Monday, August 12, 2013

Examining Codes of Ethics...

This week's blog assignment called for us to view and ponder about the DEC and NAEYC Code's of Ethics and choose three or more ideals that resonate with us and our professional ideals and careers. After reading and reviewing both documents, it occurred to me that many more than three ideals were important to me and my beliefs and my goals for my professional career. I decided to choose the top ideals that I felt were most interesting and important to me and list them below, in no particular order of importance.

1. "We shall serve as advocates for children with disabilities and their families and for the professionals who serve them by supporting both policy and programmatic decisions enhance the quality of their lives." (The Division for Early Childhood [DEC], 2009).

This ideal speaks to and sparks interest within my special education background. I am a passionate and firm believer in providing appropriate services for children with disabilities. To me, this is a no brainer and ranks high with importance. 

2. "We shall advocate for equal access to high quality services and supports for all children and families to enhance their quality of lives." (DEC, 2009).

This ideal felt important to me because our nation is making a push to promote and support early education. In order to successfully do so, we need to provide high quality programs across the country to ALL children and families. This is our biggest challenge. 

3. "We shall respect, value, promote, and encourage the active participation of ALL families by engaging families in meaningful ways in the assessment and intervention processes," (DEC, 2009). 

This ideal is something I want to become more conscious of in this coming year, even in fourth grade. I feel it is extremely important, regardless of age or grade level, to keep parents as involved as possible. They need to be educated and involved as much as we do in their child's learning and development. We need to encourage positive participation by providing them with opportunities to do so.

4. "I-1.3--To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child," (The National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC], 2005). 

This ideal is something I have always believed. Every child is different, unique, and equally important. We need to get to know each child and adapt the curriculum and learning so that it is tailored to them to help them find success and promote development specific to their abilities. Based on what I am learning from my colleagues in class, I think we all share this belief and treat each child we encounter with the same dosage of love, respect, and energy to help them as best as we can. 

5. "I-1.8--To support the right of each child to play and learn in an inclusive environment that meets the needs of children with and without disabilities," (NAEYC, 2005).

This ideal once again speaks to my special education side. Every child should be given an equal opportunity for a positive learning experience. Beginning in the early years, this inclusive environment should support all types of learners and encourage their strengths and abilities to help them grow and progress. 

6. "I-1.9--To advocate for and ensure that all children, including those with special needs, have access to the support services needed to be successful," (NAEYC, 2005).

I see a pattern. Yet another ideal that is special education related. It is crucial that children with special needs be given access to the appropriate services and supports needed for them to have a successful learning experience as any other student would be given. 

7. "I-2.9--To participate in building support networks for families by providing them with opportunities to interact with program staff, other families, community resources, and professional services," (NAEYC, 2005).

This ideal spoke to me because my district currently has a Family Liaison committee. I plan on joining this committee this year to help support and encourage parent and family involvement and to bring new ideas to the table to encourage a positive and inclusive environment for families, as well. 

8. "I-3A.1--To establish and maintain relationships of respect, trust, confidentiality, collaboration, and cooperation with co-workers," (NAEYC, 2005). 

This final ideal that I have listed was extremely important to me based on my experiences in my few years in my district full time. I have seen that negativity and cattiness can take over. It can be difficult to see who you can actually trust. In my opinion, this is the opposite of how it should be. We need to work together to follow this ideal exactly to promote positive relationships and problem solving skills for the children, as we are very important role models in their lives. How we handle ourselves and our own relationships with our peers and colleagues is reflected on our students and how they will handle the situations they encounter. Despite negativity that I have encountered, I try my best to find the silver lining and be a positive change. It can be challenging but I believe whole-heartedly in the words of this last ideal and its importance within a building. Following these guidelines will boost a positive morale and an overall positive working environment, which will be contagious to the children and families, as well! 

There were SEVERAL more ideals that I had highlighted within the reading, but the eight I mentioned above felt the most important to me and stood out the most for various reasons, as mentioned below each ideal.
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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Course Resources: Foundations...

This week's assignment was to create a section for Course Resources from my Foundations of Early Childhood Education class. Included in this list are resources we have explored this week for our assignments, in addition to resources I have discovered on my own that I find pertinent, helpful, important, and/or interesting to the field. I will try to add to this list often throughout courses.

