Week 4

 

Words of Inspiration and Motivation

T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.

"Every time you give a parent a sense of success or of empowerment, you're offering it to the baby indirectly. Because every time a parent looks at that baby and says 'Oh, you're so wonderful,' that baby just bursts with feeling good about themselves" (Healthy Families America, 2013).
- T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.

“But we can and must do more to act on what we know. There's more to do if we are to ensure that all children grow up to become adults who can cope with adversity, strengthen their communities, engage as active participants in civic life, steward our fragile planet's limited resources and nurture the next generation to be prepared to do the same.

I may be 94 years old, but I'm not done. We health care professionals have a duty to advocate for what we now know children need and to empower their families and federal legislators to do the same” (Brazelton, 2012).

- T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.

References:

Brazelton, Berry, T. (2012, August). Speaking Up for Children. Retreived from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/t-berry-brazelton-md/child-health_b_1756913.html

Healthy Families America. (2013). Quotations. Retreived from http://www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org/quotations/

Deborah Leong, Ph.D

An great article for all early childhood educators to read:

Bordova.E. & Leong.D.J.(2003, April). The Importance of Being Playful.

Retreived from http://prek.spps.org/uploads/importanceofplayful.pdf

Excerpt from Leong’s Article: “Further, research directly links play to children’s ability to master such academic content as literacy and numeracy. For example, children’s engagement in pretend play was found to be positively and significantly correlated with such competencies as text comprehension and metalinguistic awareness and with an understanding of the purpose of reading and writing” (Christie & Roskos, 2000).

- James F. Christie, Ph.D. and Kathleen A. Roskos Ph.D

"Some proponents of more academically rigorous programs for young children view playing and learning as mutually exclusive, clearly favoring "serious" learning and wanting teachers to spend more time on specific academic content.  But do play and learning have to compete?" (Bordova & Leong, 2003).

- Elena Bordova and Deborah Leong Ph.D.

References:

Bordova.E. & Leong.D.J.(2003, April). The Importance of Being Playful.

Retreived from http://prek.spps.org/uploads/importanceofplayful.pdf

Roskos, K., & Christie, J. F. (Eds.). (2000). Play and Literacy in Early Childhood: Research from multiple perspectives. Mahwah, NJ: Eribaum.

Media Segment: The Passion for Early Childhood

“I have a built in passion that was important to make a contribution to the world. To fix all the injustice, I wanted to do that through teaching.”

-Louise Derman-Sparks (professional emeritus)

“My passion comes from intrinsic motivation that I have for the work that I do. Everyday I go to work I look forward to it because I know the services I am providing the children are to their benefit it’s not benefiting me it’s benefiting them.”

-Raymond Hernandez MS Ed (Executive Director)

Additional Quotes:

“Recognize that children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust and respect.”

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment.

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

 

Week 3

Personal Childhood Web

Lori- Lori is my mother. She is smart, affectionate, and devoted. My mother has influenced my life as a child and nurtured me by supporting me through every stage in my life, by loving me unconditionally, always speaking positively, and being involved in my activities and my personal life. My mother has always made me feel special by making me a priority. She always puts her children first. She continues to impact me by being a big part of my son’s life, supporting me as a mother and wife, supporting me as a teaching professional, and being a special confidant. 

Mark- Mark is my father. He is honest, supportive, and caring. My father has influenced my life as a child and nurtured me by being a positive role model, the rock of the family, loving me unconditionally, being involved in activities and my personal life, and by sharing in my highs and lows in life. My father has made me feel special by always taking time for me. He continues to impact me by giving me advice, being a wonderful “Papa”, and being a shoulder to lean on.

Nancy- Nancy is my maternal grandmother. She is unselfish, thoughtful, and loving. My maternal grandmother has influenced my life as a child and nurtured me by playing an active role in my childhood. My grandmother was always around playing with me, taking me out to dinner every Special Tuesday, attending all sporting events with her special treat bag, and bringing me my favorite sports drink. Every year she would go “back to school” shopping with my mother and me, pick me up from school for appointments, and take me to my favorite sub shop. My grandmother always made me feel special by making me feel like I was number one. She always was interested in my life and my activities. She continues to impact me by being a supporter in all my life events. Even though I might not see my grandmother daily as I did when I was a child, she is there for every life event and always a phone call away. 

 

Charles- Charles is my maternal grandfather. He is intelligent, eccentric, and quiet. My grandfather has influenced my life as a child and nurtured me by encouraging me in school. He is an individual that has education as a priority.  He pushed me to strive for the best in life. My grandfather has made me feel special by always taking an interest in my education.  He sat down with me a lot to hear about my successes and to tell me how proud he was of me.  He is still a part of my life and impacts me by taking a genuine interest in my career, my education, and my son.

Karen- Karen is my aunt and was my childcare giver when I was young. She is kind, easy-going, and funny. Karen has influenced my life as a child and nurtured me by providing another mother figure in my life. Karen was an aunt that was there to cuddle with and to provide a shoulder to lean on. She was involved in my sporting events and extra curricular activities. She has made me feel special by always having open communication with me and always loving me for me. She continues to impact me by taking part in my son’s life as much as possible, supporting me through my major life events, and being a good listening ear.

Week 2

Passion

"To teach is to touch a life forever."

                                                 -Anonymous Author

I have always loved this quote.  As a teacher, I touch the lives of my students every time I interact with them. It is my goal to have a positive impact on all the children in my care. By doing this, I can shape lives, which can have a lasting effect on society.

Writing Sample

I chose to share a Kindergarten student's writing samples (beginning of the year to end) because I am passionate about teaching young children. This student entered Kindergarten with limited writing skills and undeveloped social and emotional skills. Before his academic learning could take place, he needed emotional support. I provided a safe, nurturing environment where he could start to feel comfortable. Once this was accomplished he felt safe and ready to learn. His writing samples show his progress from limited letter sound correspondence to writing complete sentences. 

This picture exemplifies the spirit of young children. They are passionate about playing and learning with each other. I use this saying in my early childhood classroom. 

Week 1

I am excited to start this online journey to obtain my Master’s Degree in Early Childhood. Early childhood is my passion! I love working with young children and watching their social, emotional, and academic growth over the school year. As an early childhood educator I think it is important to remember that I am their first experience in an educational setting. Teachers need to create an environment where children can learn, grow, and play. Every child deserves respect, compassion, and a safe, secure place to learn.