My Supports

            In knowing I have a reliable alarm clock (phone), a minivan for transportation, and steady income to fluently support my household operation and livelihood is a blessing. This is crucially important because I have children from ages 1 to 8 years old that have individualized diverse needs. Isabelle attends a Durham early head start childcare center, Christina, Maddison, and Gabrielle attends the Duke school and my two great-nephews that my husband and I take care of attends Spring Valley Elementary school. All of these schedules have different start times but, my husband and I ensure they are there on time every day. “Children are influenced and motivated by the way significant people in their lives respond to them” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014).

            My mother assists with getting my two great-nephews on the public-school bus. Syariah, our nanny comes three days out the week assisting my mother with the children’s homework, exercise and extra activities scheduled while my husband or I get dinner ready. Girl scouts help my girls build character and therapy helps my great-nephews transition from their former dysfunctional home to a more structured, secure loving environment. “Behavior management, problem-solving, and communication skills through in-home family preservation services would interrupt the pattern of escalating conflict in the family and thus increase family involvement” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014). I appreciate Carla for teaching my children Spanish twice a week and Jasmine who braids all my girl's hair as needed. Even though these services are paid for, the enhancement of the children’s growth and wellbeing allows my husband and me to facilitate the business operation for running a home of six children, two adults, and one senior. An example of these facilitations is, paying bills, grocery shopping, cooking, washing laundry and household maintenance.

            When raising six children I do not have enough adult hands to help facilitate maintaining a healthy balance in keeping on schedule.  This would be ten times more stressful and nearly impossible if I didn’t have a community that renders a wealth of support. I can’t be all things to all people at one time and still maintain some sense of personal identity. I would feel depleted and inept to meet the daily emotional, phycological, cognitive nurturing needs of my family. I wouldn’t be able to identify my own quality of health and fulfillment. As I aspire to achieve my MS. Edu, I need my community and support system now more than ever. I keep the Sabbath as a respite to put all the demands of life down so I can reflect and renew my energy to excel at my most impactful effort in the upcoming week. I am so blessed to have these supports in my life. “When assessment is used to focus on strengths, it provides a method for mobilizing competencies and resources that can make a positive difference for children and their families” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014).

            If I could have additional support systems, I would have a 24hr live-in nanny, a housekeeper, chauffeur, personal workout coach and chef along with the financial substance to support my wish list. This would free me up tremendously so I could focus more on my children and give them the nurturing attention that they crave.  “Areas targeted for skill development included improving interpersonal and affective skills as well as increasing family involvement” (Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment, 2014). This wish list will simultaneously allow me to schedule dedicated un-interrupted time to focus on my personal business ventures.

            Currently, my wish list does not exist however, I’m truly thankful and blessed for the things that do exist in my life. To have what I have and to be without the things on my wish list motivates me to press forward and be a model for my children. This allows me to live a fulfilling and blessed life establishing a positive blueprint for my children.

Reference

Empowering Children and Families Through Strength-Based-Assessment. (2014). Retrieved        2019, from https://rhyclearinghouse.acf.hhs.gov/library/2000/empowering-children-and-         families-through-strength-based-assessment.

My Connections to Play

Dramatic Play from 1994 to the present

As a child, I remember being a sponge absorbing everything my Mom told me trying to emulate all that she did or said. This is why dolls were a huge part of my dramatic play. “Dolls and figures also help toddlers, both male and female, practice problem-solving and real-life skills in a safe, fun way” (Brown, 2019). My mother would always buy black dolls for me to play with and say, “In my day they never had black dolls to buy.” I couldn’t understand where she was coming from until I was older because, she was born in the ’50s and wanted me to feel safe, equal and inclusive in every environment I encountered.

            When I was younger Erikson’s stage theory in its final version regarding “the play age” allowed me to express initiative vs. guilt. I would play with my dolls and give examples of humor; empathy; and resilience. I remember my man and woman doll marrying, having children and living in a beautiful home. This was a perfect, safe and happy place for me to express myself and feel comfortable. Today dramatic play has broadened so many ways for the better. One of which is represented in the pictures above. I have a little girl who has a doll that was made to look like a mini version of her. They now have barbie dolls made of all colors, shapes and sizes something that certainly did not exist in my time. For example, I can buy a variety of different foods for my children to enjoy the dramatic play by exhibiting different cultures. I can also purchase different dolls in a wheelchair representing an unforgotten population.

