Research Around the World

The website I viewed was Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

There were many topics of interest listed on this website. Most are final major projects and thesis presented by students from different countries. A few of the projects listed that caught my attention were, Involving Fathers in Early Childhood Care and Development , Assessment of Interaction and Stimulation in Single-Mother Low-Income Families, Assessing the Influence of Different Early Childhood Development Models On Pre-School Children’s School Readiness in Kenya,  and Curriculum Development Using Community Resources.

Because I have had the opportunity to explore international websites in pass courses the information found was not knew but always enhances or builds on what I have already learned. It is always interesting to know what other countries are doing to improve the quality of education they are able to provide to children. This information can also be helpful to others as well. We can always benefit from each other. That is why it is so important to remain in contact with other professionals at home and in other countries.

Any information presented in my course for the purpose of study is always valuable information. Because the information on these websites is always changing or updating I have saved websites for future development opportunities.

http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php

 

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your professional and personal development (EDUC - 6162 - 7)

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your professional and personal development

The first consequence is the difficulty being able to actually get in contact with other professionals internationally. I believe that it is important to build relationships with other professionals and share ideas with each other that may be beneficial.

Second although I was able to explore the podcast and websites, the personal connection with an individual would have been an amazing experience and one that I am going to continue to work on.

Third is that I was not able to share, nor receive any experiences personally that may have contributed to an advancement in the early childhood field.

My goal is to achieve excellence in all areas within the early childhood field. In order to achieve this goal it will require being in contact with other professionals nationally and internationally, local and state officials, parents, administrators, and the community.

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

Research can bring on amazing results for families. In 1992 my niece was diagnosed with HIV at the age of 4. Over the years she has taken all kinds of medications, has had near death experiences, and has lost her mom and some friends to this disease. After years of taking medication we were told they were no longer working and they wanted to try some new medications that were experimental. My mom agreed to let her take the medicines and each time she went to the doctor her blood test would always show positive results. A few years ago after taking the medicine for a while they did more test and tested her again for the virus and we were told she should no signs of the virus in her system anymore.  Although the medication had severe side-affects that she rarely experienced the end results has given her a chance to live a life free of HIV. There is still no cure for the disease without continued treatment, but this gives us hope that eventually there will be a cure that does not require the continued use of medications.

Your Personal Research Journey

I chose classroom effectiveness as my topic for the simulation. I chose this topic because I am passionate about the well-being of children and them being a valuable part of society. If we slack on their training in the early stages of development we risk them not being successful later on in life. Professionals are the driving force behind their students and are responsible for their educational success. Professionals should be educated, well trained, and have a strong passion for working with children. Our classrooms will consist of children of different ethnicities, cultures, and varying abilities, therefore we have to be prepared to support the needs of all the children we come in contact with. A child’s ability to function within society will rely upon our ability to teach them to do so. Professionals should have some accountability when it relates to a child’s educational development.

As professionals we will not be able to do this without the help of other professionals, administrators, parents, and the community. So, if you have any information that will help me as I research classroom effectiveness it will be greatly appreciated. I will also be willing to share with you any information that my help you with your research topic.

"My Supports"

I have some support factors that are very important to me and without them dealing with everyday issues can be challenging. The love and support of my heavenly father and my dependence on his Holy word has brought me through dangers seen and unseen. This spiritual support has been my shelter when I had no other supports to rely on. I can’t begin to imagine what life would be like without it.

The love and support of my children and their appreciation of me is very important. The emotional support they provide is important because it keeps me focused and more able to make decisions that will have a positive impact. I also have emotional support from my friends. There will be times and situations that you may need a stronger support system to tackle live most challenging moments.  My church family and some family members are always there to offer their support both spiritually and emotionally. I have five children two are disabled and they require a lot of my time and attention. There disabilities also come with many challenges that can become stressful. It’s during these times when the love and support of my family and friends is needed the most.

 

"My Connections to Play."

Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.

Kay Redfield Jamison: Contemporary American professor of psychiatry

A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who does not play has lost forever the child who lived in him.

Pablo Neruda

As a child I enjoyed playing. Back then play to me was so much more exciting and more meaningful because we created most of it. We had toys we played with that were bought but I had for fun with the toys we created on our own. As a child my parents encouraged us to play more outside because we were not allowed to play in the house. Even in school we had more time for recess than children do now. I can remember how Mr. Carter would take us to a big field on his mother’s land and lets us play baseball during the week. I also remember on the weekends our church would allow us to participate in different activities at the park or the local gym. I had video games as a child but I preferred to play outside.

Play today for children is so much different from when I was a child. You don’t see as many children outside playing as you did when I was a child. Video games, computers, and the lack of parental encouragement are some reasons I believe play has changed.

Playing as a young child helped me define who I was and what I was good at doing. It helped me build positive relationships, gain respect for others, and how to interact with others in a positive way. I also encouraged my children to play when they were younger so they could experience what I did. My children are totally different from me when I was a child I remember playing outside beyond elementary years but they act as if they are allergic to being outside. The older they got the less time they had for outside play. They love to dance, sing, and technology, but outside play is very important in how they develop. But I now have the luxury of engaging in play with my nephews who love to play especially outside.

Relationship Reflection

     Healthy relationships are an important component of health and wellbeing. There is tons of evidence that strong relationships contribute to a healthy, happy, and long life. Relationships are designed to help fulfill important needs. They also require you to give something that someone may be lacking or longing for. Relationships are also important because they can have a long lasting effect on others. No one person can deal with all situations alone. We will face some difficult situations in life and the relationships we have with others can help us deal with them much easier than ding it alone.

   There are so many people who I rely on and have built strong relationships with. All these people help me in different ways and have made life so much easier for me.  My mother has always had a positive effect on my life. Because I was a teenage mom she helped and supported me so that I was able to be a better mom to my children and also be able to finish school. My family is the strongest support system I have. Not Just my immediate family but my entire family the Davis Family. Although we may not see each other regularly, and we may fuss and fight, we have a bond that can never be broken. My church Family has instilled in me certain values that have taken me a long way in this life. Because of this we are able to change the lives of so many people within our community. We are actively involved in outreach services that require us to work closely together which has strengthened our relationships beyond just going to church. This is what makes these relationships also partnerships. The relationship I have with my children is like no other. We are far from being perfect but what we have taught each other over the years we stay with us for a life time.

With any relationship there are challenges. These challenges come in many forms. So many people are not aware of the positive attributes that relationships bring. This unawareness can cause unnecessary strain. Jealously is one thing that can be a challenge in developing relationship. Bias opinions can also present challenges in building strong relationships.

  These relationships impact my work as an effective early childhood professional because I am familiar with how they can have a positive impact on a person’s life. They also help me to help others who may not understand why they are important. The most important thing is me knowing the affect these relationships had on my life and how they helped me to become successful. Without these relationships I may not have been able to accomplish so many things. This is also true for young children; they will need as much support as they can get to be successful. We should not take that for granted by allowing different challenges to prevent children from building positive relationships.