Further Explorations of Early Childhood Development

Early childhood development is a cornerstone for each persons life. I am lucky enough to have had the opportunity to further my understanding of this vital time under the instruction of Dr. Horton.  Her excitement and commitment to all of those in this course offered me the guidance to be a better professional. There are many others also within my courses who inspired me along this path to keep going and to also bring my thinking to a new level. 

Sifawu Aigbogun has a wonderful blog over at How Early is Early. Each week she brought a new idea and a different opinion to the topic with her background knowledge. Thank you very much for the ideas and information shared through each blog post, I hope to learn more with you in the future. 

Anne Rawlins is another inspiring person with her blog No Mud, No Lotus. Anne truly shows her passion for this professional field though her blog and by sharing her knowledge each week. Thank you for the inspiration to grow more as a professional through the time of this course. I am excited for your future as an early childhood professional. 

My Supports

My support system is great. Emotionally I have support from my husband, son, sister, as well as amazing co-workers. My daily interactions with each one of these people keeps me striving day in and day out to be the best I can. Being married for almost fifteen years, we have been through many trials as well as celebrations so this support is a constant for me from my husband. My son encourages me to be a better person even though he does not say it. He has many struggles and assisting him through those, helps me each day. My sister is my voice of reason and I call her often for more advice than anyone else. Without these three in my life, I do not think I would make it daily. 

I also have many friends who support me from afar which leads into my practical support within my day to day living, my iPhone. This device keeps me connected on so many levels. I put lists in it, I call or text many of my supports, it also offers reprieve from daily stresses with social media or games. If I lose this device I would be rather lost because it holds so much information for me. 

My physical supports that assist me would be a great many step stools in my home. Since I am rather short and have a need to reach things, I need this support to complete many of my daily tasks. I seriously use one at work and one at home constantly. While I am sure I could live without this item, I truly do not want to because then I wold be struggling or waiting for someone to assist me. 

Planning and subsequently hosting a huge thanksgiving meal requires a great deal of support from those listed above. This is a challenge because it requires me to go out of my way and element from what I daily do. The emotional supports I listed above help me by keeps me organized as well as listening to my ideas. They each are providing me with ideas and recipes to ensure my success. My practical support of my iPhone is so important with this challenge. I need this for recipes, grocery lists, calculating out servings, as well as ordering more items. Last, my physical support of that step stool is one the to need to reach those items we only use at this particular time of the year. Without it I would again be depending on others when I prefer to be self sufficient. Each one of these supports makes up a great network for my success of hosting this rather larger gathering. If any one of these supports were missing from this event then I would not be able to handle the situation as well as I typically would with each there. I need each one of these supports to make things go smoothly and successfully. 

Testing for School Age Children

Testing a children for academic skills is something that many do not agree on. I think a formal test or assessment should completed simply on a base level to understand where a child is but this test should not be the end all be all. Many children suffer from test anxiety or simply do not care to perform well on a required assessment. Also, there are a great many children who may have an undiagnosed learning complication which could hinder test/assessment performance. Thinking of this, it is important to compile this data with that of observations of a child to get a better picture and understanding of the child as a whole. 

While the school setting and organization is quite different in Switzerland than that of the United States, children are still being assessed there. The assessments are more to help a child move to the next grade level according to the website Swiss Education. The website for Swiss Education goes on to explain that while most children will be assessed upon entering kindergarten, the tests at the end of each school year is optional for the children and "these instruments can be used to determine the current state of knowledge and skills or to assess the performance of the pupils and also allow the teachers to compare the learning success of their class with other classes"(2018). As we know this is quite different than how the schools within the United States uses tests and assessments within the primary grade school years. The Bell School explain even more how schools use these assesses to "provide feedback to parents regularly through a learning journal and parent meetings" and "we continually check each child's progress and help them move to the next level" (2018). 

While I know assessments have a place in the primary school setting, I feel children should not be taught to perform well on these. Learning needs to be more content than how to properly take a mandated test and perform well. Too often children are not being taught basic skills such as how to read a clock because it is not on a mandated assessment. Hopefully a balance can come to our country soon and it will develop many great education skills for children.

