STORIES OF POVERTY

As a child, I was blessed to escape the atrocities of war, poverty, natural disaster, disease, hunger and other extreme stressors. However, I have known others who have had to brave war, poverty, disease, and other maladies as children and as adults.  Today, I want to tell you about my mother who was a young child during the depression.  She hardly ever spoke about it, but when she did I listened because I was intrigued by her stories.  Living during the great depression that began in 1929 when the stock market crashed was an experience that she would never forget.  She would say when she was a child, children of her age learned to, "use it up, wear it out, make it do" (a phrase that was also used in WWII (1941-1945)). She grew up on a small row crop farm in Utah and the family was poor.  I remember her saying that potatoes and onions were the only food staple that would store during the winter and that was what they ate hoping they would make it through the winter.  They would eat potato sandwiches (if they were lucky to have flour for bread) and “poor man’s stew” which consisted of potatoes, onions and water.  It was a meal that the vagrants (homeless men who rode the rail looking for work.) ate. Oft times the vagrants would stop by her home and her mother always shared what little they had. Living in poverty shaped her into a frugal individual.  The family and their church was the support system that helped them make it through those trying times.

While visiting China several years ago I happened upon a mother with four (4) small children begging on the streets of Beijing. The mother sat on the street with the youngest child in her arms. The mother held a tin cup while cradling the youngster. The other children huddled near the mother trying to hide from onlookers and attempting to stay warm. This was a family from outside the city. “Unacceptable types who came to prey on the people of Beijing,” our guide informed us. I gave her a five dollar bill and you would have thought I gave her the world. This money, I was told, would feed that family for a month.

Living in the very extremes of poverty can affect children’s development biosocially, cognitively, and psychosocially. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs paints the picture of how children’s needs if not met will not progress. Cognitive learning, physical development, and social mores will all be adversely affected.  One cannot think about learning or having friends if they are searching for food and shelter constantly.  

 

Huitt, W. (2007). Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/regsys/maslow.html

Good Mental Health

More often these days, when I am feeling the stress of life it is an indicator that I need some down time.  So, I have to make time to rejuvenate my endorphins and feel the release of troubles from my mind.  I do this in myriad ways. Number one; I practice deep breathing techniques that I learned from Dr. Mehmet Oz (Better Homes and Gardens, 2010), number two; I see my Chiropractor, number three; I get a massage, number four; I take a relaxing bath with fragrance and candles, or I settle down with a bowl of buttery popcorn and watch a movie that will make me laugh. 

I have noticed that there are many individuals who are talking about feeling the pressures of everyday living and that they need a break, but they do not have the time.  I hear about it as parents pick their children up from school, at parent/teacher conferences, and as I talk with acquaintances in the grocery store.  I see this tension trickle down to the children.  It manifests itself in “melt-downs” that are initiated by something as simple as a peer invades someone’s space when they are not invited.  Let’s face it; there are so many variables (divorce, death of a parent, illness, pressures of doing well in school, bullying, etc.)  facing children today.  We need to solve for the variables (M x H = gmh (good mental health)) to fix the problems that children are facing so they can experience good mental health and learn ways that will ensure their well-being. 

What can we, as educators do? Mental Health American has listed ways for parent, guardians, and caregivers to support children with good mental health (Mental Health America, 2011). As you view the following lists take note that all health topics are related to another. Therefore, we must be cognizant of all aspects of our health in order to encourage good mental health.

Basics for a child’s good physical health:

• Nutritious food
• Adequate shelter and sleep
• Exercise
• Immunizations
• Healthy living environment

Basics for a child’s good mental health:

• Unconditional love from family
• Self-confidence and high self-esteem
• The opportunity to play with other children
• Encouraging teachers and supportive caretakers
• Safe and secure surroundings
• Appropriate guidance and discipline

Mental Health in Africa:

Low income, low mortality rate, elevated incidences of communicable disease, malnutrition and overall susceptibility to conflicts affects Africa on a daily basis. Because of such matters, mental health problems seem to be the last on their list of concerns for the government to deal with.   

In 2000, the WHO (World Health Organization) estimated that children younger than fifteen made up one half of the total population.  They anticipated that for the age range of 0 – 9 years, three percent suffered from a mental disorder (Okasha, 2002).  Those particular children experience parental neglect which causes deficient psychosocial development and brain damage is the primary cause of severe mental retardation (Okasha, 2002).

