My early math experiences

When asked about my memories of math, thoughts of difficult classes and negligent teachers filled my head. Of course these were thoughts from junior and senior high school where math becomes less fun and more about remembering formulas and facts. To dig deeper in my memory banks took a little more work but I was surprised of my own findings. There was a time when I truly loved math and looked forward to it. Of no surprise was that these memories were connected to my favorite teacher. I was lucky enough to spend my very early years in a small town. As with small towns the class sizes were small as a result. In my kindergarten class there were only eight of us, I know this because I still have a class photo that my grandmother saved. I can remember counting everything we did, saw and touched. Baking cookies in the school kitchen and each of us getting to measure and set timers. Shapes were in everything we saw. During art we used shape stamps to make pictures as well as looking at paintings and finding the shapes within them before trying to recreate them our selves. Math was fun because there was no "math time', it was all the time. We learned math with out realizing we were learning. Children learn through fun and play and the minuet we stop the fun we truly slow the learning process.

Science in the Air

After reading the article "Science in the Air", I now believe that introducing science in my own classroom will be easier than I originally thought it would be. Science has always been an overwhelming area for me, never quite understanding all the terms and reasoning. I now realize that science in the classroom is really just an appreciation of the world around us. Noticing the weather and the changing seasons. How things feel and all the different textures. Shapes of things and all the different shapes that make up an object when looking through a magnifying glass or microscope. The key to getting a child's attention is to make it interesting to them by asking questions or finding things they want to understand. Following their lead can be more of a learning experience than trying to teach them a specific planned lesson. Making predictions and doing experiments helps them build knowledge in a fun way. Having pictures as a reference is great but taking pictures to remember actual experiences helps them remember and relate it to their everyday lives better. Creating experiments and documenting findings is not only a science activity but crosses over into areas of math and language as well. It helps with creativity and self esteem as well. In an age where math and language are pushed so hard in standard school settings we need to remember the importance of science and not over look it at this young age. Science can be fun, and fun helps in all areas of learning.

Serve and Return

After watching the three videos in the titled series

Three Core Concepts in Early Development

at http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/three-core-concepts-in-early-development/, I have come to the following conclusion.
Although all experiences and interactions shape the person we become, the ones we have in early childhood are of extreme importance. These are the ones that help the brain develop and grow and prune off the connections we don't use. It is important to have enriching experiences to help all areas grow. To limit these not only stifles growth but can stop the brain from ever developing these healthy connections. Interacting with children in a positive way helps make these initial connections and continue to strengthen them over time. Talking to them right from birth helps with language, cognition and building relationships that will last their life time. To deny children emotional and physical support causes toxic stress on their developing brain and body. Short term effects can be hard on a child but can be mended over time. Long term effects or neglect and abuse are heart breaking and can never be fully healed. We can not help build the foundation of a strong house after the walls and windows are already in place. Small patches can be made over time but it is so important to help children right from the start. We, as teachers, have to be the contractors that help the parents build their children to their full potential. They are the future of our society and getting it right from the beginning is so much easier and fulfilling than trying to fix it later.

Pixar's 'Inside Out'

After watching Pixar's 'Inside Out' and reading a couple of articles on other people's views on the subject of feelings and how they were depicted in this movie, I have made some conclusions of my own. Although everyone has the five different emotions of fear, sadness, disgust, anger and joy within themselves, each individual is different because of which emotion controls them the most or has the most impact on their actions. The entire movie impacted the way I think about not only how I handle my own feeling but also how I react to the feelings of others, especially children. An adult has years of practice on how they handle and react to different situations, but with a child every situation is a first and the outcome is unknown. Setting a standard for how they are supposed to react is unfair. They must acknowledge how they are feeling and be guided on how to work through it, not just ignore and move forward. Suppressing one's emotions only makes them build until they are no longer manageable. I believe the underlying message of the movie is to accept all of your emotions because they all have a place within you, and as much as you may want them to- "emotions can't quit".