Photo credit: scary mommy.com - https://www.bell-school.ch/en/nursery/teaching-approach

War - Being a Child

Being a military child is not an easy life and then compile this lifestyle with war it becomes a different life all together. Military children come from different cultures and experience a life unlike that of other children. My son was born to dual military parents and add to the factor that he was born during the beginning surges of the Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns; he has felt a different impact of war than that of nonmilitary children.

He was two years old when his father and I both deployed for a fifteen month combat tour in Iraq. He was fortunate to stay with his Aunt Laura, who loved him like her own, but he would talk often of his mom and dad and how much he missed us but the understanding of why were were away was very difficult. When we returned from this tour it was a very hard transition for him to live with us again. There was always resentment and anger towards as well as the the missing of Aunt Laura, since he has been with her for quite some times and much of his memories were with her. 

Dad and Tre in 2013

When my son was eight, it was time for dad to leave again. This was a shorter combat tour to Afghanistan. The days and weeks after this smiling picture were filled with sadness and loneliness that was difficult to understand. Tre often slept in my bed because he claimed I was lonely even though we know he was trying to express his feelings. The transition home after dad being away  was a better than when we was much younger. We were able to bring dad into our routine and Tre was so excited to share all the new things he learned while dad was away. 

Dad and Tre in 2016

A few years later we found ourselves on familiar turf with another combat tour for dad. This round was in Iraq and with my son being older he was more aware that not all parents return home. There were talks and questions of dads safety often. The phone communication for this tour was limited compared to past tours and this took a real toll on Tre as he was becoming a young man who really needed his dad. The transition back was rocky and Tre began to act out in violent ways. This led to many suspensions from school. Many months of heartbreak and acting out eventually calmed when it become clear that dad would not be leaving again. 

Each of these operations due to war have brought new challenges. The emotional toll and stress of each one has changed my child over the years. He understands why his dad does these things but that does not make it easier. He is only one of many children who face this challenge. Some even have to handle this on a more recurrent status. We will take each deployment as a single incident and face any challenges that my present itself for my son but I often wonder how different his life would be if he would not have to worry about these impending separations of his father to combat areas.

My Connections to Play

Growing up, much of my place took place outdoors and it was not unusual to see me tagging along behind my three older siblings. These two quotes perfectly describe my upbringing because we were outside to keep our mother sane an also she knew the play we would get within out neighborhood was something that would help us develop into great people one day. 

Since the bulk of my play took place outdoors, three essentials pieces of that play would be a swing set, a bicycle, and some barbies. I would spend so many hours out back on my families swing set with my siblings or friends where we would create fun games or have contests. A bicycle was a must in my neighborhood growing up. I learned to ride on a ten-speed because that is what my family had and could not afford a special small bike for me. My older brother or sisters would help me get going and then I would jump off when we got to our destination. There was never any fear or anxiety about it because that was just how we did things. The barbies we a huge role in my childhood. My best friend and I would play and play and come up with different stories for each doll. When our time was up for the day we would put them in specula places and then the next time we played together we would continue the same story and dialogue. I did not have too many, maybe about three and my mom made most of the clothes for the dolls too. 

From my mother, to my siblings, to my childhood friends; play was so important to my upbringing and I was so fortunate to have so many people in my life to support this. It never felt like I was doing much, but as I reflect on it now I can understand the importance of these free times to explore and learn on my own or with others. Being supported (very encouraged to not come home until the streetlights came on) by our mother really offered such a great opportunity. 

 For me, play for children today is not quite the same as it was when I was a child. We were always out and about our neighborhood or riding our bikes many blocks to a friend or relatives home, all of this completely without adult supervision. Yes, my older siblings were there (most of the time) but my oldest sibling is only five years older than me so there was not so much in the way of supervision. Today, most children do not get this opportunity to freely explore and discover. Most parents are always rather close by with cautionary words and I think this dampens the cause and effect exploration that many children need. Most of the play occurs indoors because of the amount of technology children are encountering in our current society which really is leading to a lack of skill development, particularly gross motor skills. Children today really need to "un-plug" and get outdoors to explore and play more. Fancy toys and gadgets are not needed as the imagination can create so much when this free play is offered. 

