Faced with the situation of having to evacuate the United States with only my family and three items to represent our family culture. The three items I would take would be a Bible, our family yearbook, and a quilt we have had handed down in our family for years.
My first item the Bible is the road map for my family. It is what drives us to be the people who we are. The second item the family year book is a book of our years as a family. It is something that we can look back on to give our family perspective. The third and final is the family heirloom quilt. This represents generations that have come before us and paved the way for how we live now.
If when I arrived we could only keep one I item it would not be difficult for me. It was actually difficult for me to think of three items, as I feel most of our belonging are just that simple material objects. I can live without almost all things I have, but the one item I would want to keep is the Bible. This is the one item that defines my life, and gives my family the road map for how to live. Given the circumstances for being relocated the Bible and my family are all I need.
This exercise showed me that my family is all I need. With faith and family I can go through anything.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Insights from EDUC 6163
What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?
Insights I have gained about research from taking this course is that not all research is created equal. There is so much that goes into a research study, that each is unique, which allows for a lot of interpretation. This can be both a good thing as well as a cause for concern. It is refreshing to see safe guards in place to ensure ethical studies as well as to ensure validity.
In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?
My ideas about the nature of doing research have changed because I now know what goes into a research study. There is so much in just the planning and beginning research let alone the actual collecting of data and then the interpretation of the data.
What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?
Through this class I have learned a lot about what goes into a research study including the planning, designing, and conducting of the research. I learned the difference between equity and equality as well as how validity is achieved through triangulation.
What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?
Some challenges I encountered are learning the difference between qualitative and quantitative. The two words are so similar it was difficult for me to differentiate between them until I looked at the root of the word. Then it became much easier to remember quantity verses quality.
Insights I have gained about research from taking this course is that not all research is created equal. There is so much that goes into a research study, that each is unique, which allows for a lot of interpretation. This can be both a good thing as well as a cause for concern. It is refreshing to see safe guards in place to ensure ethical studies as well as to ensure validity.
In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?
My ideas about the nature of doing research have changed because I now know what goes into a research study. There is so much in just the planning and beginning research let alone the actual collecting of data and then the interpretation of the data.
What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?
Through this class I have learned a lot about what goes into a research study including the planning, designing, and conducting of the research. I learned the difference between equity and equality as well as how validity is achieved through triangulation.
What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?
Some challenges I encountered are learning the difference between qualitative and quantitative. The two words are so similar it was difficult for me to differentiate between them until I looked at the root of the word. Then it became much easier to remember quantity verses quality.
As always thank you to all that have read and commented during this class. Your comments and insights are always helpful.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
International Research
I decided to look at the Early Childhood Australia website (http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/).
Some of the current international research topics on this website were autism, quality standards in early childhood care, and preschool mental health. These are quite similiar to the research topics we have in the United States.
I found some great insights in under a link, everyday learning. I was not able to access the articles without paying for them. However, the titles of each seemed as if these would truly relate directly to everyday classroom activities. Bullying, sensory integration, play and learning, as well as emotional needs of children are just a few of these titles.
A noteworthy section of this website was under the supporting best practices area. Below this topic were three subtopics curiosity, imagination, and persistence. When I clicked on these links I found there was a large amount of research related to these three ideas. I will use this research in the future.
Some of the current international research topics on this website were autism, quality standards in early childhood care, and preschool mental health. These are quite similiar to the research topics we have in the United States.
I found some great insights in under a link, everyday learning. I was not able to access the articles without paying for them. However, the titles of each seemed as if these would truly relate directly to everyday classroom activities. Bullying, sensory integration, play and learning, as well as emotional needs of children are just a few of these titles.
A noteworthy section of this website was under the supporting best practices area. Below this topic were three subtopics curiosity, imagination, and persistence. When I clicked on these links I found there was a large amount of research related to these three ideas. I will use this research in the future.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Dream Study
If I could study any topic in the early childhood field, and I was not restricted by the reality of the present I would research the methods of involving parents in their child's education. I would specifically look at the theory of parents being involved versus parents being engaged. I would attempt to uncover the true difference between the two, and how to best engage parents to help children to accomplish their highest potential.
