Sunday, December 9, 2012

Testing for Intelligences?

As a mother of two young boys I have to say that testing a child only by academics is definitely not the way to go. Both of my sons have their own special talents and capabilities. My oldest is athletic is great at math but has always struggled in Math. My youngest is an explorer, he is very observant, is a wonderful reader and is great at figuring out gadgets. I do not think that there should be only a standardized test to test children because not every child does well on a standardized test.  Students all learn in various ways such as visually and auditory, why shouldn't it be the same way when it comes to test day? Also, the downfall of standardized test is the time limit which can be stressful on a child who needs more time to figure out the answer. If you are to test a child academically, you would also have to test a child physically and emotionally as well because the child may or may not be emotionally ready to take a test. The test does not consider if the child lacked sleep from mommy or daddy fighting the previous day, or having a close one die.

How does the US compare to other countries?


The United States may be a superpower but in education we lag behind. In a recent comparison of academic performance in 57 countries, students in Finland came out on top overall. Finnish 15-year-olds did the best in science and came in second in math. Other top-performing countries were: Hong Kong, Canada, Taiwan, Estonia, Japan and Korea.
Students in the United States performed near the middle of the pack. On average 16 other industrialized countries scored above the United States in science, and 23 scored above us in math. The reading scores for the United States had to be tossed due to a printing error.

What makes Finland so hot?

Finland's stellar performance has drawn the attention of education and government officials around the world. These experts have uncovered many attributes of the Finnish educational system that are distinctive and contribute to the success of Finnish students. Some of these features are:
  • The Finnish school system uses the same curriculum for all students (which may be one reason why Finnish scores varied so little from school to school).
  • Students have light homework loads.
  • Finnish schools do not have classes for gifted students.
  • Finland uses very little standardized testing.
  • Children do not start school until age 7.
  • Finland has a comprehensive preschool program that emphasizes "self-reflection" and socializing, not academics.
  • Grades are not given until high school, and even then, class rankings are not compiled.
  • Teachers must have master's degrees.
  • Becoming a teacher in Finland is highly competitive. Just 10% of Finnish college graduates are accepted into the teacher training program; as a result, teaching is a high-status profession. (Teacher salaries are similar to teacher salaries in the U.S., however.)
  • Students are separated into academic and vocational tracks during the last three years of high school. About 50% go into each track.
  • Diagnostic testing of students is used early and frequently. If a student is in need of extra help, intensive intervention is provided.
  • Groups of teachers visit each others' classes to observe their colleagues at work. Teachers also get one afternoon per week for professional development.
  • School funding is higher for the middle school years, the years when children are most in danger of dropping out.
  • College is free in Finland.
 Students are not sorted into different groups or schools but different types of learners are learning together. In this kind of setting high achieving students seem to serve as positive models for their less advanced classmates. The pedagogy differs from that applied in systems characterized by tracking and streaming. Efforts are made to provide instruction to cater to the needs of different learners in terms of their skills and interests."


References
Berger, Kathleen (2009) The Developing Person
Wilde, Marian Global grade: How do U.S. students compare?

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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

Poverty

 There are many stressors that can affect a child's development but I have chosen to talk about poverty because poverty has affected my parents when they were younger and seems to be affecting us all today. I remember my folks both telling me that they had a rough childhood because they had to live within their means. Both of my parents have admitted that their parents struggled to pay bills and they did not have a lot of money. Living in poverty actually encouraged my parents to want a better life and to go to college so that would not have to worry about not having money to buy food and to put clothes on their backs. My father mentioned how he had to walk miles to go to school but he said it was worth it to get out of poverty. He also stated that he struggled in school and did not have high enough scores to go to college but he thanks God that he had a wonderful advisor who encouraged him to do whatever it takes to go to college. My mothers story is very similar, she came from a small town called Madison Florida. She did not have a strong relationship with her father because he was never married to her mom. She had two sisters who had the same mom but a different father. Her mother struggled to raise her and her sisters by herself and my mom wanted a better life so she was determined to go off to college. Both my parents coped with living in poverty by focusing their attention on getting a better education to get out of poverty. As an adult I struggled with finances and knew I wanted a better life for my children so I received my degree in education. My parents are my role models, my father is a retired computer programmer, and my mother is a retired elementary school principal. They are now living the life they wished they had when they were children because they are traveling around the world. 

