MY HYPOTHETICAL FAMILY SITUATION

This week's blog assignment gave us an opportunity to share the hypothetical family situation we each created for the application assignment, to ask questions of our colleagues, and/or share our own thoughts.  Below is my hypothetical family situation.

Heather is a thirty-year-old widow and soon to be adoptive single parent.  Heather and her late husband were in the process of adopting a two-year-old little girl named Lilly when he was unexpectedly involved in a motor vehicle accident and passed away.  Heather and her late husband were working with the Department of Children and Families in their area in order to adopt Lilly.  Through a lot of soul searching Heather has decided to continue with the adoption since she has bonded with Lilly and Lilly with her.  Heather realizes that she will have to overcome some challenges now and in the future as Lilly has some special needs.  Heather has a good job and the insurance benefits left to her by her husband ensure that she is able to financially care for Lilly now and in the future.

The Department of Children and Families has been assigned to Lilly since her birth.  Lilly was placed into the custody of the Department of Children and Families six months ago due to severe neglect and her biological mother’s continued substance abuse problems.  Lilly was diagnosed with Down syndrome when she was born.  Lilly’s mother has since signed away all of her legal and parental rights to Lilly as she decided it was going to be too much work to raise Lilly despite the services she has been offered since Lilly’s birth.

THE POLITICAL WILL TO IMPROVE EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS

The blog assignment for this week concentrates on the political will to improve early childhood systems.  We were asked to share one or more strategies we have discovered as we worked on the assignments during this course, and particularly this past week, that are currently being used by advocates or organizations to influence the political will toward improving early childhood systems in order to foster the well-being of young children and their families.  We were also asked to share our thoughts on what part of this work appeals to us the most and why?

As I have stated before, in a prior class I focused on this current issue and I find it just as relevant at this time.  What I found while researching as well as applying my own experience in the field was that one of the most important focuses in the early childhood field, in my opinion, is the need of a system designed to assess, improve and communicate the level of quality of early and school-age care programs (Neugebauer, 2009, p. 66), as well as finding quality and affordable child care. Individuals have diverse abilities and these abilities account for a substantial portion of the variation across individuals in socioeconomic success. These gaps across children from different socioeconomic groups emerge before their formal education begins (Heckman, 2008, p. 307).

In the last twenty-two plus years, there have been a lot of changes to the licensing processes in the state of Massachusetts as well as what is now being expected from licensed providers. One of the processes for improvement being explored and designed in my area is the quality rating and improvement systems standards (QRIS) (Neugebauer, 2009, p. 66).  To say being involved in this process is frustrating is an understatement.  I have been involved in the QRIS rating system over the last three years as well as the UPK grant since 2009.  During the course of working with the QRIS system I have been called a glorified babysitter who is uneducated and has no knowledge of how to match standards with goals, etc…  Suffice it to say this was not a good experience for the person who made these statements.  I do not throw my educational background in the mix when dealing with different agencies but did so this one time.  It was my pleasure to point out how “uneducated” I definitely was not (both book learning and experience).  This issue made it up to two supervisors over this woman.

Then it is time for the legal and political systems come into play. We need the political system to intervene and assist in passing legislation in order for the quality of the early care our children receive from unrelated individuals to continue growing. We need the legal system in order to pass the new regulations and put them into effect.  It would just be wonderful if those who are making these regulations and passing the legislation had any experience working day-to-day in the early childhood field.  I have offered over the years to open my child care to anyone who would like to come and spend a day or a few days seeing how it is run.  So far there have been no takers on the offer.  In order to make changes, we need to use strategies such as methods of how to use our voices, invest in our work, and join networks.  Of course, this is easier said than done.  It takes many, many voices to advocate for change – but what a difference these voices can make.

The work that appeals to me the most is definitely the advocacy portion.  I love to do research and use my voice in order to make a difference.  Advocating is an ongoing process that keeps evolving as each new situation occurs.  Knowing my nature, this is a challenge I gladly will take on.

References

Heckman, J. J. (2008). Role of income and family influence on child outcomes. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, pp. 307-323. doi:10.1196/annals.1425.031

Neugebauer, R. (2009). Quality rating and improvement systems. Exchange (01648527), (188), 66-68.

