Executive Functions - when are they formed?

The Center on the Developing Child from Harvard triggered my interest in the executive function of the brain.  One of the key concepts they discuss is a child’s executive function and how this part of their brain is developed during the early years of a child’s life.  The three components of the executive function is a child’s working memory, mental flexibility, and self-control.   After reviewing the website and watching videos underlining executive functions along with components of quality childcare I found myself asking the question, “I wonder if executive functions could be linked with ADHD?’  The researches explain how when children are at high risk or have toxic environments and do not receive quality care as a young child it can lead to a child not living up to their potential. I just wonder if the high rise in ADHD diagnoses could be linked to young children not having access to quality experiences early in life coupled with genetics. I do wonder if a quality preschool environment would have an impact on lowering the ADHD rate.  Learning that the executive function develops in the first several years of life and early childhood professionals can help build this function in children. Children who do not have access to high quality preschool programs are in need of these experiences. The inequality of this seems out of whack in our society.

Sharing web resources

In the world forum discussion, play is the hot topic.  Many discussions on play memories and what are the things hindering play such as: stranger danger, homework, etc.  The “Play” discussion is extremely important in the professional world of early childhood.  With quality assessment at the forefront and politicians and businesses taking note of why they need to invest in early childhood, discussion about why play is important is a topic early childhood professionals need to keep at the head of conversation.  If we do not then play can become lost in the world of standards and assessment. 

Another topic discussed at the world forum is the curriculum principles.  The curriculum initiative is a discussion about curriculum across cultures.  I will continue to follow this forum to understand the principles that other cultures and what principles are important across cultures.  

 https://www.worldforumfoundation.org/discuss-curriculum-at-world-forum-2014/

Getting to know your international contacts

As I explore the World Forum Network's website, I found conversations about screen time and the impact it has on play.  I found that many countries such as ours are seeing the affects of the digital age.  Parents had the same concerns in Puerto Rico about their children not having as much time as they did as a kid to run and play outside.
Here is a CNN link that discusses if your child really needs tablet time that was shared on the discussion forum:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/04/living/screen-free-week-schools-susan-linn/


 Another aspect of the website I found interesting is that they have come up with eleven principles for early childhood curriculum.  They are being revised at the next World Forum.

The principles are:

1. Universal Curriculum Principles
   A set of early childhood curriculum principles apply in all countries of the world; these principles should be adapted to fit into the various countries and communities, whether programs are well funded or poorly funded.
2. Early Childhood
   Early childhood is the period of human life from birth up to school entry at 5 or 6 years of age, including infants and toddlers from birth to 3 and preschoolers from 3 to 5 or 6. Some extend it to include the primary grades up to age 8 or 9.
3. Care and Education
   Care and education cannot be separated. All young children learn best in the context of nurturing, responsive relationships and stimulating, developmentally appropriate experiences.
4. Respect for Children
   The curriculum should encourage adults to demonstrate their respect for young children as individuals and take a genuine interest in what they say and do.
5. Young Children’s Role in the Curriculum
   Young children should have choices that influence their curriculum, appropriate to their stage of development. They learn best from their interactions with others and the environment.
6. The Inter-Relatedness of Development
   The curriculum should address and show the inter-relatedness of all aspects of the learning and development of young children, including cognitive (including language, literacy, mathematics, and science), social, emotional, physical, aesthetic, and spiritual development.
7. Early Childhood Assessment
   Early childhood assessment means observation and documentation of children’s development, during everyday experiences, in order to support each child’s learning and development.
8. Curriculum Review
   The quality and effectiveness of the curriculum should be regularly evaluated and reviewed in order to improve the program as needed.
9. Parents and Teachers as Partners
   The curriculum should empower educators, parents, and communities to work together in partnership for the benefit of children.
10. Respect for Culture
    The curriculum should promote respect the dignity of each child’s family, home language, culture, customs, and beliefs.
11. Professional Development
    Professional development is critical to every early childhood educator’s personal journey. Professional development experiences should be organized around a comprehensive curriculum and assessment system that has evidence of its effectiveness and is culturally sensitive.

 https://www.worldforumfoundation.org/eleven-ece-curriculum-principles/

This is a great tool for the United States as we enter the trend for assessing quality preschool programs for universal preschool. 

No luck with connections- Alternative assignment

For the past week and a half I have been trying to communicate with individuals through email nationally. Some emails have came back to me and were undeliverable. Other emails went through but I have not heard back from them so I will be forced to do the alternative.  I will be listening to pod-cast's from this website:


http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/

A hint- if anyone is having trouble with the link to the alternative assignment I found that if you click the link it does not work.  However if you copy and past the link in your browser it does work. 

Website study

http://www.naecte.org/

National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Education caught my attention due to their importance towards teacher growth.  I was interested in what professional growth is happening nationally. 

Global contacts

In our assignment this week, we are asked to identify individuals that are in the early childhood field and are located outside of the United States. I decided to contact someone in Germany, Ireland, and Canada. I chose Germany because I have been working closely with a parent volunteer that is from Germany and I am curious to learn more about their early childhood field. I also contacted one from Ireland due to the fact that my heritage is Irish and I was interested in their culture. I chose to contact someone from Canada because I have heard that Canadian schools have advancement on the states. This is also why I chose to study a Canadian website that is equivalent to our NAEYC. I am curious to see what their philosophies and views of early childhood are.

http://www.cayc.ca/content/canadian-children-vol-39-no-1

My Supports

Support has many different components. Without support on a daily bases I would never be able to do what I need to do to succeed in school, career, and maintaining my family.  I have support from the people closest to me such as the person who works as a co-teacher with me in the classroom. She supports me by taking on extra projects and going over and beyond as a teacher. This makes my job easier and supports me by freeing up some of my time and focus. At home my supports come from my family. I have a mother who helps me by sometimes watching the kids after school and helping them with their homework when needed. She is also a support when the schedules become crazy and everyone needs to be in different places at the same time. I would not be able to do the job I do at work or school without these supports. I hate taking time away from my children but know that it is important to accomplish my goals in life in order to support my children in the future. 

If I were to take on the challenge of selling our house, I would need support from not only my family but support from my coworkers.  Physically I would need help going through and pack items after living in a home for fifteen years. The task seems overwhelming.   Working full time and going to school on top of having middle school age children with schedules I would also need support by the family to work together to emotionally let go of items that they no longer need and understanding to move forward in life. I have thought of moving and this task seems overwhelming.  My coworkers support of understanding why I may not be able to do extra would also be needed if this task became a reality.   Without my family, friends, and coworkers I would not be able to succeed in what I do on a daily bases.