Issues in Early Childhood - Reflection

Barriers regarding diversity and access to early childhood programs have contributed to my personal and professional goals. Research has lead me to understand that providing an atmosphere where every child and family feels welcome, regardless or race, religion, nationality, or language spoken is a difficult task as language barriers can contribute to limited accessibility to early childhood programs, and lack of inclusion can deter families from providing their children with the opportunity to join early childhood programs. The copious amount of information has reinforced my goal to open an all inclusive preschool that accepts diverse students. It has, however, made me more apprehensive in my approach to teaching, which is in some ways restricting in activities and communication with children and families, as I feel I need to be more wary of different needs and norms. Researching issues related to poverty have narrowed my scope of objectives. Previously, I aimed to work in third world countries, providing early childhood education to children who do not have easy access and resources for education. However, as I have gained more information about low income effects in areas across many countries, I aim to initially start of locally by providing educational support to families who are unable to obtain high quality education easily and move on to my worldwide objective at a later date.

Professionals working with children should aim to take on the role of advocating for children by recognizing the rights of all children and by trying to proactively change systems, policies and individuals. In order to improve international awareness regarding issues and trends in early childhood, seminars can be held to discuss these various topics (subsidized as monetary issues relate to certain teachers) and, therefore, improve teachers' knowledge and attitudes toward cultural diversity as they are powerful determinants of learning opportunities and outcomes which helps facilitate academic achievement.

Early Childhood Professionals and Quality

Ms. May-Ie Tan's answers to questions related to early childhood professionals as well as her own goals are stated below:

1. What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work? 

Current issues:

One of the many perks in working in an international school is that my classroom does not depend on public funds, therefore as a classroom teacher I do not have to worry about replying on standards, testing, and accountability rule to get funding.  Elsewhere, in the United States, federal and state mandates are pushing academic skills and testing down to younger children, even preschoolers.  Here at M’KIS, I am working hard to put more emphasis on promoting child development, active, play-based learning, and hands-on exploration for my students.  For us here at M’KIS, we discussed the importance of active play-based learning and how we are balancing this with our academic learning.  

2. What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?

I am very fortunate that each teacher here at M’KIS has a substantial amount of P.D. funds which we may use towards our professional development.  In addition, our school provides in-services on campus for teachers who wish to take them.  Our school focus is on technology and reading this school year.  Therefore, there were weekend in-services for Google for Educators and Reading Comprehension Workshop.  Teachers are also encouraged to attend the EARCOS Teachers Conference in Spring.

3. What are some of your professional goals?

My professional goals has to tie in to the school's Action Plan.  This school year, my professional goals are:

Goal #1

Growth Goal: The KPA grade level team will have completed 3 curriculum maps and have these published on the CMS (Curriculum Mapping Service) website by December 20th, 2013.

The goal ties to the 2013/2014 School Action Plan 1.1 Utilize Multiple Measures of Assessment to Drive Instruction, Resources, and Planning 1.1.3 Consistent with the published Curriculum Review Cycle, continue in the Monitoring and Adjustment phase for all aspects of the following curricula: Health, Math, PE, Science, Social Studies

Goal #2 

Growth Goal: To apply the three ring application and other Google for Educator Applications to better analyze and use student data to implement effective interventions/instruction.  This will allow me to use assessments and frequently monitor academic progress to develop effective lesson plans, using instructional strategies that will focus on student weaknesses and use their strength to achieve their academic goal.
The goal ties to the 2013/2014 School Action Plan 1.1  Utilize Multiple Measures of Assessment to Drive Instruction, Resources, and Planning 1.1.4       Develop a compendium of student assessment tools commonly utilized in the school including standardized measures formative assessment types, summative assessment types, portfolios, presentations, digitized presentations and the plethora of other measures in use.

4. What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?

I would like to be able to better challenge my students and continue to help them learn and fulfill their life dreams.

