Issues and Trends Finale

            Throughout this course, my sense of awareness concerning issues and trends in the early childhood field has expanded immensely, not just locally, within the United States but internationally as well. I got connected with some very informative websites, mainly Global Children’s Initiative. They have very strong views on early childhood development in Haiti which are very similar to the issues and challenges we face in the US. Australia, shares breakthroughs they’ve had in child mental health and the importance of high-quality training for educators and professionals who work with young children. Locally and internationally children in crisis and conflict situations remain a concern for policymakers, administrators, educators, and families. Passionate individuals for the field of early childhood refuse to give up, cave in, or quit on being a strong voice for children. Change is continually being made in favor of children all across the nation and that is what make the small things important.

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2

              Since I have not yet received response from an international contact, I researched Global Children’s Initiative (GCI), launched by Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child. One essential commitment of the center is to work collaboratively across disciplines and institutions, drawing together the best and most creative expertise available to achieve the Initiative’s goals. Three main goals of the center are 1) early childhood development; 2) child mental health; and 3) children in crisis and conflict situations.

GCI has developed several strategic plans to create an atmosphere of equity and excellence for all children around the world, particularly by supporting innovative, multi-disciplinary research and demonstration projects. They purposefully tend to expand global understanding of how healthy development happens, how it can be derailed, and how to get it back on track.

In collaboration with local experts, the program aims to use the science of child health and development to guide stronger policies and larger investments to benefit young children and their families in Brazil. This is very meaningful to me, by nature I am a fixer. I work hard to put back together, what is broken; strengthen areas of weaknesses, and when things go wrong-do my level best to make it right.

 Though, I have not yet experienced missions in other countries; I am inspired to look on every individual as a beautiful and unique creation, complete with needs and desires that are specific to his/her own life. For the children and families I serve, my professional goal is to offer them a sense of belonging, worth, and competence. I will begin-right where I am and start by brightening the community in which I live with genuine concern for the well-being of children, their families, and all who I work with to get the job done.

 

Reference

 

Center of the Developing Child. (2013). Global Children’s Initiative. The President and Fellows of Harvard College. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiative

 

 

Sharing Web Resources Pt.2

World Organization for Early Childhood Education in Canada is involved with a project that promotes reading books to children known as Toy Libraries. They offer workshops for disadvantaged young parents on reading books to their babies and young children. I find this very relevant to the objectives of my facility because reading is a big part of their programs and I offer incentives to parents who spend time reading to their children at home.

In the newsletter, Canada partners with Haiti to ensure high-quality education and the well-being of young children. I like how they work with each other to get the job done. From their example, I would like to partner with another organization for the purpose of expanding services to reach more families.

            OMEP members around the world are communicating with local, regional, national and international policy makers to promote early childhood development as a high priority for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals  that will guide government policies and spending around the world from 2015-2030.

 

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

             I decided to follow the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) and have contacted via email Sheila Smith, PH.D, director of Early Childhood. I have not yet received a response from her, so I researched some of her work. Thus far, she has written 10 publications; one in particular is Young Children at Risk. According to this publication, poverty is a risk factor that contributes to academic failure and poor health in young children living in America and across the nation. Smith reports children as early as 24 months, lag in cognitive and behavioral development compared to their peers in higher-income families. Smith also reveals other issues linked to poverty such as: economic hardship, low-parent education, and single-parent homes.

What I have gleaned so far, is that government, educational professionals, employers, and parents are aware of the problem and the solutions that will help solve them. The challenge is the process of making the solutions a reality. Economic hardship is a result of low-wages and unstable employment; solution, increased pay and job security. What obstacles prevent this from happening? There are many variables, for instance: employers unable to increase wages, parents unable to afford steady childcare or struggle with transportation to get back and forth to work. Low-parent education hinders an individuals’ chance of acquiring a high-paying position. The solution is simple-seek higher education, however, for many parents this solution is easier said than done especially for a parent already living in poverty.

In the single-parent home, one pay check is not enough and getting two jobs creates other issues such as less time spent with children, unable to attend school functions, or prepare decent meals at home. Many times this family will spend more money eating out. Knowing the problems and solutions, has led NCCP to develop specific projects to bring change to poverty-stricken families. A few of these projects include promoting paid family leave, improving the odds for children; and community connections.

Sharing Web Resources

        The organization I selected is OMEP, World Organization for Early Childhood Education. They focus on advancing the interests and overall wellbeing of children around the world. They are culturally and linguistically diversified and specific in their aim to educate and provide all children with high-quality care.

