When I think of Research

Insights: I have gained new insights on ethical issues that effect research such as confidentiality and informing children who are involved in a research study. Also I gained insight on the types of triangulation in qualitative research designs. Prior to taking this course I was unfamiliar with data triangulation.

My ideas about the nature of doing research have changed because I now know al the necessary steps to take prior to conducting research. I also assumed conducting research studies were as simple as asking a question and conducting a study. However I now know the process of writing a research question is just as difficult as planning the entire research study.

I learned that planning a research study takes a lot of thought and consideration. Designing a research study takes organization and research. Conducting a research study also takes time and patience. Also when planning and designing a research study you have to be very specific as to what you would like to research.

Challenges I encountered: time management and organization. I have a three year old and a two month old. So time management was a huge issue for me. My 2 month old had to have surgery school work was not always my number one priority. I overcame this challenge by setting days and time for my homework and did the best I could during those times. There were a few assignments I was unable to complete which I will work on harder in my next class. I overcame organization by creating folders for my course work.

Option 2 Week 3 Blog

This year I had the opportunity to attend the NCAEYC conference at the Raleigh Civic Center in Raleigh North Carolina. Dr. Becky Bailey was the guest of honor. She is the founder of Conscious Discipline.

“Conscious Discipline is the most comprehensive discipline program available. It is specifically designed to provide parents with the conscious awareness and skills needed to create safe, connected, problem-solving homes”.

“Conscious Discipline is a comprehensive self-regulation program that integrates social-emotional learning
and discipline”.

‘Conscious Discipline is a longtime leader in the integration of classroom management with social-emotional learning, utilizing everyday events as the curriculum and addressing the adult's emotional intelligence as well as the child's. Conscious Discipline empowers adults to consciously respond to daily conflict, transforming it into an opportunity to teach critical life skills to children’.

“Conscious Discipline is evidence-based, and was named as a national model for character education by the Florida State Legislature”

http://consciousdiscipline.com/about/conscious_discipline.asp

            Conscious Discipline a topic that has inspired me from the first time I encountered it. I can imagine conducting a research study where most early childhood centers in my home town, Raleigh North Carolina are required to use conscious discipline in their classroom. The other early childhood centers would not be required to use it in fact they would be instructed to use other discipline methods such as time out or removal from classroom settings. The research study would follow 10 early childhood centers. 5 would use conscious discipline and the other 5 would not. After the conclusion of the study all centers would be required to use the method of discipline that was the most effective on children. I think this study would bring positive contributions to the early childhood field. Those positive contributions include more children being loved and cared for, reduction of child abuse, children having positive self esteem, adults and children learning to self regulate, children helping other children, children creating genuine friendships, children and adults learning to express their emotions through words, children using their words to express them selves, children growing up learning to self regulate, children with less mental issues as adults, parents creating unbreakable loving bonds with their children, parents learning how to talk to their children, and much more.  To learn more about conscious discipline please visit consciousdiscipline.com

My Personal Research Journey

How do developmentally appropriate practices foster healthy development for four year olds is the topic I chose for my simulation. I chose this topic to help inform early childhood professionals on the importance of developmentally appropriate practices and to help parents understand developmentally appropriate practices. Completing the simulation process was some what challenging. Finding relevant resources was a challenging task however I was able to find some good resources. As I searched through research data bases I reflected on this weeks research chart. I kept reminding myself to find current relevant information to help me. My advice to you all is to use the research data bases in the Walden University Library. Also you can use google scholar search engine to find relevant resources. Please feel free to share comments with advice and resources that you find helpful. Thank you.

Final Blog Assignment

Three                              Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for your                                                         professional and personal development.

1.       Wanting to travel to other countries to help children living in poverty.

2.       Not being able to contact an international professional

3.       Subscribing to international educational journals.

                                       One goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the

                                      spirit of collegial relations.

                         

                       Continue to try and make contact with an international professional in the early childhood field.  

Early Childhood Education Quality Pod Cast

http://earlyed.newamerica.net/blogposts/2012/podcast_improving_the_quality_of_early_child_care-67930

This pod cast advocated for parents to understand how to choose a quality child care facility for their children. The pod cast suggests parents should ask questions about child care centers to ensure the programs quality. Parents should ask questions about the type of training teachers receive and questions about the teacher’s background. Parents should have choices on quality settings. The biggest problem for parents is the cost of high quality child care.

