A NOTE OF THANKS

THANKS TO ALL WHO READ AND RESPONDED TO MY POSTINGS.

I would like to take this time to personally thank all who have read and responded to my blog.  This blog page has helped me to share my thoughts and my understanding of things that I had questions are thoughts about.  To all who have read my blogs thanks for taking the time out to read and comment on my page. 

Thank You for all you do and I hope that your journey on this road to success is accomplished.  Trust in yourself and your abilities and you will succeed.

Thanks to all,


Erica Hines

CONSEQUENCES OF STRESS ON CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT

A stress factor for me as a child was racism.  Growing up in a Small southern town, I had to endure a lot of racism.  I remember being a little girl in elementary school and been told that school was closing early because a fight was going on between the white and black children.  This was stressful for me because as children you don't see the difference, you play with someone because they are your friend not because they look like or different then you.  So as I grew older I realize that Sally and I might have been friends at school but when the school doors closed we were two different people with two different backgrounds.  OUR parents did not support the idea of us being friends because when they were growing up Blacks played with Blacks and Whites played with Whites.  It's funny how racism is something that is learned and people can't understand that if we stop teaching it then it will disappear and then people can be accepted and acknowledge by the content of their character and not their skin. 

In a small town where most of the teachers are not the same color as you are.  Some favoritism is shown.  I know, I experienced it first hand.  I remember having the highest grade in a course but the teacher did not want me to have the award so she marked one of my answers wrong, but me being me knew that my answer was right kept asking the teacher about  the grade. Well after the award ceremony, of course my grade was changed, but it was to late.  She couldn't take the award back from "S" that would be embarrassing and it would be acknowledging that she made a mistake.  SO "S" kept the award and I got a "sorry, everybody makes mistakes sometimes," speech.  Thanks for having parents who always pushed me to be the best that I could be, because they went to the principal, super indent, and the school board members to make sure that I got the award that I worked hard for. 

Dealing with this type of racism has helped me to be a better educator and to make sure that all children feels worthy and capable of doing anything by not showing favoritism but encouraging all students to do their best.

When I think about  my experience with racism, I often wonder how the Jews must have felt when Hitler wanted all people to be blue eyes and blond hair.  Difference makes the world unique and therefore beautiful.

CHILD BIRTH AND PUBLIC HEALTH

As an educator, the mental health of the mother, father, and families in general is very important to me. The parents mental state effects the outcome of the child.  It is our job to make sure that our students are receiving the most adequate care that they need as children to be healthy and educated adults.  Most of the time we make assumptions about children who's parents mental state is not the same as ours.  We assume that the child will inherit a mental disorder or we assume that the child will not be taken care of as childrens whose parents do not have any problems.  It is our duty to make sure that the environment in which our students live is one that is safe and nurturing, and if we see that the child's parent mental state is stopping the child from receiving the care that they need then we as educators must offer some type of help.  Now this is just my opinion as to what an effective educator should and would do.
Erica Hines

CHILDBIRTH

I remember the birth of my 18 year old and 13 year old like it was yesterday.  The birth of my first child was not as bad as the birth of my second child.  I was prepared for both by receiving prenatal visit, taking parenting classes, and listen to horrible stories about birth from other people.  The horrible stories helped me to prepare myself mentally for the challenge I was about to endure.  I remember reading to my unborn child like the researchers adviced in their books.  I talked to my children while they were in the wound. 

With the birth of my first child, I remember going to the hospital way to early because my family said that my water had broke and the baby would soon be here (boy was they wrong).  I went to the the hospital on June 26, 2003 at 10:00p.m. and Taylor was born June 27, 2003 at 7:07 p.m.  The only thing I can remember thinking about is I will be glad when I have this baby so I can eat a quarter pounder with cheese from McDonald.  The experiences of giving birth were both different and beautiful.  It is so hard to put in words.

