Code of Ethics

After reading both the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Division for Early Childhood code of ethics I found each principle to be quite meaningful.  Out of everything, the following three stuck out the most- 

From the DEC code of ethics:

III Responsive Family Centered Practices-

This principle outlines how we as educators need to keep each family in mind. From an educational aspect, in regards to the child's well being, educational path, and guidance, from a cultural aspect by making sure to address and not ignore or exclude anyone as long as it is relevant and respectful. As an educator or child care professional you are to work with the family to ensure that the child receives  the best education and care imaginable.     In regards to my professional life this principle is important to me because I absolutely love learning more about my families and incorporating suggestions from the parents as well as different aspects from different cultural backgrounds into my lesson plans.  Between learning "Gung Hay Fat Choi" for Chinese New Year for one student or teaching them how to play dreidel for m&ms during Hanukkah, talking to my class parents about their cultural background is especially important for me bc it helps to bring the families closer to the classroom and that makes the child enjoy their school experience more. It also helps the parents to trust us as leaders more when we incorporate their lives and as for their input and help in the classroom.  In my experience being closer to the parent also helps us to understand our kids better.  Extending a friendly arm to a parent makes them more comfortable, instead of having a child crying in class all day without any explanation, if a parent is comfortable with us they might let us know said child woke up at 4am bc of a younger sibling and has been awake and angry. The closer you are to your families, the easier the daily tasks with each child get. 

IV Ethical And Evidence Based Practices

This principle is about using research and proven evidence to aid you along your path guiding children and families through early education. Nothing should be done on a whim, especially not with the vast amount of resources available at our fingertips. This principle spoke to me because I am always doing research. I find myself constantly looking up certain behaviors that I don't understand and techniques to better help the children in my care.   It's interesting to learn about previous cases where other professionals dealt with the same issues your dealing with and were able to come up with suggestions that you didn't even think of. 

From the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct:

Section 1: Ethical Responsibilities to Children-

This principle is about knowing how to best help the children in your care. From knowing your stuff to knowing how to properly care for them and understand them.  You have to make sure you are providing a healthy, educational, comfortable setting.  Always remember that the child comes first, you have to teach in a way that they will understand and keep trying until they grasp the concept. This principle was meaningful to me because my first year co-teaching kindergarten in a public school we had a student straight from the mountains in the Dominican Republic that couldn't even speak English, his mother stayed in DR,  and his father didn't know how to help us help him. I had to dig into all of my Spanish language knowledge, step in the bathroom to google certain terms, figure out how he would be able to learn in this classroom and everything I did the head teacher did times five. By the end of the year he was at the top of the class, writing in English, speaking fluently in English, and laughing at my horrible Spanish accent.  Our duty is to make each child want to be in school and to continue learning. 

Resources -

1. Article: NAEYC. (2005, April). <u> Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment </u>. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/NAEYC/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

2. Article: The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). <u> Code if ethics </u>.  Retrieved from http://www.dec-sped.org

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESOURCES:


1.  Early Childhood Curriculum, Assessment, and Program Evaluation. Building an Effective, Accountable System in Programs for children Birth through Age 8. 

 (n.d.). Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201440_04/MS_MECS/EDUC_6005/Week 5/Resources/Resources/embedded/ec_curr_assess_programeval.pdf

2. Where We Stand on Child Abuse Prevention

 (n.d.). Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201440_04/MS_MECS/EDUC_6005/Week 5/Resources/Resources/embedded/naeyc_childabusestand.pdf



3. National Association for the Education of Young Children

 http://www.naeyc.org/



4. New York City Administration for Children Services- Head Start information

http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/html/child_care/child_care.shtml

I've been researching Head Start programs more and more in the last few weeks, so I figured this website would be helpful (for New Yorkers).



5. Critical Issues in Early Childhood Education by Nicola Yelland



6. Global Perspectives in Early Childhood Education.  Diversity, Challenges, and Possibilities.

     By: Marika Veisson



7. The Early Childhood Care and Education Workforce Challenges and opportunities: A Workshop Report.

By: Committee on  Early Childhood Care and Education Work Force: A Workshop; Institute of Medicine; National Research Council.



The above selection varies from general information on Head Start programs through how to handle major issues from abuse to problems in the classroom.  There is also information pertaining to diversity and the role it plays in the classroom as well as the website for NAEYC who are responsible for helping decide the curriculum that we use for each age group and deciding what works and what doesn't work.  It is important to keep the above resources handy because they all are ful of information on how to be a better educator and child care provider, all while keeping the children safe and on the path to success. All of the books can be accessed in the Walden University Library.





 
 

Passion for Education!

This week I chose to learn more about Lyndon B Johnson, the founder president of Head Start and Jean Marc Gaspard Itard who was said to be considered the founder of special education.  I was able to find a quote from Johnson, but as there weren't any quotes from Itard, I selected a passage from his book "An Historical Account of the Discovery and Education of a Savage Man" which is a book about Victor who sparked his interest in this field to begin with. 

