like your hair's on fire: The methods and madness inside room 56. New York, N.Y.: Viking.

Quotes

Quotes from Stanley Greenspan, M.D.

"In order to feel good about himself, a child must be successful in his own eyes. Self-esteem is an inner feeling: Sometimes is corresponds with outer reality, and sometimes it doesn't." -Stanley Greenspan, M.D.

"The child may have a disorder or a set of problems, but he is not the disorder. He is a human being with real feelings, real desires, and real wishes." -Stanley Greenspan, M.D.

Quotes from Elena Bodrova

"Teachers can view a healthy amount of tattling in kindergarten as evidence of children's growing self-regulation!" -Elena Bodrova

"Making a difference may sometimes mean helping one child be able to be successful in the classroom." -Raymond Hernandez, MS Ed

"We as professionals in the early childhood field have an opportunity to shape a child's life for the better." - Sandy Escobido 

Personal Childhood Web

Ms. Hollidge was my first grade teacher. She is hands down the teacher that I will always remember. I had some family situations that caused me to not want to go to school each day and I remember Ms. Hollidge always having a smiling face and giving me encouragement that I needed. I was very shy as a child and Ms. Hollidge was able to group me with a couple of girls in the class that I ended up being friends with all through my childhood. During my first grade year I also broke my foot. This wonderful teacher allowed me to stay with her each day during my recess time going above what she needed to do to. Ms. Hollidge is one of the main reasons that I wanted to become a teacher. The care and support she gave to me when I was quite vulnerable was never forgotten and I strive to be as great of a teacher as she was for me.

Emily and I

Emily was my best friend as a child (and to this day). We met on a soccer team and immediately became friends and were overjoyed when we found out that we were members at the same summer pool! Emily was the friend that encouraged me. She pushed me to be better at sports and helped me come out of my shell. She made me feel special because she chose to be my friend and she made me a part of her family when I needed that stability. To this day I can still count on Emily to encourage me and to include me in all her family gatherings. I know that I will have her support always.

Steven and I

Steven is one of my four siblings and the one that nurtured me the most as a young child. Being the youngest of five children, my parents didn’t always have time to do special things with me. Steven is the one who taught me how to ride a bike. Steven is the one that would help me with my homework after school. He is seven years older than me and he always had such patience in teaching me things. Although he was probably told to do all the things that he did to help me by my parents, I still felt special as a child because I got to spend time with my big brother. As an adult, I try to use the same patience when teaching my students and his calm demeanor was a great influence for me.

My mom and I

My mom most definitely influenced my life as a child. She was able to stay home with me for my first few years and we had such an amazing bond. She was always so loving and would ask me about my day when I was in my early years of school. I think I was lucky to be the youngest because I do feel like I got some extra attention. I loved that attention I got from my mother. I knew that if I was sick, she would let me stay home from school and would always take great care of me. As an adult, I still call my mom whenever I feel under the weather and ask for advice. As an adult and a new mother, I strive to always show my love to my daughter like my mother showed to me. I will try to keep a sense of humor like she did when times get tough.

My Dad and I

My dad is amazing. He has always been so supportive of everything I wanted to do. My dad was a hard worker and worked long hours. He still managed to come home every evening and cook us dinner and make sure our homework was done (sometimes mom was not available to do these things). My dad took each and every one of us to and from our soccer practices and games (all five of us played on five different teams many times on the same days) or made sure we had transportation. When he played with me he would let me do whatever I pleased which of course made me feel so special. He would play house and be the baby, let me style his hair, and even play with my dolls. He really taught me that even if I have to work hard, I can always find time for my family. My dad is still always there for me. If I need something, he will make sure that it gets done.

I was so lucky to have these people in my childhood web. With all of their love and support, I had a successful childhood. Most of these people are still a big part of my life and I can count on them for anything.