"Big Momma"

I remember working for an afterschool program where I cared for children ages 4 to 12 years old. There was a heavy set dark-skinned girl who was crying on the field. I asked her what was wrong. She said that a particular girl kept calling her “Big Momma”. I confronted the girl and told her how mean her statement was and how much it hurt her feelings. The girl looked at me with such confusion. It looked as if she did not know how much that statement hurt her. I hope I did not get onto her to harshly because I know how it feels to get picked on during that age. Even though the “bully” did not understand her microaggression it was very unfair to her to feel less than a person because of her weight. It was unfair to have to sit there on that field and miss out on playing with other children because her feelings were hurt. I myself was hurt and imagined myself as that child who was bullied because I was considered a “cry baby”. I now know that I was just highly sensitive. I did not stand up for myself when I was younger. When I was talking to the girl bully that was probably the little girl inside of me finally defending herself. The bully will have to change in this scenario because she has to learn how her words can affect others feelings. I as a teacher had to teach that to the bully.

Is Intelligence Genetic?

           I was at work and my boss (white) said something that shocked me. She thinks intelligence is genetic. Now at first this statement did not bother me. However, once I thought about it I related the statement to the past slave owners and supporters of Jim Crow laws back in the United States history. When there was a nation of slaves that were forbidden to read or write whites thought we were unintelligent. However, it was our environment that caused blacks to appear unintelligent. However, a lot of inventions that blacks did not get credit for were out of intelligence of black people. Fast forward to today, a large percentage of our black children are reading below their grade level. Why? It is not because of a lack of intelligence gene. It is because of the education system not conducive to how a lot of black children learn. Everyone has a form of intelligence that is a skill that each individual has developed. We could be intelligent in medicine, mechanics, farming, teaching, engineering, etc. What is a person mostly interested in and passionate about? That could be their intelligence once developed (Runston & Jensen, 2005).          

Runston, J & Jensen. A. (2005).Thirty Years of Research on Race Differences and Cognitive Ability. Retrieved from https://www1.udel.edu/.../30years/Rushton-Jensen30years.pdf

Culture and Diversity

According to Debra, culture is the traditions, values, and the way of life. Debra pretty much summed up the same definition I would have come up with. Janet Gonzlez-Mena takes it a bit further by defining culture as rules that are made up as we grow that makes us diverse with so many different perspectives of life. However, culture can go much deeper because culture can be made up of individual characteristics and experiences of that particular person’s life.

Debra’s definition of diversity is what make us different as people. I can see her point of view of diversity. For example, this country is full of diversity. We all come from different walks of life that maybe different from our own. People might say we are a country that is a melting pot but actually we are a tossed salad because we tend to keep our identity such as a tomato or a cucumber. However, we are tossed around in the same bowel influencing each other taste and texture (Evans, 2009). Diversity is often looked at by what race, ethnic group, gender, age abilities, social class, etc. We can categorize ourselves through these characteristics of diversity.

Considering the racial tension that has been going on today, this is one aspect that has been omitted because people did not want to talk about the division of race especially between blacks and whites. Racism has been forced to be discussed and to open the dialogue between two races of people in order to hopefully seek understanding. For example, Alston Sterling, Philando Castille, and police officers have been shot and killed because of this verbal omission (Donella, 2016).

After asking about the different definitions of culture and diversity, I now can see its importance in my job. Parents have different views and traditions that are important to them. We as educators have to respect that.

  

Donella, L. (2016).Two Days, Two Deaths: The Police Shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile.Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2016/07/07/485078670/two-days-two-deaths-the-police-shootings-of-alton-sterling-and-philando-castile

Evans, J. (2009). America as Melting Pot? We’re Really More of a Tossed Salad. Rerieved from http://www.ethicsdaily.com/america-as-melting-pot-were-really-more-of-a-tossed-salad-cms-14446

 

Building ECE Research Design

What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

I have realized that planning a research study requires a lot more than just obverting. I have to consider a lot of components that may negatively affect each other if not considered (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010).

In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

I like to do research on my own however, I now realize the importance of having other people’s perspective included in the study. I am usually a loner in research. I usually get agitated when someone else puts in their two cents (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010).