 This week's resources - I discovered to share:


  •  Book - No More "I'm Done!": Fostering Independent Writers in the Primary Grades by Jennifer Jacobson


  • HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK! We hosted a book club this year and met in my classroom once a month. This was the book we read and implemented. Even though I was in fourth grade, there were tons of great adaptable ideas to use across grade levels and it is a WONDERFUL resource!

  •  Blog - http://www.pre-kpages.com
  • Love this blog! It has tons of resources, ideas, and more! Use it to help with my little cousins but also have friends in pre-k that use this for ideas and such in there classrooms.

  • Article - "Organizing successful parent involvement in urban schools" from Child Study Journal
  • The article I chose for my application this week. LOVED IT! Everyone should try and check it out. I plan on sharing it with my district! Here is the link - hope it works: http://sfxhosted.exlibrisgroup.com/waldenu?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=infofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/sfxit.com:azlist&sfx.ignore_date_threshold=1&rft.object_id=960238505118&rft.object_portfolio_id=&svc.fulltext=yes&svc.selectedfulltext=yes

  •  Book - The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child
  • This is a book we are going to be reading for our book club this year and I am super excited! This is a book that could apply to ANY age or grade level! The idea is to foster a love for literacy in reading at any age! Can't wait to read and apply this to my classroom to encourage my students! :)



    • This week's resources - listed for class:



  • NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
  • NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  • NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  • NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  • NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  • NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  • Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  • FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
  • Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
    Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title.
  • Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
  • Websites:
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    Tuesday, July 23, 2013

    Various Quotes from Contributors to the Early Childhood Field...

    This week's blog assignment stated that we should gather quotes from various contributors and professionals in the field of early childhood education. The quotes can be inspirational, educational, motivational, etc. I plan to add to this post throughout my career at Walden University.



    First I would like to share quotes by two of the contributors we learned about this week - Ann P. Turnbull and Elena Bodrova.

    "Look for what is behind behavior; people need to take time and effort necessary to understand that there is a REASON for the behavior. It doesn't just come out of the blue." -- A. Turnbull

     "With the right approach, a plain white hat and a plate full of yarn spaghetti can contribute to a young child's cognitive development." --E. Bodrova

     "Most primary school teachers would probably agree that they don't expect kindergarteners to enter first grade with a complete mastery of spelling or addition. After all, it is in the early elementary grades when children learn these academic competencies. However, teachers of entering school-agers do hope that the children who come into their classrooms can concentrate, pay attention, and be considerate of others. These areas are developed not by using flashcards or computer programs, but by interacting with peers through play." --E. Bodrova
    The next few quotes are from professionals in the Early Childhood field whom we viewed in a multimedia presentation early in the semester for class entitled, "The Passion for Early Childhood". 
    "I'm not here to save the world, I'm here just to make a difference in the community I'm working in." --Raymond Hernandez, MS Ed., Executive Director - School of Early Childhood Education, University of Southern California

     "To me making the difference may sometimes mean helping one child to be able to be successful in the classroom." --Raymond Hernandez, MS Ed., Executive Director - School of Early Childhood Education, University of Southern California

     "It's not all about you. You've got to take your ego out of it and think about what's best for this child." --Renetta M. Cooper - Program Specialist, Office of Child Care, LA County Chief Administrator's Office

     "It was like the most joyful experience where I felt that everything in me was being called on to teach and also it was very rewarding. It just made me feel whole." --Lousie Derman-Sparks - Professor Emeritus, Pacific Oak College, CA

     "...the passion to make sure all children were taught in environments and in ways that truly nurtured their ability to grow and develop to their fullest ability." --Lousie Derman-Sparks - Professor Emeritus, Pacific Oak College, CA

     "It was discovered that the preschool years are critical. They are the first, most fundamental period when children are, in fact, noticing who they are." --Lousie Derman-Sparks - Professor Emeritus, Pacific Oak College, CA
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    Saturday, July 20, 2013

    Personal Childhood Web

    In class this week, we discussed a few early childhood development theories and the impact of a web of supporters on a child's development. All of the readings and multimedia presentations I have completed this week have helped me to recall my childhood memories and the people who made up my personal childhood web and support system. After much debate and thinking, I believe that five of the most important and influential people in my personal childhood web are: my mother, my father, my Aunt Deb, my first grade teacher, and my best friend, Jessy.