OMEP was founded in 1946, when a small group of educators and others came together with a strong concern for the welfare of young children. This group included professionals from the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Denmark, and Norway. They developed a plan for the creation of a world organization to promote the wellbeing, rights and education of young children. OMEP have very successful sites all around the world, especially in Haiti and Jamaica. If you are interested in learning more about this organization, go to http://www.unicef.

 

Establishing Contacts

This week I enjoyed the preusing through various websites and reading about EC in other countries. I sent emails to a few and are yet awaiting a response. I am most interested in the Canadian Childcare Federation and Haiti Step by Step Program. I am hoping to hear from someone soon.

My Supports

            In all honesty, my major support is my relationship with God and the grace he has given me to understand his purpose for my life; I pray and obey (most of the time). My next support factor is the source of my income because with it I am able to live a lifestyle of meaning and comfort. A third support factor, at this time in my life, is Walden University which represents my love for education; learning as well as teaching.

The benefit of having a relationship with my heavenly Father is that I have someone in my life, who loves me unconditionally, is reliable and trustworthy, and financially able to support my every need. Existing without him in my life is doable but to live without him, for me, is impossible. Numerous of times I have tried to imagine what my life would be like without the belief that Jesus is the son of God, that God is the Father and creator of all people and things; and that the Holy Spirit is a gift to me from Jesus to assist in my pursuit of living a godly lifestyle and I cannot do it. I am unable to imagine my life without that belief; every thought and action of quality that I have made in my adult life can be traced back to that belief.

The benefit of having a source of income allows me to maintain a home, care for myself and children, support other ministries and organizations, and occasionally help someone else in need. Without this support, I and my family would experience lack in many areas and the impact would be living a lifestyle that required me to become dependent on others for our survival.

The benefit of attending WU is the support I receive towards strengthening my knowledge and understanding in areas of interests and unrealized interests. Without research based-evidence, the extent of my knowledge and understandings would be based on experiences and traditions which are, by themselves, unreliable.

Since the death of my husband, I will admit that I miss the support a husband gives to a wife and look forward to the day when I am able to experience it again. Until then, I will continue to enjoy my single, but not alone lifestyle with family and friends. I receive support from my adult daughters, who step in on occasions as caregiver assistants when I am away from the facility. I also recognize parents as a support to ensuring children have what they need and come to the facility ready to learn. When parents and teachers work together for the good of the child, the results lead to children who grow up to be healthy, wealthy, and wise.

Not having parents as a support system can be detrimental to the program in that it will create chaos and confusion that could result in an enrollment reduction which could lead to closure if not corrected.

 

 

 

My Connections to Play

*All work and no play make Jack a dull boy –Proverb

 

*Life is more fun when you are living, working and playing with a mate who truly cares about what happens in every area of your life. –Ritu Ghatourey

                                                              

As a child, play was supported by my parents, teachers, ministry leaders, and playmates in the community. My parents were very strict about the amount of time we spent idling in the house or in front of the television. If we were doing nothing, just sitting around talking, dad would say something like, “get up, go outside and find something to do”. If we watched TV for longer than an hour at a time, mom would just turn the set off and say, “go outside and catch some fresh air”. The worst thing for us to say to our parents was – I’m bored – omgosh, “spring” cleaning was on! (even if it was winter!)

Several instruments of play were always found in our house, to name a few: a ball; a clothesline, used for jump rope or double-dutch; hula hoops (whoosh, whoosh); rocks that were used to draw hopscotch designs; and bicycles. Every child in the neighborhood had one or more of these items, if not all. We were not fortunate to take annual vacation trips but we made many visits to local parks, Miller beach, and the Museum of Science and Industry.

 

                  

 

             At school, we had P.E. (gym) once a week, we actually worked out the whole time and we had a full hour for lunch; we ate and then played outside. We only stayed in if it was raining or below 0 degrees. At the church I attended, we had Sunday school in the morning service and BTU (Baptist training unit) in the evening service. BTU was the best because it was active learning. The ministry leader always had some type of activity to illustrate the lesson which made it practical for us to understand and demonstrate in our lives; much of it, I still remember today. The children in the neighborhood, my playmates, were never dull or boring. We did everything (in the name of exploring) from make-believe safaris (using sticks as machetes to cut through tall grass) to visiting the local funeral home to look at the deceased; it was all adventurous to us.

The type of play I knew as a child is rapidly becoming extinct. In the past, one could drive down any block and see children actively playing outdoors. Today, many blocks look like retirement communities. Children are encouraged to stay indoors more because it is either too hot or unsafe to play outside. Inside the house, children are limited to technology for entertainment because the rule “don’t rip and run in the house” or “don’t play in the house”, still exists. I agree that times have changed and it is not as safe for children to play outdoors as it once was but doing away with play is not the answer; instead of sending children out to play, adults accompanying their children while at play-is the answer.

