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I must that this class has really taught me how to communicate with others on a professional level. Through the ongoing communication we experience in this class I have found out a lot of pertinent information about my colleagues work life as well as personal life! I wish you all the best on your educational journey!! Thanks for the guidance Dr. Parrish!!

Adjourning

When speaking on the adjourning level/step, the group that first comes to mind would be my Rasmussen school as well as colleageus and instructors. I loved the fact that I graduated with my Bachelors degree, but I hated the fact that I would no longer be a part of that community. We all formed bonds both personal as well as intellectual/educational. Teachers and colleagues were so willing to help one another through our journey of obtaining a higher degree. When I actually attended graduation, I was able to meet some of these awesome people!
After graduating , I knew that I wanted to obtain a Masters but Rasmussen did not have Masters programs available! I was stuck and scared about attending a new institution. After searching, several friends as well as internet reviews pointed me in the direction of Walden. Upon first entering the Blackboard everything was soooooo different!! I was so accustomed to Rasmussen that this new school had almost intimidated me! After about the first week of class I felt right at home! Instructors were sweet and helpful and so were my colleagues!
Even though the adjourning of my Rasmussen school was hard, Walden made it quite comfortable for me to feel right at home again! I feel this is because trust was set up from the get go. Just like Rasmussen, my financial aid and class selection went well in the very beginning. These measures helped me gain trust in my future with both schools because they seemed to know what they were doing and I was willing to place my educational future in their hands!! Adjourning was sad but my entrance to this new school was awesome!

Respectfulness, Reciprocality, and Responsiveness are the 3 rs that lead to better communication between partners, whether it be professional or personal. I'm the kind that pretty much minds my own business and deal with not too many people besides family and close friends. Because of this I feel that it truly keeps me grounded and out of others "mess". So there have been very few times when I have had arguments with others besides the occasional fall out/argument that my husband and I seldom have!!! During these times I must say that neither one of us took the time to follow the 3rs of communication. We often said things in a not so nice way because of our tempers being hot at that particular moment!! But I'm almost positive that if we had taken the time to actually HEAR and RESPECT what the other was thinking, as well as RESPOND in a non-argumentative way, then the conversation would not have been as heated because both parties would have been respected! This is definitely a method that I have not used but could definitely benefit from professionally as well as personally on a day to day basis!!

This weeks blog relates to the assignment/application for week 4. In this assignment, I had to conduct two surveys on my own as well as get two people to conduct the same surveys. On the first I received a score of 27 and on the second survey I received a score of 60. Both of my testers scored very similar to myself as well as with each other. After looking at things that we differed on opinions of would be feeling disappointed when I spoke publicly, as well as showing others that I dislike them. When I scored myself I felt as if I was always confident before and after public speaking; but after reviewing the feedback from my coworker and husband they informed me that I appear less confident because I am always asking how I did afterwards, as well as consistently asking if my presentation was appropriate beforehand! When I think about it I guess it does seem that I am less confident when speaking publicly! The second issue that differed was showing dislike! I always try to get along with others regardless but its hard sometimes! My coworker and husband informed me that I need to work on my facial expressions/demeanor! When I think about it that's so true! My mouth could be saying one thing but my body language.....which is often very believable.....needs to be in sync!!! I truly enjoyed this assignment and it will definitely help me in my professional and personal life!!

For this weeks blog assignment we are asked if we communicate differently for people that may be on different levels within our daily circle. For me, I must say that I am more comfortable around the people that I deal with on a daily basis! So for them, I may not always use appropriate language, etc. But when it comes to people like those in my area office , who I don't deal with on a daily basis, I find I use language that is more appropriate, my listening skills are better, and my eye contact is better. Not that I don't do these things on a daily level, but I think we are more aware of these things when we are trying to make a impression on someone that we view as important. One thing that I have learned this week is to pay attention to how others communicate. By doing this I can become a better communicator with various people. Number two would be to realize that everyone is not like me, so I can't expect them to communicate as I would! And last, taking the me out of the equation and just focusing on how another person feels in a conversation will get me well on my way to becoming a better communicator! I must say that I learned a lot this week!!

Communication Skills and Styles

For this assignment I used a Lifetime movie called 'The Perfect Boyfriend' instead of a TV show because I don't have anyway of recording one. So basically I cut the TV on mute when the show came on at 2pm, watched it for a while on mute, and then finished the movie out with regular volume. The important characters in the movie appeared to be one adult male and one child male. The female characters were three main characters; one that seemed to be a teenaged daughter and the other two seemed to be the wife and mistress. Without sound it appears that the adult male is having an affair on his wife. He is very affectionate with both females and this is what lead me to my conclusion, because of his body languages with both (hugs, kisses, etc). The young boy seemed to be the child of the husband and wife, even though he seemed to be more affectionate with the mother. As for the teenager, the mother appears to be pretty young , but its apparent that she must be a child of hers considering she lives in the household. The union seemed more loving between the mistress and husband because when he hugs the wife, his eyes seem a bit suspicious! Now when I'm about to turn the volume up......a mysterious man has entered the picture and he's hugging the young boy and the boy is spending the night with him!!! Ughhhhh!! Lol! 😁 Just when I thought I had it all figured out!!
Volume up: Boy was I wrong!!! Totally different scenario with a little sound!!! The two females were a wife and fake girlfriend. The adult male lived with the fake girlfriend because him and the wife were plotting to get millions from her!!  So this is where the suspicious look came from when I thought he was hugging the "wife" who in actuality was the fake girlfriend! The one whom I thought was the mistress was actually the wife!! Confusing, I know! The little was actually not the son of the boyfriend, so this explains why he wasn't as affectionate as the mother. The teenager was actually the live in babysitter who was basically like a member of the family.
Basically, this assignment has taught me that a lot can be gained from body language, facial expressions, which are all forms of nonverbal communication. Sometimes it tells on you, as in the words you speak may not be the same as the language your body is speaking; and during other times, nonverbal language can be misleading. This is why its important to speak up, and voice your opinion through ongoing communication! This assignment was quite fun and has taught me a lot!

Model Communicators

I fortunately have several people who I can refer to as model communicators, but the first person that comes to mind would be my supervisor of the Head Start center where I am employed here in Georgia! When having meetings she is always sure to make eye contact, her voice is always pleasant not aggressive, and she gives everyone a chance to voice their opinions. If parents or staff members at any given time are irate or unreasonable, she always has what it takes to calm the situation down! She is very respectful of what everyone says, even if our thoughts are different than hers! She stands up for her staff when it comes to higher authority..... If the situation grants being stood up for.... and she does so in a very appropriate manner. Because of these things, she is definitely one that I would look up to as a great communicator or as a communication model.

