Quote about children

“It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.” ~ Leo Buscaglia (author, educator)

The Whole Child

Chidren have to be assessed on more than just academic skills or intelligence.  To assess the whole child, the teacher has to look at cultural values, economic status, academic achievement and development.  Children are exposed to different environments and cultures.  As a result, children are shaped by their microsystem and macrosystem.  This means that all the people that interact with the child have an affect on the child's development.  In China, children have a rigorous academic workload that is extended into their personal lives.  As a result, these children perform well in school. Therefore, the United States needs to focus on more academic programs that encourage academic development in the home and in the school.

Stressors

Poverty is a stressor in my community.  I work for Head Start and many of the families are poor and have to fight through poverty.  To combat this, Head Start provides early childhood education services that are designed to educate children so that they will grow up to be productive citizens.  Head Start also helps through family service workers who help to find opportunities and services for families.  Our goal is to fight poverty with education, which is the original goal that Lyndon B. Johnson designed for the program.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the number one cause of infant deaths.  This term is used when infants die without any reason or cause.  Most deaths due to SIDS occur between 2 and 4 months of age, and incidence increases during cold weather.  There is a lot research for SIDS; however, there is no one factor that leads to SIDS.  Therefore, parents should monitor children closely in the first four months.  

 

SIDS is high in South Africa.  This is attributed to poor nutrition and a lack of medical resources such as prenatal care.

Birthing Experience

My daughter had a baby two years ago.  I went to hospital with her and she was scheduled to be there at 7:00 in the morning for a C-section.  In my childbearing days, I did not have the luxory of scheduling the birth.  I knew that I was about to go into labor when my water broke and I had labor pains. Today, a growin number of women get C-sections instead of natural birth.  I think that this has an affect on parent and the child.  I think that parents are more connected to the child at birth when they have natural birth.  The C-section makes it so mechanical and easy.  As a result, young mothers do not experience the pain of child birth.  Also, I worry that taking babies early may have an effect on the child.

Welcome class mates

This is my new blog.  I plan to blog about education and other school interests.