The conversation with Ms. Tan provided me with the reinforced understanding that not all issues relate to all schools similarly and that some aren't affected by various problems that stem from, for example, standardized testing. It also gave me the realization that professional development and reaching individual goals are often limited to a school's funds because many rarely take, or have the chance, to receive additional development stemming from one's own funding.

Web Resources Pt.3

After searching through different links provide by The National Association for Bilingual Education, I was overwhelmed with various information and articles relating to early childhood and education in general. I decided to focus on a particular link provided that supplied several articles relating to the 'No Child Left Behind' act. 

One article that caught my attention does not relate to the NABE and their advocacy for bilingualism, but mentions the students who are left behind when programs do not quite live up to their expected abilities and results. Rubalcava (2004) illustrates one class where the lead teacher posts names of children to have risen to the top in reading and math on a weekly basis and the students participate in "discussions, partner reading, read-alouds, and fact games." Occasional field trips are set up and allotted times of the year are designated for play. This provides structure and benchmarking, making it more streamline for educators and programs to organize and create a cohesive curriculum. However, as Rubalcava (2004) continues, it is clear that students feel stressed and focus on test scores, which is a potential danger of 'No Child Left Behind', thus leaving students with less energy for creativity and intrinsic motivation, which are key roles in a child's development. 

Leaving english learners behind (Petersen, 2002) relates to the lack of equity in early childhood education. Petersen explains that the NABE advocates bilingual learning and that Limited English Proficient (LEP) students were exempted from tests and ignored, which creates limitations in accessibility because not all LEP students get the education they deserve when excluded from certain key areas. However, this does not mean that students should be thrown into having standardized English tests where immigrant students (who may have resided in USA for only a week) in states, such as Indiana, would be forced to take tests in a language that they do not understand (Petersen, 2002). Researching these articles have allowed me to gain a better grasp of how many restrictions there are within education and that there are many students that get "left behind" because of increased standards and changes in policies. Even with the constant improvements made within early childhood education, key details are being forgotten, meaning that young children are missing out on proper education opportunities because of factors, such as language barriers or inaccessibility. 

Resources

Petersen, B. (2002). Leaving english learners behind. Rethinking Schools. Retrieved from http://www.rethinkingschools.org/special_reports/bushplan/leav171.shtml

Rubalcava, M. (2004). Leaving children behind. Rethinking Schools. Retrieved from http://www.rethinkingschools.org/special_reports/bushplan/leav191.shtml

Changes and Increased Standards in Early Childhood

This week I spoke to Ms. O'Brien about the various standards in Singapore's local schools as well as in the international school that she teaches in. In Singapore, the local schools already have high standards where testing is done from a young age and streaming children begins early. Children are academically challenged and assessed but the general schooling does not take into consideration creativity or other alternatives as these are merely seen as extra curricular activities. We discussed this issue at great length and came to the conclusion that as children learn at different rates, many fall behind and are unable to reach their full potential from an early age. Although Singaporean schools are beginning to now consider the individual child and their own development, there is still a lack in a child's play in school.

On the other hand, Ms. O'Brien's international school follows the International Baccalaureate and she specifically works with younger children within the Primary Years Program. She outlines that it is a hands-on approach that is inquiry-based and can cater to every child's individual needs, strengths, and weaknesses. This particular school has implemented the IB PYP program in such a way that individuals in each class are not only challenged as well as receiving a well-rounded development but are also compared to each individual across that grade level to determine a benchmark but as a gauge for the teachers without the excessive amount of pressure.

High standards put pressure on children that does not benefit each individual but with the incorporation of successful programs that provide individualized learning and encourage different outlets for, for example, creativity, children have the opportunity to have the best education possible.

Web Resources Pt.2

The National Association for Bilingual Education has information regarding improving the productive use of existing resources. As school districts and states have increasingly struggled with outdated accountability provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, President Obama announced in 2011 that with ESEA flexibility innovations quality of instruction and student academic achievement would increase and improve (NABE, 2013). As I work towards becoming a teacher making significant changes in early childhood, I find that resources, such as from NABE, help provide me with ideas and information for how to use existing resources when provided with situations where there may be a lack of resources available. 

