My Supports

" My Supports " 

Higher education, theoretically, will enable individuals to expand their knowledge and skills, express their thoughts clearly in speech and in writing, grasp abstract concepts and theories, and increase their understanding of the world and their community (Allen, 2005).  

In my decision to gain higher education I have gotten support from family, friends, co-workers and so many others in and out of my immediate circle. Support for me occurs daily with my family and my co-workers. My family calls, text, visit and pitches in with crazy things like bringing me breakfast or lunch. It is a great feeling to know that I am being thought of in my presence and absence with them. I move around a lot; from the moment I awake in the morning. I more often, than not forget to eat or in my defense, I don’t have enough time. 

 My co-workers, I absolutely adore because they all love on me and show their support in the most special ways. They will come by my office to give me hugs, bring me treats, send me emails or place silly sticky notes on my desk if they feel I have been to quiet or they have not seen me for the day. The ask how class is going and generally say something to positive. There is not one day I do not receive visitors. The funny thing about the visits are, I am the one that has everything anyone could need in my office, so the visit is beneficial from all parties involved. If you need tea, a snack, extra supplies, have a question or just need to get something off their chest, I am the go-to person.  

The great thing about the support my circle gives me is a sense of purpose, encouragement and motivation. They pour into me just as much as I hope that I am into them. If I am late for work or don’t show, the love and concern I get via calls or messages is priceless.  When I make my rounds and do not see someone that should be there, I do the same. I feel valued and loved by my co-workers and family. I think I’ve made a positive lasting impact with them that they show such adoration in their interaction with me. I am highly attached to those that are in my circle so I would be shattered if anything took those connections away.  

I recently have been having trouble sleeping and l shared it with one co-worker. It has gotten to be difficult to function in my day to day responsibilities with both home and work. Now that my entire team is aware of my issue with the lack of sleep, they have been sharing their own personal remedies to help me through. I have gotten articles to read, special teas and special playlist to help me through. We have not found a fix as of yet however, I think when my body has had enough of being rebellious it will get the rest it needs.  

Reference  

Allen, H. (2005, December 8).  Home School. Why is Higher Education Important? Retrieved from https://www.crosswalk.com/family/homeschool/why-is-higher-education-important-1367463.html. 

https://www.crh.org/patients-visitors/follow-up-on-your-visit/support-groups

My Connections to Play

Quotes 

“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” -Diane Ackerman


“We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves, or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing.” -Charles Schaefer


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As a child for me play was exciting in that I participated in so many adventures. For a while I was the only child in the home besides my uncle whom is not much older than I am, lived down the street I played with anyone and anything. I became my uncles shadow and enjoyed every moment of climbing trees, hopping ditches on our bikes and attempting to play basketball. I will be honest basketball was most certainly not for me. There were a few girls in the neighborhood and the friends I had at school, we played house, doubled dutch, racing from one end a field to the next. That type of play build relationships, taught me limits, enhanced motor skills and so much more. Participating in play strengthen my social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills. The families in the community looked after every child as if they were there own.

Play is somewhat the same with families looking out for each other when their children are at play. There are more differences with play than similarities. Technology is the main difference, children are given every electronic the ask for which takes them away from physically interactive with one another.
There are many ways that children can be encouraged to participate in play. I would stress for anyone that can participate to actively do so in their home life and in the classrooms. It may leave me a little sore but, I never hesitate to get down and crawl, roll or act out whatever the children in my life enjoy doing.


References

Yourtherapysource. (2019, June 7). Play Quotes to Remind Us Why PLAY is so IMPORTANT. Retrieved November 23, 2019, from https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2019/06/06/play-quotes/.

Andras, M. (n.d.). Jumping Rope in the Park . photograph. Retrieved from https://www.alamy.com/children-kids-girls-children-jumping-rope-three-standing-holding-mid-image2516952.html

Children climbing the tree in the park illustration. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2019, from https://www.123rf.com/photo_61180440_stock-vector-children-climbing-the-tree-in-the-park-illustration.html.

Stone, J. (2019, September 28). Best Roller Skates for Kids & Toddlers. Retrieved November 23, 2019, from https://www.rollerskatedad.com/best-roller-skates-for-kids-toddlers/#.XdnJ6ehKjIU.