    First and foremost, I must begin with my parents, Annie (mom) and Tom (dad). They are the first two people in my childhood web who had the most influence on my life. I have always had a very close relationship with my mom. For as long as I can remember, she was always a caregiver, helper, and nurturer. She calmed my fears, hushed my tears, encouraged my excitement, and embarked on adventures with me. When needed, she disciplined and enforced the rules to make me understand and get the life skills needed to become independent and respectful, too. She was always my number one supporter and was there to listen when I was upset and encourage me and give me the confidence I needed to take a leap of faith. Through the years, we didn't always see eye to eye and get along perfectly but looking back I am grateful for the way she raised me. At the time I thought it may have been strict or unfair but she has helped me to appreciate life, be open and tolerant of others, be respectful and kind, and so much more. To this day my mom is my number one fan and a best friend. Even though I don't live at home anymore, we still chat almost daily through phone calls or text messages and see each other often. She continues to be the shoulder to cry on, ear to listen, and fan to cheer me on through every up and down I encounter in my life. I would be honored to be half the mother she was to my brother and I. Of course I cannot forget my dad, too. I was their first child and I was Daddy's Little Girl, to some extent. My dad and I have always shared a love of sports and that has been a great connection between us for my entire life. He taught me teamwork, patience, focus, eye-hand coordination, and more. I could go to him with an idea and he would always think it was "cool and exciting" and encourage me to follow through on it. Dad taught me strength and passion. He taught me to never give up on something I wanted or cared about.  Throughout my entire life, he has been a supporter of me and encouraged me to follow my gut. When I was going to college, he always tried to give me a boost and remind me I could do it and that I was in the right place. My dad was always my number one coach, coaching me through good and bad my entire life. To this day, he tries to encourage me to follow my dreams and stick to my goals, telling me I can do anything I put my mind to. My parents have given me such a wealth of knowledge in 26 years that I can apply to my life in so many ways.

                    
     

                        ^^^Posing with Mom and Dad at LVC graduation festivities, May 2009^^^


    Another important person from my childhood web would be my Aunt Deb. My Aunt Deb is my mom's oldest sister and someone who I have always considered a second mom. When I was a child, we lived in Philadelphia, across the street from my Aunt Deb. While my parents worked, my aunt would babysit me during the day. She had three children of her own, all older than me, but still took care of me as if I was her own, too. We had a routine each day. Each morning we would play games, dolls, barbies, puzzles, and more. We would break for breakfast and Sesame Street. Around lunch time, we would eat lunch together and do some learning books to practice letters, numbers, colors, and more. During the afternoon, I napped (when I was young enough) or I would play and help do things like fold laundry in the living room while she watched her afternoon soap operas. Sometimes I would help her start preparing things for dinner because I LOVED being a helper. My time with my aunt is a time I treasured. When my parents would come to pick me up, I would cry because I loved spending time there, especially once my cousins got home from school! In all of this time I spent with my aunt, she taught me many things: kindness, patience, academics, respect, imagination, creativity, and much more. She is someone I always felt I could go to if I ever needed anything. She always encouraged me and taught me to believe in myself and try my best. When we moved to New Jersey and no longer lived across the street, I was sad to be far from my aunt, uncle, and cousins; however, we still tried to spend much time together. Through the years, I also became very close with her three children, who always felt like my big brothers and big sister. They looked out for me, protected me, and helped me understand the importance of family, which is something that has stuck with me my entire life.


      ^^^Posing with Aunt Deb at my 25th Surprise Birthday Party thrown by my wonderful boyfriend!^^^


    The next person in my web would be my first grade teacher, Mrs. Benedict. At the time, she was a new, young teacher. She was so creative, full of energy, fun, caring, and supportive. She would take the time to get to know each of her students and help you individually in any area you needed extra help. She invested her time and effort into each of us and made a huge difference in our lives academically and otherwise. Mrs. Benedict was my first teacher in New Jersey. I had moved to NJ over the summer and the only people I knew were my cousins who had lived in the town where we moved. The first day of school was one of the scariest experiences but meeting her instantly made me feel better. She was fun and sweet and made you feel at home. When I entered first grade, I was not confident in starting to read. By mid year, I was a reading machine and couldn't stop reading at home to show off my skills from my wonderful teacher! I learned so much from her in that one school year and she ultimately influenced me to become a teacher when I grew up. I knew I had to take all the tools she had given me and use them to help children and make a difference when I grew up as my way of giving back. The funny thing is, now that I am grown and working as a teacher, I am back in the school district and building where I went to elementary school working in fourth grade with my old first grade teacher and inspiration as my colleague and fellow fourth grade teacher! Ironic but very cool.


