Research Around the World

 

I reviewed the website Early Childhood Development Virtual University.  I am familiar from other class assignments and researching early childhood development that other countries tend to be ahead of the U.S. in regards to education services for early childhood education. The research confirms that regardless of where in the world similar questions arise and therefore research is conducted.  From reviewing various projects that have been submitted topics include single motherhood/poverty, brain development, child development, psychosocial development, cognitive development, curriculum, and using community resources to assist families.  One aspect that is not prominent or at least not to my knowledge is children in the U.S. that are being raised by grandparents that are affected by HIV/AIDs.  My experiences consist of a lot of foster parenting by grandparents but due more to chemical dependency or incarcerated fathers. The papers also tended to have a cultural and environmental theme.  Cultural aspects added to research questions as well as environment effects of living in a rural area.    I did find it interesting that many topics were submitted for Bachelor's Degrees.  I did not have thesis for my Bachelor's Degree.

Early Childhood Development Virtual University. (2005).  Final Major Projects and Theses.     Retrieved November 29, 2014, from http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

I've never imagined being a parent that has a child that has a diagnosis and that there is not a treatment available.  Have you ever envisioned seeing your child slowly fade away and die?  It’s not a vision that any of us have for our children.  We all have wishes and dreams.  Milestones, birthdays, school dances and someday marriage is what we envision.  A healthy and happy life for our children is what we desire.  Unfortunately, there are many parents that have to face the reality of that their child is facing a life-threatening disease.  I have two friends that are currently experiencing this reality each day.   As parents we will do just about anything for our children to be happy regardless of the cost.

I read the article TRIALS: A Desperate Fight to Save Kids & Change Science written by Amy Marcus.  The Hempel’s twin daughters had been diagnosed with a rare diseased call Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC).  “It gradually steals mobility, speech, the ability to swallow” (Marcus, 2013).  Only the children’s symptoms at this time were able to be treated.  With no cure or medications to help slow down the progress of the disease Addi and Cassi’s parents turned to a group of citizen-scientist (Marcus, 2013).  This was a group of people that shared their experiences as well as research papers that wanted to be equal partners with researchers.   In the Hempel’s research they found information about an experimental drug that had not been tested to see if it was safe on children.  The researchers they knew under pressure helped families they knew.  Both the researchers and the families were confronted with possibilities and loss (Marcus, 2013).  Mrs. Hempel approached a doctor about an experimental drug the doctor pleaded with her to wait and she stated it could take 20 years and we don’t have that long.

Mrs. Hempel was able the purchased cyclodextrin from a company in Florida.  She took the sugary substance for 4 days to make sure she didn’t experience any side effects before giving it to her girls. She had a blog in which she posted that she would not hold any doctor, hospital, researcher or non-profit agency accountable if anything happened to her children as she embarked trying experimental treatments to save Addi and Cassi’s life from NPC (Marcus, 2013).   She would mix the compound and reward the girls before and after for taking it.  The Hempel’s then pushed the FDA to allow the girls to have girls receive infusions with cyclodextrin.  The results were subtle. 

Overall with the push of parent’s like the Hempel’s and other parents of children that hat NPC they were successful in getting researchers to do a trial with an experimental drug.  Most of the data that was collected before the research project was the benefits parents had seen in their children.  It had been stated that “it was hard to ignore “but was not science (Marcus, 2013).  Experiments with cyclodextrin have been since placed in different parts of the body.  Although it’s too late to be successful for Addi and Cassi their parent’s persistence has made a way for a possible treatment to help other children with NPC if given when they are younger.  Trial and error with research showed that cyclodextrin is more successful if given in the spinal cord because it allows more of the substance to reach the brain.  Early diagnosis of NPC would allow treatment to occur before any symptoms arose (Marcus, 2013).  "Neither parent nor scientist could have brought cyclodextrin drug trial alone.  The role of parents like the Hempels pushing and challenging the scientist to crawl out of out of their skin of safety" (Marcus, 2013). 