Hopes in ECE and Diversity

Hopes for the future when working with kids who may be from diverse areas of the world would be for them to feel as welcome as possible. I hope that the atmosphere would be one that's inviting. I pray that all families and children will feel welcomed when entering my classroom. I hope that the activities that I present for my children will be ones that supports and promotes differences in cultures. I hope that I will forever teach children to embrace differences instead of mocking or being intimidated by those differences.
The hope that I have for ECE is that we not forget how important it is To our families or children we serve. I must admit that I had not had a class that went this deep into diversity issues as this class. I think ECE programs in colleges should include a diversity class as in depth as this one!
Finally, I would like to give thanks to all of my colleagues who have supported me along the way in the form of commenting, reading, or just enjoying my blog! Good luck to you all!!

Welcoming Families from Around the World

The country that I have chosen is China. The educational setting that I have chosen is an early childhood classroom setting. The five ways that I would ensure cultural responsiveness for the Chinese family would include;
* Reshaping the curriculum so that it is culturally responsive to the child's background. I would do this by including things that I have learned within the curriculum.
*Build a bridge of connection between home and school. If I know ahead of time that interpretation is needed, I should seek ahead of time to find it.
*Include multicultural cultural information in all areas of development.
*Allow the child and family to share some control within the school environment. For example, parents could volunteer at the school and show myself and the class some Chinese traditions that relates to various areas of development with young children.
*When celebrating various things within the classroom, be sure to include various Chinese themes, holidays, traditions, etc.
These are all things that I would do to ensure a successful transition into my classroom. I feel that constant research as well as a close connection with the child and family will help make the transition here in America even smoother.

The Personal Side of Bias

Thankfully, I have never been subjected to any type of personal bias but I have witnessed plenty of episodes from those close to me as well as on the Internet and television.  The experience that I am choosing to focus on will be that of a friend/family member. She was my best friend before I married into her family, so now we're like sisters! In high school, I was the first of many to find out that she was gay. I actually found out by mistake. She, I, and a few of our other closest friends would often share lockers in high school. We both had a notebook that was similar and I accidentally picked up her notebook instead of my own. I realized this once I opened it up and noticed a letter written to a female detailing how she was in love with her. It was a total shock but I was determined to be there for my friend regardless! When people at school found out they treated her SO BAD! Calling her all types of cruel names, etc. Her family wasn't very accepting at first either.  Her mother threw her out of the house and she had to live with her grandmother until her mother realized she had made a huge mistake. Even today,  she still gets a few whispers, stares, and negative comments but our community has grown to love her for who she truly is.....not who she chooses to love!
The fact that she is gay has truly affected her equity. People definitely look at and treat her differently in some situations. For example. She and her girlfriend started to attend my church. A few others who attend my church are gay as well. Not soon after, other people from other churches were saying that our preacher was starting to cater to gay people because we had church full of them. I feel this was sad because we come to church to praise the Lord and not too be judged. Equity is treating others fairly and equally. I feel that others trying to speak negatively of those trying to serve God is definitely not fair or equal. How fair is it too be judged in the house of the Lord?

Microaggression

One example of micro aggression that happened to me back in August was actually from a former parent of mines. Her child (a little boy) was a 3 year old in my Head Start class during last school term. He was a very sweet child but he was never really present at school, of course through no fault of his own! Over the summer I saw the child, his sister, and mother at our local grocery store. I a asked the mom if he was returning for a second year as well as asking her if her little girl would be attending. The mother proceeded to tell me that she had registered her daughter and that her son would be returning as well. She then went on to say that she was contemplating on putting her new four year old son in another program because she "heard" they learn more there than at Head Start😒😳!!! Really!!!! I really felt 'some type of way'! That's an insult to my face and she didn't even realize it?! In that moment I felt disrespected as her child's former teacher, I felt disrespect for the Head Start program as well! I don't think any malice was intended but I certainly felt not so good about her statement! Did she forget that her child rarely came to school??? How would he learn anything considering the fact he was never present! I work hard to ensure that my kids environment is one where learning is ongoing! I work hard on my education to ensure that my children are given the best chance at a successful future! So this was a blow to my efforts! But of course, I will never let that deter my determination in educating young children!! This has definitely taught me to watch what I say to others because words can definitely STING!!! By the way......her little girl is in my class this year😲😱!!! Lol! But I love, support, and teach this child just as I would any other child!!😻😻
This experience made me become more aware of the prejudices that exists when it comes to early childhood programs.....especially Head Start! We are viewed as babysitters instead of professionals who aide in the growth and development of young children! Remaining advocates for our field and kids,will hopefully help us overcome this "stigma" that we currently face!

Views of Culture and Diversity from Others

For this assignment I was required to interview three people from various backgrounds, etc. The three people that I chose were all African Americans but from different generations and backgrounds. The first was my husband who is in his 30's, and of course he's a male. The second person was a woman in her 50's, and the second was a young woman in her 20's. Their responses to culture and diversity (the meanings) are all located below;
My Husband: Culture- people and their race.

Diversity- differences among people; that at times can cause arguments and disagreements.

Female in Her Fifties: 

Culture is the environment that a person live in and diversity is a mix and understanding and respect for one another.

Female in Her Twenties: 

Culture is different characteristics    formed to suit what type of environment and society you are around and diversity is different personality formed to set you or an environment apart.

I feel that all individuals had a good take on what culture and diversity is. Since an environment can consist of various differences, I feel that this can include sexual preferences, race, political stance, socioeconomic placement such as middle class, poor, etc. So since two people used the word 'environmental differences' I think that word goes a long way and I feel that it correlates with what we have been studying so far in this class. 

One part that I think is something to really think about is my husbands definition of diversity. If you think of what was stated in our video for the week, his statement is similar to that of the professional talking in the video. She stated that diversity is like an iceberg. At the tip we have all the fun stuff such as restaurants, food, clothing, music, etc. that is represented by that culture. But in the middle we have confusion, and the arguments that my husband spoke of because of differences of opinions, etc. I thought his partake on the word was quite interesting! I feel that I learned something from all three responses, as well as all responses being similar to at least a portion of what we are learning in this class; mainly a portion because as we all have learned, culture and diversity goes so much more than the 'tip of the iceberg'!!!