Below are two very powerful quotes from Lyndon B. Johnson in regards to education.  I agree with a lot of his ideas, it was extremely hard settling on only two quotes.  We have to be better as a whole, find out how kids learn and continue to enhance the education system so that it can benefit everyone.

"Books and ideas are the most effective weapons against intolerance and ignorance"
-Lyndon B. Johnson

"But more classrooms and more teachers are not enough. We must seek an educational system which grows in excellence as it grows in size. This means better training for our teachers. It means preparing youth to enjoy their hours of leisure as well as their hours of labor. It means exploring new techniques of teaching, to find new ways to stimulate the love of learning and the capacity for creation."

-Lyndon B. Johnson


Below is an exerpt from Jean Marc Gaspard Itard's book "An Historical Account of the Discovery and Education of a Savage Man" which is a book about what drew him to Victor, a naked 12 year old deemed idiotic found wandering naked in the woods, and what kept him trying to help Victor as opposed to dismiss him as everyone else had done.

“I did not assent to this unfavorable opinion; and, in spite of the truth of the picture, and the justness of the representations, I conceived some hopes, which were grounded on the two- fold consideration of the cause, and the possibility of curing this apparent idiot-ism. I could not proceed Without stopping an instant to dwell upon these two considerations. They still bear on the present moment; they result from a series of facts which I am going to relate, and in which I shall be obliged to mix frequently my own reflections”.

- Jean Marc Gaspard Itard

Both of the above tie in with how I try to teach and continue learning how to teach.  You have to want to learn how each individual child learns.  Teaching isn't a 9-5 job that you drop at the door, late nights and early mornings researching different ways to get messages across to children who may not grasp it is the only way to be efficient.  When the problem is deeper than simply not being able to understand something you need to be willing to find out the next steps necessary to help the child.  That's what drives my passion for education and the people I chose to learn more about!

Late childhood web

I posted my web last night and I just realized it never published, sorry guys! I tried blogging from my phone and learned my lesson!

:)

PERSONAL CHILDHOOD WEB

My personal childhood web consists of four people. My parents, my aunt Jennifer, and my brother. All equally important to my growth and all who have influenced me and helped me to be the person I am today. 

My brother Zane

My parents, happily married for a million years. 

My parents and my moms youngest sister, my aunt Jennifer. 

  

My parents are my biggest influences. They both came to New York from the West Indies full of dreams. They taught me to always strive for better. They both pushed me to finish school. Inspired me to try everything from piano to every type of dance. All while supporting me in everything, whether I succeeded or wanted to quit they were always in my front row cheering me on.  We've had our ups and downs and typical arguments, but I've never felt more loved and supported by anyone in life. 

  Growing up my brother was my least favorite person on Earth.  Being a child actor and a easy straight A student I felt as if I was always in competition with him.  Which inadvertently inspired me to strive to be a better student and try to impress my parents with my grades and extra curricular activities. 

My brother taught me to have fun. He gained attention from his agent by embracing his love of entertaining people through performance. He would pretend to be Michael Jackson and perform for anybody that would listen to him. He inspired me to be myself and embrace the moment. My wears whatever he wants to, does whatever he want to, and spent our entire childhood dancing and singing for anyone who would listen. 

My aunt Jennifer is my rock. She came from the West Indies when I was a baby specifically to take care of me and hasn't left my side for the past 26 years. It's almost like having a second mother. Sometimes I even call her before calling my own mother. She keeps me grounded, teaches me lessons I may not want to hear or learn. Through unconditional love and understanding she has helped me to be a better person. 

My family is my web and I love them all dearly. My ultimate goal in life is to become so rich that my parents, aunt (altogether I have 26 aunts and uncles whom I love so much, but am not as close to), and brother won't have to work. Thankful to have such a strong support system. 

"Soy sauce"

SR is a sweetheart! He told me that his name was soy sauce,  which is a nickname his mom calls him. He loves the color orange, laughing, and learning new things.  He is full of surprises, he can name every single one of Thomas the tank engine's friends, count & name colors in Spanish, tell you how many sides any shape has, and will always ask how your day is going.  The other day he asked me if he could keep me forever.

    One day he was having a hard time dealing with being in class and he started crying and asked me for a hug. Seemed simple enough. I gave him a hug, he cried for a little while longer on my shoulder then looked at me and said "thank you Ms. Sherria I needed that".  It took everything in my to not start bawling. 

    Recently he's been into making cards for his classmates where he practices writing their names and drawing in colors he knows they love. I caught a snapshot of this picture last week because I haven't seen him draw something for himself in quite some time. The fact that he attempted to use his sounds to spell the word "house" was the icing on the cake.

My passion for teaching is fueled by kids like SR.  Which, lucky for me has been all of my kids in the last two years.  They're all human they have their moments, life can be stressful whether you're 3 or 100.  Each day I'm given the opportunity to work with children and can save a story or two like the one above keeps me going.