An interesting piece of information regarding initiatives included the priorities of improving affordability and quality in post-secondary education, elevating teaching profession to the same high status it has in nations with highest-performing education systems and strengthening the connections between school and work and better aligning job training programs with workforce demands (NABE, 2013). These priorities make me consider the relation of education between different countries and what the benchmarks should be. 

NABE helps outline the reasons for why economists support the early childhood field. It supports the funding for individuals with disabilities with the research that state and local activities help Americans navigate through changing job markets and overcome career challenges created by global competition and economic recession.

Resources:

National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE). (2013). Fiscal year 2013 budget summary and background information. Retrieved from http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget13/summary/13summary.pdf

International Contacts: Introductions

May-Ie Tan was my first kindergarten teacher when I was 3 and a half years old living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Realizing that Ms. Tan is still a teacher at the same school, it was a real pleasure getting in touch with her. We began talking about how our lives and catching up. As I don't remember much of my time in her classroom, she told me about the things we did and how the school has changed. Ms. Tan is an American Chinese who married a Malaysian Chinese, which is the reason she moved to Malaysia 20 odd years ago. She mentioned that she adapted to the environment quickly and found teaching in an international school rewarding and enlightening. This week I brought up the topic of poverty and inquired about how she views the impact of poverty in Malaysia on education, whether it be at her particular school or others. She mentioned that in many of the rural areas and slums of Malaysia, it is difficult for children to have access to a proper education because of their limited resources. Crimes in the city often arise from poverty, which have lead to many kidnappings of children outside school gates. It is a problem that is difficult to eradicate but there are organizations that aim to limit the poverty and crime. At this moment, with the typhoon disaster in the Philippines, many efforts are targeted towards helping them.

Carmel O'Brien is a first grade teacher in an international school in Singapore. She is originally from Australia and moved to Singapore a few years ago. With Singapore being such a diverse country with many expatriates and nationalities living together, the large city was not much different to Melbourne. However, moving to a different country is an endeavour that can be daunting and it does take a while to adjust to the new environment, especially to the humidity in Singapore. There is not much visible poverty in Singapore but one will see a beggar here or there, yet it hardly seems that any children are affected. Even with lower income families, the adults ensure that they work overtime or take on more in order to provide their children with the best education possible.

I look forward to learning more from Ms. Tan and Ms. O'Brien and am grateful for being able to be in contact with people from various parts of the world, giving me new insights to education and day-to-day life in different places.

Web Resources Pt.1

The National Association for Bilingual Education (http://www.nabe.org/) addresses research with regards to diversity in education and maintains the mission statement of advocating to the nation's bilingual and English language learners to "cultivate a multilingual multicultural society by supporting and promoting policy, programs, pedagogy, research, and professional development that yield academic success, value native language, lead to English proficiency, and respect cultural and linguistic diversity.

A specific article addresses the fact that "recent vote in Arizona underscores that many people don't appreciate the importance of bilingual education." It continues on to suggest that supporters to bilingual education should improve on explaining to the public that quality bilingual programs are one of the ideal ways for students to lean and succeed academically in English.

The available resources on the NABE website specifically relate to the topic of changing demographics and increasing diversity as it emphasizes the importance of maintaining native languages when learning English within USA. We should advocate bilingual programs and make sure that the have the teachers, resources, and leadership to succeed.