My Family Culture

When thinking about being "thrown" into a country in a rash decision making process, I would definitely be absolutely TERRIFIED!!!! All I can think about are the poor families from Syria who are refugees trying to get into better countries! They are desperate people fighting, as well as losing their lives (images of the poor 7 year old dead on the beach enters my mind here😢😣) for a chance at a better and safer chance of living in a new surrounding! But that's only part of the struggle....making it over that is! Once they enter a new country they must learn the language that is prevalent in that country, become citizens, adapt to their new surroundings, adjust to not being around their entire family, and the list goes on and on! These are things that I must think about as an preschool teacher of these families! I must recognize and respect their journey, just as I would want others to respect mines!!! The three objects that I would take along if this situation presented itself would be the following;
Copies of my Degrees and Transcripts- hopefully education is in full swing in the country that I am chosen to reside in. Maybe my degrees can help my family and I have a better start since we are brand new in the country and completely starting over.
Cell Phone- This seems minute, but in my eyes it helps me stay connected to family members and friends that I had to leave behind; especially since almost all carriers have international capabilities. My cell phone has plenty of family pictures as well as internet capabilities. So here's another way I can stay connected (Facebook) as well as have treasured family photos.
Vital Family Records- Birth Certificates, etc. Identification process may be easier with these records.

These are the three things I would take; but hopefully I'll never be put in that predicament! This assignment has truly made have even more respect for those who have gone through this scenario!

Final Blog!!!

I must start by saying that this class sounded quite scary when I saw the title of it! I, as well as many of you, am very use to conducting research for research papers through online study; but never have I had the experience of learning how those researchers who conducted study actually did it! This course has taught me that it is a quite rigorous procedure of performing a study. To start it must be something that is important to the field of study in which one works. For example, most people who conduct research on early childhood are those people who are already a part of the field. Research is good in many ways and one of the most important aspects of it is that it can make a child's life that much more positive; but this good aspect doesn't come without a price!

The process of performing a study is very demanding! Researchers must keep ethical issues in mind at all times. In most early childhood studies children are involved, so the researcher must obtain parental consent. Researchers must also be sure to not let their own personal views get in the way of their research. I learned that validity is a very important portion of research work as well. Information presented should be reliable and trustworthy; and that triangulation is a great method to help ensure validity in research.

This class has taught me about the three kinds of research which is quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. I learned several aspects of what makes certain research be one of the three. Overall I have learned a whole lot about research! This class has actually taught me to respect the work of research more now that I know the rigorous steps involved so that they (researchers) can present their information to the public (which is us)! This research class has also helped to prep me. If I ever decide to get my doctorate, I now know the steps needed through becoming a researcher and performing a study; which will in essence help me to earn a doctorate degree! This class has been very much so detailed, informative, and a great learning experience! I thank Walden University for the opportunity!

Research Around the World

Originated in 1938, Early Childhood Australia aims at ensuring equity, quality, and social justice in all issues that is related to the education and care of young children (from birth to age 8). The organization has strategic goals set in place and those goals are as listed below:

• Goal 1: ECA is an effective advocate for children
• Goal 2: ECA is a champion for quality outcomes in early childhood education and care
• Goal 3: ECA is a strong, progressive, and sustainable organization

The organization has a Research in Practice series that focuses on issues like Intentional Teaching, Sustainability, Programs and Relationships in Practice, and Secure Transitions are just some of the areas that have been researched, discussed and included in yearly resources through the Early Childhood Australia network. Other things that I found quite interesting about this organization is the fact that they have resources for not only parents but for educators within the early childhood realm as well. The site has monthly webinars and the next webinar is scheduled for Thursday, August 20, 2015. The site has potential for hiring new early childhood prospects, as well as offering researchers and authors a chance to produce more information on the following:

• Indoor spaces
• Gifted and Talented: Indoor and Exclusion
• Creativity

Overall I feel that this organization is a great one, and the path that they are leading is a great one for Australians to follow!

                                                                           References
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Benefits of Previous Research

  Today I can say that I am thankful for the multitude of research that has been done on childhood stuttering. My youngest child that just turned 4 in July, has picked up a habit of stuttering. From research that has been conducted on the subject, I have learned that not all childhood stutterers bring the habit over into adulthood......in fact that most times outgrow it. Newer research conducted has taught me that my child's stuttering does not come from emotional problems, which older studies suggested. Although stuttering within itself can cause emotional problems within children. I have benefited from this research because results have demonstrated that I do not need to bring attention to his stuttering as some family members have suggested. Many are quick to say 'slow down' or 'start over' to a stutterer; but according to research performed, bringing attention to the fact that the child is stuttering, is the last thing that needs to be done.
   I had a fear  that my child may continue to stutter because of family members who stutter also. Hereditary factors were revealed to have some effect on stutterers, but genetic transmission has yet to be proved. Finally, research has made me as a parent and teacher more confident in working with a stuttering child because of suggestions that have been proven to help the child. A few of these suggestions are as follows:

- Call little attention to the fact that the child stutters
- Try to ensure that atmospheres are cool, calm, and collective so that the child doesn't feel stressed
- Encourage more conversation
- Do not react emotionally to stuttering (Meaning don't show embarrassment,impatience, or anxiety)
- and being aware of my own speech and speaking slowly will encourage the stuttering child to slow     down as well.

                                                                             References
Mazzuca-Peter, J. (1989). The Student Who Stutters- Teacher's Guide. Retrieved from https://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/InfoPWDS/studentwhostutters.html

Introduction to Research Topic

The subject that I have chosen to focus on for the research component of this class is "Managing Autism in Early Childhood Settings". The three subtopics that I have chosen are:

• Behavior Techniques that Work in Young Children with Autism
• Appropriate Developmental Strategies for Working with Autistic Children in Various Settings/Learning Areas
• Working with Families of the Young Autistic Child

Professionally I chose this subject because it is one that seems to be on the rise within the early childhood atmosphere. So in other words, it's very relevant. Personally, I chose this field because as a teacher it's very hard sometimes to find out what it is that most children with autism require. We have no special training for autism, so it's almost like a game of finding out which 'answer sticks or works' for each particular child. Most children with special needs are required to spend most of their days in a regular education classroom. So generally, there is no way around either being trained professionally, or conducting our own research to help ourselves in the classroom as well as the autistic child! As my picture at the top shows......It's all about fitting the pieces of the puzzle to the appropriate spaces. With this research, hopefully I will be able to do that within the classroom! :)

Final Blog!!