What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

I have learned the difference between qualitative and quantitative design. I like how one gives the facts and the other tells you why it might be fact. I have learned that having more than one researcher could help you validated your research. Also, I have learned that planning for a research study should be outlined first before implementing it so you what to consider in advance for a successful study (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010).

What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

The challenges I encountered was not quite understanding the concepts in the textbook. Quite a bit of it was going over my head. I had too often find a Youtube video that would explain the concept visually for me because I am a visual learner.

What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

When I do read studies from ECE researchers I now understand how in depth and time consuming conducting a research let alone planning one really is. I will trust the data they will collect and see how it can be implemented in the classroom.

 

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

 

 

 

 

Nigerian Storytelling

          In Nigeria, they have a tradition of storytelling these classical tales that were passed down from generation to generation. These stories are cultural and give the children in the community a sense of culture and belonging. Now today Nigerian children are more engaged in technology and television shows overseas. The culture of storytelling is not as popular and considered boring to the children. In the Umuchingo community, they have decided to reintroduce storytelling at annual festivals and in their childcare centers. To make the stories interesting they had to get the children to participate in the story through clapping, rhyming, and singing. They also encourage parents to story tell at home so they will become accustomed to the tradition (Ezirim, 19190).

          It is very fascinating to do storytelling to children without the book itself. I have tried this in my classroom before from three year olds to school-agers. It is a wonderful way to promote and encourage imagination instead of a video game, TV, or even a picture book to do it for you.

          I have also learned that this site is a Virtual University that has its own Masters program. The Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) collaborates with other people in other countries to increase the country's societal and financial development through lecturing the necessities of the children and their families and communities which cultivate them (Ezirim, 1990).

Ezirim, M. (1990). Integrating Indigenous Knowledge in ECD Training and Services, Retrieved from http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php

High Turnover Rate in ECE

The topic I would like to research is the teachers’ high turnover in the early childhood field. I want to go further into depth why there is such a high teacher turnover rate. Why is it that after a year almost half of the staff hired a year ago has changed? In my center alone there has been about thirteen turnovers within the last year. In one month four people quit and two people terminated within two months! What is going on? As I consider some of the reasons such as lack of experience, burn out, family needs, and health, I wonder what can the industry do to combat these issues? How can we research this issue and come up with a reasonable solution? If these issues could be solved it will benefit children so greatly. Teachers form relationships with teachers and that bond should not be constantly broken several times throughout the year. Children will have closer bonds with teachers and develop trust and security. They need that for social and emotional skills, language skills, and cognitive skills. Also, teachers teach differently. One teacher could be boring and another teacher highly energetic. That can make the difference between whether a child is developmentally challenged because of the educational inconsistencies (Noriko Porter, Washington State University, Department of Human Development, Instructor, 2012).

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Noriko Porter, Washington State University, Department of Human Development, Instructor. (2012). High Turnover among Early Childhood Educators in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.childresearch.net/projects/ecec/2012_04.html

ECE Still Need Improvements of Quality Teachers

          I have been in the ECE industry for about thirteen years and I have seen the improvements but I think there needs to be more improvements. I think it was wise to require the lead teachers to hold some type of credentials from a CDA to a college degree. However, if a teacher holds a degree in ECE for ages birth through five years old they will not make as much money as the public school teachers (Hourly Rate for Industry: Early Childhood Education, n.d.). I finally have by degree in Child Development but the only thing that is stopping me from going back to teaching under the age of five years old is money. We are not compensated enough in this field and there is only twos ways to fix it. One way is for all childcare centers be funded by the government or another idea I have had for years.
          Low compensation and burn out has lead to high turnover rates of teachers. At the center I work for we had a month where we turned over four teachers! We also lost a parent because the teachers kept changing. This center is the number one center in its franchise and we cannot keep teachers.
          Also, more effective training is needed. Management should be doing the training not other teachers. Management is going to show you the correct way. I have a plan to provide a solution to these three issues that need to be improved to upgrade the quality of our teachers even further. I just have to get there.

OMG! I never had to buy a book for college upfront! It was always a digital e-book or it was sent to via mail and it was part of tuition. So I cannot do my chart yet because I just bought the book.

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Hourly Rate for Industry: Early Childhood Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Industry=Early_Childhood_Education/Hourly_Rate#by_State