You might ask, “Is anyone doing anything about the lack of mental health services in Africa”?  Well, in 2001, the World Psychiatry Association (WPA) asked African leaders of psychiatry to attend a meeting in Cairo to talk about combating the current mental health concerns and design a plan for teamwork that would follow the collaboration of WHO/WPA (Okasha, 2002).  There roundtable of discussion pinpointed main concerns in the area of delivery of services and the value that is placed on mental health.  They also outlined the many challenges they face in combating adverse mental health problems which include lack of awareness, lack of human and monetary resources, absence of policies, and others (Okasha, 2002).  In light of the many barriers, leaders of psychiatry in Africa have decided to form the African Association of Psychiatry and Allied Professions, to study, plan and endorse the mental health and mental health care (Okasha, 2002).

To read more about Africa and the topic of mental health, visit the following site: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1489826/

Mental Health America (2011). What every child needs for good mental health. Mental Health America. Retrieved from http://www.nmha.org/go/home

Okasha, A. (2002, February 1). Mental health in africa: the role of the wpa. World Psychiatry, 1(1) 32-35. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1489826/

Oz, M., M.D. (2009). Dr. mehmet oz’s guide to preventing a heart attack. Better Homes and Gardens network site for Heart-Healthy Living. Retrieved from http://www.hearthealthyonline.com/heart-attack-stroke/heart-attack-stroke-basics/dr-mehmet-oz_ss3.html

The Miracle of Birth

This is a sensitive subject for me.  I was never able to have children and a failed adoption of a brother and sister fell through leaving me with mixed emotions and a broken heart.  As I progress in age, I have found peace through my work with children and families and as an aunt and great aunt. 

In reminiscing about children that I am close to and their births, the one that I remember most is that of my youngest sister.  There is ten years difference in our ages.  It is of memorable essence to me because it was a time of stress and great joy.  This baby was another “meant to be” as I was, which is my mother’s reference to not being a planned pregnancy.  For some reason I recall it as a time of great excitement.  There were already six girls and we were hoping for boy.  However, my mother would tell us that it didn’t matter if it was a girl or a boy, only that it had ten toes, ten fingers, and was healthy.  Because my parents were happy about the upcoming event, we were also.  The stress was fear for my mother.  As I look back, I did not really understand everything that was happening, I only knew that mom had to spend a long time in the hospital and that my father and older sisters took care to make sure my needs were met.  Because of that unselfish care, I did not really understand the ramifications of someone having toxemia (now it is called preeclampsia).  This condition can prevent the placenta from getting enough blood. If the placenta doesn't get enough blood, the baby gets less oxygen and food. This can result in low birth weight. When my sister, Shawna, finally arrived it was thrilling news that both mom and baby were fine.  Shawna was born at four pounds and six ounces.  There would be another long wait before we could meet our new baby sister as the doctor would not release her to come home until she weighed at least five pounds.  I remember seeing her for the first time.  It seemed surreal as she was so small.  I was amazed as we could hardly fold a diaper small enough for her and the baby apparel we had was too big.  My mom had to make special clothes that would fit her.  Needless to say, she was special to us and we doted on her.  I now understand why she was the “apple in my father’s eye”. 

Childbirth in the Netherlands:

Pregnant mothers do not see an obstetrician, but are referred to a midwife by the family doctor.  Physicians only intervene when the pregnancy is deemed “high risk” or if there are delivery complications.  They have the choice of having their baby at home or in a hospital.  If the choice is home birth, then it is the expectant mother’s responsibility to supply their own “kraampakket” (necessary medical supplies).  Natural birth is the choice of the majority of Dutch women.  Epidurals are only given if it is “convenient for the anesthesiologist”.  If the birth transpires early in the day without complications, the mother and new baby may go home within two hours.  Once home, there is kraamhulp (maternity home care for seven days) which is paid by insurance.  At this time a nurse comes to the home and provides medical services as well as cooking and cleaning the home.  For more information about childbirth in the Netherlands and other countries, visit the following site:  http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=2

As I read about the current birthing methods in the Netherlands I recognized that my mother and my sister would probably not have a good chance at survival there.  The similarities are, there are Americans who have home birth and a midwife to assist with the birthing. Also a hospital is available if there are any complications in the US and in the Netherlands. The differences are they can only have an epidural during certain hours in the Netherlands, while here in the US an epidural is available at any time. Another difference is that insurance in the Netherlands pays for a nurse to provide medical, cleaning, cooking, and other services for the mother and the family for seven days, while here in the US this service is not provided. In the Netherlands a mother can be sent home two hours after the birth if there are no complications, while in the US they are sent home after two to three days if there are no complications.

MAHALO NUI LOA

In retrospect I am so glad I made the decision to pursue my Master’s Degree at Walden. I have learned so much from Dr. Kien about writing, citing, references, and looking inward as I grow. I am so grateful that I have been able to share my thoughts with each of my peers as they have given me inspiration and support in my quest. The wealth of knowledge within this group was willingly shared without reservation. It is comforting to know that we all share particular passions in early childhood and that I can look forward to continued collaboration with each of you.  You all brought a wealth of knowledge to the table making it an incredible feast. I am deeply indebted to you and look forward to an even greater journey in the next session.