Current Relationships

The relationship I have with my father is one of the most important relationships I currently have. Our relationship has always been important to me. My dad is whom keeps me grounded. When I have struggled with anything I know that I can go to him and we can talk through things. After our talks I will see things from a different perspective. My father is not biased in his talks with me, if I am wrong he will tell me and explain to me why he feels as such. It is important to have someone that is in your corner to encourage and push you when needed and my father is most definitely my first go to person for that. I was only supposed to take a semester off after I graduated in Fall of 2017 but that semester turn into a full year. My dad sat me down and reminded me what I told him my goals were moving forward and inquired what the hold up was. I had no good explanation to give him and we sat and planned my next chapter. I hit a few road blocks in my pursue to getting back on course with school. My dad had a resolution or suggestion for everything and would NOT allow me to be stagnant. We live so far away from each other with him in Maryland and myself in Texas, our schedules are crazy but if I ever call or text him he never hesitates to respond. I have lost and endured a lot in the last 4 years, my father has been my constant through ALL everything. I genuinely believe that if it were not for him checking in or booking flights to spend time with me I wouldn't be in the place I am now. I am generally an extremely outgoing, over energized , optimistic, jolly person and at one point I struggle to get back to myself after the loss of my mom. I am a religious person, I am grateful beyond words for the love and support of my dad not just during my dark times but he has been stellar my entire life. I am anxious for the next couple of weeks to pass so that I can spend time with him for the Thanksgiving holidays.
I believe that my relationship with my father has instilled in me the importance of consistency. Teachers, students and their families will need my consistent support and dedication to what is best for them. That support can range from guiding them to proper resources to being an ear to voice a need or concern. I feel confident that I will provide and assist anyone that I am given the opportunity to teach and help. Family emotional support is beneficial for academic outcomes as it promotes psychological well-being and facilitates greater student engagement (Roska, 2018). 

In addition to the relationship I have with my dad, the bond that I have with my daughters is also one of great importance. I valued the gift of being a mom and being blessed to have four wonderful daughters has given me happiness and a purpose beyond measure. My daughters are loving and encouraging about all things involving me. They are always telling me that I do not do enough for myself. If they have not heard from me, they will reach out or come home to visit to take me to dinner or just to be near me. My relationship with them is important to me because I need  them to know that it is never to late to go for what they want. Often times goals need adjusting as things do not always go as planned, when that happens seek out the positives and build on those positives to get you back on course is what I have told them. I am a firm believer in say what you mean and mean what you say. I would not advise my daughters anything that I would not be willing to apply for myself. Sometimes they have to remind me of that and I am perfectly okay with that. The relationships that I have with each of my daughters has given me different views and personalities that I am sure to encounter as they are all so very different. In having my four daughters, I have volunteered and spent an enormous amount of time over the years with educators, children and their families allowing me to experience what is needed to build a healthy relationship with students and their families. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the population of students aged 25 and older is projected to increase to approximately 43 percent of all college and graduate students by the year 2020 (Colorado Tech, 2017). Getting back on course with my education and having my father along with my daughters as part of my support system has made this a great chapter in my life.



References

Roksa, J., & Kinsley, P. Res High Educ (2018, June 30). The Role of Family Support in Facilitating Academic Success of Low-Income Students. Retrieved November 9, 2019, from https://firstgen.naspa.org/scholarly-article/the-role-of-family-support-in-facilitating-academic-success-of-low-income-students.

Colorado Technical University. (2017, June 29). Retrieved November 9, 2019, from https://www.coloradotech.edu/blog/2017/june/returning-to-school-as-an-adult.

https://rommycar.blogspot.com/2019/05/inspirational-quotes-for-childrens.html

Children are different
 they grow differently
they learn differently
 they express and create different !!!
As educators we must adapt to their needs and teach to their way of learning. 

https://twitter.com/funkidsenglish

https://www.vincegowmon.com/inspiring-quotes-on-child-learning-and-development/

References

https://twitter.com/funkidsenglish . Fun Kids English. Retrieved October 22, 2019

https://www.vincegowmon.com/inspiring-quotes-on-child-learning-and-development/ . Healing for a NewWorld. Retrieved October 22, 2019

https://rommycar.blogspot.com/2019/05/inspirational-quotes-for-childrens.html .Inspirational Quotes for Children's Learning. Retrieved October 22, 2019. 

Testing for Intelligence

When thinking of holistically of the total child my first thoughts are you look at the components of reading , writing and listening and speaking . How they learn in all aspects , the problem lies with the shortage of emphasis on not being placed on listening and speaking. Testing now has a prime focus on reading and writing which is not meeting the need of the total child. They want comprehensive, but that excludes auditory and visual learners. There just is not an even balance, an example of this is the TELPAS. TEA designed the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) and TELPAS Alternate to assess the progress that limited English proficient (LEP) students, also referred to as English learners (ELs), make in learning the English language (TEA,2019). 