According to the pod cast some states don’t require early childhood teachers to have a high school diploma for teachers. Some states only require teachers to have a high school diploma.

The child care development block grant has not been renewed in 16 years. The current child care development block grant has no minimal training requirements for educators, it does not require background checks for educators, and it has no requirements for inspections. The child care development block grant needs to be revised to ensure the health and safety of children.

Policy makers need to be educated to change the laws so that early child care facilities can offer higher quality care for children.

Insights from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Early childhood education is an issue of different government sectors which include education, social affairs, and health.

The biggest issue for most countries is to improve early childhood education but resources are scarce.

The 1990 Jomtien Declaration on Education for All (EFA), stated that countries should view early childhood as part of basic education.

Sharing Web Resources

Some of the outside links on the Zero to Three website lead to the Zero to three Facebook website, Pod Cast about research in child development, and rally for babies videos on youtube.

I thoroughly searched through the Public Policy link on the website. From there I searched through infant-toddler policy issues. There are three additional links: Good Health, Strong Families, and Positive Early Learning Experiences. I chose good health and from there I explored developmental screenings. There is information on premature infants and early intervention for abused and neglected infants and toddlers.

Insights I gained from the website this week. There was a study conducted on parents of infants and toddlers. Based on the study babies can sense their parent’s moods beginning at birth. 34% of parents think their child can not sense their moods until they are 6 months of age. 53% of parents say that the way they were raised will have a major influence on the way they approach parenting.

http://www.zerotothree.org/

Equity in Early Childhood Education In Thailand

What I gained from the Pod Cast.

Families in Northern Thailand feel education is important and it begins with families. Families play a vital role in the well being of children.

Government day care is provided to families in need in Thailand.

The responsibility of early childhood education is for families, communities, and government responsibility to ensure children are receiving early childhood education.   

 In Indonesia less than 4 % of public investment is made in education and development occurring at ages 0-3.

Age 0-3 is the stage where the most brain development occurs.

In Indonesia 0-3 is the most neglected age group when it comes to education.

Pod Cast link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ELKVCyx7n8

What I gained from Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website

1. Mental health is an issue that is not addressed properly in children around the world. It is urgent to identify the problem and create effective policies that are responsive in different cultures. 
2. The center of the developing child at Harvard University has developed a project that will use the science of child health and development to guide stronger policies and larger investments to benefit young children and their families in Brazil.
3.  The center “A Good Start,” is a project in Santiago, Chile, to improve early childhood education. The idea is to improve the quality of educational offerings for four-to-six-year-olds, particularly in the area of language development.

Sharing Web Resources

              What specific section(s) or information seemed particularly relevant to your current             prof      professional development? The budget cut section from the news section in head                         start seemed relevant to my professional development. I have to make a decision on how                   much longer I can work for head start do to the continuous budget cuts to head start. I want                    to own and operate my own preschool therefore I must decide when I am going to start this                 new phase of my career.

              Which ideas/statements/resources, either on the website or in an e-newsletter, did              you      find controversial or made you think about an issue in new ways?

              Ideas on the website showed how people can stand up for head start. It states Stop the                           Cuts, Stand up for Head Start. This made me think of this issue in a new way because I I                      immediately starting thinking of ways to save Head Start and add money to Head Starts                                     Budget.

              What information does the website or the e-newsletter contain that adds to your                    und     undertrstanding of how economists, neuroscientists, or politicians support the early                        childhood field? The website has an advocacy section which allows people to support                                  head start by donating. The website also has a research section which states NHS                                  maintains a close relationship with researchers in the field.

PodCast and Childhood Poverty in India Overview

I chose to watch a podcast about poverty in America. I found the podcast on youtube  here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPuS_Cl_2gc

Insights from the podcast:

• The Federal Reserve found that 40% of Americans lost their wealth over a 3 year period 2007-2010.
• Compared to previous recessions the unemployment rate is higher.
• Unemployment is a problem in America.
• The poverty rate went up during the recession.
• Wages at the bottom are a big problem.
• America’s middle class is shrinking according to the 2010 CENSUS and Nearly half of the population is poor or low income.
• If you wait until you are 21 to get married and have a baby, you have a smaller chance of being in poverty and low income. 