Codes of Ethics

(Three Ideals that are meaningful to me)

“To listen to families, acknowledge and build upon

their strengths and competencies, and learn from

families as we support them in their task of nurturing

children” (NAEYC, 2005).

I am very family oriented and place priceless value on the institution of the family.  My experiences in early childhood have deepened my conviction that children have strong ties to their family and desire to feel good about their own so they can feel good about themselves.  That is why I strive to listen to families.  I want to know what their strengths are so I can support them in building on those strengths and from there encourage them to define and lift their weaknesses.  It was through my participation with T. Berry Brazelton, M.D. and his Touchpoints center that I gained knowledge and practical application about relationships and how to fortify them.  By doing so, children can reap the blessings of nurturing from their own families.  It is my hope that I will continue to apply the principles from the Touchpoints Approach and help others understand and use this technique.

“To help family members enhance their understanding

of their children and support the continuing

development of their skills as parents” (NAEYC, 2005).

Can you tell that families are my passion?  I chose the above statement to go along with my first choice.  You cannot have one without the other.  First comes the relationship, the nurturing of the child, and then we begin to help families because they want help.  Once the bridge is built then it can be traversed.  That is, families will come to us for support and help and we will go to them to enhance their relationship with their child. Voilà! There is trust.  I hope to build many bridges in my life time.  I want to learn from others as well as share what I know.  I can only do that through trusting relationships.

“To encourage and support continual development

of employees in becoming more skilled and

knowledgeable practitioners” (NAEYC, 2005).

When I say employees, I am referring not only those I may supervise, but those that I hope to mentor, and those who are or will be my peers.  I want to be the type of person who will always encourage anyone to pursue their aspirations, especially if their goals are those in becoming educated as to best practices when working with children.  I want all to understand the value of children and how we can best help them in the growing and learning processes.  For myself, I want to always learn and be there to support others in their educational advancement.

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf

Play Quotes

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation."

Plato

"The truly great advances of this generation will be made by those who can make outrageous connections, and only a mind which knows how to play can do that."

Nagle Jackson

"The opposite of play is not work, it is depression."

Brian Sutton-Smith

Course Resources

Part 1: Position Statements and Influential Practices

NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://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, from http://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, from http://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, from http://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, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf

Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.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.



Part 2: Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being
 Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

Websites:
World Forum Foundation
http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage

World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep-usnc.org/
Read about OMEP’s mission.

Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/about/  
Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements.



Part 3: Selected Early Childhood Organizations
 National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/ 

The Division for Early Childhood
http://www.dec-sped.org/

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/

WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm

Harvard Education Letter
http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85

FPG Child Development Institute
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm

Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/

HighScope
http://www.highscope.org/  

Children’s Defense Fund
http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Center for Child Care Workforce
http://www.ccw.org/

Council for Exceptional Children
http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

Institute for Women’s Policy Research
http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm

National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/

National Child Care Association
http://www.nccanet.org/

National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/

Pre[K]Now
http://www.preknow.org/

Voices for America’s Children
http://www.voices.org/

The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/



Part 4: Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library

YC Young Children
Childhood
Journal of Child & Family Studies
Child Study Journal
Multicultural Education
Early Childhood Education Journal
Journal of Early Childhood Research
International Journal of Early Childhood
Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Developmental Psychology
Social Studies
Maternal & Child Health Journal
International Journal of Early Years Education



5. Sally's Additional Resources:

Websites:

Brazelton's Touchpoints Center
http://www.touchpoints.org/  
(Offers resources for parents and providers in its endeavor to strengthen relationships for the betterment of children)


Books:

Touchpoints-Birth to Three and Touchpoints-Three to Six
both are by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., and Joshua Sparrow, M.D.
(Offers an array of ideas concerning the development or "Touchpoints" of young children and how to best deal with those milestones of varied behavior.)


Calming Your Fussy Baby The Brazelton Way
by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., and Joshua Sparrow, M.D.
(There are six other Brazelton Way books (Discipline, Toilet Training, Discipline, Understand Sibling Rivalry, Sleep, Mastering Anger and Aggression, and Feeding Your Child. They convey messages from the "Touchpoints" books, but emphasize specific subjects singularly)


Use Your Words:  How Teacher Talk Helps Children Learn
by Carol Garhart-Mooney
(Through sharing real-life happenings from the classroom, the author helps the reader to understand how they can use their teacher language to help children learn and to manage the classroom atmosphere)

Theories of Childhood: An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky

by Carol Garhart-Mooney

(Offers the reader a basic understanding of the ideologies of five renowned child development theorists)