Over the last eight weeks I have had the opportunity to dig deeper into the livelihood of other countries and their takes on early education. The mission was to initially build contact with a professional from another country. Unfortunately, my efforts were in vein because I never heard from the ten sources of whom I reached out to. Because of this, I was able to take a deeper look into online sources such as UNICEF and even the NHSA! I learned a lot about these organizations and what they have to offer, so I am very grateful for that! Listed below is a goal that I have set for myself when looking at international contacts, as well as three consequences that I have found to be during my contact with various countries. They are as listed below:

Goal-----To remain educated about early childhood procedures in other countries. Walden has shared websites; now it's up to me to put it to use in the future. Now I know how to contact others professionally in different regions of the world!

Consequences:

* Efforts reveal no results when trying to reach overseas personally. At times it's hard to form relations with others from around the world. This class is time specific, so maybe when I try for myself in the future......I may have more time to reach out to more professionals around the world. 

* Realization that in some countries, fighting for the right of an early education will be an uphill battle. For example, a country like the Philippines may not be as prominent as say Australia. So they will not view the importance of this type of education the same. Those kids in less developed countries like the Philippines are only entitled to an early education through private sectors if they are wealthy. So this within itself is a major issue!

* Time restraints listed above can be a consequence as well. In many areas of the world, they are days apart from the time zone here in the United States. So some of our efforts may take us talking to representatives at 3:30 am when it's 9:00 am for them!! Even though I had no professionals contacts, I can remember reading a couple of posts this 8 weeks that revealed how hard it was to "catch" each other because of time differences! So time restraints could be a huge consequence of international contacts!

Even though there are consequences, my feelings are so what?!? If you are passionate about doing something, IT CAN BE DONE!! It may take hard work and plenty of effort; but when you look at what's at stake (young children)......I think we all can agree that it's well worth the effort we have put forth!!!! Wishing you all the best on your educational journey!!!! 😃

Final Blog!!

Over the last eight weeks I have had the opportunity to dig deeper into the livelihood of other countries and their takes on early education. The mission was to initially build contact with a professional from another country. Unfortunately, my efforts were in vein because I never heard from the ten sources of whom I reached out to. Because of this, I was able to take a deeper look into online sources such as UNICEF and even the NHSA! I learned a lot about these organizations and what they have to offer, so I am very grateful for that! Listed below is a goal that I have set for myself when looking at international contacts, as well as three consequences that I have found to be during my contact with various countries. They are as listed below:

Goal-----To remain educated about early childhood procedures in other countries. Walden has shared websites; now it's up to me to put it to use in the future. Now I know how to contact others professionally in different regions of the world!

Consequences:

* Efforts reveal no results when trying to reach overseas personally. At times it's hard to form relations with others from around the world. This class is time specific, so maybe when I try for myself in the future......I may have more time to reach out to more professionals around the world. 

* Realization that in some countries, fighting for the right of an early education will be an uphill battle. For example, a country like the Philippines may not be as prominent as say Australia. So they will not view the importance of this type of education the same. Those kids in less developed countries like the Philippines are only entitled to an early education through private sectors if they are wealthy. So this within itself is a major issue!

* Time restraints listed above can be a consequence as well. In many areas of the world, they are days apart from the time zone here in the United States. So some of our efforts may take us talking to representatives at 3:30 am when it's 9:00 am for them!! Even though I had no professionals contacts, I can remember reading a couple of posts this 8 weeks that revealed how hard it was to "catch" each other because of time differences! So time restraints could be a huge consequence of international contacts!

Even though there are consequences, my feelings are so what?!? If you are passionate about doing something, IT CAN BE DONE!! It may take hard work and plenty of effort; but when you look at what's at stake (young children)......I think we all can agree that it's well worth the effort we have put forth!!!! Wishing you all the best on your educational journey!!!! 😃

Final Blog!!

Over the last eight weeks I have had the opportunity to dig deeper into the livelihood of other countries and their takes on early education. The mission was to initially build contact with a professional from another country. Unfortunately, my efforts were in vein because I never heard from the ten sources of whom I reached out to. Because of this, I was able to take a deeper look into online sources such as UNICEF and even the NHSA! I learned a lot about these organizations and what they have to offer, so I am very grateful for that! Listed below is a goal that I have set for myself when looking at international contacts, as well as three consequences that I have found to be during my contact with various countries. They are as listed below:

Goal-----To remain educated about early childhood procedures in other countries. Walden has shared websites; now it's up to me to put it to use in the future. Now I know how to contact others professionally in different regions of the world!

Consequences:

* Efforts reveal no results when trying to reach overseas personally. At times it's hard to form relations with others from around the world. This class is time specific, so maybe when I try for myself in the future......I may have more time to reach out to more professionals around the world. 

* Realization that in some countries, fighting for the right of an early education will be an uphill battle. For example, a country like the Philippines may not be as prominent as say Australia. So they will not view the importance of this type of education the same. Those kids in less developed countries like the Philippines are only entitled to an early education through private sectors if they are wealthy. So this within itself is a major issue!

* Time restraints listed above can be a consequence as well. In many areas of the world, they are days apart from the time zone here in the United States. So some of our efforts may take us talking to representatives at 3:30 am when it's 9:00 am for them!! Even though I had no professionals contacts, I can remember reading a couple of posts this 8 weeks that revealed how hard it was to "catch" each other because of time differences! So time restraints could be a huge consequence of international contacts!

Even though there are consequences, my feelings are so what?!? If you are passionate about doing something, IT CAN BE DONE!! It may take hard work and plenty of effort; but when you look at what's at stake (young children)......I think we all can agree that it's well worth the effort we have put forth!!!! Wishing you all the best on your educational journey!!!! 😃

Final Blog!!

Over the last eight weeks I have had the opportunity to dig deeper into the livelihood of other countries and their takes on early education. The mission was to initially build contact with a professional from another country. Unfortunately, my efforts were in vein because I never heard from the ten sources of whom I reached out to. Because of this, I was able to take a deeper look into online sources such as UNICEF and even the NHSA! I learned a lot about these organizations and what they have to offer, so I am very grateful for that! Listed below is a goal that I have set for myself when looking at international contacts, as well as three consequences that I have found to be during my contact with various countries. They are as listed below:

Goal-----To remain educated about early childhood procedures in other countries. Walden has shared websites; now it's up to me to put it to use in the future. Now I know how to contact others professionally in different regions of the world!

Consequences:

* Efforts reveal no results when trying to reach overseas personally. At times it's hard to form relations with others from around the world. This class is time specific, so maybe when I try for myself in the future......I may have more time to reach out to more professionals around the world. 

* Realization that in some countries, fighting for the right of an early education will be an uphill battle. For example, a country like the Philippines may not be as prominent as say Australia. So they will not view the importance of this type of education the same. Those kids in less developed countries like the Philippines are only entitled to an early education through private sectors if they are wealthy. So this within itself is a major issue!