Facts about Childhood Poverty in India:

• Two-fifths of the world's malnourished children live in India.
• Child labor is a huge problem in India
• For rural families some children go to work at the age of 6

http://www.heal.co.uk/child-poverty.html

http://twocircles.net/2012jan11/childhood_poverty_remains_reality_india.html

Sharing Web Resources

Zero to Three is a national nonprofit organization that focuses on the care of all babies and toddles. They ensure all babies and toddlers have a great start at life by providing parents, professionals, and policymakers resources and knowledge on how to foster early development of children. They also promote healthy and safety for infants and toddlers. One issue that stood out to me on the website was the maltreatment of infants and toddlers. The website states “Early experiences powerfully shape the developing brain and can have both immediate and lifelong impact on health and well-being. Infants and toddlers are disproportionately at risk for maltreatment. They account for over three-quarters of child maltreatment fatalities”. When focusing on the health and development of infant and toddlers the issue of maltreatment has to be addressed. It’s a sad situation to deal with therefore it is important to provide information for parents to help reduce maltreatment from occurring. The website offer helpful resources to prevent maltreatment. One fact that saddens me from the website is “Every 7 minutes an infant or toddler is removed from their home due to alleged abuse or neglect”. Zero to Thee is taking actions to help prevent abuse and neglect.

“ZERO TO THREE created the Safe Babies Court Teams; a project rooted in developmental science, which aims to:

1.    increase awareness among those who work with maltreated infants and toddlers about the negative impact of abuse and neglect on very young children; and,
2.    change local systems to improve outcomes and prevent future court involvement in the lives of very young children”.

Website:

http://www.zerotothree.org/

My Supports

Supports are important to me and my life. I try to read a positive quote daily to help me keep a positive mindset. Life can sometimes be difficult and it’s important for me to keep a positive mindset through out everything in lifea person that offers support to others. I consider myself a strong woman with a lot of loving people around me. I have people and things that are supports to me in my daily life. My daughter, my fiancé, my family, and my close friends are people who support me daily. My daughter supports me by motivating me to wake up every morning and do my very best in life. She gives me support by continuing to show me unconditional love, genuine happiness, and joy in life. My fiancé is a huge support to me. He encourages me to have good days, he prays for me, he provides for my daughter and I, and he loves me for who I am. My family gives me support by praying for me, they love me, they encourage me to reach all my personal and professional goals, and they love me unconditionally. My close friends offer me support by encouraging me to be successful, offering me positive and constructive criticism, they pray for me, and coach me through difficult tasks. The Bible offers me support by helping me to understand that as long as I live my life in a way that is pleasing to God I will have a rewarding life and eternal life. My car offers me support by providing me and my family with reliable transportation to and from work, leisure activities, and any where else we need to be. My cell phone offers me support by being a open form of communication for everything in my life. It would be extremely difficult for me if I did not have my daughter, my fiancé, my family, and my close friends. With out my daughter I would not have enough motivation to push to reach all my goals in life, with out my fiancé I would not have a male companion to always be there for me through everything in my life, with out my family I wouldn’t have people pushing me and encouraging me to be successful in life, and with out my close friends I would not have the extra support to do well in life nor would I have people giving me truthful positive feed back on situations I encounter in life. With out the Bible I would not have the right direction in life and would have to struggle in life.  With out my car I would have to rely on others to transport my family and I to and from places. Some challenges I chose to imagine are being unemployed, not having a car, and not having a supportive family. With out a job, car, and supportive family I would need positive people around me to encourage me to find a job, maintain a positive mindset, and people to help me with transportation. If I did not have positive people around me it would be difficult for me to maintain a positive mindset. My life would be difficult because of the hardships I would be experiencing.

My Connections to Play

“Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.”
― Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Life is more fun if you play games.”
― Roald Dahl, My Uncle Oswald

When I was younger people supported play by buying me toys that I enjoyed playing with. They also allowed me time to play outside and inside with my peers. They encouraged me to play with friends in school. They allowed me to play with peers my age outside of school time. They also played with me. Play today is different then when I was a child. My brothers and I spent a lot of time outdoors when we were younger. We played with other children in our neighborhood. We played kick ball, basketball, red light green light, red rover, tag, hide and seek, and many other games. We enjoyed spending most of our time outdoors. Today a lot of kids enjoy watching T.V., playing video games, games on cell phones, and computer games. I notice most children have I-pads, cell phones, and other electronic devices for them to play with. I don’t see may children outside playing as much as I did when I was younger. My hope for children is that they will develop a love for playing outside and using their imagination. I hope they will have limits placed on their technology devices to promote more physical play. Play is a major part of my life. I loved playing as a child. I work with children who I have to teach how to play with each other and it is such a joy. I also have a two year old who loves to play inside and outside. She has a wonderful imagination and creative mind. She enjoys playing outside and would prefer being outdoors than indoors.