Resources:

National Association for Bilingual Education. 2013. Retrieved from http://www.nabe.org/

Professional Contacts

Both my mother and my stepfather are educators. This has made it easier to contact other early childhood professionals outside of USA. I have contacted a Grade 1 teacher at an international school in Singapore where my parents work. Additionally, I have tried to establish contact with a Kindergarten teacher in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She was my Kindergarten teacher and still works at the same school. Her email was accessible via the school's website and I was able to easily reach out to her. She has already replied back to me and I am sure that she will be a great asset for me and it will also be interesting to learn how education has changed since when she taught me. As I have personal affiliations to both schools, it was a natural choice for me to reach out to teachers in those particular schools. For this particular project, I would recommend that one firstly defines the school system to look at, for example the International Baccalaureate. Then it would be advantageous to search for international schools that use that curriculum, narrow down the specific school that one is interested in (Elementary School or Kindergarten) and proceed to search for the staff list for that particular grade level (should be available on the website). It is key to contact as many teachers as possible if one does not have a personal connection to them in order to have a greater possibility of getting a positive response. Hopefully, many will extend a professional courtesy of answering any questions that one may have.

A Child's Potential

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world."
- Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori's statement is simple and effective. A child's development is subjected to many various factors and his/her potential can be boundless. Children are able to develop at rapid speeds and act like sponges that soak up knowledge and experiences. This quote also ties in with how opportunity is a key factor in child development as potential can only be extended if the situation allows for it and many children are unfortunately unable to be exposed to such opportunities.

Assessments for Children

To assess a child holistically, one should consider the child's relationship to the world around them. The way that children interact with others, use their knowledge in different circumstances, and challenge themselves in new environments demonstrate a sense of self and can determine a child's knowledge of empathy and being a part of a community. Making holistic portfolios, providing book reports, and giving children progress cards can help a child learn about their strengths, weakness, and steps to improve their learning. These tools will also help parents understand how to help support their child's learning and growth, which can be further established through parent-teacher conferences. As children become older, regular topical tests, short writing, reading and performance tasks can be used to provide children with more opportunities to experience success and increase their desire to learn.

Singapore's education system has a bilingual policy aim to equip children with the language competencies to incorporate Asian culture into learning and develop a global outlook. This provides children with a competitive edge and allow them to appreciate culture and heritage as well as respect people from different backgrounds. Children are allowed to explore their interests and goals by developing talents in music, arts and sports. Enrichment programs help hone children's leadership skills and help develop socio-emotional competencies. These programs, however, are set apart from school life and are usually used as creative outlets for after-school activities. In Singapore, children are graded starting at the age of 6 and are able to learn a second language at the age of 8 (if able to). Without a second language, older students may not attend certain junior colleges. In grade 6, the grades from their Primary School Leaving Exams will determine the schools that students go to (elite vs non-elite schools). Because children are graded and streamed at such a young age, a large percentage of Singapore' population are not given opportunity as certain children take longer to learn certain skills. Singapore's educational system favours those with "book-smarts" and does not cater to the holistic idea of incorporating emotional, interpersonal, and artistic intelligence. The emphasis on meritocracy alone provides no equity among children.

Authentic assessments consider particular situations surrounding an evaluation of individual children, which can include different issues from the settings and the appropriateness of the assessment instrument used. Performance-based assessment focuses on daily activities and skills where keen observation and anecdotal notes are important. It is important, at a certain stage, for a child's family to be involved in the assessment of a child through, for example, parent reports and observations.

Violence in the home

Domestic violence can involve physical, verbal, sexual, or emotional abuse. Emotional and behavioral problems may occur in the short term as well the long term. In the short term them may experience regression to earlier development stages, anxiety, aggression, or speech difficulties brought on by stress, amongst other difficulties (Domestic violence and children, n.d.). A close friend of mine grew up in a home where her father would physically and verbally abuse her mother. She was exposed to this ongoing behaviour throughout her entire childhood and early adulthood. As she grew older, her mother was exposed to verbal abuse without the physical aspect. As a child, my friend remembered being reserved, uncomfortable in different situations, and depressed (even at a young age). The impact it made on her as a toddler caused her to have problems with self-esteem, which caused her to experiment with harmful drugs as well as self-abuse. Throughout her life, teachers noticed her difficulties and would initially bring it up with her parents. However, as the problems were occurring in the home, not much was done. Unfortunately, my friend was unable to receive the proper care, such as therapy or other active outlets. Despite her situation, she is doing well working towards a masters degree and continues to strive. She lives with her mother, who has recently separated from her father. However, these detrimental issues that she faced as a child has contributed to her dysfunctional relationships as she has experienced physical abuse in her relationships as well.