 South Africa and Poverty

 South Africa is rated the 12th most inequitable country on earth. In line with global commitment to eradicate extreme poverty by 2015 in terms of the first Millennium Development Goal (NDG), South Africa has made specific achievements in reducing income poverty and poverty amongst those living under the international rate of less than US$ 1 a day. From April 1994 – March 2004, social grants have been increased from ZAR 10 billion to ZAR 37.1 billion (around US$ 5 billion). During the same period, the Government has been able to provide over 435, 000 homes with electricity, sanitation and safe drinking water. Despite these achievements, the extent of inequality between rich and poor is so 
great that it is impossible to bridge the gap by 2015 with current efforts.

 Ozoemena,Rita  Poverty alleviation strategies in South Africa: Creating dignified living for women through social justice and development
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Sunday, November 11, 2012

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding has been a meaningful part of my life because I have two sons which were breastfed. Breastfeeding does not only have a nutritional and healthy aspect for babies but it also encourages nurturing and bonding aspects as well. Think about it, your baby is cuddling close to you and is sharing the warmness of your body and your milk. I remember breastfeeding would also be so relaxing that it would put both me and my sons to sleep.

I was curious about how other mothers from around the world thought about breastfeeding. This is what I learned:

he Philippines is one of the leaders in international efforts to promote and protect women’s right to breastfeed. The country has implemented laws to control aggressive marketing by formula companies and their false claims that formula makes babies smarter. The WHO estimated that the nation’s total lost wages from caring for formula-fed children with diarrhea and acute respiratory infections during the first six months of life was 1 billion pesos ($23.4 million). Eighty-eight percent of Filipino babies are breastfed at birth and 34% are exclusively breastfed up to five months of age.
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Sunday, November 4, 2012

Childbirth In my Life and Around the World

The birth of my first child Jaylan was such an overwhelming experience. We tried for so long to have children and it did not seem to be working so we had just about given up on the thought. I was scheduled to have fibroid removal surgery when I was constantly vomitting in the morning. So I asked my gynecologist to administer a pregnancy test just to make sure because I knew that I would not be able to get surgery if I was pregnant. When she came back with the positive test I almost fell out of my seat. The actual birth came by so fast because I had a scheduled c-section due to the size of my fibroids.  I remember the epidural and the pain I felt with the huge needle. I also remember being wheeled into the operating room and having the anesthesiologist giving me a mask that put me to sleep. After that I do not remember much besides the nurse showing me my son for a second and taking him away to be examined. My husband said that I looked drugged and that they patted my son on the bottom to get him to cry. According to my husband my son was a very loud crier. Although the whole labor took a total of about 15 minutes I would never forget that day. I chose to talk about my own experience because it made me realize the importance of my prenatal care on the birth of my children. I know without the care I would not have know about the fibroids or about any problems with the fetal development of both my sons.

Childbirth experience for poor Kenyan mother:
I had the opportunity of watching a video about childbirth for a young Kenyan woman who gave birth to her child on the floor. It was very heartbreaking. She explains that she could not afford hospital expenses like many of the women there so she has given birth to eight children on the floor. Her neighbor who has no medical expertise helped deliver the babies including cutting the umbilical cord. She stated that she wished she had a better life for her children but none of the fathers are around. The first father died and the second father abandoned her children. After watching this video I am thankful that I had the support of my family in both my pregnancies.
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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Examining Codes of Ethics


Here are my aspirations as an early childhood professional.

 NAEYC ideals:

 To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child. 


 To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.
To use assessment instruments and strategies that are appropriate for the children to be assessed, that are used only for the purposes for which they were designed, and that have the potential to benefit children. 
DEC:

 I 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 shall honor and respect the diverse backgrounds of our colleagues including such diverse characteristics as sexual orientation, race, national origin, religious beliefs, or other affiliations. 
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Sunday, October 7, 2012

Walden Course Resources


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