Getting to Know International Organizations

Researching organizations that operate on an international level to combat poverty was very eye opening. There are a great many who offer relief for a great many issues but not too many focus solely on poverty and the nations who suffer so greatly from it. The Borgen Project does just this but highlighting nations and cities around the world and working with United State political leaders to get involved with the process. 

Photo Credit: borgenproject.org

This organization started with one man seeing a need for those needing assistance and taking the initiative to pull in leaders of our great nation to help those. Clint Borgen felt it was important for a nation with great power and influence to assist those who truly need it.

The facts of poverty listed under the Global Poverty 101 tab offered a look into the impacts poverty plays daily for young children and their families. Many children are severely malnourish and some do not live past the first month of life because of this. This page also showed how our nations budgets compare to helping end world poverty which was quite minimal in comparison so some of the funds needed for other ventures.

While I have always thought of a nation being able to take care of its own, I feel now it is import for greater nations to step in and offer a hand to those who need it. This truly is not much different than how we help so many of those within our nation by offering food banks, soup kitchens, and other types of resources. It truly did just take one man to start this organization so to think the impact this made, I now feel that anyone can make a difference no matter how small it may seem to them. 

Notable Mention

While this is not international and still in the infancy stages of development The Bezos Day One Fund. I choose to highlight this one solely because while it is not international, this will have a great impact on our nation. This organization will offer free preschool for homeless families and will use a montessori style of teaching. This organization truly will be one of a kind and will offer something many others have not so it will be exciting to watch this one grow as time goes. 

Research That Benefits Children and Families

Photo Credit: quotemaster.org

Sitting here pondering how many questions in the field of early childhood development are unanswered and only thinking of one to use as a potential for research to have an impact is difficult. Having a child with special needs brings up quite a few ideas, having a nephew who succumbed to cancer while young offers more, thinking of my two other nephews who were adopted through the foster program and the impact is has play on each ones short life could be examined, and the one that baffles me often is how are children raised by the same parents so different as adults? All of these could yield interesting and pertinent results but I will focus on children who move multiple times due to military connections and the impact this may have throughout the lifespan of the person.

Photo Credit: sipsofstillness.wordpress.com

A study of this sort could add so much to the field of early childhood development due to many children are born into military families (some with both parents serving). These children are not offered an option but to pack up and move yearly in some cases. My son is almost fourteen and has moved ten times and attended just about as many different school districts. A positive contribution this can add would be stabilization for families with children as to not disturb the momentum of development. With this stabilization, the children are able to form better bonds with other children who are not constantly rotating out of each other lives. Also, the stress of always wondering when the next move is going to take place can be replaced with the notion of safety and security of not having to uproot again. Thinking longitudinal, the results of being offered a less nomadic lifestyle could yield more confident and successful children who have not have to relearn or have to catch up to different standards or lessons when moving so often. 

As my life is quite unconventional due to military ties, I often wonder how different things would be for my son and students if each one were offered the opportunity to stay in one place until ready to move on his or her own accord. 

My Research Journey

My search simulation topic is for fine motor skills and the impact the development (or lack of) has on future academic success. The reason this topic resonates with me so greatly is because I all too often encounter young children in my classroom who struggle greatly with these skills. Many cannot tear tape or paper or even hold a pencil with a developing tripod grip. I spend a great amount of time fostering these skills as I feel personally these are quite important but I would like to know if I am doing this all for naught or if there is a good reason for investing this time and effort in fostering these skills for young children. 

Photo Credit:https://skillsforaction.com/handwriting/pencil-grip-overview

So far in this course, learning how to properly and accurately use a critical eye when I come across various articles has saved me a great deal of time and effort. In the past I have often tried to hard to make my research fit my topic even if it was so far past. Also knowing how to properly search for content has helped me a lot. Often I can get to a point to where I am pinpointing a topic too much that I cannot find any research to assist my study. 

Have you encountered any research to offer more insight about fostering fine motor skills? In your experience have you seen a correlation between well developed fine motor skills and academic success? Or even the lack of these skills and a child still being quite successful in primary school? 

Changing Demographics and Diversity

The early childhood professional website I will be examining further in this and the coming weeks National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). This organization publishes a peer reviewed journal, Young Children, about every two months. This journal offers a wealth of knowledge and information pertaining to young children the ages of birth through grade three. Most of the journals have an overall theme with information regarding the theme for the journal. This is not a free subscription but I am fortunate enough to have access to this journal through my current place of employment. I hope one day to become a member of NAEYC so I am able to always have these journals. 

The website offered from NAEYC offers other ways to gain information through the many resources offered under the Resources tab on the home page of the website. Some of these are free while others do cost. By completing a simple search by way of the topics tab for "Diversity", I was able to find different article and position statements about this subject. Since this is a topic that is covered time and time again, there are more than likely previous journal articles from Young Children that can be accessed through the Walden University Library database. This is a free tool for all students and I highly recommend it. 

Resources
https://www.naeyc.org
https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc

Expanding Horizons and Resources

Part 1: Expanding Horizons

Looking through the website for Global Fund for Children it was very inspiring to learn of the major impact this organization is making. 

While some organizations focus on one area to assist children, this organization is taking on many to offer children the best chances in life. Partnering with over a 125 grassroots organizations in over 45 countries to bring attention to the many hardships and struggles for children. With this sense of outreach to take on the major crisis impacting the children in an area, I am excited to learn more about how the Global Fund for Children has an impact in various areas of the world. 

Part 2: Expanding Resources

For this section I have chosen National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAYEC). 

The reason for selecting NAEYC is simply because this organization has always been a source of information for me all throughout my journey of becoming an early childhood professional. 

The mission statement of NAEYC is "Mission Statement. NAEYC promotes high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children" (naeyc.org). With this in mind it is clear the passion being passed to others and how important these years of growth and development truly are. 

The amount of content on the website naeyc.org is vast and can apply to not only those working directly with young children in a professional manner but also administrators and parents. I often refer to the website as well as the journal, Young Children, for further information on a topic when I need support. If you are not familiar with NAEYC, I highly recommend searching the articles, blogs, or even finding a training even sponsored by them. 

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.