Marcus, A. (2013).  Trails: A Desperate gto Save Kids & Change Science.  Retrieved November 12, 2014, fromhttp://projects.wsj.com/trials/#chapter=1

Your Personal Research Journey

The topic for my simulation will focus on working with diverse cultures on language development.  I currently work on a Native American reservation and during the past few years I have completed the data for the the children on the reservation with special needs diagnosis.  I have observed that communication and language acquisition/development is culturally different on the reservation.  Some children in my program had not developed language not due to a biologic reason but due to their environment.  Culturally families communicate differently to young children.  In one case the children were not taught words but were when they scream, screeched and yelled their needs were met.  We had to teach the mother developmentally appropriate methods of communication with her children.  The children also developed using their words versus screaming once they began Head Start and socialization with other children. I have chosen this topic because it will aid the early intervention process when working with non-verbal children that are not non-verbal due to biologic reasons.  

I did conduct some research on Walden's Library and was unsuccessful with finding any articles that are directly related to Native American populations and language development.  I found articles with English as a second language, sign language, and deaf children.  Although I am not sure if permitted but I may need to find a resource outside of Walden or change my topic to relate to information available on the school's website.  

I found completing the research chart a difficult task.  I struggle with paraphrasing and it seems like completing a chart is more time consuming and daunting for me than writing a paper.  I have truly built a strong relationship with my thesaurus.  I do try to challenge myself versus using direct quotes.  I am getting better each class I do take.  I have been writing out a list of words that I am not familiar with while reading articles and when I come across a new word in the thesaurus.  This is building my vocabulary.  I welcome any information that you can personally share with me to further develop my skill set in paraphrasing and writing.

Final Blog Educ 6162

Teachers here in the United States are not the only educators that are facing unrealistic measures enforced by the school systems.  What I found interesting is the American School in Riyah is NAEYC accredited and its a school ran by the US.







Mar and I have built an on-going relationship.  We are friends on facebook and have learned much more about one another that our connection through early childhood development.    I don't consider this a consequence but a blessing to learn more about another countries systems and to build a friendship.






Mar stated this statement is what she instills in the children in her classroom.  She has worked and lived in a country that deals with poverty.  She loves and works diligently for the children.





My goal is to continue discussions in regards to early childhood development.  I want to share the knowledge that I have acquired during my career and education.  Play is taken out the classrooms at the American School.  I was to encourage Mar to include play whenever she has the opportunity with her students.

Getting to know International Contacts Part 3

Conversation with Mar......

There are so many issues about quality education in our country or even other countries in Asia like we lack facilities the educators need to use to give good quality education. The teachers needs to have salary fitted as professionals so can focus to their lessons and not to other things like looking for an extra work outside the school.

Educators/teachers are advised to go schooling and seminars to enhance their skills and knowledge so that they can give good quality education.

As teacher in pre-school my goal is to instill to my pupils the best possible knowledge no one can steal from them for the rest of their lives. Pre-school is the foundation every knowledge a child can have. If you start the right way will carry that in the future.

I have dreams and hope for the better education in our Country and that someday we will meet good quality education for every Filipino.

Marenal Liva, Personal Communication, 2014.

Education near and far teachers alike share many frustrations.  We are being faced with standards in which we are required to teach our children but not always equipped to provide such standards.  Salaries are not adequate to pay teachers for the most important role that they have in a child's life.  I love Mar's statement that knowledge is not something that anyone can ever steal from you.  Very powerful statement!  Teachers with passion also want every child not just the ones in their community to have quality education.  I will also question why doesn't every child deserve a quality education.

Thank you Mar for being an inspiration for all the children's live you touch and for having a vision for every child in your country.  Thank you also for sharing your knowledge and education experience with me!