* Time restraints listed above can be a consequence as well. In many areas of the world, they are days apart from the time zone here in the United States. So some of our efforts may take us talking to representatives at 3:30 am when it's 9:00 am for them!! Even though I had no professionals contacts, I can remember reading a couple of posts this 8 weeks that revealed how hard it was to "catch" each other because of time differences! So time restraints could be a huge consequence of international contacts!

Even though there are consequences, my feelings are so what?!? If you are passionate about doing something, IT CAN BE DONE!! It may take hard work and plenty of effort; but when you look at what's at stake (young children)......I think we all can agree that it's well worth the effort we have put forth!!!! Wishing you all the best on your educational journey!!!! 😃

Final Blog!!

Over the last eight weeks I have had the opportunity to dig deeper into the livelihood of other countries and their takes on early education. The mission was to initially build contact with a professional from another country. Unfortunately, my efforts were in vein because I never heard from the ten sources of whom I reached out to. Because of this, I was able to take a deeper look into online sources such as UNICEF and even the NHSA! I learned a lot about these organizations and what they have to offer, so I am very grateful for that! Listed below is a goal that I have set for myself when looking at international contacts, as well as three consequences that I have found to be during my contact with various countries. They are as listed below:

Goal-----To remain educated about early childhood procedures in other countries. Walden has shared websites; now it's up to me to put it to use in the future. Now I know how to contact others professionally in different regions of the world!

Consequences:

* Efforts reveal no results when trying to reach overseas personally. At times it's hard to form relations with others from around the world. This class is time specific, so maybe when I try for myself in the future......I may have more time to reach out to more professionals around the world. 

* Realization that in some countries, fighting for the right of an early education will be an uphill battle. For example, a country like the Philippines may not be as prominent as say Australia. So they will not view the importance of this type of education the same. Those kids in less developed countries like the Philippines are only entitled to an early education through private sectors if they are wealthy. So this within itself is a major issue!

* Time restraints listed above can be a consequence as well. In many areas of the world, they are days apart from the time zone here in the United States. So some of our efforts may take us talking to representatives at 3:30 am when it's 9:00 am for them!! Even though I had no professionals contacts, I can remember reading a couple of posts this 8 weeks that revealed how hard it was to "catch" each other because of time differences! So time restraints could be a huge consequence of international contacts!

Even though there are consequences, my feelings are so what?!? If you are passionate about doing something, IT CAN BE DONE!! It may take hard work and plenty of effort; but when you look at what's at stake (young children)......I think we all can agree that it's well worth the effort we have put forth!!!! Wishing you all the best on your educational journey!!!! 😃

Final Blog!!

Over the last eight weeks I have had the opportunity to dig deeper into the livelihood of other countries and their takes on early education. The mission was to initially build contact with a professional from another country. Unfortunately, my efforts were in vein because I never heard from the ten sources of whom I reached out to. Because of this, I was able to take a deeper look into online sources such as UNICEF and even the NHSA! I learned a lot about these organizations and what they have to offer, so I am very grateful for that! Listed below is a goal that I have set for myself when looking at international contacts, as well as three consequences that I have found to be during my contact with various countries. They are as listed below:

Goal-----To remain educated about early childhood procedures in other countries. Walden has shared websites; now it's up to me to put it to use in the future. Now I know how to contact others professionally in different regions of the world!

Consequences:

* Efforts reveal no results when trying to reach overseas personally. At times it's hard to form relations with others from around the world. This class is time specific, so maybe when I try for myself in the future......I may have more time to reach out to more professionals around the world. 

* Realization that in some countries, fighting for the right of an early education will be an uphill battle. For example, a country like the Philippines may not be as prominent as say Australia. So they will not view the importance of this type of education the same. Those kids in less developed countries like the Philippines are only entitled to an early education through private sectors if they are wealthy. So this within itself is a major issue!

* Time restraints listed above can be a consequence as well. In many areas of the world, they are days apart from the time zone here in the United States. So some of our efforts may take us talking to representatives at 3:30 am when it's 9:00 am for them!! Even though I had no professionals contacts, I can remember reading a couple of posts this 8 weeks that revealed how hard it was to "catch" each other because of time differences! So time restraints could be a huge consequence of international contacts!

Even though there are consequences, my feelings are so what?!? If you are passionate about doing something, IT CAN BE DONE!! It may take hard work and plenty of effort; but when you look at what's at stake (young children)......I think we all can agree that it's well worth the effort we have put forth!!!! Wishing you all the best on your educational journey!!!! 😃

International Contacts

Unfortunately, the eight weeks have ended and I have yet to hear from any international contacts. I am really a bit saddened about it because I was truly inspired and eager to learn of early childhood learning, teaching strategies, requirements, and techniques from any other country besides my own! I initially contacted TEN representatives because I wanted to heighten my chances of hearing from someone; but this did not help. I was also unsuccessful with finding any podcasts, so therefore I have had to resort to completing the 'alternative' assignment for many of my blog posts this past 7 weeks! For this week, the alternative assignment was a link to UNESCO. With this link the assignment was to find things that are of interest to me. Honestly, everything I read was of interest to me because this was an organization of which I had never heard. Listed below is my journey through the UNESCO website:

 UNESCO's mission is to support early childhood policy development with the aim to build a solid foundation for a child's lifelong learning. They actively work with Member States to develop and strengthen their national capacity to meet the first goal of the 2000 Dakar Framework for Action. UNESCO was started back in the 1950's. The focus of the organization is on upstream policy work, supporting governments through policy review, publication activities, and capacity building. Their focus is on peace, poverty eradication, among other things. Education is one of the principles they use to achieve this eradication of those things listed. A few of the ways that they are able to do this through education, is by offering activities such as Literacy for All, Skills for Work and Life, and Women and Girls Education.....to name a few. UNESCO currently has 195 Members and 9 Associate Members and they service many countries around the world. I feel this organization is a very beneficial one for the field of early childhood education.

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

Shared Web Resources

UNICEF is the organization that I used originally when I tried to contact educational professionals from other countries. When searching through the website for other links, at the bottom of the page; I noticed there were nine countries that UNICEF did not make connections with. Curiosity got the best of me and initially I set out to find reasons why these countries were not helped by UNICEF. I was unable to solve that portion of the equation but I was as to find statistical information about all nine countries. The link stated that the information was from the year 2013. Along with normal poverty information, the link also provided early childhood information; such as attendance rates with male vs females, and rich vs poor educational statistics. Unfortunately, the link did not provide info about inequities; but when looking at the statistic numbers in each country, I'm very sure that each one has SEVERAL inequities, even the state of being in a poorer country as number 1! The nine countries are: Bahamas, Brunei, Darussalam, Cyprus, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, and Singapore. Even though UNICEF does not provide connections with the listed countries; I like the fact that they still have connections so that viewers are able to donate aid/relief/monies.