 As I grew older an my play transitioned to more indoor forms of play as well as exploring other interests, such as instrumental music, I feel those early years really gave me a strong foundation for problem solving. I am able to look at things and keep trying until I can figure something out. Now in my professional life, I am able to look back on games and songs I knew and played and a child and enjoy them with my students. It always beings a joy to my heart to see the smiles on their faces as they light about like I did many years ago. 

Photo credits: amazon.com, bargainstobounty.com, joueclubliban.com, pinterest.com

Relationship Reflection

We are all social creatures by nature, some of us are more social than others. 

I am a slow to warm type of person. I will be shy and quiet until I get to know you and then I am there for you and will speak freely with you. I have been so blessed to have many great people in my life. Relationships are so important to me because of the support each one offers as well as what I offer them. I love being there for people and helping or being a listening ear. I am always there supporting others through joys as well as struggles because that is what a relationship is about. 

My relationship with my husband is one of the best partnerships I have. He truly is my best friend and I am so lucky that our paths happened to cross all those years ago. Having been married almost fifteen years has taught us many lessons that have made us stronger. We always tell each other everything with honesty and are always there to support one another with any challenges one might be facing. This was something we have worked hard towards for many years. We has only known one another for six months prior to being married and then exception our first child together. We have had many trials over the years from suffering multiple miscarriages to our fathers passing away within six weeks of one another to raising a child with special needs. Each of these factors has always brought us together and we have made it out stronger each time. Some days one of us may want to just check out or many need some space and we respect this for one another because everyone needs a little space and offering this space has allowed us to maintain our partnership all these years. 

As my son grows into a young man, I am proud to be his mother and see what life brings him. He has autism and that has not been an easy road for him but he knows I am always here to support him. I offer him an unbiased and honest opinions with his struggles. We have had many discussions about how things happen for "typical" people so he can understand how to do things like his peers. It took us many years to get to where we are today. Lots of tears and frustration along the way have brought us to where we are now and I love the we share a bond of openness that will last into his adult years.

I have been so fortunate to live in many places that my collection of friends just grows with each move. Being a part of the military community is unique and friendships happen quickly, as we are all used to the routine of meeting new people. A challenge with this is finding the "right" fiends. Too many times have I eagerly entered in a friendship to learn it was not the best one for me. Over the years I have learned to slow down and become much more acquainted with someone before forming that relationship with them. Since my lifestyle is still quite nomadic, I keep in touch with ladies from all over the United States through social media and some of my stronger relationships through a weekly or monthly text. Maintaining these friendships over the years has not been easy and some fall to the wayside while others stay strong. Making the effort on my part as well as my friend making an effort on her part lets me know how lucky I am to have a true friendship with that person. 

Knowing how to be reciprocal in a relationship/partnership is so important when it comes to being an early childhood professional. Somedays a member for your teaching team may not be there 100% and you will stand by that person and lend that helping hand to get her through because one day you may need that support. Taking the time to step back and truly listen to one another is something I have cultivated in my many relationships and it has helped me be the professional I am today I am grateful to have this skill in my field of work.

Immunization

The topic and discussion of immunization is always something causes a stir.

Unicef.org

Do I vaccinate or not? 

What if the immunizations causes another disorder? 

These diseases are old so why vaccinate?

As a Army veteran, I am vaccinated more than most people due to various deployments and moves. I carry the scar of the smallpox immunization and I have had the full series of inoculations for anthrax so there was never a question as to whether or not my child would receive routine vaccinations. 

Unicef.org

People live wonderful lives due immunizations because without them each person would be susceptible to many illnesses and diseases. Thinking of history, Jonas Salk (inventor of the polio vaccination) chose to not patent it so it could be released to the masses instantly and be readily available for all. 

Before beginning my research for more information about immunizations around the world, I knew right away one orgainization that provides so much to struggling countries and populations; Unicef.

Unicef.org

Within my searches, I was surprised to see the amount of countries that struggle with providing immunizations and one of these is Guinea. This country boasts a population of just over 12.5 billion and yet only "57% fully immunized against DPT" at age one according to Unicef. Comparing this to the information about the United States that shows a "fully immunized rate of 95%" at age one. The DPT vaccinations covers the diseases diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus which can all cause death if not treated promptly thus making immunization for these vital.