            I hope to see dramatic play continue to progress leaving no population going unaccounted for including every aspect of life. To allow it to be equally available the same way general stereotypes are today. To emulate all occupations and cultures worldwide.

           

References

Taylor, T., & Taylor, T. (2018, September 19). Early Childhood Quotes. Retrieved November     (2019), from https://educationlearningtoys.com/fun/early-childhood-quotes/.

erikson's adult stages. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2019, from   https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=Eriksons+adult+stages&fr=yhs-rotz-    001&hspart=rotz&hsimp=yhs-001&imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-       omyZgGoKBeA/UOi1vXIC77I/AAAAAAAAAlM/4M8-            _5JlPmI/s1600/erikerikson.jpg#id=0&iurl=https://middleadulthood.weebly.com/uploads/ 2/3/7/5/23752362/5369313.jpg?700&action=click.

Relationship Reflection

            This is my mother, Diane Bailey who means the world to me. I will always appreciate the peace she keeps at all times. My mother is the reason why I have a calmness for any problem or uncomfortable situation that may arise. She will never allow anything, or anyone to bother her to the point of losing self-control. She would say, “All things can be worked out; it just takes a level head for it to happen.” In the article, A relationship-based approach to early intervention it states, “Current early intervention practice recognizes that children’s relationships with their parents and other consistent caregivers are critical to development” (Edelman, 2004). In ECE I’ve noticed that the parents who were most engaged in their children’s education the more successful outcome were had. The child seemed more well-rounded, fully developed emotionally, more prepared for social endeavors. This reminds me of how my mother stayed involved in everything I engaged in.

            My mother is an example of, “Nurturing relationships provide an emotional refuge for children, fostering the development of a healthy sense of belonging, self-esteem, and well-being” (Weiss, Caspe, Lopez, 2006). When I was younger, I was overweight. My mother never made fun of me nor allowed others to do so. She gently taught me about healthy nutrition which is a part of parenting. Healthy nutrition will minimize a lot of diseases that can cause an early death. At age 9, I told my Mom that I was being made fun of at school because of my weight. She came up to the school and rectified it immediately, so professionally. I noticed that some family members didn’t resolve situations in the same manner as my Mom. I was truly thankful for her leveled headiness witched showed me that you catch more bees with honey.

            While working as an early childhood educator my mother keeps me in the mindset of. although this may be a big matter to a child and highly upsetting what I can do is show him/her how to resolve it positively. In my mother's eyes, nothing was ever the end of the world. If you’re still breathing, you still have a chance to fix it as my mother would say. I always try to impose this thought to the children that I serve. It’s not the end of the world things can always be fixed.  

          My brother Ferris (in the blue shirt) is and will always be A one in my book. Looking back on my life I don’t ever remember a time when he wasn’t there for me. I can even remember when we were younger, I would say, Ferris I don’t want to stay at aunt Stacy’s house. Can you come to get me? His answer would be, “Sure!” My brother is almost 10 years older than me, so I always remember him as being an adult to me and never a child. If anyone needed my brother's help, he always made a way to be there. When I first started to drive, I asked him if I could drive his car. Now If that was me, I would have said, no way! A new driver in my car, NEVER! My brother Ferris's response was, “Just be safe. It’s some crazy people out on the road.” I remember my brother would accompany my Mom to my parent-teacher conferences. I remember this way back from when I was a child that both my mother and brother always had my back, and this stands true to this day. “Teachers must actively reach out to and invite parents to share both their child’s and their own experiences in a previous setting, as well as how they would like to be involved in the present” (Weiss, Caspe, Lopez, 2006). I’m so thankful to have a kind caring supportive brother. I’m thankful for my mother and how she raised us to be so supportive of each other.  