Sharing Web Resources

On the Zero to Three website there is a link that is title What’s New.  It was providing information at the White House Summit.  I found it interesting because the assignment this week was writing a letter to the White House Council on the importance of funding early childhood education. The graphic was titled Juggling Jobs and Babies-the Challenges of Working Families.  It was providing statistical information about how working families are still having difficulty providing basic needs to their families and often times face many adversities.  “Many factors contribute to these difficulties, but there are things we can do—ensuring families have access to paid family and medical leave as well as affordable, high-quality child care” (Zero to Three, para.1, 2014).  I found the information truly disheartening that 62% of woman have to go back to work within the babies first year.  I am sure the number of woman within the first 12 weeks is even higher although the statistics was not provided.  I know because I was a mother that went back at 7 weeks and my role was directing programs to support other children and families yet was not financially able to stay home and take care  of my infant. 

There is not a summary on what the White House Summit will do with the provided information.  It would have been more informative to detail what was going to be done to support woman, children and families. 

Zero to Three. (2014).  Juggling Jobs and Babies-the Challenges of Working Families.  Retrieved October 11, 2014, from http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/working-families-infographic.htm

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Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 2

This past week I was only able to have a very brief yet informative conversation with Mar on Facebook messenger.  I informed her I had sent her an email earlier in the week and she apologized that she had been unable to respond. Mar stated they she has been busy since last Sunday because they have conducting examinations called Long Test at her school.  They give the Long Test at the end of the month every month.  I was very surprised when I asked even in her class for 4-5 year olds?  Now I realized that the standards that the US is attempting to move to other countries have been doing to their children as well to advance their academic skills. Early learning standards are really taking a vast amount of time and energy. “This is because most public systems are pairing their early learning standards with an accountability system that includes sanctions when children do not get to their destination by the end of a particular leg of the journey.  The pressure to get there is palpable” (Graue, 2008).  There are 4 subjects the children are tested on.  They have 3 long examinations for them as well each month.  I explained that early childhood professionals tend to be against standardized testing for our children at such a young age.  We feel it causes stress and takes away from a holistic child-centered curriculum.  Play is being taken out of the curriculum because of the stress of introducing academics.  Mar stated “in our curriculum, actually we don’t have play time every day.  Only during physical education class they can play.  Our kids are used to this type of curriculum” (Mar Live, Personal Communication, 2014).  “The curriculum is modeled on the AERO standards and a variety of US national and state standards in all subjects” (US Department of State, 2012, para. 2). When viewing the website for the school I learned that the school that Mar teaches at uses US standards yet there is a focus on the “Saudi Arabian culture, Arab culture and Arabic language” (US Department of State, 2012, para. 2). 

I found this statement interesting based on the differences that Mar has stated about what her classroom focuses on.  She teaches what I believe in kindergarten.  This is for the 3 year old classroom. “The program is play-based with lots of opportunities for children to interact with other children their age. The rooms are chock full of developmentally and educationally appropriate toys such as puzzles, puppets and building toys. Pre-K is a half day program. Our program is based on current research and best practices established by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). Our program is designed to foster the individual and developmental needs of each child, paying attention to social, emotional, physical and cognitive needs and appreciating the unique experiences that each child brings from his or her home culture. Because children develop and different rates and learn in different ways, we provide a child-centered program that is developmentally appropriate” (The American School International School-Riyadh, nd, para. 1-2).  Although NAEYC accredited it is my assumption based on my conversation with Mar it is much more rigorous and academic focus.  It would have to be to prepare children for their transition to kindergarten and the academic testing that is conducted each month.  She stated the children are used to the curriculum.

Graue, E. (2008). Teaching and learning in a post-DAP world. Early Education & Development, 19(3), 441–447. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

US Department of State. (2012).  Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: American International School – Riyadh, Retrieved October 4, 2014, from http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/1517.htm       

        

The American International School Riyadh. (nd.).  Pre-Kindergarten.  Retrieved October 4, 2014, from http://www.aisr.org/es1/pre-k