Sharing Web Resources

I have been studying the Zero to Three website http://www.zerotothree.org/ This website covers such issues as Public Policy, Behavior and Development, Care and Education, Maltreatment. The Maltreatment section focuses on child abuse and neglect. There are assorted resources for caregivers and parents in this area of the website, including a rather alarming list of the various ways children are impacted by trauma. That link is http://www.zerotothree.org/maltreatment/trauma/trauma.html

The Public Policy section focuses on different states and communities, regulations and laws, politics and how lawmakers support efforts to care for and educate young children. For instance, in Kansas, The Children’s Initiative Fund has designed an accountability system that includes a unique component: Alignment With Priorities. Essentially, this component is responsible for tailoring the goals of the organization so they are always in sync with current political focus. Since the Cabinet is a political entity, this is necessary to ensure continuous funding.

I am particularly interested in the Care and Education articles. This section focuses on:

·           Core information about how children develop school readiness skills and how parents and care givers can nurture and support these skills in young children.

·           Video clips that show children learning these skills through everyday interactions with their parents.

·           Parent-child activities which provide fun ideas for helping children develop school readiness skills.

·           Frequently asked questions that offer answers to common questions about learning.    

The specific areas of development this area of the website focuses on are language and literacy, self confidence, thinking skills, and self control. I work in the toddler room at my school, so I really enjoy articles that address this age group.

In the ‘What’s New” section, I learned about new Infant/Toddler Early Learning Guidelines from the National Infant and Toddler Child Care Initiative. The link to that information is http://nitcci.nccic.acf.hhs.gov/resources/ELG_fact_sheet_2010.pdf

The Zero to Three website is a comprehensive assortment of extremely valuable articles, tips, links to related sites, and information for anyone who is involved with the care and education of children from birth to three years

Global Poverty

For this assignment, I spoke with my early childhood contact in Nepal. I wasn’t able to establish contact with the other one, who is in Ireland.

                                                      Poverty in Nepal

Ellen: Can you tell me what the poverty level is like in Nepal?

Nancy: It’s hard. Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world. We always hear there has been progress made towards alleviating poverty. However, I don’t see any progress here in Kathmandu. Over 30 per cent of Nepalese live below the poverty line, which is measured to be US $12 per person/per month. Most of the people live in rural areas where it is difficult to reach and help them.

It’s a complex problem because there is a definite caste system. You are either upper caste or lower caste, and if you are lower caste, you really have no possibility of improving your life.

Ellen: Do many of the lower caste children attend school?

Nancy: Unfortunately, poverty-stricken families are very often obliged to send their children to work rather than to school. Because of this, the poverty cycle continues into the next generation...and on and on it goes. I was recently told that one quarter of the children in Nepal are engaged in some kind of family or wage labor.

Ellen: Do you work with any of these children?

Nancy: No, sorry to say. The children who attend my school tend to be from upper caste families only. I’ve noticed there isn’t a lot of sympathy on their parts for those less fortunate, either. It’s sad.

Ellen: Do you try to instill empathy in the children you work with?

Nancy: No. We’re not allowed to interfere with the ways things are. We are told that quite strongly during training. The school organization controls what we teach, period. We either comply, or leave.

Ellen: What are your thoughts on that?

Nancy: I need this job. It pays well. However, during the summer, I will be volunteering in an orphanage here in Kathmandu. In that way, I can help make a positive change for some lower caste children. I’ll tell you more about that later but have to get to school now.

Ellen: Sounds great! Thanks for the chat!

I always enjoy chatting with Nancy and this time was no exception. I was surprised to find there were such clearly defined castes there. It must be really hard to work with children and not be able to work on empathy - to see them dismiss others as being beneath them.

I am looking forward to hearing about her work at the orphange!

                                                            Nancy

                                                             Schoolgirls in Nepal

Sharing Web Resources

Zero to Three website,  http://www.zerotothree.org/ , is a comprehensive collection of helpful articles, links, and information for those who wish to learn more about and promote the health and development of infants and toddlers.

The website is divided up into four learning sections- Behavior and Development, Maltreatment, Care and Education, and Public Policy. Click on any of these headings and you will be taken to a page dedicated to that subject. Included are articles, helpful hints, resources for more information, and links to related subjects. For example, the Behavior and Development page contains articles on Brain Development, Early Childhood Mental Health, Nutrition, Temperament and Behavior, Sleep, etc. Also included are interactive tools, parent handouts, charts, Tip Sheets, a FAQ page, and power point slide shows.

On the right side of the Home page is a helpful feature called Find It Fast. Simply select a key topic from a pull down menu (for example, Challenging Behaviors), click on it, and that page opens up without your having to sort through the different sections to find it – very handy, indeed. Located directly under this is another highlight of this website - the Download of The Week. This week’s offering is The Magic of Everyday Moments™ 24 to 36 Months, and is an additional resource containing in-depth information on how children grow and develop from 24 to 36 Months. Included are assorted tips for parents on nurturing their children's healthy development through everyday routines and interactions. Also very informative is the video one can access directly on the home page. Entitled A Window to the World: Promoting Early Language and Literacy Development, the video illustrates how early language and literacy development directly contribute to a child’s success throughout life.

I recommend this website to the parents of toddlers at my center, and often get positive feedback from them.

Early Childhood professional contacts in other countries

I was fortunate enough to have fairly easy access to two people in the Early Childhood field who are working in other countries. I got their names through the advising office at the University of Massachusetts, where I got my BA.  I emailed them and received quick replies- both were happy to answer any questions I might have. I began by asking them what led to their current work in other countries.