PARENT, FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

For this week’s blog assignment we were asked to consider one system element that is a foundational strength of Head Start.  Parent and Family Involvement is the assigned element we were given to consider.  We were then asked to review and reflect of the life stories we read on the website of the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC), which is part of the Office of Head Start (http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/about/stories/pfs).  We were then asked to blog about what we learned from these Parent and Family Stories and to address two or more of the given topics.  The topics I chose are:

1.  Why do involvement opportunities for parents and family members benefit young children, families, and the early childhood field?

Head Start/Early Head Start places a large emphasis on family involvement.  Unfortunately, educators do not currently have a comprehensive way to measure information from families concerning the types of learning experiences they provide for their children in the home environment.  This information is important due to the fact that one of the primary missions of Head Start/Early Head Start is to prepare children for school (Hindman and Wasik, 2010).  These experiences with their families are very important as the preschool years are a critical time for children’s language and literacy learning (Hindman and Wasik, 2010).  Families are a child’s first teacher and educators cannot accomplish what needs to be done without the families’ interaction (Hindman and Wasik, 2010).

2.  What is the value that hearing such stories has for early childhood professionals, for the public, and for policymakers and government officials?

Listening, really listening to the stories for this assignment has reinforced what I have written in prior assignments.  One of the issues I know I need to continuously work on in regards to changing demographics and diversity is making sure everyone feels respected and included in their community and their child’s education.  I say this because as the demographics and diversity change in my child care and community, so must I.  Fortunately, working with exchange students has really opened my eyes to this issue and allowed me to understand that I can keep growing and learning along with the families/students/community.  The students are always willing to educate me on their cultures, customs, etc…  All I have to do is ask.  If I do not know something I make sure I ask the families to educate me.

According to Santamaria (2009), challenges inherent in serving multiple students with diverse needs (i.e. academic, cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, etc.) have been the preoccupation of educators since the identification of academic achievement gaps in research studies and by school districts (Santamaria, 2009). 

In order to be an effective educator, regardless of what field of education we are working in, we need to be culturally competent communicators.  According to Le Roux (2002), education is not just about understanding the curriculum and achieving good grades.  It is also about teaching and learning about values, assumptions, feelings, perceptions and relationships (Le Roux, 2002).  

It is very important to look at our own biases as we have learned in order to make sure we can ask the questions needed to educate ourselves as well as make our classrooms, child cares, etc… the best environments for learning that we can.  If we do not address these attitudes/biases, we will not be able to establish an environment that is welcoming for everyone.

Educators, as stated above, must genuinely examine their attitudes and assumptions not only about diverse cultures but also about the diverse types of families the children live in.  These attitudes and assumptions will not allow us, as educators, to reach the point of genuine openness to others and therefore, not make our classrooms/child cares an inviting place for others to want to become involved.

Also, once we examine our attitudes and assumptions, it allows us, as individuals as well as educators, to feel comfortable in asking questions and finding out answers from others in how to improve our programs, curriculums, etc… (Gestwicki, 2007).

References

Gestwicki, C. (2007). Home, school, and community relations. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning.

Hindman, A. H., & Wasik, B. A. (2010). Head start families sharing home language and literacy experiences. doi: 10.1080/15240751003737919

Le Roux, J. (2002). Effective educators are culturally competent communicators. Intercultural Education, 13(1), 37-48. doi:10.1080/14675980120112922

Parent and family stories. (n.d.). Retrieved July 13, 2012, from

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/about/stories/pfs

Santamaria, L. J. (2009). Culturally Responsive Differentiated Instruction: Narrowing Gaps between Best Pedagogical Practices Benefiting All Learners. Teachers College Record, 111(1), 214-247.

QUALITY PROGRAMS FOR ALL CHILDREN

It is the mission of the early childhood field to provide developmentally appropriate practices which promotes a child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development in order to support the desire to become life-long learners.  These practices also place a focus on the importance of family and community involvement in the early childhood years and beyond so the children can reach their full potential as productive members of our society. 

In a prior assignment I reflected on current influences on the early childhood field.  What I found was, but not limited to, one of the most important aspects of working in the early childhood field is keeping apprised of the current influences as well as current research in order to perform our jobs to the best of our abilities.  Once armed with this information, we need to apply it to our programs.  Finding the right balance in the curriculum, especially with children of mixed ages for my child care program, is probably one of the biggest challenges I face.  Three resources were summarized in this prior assignment, but I feel they are relevant to the blog assignment for this week as well.

Early Childhood Development (ECD)

Although childhood is the most rapid period of development in an individual’s life, children develop at their own pace.  With this in mind it is important to factor in what is the best way to assist in their physical, cognitive, and social/emotional growth.  This is where our investment in the early childhood comes into play.