SAIP programme of pan‐Canadian assessment focuses on school achievement indicators in mathematics, reading and writing, and science. SAIP is conducted by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) and tests a random sample of more than 35,000 13‐ and 16‐year‐old students. The first cycle of assessments began in 1993 with the administration of the mathematics assessment. The reading and writing assessment followed in 1994 and the science assessment was administered in 1996. The second cycle of assessments was administered from 1997 to 1999. Another important consideration is that provincial/territorial assessment programmes tend to have ‘high‐stakes’ consequences for students, but not teachers or administrators. For example, the results of most provincial assessments comprise a significant percentage of a secondary student’s final grades (i.e., typically between 30% and 50%) or serve as a graduation requirement or compulsory requirement for post‐secondary university attendance, as is the case in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec. Conversely, educators are not officially sanctioned for poor student performance ( Jaafar, 1970).

What I would really like to see is a more balanced system of assessing for both students and educators that does not negate the capabilities of either, an assessment that does not take the student hours to complete and devalue the instructional abilities of a teacher.What is the purpose of issuing textbooks if majority of the semester is spent prepping for an exam that determines a students placement a teachers income and the financial contribution to their institution ? 

Reference 

TELPAS Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved October 11, 2019, from https://tea.texas.gov/Student_Testing_and_Accountability/Testing/TELPAS.

Volante, L., & Jaafar, S. B. (1970, April 1). Educational assessment in Canada. Retrieved October 11, 2019, from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09695940802164226.

Stress on Childhood development

We'll call 2014 the year of chaos and grief for my family. I have always heard that things come in threes from my elders. I could not have been prepared to cope with the stress an imbalance that year brought. We lost my oldest daughters dad to a deadly disease, my grandfather of natural causes and then my mom to a drunk driver in 2 1/2 months of each other. My mom was planning a huge party for my granny the exact same week she lost her life. I went from helping my mother wrap things up from my grandfather funeral just 6 days prior and helping her with last minute arrangements for my granny to planning my mom's home going service.

 I was so focused on helping my oldest daughter work through her grief of losing her dad and my mom whom was her absolute best friend that I neglected to pick up on the youngest daughter internalizing grief. It took all I had to not have a mental breakdown myself which actually evolved into depression but I will only share how it affected my youngest daughter to avoid writing a novel.

 Alondra  my youngest daughter was 9 years old due to turn 10 at the end of the year. She was observing all the loss and grief around her and really not reacting to it or so we thought. It was the small things that we did not see happening with her. She was not eating, she never wanted to go anywhere or be around anyone she would just sit and read or lay around as if she were tired. The affects of loss for my oldest daughter had affected my youngest daughter. My oldest cried so much she would make herself sick. We got her in to talk to someone and we allowed her to process every stage of grief. But these were not things that my youngest daughter Alondra was a witness to nor did it cross our minds that anything was having an effect on her until her little mind took a pause to ask "WHY". 

Alondra wanted to know WHY our loved ones had to die and WHY her granny could not just come home. After attempting to explain the process of death to her being mindful that she had never lost anyone it then began to dawn on me that I had been so busy with one child that I neglected another during her time of grief. I honestly never saw the signs mainly because I never saw a reaction when everything was going on. That was definitely a lesson learned for me. Children cope with things in life that stress them differently, they may not react with emotion it could be a lack of emotion that is an indicator to a strain or tension within a child. Looking back there are so many things I would have done different to help my daughters during that time, I am grateful that chapter did not define either of my girls with a negative mindset about life their life.

Children all over the world have their way of coping with the stress of their daily lives. Children in Sierra Leone and Uganda experience tragedies ranging from separation, to violence and displacement the results of which can cause an impact on their cognitive ability and brain development. As per an article I read in TIME professionals allow children to express themselves or the trauma they experience through their own drawings. Like my daughter children may not be able to verbally express what they are going through right away however, a child drawings can convey to us what their minds are experiencing. If a child is enduring any level of stress for an extensive period of time it wears heavy on their ability to control their emotions.Toxic stress can cause a significant amount of long term damage to a child physical growth. The International Rescue Service or IRC believes that these effects in lack of development can be broken. The IRC works with young children and their families to form alternative paradigms with their environment playing a major role.The most pertinent factor is for children whom have been in a traumatic encounter is to have a consistent adult figure in their lives. 

How Children Suffering Trauma and Toxic Stress See the World. (n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2019, from https://time.com/longform/toxic-stress-children-migrant-trauma/.

Breastfeeding :Why Breastfeed?

Every mom wants to learn as much as she can as well as do all the things that are beneficial for her baby, breastfeeding is one of those things. Breastfeeding is yet another way to create a strong bond between mother and child. Participating in the practice of breastfeeding enables  "Babies who are exclusively breast-fed are less often sick, partly because breast milk provides antibodies and decreases allergies and asthma" (Berger, 2016). It was important to me to try to provide that added protection for my daughters when I had them so I breastfeed for the first few months.