History of Early Childhood Education

The history of early childhood education goes back hundreds of years. If you want a specific history you must be specific on the area to which you want to know about. Each geographic area, country and neighboring town has had a different path that has led us to where we are today. Starting with childcare for the royal and wealthy to necessity for the working family’s during the Industrial Revolution in our own country. War has played a huge part as to how and who educated children. Fathers were going off to war and leaving mothers to work to keep the family in food. This created a need for outside care. The age at which children were taught by others outside of the family has greatly changed over the years as well. Official schooling was not started till age 7 or 8 for boys and not at all for girls if you were at a lower income level. Never having a formal education was common for poor families because everyone worked to help out. Richer families had nannies and tutors for their children from birth. As time has passed we have seen the need to educate all children. Still there is a gap in the quality of care and education depending on how much you can afford to pay. Free programs are full of under staffed and uneducated teachers. This is not to say that all state and federal programs are bad. Some are lucky to have truly committed teachers who care for the future of their students. We have come a long way from where early childhood education was started but we still have a long way to go. Not all changes have been for the best, but change on a large scale is good because it shows that ideas are always changing and willing to learn from past mistakes.

"Catch a Bubble"

After watching a video titled "Catch a Bubble" @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2dLPFaehV0&feature=emshare_video_user, I am upset and even a little teary eyed. I can very much see it as offensive from a child's point of view to be told to catch a bubble in order to tell them to be quiet or zip it. It is the equivalent to telling them to shut up. We want children to learn to use their words, but then we tell them not to. Yes, we do need to have their attention at times but yelling at a child is not the way to do it. We must capture their focus with song and take the time to talk to them as another individual who deserves respect. Just because they are young does not make them less. You wouldn't tell an adult to "put a bubble in it" during a board meeting or any time you are trying to speak. Children learn by example and this is not a lesson we want to teach them.

Road to NAEYC Accreditation

NAEYC Accreditation is a long process but very worth while. There is a lot of information on their web site http://www.naeyc.org/academy/pursuing/fourstepoverview, but here is a copy of their main page just to give you an idea.

The Four Steps help programs prepare for each stage of NAEYC Accreditation, and ensure that the crucial components of program quality are in place along the way.
Programs pursuing initial accreditation must complete the Four Steps. Currently accredited programs will pursue a new term of accreditation through the renewal process.

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Step 1: Enrollment/Self-Study

Align your program with the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards

• Submit enrollment form and fee
• Register for TORCH
• Use Self-Study tools in TORCH to evaluate program quality and to inform quality improvement efforts
• Plan your program’s accreditation timeline, considering submission deadlines for reaccreditation if applicable

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Step 2: Application/Self-Assessment

Compile evidence on how your program meets the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards

• Submit application and fee, selecting a Candidacy due date for Step 3
• Use Self-Assessment tools in TORCH to document that your program meets the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards
• Gather documentation that your program meets the Candidacy Requirements
• Download Candidacy Materials eight weeks prior to self-selected Candidacy due date
• Complete Candidacy Materials

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Step 3: Candidacy

Demonstrate key components of high quality programming and preparedness for site visit

• Submit Candidacy Materials and fee on or before Candidacy due date
• “Fine tune” program improvement efforts in preparation for site visit
• Receive Candidacy decision from the NAEYC Academy

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Step 4: Meeting the Standards Demonstrate how your program meets the standards by allowing an NAEYC Assessor to observe your program in action and review evidence collected in Self-Assessment. For programs accepted as Candidates for NAEYC Accreditation: Receive contact from NAEYC Asessor(s) Provide NAEYC Assessor(s) with your program’s calendar and selected exclusion dates Submit changes in staff to NAEYC Academy (if applicable) Receive notification of 15-day window in which the site visit could occur Receive notification of site visit one business day prior to the visit Receive site visit within six months of Candidacy due date Receive accreditation decision within three months of site visit Accredited Programs: Celebrate your Accreditation Decision!

Step 4: Maintaining the Standards Demonstrate continued compliance with the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards. Submit Annual Report on first through fourth anniversaries of accreditation anniversary date Update NAEYC with new information, including major programmatic changes, licensing/regulatory updates, and incidents that did or could have compromised the essential health or safety of any child. Submit to additional verification or random unannounced visits to demonstrate continued compliance with the program standards