    

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important to me because I get support from people I have positive relationships with. The most important relationships I have in my life right now are with my two year old daughter, my fiancé, and my family. I love my daughter I enjoy watching her grow, learn, and teach me new things. My fiancé and I are expecting our first child together and we are excited. I love spending time with my fiancé, he is fun to be around, he is a provider, and he loves my daughter as his own. My family is extremely close. We talk every day, we enjoy spending time together, and helping each other when we are in need. We plan family gatherings, we eat together, we travel together, and we pray together. I have five close friends that have been my friends since middle and high school. I have some associations that I keep in touch with through social networks.

Some of my favorite Quotes about Children

Lady Bird Johnson, former U.S. first lady
"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."

English proverb
"The soul is healed by being with children."

Mignon McLaughlin, journalist and author "Only where children gather is there any real chance of fun."

David Vitter, U.S. senator
"I continue to believe that if children are given the necessary tools to succeed, they will succeed beyond their wildest dreams!"

Should Children be assessed?

What should be assessed: Children’s reading skills, basic math skills, and writing skills should be assessed. There should be levels a child should be on at the end of each grade level. These skills are what are needed in life and should be assessed. I don’t feel these should be given in high stakes testing but I feel should be assessed by teachers in a comfortable environment for the child. This is to ensue the child understand and has mastered the basics. I feel a before, midterm test, and end of year test should be given to children. This is to see what they know in the beginning of the year, what they need to learn in the remainder of the year, and what they have learned during the school year.  I feel in North Carolina children are introduced to high stakes testing at an early age and are tested too often in school. North Carolina uses standardized testing from 3^rd grade through 12^th grade. These test determines if the child is promoted the next grade or not. Therefore teachers are teaching children how to take the test to ensure they pass. Some children do not test well and do not do well in these testing environments. There is a lot of pressure to pass these test placed on the children. In my opinion this is nerve racking and stresses children out.

Testing in China

The Land of High-Stakes Testing

For 1,300 years, academic success and, therefore, social mobility in China were almost solely determined by a student's score on the keju, a hierarchical system of high-stakes exams administered at the end of high school. Scores on the keju determined who would be selected for China’s ruling class and placed high value on rote memorization of Confucian classics, ignoring physical labor, technology, and natural sciences.

The cultural priorities enforced by the keju's rigid and extremely narrow focus on the classics is blamed for China's failure to emerge as a military, industrial, or technological leader throughout history. Since the keju fell out of practice at the turn of the 20th century, China has adopted a similarly restrictive National College Entrance Exam, or gaokao. Like the keju, the gaokao affects the whole experience of students and teachers, from what is taught to how it is taught.

College admissions in China are based solely on gaokao scores, and a college degree is essential for most government jobs and to establish residency in many cities (only legal residents may take advantage of social services, like schools, within a city). Despite the high stakes attached to the gaokao, like the keju, it's cited for limiting innovation and creativity in the Chinese workforce. Studies also show that there is no guarantee that those with high gaokao scores have abilities that extend beyond test-taking. 

In his recent book Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization, Yong Zhao concludes that, "Unless China drastically reforms the college admission system to expand the criteria beyond test scores on a few subjects, it is unlikely that any effort to nurture more creative talents and

healthy children will bear fruit."

  Retrieved from:

http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol5/502-zhao-abstract.aspx

Early childhood and Poverty

As  a child  I experienced poverty when I lived with my mother. We never had the best of clothes or shoes. We lived in many different projects. My mother received government assistance to help take care of her children. We received medicaid, welfare, food stamps, and day care assistance. We coped with poverty by appreciating what we did have, playing with children in the neighborhood, and always having family gatherings.



Poverty in India
India has about 400 million poor people living in their country.

Its problems are compounded by poor health services, child malnutrition and inadequate education and training. Almost half of pupils drop out of school by the age of 13 and only one in ten people have received any form of job training.

The perception of India as a fast-growing economy however has seen developed countries significantly reduce their aid. The United States has announced a 16 per cent reduction while Britain has announced it will end its £280 million per year aid programme.