Regarding violence, civil unrest occurs often in Thailand due to different political views. Ethnic division has caused violent movements against the Thai movement in the past and the failure in negotiations have leaf to a greater "monopoly of power of the government, controlling all ministries, the police, and military" (Militante, n.d.). Civil unrest can cause harm to a young child's development. Diseases and children that are caught in a cross fire of fighting that are caused by armed conflict will physically be harmed. Civil unrest can also lead to disrupted health services and limited food supplies. Cognitive development can also be stunted with psychosocial concerns as they witness their caregivers and/or family in vulnerable situations (Impact of armed conflict on children, n.d.). Talks and negotiations are made regularly to control the unrest and try to ensure that problems are being confronted. However, I would like to understand more about these situations in Thailand to comprehend the specific details of how issues are being dealt with and how children are currently being affected with the more calmer situation.

References:
Domestic violence and children. (n.d.). Better Health Channel. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/domestic_violence_and_children

Impact of armed conflict on children. (n.d.). United Nations Organization. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/rights/impact.htm

Militante, C. (n.d.). Thai intellectuals grapple with issues of democracy and civil unrest. Focus on the Global South. Retrieved from http://focusweb.org/content/thai-intellectuals-grapple-issues-democracy-and-civil-unrest

Access to clean water

Clean water helps prevent malnutrition, recurrent diarrhoea, and impaired child development. Bottle-fed infants can be exposed to the effects of unsafe drinking water. Intervening in water supplies can reduce child mortality rates by 65% (Water and sanitation, n.d.). It is important for all families to receive clean and drinkable water in order to provide proper growth and extend life expectancy.

According to a study in 2004, only 40% of the rural Cambodian population had access to safe drinking water (Clean water project, n.d.). The water that they have access to is often contaminated with bacteria and polluted with waste. Many organizations, such as UNICEF, contribute to the aim to provide safe drinking water to places, such as Cambodia. A UNICEF-funded well was recently built in the Cambodian village of Phoum Thom and now provides 10 families with water that is safe to drink, cook with, and wash with (Degan, n.d.). The water and sanitation access allows schools to keep toilets clean and hygienic as well, which enables more children to stay in primary schools. This allows children to have a greater chance for a more well-rounded education, which, in the long term, also contributes to a better economy for Cambodia. Upon visiting Cambodia, it was evident that many families were faced with hardships and poverty. Helping build houses and work with the orphanages in Cambodia has allowed me to understand what more needs to be done, especially in terms of health for young children. Those that have access to water wells may not even meet WHO standards and create hazardous environments for many families (Aguilar, 2009).

I hope that I will be able to make an impact on even just one child's life, whether they are fortunate to have access to health benefits and safe drinking water or not. I would like the opportunity to work with children in less fortunate circumstances, in developing countries such as Cambodia, and hopefully be able to provide an adequate learning experience for the children whilst providing them with safe environments, enabling them to study.

References:
Aguilar, M. (2009). Access to safe drinking water in Cambodia: Available sources and point‐of‐use Water treatment. BAMA.

