Child Development and Public Health

Breast feeding is an important topic to me because I am trying to convince my daughter to breastfeed her son when he is born in a couple of months. I did not breastfeed my children, but after reading and listening to the reports about the benefits and positive outcomes of breastfeeding, I would like my daughter to consider utilizing this option. Breastfeeding can eliminate or decrease my grandson from infection, illnesses, and allergies. Breastfeeding is said to enhance his development and his intelligence. Not only would my grandchild benefit, my daughter can benefit by increased post-partum weight loss. Though breastfeeding is common in Africa, breastfeeding in public is forbidden for Egyptian women. In Ghana, breastfeeding is viewed as the purest and highly encouraged way to nurse and letting a baby cry in public makes onlookers suspect the baby is stolen. It seems that it does not matter how and when the infant is breastfed, it is still considered to be the best way to deliver nutrients to infants.

Bringing Life to Life

My personal experience with childbirth was a traumatic and enduring  experience during the first time. My daughter, first birth, took approximately 28 hours and I did not remember anything because I was under so much pain medication. I did remember the experience of actually birthing my daughter. I can remember being given directions by the nurses on how to push. The doctor only entered at the end when it was time for the baby to actually be born. The doctor was not very active during the birthing process. The nurses did most of the work. Yes, there was much medication involved. One significant activity that is traditional with childbirth in the US is allowing the father to cut the umbilical cord. The excess cord remaining on the baby is removed at home by applying Vaseline and alcohol. Through my reading on gurgle.com, a great deal of significance is placed on the umbilical cord in many countries around the world. In Turkey, the umbilical cord is traditionally kept in the house and in other countries, such as Indonesia, the cord is sometimes buried alongside a symbolic tree. This was very shocking to me because in the U.S., the umbilical cord is used to give the father a more active part in the birthing process. In those other countries, the umbilical cord holds a more significant value.

EDUC 6160: Early Childhood Development

I am embarking on another course that will enhance my knowledge level about the development of children. So far, this course is a challenge. Week One was a lot to get your feet wet with, considering that this is the second class. I am looking forward to the challenge and hope that the hard work pays off like it did for the first class.

Farewell

I would like to take this time to tell all my colleagues that I have really enjoyed this blogging experience and I plan to continue this process. Please lets stay in touch since we have started this journey together. I would like to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR along with much success and happiness.

Examining Code of Ethics

DEC Code of Ethics:

I3. We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeing and using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to suggestions of others.

This is significant to me because I believe the more you know, the more you grow. I know that I am capable of doing the job, but I need to be at a place where I know why the techniques that I am using are working.

III4. We shall advocate for equal access to high quality services and supports for all children and families to enhance their quality of lives.

This is significant to me because as an educator in the rural Mississippi Delta, it is very evident that some HeadStart centers get the better teachers, equipment, and the “smarter” children. I am constantly voicing my opinion to educational leaders regarding ensuring that students in my center have access to the same resources available to the students that are located in a high poverty area.

NAEYC

P-1.1. Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children.

This is significant to me because on most of all the news stations or newspapers are addressing mistreatment and/or abuse to children. As educators, we need to hold this principle to sacred so that children will have a safety haven at school. We all know that children learn better when they are stress.

References

• NAEYC. (2005). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved December 12,2011, from
  http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
•  Division for Early Childhood. (2000). Code of ethics. Retrieved December 12,2011, from
  http://www.dec-sped.org/

Course Resources

• Video Program: “The Resources for Early Childhood”
  Five early childhood professionals discuss their preferred and trusted resources.

Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/74759/CRS-CW-6136827/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  
  
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al.  (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42–53.

Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
   
• Websites:
  • World Forum Foundation
    http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage 
    
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP’s mission. 
    
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/about/
    

Early Childhood Organizations

• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
  
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
  
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
  
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
  
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
  
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
  
• HighScope
  http://www.highscope.org/
  
• Children’s Defense Fund
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/
  
• Center for Child Care Workforce
  http://www.ccw.org/
  
• Council for Exceptional Children
  http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
  
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
  
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
  http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
  
• National Child Care Association
  http://www.nccanet.org/
  
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  http://nieer.org/
  
• Pre[K]Now
  http://www.preknow.org/
  
• Voices for America’s Children
  http://www.voices.org/
  
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/
     

 Professional Journals

• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education

Additional Resources
The New Republic: Obama's Education Legacy for America's Youngest Kids: Too Little, Too Late by: Sara Mead  http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/98094/obama-early-childhood-education

Perth Now: Childcare 'hot potato' for Governments opinion of: Cora-Ann Wilson http://www.perthnow.com.au/business/opinion/childcare-hot-potato-for-governments/story-fn8t4my5-1226213110602

Greenberg, M, Schumacher, R (2003) Financing universal pre-kindergarten: Possibilities and technical issues for states in using funds under the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families(TANF) block grant. Washington, DC: Center for Law and Social Policy. http://www.clasp.org/publications/universal_prek.pdf
Summary: This brief report summarizes the roles of Child Care and Development Fund

(CCDF) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants and examines
possible ways these funds can financially support universal Pre-K initiatives. Authors
conclude that although both funds can be used for universal Pre-K initiatives, the states
may need to develop clearer policy guidelines for prioritizing the use of the funds as
complexities arise with more programs seeking funding.

"Now, today, some children are enrolled in excellent programs. Some children are enrolled in mediocre programs. And some are wasting away their most formative years in bad programs....That's why I'm issuing a challenge to our states: Develop a cutting-edge plan to raise the quality of your early learning programs; show us how you'll work to ensure that children are better prepared for success by the time they enter kindergarten. If you do, we will support you with an Early Learning Challenge Grant that I call on Congress to enact."
- President Barack Obama, speaking to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, March 10, 2009

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

"To be judged fairly, this young man must only be compared to himself"
-Jean Marc Gaspard Itard, 1906
  The Wild Boy of Averyon

"The greatest enemy of children today is poverty."
-Edward Zigler, 2007
 Giving Intervention a Headstart

Why I chose teaching?
"To fix the injustices in the world through teaching."
-Louise Derman-Sparks
The Passion for Early Childhood