Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

About 6 years ago, I participated in a study conducted by a professional development framework and research collaborative group. They conducted the survey for the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky Dept. of Education, and the Division of Early Childhood Development. The study was a part of the current statewide evaluation of the KIDS NOW Initiative, by conducting research and investigating the impact a statewide unified professional development system has on quality environments and child outcomes. The incentives for participating in this study were very rewarding. They gave my classroom over $75.00 in classroom materials. 

In July this past year, I attended a CLASS reliability course in which I realized at that point I had participated in that study. I felt honored by that fact that my classroom had participated in the study because it meant that I had helped make early childhood education better. Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is amazing evaluation tool that evaluates the teacher's interactions with the students in the classroom, just as ECERS evalutes the classroom.  In early childhood education, we now have two effective tools to make our classrooms developmentally appropriate for our children. 

After taking the CLASS reliability course and being able to go into other classrooms and rate their performance made me feel accomplished, I had actually done something to impact the early childhood field. However, I did not realize how long it takes research to affect in making an impact on any given subject. 

http://www.teachstone.org/about-the-class/
http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/

My Personal Research Journey

The topic I chose to research is is how important it is not to cut play and physical activities from our school curriculum because many children do not get it at home. We provide healthy meals at school because we fear for what our children eat at home. But yet we are not concerned about their physical activity. I believe an awareness needs to be raised and that it what I hope to accomplish through my research.

While working on my research chart, I found many resources stating how important play and physical activity was and is in our schools and classrooms.  However, many of them have no solution to keep play and physical activity going.  They do offer suggestions and ideas to the educators.  One thing that many of the resources agree on is that educators should educate the community on the importance of play and physical activity.

If anyone has any resources that would assist me in my personal research journey I would be greatly appreciated.  Just post a comment and let's form a common bond together to keep play and physical activity in schools and classrooms.

Resources that I have found in my journey so far:

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/health/Health/Nutrition/Nutrition%20Program%20Staff/IMIL/imil_report.pdf
http://www.aahperd.org/headstartbodystart/
http://www.aahperd.org/aapar/
http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/facts.htm
http://www.letsmove.gov/learn-facts/epidemic-childhood-obesity

Final Blog Assignment

I have enjoyed being a part of this class.  I was able to explore new resources and research new ideas from different areas of the early childhood field.  I attempted to contact fellow colleagues from other countries.  However, I was unsuccessful in getting contacting anyone.  I feel this partly is due to the communication barrier and how differently internet connections are as well in other countries. 

Three consequences that I find pose issues involving my professional development include:

* The first consequence, I was unable to contact anyone in the field.  I was able to view international resources.

* The second consequence, I found viewing the websites very informative.  However, I can not help but think that other countries take early childhood education more seriously than the Unites States does.  This is very frustrating because we have more funding than these countries.  We have more resources and we could stronger early childhood education programs.

*The third consequence, is contacting other countries can be problematic due to the communication barriers and internet connections across seas.

One goal, I would like to implement in helping the international community would be to provide information to other about how the international community views and accepts early childhood education.  Maybe share resources with other countries on the United States success and research into the early childhood education profession.

International Contacts-Part 3

Exploring the UNESCO’s, “Early Childhood Care and Education" website:

Three insights that I have gained from exploring this website include:

First insight, would be that it is a world organization that promotes the importance of early childhood education and well-being of young children across the world.  Participating countries committed themselves to “expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children (http://www.unesco.org/).”   It is very heart warming to see that early childhood education has become a world-wide need and that others are advocating the field.

Second insight,  is the UNESCO Policy Brief on Early Childhood and the curriculum that is taught. I found it interesting that they discuss the dilemma in planning a curriculum for teachers to follow.  Due to the lack of education and training that the educators have.  The policy also discusses a curriculum framework in order to meet all children's needs.

Third insight, that I have gained is the amount of resources other countries have for early childhood education professionals.  It does discuss how difficult it can be to find resources to meet all of the demands and aspects of the early childhood profession.  They provide alot of networking amongst the countries.  Also, funding can pose an issue to the amount of resources that is provided.

(http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/)

Sharing Web Resources

While exploring the NAEYC website I found an outside link that is affiliated with NAEYC and it SECA Southern Early Childhood Association http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/index.php.  I received a membership to the association when I joined NAEYC but never really reviewed it until now.  However, NAEYC has several organizations that are affiliated with it.

