Special Thanks

I would just like to thank everyone who visited and posted to my blog during this first course and I certainly hope that we keep in touch and stay connected throughout our Master's Program together!  Enjoy your Holidays and I wish everyone a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Examining Codes of Ethics

In examining the NAEYC's codes of ethics, I found that following ideals are meaningful to me and I would like to share them with you.....

I-1.3:   To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.
 
This ideal is significant to me in my professional life because without being able to recognize and respect their individual potential, I could never be a successful teacher.  My goal is to reach and teach every child the best way I can, and that begins with getting to know them and believing in bringing out their best!


I-2.3:  To welcome all family members and encourage them to participate in the program.

This ideal is significant to me in my professional life because I firmly believe that parents are a child's first teacher and children's success is is very dependable on the involvement of their families in their lives.  I love to have parents in my class volunteering to read, play, create and teach with me and the reward is the look on their child's face when they see their families in our classroom.  It's terrific!


I-3A.3:  To support co-workers in meeting their professional needs and in their professional development.
 
This ideal is significant to me in my professional life because working in a supportive environment also contributes greatly to the success of all teachers.  Co-workers who collaborate and network learn from one another and ultimately help eachother succeed and become better teachers!

REFERENCES

NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment. Retrieved December 14, 2012, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
The Division for Early Childhood. (2000, August). Code of Ethics Retrieved December 14, 2012, from http://www.decsped.org/uploads/docs/about_dec/position_concept_papers/Code%20of%20Ethics_updated_Aug2009.pdf

COURSE RESOURCES

The following are a list of great resources for educators everywhere!! 

Please be sure and check them out!

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
 

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.

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 media segment 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/
    Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.

 

 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/
  
• 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/
  
• 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.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
  
• Voices for America's Children
  http://www.voices.org/
  
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/

ADDITIONAL EDUCATOR RESOURCES

 

Fun ways Children can improve their coordination 

http://www.trcabc.com/resources/6-fun-ways-children-can-improve-their-coordination/

 

  

 Tools of the Mind website
http://www.toolsofthemind.org/extendedcampus/toolsofthemind/index.shtml


Lev Vygotsky's Theory of Social Development
http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

 

 

WORDS OF INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION

The following quotes are from Dr. Greenspan and Dr. Eliot, two major contributors to the field of Early Childhood Education.....

"Our Emotions serve as the orchestra leader for getting the whole mind and brain working together" ---  Dr. Stanley I. Greenspan

"The notion of babies and young children still permeate public perception"---Dr. Stanley I. Greenspan

"The importance of the parents' part in guiding the development of young children cannot be overestimated"---Dr. Abigail Eliot

"The influence of a child's home is the greatest influence in his life" --Dr. Abigail Eliot

___________________________________________________________________

The following quote is from Ms. Renatta Cooper about her Passion for Early Childhood:

"The preschool years are the most fundamental years where children learn about their surroundings"--Renatta M. Cooper

PERSONAL CHILDHOOD WEB

Thinking about my childhood and the people that made a significant impact, only a couple come to mind (at least in a positive way).....my grandmothers, my aunt and my uncle.

I was raised by two amazing sets of grandparents, and interestingly enough they lived on two floors of a three-family house.  Thinking back to those times, my memories are amazing because I always felt a sense of belonging in both their houses, upstairs and downstairs.  My memories are endless and many live on with me even though presently I only have one grandfather and one grandmother still living.  In addition, I had (and still have) an aunt and an uncle who mean a lot to me.  My uncle is my mother's brother and my aunt is my father's sister.  It's funny when you think about the tangled web in my family because the kicker is that my parents are cousins!  Yes, cousins!  So, it's complicated....  Anyway, here are some pictures I would like to share...