                 ^^^Posing with my fellow fourth grade teachers at the 2012 Fourth Grade Picnic!^^^
    *LEFT TO RIGHT: Mrs. Benedict (my 1st grade teacher), Mrs. DiPrinzio, Mrs. Hubbard, & Myself*


    The last person I would like to mention in my childhood web is the first person I met on my first day of school in a new school in first grade. That person was my best friend, Jessy Laskowski. Jessy noticed me outside of school, looking like a deer in headlights and approached me before we met our teacher, Mrs. Benedict. She introduced herself and we instantly hit it off. We very quickly became close friends and through the 12 years of school together, we remained inseparable. We considered each other family. She was the ray of sunshine and ball of energy. She always had a smile and always knew how to make you laugh. She was my protector, she was my sister, she was my best friend. After 12 years of friendship, Jessy passed away suddenly due to a brain aneurism. I was with her when it all happened. To this day, this has been the most challenging obstacle I have faced. I still struggle with this on a daily basis and miss her so much. However, I try to remember that she has helped make me the person I am today. In our years of friendship, she taught me many things, like how to enjoy the little things in life; to be grateful for every moment; to understand everything happens for a reason; to be open to change and embrace it; to be spontaneous; to follow your dreams; not to worry about what other people think and just be yourself; to be open-minded, kind-hearted, tolerant, and respectful to everyone because you never know the battles they are facing or what/where they come from; to be loyal and supportive to the people you care about; and most importantly, to be sure to let the people you care about know how much you care as often as you can. When we were kids, she taught me simple things like how to ride a bike and how to deal with a bully or handle a problem. She was one of the most inspirational people I have ever known. I miss her daily but know that she has molded me into the person I am today. I live each day in her memory, hoping I can be a fraction of the person she once was, hoping that I can make a difference in someone's life and impact them as greatly as she impacted me and so many others in her short 17 years of life.

     

                                                  ^^^Jessy & I Through The Years^^^
              **4th Grade Halloween Parade, 8th Grade Graduation, Jessy's 17th Birthday**


    Long story short, the five people I have mentioned have helped to turn me into the person I am today. I am eternally grateful for their patience, kindness, and love. Without their support, who knows how different my life could've been. So many things that they taught me I pass on to my students on a daily basis in class. I want to make a difference in their lives the way each of these people have made a difference in my life. I hope I can be successful in such a venture.
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    Saturday, July 13, 2013

    The importance of words...

    I have always been a person who has been able to relate my feelings, emotions, experiences, etc. through writing and quotations. It is something I find to be therapeutic. I enjoy finding quotes that I can relate to or relate to my own life. It is a simple pleasure. I think many people forget the importance of your words and how drastically they can effect someone's life in a positive or a negative way. Below I have listed a variety of quotes that I enjoy for many reasons. Some of them are quotes I have posted in my classroom or use often in my classroom; others are quotes that I relate to or enjoy reading and sharing. This is something I may share often on this blog as it is something I enjoy doing. I hope you enjoy and find some common interests here, as well!

    -Ashley

    -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

    "The expert in anything was once a beginner." - Helen Hayes

    **This is a quote on a poster in my classroom. I use a sports/teamwork theme with my fourth graders to encourage team work, being supportive, and being understanding, as well as working together. By this age students tend to get too competitive and I love this quote! It's written on a poster of a baseball field with a young boy in a uniform. It is perfect!**


    "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive that is youer than you." - Dr. Seuss

     "The more that you read, the more things you will know.  The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss

     "A person's a person, no matter how small." - Dr. Seuss

     "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own and you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go." - Dr. Seuss

     **As you can tell, Dr. Seuss is one of my FAVORITE authors. He has SO many wonderful quotes and books!**
    "If you can't be kind, be quiet." - Unknown

     "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on." - Thomas Jefferson

     "The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don't play together, the club won't be worth a dime." - Babe Ruth