When comparing childbirth with that of the women of China, I realize that we practice some of the same cultures or beliefs.  I know that my mother required me to stay in the house from four to six weeks.  The Chinese also practice this as well.  I would eat alot of eggs and food high in protein and iron because according to my mother you lose a lot of blood during child birth.  In my research I notice that this is also a practice of the Chinese women.  In reality childbirth practices are similar in every country or cultural.

Erica Hines 

A NOTE OF THANKS AND SUPPORT

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their support and encouraging words.  We are all trying to accomplish one goal and that is to be better educators that will enhance the lives of the students that we come in contact with.

This blog assignment ask us to thank to colleagues and I would like to thank the following two people with the notes of thanks listed below:

Hi Yolanda,
I just wanted to thank you for always creating positive blogs.  Your blogs are information that make someone think and I appreciate that.  You are such an inspiration and I pray and wish you the best in all of your endeavors as an educator.
Thanks again,

Erica Hines

Hi Susan,

I would like to say that you have been such an inspiring young lady in my life. Just reading your blogs, and corresponding with you through discussion, I feel that I know you.  You are in my opinions an excellent educator who has so much to offer.  Through your responses and blogs I feel that you have a genuine concern for your students and your profession.

I look forward to participating with you in other classes.  Continue to be the best that you can be.

Erica Hines

EXAMINING CODES OF ETHICS

This week's resources was very informative.  We examine the Codes of Ethics for Early Childhood educators.  These codes teaches us how to conduct ourselves in our profession while working with young children and their families.

The  first code comes from NAEYC, :To be familiar with knowledge base o early childhood care and education and stay informed through continued education and training.(NAEYC 2005).

The reason I feel that this code of ethnics is important because things change over a period of time and we as educators need to stay informed and be able to apply the new knowledge gained to our students.

The next code is A DEC code: We shall build relationships with individual children and families while individualizing the curricula and learning environments to facilitate young children's development and learning. (DEC 2005).

This particular code is important to educators because it is our duty to educate the whole child . We do this by teaching parents how to be great supporting parents.  This help build confidence and make children feel assure in themselves.  When educating the whole child, we must make sure that the child is placed in a secure and safe environment.

The third code is a NAEYC code: To create and maintain a safe and healthy settings that fosters children's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development and that respect thier dignity and thier contributions (NAEYC 2005).

This code is especially important to early child hood educators, because we know that when a child does not feel safe and secure learning is hard to take place.  If learning is to take place then a child must feel safe and secure and the child must be healthy, as well as, feel as if they belong.

As educators, we must have Codes of Ethics to discipline ourselfs and maintain a professional status.

Erica Hines

GROWING MY COLLECTION OF RESOURCES

The following information are resources from this week's section.  Listed below are some great resources for EDUCATORS.

• 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://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
• 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.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title. 
• 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
  This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
• World Organization for Early Childhood Education
  http://www.omep-usnc.org/
  Read about OMEP’s mission.  
• Association for Childhood Education International
  http://acei.org/about/
  Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
• HighScope
  http://www.highscope.org/ 
• Children’s Defense Fund
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/
• Center for Child Care Workforce
  http://www.ccw.org/
• Council for Exceptional Children
  http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
  http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
• National Child Care Association
  http://www.nccanet.org/
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  http://nieer.org/
• Pre[K]Now
  http://www.preknow.org/
• Voices for America’s Children
  http://www.voices.org/
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/

Use the A-to-Z e-journal list to search for specific journal titles. (Go to “How Do I...?”, select “Tips for Specific Formats and Resources,” and then “e-journals” to find this search interface.) 

• 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

The following are other resources that I believe are great reading material for Educators as well. 

-----The book On Being a Teacher: The Human Dimension by Jeffery Kottler, Stanley Zehm, and Ellen Kottler.

---- Another book What Keeps Teachers Going? by Sonia Nieto

Another good resource for children and adult is a book my biological children and I use daily, I know that some schools systems are restricted from using this book but it does not stop you as an individual from using this resource and it is The Holy Bible.

Reference

Walden University, Foundations: Early Childhood (EDUC-6005-11), Resources. Minnapolis, MN.