 I unfortunately was not able to nurse my last daughter for more than a month, which was a huge shock and disappointment to me. It never occurred to me that my supply would dry up, which was confusing because "quantity increases to meet the demand" (Berger,2016). My last daughter weighed 8 lbs. 4 oz at a little over 3 weeks early, she was surely demanding a lot however, my body decided it just was not up for the task.
In the United States, most new moms (about 80 percent) start breastfeeding. More than half (about 58 percent) of moms breastfeed for 6 months. About one-third of new moms (36 percent) breastfeed for 12 months (March of Dimes, 2019). I did not think that breastfeeding was something that is still practice as highly as it may have been a decade ago but the more I read I am learning that is not the case. Being able to breastfeed not only protects babies immune system but it is also a benefit in it for moms. After a women has a baby breastfeeding increases a hormone known as oxytocin. Oxytocin "helps the uterus go back to the size it was before becoming pregnant" (March of Dimes, 2019).

A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) - shows that the lives of newborn babies under the age of six months could be saved if they were breastfed for at least the first six months of life.

During that period, mothers are strongly encouraged to feed their babies with nothing but breast milk alone, and in the preceding months they can then give their babies complimentary food but with continued breastfeeding up to two years.

Breastfeeding is very critical during the first six months of life as it helps in preventing diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia, the two major causes of death among infants. It is also beneficial to the mother as it reduces the chances of her getting ovarian and breast cancer (Welle, 2017).

Believe it or not, 99 percent of mothers in Norway initiate breastfeeding, according to LLLI, and 70 percent are still exclusively breastfed at three months. This is likely due to the generous maternity leave laws available to them. Save The Children reported that mothers can take up to 36 weeks off work with 100 percent of their pay, or they may opt to take off 46 weeks with 80 percent pay. Additionally, 80 percent of Norwegian hospitals are considered "baby friendly" meaning that they do not accept free infant formula or bottle-feeding equipment from private companies and have trained staff to help and encourage mothers to breastfeed at birth (Manes, 2016).

 There were a few other countries that had low breastfeeding rates that I was actually surprised by because I assumed that most other under developed countries only breastfeed their children and I could not have been more wrong.


Berger, K. S. (2016). The developing person through childhood (7th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

What Is Breastfeeding Like In Other Countries? A Look At 6 Places Around The World

https://www.romper.com/p/what-is-breastfeeding-like-in-other-countries-a-look-at-6-places-around-the-world-18338

Many African Countries Urged To Support Breastfeeding Mothers: Dw: 07.08.2017

Deutsche Welle - https://www.dw.com/en/many-african-countries-urged-to-support-breastfeeding-mothers/a-39966423

Breastfeeding Is Best

https://www.marchofdimes.org/baby/breastfeeding-is-best.aspx

Code of Ethics

NAEYC 

Section 1

Ethical Responsibilities to Children:

Childhood is a unique and valuable stage in the human life cycle. Our paramount responsibility is to provide care and education in settings that are safe, healthy, nurturing and responsive for each child (NAEYC , 2005).

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.

As an educator providing the right environment is one of many top priorities. Children within a classroom come from a wide range of backgrounds. An environment that is comforting will present a smoother transition for young children to feel that they belong and is inviting enough for them to connect and learn.

Principles 

P-1.8—We shall be familiar with the risk factors for and symptoms of child abuse and neglect, including physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse and physical, emotional, educational, and medical neglect. We shall know and follow state laws and community procedures that protect children against abuse and neglect.

It has and always will be an important part of my principles to speak and act on things that will harm or place another person in any form of abuse. I will make it one of my highest priorities to be the voice, the force, the support a child needs to the best of my abilities.

DEC

Children with disabilities and their families should be afforded the same level of an education and respect as all children and families within their learning community. 

Professional Practice:

Professional Practices encompasses the practice principles to promote and maintain high standards of conduct for the early childhood special education professional (DEC, 2000).

Professional and Interpersonal Behavior

We shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families and of those with whom we work.

I sincerely believe having a happy, helpful, ,and healthy work environment aids in promoting an overall positive work environment for both the employees and the children involved. The conditions should be such that when a parent immediately feels confident that their children are in a safe environment with educators that care about the total needs of their child. In addition, peers as well should be able to recognize that they are in a partnership with an educator that is there to provide the students with a balanced learning environment.

“I think it is important to we have a built- in passion to make a real contribution in the world. 

Louise Derman-Sparks  

“We as professionals in the early childhood field have the opportunity to shape a child's life for the better.” 

Sandy Escobido 

“This is the richest, most powerful country which ever occupied this globe. The might of past empires is little compared to ours. But I do not want to be the President who built empires, or sought grandeur, or extended dominion. I want to be the President who educated young children to the wonders of their world.” 

Lyndon B. Johnson