First is my grandmother, Angela Nievely Hernandez, who I miss dearly.  She passed away when I was only 17, but she lives in my heart forever.  She was the one who showed me how to cook.  She broke her arm when I was an early teen and told me it was the perfect opportunity for me to learn how to cook for her and my grandfather.  She really taught me everything I know how to make and I really enjoy cooking, always have, just because of her.  She took really good care of me and always showed me a lot of love.  One of my fondest memories is how she would come to my room with warm milk every morning when she would kiss my grandfather good-bye for work.  I would sip it, she would kiss me and I would go back to sleep for two more hours.  It was the most loved I have felt my entire life.  She made me the mother I am today, showing love to each of my boys every day of their lives.  Here is a picture of her on her 15th birthday in Cuba...... beautiful!!

Next is my maternal grandmother, Margarita Martinez, who presently resides in a nursing home in Orlando, Florida where my mother and uncle care for her.  She was a very caring a nurturing person in my life.  She was also the disciplinarian.  She watched over my grades and made sure I stayed on track.  My memories with her are endless because we still go see her every year and she is very close to my children.  She instilled educational goals into me that I try to carry out to make her proud.  Also, I instill the same goals onto my children because of her and everything she showed me.  Here is a picture of her just a few months ago with my oldest son...

 

 

Last, but certainly not least, are my aunt Josephine and my uncle Louie.  Josephine is Angela's daughter from above and Louie is Margarita's son.  Each was only 15 when I was born and I have many memories of them.  They were like my big brother and sister.  Always giving me advice about friends, boys and school.  They were always checking on me to make sure I was doing well.  That carries over to today.  I have a very close relationship with my aunt, she is my rock and my uncle, although far away, always calls to make sure that my kids and I are doing okay.  They are both professionals who were the first in our family to obtain a Master's degree.  I am very proud of following their example.  Here is a picture of both of them on my birthday.......

 

Well, those are the four people who were and are very significant in my life.  I love them all and am very thankful to have been able to call them my "family!!"



STORY THAT TOUCHED MY HEART

A child I will NEVER forget....

I had a student last year who at the age of four saw her mother deported back to Mexico.  That little girl cried everyday, not because she didn't want to come to school like so many other preschoolers those first few weeks in September, but because she never wanted to go home.  Her father was working two jobs and only saw her two hours a day.  Mommy was gone and as an only child, she bounced from babysitter to babysitter all the time and had no stability or security other than our classroom.  In addition, she had a hearing problem and a speech delay so it was very difficult for her to express herself.   She hugged my constantly and wouldn't interact with hardly anyone else.  I worked day in and day out to make her feel as loved and nurtured as possible.  My school was able to get her Dad support services to help with aftercare, therapy, financial assistance, etc., and by mid year she really started to make amazing progress in speech and socialization.  One thing she always did was draw to express herself.  I had her pictures hung up everywhere and we also mailed many to mom in Mexico.  Then one day she drew a picture of herself next to an airplane.  I asked her about it and she said "They took my mommy on a plane and now I'm going to go on a plane".  Sure enough, this was right before Spring Break and little did I know that after that break, I would never see her again.  After our break she never returned and Dad disconnected his phone.  I wrote letters to Mexico, but never got a response either.  I tried to find out what happened but to this day I have no idea.  They had no other relatives and the other emergency numbers on file led nowhere.  I will never, ever forget her.  I hope that that last picture she drew of herself getting on an airplane was her way of telling me she was leaving to be with her mommy.  I wish I would've been able to give her one last hug good-bye, but at least I know that I helped her everyday that she was in my class and put a beautiful smile on her face when she needed it most.  I hope someday to see or hear from her again.

This is Me!

This is Me!  My name is Jeannette Coloma, but everyone calls me Janet. 

I am a wife, mother of three boys and preschool teacher.

Green Eggs and Ham is my all time favorite children's book!  I use it in my classroom to introduce healthy eating during Supermarket theme and again during Read Across America.  I bring in different foods and do a senses lesson and have the children taste new things and at the end of the unit, we cook Green Eggs and Ham together and have a party!  They are always amazed that they like green eggs and ham just like the story.  It makes the book come to life and it's such a great lesson in teaching children to try new things.