While many countries face countless more struggles than the United States, it is important to provide these countries with the opportunities to grow strong. Immunizations are one way to do this by providing vaccinations for preventing illnesses or diseases to infants and also the population as a whole.

Birth Stories

It has been many years since my son was brought into this world. He is thirteen but much closer to fourteen at this point. He was born in a military hospital in Germany so even though he was born in a foreign country he is an American and the hospital stay was that of a typical American hospital. 

Tre was born on February 17, 2005 at 3:18 pm. A cesarean birth was scheduled as he presented in a transverse breech position. We were due at the hospital very early and waited all morning and most of the afternoon for an available surgical team to come up to the maternity floor. The process was very easy and straightforward in terms of anesthesia getting placed and the doctor explaining every step to me. After a short time my son was born. I was then taken to the recovery floor for the spinal block anesthesia to wear off and my husband and son were in our room. Here comes the part of the story that I feel is a missed opportunity and since I was young and did not know any better about the crucial bonding that happens within the beginning hours of a childs life. Since I was on another floor recovering, my son was never brought down to me. I spent about six hours alone, my husband was going back and forth as much as he could but our son really needed him. After my doctor had done his rounds and saw I was not with my son he made a call to have me moved immediately up to my room. We stayed for three whole days in the hospital, which is typical for a cesarean birth. All the days that followed were a blur and when I look back now I clearly had no clue with what I was doing, being only nineteen, but I always chuckle as he is a wonderful young man today. 

Finally holding my son after a long time in recovery.

Our Tre. Always so content. 

I choose to share this simply because I feel many young mothers do not fully know how to handle a situation like mine. I did not know how beneficial those early bonding moments are and I did suffer from some depression afterward. My son was overall healthy and I had only been around for the birth of my niece and nephew so I did not know fully what to expect so knowing how great the of an impact the traumas of birth can have on a child helps me understand some of the difficulties babies and young children face. Even now with some of my own students, I will ask the parents to tell me their child's story so I can better understand any struggles the child may have had so I can offer the best environment. 

When I become pregnant again, we were still living in Germany but this time in a different area and my prenatal care started with a native Germany doctor. He spoke english very well and the office was very accommodating to my needs as I was labeled high risk because of the cause for my first borns breech position. Unfortunately, I did have a miscarriage with this birth at seventeen weeks. I was admitted to the local German hospital for a dilation and curettage (D&C) to ensure I did not get an infection. My experience with this hospital and staff was a bit difficult as I admitted late in the evening and at this point the majority of the English speaking staff had gone home for the day. I was placed in a room which I would have had a roommate had there been a need for another patient to be admitted to the maternity ward as it is their custom to have at least two people to a room unless you want to pay extra for a private room. Speaking with a couple of friends of mine and reviewing the post "Giving Birth in Germany on Military Moms Blog, I know of the many differences between a birth in the United States as compared to one in Germany. The prenatal care is much more through in terms of ensuring birth mom and baby are healthy as well as more natural and holistic in Germany. Also, another thing some Germany woman who have married a service member always laugh about when being attended to by an American doctor is how you are measured with a tape measure for the development of you baby as this is not something done locally there. Almost always a midwife will be assigned to the mother for the duration of the pregnancy as well as for the birth. A doctor is present but the midwife really takes the lead. For the hospital stay, you must bring all of your own toiletries as nothing is provided and occasionally a bathroom/shower will not be in the room. The stay in the hospital after giving birth is no longer than that of one in the United States as long as mom and baby are healthy. 

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Until We Meet Again

My current course is coming to a close. It has been so inspirational "meeting" and learning with some amazing people these past eight weeks. As we all had the opportunity to create a blog, I would like to share a couple of those with you as well as let each of these ladies know how deeply they have helped me grow throughout this course. 

Ashlee is an amazing woman who is super hard working. Maintaining a full -time job, raising a young child, as well as being a military spouse...all while working hard on her own graduate degree.  Her blog Early Childhood Through My Eyes has been just a joy to read weekly. 

