GREAT QUOTES ABOUT CHILDREN

"No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should be to unlock that treasure."
                                                                                                   Emma Goldman

Testing for Intelligence

Measuring and/or assessing a child’s intelligence are some things that do not sit too well with me. In my opinion putting children through rigorous standardized tests such as the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC), to measure their strength and weaknesses in certain areas seems unnecessary. Once the testing is complete what does it prove? How does the child feel when he or she does not score as high on these tests? These are a few concerns that I have when children are tested for intelligence. In developing the whole child, we must embrace their individuality, creativity, and their intellectual by not administering tests like children are lab rats or something of the sort. The results can be devastating and mentally harmful to the child who does not score high on the scale. And for the child who scores off the charts, what does he or she become? The child is now known as a genius based solely on a test. My question is how this affects them mentally and socially. Does their status change with their peers? These are issues that children should not have to worry about.

In Greece, the state has vaguely supported the idea of psychological testing of children even though the need for it has been documented. The majority of instruments are adaptations of foreign tests and range from a mere translation of the instrument to limited standardization effort with children residing in the capital of Greece, Athens. The present study investigated the performance of 731 children of various ages from five cities on the Matrix Analogies Test-Short Form as measure of nonverbal intelligence. Data analyses revealed that the performance of the Greek sample was very similar to the USA standardization sample with significant differences obtained for two (8 and 9 years old) out of 12 age groups. Mean scores for the Greek sample were somewhat lower, an average of 21.7 raw score points. These differences might be due to sampling error, and/or to the structure of the Greek educational system. The studies findings suggest that the MAT-SF can be used as a screening measure of nonverbal intelligence with Greek children using the US norms until Greek norms become available. (Bardos, Petrogiannis, & Randou, 2000)

http://spi.sagepub.com

Living in Total Chaos

As a child I grew up with a girl who had many distractions in her life. Her mother was addicted to drugs and alcohol and was physically abusive to her and her siblings. The abusive mother eventually lost custody of all her children and they were placed in foster homes. The children's maternal grandmother decided to step up and take the children and raised them. My friend was not happy with her grandmother because she only wanted the children for monetary purposes only. She wasn't loving or caring, she was abusive mentally and physically as well. All my friend could think about was moving out once she turned 18 because this was what her grandmother had embedded in her head over the years. She learned that the age 18 meant the government would no longer be providing for them financially. My friend moved out of her grandmother's home and moved in with her uncle and his wife. She began to experience life in a whole new world. There was no one breathing down her back, being mean and totally hateful towards her. My friend realized that she had a voice, an opinion, and how she felt about things mattered.
My friend later went on to becoming a mother of three beautiful children whom she cherishes to all end. She works very hard for her children providing them with all the love and support she wished she had as a child. She also provides care and mentors other young mothers who feel they can not make through the challenges of being  a mother. My friend overcame all the chaos in her life to become a small business owner and is now working on her Masters at Walden University.


Poverty in Africa
Over 25 million people who live in Africa are facing one of the worse cases pf poverty and the deadly HIV/AIDS disease. Many children are orphaned throughout Africa due to their parents losing their battle to this disease. Many children are diagnosed HIV positive at birth. This is so sad because they are not given a fighting from the start. There is a high chance that they won't make it to see their 5th birthday. Most cases of poverty and diseases exists in towns of Africa that have limited access to hospitals and clinics. They do not have access to clean water and this creates water related diseases such as cholera and infant diarrhea. Poverty causes malnutrition and diseases and therefore people of Africa have the constant struggle to survive  

 

 

The Importance of Immunzations

Immunizations protect children from various diseases such as Small Pox, Measles and Polio. These diseases can be crippling and even fatal. Children are prone to many communicable diseases and immunizations shield’s them from the hazards. Other serious problems with not being immunized, is deafness, blindness and/or meningitis if a child is ever exposed to such diseases. This is why parents must stay current with their child’s immunizations. Children are being vaccinated against polio in the village of Beles, Ethiopia. All boys and girls under the age of 5 are being vaccinated as part of the current polio immunization campaign.

Immunizing children is important to me because children deserve the opportunity to live and be healthy without the worries of catching illnesses through play and other ways of passing of germs.  By providing my parents with information on immunizations and the resources in order to get immunized, the children I work with will be healthier and free from catching such devastating and life threatening diseases.

BIRTHING EXPERIENCES

The birth of my first child was quite a life changing experience for me. I remember being young and not knowing what to actually expect from the whole birthing process. Course I browsed through the numerous books and parenting magazines, but the whole experience was a shocking revelation for me. Once the whole birthing ordeal was over I was the proud mother of a bouncing baby boy. The moment that really hit home was when I looked over and seen him sleeping in his hospital bed. I thought to myself “Wow that came out of me”. At that point I realized all the preparations for this moment was not what mattered. I was a mother now, it was no longer just about me, and my son needed me.

I found it interesting as I read about the birthing rituals in Ghana. I couldn’t imagine being quietly curled in a corner giving birth. There is no screaming or sounds of discomfort from the mother and the midwife is especially quiet during this process. Once the baby is born, it doesn’t make a sound either. This is called a gentle birth.  I can understand the whole meaning behind the gentle birth process because the baby comes into the world peacefully. However considering I have experienced birth three times, I can’t recall a time when I gave birth quietly.  I’m glad I had the opportunity to explore these compelling facts about how women give birth in different parts of the world.

Thanking You For Your Support

I would like to take this time to thank Terri Moore, Mahitab Wasfy, Amy Lester, Tammy Sawyer, and Alisa Tetley for your words of wisdom and encouragement. My passion for the early childhood field has grown tremendously from reading your posts. I am delighted to have shared this opportunity with all of you. I would like to wish you all the best in the future as you venture out into your professional careers. Please feel free to stop by my page and post a HI or HELLO, from this point on we are more than just colleagues...... we're friends. All the best Carla

NAEYC & DEC CODES of ETHICS

NAEYC Code: I-1.4: To appreciate the vulnerability of children and their dependence on adults.

This is important for me because I am aware that children rely on adults for security and trust. This bond must not be broken because children will develop fear in their hearts and which leads to difficulty trusting adults.


NAEYC Code: P-1.2: We shall care for and educate children in positive emotional and social environments that are cognitively stimulating and that support each child's culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure.

Having a diverse atmosphere is imperative for children of all ethic backgrounds, children can identify with their culture when its displayed for them. I feel its important to have children share their culture with their classmates because it builds respect from peers as well as teachers. Each diverse culture is unique and should be represented.

DEC Code: Professional and Interpersonal Behavior # 1. We shall demonstrate in our behavior and language respect and appreciation for the unique value and human potential of each child.

This statement is extremely important to me in my professional field because children should not be put down or made to fell bad in any kind of way.  Children look for their teachers to help not hinder them. In this professional we must keep in mind that children are our main priority and  must be treated with repect at all times.