The benefits for the children last a life time if we, as early childhood educators, fully invest in well-conceived ECD programs.  Research has shown that participation in well-conceived ECD programs results in children who are more competent socially/emotionally, show higher verbal/intellectual development in their early childhood compared to those children who were not enrolled in a high quality pre-school/childcare program.  A high quality program needs to include, but is not limited to, areas which focus on the children’s physical, social/emotional, cognitive, nutritional, and health needs (web.worldbank.org).  These needs need to be reassessed as the children grow or, as in my case, new children enroll in my program. 

Children’s Emotional development is Built into the Architecture of the Brains

The growing amount of scientific evidence is showing those who work in the early childhood field the importance of emotional development as a critical aspect of the development of overall brain architecture (developingchild.harvard.edu).

Children rapidly develop their abilities to experience, express emotions, and learn to cope with and manage a variety of feelings right from their birth.  These developments occur simultaneously as other, more visible skills (e.g. gross motor, fine motor, cognitive, and language).  The development of an individual’s social competence which is developed in the first five years of development is linked to how an individual develops into adulthood, thus becoming an important foundation which needs to be focused on right from birth.  If this critical aspect is neglected or ignored the consequences later in life will more than likely not be positive in nature.

Bev Bos Blog

Bev Bos and her focus on play as a learning tool was brought to my attention when I first started my educational journey into the early childhood field.  Her blog is a great source of information on the importance of this method of teaching children and is full of resources that I have found very useful over the years I have owned/operated my home daycare.

The above-mentioned articles have reminded me of the importance of the whole package that is needed for children to thrive and grow.  I am also reminded of the importance of making sure the parents of the children in my care are fully included in the day-to-day goals I set for my program as well as the long-term goals for the children’s development.  I am at the point in my professional/personal life that my focus now can fully be on my goals and what I would like to accomplish.  Keeping up with current issues and re-assessing my program plays a large part in creating and maintaining a high quality program for the children in my care.

This being said, my hope for the future is that public opinion continues to gain more momentum in a positive direction towards the importance of the impact of each of the early childhood educational strands, systems, policies, and advocacy.  A positive beginning to life means a positive foundation for future development, health and general well-being throughout a child’s life.  Regular care by other individuals other than the child’s parents has become more of the norm for children prior to school entry.  Part of this is a result of the increased need for two-parent incomes (Doherty et al., 2006).  By creating and implementing high-quality and effective early childhood programs, policies, and child care programs, children will have a solid foundation for a productive future (developingchild.harvard.edu, 2008).

A child’s daily experience plays a large role in the social, emotional, linguistic and cognitive development.  Children who are enrolled in child care will benefit from attending a high-quality program which focuses on a combination of nurturing relationships, a focus on the children’s health and safety, and offering a developmentally-appropriate program focused on the developmental needs (social, emotional, linguistic and cognitive) of the children in attendance (i.e. providing stimulating activities and experiences) (Doherty et al., 2006).

From an economic perspective, the higher the quality of program, the more positive the lasting impacts will be in the future (Galinsky, 2006).  Effective early childhood programs generate benefits to society that far exceed program costs (deveopingchild.harvard.edu, 2008).  According to Olson (2005), economic analyses show that for every dollar that is invested in high-quality programs the return to society can be anywhere between three to seventeen dollars (Olson, 2005).  High-quality also help children have better school readiness skills, yield benefits such as higher graduation rates, fewer school dropouts, less need for special education, and less crime (Olson, 2005).

References

Bev Bos Blog : … It's the Very Best Thing I Do! (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2011, from http://www.bevbos.com/blog/

Doherty, G., Forer, B., Lero, D. S., Goelman, H., & LaGrange, A. (2006). Predictors of quality in family child care. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 21(3), 296-312. doi:10.1016/j.ecresq.2006.07.006

Galinsky, E. (2006). The economic benefits of high quality preschool: What makes the difference? Retrieved from http://familiesandwork.org/site/research/reports/ced.pdf

National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. (2004, Winter). Children's emotional development is built into the architecture of their brains (Working Paper No. 2). Waltham, MA: Author. Available from Center on the Developing Child, Harvard    University website http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/library/reports_and_working_papers/working_papers/wp2/

Olson, L. (2005). Early childhood education: Investing in quality makes sense. Research Points, 3(2).