Thomas Chandy of Save The Children said 200 million people had been lifted from poverty in the last two decades but the recent economic growth had left one third of the population untouched. "India's status has gone down despite the economic growth, inequality has widened which makes the poor poorer. In child mortality, infant mortality and maternal mortality, India seems to have the largest populations in all these categories. We would like to see focused interventions [because] the most difficult areas remain untouched," he said.

 This information and more can be found on the website below:

http://newindianexpress.com/nation/India-has-one-third-of-worlds-poorest-says-World-Bank/2013/04/24/article1559235.ece

Nutrition/malnutrition

Nutrition/Malnutrition

Nutrition is important to me because I have a child that I want to be healthy, I am currently pregnant with my 2^nd child and I have to make sure I am eating nutritious food so that she can be healthy, also I work with children who sometimes go without food.  It saddens me that some children must go without food. I plan to do missionary work in the future and Africa is a country I plan on going to. This information below will help me know where I should go to help and how I can help.

 

Hunger in Africa

http://www.consultancyafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1122:food-insecurity-and-malnutrition-in-africa-current-trends-causes-and-consequences&catid=61:hiv-aids-discussion-papers&Itemid=268

Despite the general worldwide reduction in food insecurity,(2) Africa’s food security and nutrition situation is growing worse. Africa has been experiencing several episodes of acute food insecurity causing an immense loss of life and livelihoods over the past decade.(3) African countries have collectively made the least progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal of reducing hunger by half by 2015,(4) and currently close to one third of its population lives in chronic hunger.(5) In particular, the Sahel and Horn of Africa regions in West and East Africa are experiencing the worst food crises in recent years - 23 million people in 11 countries in the regions are affected by acute food insecurity and are facing malnutrition.(6) Factors that have contributed to this situation include exceptionally high population growth rates, political conflicts, climate changes and the endemic poverty in some regions.

The food security outlook in Africa is worrisome, as Africa’s population is expected to increase from 1.01 billion in 2009 to 2 billion in 2050 if current demographic conditions remain constant. Much of this growth will be concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where annual population growth rates are expected to range from between 1.6% to slightly more than 2.4% between 2010 and 2050.(7) How will Africa be able to cope with its food security challenge? This paper examines the scope, current trends and the vulnerabilities of Africa to the causes and consequences of food insecurity and malnutrition.

The Birth of my daughter Ni'yonna Serenity Gay

        

On August 4, 2010 I gave birth by emergency C-section to a 8lb 4oz baby girl at 1:05 pm at Rex hospital in Raleigh NC.  She was born 1 week and 3 days overdue. As a result she used the bathroom inside of me and she breathed it in causing her to have PPHN (Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn). My daughter was rushed to Wake Medical Hospital to the NICU where she spent 30 days. Rex did not have the machines she needed to stay alive so I was away from her for 3 days. I had my daughter on a Wednesday and my Dr. Released me on Friday so I could be with my daughter. Those were the longest and roughest 30 days of my life. I spent day and night at the hospital by her bedside. With the help God, my daughters father, my family, and, my close friends I was able to get through that difficult time. It made me stronger and appreciate life after our birth experience. She is now healthy and does not have any developmental delays. I chose my personal birth experience because it affected me as an individual and it really made my faith in God that much stronger.  Birth does impact child development however it does not determine the rest of your life. My daughter had to see a developmental specialist only because she was in the NICU however the specialist released my daughter from her care because she was so advanced. I feel if a baby is born unhealthy early intervention will help that child reach their best in development.

More Information on PPHN:
http://www.childrenscolorado.org/wellness/info/parents/20830.aspx

 Ni'yonna in the NICU week 1

 Ni'yonna in the NICU week 3

 Ni'yonna in the NICU week 3

 Ni'yonna Christmas 2010 (4months old)

 

 

Births in South Africa

 During the birth of a baby in South Africa a midwife, nurse, and/or doctor are present. There are birthing facilities, community health centers, and district hospitals where women can give birth. In rural areas, mothers may give birth in community health. District hospitals have high maternal mortality rates. In some areas pain medication is available for women giving birth. In the USA women can give birth at home and at a hospital as well as in South Africa. Pain medication is available at all hospitals in the USA but this is not the case in South Africa.

More information on giving birth in South Africa: http://www.midwiferytoday.com/international/SouthAfrica.asp