Thursday, May 23, 2013

Research that Benefits Children and Families- A Uplifting Story

This week blog assignment, I will like to share a positive research uplifting story about myself. July 1, 2010, I passed out in Mobile Infirmary Hospital here in Mobile Alabama while doing my clinical in nursing and after having headaches for ten years. The doctor that was present on the floor took my blood pressure and discovered that it was extremely high, he immediately sent me to the emergency room (ER) right away. Along with a high blood pressure, my head was busting with pains. Several doctors came into my room in the ER and asked many questions, but it took one special doctor to come in and ask one question and he knew right away what the problem was. This doctor specializes in the endocrine system. I was put into a room and told that I would be there for a few days for testing’s. The second day after running tests, the doctor came in and ask for a photo of myself two years back. I did not have a picture to show, but curious to know what was going on. He told me that I should have noticed some changes in my appearance, I answered with a yes because I had noticed many changes. He then started to explain to me that I had what you call a benign acromegaly tumor on the pituitary gland and had to have brain surgery.

My new doctor explained that he could not perform brain surgery until he did some research, because this tumor was the biggest one he has ever seen. He also stated that the tumor was too large for him to approach it the wrong way because it was lying too close to the optic nerve which could cause blindness. I have experience and gained positive benefits from high quality research data that was placed in front of my doctor’ eyes for my safety and the safety of others. Now, the information that was combined together for my safety doing surgery will also help other in the months and years to come. I am doing real well and I hope and pray to God that I continue and live a long and blessed life.

Friday, May 17, 2013

My Personal Research Journey

The topic I chose last week were Death understanding and fear of death in young children, Retrieved from the Walden Library using Sage Premier 2010 database. This website gives a great deal of information on how young children feel about death situations. Young children do not know the natural concept of death but, they associate death with illness or getting old and dying. Through this website, parents and educators both will have the opportunity to learn different ways in helping young children cope with death.

As young children get older their cognitive, social, emotion and developmental growth can be affected by the anxiety of death and dying. We want our children to have the best learning experiences as possible and helping them to cope with fearful situations will decrease stress. Professionals in the early childhood field should always show passion and understanding to young children feelings at all time. I encourage my colleagues to read the information on this website to better understand how young children cope with death.

Good Luck Classmates!!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Final Blog Assignment

All the information I gather concerning the international early childhood field was very encouraging, and would help me to develop and learn more in my professional field. But, there were three that were most important to me in my personal development. The World Forum Foundation, I think professionals that travels all over the world gathering and sharing information concerning early childhood education is so unique. This great work that many professionals is experiencing and sharing is for the well-being of young learners and their families.

Another one is Association for Childhood Education International. This website offer educators an opportunity to engage in many learning tools to expand knowledge in their educational field. This organization provided information on events, different programs, dates and education on what learning is important for all young learners. This information will enhance educator experiences to teach young children how to learn and develop in all domains.

Lastly, the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy; poverty is a major concern worldwide. Professionals have the opportunity to help young children and their families that are living in poverty. They can provide them with information that they can use to get assistance like food stamp, welfare, housing, medical treatment, etc. If all professionals work together with other organization, poverty can be decreased.

My goal related to international early childhood field is continue doing research so that all young children will have a better chance of reaching their potential goals early in life. Young children deserve the opportunity to get the best appropriate learning in a friendly, safe and clean environment.

I would like to take the time to say thanks to Dr. Myers and all of my classmates for helping me through this course. Again Thanks!!

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Getting to Know My International Contacts-Part 3


After looking through the “Early Childhood Care and Education” webpages I have gained many new issues related to international early childhood education that are related to my professional goals. From the time a child is born up to eight years old is the most critical period of a child’s life for learning and developing. One thing I have learned, the UNESCO supports the Early Childhood Care and Education programs. This program provided a safety healthy, nutritional and learning environment for all young children potential learning and developing. “UNESCO works in partnership with Member States, partners and other stakeholders to encourage timely and effective implementation of the Moscow Framework so that all young children develop their potential to the fullest” (Early Childhood Care and Education, 2010).
The education division along with many others is shaping the nationwide vision and determining the country’s development areas and issues. “Discussions are facilitated by two different analytical tools requires government agencies assistance like finance, development and planning” (Early Childhood Care and Education, 2010).
Tool on Relevance: Country level relevance; Labor market and world of work responsiveness; Global level relevance; Individual level responsiveness; Internal system coherence