Harvard University's Global Children's Initiative

 Unfortunately I had to resort to Harvard University's website because the podcasts were unsuccessful for me. But....I did learn of the great initiative this organization is putting forth for better outcomes for our young children! First, I found that the Global Children's Initiative started in 2009. The purpose of the organization was to advance the science based approach to improving the survival, health, learning, and behavior of children facing some form of adversity. Their missions helps to restore economic productivity as well.
 The second interesting fact about the organization was that their main goal is to help close gaps between what experts know about early childhood and what the public thinks they know about early childhood.
 The final interesting fact that I found out about this great Harvard organization was the fact that their activities are split into different sectors. Listed below are just a few of those activities:


National Scientific Council on the Developing Child- responsible for synthesizing and communicating the science of early childhood and early brain development for policy making and public knowledge.


National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs- responsible for interpreting and informing research on effectiveness of programs targeting early childhood.


Science of Adversity and Resilience- advances our understanding on how genes, experiences, and the environment affects brain development prenatally and basically how it affects the child's future.


These are just a few of the things that I have learned about this wonderful organization!














 

Sharing Web Resources

The website that I have been following is one that apparently was started in The United States, but is capable of reaching out to children, as well as having appointed representatives, all over the world. UNICEF is the website that I am speaking of. I think it's absolutely amazing how they aim to help needy families and children ALL OVER THE WORLD!! I think it's also amazing how they are able to share yearly statistics etc, about other countries, poverty levels, etc. It gives us a good feel and better understanding  of other countries, even though we are still here in America.

My current profession is with the Head Start program. Every one pretty much knows that this program in particular is aimed at helping low-income families and children prosper in the future educationally, as well as economically. On last week I got a chance to study poverty rates in the Philippines through this website. When looking through various components on the website it gives a lot of information on how and why the citizens of those countries are having issues with poverty. With Head Start, we don't always know the WHOLE story, but we are very willing to help. In our area, it seemed that many of the issues with childhood poverty in my town was the fact that many fathers are not present in the household to help support the family, and that many children were brought into the world by teenage parents. In the Philippines, families were often married before children were brought into the picture, but poverty occurred because of the low-paying jobs that the fathers held. It's good to know the that I can come to this website and see the differences in what causes poverty in almost any country that I'm interested in!

UNICEF's website states that the United States government is on this mission WITH them to improve health, poverty, and education in countries who need it. The website (UNICEF) states the following; "In cooperation with governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), UNICEF saves and protects the world's most vulnerable children, working to ensure child rights and providing health care, immunizations, nutrition, access to safe water and sanitation services, basic education, protection and emergency relief" (2015). UNICEF is connected with the medical world as well such as teaming up with representatives from Africa to stop Ebola. In other words, the organization has supporters in many areas including government officials and those in the medical field.

When looking at all of the information that I have shared with you in this blog.....one thought entered my mind! I love the fact that the organization helps those who are in countries that are less privileged when they need the help; but what about when our very OWN country needs the help? What will or what have they done? I found my answer! When Hurricane Katrina hit in New Orleans, UNICEF provided School-in-a-Box and recreation kits to the area. I think the organization is great!

                                                                           Reference

UNICEF. (2015). Help Save Children's Lives. Retrieved from http://unicefusa.org

Poverty in the Phillipines

Unfortunately, for the past two weeks I have had zero contact with professionals! :(  Initially I emailed six professionals hoping to hear from at least two......ughhhhh....I have heard from NONE!! I will try again this week with new professionals because I really want to have contact!!! Soooooo for this week I chose to visit the UNICEF website and discover information about the Phillipines...... Much like African Americans had to do way back when, Filipinos children who are poor rarely finish school. They often have to quit so that they can help be providers in the family so that they can make ends meet. This alone is one of the very reasons poverty in childhood.....no matter the country......is so devastating to healthy development of a young child. Instead of being children, they have to act as adults! A study of poverty in Phillipines showed that in 2006, 5.4 million children were deprived of having at least one of the necessities of life (shelter, sanitation, and water). Around 840,000 children face at least two of those deprivations in the Phillipines; and luckily only a little over half of a percentage (which is 17,000) of children had to face all three deprivations! That's good to hear, but I pray it were none:(   On a positive note, since national and international push has been made to help in improving poverty rates, infant mortality and under five mortality rates in the Phillipines have decreased. To support my idea of children not being children and having to work because of poverty issues was revealed upon further reading. I found out that out of 25 million children in the Phillipines,   4 million of them are involved in child labor. Poverty has unfortunately become associated with the country. Poverty is highest amongst those in the field of agriculture, fishing, and forestry. These occupations alone contributes to 61.6% of poverty incidence in the Phillipines. The other sectors with high numbers of poverty include construction, mining, and transport. Hopefully with the continual help of UNICEF and other relief organizations; the Phillipines will be less known for poverty issues.

                                                References
http://www.unicef.org/social policy/index_66867.html

National Head Start Association

The website that I have chosen to place my attention on for this class for the next 6 weeks is the National Head Start Association. I chose this organization because I am employed with a local Head Start in my community and have been employed there for almost 11 years. Even though I was unable to actually request for newsletters without being a member, I was able to follow through with retrieving current news from the website. None that I saw were related to this weeks discussion of diversity and demographics, but I did learn the following;

• Since May 4-8 was Teacher Appreciation Week, NHSA encouraged parents and teachers to log onto Facebook each day and post and respond to videos or photos of meaningful interactions within the classroom.
• Bammy Awards- The discussion was about the Bammy Awards, which was created by NHSA and the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences. This award recognizes the great contributions being made everyday by educators across the community. The award is also aimed for offsetting the scrutiny and negative outlook surrounding our profession.
• Repurposed Crayons- I feel this was quite exciting to learn! NHSA has partnered with restaurants to used repurposed crayons in Head Start classrooms. The mission was actually started by a mom in California by the nameof Sheila Michail Morovati. Her mission was to intially collect as many crayons as possible and give them to kids that were in need. I guess this section would relate to lower-income demographics, as this is what type of families Head Start serves, as well as the families that received the crayons.

These are a few of the current articles that I found interesting enough to share! 