Ashlee,
Thank you very much for the great insights not only through your blog but also in the weekly discussions throughout the course. I admire how you balance all that you do while still blossoming into the early childhood professional you are quickly becoming. Best of luck and I look forward to hopefully learning with you again in the future.

Another inspiring person I have gotten to know during this course is Diana. She is another amazing woman who is balancing quite a load while earning her graduate degree. Her blog Education + Psychology is full of inspiration and great information for any early childhood professional. Also, she is an excellent photographer which she highlights briefly on her blog. 

Diana,
The depth you have brought to assignments over the length of this course has helped me bring my thinking to another level. Thank you for bringing a new perspective to my learning as well as challenging me to be a better professional. I admire your handwork with your busy schedule. I hope to be in a course again with you soon. Best wishes on your journey.

These are not the only two ladies whom I have learned from but unfortunately it would be a very long post for personal thanks to all of my cohorts as well as a great instructor. So to all of them, thank you so much for the sharing of knowledge and I am excited to be on this journey with all of you. I hope we all encounter one another again soon as I feel we are only at the beginning of something amazing. 

Developing Myself - Now and in the Future

There are many dispositions to an early childhood professional and numerous values that each of us hold close to heart. When examining the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment as well as the DEC Code of Ethics, a professional has time to think about the role he or she plays in this area of development and learning. So many of these principles mean a great deal to me and I take them to heart simply because I entered this field with zero knowledge about the impact early childhood development holds so now I strive daily to help others understand its importance. Thinking of the three that mean the most to me in my current position, I have listed them below in no particular order.

First, it is my responsibility to a child to follow NAEYC's Ethical Responsibly to Children Ideal I-1.3 which states "To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child" (2005, pg. 2). I have always strived to have a relationship of mutual respect with young children. Each child is a small person with the same emotions and feelings as a grown adult so thinking of this, it is always something I strive to do. Each child is its own person and we all are unique and that needs to be emphasized daily with young children because that is how kindness and respect are taught and those are to attributes we all need in our lives.

Second, because it takes a whole community to mentor and raise a child it is important to always consider NAEYC's Ethical Responsibly to Families Ideal 1-2.1 "To develop relationships of mutual trust and create partnerships with families we serve" (2005, pg. 3). When I first entered this professional field, I was terrified to speak with parents. It was a top goal of mine while student teaching because I knew it was a struggle for me. Now a few years in I understand the importance of open communication with families. We all need to work with one another for the best of the child as we all want the same goal. This may even mean stepping back from my own beliefs and following what a family sees best for their child. 

Last, we need great professionals in this field to create the best outcomes for young children so looking to DEC Code of Ethics "we shall support professionals new to the field by mentoring them in the practice of evidence and ethically based services" (2009). I have been so blessed to have great mentors and cohorts on my journey as an early childhood professionals so now that I am in a position to share my knowledge I take this responsibility seriously. For me, this field of education works so well because we area group of kind and passionate people who are all working toward a goal of helping young children become successful. Anytime we can be positive and collaborate with one another it only builds a stronger professional field. 

As this current course wraps up it is important to remember to always preserve, not only for you but for the children you work with as well as the families. They each deserve our best so keep striving to learn more and do great things in the early childhood environment. 

Resources

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved October 17, 2018, from

http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

The Division for Early Childhood. (2009, August). Code of ethics. Retrieved October 17, 2018, from http://www.dec-sped.org/

When You Need a Little Help

As an early childhood professional, I always want the best for each child I am learning with. I find myself always referring to or consulting with previous cohorts, former and current co-workers, online resources, and even good ol' textbooks. Wanting to share many of these resources, I have added two new sections in the tabs on the left side of this blog. The first is a list of professional journals that  can searched for in the Walden University Library and the second tab contains links to many professional websites and articles. Both of these options contain a wealth of material that could pertain to many different areas in the early childhood field. These lists are not all inclusive as there are other wonderful resources, so below are some I refer to often. 

