Thursday, April 23, 2015

The End But Just the Beginning

I still can not believe that these eight weeks are over! It seems like yesterday I was nervously sitting at the computer trying to navigate my way around the website. I did not know if people would scoff at my experiences or take what I have learned hands on and help build my knowledge from there. I am so happy to say that this class and my colleagues have been nothing but supportive and I feel like I have grown so much in these eight weeks and I have SO much more school to go!

I had never posted to a blog before so when I titled this "Confused but Curious" I was referring to not only the blog but the class as well. I kept wondering why I needed to keep a blog when we had so much other busy work to do. I have figured out that this is an outlet to speak freely and I feel it more as a journal than as homework. I found myself reading forward to see what the blog assignments would be and looking forward to "writing in my journal".

More than anything I want to say thank you to all those who have helped push me and support me while I take this new chapter of my life on full force! When I started this class, I was working everyday of the week, trying to accomplish a Masters Degree and hold down a household of dogs and a man. And even though I have all this experience in childcare, I was still struggling with finding my place. I did not know which direction I wanted to go. Starting this class I came in with the mindset that if I could help someone with an aspect of early childhood whether it be through one of my many stories or something that I said or question I asked, then I feel like I would have accomplished something because I myself was not sure what I truly wanted out of this experience. Sitting here now at the end of the class, I have quit my second job, I am moving closer to the preschool and I am in the works of applying for a job as curriculum coordinator at the school. I have found my passion again and I feel like concentrating on this degree and being immersed in the field that I love will only help make things easier and more fun.

I look forward to being on the same path as some of you and watching you learn and grow as I am and for the rest, I wish you nothing but the best and I appreciate everything each of you has brought to my life. It truly has been a learning experience and I am so excited to see where this takes me!
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Thursday, April 16, 2015

NAEYC Code of Ethics

  • "To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training."
This is an ethical responsibility to the children. Teachers need to be up to date on the latest rules and regulations so they are able to better teach the children in the class. Continuing education is important because they can learn from other professionals and get new ideas for curriculum and developmental play.

  • "We shall use appropriate assessment systems, which include multiple sources of information, to provide information on children’s learning and development"
Another ethical responsibility to the children is to make sure that you are documenting developmental growth for each child. This documentation should follow each child to their next class until they go to the school system. This helps teachers see the progression of growth in the child and will help them in any areas they are lacking. It also helps to look back at when parents ask what they can work on at home or when teachers have conferences with parents. 

  •  "To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with the families we serve."
Educators having relationships with families is the key to being an early childhood educator. Children grow and learn so much in the five years they are at the preschool and being in tune with the families and understanding how to talk with them about the child's needs is a must for the successful development of the child.


References
National Association for the Education of Young Children,  2011. Retrieved April 16, 2015 from www.http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/ethical_conduct
 
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Friday, April 3, 2015

Course Learning Resources





These are some great learning resources for Early Childhood Educators!

Teachstone (2013). Effective Child-Teacher Interactions. Retrieved April 3, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hw0DbxOmJQ



Healthy Start, Grow Smart Series (2002). Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www2.ed.gov/parents/earlychild/ready/healthystart/index.html

  • Helping Your Preschool Child (2005). Retrieved April 3, 2015, from http://www2.ed.gov/parents/earlychild/ready/preschool/index.html

  • Video: Laureate Education, Inc. (2010). The resources for early childhood. Baltimore: Author.

  • 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.



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