Tool on Equity and Inclusion: Understanding inequity and exclusion; Policies and strategies to address inequity and exclusion

Young children should receive educational high quality programs that will enable them to develop beyond a certain age level. These programs should enhance young children growth and development in all domains. “High quality childcare programs will encourage all young children from disadvantaged or advantaged backgrounds, promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness” (Early Childhood Care and Education, 2010). Professional should be license, trained, use age appropriate materials, and attention should be focus on the child learning abilities. The learning environment may vary depends on the country. “Active involvement from parents and communities and relevant play and learning materials ensure that early childhood services remain relevant to the needs of the children and all other stakeholders and increases sustainability” (Early Childhood Care and Education, 2010).

“Below are two analytical tools (on Competencies and Lifelong Learning) helps countries if their education system is equipped to produce the right type of human resources and good citizens” (Early Childhood Care and Education, 2010).

Competencies: Conceptualizing learning outcomes; Ensuring learning outcomes: policies and interventions
 Lifelong Learners: Integrated system for lifelong learning; Vertical integration of the education system; Horizontal integration of the education system; enabling environments for lifelong learning 

Friday, April 12, 2013

Sharing Web Resources

In week one I chose World Forum Foundation to share with my colleagues. This week I explored through the World Forum Foundation website and found no issues for this week. But, I decided to share information on Working Initiative which took place June, 2012 in Moss Norway. In this meeting Children’s Rights was discussed among twenty professionals world-wide. This group argued the important of young children rights and implemented strategies to achieve these goal. “The goals is to prepare a meeting place for early childhood activists with an interest in building networks of knowledge, support, and advocacy for early childhood practice and policies in regions experiencing or emerging from armed conflict” (World Forum Foundation, 2013).

“The international Working Group on Peace building with Young children is a global initiative of early childhood practitioners, researchers and civil social organizations” (World Forum Foundation, 2013). This group works together for the well-being of children’s rights. This upcoming event of the World Forum on Early Care and Education is in April or May, 2014. These professionals want fairness for all young learners. Therefore, this they travels around the world making plans and arguing for the rights of each individual child’s needs.

World Forum Foundation. "A foundation whose mission is to promote an on-going global exchange of ideas on the delivery of quality services for young children in diverse settings. Retrieved from "http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Getting to Know My International Contacts-Part 2

The Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” Website is center around the well-being of all young children. The focus is on the child’s progressive out-come of survival, positive health issues, developing in all domains, and affiliations in society all over the world. The Center’s approach is to connect with the poor as well as the rich for young children to create and achieve their potential goals early in life. (Harvard University, 2013)

In the United States, the Global Children’s Initiative is seeking to advance by implementing a compelling research, public engagement and professional leadership development programs in child health and development from institutions around the world. (Harvard University, 2013) The global program will focus on three strategic areas:

· Reframing the discourse around child health and development in the global policy arena by educating high-level decision-makers about the underlying science of learning, behavior, and health, beginning in the earliest years of life.

· Supporting innovative, multi-disciplinary research and demonstration projects to expand global understanding of how healthy development happens, how it can be derailed, and how to get it back on track.

· Building leadership capacity in child development research and policy—focused on both individuals and institutions—in low- and middle-income countries to increase the number and influence of diverse voices and perspectives that are contributing to the growing global movement on behalf of young children.

The Global Children’s Initiative has also begun to build a portfolio of activities in three domains:

· Early childhood development

· Child mental health

· Children in crisis and conflict situations.
Each of these domains is being guided by professionals along with additional faculty, students, and agents beyond the Harvard community. The Harvard University’s the “Global Children’s Initiative will also benefit young children and their families outside the United States.

Reference

Harvard University’s “Global Children’s Initiative” website. Retrieved from (http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/