The book, Practical Solutions to Practically Every Problem by Steffen Saifer addresses a great deal of situations that can arise in a classroom. It is a great reference tool to keep on hand as each class as well as each child is different. There will be year where may encounter a child with a completely different behavior and you are at a loss on how to assist this child but this book comes in handy there with the many topics it covers. 

The Fred Rogers Center

The Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children's Media is a website that offers a great deal of material, not only about Fred Rogers himself but also relevant articles about technology and media in the world of early childhood. I know this topic is very sticky for many professionals so it is nice to have a guide to help make those decisions, plus it was Mr. Roger's passion to ensure children had quality media to learn from.

The Kindergarten Smorgasboard

The Kindergarten Smorgasboard is a blog that has been shared many times over on social media but is a great tool for professionals to come and find new creative ideas for ones own classroom. Mr. Greg just happened to land in kindergarten one year (many years ago) and quickly developed a passion for teaching young children. He now shares this enthusiasm all over the county with other educators. 

I will finish with this quote. I feel so strongly about children needing time to come into their own development so we as professionals cannot push this. When a child is ready he or she will pick up on concepts so quickly and without major frustration. I know parents fear their child will not be ready for kindergarten if he is not able to write his name or count to 100 but that is far from the truth. He is just not ready so allowing him the time to play and explore will afford him with the time develop the skill he needs to gain these concepts with ease. 

Inspire, Motivate, and Care

Thinking about the profession of early childhood education, there are a great many people who have had a great impact on this area of learning and development. Some are quite notorious while others are essentially unsung heroes who work with children day in and day out. Some quotes always stick out and enhance my daily passion of why I wake each morning with a fire in my heart to help young children learn and grow.

"Children are like tiny flowers; they are varied and need care, but each is beautiful alone and glorious

when seen in a community of peers." 

- Friedrich Froebel

"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed."

- Maria Montessori

A couple of weeks ago, I had an assignment to watch a media clip about other professionals passion for working with young children. These were five professionals with different areas of experience within the field of early childhood. One in particular stood out to me as she as detailing her experience assisting a grieving family. Renatta Cooper stated, "It's not all about you. You got to take your ego out of it and think about what's best for this child". Upon hearing this I thought "YES!" because all too often we as adults and care givers are so consumed with what we may think is best for a child or how we think a situation should be handled, when really we need to step back and think of a the child. 

Who is someone who has inspired you or motivates you? Do you have a favorite quote that just sticks with you?

Photo credit: montessori.org.au and britannica.com

My Personal Childhood Web

So many people have a great impact on ones life. When I look back on my early years, a lot of people stand out. These are placed in no particular order as each mean a great deal to me as each shaped me into the adult and early childhood professional I am today.

Laura, my older sister is my best sister (I have four) but she just did not know it right away. She has cared for me since the day I was born. I was the little sister always tagging along right on her heels around the neighborhood for so many years; always looking up to her. We attended summer camps together because I was too afraid to go alone and she knew it. As we grew older, we would hang out with each other's friends because we were a packaged deal. Those younger years of a close bond ad sharing secrets taught me to be a great friend to many others over the years and into my adult life. Always being a listening ear to their trials because that is what Laura and I were for one another. 

My Great Aunt Sharon. This woman was the grandmother I always needed and she was happy to fill that role in my life. She always supported me and offered advice when I needed it. Aunt Sharon always made each child feel special and unique and I got that with her. I always hope to pass that to the children I work with on a daily basis because I know how important that is as Aunt Sharon always offered this to me. 

My dad, Melvin was truly the best and I still strive to be the parent he was for my siblings and I. He was always supporting me in sports and scouts when I was very young and then with playing music as I entered high school. When I joined the military, he was right there and had my back to let me go pursue my dream and always letting me know how proud he was of me. So much of what I do now as adult is because I know he would be there championing for me and asking me how things are going with my own family and career. Unfortunately, he passed away over ten years ago but I still feel him pushing me to do better things and be a better person, which is why I am continuing my education. This is the type of support I hope to offer others. I want people to follow their dreams and feel like I am standing there in the wings for them to do their best. 

