Julie's Early Childhood Studies

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Building Research Competencies

Research is a very complicated tool used to acquire information. Without it however stagnation in practices would take hold and best-practices would disappear. There are so many concepts to consider when building a research project. A great deal of contemplation is required to ensure research validity. My thoughts of research being intimidating was warranted however, I have found research can be a small project surveying families or conducting a needs assessment, to an elaborate longitudinal study follow participants for years.

A great deal of care must be used when designing a research study. Research projects cannot haphazardly be designed or conducted.

I had many challenges through this class. Building Research Competencies is the first class I felt that I was out of my element. The terminology and concepts were foreign to me. I had a great deal of distraction throughout the term, which made the topic even more challenging to decipher.

Understanding how early childhood research is created from the conception to fruition, enlightened me on the viability of findings. I have greater appreciation for early childhood research and the dedicated people who conduct it.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

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

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) provides a great deal of information about the development of the University of Victoria’s virtual university. This international endeavor on early childhood research provided access into the Sub-Saharan Africa portal and the research conducted in that geographical area. The Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) is a pioneering and comprehensive approach to addressing ECD capacity building and leadership improvements in Africa. Several degree programs are offered including a Masters degree and a certificate program. The ECDVU is committed to improving the well-being of children and their families in Africa. The program employed various delivery methods including: employing a generative curriculum, promoting a ripple effects and networking activities, and a quality academic program.

I was surprised to find the status, of Early Childhood Development in Sub-Saharan Africa, to be in its infancy stage. The process of finding specialist to instruct the courses in the urban and rural areas seemed like a daunting task to undertake. There are several groups that are significant to the achievement of each ECDVU initiative, including: learners, faculty, advisors and funders. There are several major projects, seeking a better understanding and improving initiatives for Early Childhood Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The funders for these programs are agencies we have been working with over the last several classes:

World Bank
Norwegian Educational Trust Fund
UNICEF
UNESCO
CIDA
Bernard van Leer Foundation
Consultative Group on ECCD
BC HELP Project

Are a few of the agencies working on this program.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Hypertonic Saline

I have a niece and nephew who have Cystic Fibrosis (CF). A few years ago, I was watching a news segment which discussed a girl who had CF and was an avid surfer. Her family had found that before she began surfing she was not as healthy. Researchers began to do studies on children with CF and surfing. They then connected it to children with CF who live in a coastal area. Researchers found hypertonic saline was the connect ion between better lung function in children with CF. When I was finished watching the broadcast, I phoned my sister and told her about the research-taking place in Australia. She called their pulmonologist and my niece began a regiment of the treatment. In less than six months, her lung function improved significantly. My nephew is not as compliant with his medication and daily treatment regiment and therefore he is more sickly, than his sister.

Jessica is 28 years old and has a BS is Dance Education. Due to her medical needs, she needs a job with good health insurance. She went back to school and received a certificate in Medical Coding and Transcribing; she works at a hospital, which offers the needed health benefits. She remains very healthy and is only hospitalized a couple times a year.

My nephew David is not as healthy and is hospitalized several times a year. He is more susceptible to colds and the flu.

David 18, Jessica 27

Jessica lives in NC near the coast

Jessica and me in Ireland

Very Talented

Jessica Godmother to my grandson, Bryson

Dance teacher

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Is there a connection between quality military childcare programs and school readiness?

I have chosen this topic because it is relevant to the work that I do. Working in an accredited program means we provide quality early childhood experiences to children. Military children are considered at-risk due to the stressors in their lives. At-risk children tend to have difficulty in school. Is there a connection be the accredited early childhood program and school readiness?

I had a terrible time figuring out what topic to choose, how to narrow down my topic, and find information about it. I landed up changing my topic, because I just could not find information about my initial topic. Today was the most challenging day of my scholarly endeavor. I became more and more frustrated and irritated.

As I read the text and constructed the chart, I became blocked and could not proceed. I have never had so much difficulty with an assignment. It really brought me back to the struggle I had in elementary school.

If anyone can help me find resources on my topic of choice, I would greatly appreciate any assistance. If anyone works in a community, which has a heavy concentration of military families please let me know, I would love to know your insight.

