I hope to see everyone again in the next course! What a wonderful collaboration of professionals in the ECE field! Thanks everyone!

 

Ideals

I-1.5

—To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions.

This ideal stood out most to me when I was reading the NAEYC code of ethics statement of commitment.  I feel strongly about this ideal.  Young children deserve adults in their life that respect and listen to them. In turn this is what then fosters social, emotional, cognitive, and development.  I try to live by this in class every day and I believe this is why children love coming to school which is what I strive for.

I-2.7

—To share information about each child’s education and development with families and to help them understand and appreciate the current knowledge base of the early childhood profession.

This ideal is important to my profession because families are the most important part of a child’s life. With trends always changing in the early childhood field, this ideal reminded me that I have a responsibility to keep families informed about current issues and research that affects early childhood. With this knowledge, then families can understand their child’s education and their development.

I-4.3

—To work through education, research, and advocacy toward an environmentally safe world in which all children receive health care, food, and shelter; are nurtured; and live free from violence in their home and their communities.

This ideal reminds me of how every child needs to have a person that is behind them 100% when we are professionals in the early childhood education and we see a child that needs our intervention this code of ethic reminds me that we are to not turn our backs on a young child when they need us advocating for them. 

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.dec-sped.org/

http://www.monarchwatch.org/

Monarchwatch.org is a wonderful website that gives teachers access to Monarch tags to begin a citizen science project with their class.  We did this in the fall with the Preschoolers and it was a great success!
s.

http://www.projectwild.org/growingupwild.htm

Project wild is a great website with wonderful resources for teachers and families

 Teachertube.com is a great resource for me.  I like using this to see what other teachers are doing in the classroom around the country.  This is a link to a bubble project in Preschool. Enjoy!!

http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=43175

Resources for Early Childhood Educators:

 Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
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•  Global support for children's rights and well-being
• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
  
• Websites:
  
• • World Forum Foundation
    http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment on this webpage
    
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP's mission.
    
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/
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  •  Early Childhood Organizations
  • National Association for the Education of Young Children
    http://www.naeyc.org/
    
  • The Division for Early Childhood
    http://www.dec-sped.org/
    
  • Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
    http://www.zerotothree.org/
    
  • WESTED
    http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
    
  • Harvard Education Letter
    http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
    
  • FPG Child Development Institute
    http://www.fpg.unc.edu/
    
  • Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
    
  • HighScope
    http://www.highscope.org/
    
  • Children's Defense Fund
    http://www.childrensdefense.org/
    
  • Center for Child Care Workforce
    http://www.ccw.org/
    
  • Council for Exceptional Children
    http://www.cec.sped.org/
    
  • Institute for Women's Policy Research
    http://www.iwpr.org/
    
  • National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
    http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
    
  • National Child Care Association
    http://www.nccanet.org/
    
  • National Institute for Early Education Research
    http://nieer.org/
    
  • Pre[K]Now
    http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
    
  • Voices for America's Children
    http://www.voices.org/
    
  • The Erikson Institute
    http://www.erikson.edu/
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  • Journals for Early Childhood:
  •  
  • YC Young Children
  • Childhood
  • Journal of Child & Family Studies
  • Child Study Journal
  • Multicultural Education
  • Early Childhood Education Journal
  • Journal of Early Childhood Research
  • International Journal of Early Childhood
  • Early Childhood Research Quarterly
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Social Studies
  • Maternal & Child Health Journal
  • International Journal of Early Years Education

Links in Early Childhood through quotes:

 A quote by Lilian Katz

“As you consider whether to move a child into formal academic training, remember that we want our children to do more than just learn how to read and write; we want them to learn in such a way that they become lifelong readers and writers. If we push our children to start learning these skills too far ahead of their own spontaneous interest and their capacity, we may sacrifice the long-range goal of having them enjoy such pursuits.”

A quote by Marcy Whitebook
"We know that teachers are the key to good child care - and as long as
teachers are undervalued, American children, too, will keep getting less
than they deserve" 

A quote by Renatta Cooper
“It's not all about you. You have to take your ego out and think to about what's best for the child.”

A quote by Leticia Lara LCSW

“My passion has been evolving through the years, it is an ongoing process. It’s like a ripple… it grows.”

Personal Childhood Web

This picture says it all for me when I think of the most influential people in my childhood.  My mother who is holding me, my grandmother who is next to her, and my grandfather who is in the back are and were my biggest fans.  These people were always there to support me and love me unconditionally.  They made me feel like I was extremely important in their life.  My grandmother who was not only my Sunday school teacher but watched me everyday when my mother worked full-time.  She was the person that molded me to be kind and gentle.  My grandfather was the pastor of our church and was the father figure in my young life.  I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful man to help me grow.  My mother, who I cannot say enough about, is the one who has given me strength and drive for what I do.  She understands me like no other person does.
 My grandfather and me.  We lived next door to each other and were connected like a father and daughter.
 When I looked back at these old pictures for this assignment, I found that every Christmas I was clinging to a baby doll.  I always knew I would be a mother and my mother was a great roll model for me.
My sister was four years older and had a big influence in my childhood.  I looked up to her and always wanted to be with her.  I always strived to be like her.  She was always so brave in my eyes.
When I was around seven years old, my mother married my step-dad.  This man who was full of energy and loved to teach took me under his wing and nurtured me.  He practiced softball with me every night until dark in the spring and summer and helped me build my talents, and again I had another special adult in my life that helped me to become the outgoing person I am today.
I feel very lucky to have had such a strong network of people in my life as a young child.  I only hope to give my two children, who are my world, the network of loving adults that I had.