Professional Contacts

Unfortunately, I began the homework assignment a little behind schedule, but I am still very much interested in finding individual professional contacts from different countries. Therefore, I have submitted four invitations for friendship from professionals in Costa Rica, Jamaica, Germany, Philippines, and finally Uganda. Hopefully I will hear from at least two of the professionals, but if I happen to hear from them all then I will narrow it down to two. My professionals were found under the UNICEF organization website. This seems like a very rewarding aspect of our class, and I am truly ready to begin communication from either of my candidates!


The professional early childhood organization that I have chosen to research is The National Head Start Association website. It's clear to see why I chose this organization, and that is the fact that I have been employed with the program for over 10 years!


I am truly excited about all the things that I will learn from my contacts about how other countries operate their early childhood programs, as well as learn the differences and similarities between their beliefs and ours! So excited!

Support Systems

  Support Systems are very important to everyday life. Just imagine having a classroom of eighteen preschoolers with no help from an adult daily. It would be a truly haywire experience. This is the first support system that I will talk about since we are all educators; and that person is my assistant. She is like my backbone in the classroom. We are both present to support each other and we both stand in support of the eighteen children that we are guiding educationally and emotionally on an everyday basis. Our family service worker provides support to our parents and our center supervisor provides guidance and support to us teachers.

  Within the home, my husband and I support our children by encouraging them as well as giving them food and shelter, as this was our given duty to do so. My children's teachers provide support to a continual education. My children themselves even provide support to us. We give children chores to teach them all about responsibility; but if you think about it, they are support systems to us because they help us in keeping up with the daily maintenance on our house.

   Not only do support systems occur with family members inside the home, but they occur with family members that live outside of the house as well. For example, when my grandmother or my parents babysit for us on occasion, they are providing support to my immediate family. When I provide transportation to my grandmother to and from the doctor, I am providing support to her. Or when my parents need their dog to be taken to the vet, I am providing support to them as well.

  In conclusion support is the very reason why something ends up successful. When two teachers support each other for the greater outcome of the child, then that classroom becomes a successful classroom. When parents support each other, the greater the chance at running a successful household where children feel loved and are learning responsibility, so that they may be able to run a successful household one day. Support is needed in all aspects of our everyday life!

My Connections to Play

The bicycle is something that I absolutely LOVED to play with as a child. I was a nature child, an 'always wanted to be outside' type of child. I think that I absolutely loved to ride the bicycle well into my middle grade years. I was able to transfer my mind into many different arenas when I rode my bike. At times I pretended to be a school bus driver and other times I raced with my younger brother.

Now this is where my times of dramatic play occurred. Usually it was at my grandmothers home with an aunt whom I was very close to, who happened to be only four years older than me! We would take my grandmothers older dishes and cook all types of cakes and soul food when playing outside. We would play in the mud from sun up to sun down at times! We absolutely loved it! 

Two Quotes about Play: 

All of the adults who were apart of my life growing up supported my play in any way they could. To start, my parents provided the play materials as well as the permission to play for hours on the inside and outside, whichever was feasible. My parents helped me develop in gaining social skills by providing plenty of play partners for my brother and I when growing up. Back then, more hours were allowed for play in elementary school, etc. So these adults were necessary components of gaining play skills as well. Because of these things, I have gained better social emotional development, and it helped me in many adult areas of my life as well such as problem solving.

Today play itself is not necessarily different. What's different is the way that it is viewed. It seems to be of less and less importance in the eyes of some legislators. Therefore, the hours of play have been reduced in many early childcare centers. Play has even changed in the household setting. Nowadays, electronics/technology are keeping children in the house instead of them being outside building communication skills. This has lead to higher obesity rates in young children as well.

Relationship Reflection

The first picture that I have posted is of my family. The older boy and girl are my step-children and the two younger children are my biological children. Of course the older gentleman beside me is my hubby! I love my family because they are my reason......my reason for everything that I do in my life! This relationship is so important to me because we support each other in good times as well as bad. They are always there for me no matter the situation.....free of judgement! Relationships are important when they are supportive, loving, as well as forgiving. Many people can be a relationship that means them and their life no good. The only purpose these types of relationships serve is a learning lesson. I'd rather not have these types of relationships in my life. No relationship is perfect, but when you have people in your life that are willing to work through their as well as your differences.....then you have a healthy relationship.

 This picture is of my parents! They are just wonderful! They want nothing but the best for my family and my brother. They are both hard workers who have instilled great lessons within the two children that they have raised. The thing that I admire most about them both is the ability to never give up on their children. Even when I made bad decisions like quitting college, they never bad talked me; yet they supported me and believed in me. They have taught me the true meaning of never giving up. They never gave up on me so it makes perfect since to never give up on myself; and this is why I'm pursuing a Master's degree at the age of 37!

My brother, my brother!! I was older so I was supposed to be the role model for him, yet he turned out to be the role model for me! He is a engineer with a Master's degree and he's not even out of his twenty's yet! He was a major push and strong factor in me going back to school. His love and support for my family and I is what makes our relationship so important to me. I trust him with all of my being and this is what i admire most about our relationship!! Trust and dependability!

These relationships that I share have taught me a valuable lesson in life! The belief that my family has in me makes it so easy to believe in the future of the young children that I inspire on a daily basis! As a matter of fact it makes me push myself just that much harder to being a helping hand in making sure that they succeed. The trust that has been exhibited with the relationship that I have with my brother has taught me trust-worthy values that I take seriously on the job. Whether it's gaining the trust of families, their children, or whatever situation their family or my center may be going through.

Thank You!

I have truly enjoyed the time that I have spent with each of you this last eight weeks! Thanks for being so supportive to my blog and the posts that are placed on it! Wishing you all much success on your educational journey.

Children Quotes

CHILDREN QUOTES:

This quote caught my attention because children are just like uncut diamonds. Diamonds take their form when someone shapes them the way they want them to be. Children are almost the same. Positive role models try to shape the child into being the very best that they can be with a positive influence. But in my opinion, the child actually shapes themselves because they are all different. The right guidance sends them in a positive direction, but the final 'shape' comes from the child.