I have found several sights which can help with early childhood research, they may help:

http://www.childcareresearch.org/childcare/welcome

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/ta/cctan.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVw3V06ZLfg

My Supports

Within my daily environment, I find the computer and
internet to be supportive to my needs. It supports me within my private and professional life. While at work I use the internet to receive training, seek professional development opportunities for our staff, find resources for families, search for websites to help with curriculum development, find out
information about possible field trip locations, print maps, keep current in NAEYC accreditation updates, and receive newsletters from professional organizations.
Within my private life, the internet provides my schooling,
recipes for healthy meals, weight loss tracking, shopping, keeping in touch with friends and families, maintaining my pet’s certifications, and entertainment.
The benefits of my computer and the internet are numerous. I
am able to sustain relationships from people in distant locations; I can further my education, maintain good health, saves time, and energy, and be more resourceful at my job.
If I did not have my computer or internet, I may not be able
to continue my education in the field I desire because the local university does not offer the course of study I wanted.
If I had to go to the library or elsewhere to do my schoolwork, it would take me away from my family for many hours during the week. If I did not have my computer or internet at work, I would not be as resourceful to staff, families and children.
If computers and internet service was not available to me at
any location, I would have to drive to the different helping agencies in my community to find resources. I would have to call NAEYC for updates and resources. I would probable talk a great deal more on the phone. I would attend expos and conferences to learn about companies who have goods and services for children as well as attend the workshops.

I am often nervous about completing homework
on Sunday’s. I often have physically debilitating migraines, which effect my cognitively as well, as physically. My thought processing is inhibited and I have to hibernate in a dark room. I take a daily preventative medication, which lessens the frequency. However but, still several times a month I get excruciatingly bad headaches.
I have incredible support from my family, doctors, and medication. My family supports me by taking on the responsibilities of the house, being quiet, providing me
with medication, and a cold compress for my head. My husband and daughter will pick up the medication from the pharmacy, or bring me to the Emergency Room if
the medication does not provide relief. My doctors are amazing. My neurologist is very thorough through diagnostic test and experimenting with a variety of medication. She is trying to improve my quality of life. The Emergency Room staff
provide a quiet dark environment, and medication which relieves the pain within a few hours.
The benefits of these supports allow me to recover more quickly, fell loved, and allow me to finish
any required work. Without the support system I have for my migraines, I would be in pain for a number of days, losing work and unable to complete homework assignments. Without my daily medication, I would have more frequent and
intense migraines. I would be isolated in my bedroom without being able to engage with my children or husband. Without my husband and children as supports, I would feel isolated and helpless. I would not be able to complete homework by
the required due date. The ramifications of not having quality supports would prevent me from furthering my education.
Without the reassurance of my supports, my life would be a great deal more secluded, hinder my professional growth, and inhibit my quality of life.

Quotes to Inspire

On Parenting:
"Parents often talk about the younger generation as if they didn't have anything to do with it."
Dr. Hiam Ginott

On Teaching:
" I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element int the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized."
Dr. Hiam Ginott

On Respect:
"Respect according to [people] should not depend upon the way in which they spend their working hours. In a social sense there shuld be only one class- The great class of humanity."
Eglantyne Jebb

On War:
"All wars are waged upon children."
Eglantyne Jebb

On Passion:
"I have a passion to create a safe and just world."
Louise Derman-Sparks

On Motivation:
"It's an instrinsic motivation, knowing the work I do will benifit the lives of children."
Raymand Hernandez MS Ed

Personal Childhood Web

Having a large family has been a complete blessing to grow up in. I have 4 brothers and 4 sisters. My parents we married for over 50 years. My dad passed away 5 years ago and my mother is still living in Plattsburgh Ny in the same house we lived in when I was growning up. My dad was 1 of 4 and my mom 1 of 7. I have 56 first cousins who I know very well growing up. It is difficult to pick just 5 people who influenced me the most. But here goes;

My dad was a hard working small business owner. He worked hard and provided for his large family. We had everything we needed and then some. He was French Canadian Indian with dark brown hair and a bushy mustache. He taught me how to work hard. He taught me many life skills, which help me throughout ever given day. I have manners and a lot of common sense. I can eat at fancy restuants and talk about world politics, realigions, and travel destinations. We watched 60 Minutes together every week and also snuck in a bit of Sunday Morning before Church. He taught me to dress up if I was going to the bank, lawyers or doctors. Most importantly he taught me patience.

My mother is a short little woman who while growing up always had a belly. She is French and Irish. Mom taught me to believe in Jesus Christ. She always had food in the pantry and on the stove. She taught me hospitaility. She also taught me how not to cook.

My brother Bryan is a short little guy with a bit of a belly on him. He is just a couple years younger than me and we think he has William's Syndrom. but he has never been diagnosed. He taught me to be tolerant and accepting of everyone. He taught me that playing your air guitar and dash board piano is perfectly acceptible for an adult as you drive down the road.

My Aunt Delima was my dad's sister. She died only a year before my dad. She was a large woman with jet black hair and a loud voice. She lived about a half hour from us but, we got together quite oftern. She taught me that family was always worth your time. She came to every family gather no matter how small. She baked the most amazing Christmas goodies and to this day Christmas is not the same. She taught me the importance of family.

About Me