     "I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you are not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again." - F. Scott Fitzgerald

     "If we could look into each other's hearts and understand the unique challenges each of us faces, I think we would treat each other much more gently, with more love, patience, tolerance, and care." - Marvin J. Ashton

     "If we wait until we're ready, we will be waiting for the rest of our lives." - Lemony Snicket

     "Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future." - Deepak Chopra

     "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." - Maya Angelou
    **AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS IS ONE MOST OF US CAN RELATE TO AND ONE OF MY FAVORITES BECAUSE IT IS SO TRUE....**

     "I call my students 'my kids' because in our year together they aren't just kids on my class list, they become a part of my heart." - Unknown
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    Thursday, July 11, 2013

    A brief photo blog of my life...


    As another way to introduce myself, I decided to share a few pictures of the most important people in my life. They each mean the world to me and have some special connection with me. I love them all dearly and feel blessed to have them in my life. Xoxo


    First, this is a picture of me as requested for class. This was taken in Jamaica in June 2012.



    This is a picture of  Michael, my boyfriend, my best friend, the love of my life [[besides teaching that is! ;)]]




    Seven years ago Mike asked me out. I have been the happiest girl over the past seven years and look forward to many more years together! <3




    My love, Mike, and I in Jamaica last summer!




    My other favorite guy....our pup, Duke!




    Another favorite guy of mine....my baby brother, Ryan, and I at my house.




    My guys at home, spending some quality time hanging on the couch on a Sunday night before the work week begins again!




    My boyfriend, Mike, and little brother, Ryan. They are my best buddies. Love hanging out with them! :)




    My best friend from college, Casie, and I. She was one of my very first friends at LVC and we are still just as close as when we met as freshman almost 8 years ago. Looking forward to her wedding Labor Day Weekend!




    My best friend, Ashley. She is one of the kindest, strongest, and loyal friends I have ever been lucky enough to know. She is always there as a support system and we have so many laughs together, too!




    My support system at work. I am very lucky to work with such amazing women. I am thankful everyday to work with these ladies, as well as call them friends. We each have a very different role in our building yet find ways to work together and support each other through anything and everything. Left to right we have me (4th grade teacher), Ali (BSI teacher, K-2), Manuela (ELL teacher K-4), and Jen (1st grade teacher).




    This is my amazing, adorable, smart, sweet, lovable, wonderul Keira Anne. She is my goddaughter and is five years old. She is one of my favorite people in the WORLD! She is so smart and always makes me smile and laugh. Watching her learn and grow is such a treasure. Cannot believe my Keira Koo starts Kindergarten this year!





    Last, but certainly not least, in the photo collages above and below, I have my parents. They are my very first support system and the reason I am who I am today. I am lucky to have had two awesome parents who have helped me to pursue my goals and dreams. They have always been my number 1 fans then and now. Collage with mom above. Collage with Dad below. Love them both. <3




    ---Ashley

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    The student's work that touches your heart...


    Everyone gets to a point where they are going through the motions of everyday life, trying to do your job and survive. I love everything about teaching. It is my true passion. But even I have fallen victim to this. Sometimes I wonder if I am doing my job well and reaching the students, making a difference the way I have always hoped. Then suddenly they have little ways of showing their appreciation for you and showing you that they are extremely perceptive to your emotions and want to help you and see you happy, too. These small moments of clarity keep me grounded. They help me realize and appreciate how lucky I am to be doing the job I love and connecting with my students with a level of caring and respect one can hope to experience.

    Below I have two student made drawings given to me by two of my fourth grade girls this year. I was lucky enough to be teaching many of these students for the second time after having them in second grade for the year as a sub and now again in fourth grade so I had gotten very attached as I witnessed them grow, mature, and progress so much. They had such personalities and everyday was an adventure! This was an emotional year for me for both work related and personal reasons but they were so wonderful and truly pulled me through and made me grateful everyday to be working with them!

    The first picture was given to me from one of my students around the holidays. She knew I loved quotes and always told them to cherish memories we shared. I was always taking pictures for the yearbooks we make in June so she gave this to me as part of my gift. I loved it!!


    The next picture was given to me after a very emotional time when my neighbor and one of my closest friends passed away. Needless to say I wasn't always myself but still was there everyday waiting for them to make me smile! This was something she made to cheer me up.

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