The World Bank. (2010). Early childhood development. Retrieved June 9, 2011, from
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTCY/0,,contentMDK:20246241~menuPK:4697089~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:396445,00.html

WHAT RESONATES WITH YOU ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY?

I would first like to say welcome to everyone as we begin this next part of reaching our goals.  Graduation is getting closer and closer for each of us.  I look forward to working/learning with everyone during the next eight weeks.  For this week’s blog we were asked to reflect on wyt each of chose this specialization.

Part I:  Why did you choose this specialization?

I have always tried to advocate for others when I could.  One incident in particular reinforced the path I have chosen to pursue.  This incident occurred with one of the children who were enrolled in my childcare.  The basics of the situation are this little boy had been (allegedly) subjected to physical abuse from his mother’s new boyfriend.  Because he was only three-years-old at the time and had been diagnosed with high functioning Autism, the investigative worker through DCF (Department of Children and Families) made the statement to me that this child had no voice.  She did not see why she should keep the case open since the child’s mother recanted her corroboration of the event which took place.  I explained that this little boy did have a voice and that she was getting really frustrated with the system.  I reminded her that this was not a good thing since I would be calling her supervisor in order to discuss the situation.  Suffice to say this investigator was taken off the case and a case was opened in order to make sure the children in the household were being taken care of and not being subjected to abuse by the mom’s boyfriend.  I am happy to say that mom eventually left this guy and the children (from what I hear) are doing great.  The little boy in question is now eight-years-old and has been mainstreamed into the regular classrooms at school.

Part II:  Why are advocates essential in the early childhood field?

According to Kieff (2009), advocating is both a natural as well as a necessary extension to our responsibilities as an early childhood professional/educator.  It is essential for us, as educators, to promote ideas and seek resolutions that will affect children and families in positive ways (Kieff, 2009). 

Part III:  What do you hope to learn about public policy and advocacy?

           
I was born with the voice to use in order to advocate for others who are in need of a voice.  What I need, however, is the knowledge and skills in order to advocate effectively.  The deeper I get into advocating, the more I realize I need to learn about public policy and how to go about effectively advocating under different circumstances.

Reference

Kieff, J. E. (2009). Informed advocacy in early childhood care and education: Making a difference for young children and families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

END OF ANOTHER JOURNEY

As we each finish this last week in our course, it is time to say thank you to everyone for all of your advice and wisdom throughout the last eight weeks.  It was a pleasure to work/learn with new individuals as well as those of you that I have worked/learned with in previous classes.  I wish everyone the best of luck in whichever specialization you have chosen.  If you would like to keep in touch, you can find me on Facebook (Robin Lemire, Massachusetts).  I usually have some type of Winnie-the-Pooh clip-art as my profile picture.  I look forward to working/learning with those of you who have chosen the specialization of advocacy. 

TEAM BUILDING AND COLLABORATION - PART I

For this week’s blog assignment we are asked to consider the adjourning phase of team development in connection to groups which we have been involved in.  The first group that came to mind was when I was taking a required speech course while working on my undergrad degree.  For whatever reason, we just all bonded as a group right from the beginning.  I have to say this was probably the most fun as well as productive class I have ever attended.  It was also very hard when we were at the adjourning stage.  Following the Five Stages of Development (Abudi, 2010); this is how I perceive my experience with this particular class.

Stage 1 – Forming:  During this stage we each introduced ourselves and the journey to discovering about each other began.  We also discussed with the professor what was expected of us over the next fourteen weeks.  Our professor was very clear on his expectations but was also very respectful of each of the students. 

Stage 2 – Storming:  During this stage we began to break up into smaller groups who would be working more closely together on specific assignments.

Stage 3 – Norming:  At this stage we have now begun to really get to know each other and are more open (I believe) to hearing from all sides before decisions are made.  The projects we have been assigned are progressing more smoothly because of following this process (even though at the time we did not realize it).

Stage 4 – Performing:  At this point all of our hard work is being realized and we are closing in on the completion of our project.

Stage 5 – Adjourning:  At this point there is happiness (because we have completed our assigned projects and have successfully worked together to have accomplished this).  There is also sadness (since we know that we probably will not be seeing each other again).  Our professor has a great idea in order to make this stage a little easier.  We all chose to meet for dinner in a nearby restaurant after the last class in order for all of us to have the chance to say good-bye and to exchange phone numbers and email addresses (this was before Facebook).

References

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from

http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html