My favorite quotes/ Thank you

1)      Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression."
-Dr. Haim Ginott

2)       Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them- Lady Bird Johnson

3)       A person is a person no matter how small- Dr.Seuss

4)     If you can carry your childhood with you, you never become older- Tom Stoppard
I love these children quotes because they always make me think about the people from my childhood.  I have many great memories and experiences from positive influences as a child.  It also makes me think about why I decided to become an educator.

HELLO EVERYONE!!!! I want to take this time to say THANK YOU!! It has been an amazing eight weeks, which flew by extremely too fast!!!!!!  It has been my pleasure to read your blogs, and share in your experiences!! I have learned so much about myslef as a person and profession, as well as my early childhood field!!! I wish you guys the best in your future classes, and hopefully we can share and work with each other in the future!!!! BEST WISHES !!!!!!

TESTING with School-aged children

Now days, assessment are a major part of a school aged child’s life.  It is because of this that schools have been pushed to teach towards a test and make sure children pass this test, so that they do not lose funding for their schools.  In the United States, most schools even require that students pass a standardized test in order in progress to the next grade level. This testing starts as young as 6 years old (first grade).  

The one test that I struggled with the most was the SAT. I was a great student in high school, always was on honor student, but when it came down to taking the SAT for college, I struggled. In my opinion, the SAT should measure the individual’s intelligence but it does not do that. My personal experience with the SAT was not that great. I made mediocre scores, but never the score that I would have liked. AT the time, colleges and universities truly seemed to base their admissions process firmly on the scores of that particular standardized test. This is unfair to those students that made the good grades while they were in high school, but were just not good test takers. Many people suffer from test anxiety and that is a proven fact, so how could you base an individual’s performance based on one test.

I decided to research children in France. In France, schools test facts and skills, but there is not much formal testing and there isn't much stress put on students. I can imagine what life would be like if I was raised in France. I think that it is more beneficial to test children on the facts and skills that they do know, instead of pressuring them with standardized test. I feel that too much pressure and emphases are being put on children, teachers, and administrators in passing certain test. I always wondered, at the end of the day, what all does passing a standardized test prove?. Does it really showcase the knowledge children acquire growing up while in school? 

  

Consequences of Stress on Children’s Development-Heart condition

My close friend form college, Brianna Magruder, was born with a heart condition where her heart is to big for her body. Throughout her life, she has had 3 heart surgery's, an she is about to undergo another one within the up and coming year.  As a child she experienced pain in her body(main the chest area), ans was in the hospital numerous times. This affected her physical, social and emotional well-being. It was not easy for her to make new friends, the children would tease her at times, because of the scar left behind form the surgery. She was not able to play with other children/and her friends all the time like regular children do; she also missed out on a lot of adventures her friends would take. Often times Brianna asked herself, "why me"? She always wondered why she had to be born with this heart condition; why was she the chosen one. This not only affected her emotional but it also affected her family, especially her mother. Her mother believed it was her fault she was born with the condition. Brianna informed she her and her family sought counseling, and of course medical attention to help solve the issues they were facing. Today Brianna is more open to and accepting to talk about her condition. She told me that she did not have the easiest childhood growing up, but she appreciates every second of life. She also said at times she still does not understand why she was the "chosen one'.

Another part of the world I wanted to learn about was South Africa. Some of there stressors include HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, poverty, children vulnerability now an din the future, public health, social and family environment. They are extremely worried about their children in South Africa. They are striving today to come with helpful resources for the people in the country. The government plans on doing interventions to break the negative cycle threatening the children. They say they will take any help they can get to improve in their country.

Child Development and Public Health

The public health topic I chose was Nutrition/malnutrition. I chose this topic because I feel every child should be getting the nutrients they need each day to grow and be health, but reality sinks in, and I know there are thousands of children who are not. Children need nutrition to grow mentally Malnutrition is the lack of nutrients needed for proper health and development. Someone can be malnourished for a long or short period of time, and the condition may be mild or severe. People who are malnourished are more likely to get sick and, in severe cases, might even die. In Africa statics show that one in ten infants die within the first twelve months of life due to malnutrition. One in five children suffers from chronic malnutrition, one in ten children suffers from severe malnutrition, and more than one in five children are physically stunted due to malnutrition. Also, in Africa 75% if South Africans have inadequate access to food. This saddens my heart to know that so many children are dying in the world due to the lack of access to food.  I believe that children have the right to a caring, protective environment and to nutritious food and basic health care to protect them from illness and promote growth and development. In my future endeavors, I think it would be pretty cool to teach my children about nutrition/malnutrition around the world. As a teacher, I can collect food items from my students and their families, and make care packages to send to children around the world. I can also set up a foundation where people can donate money or food to be sent to families in need.

THE EXPERIENCE OF CHILDBIRTH

A personal birthing experience that was important to me was the birth of my cousin. I was important to be because she was going to be named after me, and she was born on my birthday!!! We are twins born 14 years apart!!! I remember the family all being at the hospital waiting in the hospital lobby. My cousin was born early, so it was a surprise when she went into labor. Everyone in the family was about to go out to eat to celebrate my birthday! I received the best gift that year!

I decided to look up childbirth in Afghanistan. I chose this place, because I had just read an article involving education in Afghanistan. Women who are pregnant do not get the nurture they need.  In fact, birth is a deadly challenge in Afghanistan. One thing that bothered me was that, if doctors deliver a girl, they really do not pay attention to her, and after birth the mother and child are not allowed to stay in the hospital.

I believe no matter the gender, all children should be treated equally.

Childhood Memories

Childrens Quotes:
1) Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them- Lady Bird Johnson
2) A person is a person no matter how small- Dr.Seuss
3) If you can carry your childhood with you, you never become older- Tom Stoppard

I love these quotes because they alsways make me think about the people  from my childhood.  I have many great memories and experinces from positive influences as a child.  It also makes me think about why I decided to become a educator.

Favorite Childhood Book:
1)Love you Forever by Robert Musch- I loved for my parents to read me this book when I was younger! It is about enduring love from a parent to their child!

2) Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman- This is a very inspirational book. It teaches children that if they put their mind to it, they can do it! They can use their imagination take them many places in life. It also teaches about racism and sexism; its unacceptable behavior and accepts it exists. It takes you on a ride with honesty, imagination, hope and humor.

My Picture
This is me, up close and personal lol