I believe the positive contributions would be immense. Children would be more prepared for elementary school, and their parents would be better equipped to support their children through the elementary grades. Programs would have more support, parents would learn more about being educators themselves, and families would have more tools. The child's first and most important teachers could partner most effectively with the child's classroom teacher to provide the child with the best possible foundation for their educational career.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
My Research Journey
The topic I have chosen for this simulation is the effect positive teachers-child relationships has on child outcomes. As a Head Start teacher we use the CLASS observation tool to evaluate our classroom environment, management, and interactions. Since we began using this tool a few years ago it has improved the outcomes of all of our 90+ classrooms. I have found that it has helped to focus teachers on how to interact with their students form the positive and negative interactions to more in depth interactions that cause children to dig deeper and think through what they are doing when playing. I want to look more specifically at how these interactions affect outcomes.
Through the first two weeks of this class I have found it difficult to decide what to research. There are so many questions I have about early childhood. It is difficult to narrow it down to one. It is also difficult to get a concrete topic that isn't subjective. When looking at relationships the data that is collected is a lot of asking people how they feel. One person's good feeling is anothers mediocre feeling.
I would appreciate any help in narrowing down my topic. Sometimes when doing research my mind becomes focused on one hypothesis, but if an outsider takes a look it may help me to see the obvious.
Through the first two weeks of this class I have found it difficult to decide what to research. There are so many questions I have about early childhood. It is difficult to narrow it down to one. It is also difficult to get a concrete topic that isn't subjective. When looking at relationships the data that is collected is a lot of asking people how they feel. One person's good feeling is anothers mediocre feeling.
I would appreciate any help in narrowing down my topic. Sometimes when doing research my mind becomes focused on one hypothesis, but if an outsider takes a look it may help me to see the obvious.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Learning About the International EC Field
The three consequences of learning about international early childhood field are:
1. As I looked into the practices in other countries I was able to learn from other approaches. Other countries have successfully, and unsuccessfully, addressed some of the issues that I face regularly. The more I learn about their practices and the outcomes the more I can diversify my own practices.
2. I learned that research from all countries can apply to all children. Children have different life experiences, culture, abilities, etc. But we can learn from research internationally to help drive our own practices.
3. I learned the importance of being engaged with the international EC community. Prior to this class I had very little interest in international practices, but I have now come to realize the importance.
My goal for the field related to international awareness is to bring the importance of recognizing the issues and trends globally to my local EC community.
1. As I looked into the practices in other countries I was able to learn from other approaches. Other countries have successfully, and unsuccessfully, addressed some of the issues that I face regularly. The more I learn about their practices and the outcomes the more I can diversify my own practices.
2. I learned that research from all countries can apply to all children. Children have different life experiences, culture, abilities, etc. But we can learn from research internationally to help drive our own practices.
3. I learned the importance of being engaged with the international EC community. Prior to this class I had very little interest in international practices, but I have now come to realize the importance.
My goal for the field related to international awareness is to bring the importance of recognizing the issues and trends globally to my local EC community.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” webpage
The first area of the UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” webpage that I found useful was the area on early childhood quality. The statement that struck me was that it stated that early childhood included a diverse population of people including teachers, carers, and other professionals. As an early childhood professional I have so many more resources I can share with families because there are others in my early childhood community that also have a passion for early childhood, but they work in a different areaof EC.
The second area I found interesting was an article that described the structures of early childhood education in developed countries titled, "The Early Childhood Workforce in ‘Developed’ Countries: Basic Structures and Education." I found this article to be very informative. It discussed the origins of the different structures of earlychildhood. This could be very useful for current programs.
The thir area was the area on equity and access. I found this interesting because it had information from different countries. It was interesting to see that the consensus is to provide early childhood education for all children, but expecially those in the most need.
The second area I found interesting was an article that described the structures of early childhood education in developed countries titled, "The Early Childhood Workforce in ‘Developed’ Countries: Basic Structures and Education." I found this article to be very informative. It discussed the origins of the different structures of earlychildhood. This could be very useful for current programs.
The thir area was the area on equity and access. I found this interesting because it had information from different countries. It was interesting to see that the consensus is to provide early childhood education for all children, but expecially those in the most need.
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