Being a middle child, with an older brother, two older sisters, and two younger sisters; I was the peacekeeper. I still wear that title to this day. Growing up, I was always the one to try to get everyone to be friends again and stop arguing for just the smallest amount of time, easier said that done when there are six of you. I loved being the middle child to because I got to spend time with all my siblings whether it was as the little sister or as the big sister. I was always able to fit in with any crowd because of this. Now as an adult, I am always looking for the solution for others. I want to help everyone work through his or her troubles. Also, because I am a middle sibling and being offered the opportunity to spend time in the role of big sister or little sister now as an adult I am able to go into any situation and be a part of the group because this was something I did so much as a child. Knowing how to fit right in is what I do so well. I do not change myself, but I just know how to work well in a group because of being part of a group my whole life. 

Who is someone who stands out for you? Or what is a role you have maintained your whole life? I know we all have so many who have helped along the way so it may be difficult to choose.

Getting to Know You

This time a year ago, I was preparing for Mr. Kasco to return from a deployment. Living in a military community, these comings and goings become routine for so many young children, but one child made me feel so special. During lunch, he and I were discussing how I would not be at school the next day since Mr. Kasco would be coming home. This wonderful boy got the attention of the whole class and made the announcement of Mr. Kasco's return and let everyone know how happy he was for me. His joy was so pure and genuine that my heart grew a bit more. I will always think of him when I need a smile and even in the event that Mr. Kasco has to depart again, I know he will come back and I am sure my student will still be excited for me. 

When thinking of words that inspire me, I almost always go straight to ones that have to do with play. As adults, we often forget this basic fundamental for young children. I have been fortunate enough to work in a couple of environments that cherish these early years and the important role play has in them. This quote from Albert Einstein is one of the greatest ones because it puts on play in a term that adults can understand and value. As a preschool teacher I can tell the parents of my students how important play is as well as the value it holds for each child but when it comes to them understanding it can become difficult. When a child plays he/she is learning to problem solve, take risk, use the scientific method, as well as many other lessons. When my son was in pre-kindergarten, he would come home and I would ask about his day and he would say "I played all day". Unfortunately, I did not take it for its value at the time. Yes, he was learning but for his little four year old brain he was playing. 

I do not have many pictures of a younger me, but this is one that is dear to my heart. I am on my way to my first time at Girl Scout Camp. I was about 7 or 8 years old and so excited to do something my older sisters had done. Of course, my week at camp did not go without a few hiccups and quite the bout of homesickness. I made it through and went back for many more summers. I always think back on my years at camp when I am trying to recall a fun song to sing with my students, so this moment is quite valuable to me. 

Pete the Cat will always hold a very special place in my life for many reasons. While I have many children's books that I truly adore, Pete the Cat is always there as a constant for all my students. When I worked in a child care setting, I had one child with a few special needs but Pete was his incentive to do well. If he was having a rough day Pete the Cat would be turned on to help him out. The next year I was at a private pre-school with new students and Pete was still there for me. One day I spent the majority of center time in the library area reading Pete the Cat over and over. I encouraged my students to "read" but many insisted he/she could not. I would get the part of the book with the singing and let them take over and each would get so excited about reading. In my current position, Pete made an appearance on the first day of school by calming a child's new school nerves. Not many children's books make the reappearances over and over for me but Pete the Cat is the one that I will never let go; plus, I have all the shoes to coordinate with him.

Now that you know a bit about me, share something about yourself. What is your favorite book? Do you have special memories with a certain student? Do you have embarrassing young childhood moments? What words inspire you? 

Resources: https://www.askideas.com/62-beautiful-playing-quotes-and-sayings/play-is-the-highest-form-of-research-albert-einstein-2/

Litton, E., & Dean, J. (2010). Pete the cat:I love my white shoes (1st HarperCollins ed.). New York: Harper  

http://www.elc.udel.edu/admissions/registration/wait-list/your-turn/

Welcome!

Hello! I'm Sarah. I truly love my profession as an early childhood educator. There is something about the early years and the "aha" moments that makes each day so special and unique. As adults, I feel we all can forget how important the role play has for children. In the coming weeks and months this blog will grow to contain more information and tips for help you be the best professional you can be. Thank you for joining me on this journey and your dedication to young children.