Resources

Edelman, L. (2004). A relationship-based approach to early intervention. Resources and Connections, 3(2). Retrieved from:

 http://cacenter-ecmh.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/relationship_based_approach.pdf

Weiss, H., Caspe, M., & Lopez, M. (2006). Family involvement makes a difference. Retrieved from https://archive.globalfrp.org/publications-resources/publications-series/family-involvement-makes-a-difference/family -involvement-in-early-childhood-education.

A review from the Video

        Great quotes of Maria Montessori are, “the greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, the children are now working as if I did not exist. All children can explode into learning” (famous+quotes+of+Maria+Montessori). This is exhibited through STEM concepts in preschool while exploring the discovery through play. Please review this video. I will do my best at bringing this to the Durham/Chapel Hill Early Head Start programs in North Carolina. This will enhance the learning of children for the betterment of success soon.

Resource

famous quotes of Maria Montessori. (n.d.). Retrieved October 26, 2019, from https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=AwrEeSX5UbRd_xQAgTEPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTByMjB0aG5zBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=famous+quotes+of+Maria+Montessori&fr=yhs-rotz-001&hspart=rotz&hsimp=yhs-001.

Exploring STEM Through Play

Testing for Intelligence?

            Parents, as well as teachers, must assess the following, a child’s, lack of sleep, abuse, mental, social and physical development. Health is important because a lack of nutrition will affect a child’s learning. When it affects a child’s learning process educated professionals will create an IEP to address any deficits present. If ADHD is a need to be met and individual service plan will be implemented for the betterment of the child. For example, “if a child has ADHD and it’s not detected sooner this can cause a number of problems down the road. If it goes untreated as an adult this can cause, illicit drug use and “criminal actions are more prevalent. This is the cost to society as a whole: costs of injuries, deaths, physical damage and the cost of preventing authorities” (Ornoy & Avia, 2019)  

            Israel believes in the same idealizations as the United States and that is, “Life cycle skill formation is a dynamic process in which early inputs strongly affect the productivity of later inputs” (Ornoy & Avia, 2019). The priorities that Israel uses to assess children are second language and religion. If the potential is not reached by a certain age, then they feel it raises concern. This is when the parent or caregiver must pay substantially to resolve this issue. There are a number of advocates in Israel pushing for reform of detection at an early stage. In Israel treatment for anything outside the norm of what’s generally given will come at a great expense.

            Vygotsky states it best when committing to the whole child and that is, “educators should consider children’s thought processes, not just the outcomes” (Berger, p.379). It’s a disadvantage to the child if you take into consideration one piece of the puzzle and not the other to complete the whole child’s perspective. Vygotsky also states, “children learn whatever their culture teaches” (Berger, p.379). I find this to be absolutely true. If you know a family member really well and they have a daughter you also notice a lot of them in their child, so much so you may say, your daughter acts just like you! This is called the zone of proximal development by Vygotsky. Scaffolding and guidance from caregivers and teachers are what’s noted in chapter 12 as the bridge to help children’s developmental potential. Children are going to mimic and do what they see so we must be mindful of what we do in front of them.  

            This is why the serve and return interaction amongst infants is so important. When a child does something like look, say or utters sounds and parents notice the child then reciprocates in return being satisfied because acknowledgment and attention was given. “Under conditions where serve and return is broken your literately pulling away from the essential ingredient of the development of human brain architecture” (How Child Neglect Harms Brain Development in Children, 2019). The stress system becomes activated when a child is being ignored and serve and return interaction is not present. “Neglecting young children, it’s neglecting the foundations of a healthy next generation. A community pays a huge price later. In terms of the problems of the next generation. Whether it be educational achievement, economic productivity, good citizenship, the ability to parent the next generation. All of these things have to do with a healthy prosperous society” (How Child Neglect Harms Brain Development in Children, 2019). Therefore, early intervention is key.

             

Resource

Assessments for Young Children. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2019, from http://www.ldonline.org/article/6040.

Berger, 2016. The developing person through childhood (7^th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Chapter 12, “Middle Childhood: Cognitive Development” Read pp. 377-392

How Child Neglect Harms Brain Development in Children. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2019, from https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/inbrief-the-science-of-neglect-video/.