Assessing Young Children

In my opinion, standardized tests are a waste of time and tax payer money. There are so many things that can make the testing results unfair, to say it's a fair procedure. To start, study's have found that if a child doesn't get enough sleep, doesn't live in an appropriate environment, or even if they don't eat breakfast....these facts could affect a child's performance on the test. This is truly sad when the results of the child's test affects their future. Researcher Gerald W. Bracey stated it best when it comes to certain areas that should be looked at when assessing a child, rather than relying in standardized tests. "According to late education researcher Gerald W. Bracey, PhD, qualities that standardized tests cannot measure include "creativity, critical thinking, resilience, motivation, persistence, curiosity, endurance, reliability, enthusiasm, empathy, self-awareness, self-discipline, leadership, civic-mindedness, courage, compassion, resourcefulness, sense of beauty, sense of wonder, honesty, integrity" (Procon.com, 2014). I feel this way because children are special and different in their own individual ways, and results of standardized tests are not capable of catching this individuality.

"Few countries use standardized tests for children below high school age--or multiple-choice tests for students of any age" (Kohn, 2000).

The country that I have chosen to focus on is Germany. In Germany the tracking system doesn't start until age 5. There are 3 types of schools under this tracking system.

Gymnasium- provides an academic, university track education
Realschule- provides a general and vocational education and permits transfer to the gymnasium
Hauptschule- provides a lower-level general and vocational education that often leads to unemployment.

Students who are affluent in socioeconomic status attend the Gymnasium; while the children of migrant workers attend Hauptschule. Students attending Gymnasium through grade 13 receive a school-learning certificate called the Abitur. This provides access to universities after students pass a final exam.

"The 2003 Program for International Assessment (PISA) study showed that the performance of German students correlates more highly with socioeconomic status than does the performance of students from almost any other country" (Rotberg, 2006).

                                                                            References
ProCon.Org. (2014). Standardized Tests. Retrieved from http://standardizedtests.procon.org/

Kohn, A. (2000). Standardized Testing Victims. Retrieved from http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/standardized-testing-victims/

Rotberg, I. (2006). Assessment Around the World. Retrieved from http://www.csun.edu/~Krowlands/Content/SED610/NCLB/NCLB%20rom%202007/Assessment%20Around%20the%20World.pdf

Poverty

Poverty is something that thankfully I or my brother did not have to endure; but our parents and grandparents did. I would hear plenty of stories from both of my grandmothers, who would remind us how blessed we were. Cars, they didn't have that luxury; they had to walk miles to school and other places just to get around. They stated that families often stayed together, not just immediate, but extended families as well. Today we are able to get medical help and medicines freely; but back in their days, many people died of illnesses because they couldn't afford medical coverage. Sickness relief came from many remedies of "home therapy" with products they had at home such as fatback, etc. My mother was raised in poverty as well, but it wasn't as bad as it was for her mother. Her father left the family dynamic when my mother was young, so that left my grandmother alone and raising four children on her own. My mom was a fashionista, but money would not allow the funds for the family to buy outfits; so my mother compensated by learning to sew and created her own fashionista outfits!! My grandmother had to work several jobs and that often required the older kids to watch the younger kids. Quite different from today as we rely on daycare or babysitters.

The country that I chose was Africa. They are known for issues of poverty as well as hunger, and even diseases acquired because of the health, poverty, and famine issues at stake. Many parts of Africa are places that have very unhealthy citizens because of poverty issues. Presently, ebola is killing many people in Africa, as well as a few in America, who brought the disease with them from Africa. Infant mortality is high, while Life expectancy, literacy, and education are all low. The best educated often choose to leave the continent to seek a better life. Many Caucasians have fled due to employment bias. Poverty is so bad in Africa, that US luxuries like radios, televisions, and automobiles are very rare. 

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

The death of a child is something that we all have a hard time coming to term with.  This is especially if the death is something that could have possibly been prevented, in some cases.  This is why this topic is of such importance to me.  Up until the mid-1990's, tens of thousands of children have died from SIDS.  In North America it is known as crib death, and in England SIDS is known as cot death.  In the beginning SIDS was a mystery because parents put their seemingly healthy babies to bed safely, to find them dead the next morning.  In South Australia, a scientist by the name of Susan Beal studied all infant deaths that occurred because of SIDS.  Somethings appeared to be non-factors, while others such as maternal smoking and lambskin blankets.  Soon Beal would find variations within various cultures/ethnicities. It seemed that China had less incidences with SIDS than other countries.  Beal noted that the reason could be because infants in China slept on their backs, while other countries practiced putting infants to sleep on their stomachs.  After this realization, Beal realized that sleep position mattered.  News of her findings were spread from country to country, and soon "Back to Sleep" was the new method of placing infants in their cribs.  "In the United States, in 1984, SIDS killed 5,245 babies; in 1996, that number was down to 3,050; in the past decade, it has decreased to about 2,000 a year" (Berger, 2012, p.5).  Other risks of an increased risk for SIDS includes; low birth-rate, cigarette smoking in the household, brain-stem abnormalities, soft blankets or pillows, and bed sharing.  I currently work with preschoolers, but if I were to ever go back into the infant room, I would place all infants on their back while sleeping, and give them the correct amount of tummy time for learning to crawl.  Of course, daycare centers don't allow smoking or bed sharing, so this wouldn't present a problem.

                                                             References


Berger, K. S. (2012). The developing person through childhood (6th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
.

Birthing Experiences

The birthing experience that was special to me, would actually be two instead of one! I have two boys and both experiences were equally amazing!! With both experiences, family support, love, and loving environment were the most important during the birthing process. As we all know, environment was one of the important aspects that Smidt mentioned in one of our textbooks. My entire immediate family joined during the birth of both of my children! They supported me with love, care, and emotional support for myself and both my children. Family and love are both of the utmost importance to the developing child.

The country that I chose to focus on for birthing experiences was the Philippines. I have three best friends/family members whom are mixed with African American culture as well as the Filipino culture; so this is why I chose this country. Filipinos put a very high value on family just as I did during my birthing experience. Although one difference is the fact that in the Philippines, the value of childbirth is not only shared by the family, but also with the whole community. During labor, pain is thought to be alleviated by placing a squash leaf on the birthing woman's abdomen; whereas I just used an Epidural. Touching of the laboring woman is not allowed in the Philippines because they feel that the laboring woman's pain will be transferred to the hand holder; but during my American birth, nurses encouraged my husband to hold my hand. Guests who are in attendance at a birth in the Philippines are not allowed to stand near the door because of possible labor complications; but in America, my family was pretty much allowed to stand where they pleased in the hospital room.

It seems as though many beliefs for Filipinos are based on superstition; whereas American births are based more on science. Even though these things differ, both Filipinos and I believe that families should be a natural presence during the birthing experience!

                                                        Reference:
Wilde, A.(2014). Birthing Beliefs in the Philippines. Retrieved from http://classroom.synonym.com/birthing-beliefs-philippines-9141.html