The link I chose to review was Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA). SECA provides several unique entities for instance radio broadcast, newsletters, public policy information, and trainings on the field of early childhood education.  The one thing that I thought was interesting about this website was the radio broadcasts that discuss topics pertaining to the early childhood field.  The radio broadcast provides information that is geared towards parents and teachers. 

I have not received a recent newsletter from NAEYC but I have received one from SECA.  One of the articles was titled, "Keeping the Joy of  Play in your Program."  I felt was pertinent to our classroom discussion on play.  The article talks about play-centered program.  It then gives several insights on why play should be allowed in the classroom.  http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/file/Reporter/SECA_RepFall2011.pdf

In further reviewing, the website SECA I found a article in the Summer issue of the newsletter called, "Two Suitcases and 6 Weeks:  Cyakabiri School Opens in Rwanda."  The article discusses one woman's journey to create a early childhood center in Rwanda.  I feel as though it was a good representation of equity and excellence in early care and education.  http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/file/Reporter/Reporter%20Summer%202011.pdf

The insights that I have gained from reviewing this website is that there are general concerns about the healthy development of children.  But the majority of the issues pertain to equity and excellence in the early childhood education program whether it be through curriculum, classroom instruction, children and families who are in need.  Early childhood education is field that is vastly growing and supports need to be made available to ensure quality is provided.

Havard University's-Global Children's Initiative

The following statement is from Havard University's Global Children's Initiative-We view healthy child development as the foundation of economic prosperity, strong communities, and a just society, and our mission is to advance that vision by using science to enhance child well-being through innovations in policy and practice.  This statement serves an depiction of what society would like for early childhood education to be.  As educators, we would like for the education of our children to be meaningful in a sense that we want them to be prepared for higher levels of learning which in return will allow them to be successful as adults.

Three new insights I gained after reviewing this website:

1.) The strategies that in which the Global Children's Initiative plans on helping young children learn. (educating  high level decision-makers on the importance of early childhood education, global expansion of countries or regions on healthy child development, and diverse cultural education of low and middle income families).

2.) The focus points of the Global Children's Initiative portfolio include activities: early childhood development; child mental health; and children in crisis and conflict situations.

3.) The Global Children's Initiative was formed due to global concerns of young children's health and development.

I found this website to be very informative as far as the global concern for children's well-being.  It serves as a reminder that children from every aspect of the country whether it be the United States, Africa, or China they all have a common concern and that is how they are going to foster the development of young children.  The Global Children's Initiative is a program designed by Havard University to research and educate all countries on early childhood education.

Reference:
Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. (2010). Global children’s initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/

Sharing Resources

My professional organization is NAEYC and they have not released the new October newsletter.  So I went on and reviewed the website for current happenings. 

I found a press release entitled, "U.S. House bill moves the future for children, families, and the nation in the wrong direction: NAEYC urges opposition to H.R. 1"  I felt as though this press release fit into our classroom discussion and it also pertains to my professional development in a sense that early childhood education is something that I hold very dearly to me because I know how it helps children and their families.  I have seen many spectrums of the field.  I would love to be an advocate in bettering the early childhood education field.
This press release could be considered controversial in a sense that money and funding is involved.  And funding for early childhood programs is hard to come by.  We need more money in the field of early childhood education to provide better and stronger quality education.  Early childhood education is a key foundation to a child's early development and necessary skills for their higher levels of learning.  Reviewing this article, has opened my open eyes more on the struggle it has become to provide quality education to young children especially since funding and support so limited.

The NAEYC website provides update information on government mandates, arguments, and bills pertaining to early childhood education. It also provides debate information on the importance of the early childhood education program.  Right now there is different articles that pertain to government funding and the need for early education programs:

http://www.naeyc.org/newsroom/pressreleases/NAEYC_urges_opposition_to_HR_1
http://www.naeyc.org/newsroom/pressreleases/Senators_Brown_and_Hagan_introduce_NAEYC_recommendations_in_ESEA
http://www.naeyc.org/newsroom/pressreleases/Reps_Hirono_Jones_Young_Polis_Introduce_NAEYC_Recommendations_in_Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Act


Other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood education field I gained from exploring the website is numerous resources offers.  One resource I found interesting was coping with disaster and it had article that pertained to 9/11 disaster and how teachers taught it to their children.

Resources offered for coping with disaster:

Disaster planning for early child care programs

Talking to children about disasters

How organizations help children in a disaster

Helping children after a disaster

Including children in post-disaster rebuilding

Families coping with disaster

Post-disaster policy recommendations

9/11 Article:
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/09/remembering_911_bay_county_tea.html