The two Early Childhood professionals I made contact with are in Nepal and Ireland.

Nancy B works as a teacher at the Lincoln School in Kathmandu, Nepal. Their website is http://www.lsnepal.com/index.php Nancy works with the Pre –kindergarten class. She is an assistant teacher. Nancy is from Boston, Ma. She first heard of Lincoln School when she saw a ‘help wanted’ ad in her local newspaper. Intrigued, she contacted the hiring agency. Nancy was interested in working with children from another country...and .Nepal is about as far away from Boston as you can get!

My other contact person, Jill C, lives in Westmeath, Ireland. She is a teacher at the Saplings school. Sapling schools are located across Ireland. They work exclusively with Autistic children. This is their website: http://www.saplings.org/schools .  Jill was living  in Cambridge, Ma. and working with autistic children when she went on a vacation to Ireland in 2008.  While there, she met her future husband. Jill moved to Ireland in 2008.

I am looking forward to learning more about Nancy and Jill and the work that they do!

The website I chose to  share is http://www.parentingtoddlers.com/ . It is a very detailed collection of helpful articles, links, and information for those who wish to learn more about and promote the health and development of infants and toddlers. It is updated on a monthly basis, with news articles, ideas, learning activities, and information links.

My Supports

I tend to think of supports as falling into one of  two categories; physical or emotional.

Physical: In order to survive, I must have certain supports such as:

• A vehicle
• Money
• Appliances
• Stores
• Food
• House
• Computer

Emotional: In order to survive happily I depend on:

• My husband, who is a good listener  :  )
• My children
• the YMCA, where I can work the stress out, sometimes
• Computer, where my online friends are
• Music, another good stress-buster

Obviously, the physical supports make my life easier. If I didn't have a car, home, job, computer, I could still survive but it would be a much less comfortable life! Same with my emotional supports - they aren't absolutely essential to my survival but I would be lonely, less motivated, and probably very depressed without them.

My 23 year old niece has Down Syndrome. Her support needs are a bit different. If I had Down Syndrome, I would need much more custodial assistance; help with dressing, someone to cook and clean for me. I would need a driver, and someone to handle my money. I would need many things explained to me. Someone would need to accompany me everywhere, to keep me safe. Someone would have to live with me, help me keep myself clean, pay my bills and take care of all paperwork, make sure I got my medication, etc. If I were on my own, I could easily get hurt, sicken, or even die due to neglect.

Socially, I would need help staying healthy, happy, and challenged. If I didn't have these supports, I would become very depressed and isolated. This, too, could lead to illness and even death.

My Connections to Play

When kids play,  they remember.They may not be aware they are learning, but they sure
are aware they are having fun. When you have a good belly laugh with your siblings or
parents or friends, that stays with you. And the great thing is that is comes so naturally…
if we only let it.

--Rebecca Krook, play facilitator for kids with

disabilities

Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning....They have to play with
what they know to be true in order to find out more, and then they can use what they
learn in new forms of play.

--Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

As a child, I gravitated towards 'real life' play. By that I mean dollhouses, dolls, playhouses, etc. At the age of 5, I would have been happiest in a back yard playhouse  that was large enough to contain a  play kitchen with miniature cooking utensils. There would be a family of baby dolls to feed, bathe, and dress, and I, of course, would be the mommy. I would be equally happy playing there alone or with a friend. My parents were supportive of this to some extent, I suppose,  but back in the 60's most parents didn't concern themselves too  much with what their children were playing...or why

I believe this 'real life' play was essential to my emotional well being. My father was in the Air Force, which meant that we were uprooted on a regular basis. By age 5, I had lived in Japan, Texas, Mississippi, and Massachusetts. That lack of stability was very difficult for a young child to cope with. Although I was too young to recognize and/ or voice it, I absolutely craved normalcy in my life. I just wanted a reliable routine that I could count on. It was not to be, however, as we continued to relocate at that pace until I was 12.  In play, I could forget that my life was stressful. In the sane, predictable ritual of caring for my dolls, I could soothe myself. I really needed that!

I believe we need to play throughout our lives. It relieves stress, allows us a healthy outlet in which to be competitive, and keeps our survival skills honed.

As an educator, I understand the value of role play and make believe, and offer abundant opportunities for it at my preschool. It's a safe haven for children to explore their feelings, practice life skills, and develop socially. I find that preschoolers love to engage in 'real life' play just as much as I did. I like to quietly observe their play or, if invited, may even join in...but I usually let someone else be the mommy these days  : )

Malnutrition

Malnutrition

I chose the subject of malnutrition because it's such a big problem for so many children.
Hunger is not only painful, it also stunts a child's growth and hampers development. Malnutrition affects a percentage of people in most countries, even bountiful America. It is most prevalent in developing countries, such as Rwanda, where 45% of children are malnourished. It is a problem the Ministry of Health is working hard to address, according to the Director General, Dr. Gamaliel Binamungu.

"Ready-to-use foods have reached various health centres in the country and by the beginning of next week; malnourished children will be able to access the products. Close follow up on these children will also continue to get their health back to normal. Our children are our future so we must raise healthy generations for tomorrow," Binamungu said. http://allafrica.com/stories/200905210003.html

As the director of a child care center, part of my job is to make absolutely sure I am cognizant of each child's quality of life, and to offer my assistance to families in need. It can be very confusing and even frightening for people to locate and apply for food, shelter, and medical services for themselves and their children. Sometimes a little direction and encouragement is all they need to cross that bridge between hunger and help.