Clean Water Project. (n.d.). Journeys Within Our Community. Retrieved from http://www.journeyswithinourcommunity.org/projects/clean-water/clean-water-project/

Degan, G. (n.d.). Lack of adequate sanitation triggers child health concerns in Cambodia. UNICEF. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cambodia_39558.html

Water and sanitation. (n.d.). World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/ceh/risks/cehwater2/en/index.html

Childbirth

This was in Stockholm, Sweden in 1990. At my mum's second antenatal checkup with the midwife, she noticed that  I was much smaller than I should be. A flurry of blood work was done, followed by a consultation with the OB/GYN. It was concluded that my small stature might be due to the immense workload that my mum was carrying at her preschool and the additional stress of finding a new home has stunted my growth. The medical staff quickly decided that my mum should cease work immediately. Instead of the monthly antenatal checks, I was monitored fortnightly instead. Careful measurements were taken of my abdomen, cranium and femur by the midwife. Swedish healthcare allowed my mother to stay home until childbirth with full pay, which was a blessing that ensured that she could have plenty of rest without financial worries. Under the midwife's care, I grew steadily and though I never caught up with what a "normal" baby should weigh, I was birthed at 2745gm all healthy and well.

The birthing journey was 27-hour long and we saw four shifts of midwives coming through checking on my vitals to ensure that I was fine. Natural birth was encouraged and much support was given to my mum by the best midwives possible. 12 hours after my birth, the pediatrician pronounced me healthy and ready for home. I went home barely a day old where my mum and I would be most comfortable. Postnatal care midwives visited us daily to ensure that nursing was progressing as expected and that we were doing well. Breastfeeding is much encouraged and supported by the healthcare system in Sweden. Fully paid maternity leave for 12 months allowed me to be breastfed until my first birthday. My mum strongly believed that nursing gave me a great start in life both physically and emotionally. That and the excellent care that we received very early on gave me a great start in life physically, mentally and emotionally.

I do not personally remember the experience and it is the only birthing experience that I have been through. I think it depicts the Swedish healthcare system perfectly. I think that the care that a child receives at birth, as well as before and after, is vital in creating healthy development in the long term. The amount of care, provided in Sweden, that the mother and child receives before, during, and after birth helps make sure that they are both healthy and allows the parents to nurture the child without much financial worry.

Codes of Ethics

The four codes of conduct that stood out the most to me include:

1. To advocate for and ensure that all children, including those with special needs, have access to the support services needed to be successful.
2. To work through education, research, and advocacy toward a society in which all young children have access to high-quality early care and education programs.
3. We shall honor and respect the diverse backgrounds of our colleagues including such diverse
characteristics as sexual orientation, race, national origin, religious beliefs, or other affiliations.
4. We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for the professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions that enhance the quality of their lives.

These codes of conducts stood out to me the most because they included the message to respect diversity among children with special needs, all children in general, as well as colleagues. As I strive to work with all different kinds of children and adults from across the world as well as those who require special needs, I can understand the importance of these four conducts in order to help me provide the best educational environment possible.

References:
NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.dec-sped.org/

Inspirational Quotes

Passion and Motivation

Louise Derman-Sparks:
"I had a built-in passion that was important to make a contribution to the world and to fix all the injustices [...] through teaching."

Raymond Hernandez:
"I'm not here to save the world, I'm here just to make a difference."


Difficulties and Reinforcement

Edward Zigler:
"It is a good rule to face difficulties at the time they arise and not allow them to increase unacknowledged."

Lilian Katz:
"Of course children benefit from positive feedback. But praise and rewards are not the only methods of reinforcement. More emphasis should be placed on appreciation -- reinforcement related explicitly and directly to the content of a child's interest and efforts."

Elmer the Elephant is Taking Some Leaves

A 4 year old girl made this piece of artwork. It is inspired by the stories about Elmer the Elephant. I particularly like this art-piece because it uses different media and is simplistic yet colourful. It is unique and playful, displaying the limitless imagination of a child.

Rainbow Fish

Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister is a charming book about the joy of sharing. The beautiful fish is initially reluctant to distribute its shiny scales but in the end, with others' advice, it gives in and feels joy from sharing with others. It can be difficult for children to share and understand why it is important to do so. This book tries to convey the positive aspects of sharing as it can make another happy, which in turn will make oneself happy.