Only Three Things Wk2

I believe that if I lost everything in a disaster that having my three children alive and able to evacuate with me would be the only thing of importance to me.  There are no materialistic items that would be valued more than my babies.  If our family dog had survived and was allowed to come with us, I would choose her because she has been the entity that showed my children how to love and trust again after a horrific divorce and custody battle.  If she was not able to come with us then, I would give each of my three children one of my allotted items.  Understandably some of you are thinking that why would she not bring her bible, her, photos, her recipe book of passed down traditions?  I am thinking all of those memories, beliefs, and tradition are kept deep within my heart always available, and always there to share with my family.  To a child the smallest tokens of childhood, acceptance, and love a treasured in most insignificant items to adults, but to a child means everything.  That ragdoll, special baseball gloves, the weird hair band, or the ragged picture of mom with Easter bunny ears on?  Who knows what these items mean to a child but in a situation where everything that we know is now gone, still may exists in their tiny treasures they take with them.

I really feel like that before this class I had a strong family culture that was lead by our dominant culture.  However, after this week’s discussions and reflection I can feel even a great sense and a need to instill that more of our family culture with my children.  Helping them to learn about our culture, accept it, and help other understand and accept has a greater sense of importance.  I am so proud of my children and my entire extended family. Though we are far from functional or typical we are true to the values and belief that we hold dear.  I am a proud Sothern American but more importantly I hope to have let my mark on this world by mothering the three most beautifully compassionate loving, and human spirited people that I was capable of and they too were able to pass on my true love of family, American pride, and old fashion southern qualities (only the good ones of course!)

Hello! Welcome to my Blog!  Looking forward to an enjoyable class!

Journey through Research

This research class has been an insightful and interesting journey.  I can honest admit that I thought at the beginning of this course that I would end up drop the course.  Anything to do with research typically overwhelms me professionally.  However throughout this process that I have come to understand that my every day challenges, running childcare facilities takes research and different levels of study the majority of the time.  This class has enabled me to understand the research process more clearly, and apply it to my professional work.  I can better organize my thoughts and relay those thoughts and ideas to help others benefit from my work.  I am glad that through this process that I have a better understanding and new found respect for equality and equitability.  It is those two important factors in the research process that will lead fellow colleagues and professionals respect and value your work.  It also insures that the work and research being done has true unbiased representation and acknowledgements. 

I have a special thank you to all of my fellow classmates who struggled and challenged themselves through this course and I want to give a word of thank for your continued support.  Thank you to Dr. Davis for your encouragement and arrangement of assignments to make the last eight weeks manageable.

Happy Holidays to everyone!  I will see you in the New Year!

Blog Assignment: Research Around the World

       What are some of the current international research topics?

       In the Australian Community a significant amount of research is being focused on the middle years.  Identifying the disconnect and establish more effective teacher student relationships seems to be the topic of the research found on http://www.acsa.edu.au/pages/page32.asp

       What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website? If I understood the website correctly that early childhood teachers working with children birth to five years must possess early child teaching qualification.    I also was very surprised that the focus of early education was stated that is main focus was children experiencing success in learning.  That is such a wonderfully vital role to focus on.  I think most organizations want children to experience success in learning but do not make it a focus.

       What other noteworthy information did you find on this website?

       I did not find any interesting links on the Australian Curriculum Site.  I was able to find note worthy information on the EECERA.  This is the site had a link to the Korean Institute of Childcare and Education.  This site had numerous links to the type of research that is being done in Korea.

       Sites

       http://www.acsa.edu.au/pages/page32.asp

       http://www.kicce.re.kr/eng/bbs/bbs_L.jsp?menu_id=020201&DB=research02

       http://www.eecera.org/links/

        

 

  I was introduced to Conscious Discipline training developed by Becky Bailey, about five years ago. It is specifically designed to provide parents with the conscious awareness and skills needed to create safe, connected, problem-solving homes. It is also a dramatic strategy to handle the most difficult of challenging classroom.  Giving families a true working alternatives to  hitting, spanking or isolation techniques as a form of punishment has I know personally helped not only my work with children inside the classroom, but also raising three children independently.   Research proves that when teachers and parents exhibit self control in volatile situations that they themselves teach children emotional intelligence (Bailey, 2012)

I have used these strategies based in bailey’s research and passed on the education research techniques to my families struggling with aggressive and challenging behaviors.  Teaching children, staff, and families emotional intelligence is a teaching style that will work with persistence and consistency.  Its benefits in my family specifically have given me piece of mind and less stressful mindset to raise my child that is diagnosed with ADHD.  My child has now has the strategies to deal with frustration and feelings that become overwhelming.

I have professionally and personally observed this research affect children and their families positively.

 

 

References

 

Bailey, B. (2012). Retrieved from Conscious Discilpline: http://consciousdiscipline.com/about/research_papers.asp

Pulling out my Hair!!

 

 

 

Oh My Stars!!!!  This research process is extremely trying.  I have picked a particularly popular topic to research and know just from job experience that there are a lot of studies that have been done in response to my chosen research topic.  I chose how to manage challenging behaviors inside the classroom.  This is stimulated by my own personal need to help support the 3 year classrooms that I currently supervise.   These rooms in particular are the other cause of sleepless nights despite my daytime efforts and strategies.  My 3 year old rooms are out of CONTROL!!!   As I have tried to research this topic I have come to realize that my worst fear has been realized and that is….. I am terrible at research.  I mean really is anyone else getting directed to sites that you have to pay and subscribe to in order to review the full articles?  Is anyone finding the ERIC search engine is difficult to use???  I am beyond frustrated with this process.  I even tried just straight Google ad that is getting about the same results.  I will need you all’s continued support and insight if I am going to make it through this class.  Please help if you have unlocked the secret to finding great journals that are quality.

Consequences and Inspirations

 The international community has a different perception of early years learning, internationally family member typically are baby sitters and learning centers educate.  This is foreign concept to the existing working American family.

International contacts have been personally non responsive to questions and insights.

Establishing links to International can damper collegial spirits become in established countries the education system is ranked way higher in national priority.

I hope to continue to try and establish a permanent professional relationship with a colleague from the international community to stay abreast on the educational challenges and success they achieve.

 

Thanks for a great 8 Weeks!