The role of play was very strong throughout my childhood and still is today. Learning is fun. I like to engage others in learning projects that they will enjoy and make their own because only then will it become transferrable from one person to another. I tell my children, “learn it, use it, and pass it on.”

Relationship Reflection

          Partnerships and relationships are very important to me. I have many relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and casual acquaintances. Currently, I am engaged in two partnerships, but before I elaborate on them, let me clarify how I distinguish between the two. I form relationships with individuals through opportunities or situations that connect us together. I tend to cling to relationships that inspire me to become a better person and those that allow me to help others in need. Partnerships, for me, are of a more intimate nature. I perceive it as two or more individuals working together towards a common goal or purpose. Relationships are important to me, however, with the understanding that they come and go. Partnerships are cultivated over a period of time and are broken only by death; death of a business, emotion, or person.

I have many relationships, some I will group together such as my children I have six (five are adults). The five of them are in my relationship category because though we all get along wonderfully; our goals are no longer the same. They are doing well establishing and developing their homes with their spouses and children. I am so proud of all of them. Some morals, standards, and values they learned during childhood transferred on to their children and some did not; I can appreciate that. Then there is Ollie, whom I consider a very good friend, we do not always see eye-to-eye on things but we can always trust each other to tell the truth even when we know it is going to hurt. Kumbi is my faithful co-worker and prayer partner. Though we each have specific duties on the job; we work together to get the job done even if it means helping the other with their tasks. We laugh, we talk, we pray. Casual acquaintances are parents that support the childcare facility I own and operate. I enjoy getting to know them, their children, the adventures, and the challenges we face daily.

The two partnerships I mentioned earlier are 1) me and my heavenly Father, and 2) me and my 12yr old daughter. In both partnerships, we are working together to fulfill a common goal/purpose. Yes, we face many hindrances and obstacles along the way, but never to the extent of separation. When we fall out with one another, we are quick to make amends. No matter what happened during the day we never fail to let one another know how much the other is loved and appreciated and we continue the journey towards reaching our ultimate destination.

            In building extended relationships and maintaining successful partnerships, the greatest lesson I have learned is-you can have neither without the ability to communicate effectively. Any relationship can develop into a partnership when two or more began working together towards a specific goal or purpose. Likewise, partnerships are broken when the vision, goal, or purpose is lost and all involved begin to establish personal agendas independent of others.

            Effective programs and practices has helped to expand my knowledge and awareness of the importance of building positive relationships with the children I serve and the benefits of partnering with caregivers to provide every child with the quality of life they deserve.

When I Think of Child Development

Mornin’ Joy Childcare Learning Center is a faith-based facility and is founded on Biblical principles. We focus on working well with others and our motto is “Be Nice!” The quotes chosen are Biblical inspirations with implications towards developing into a healthy, wealthy, and wise individual. Here are three foundational quotes in which Mornin’ Joy is built upon:

1) “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Implication to Caregivers: Notice your child’s strengths and help her develop in it. When the child becomes aware of his strength, he will strive to master it.

2)“Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with teachings, which are able to make you wise…” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

Implication to Children: Act according to what you believe, being taught by someone you trust that you may obtain good results.

3) “All discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:9-11).

Implication to policymakers: Caregivers and recipients need rules and regulations that allow them to experience sufficiency, reach their highest potential, and enhance quality of life.

I was inspired by every post written on my blog. Thank you, Thank you, and Thank you. This was one of the best groups I have had the pleasure of participating in. I have learned so much from this class and look forward to incorporating various ideas that will enhance the success of each developing child.

 

 

Testing for Intelligence

There is no single test that can measure all the complexities of the human brain. There are still many unknowns concerning the brain. Scientifically, humans are known to have multiple intelligences. Howard Gardner originally described nine intelligences: linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic (movement), interpersonal (social understanding), and intrapersonal (self-understanding), naturalistic (understanding nature), and existential (thinking about life and death) (Berger, 2012).

All of the intelligences are valid, however of the nine, I would focus more on measuring interpersonal-a child’s social understanding. It is my belief that knowing how to live well with others supersedes other intelligences, not to say by any means that the others are not important. When an individual is able to interact well with others, in whatever capacity of weakness this person exhibits, someone is willing to work with this individual to help him/her reach their greatest potential in that area. How we treat one another and position ourselves to learn from another is foundational towards developing the whole person. I would want to know the level of a person’s social understanding; it would help me in learning how to be most effective in that particular person’s life.

Australian psychologists using earlier versions of these tests have relied on the American data in the manuals when evaluating a child's level of performance. Yet data from previous research, and from the recently completed standardization of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Third Edition (WPPSI-III), has revealed that on average Australian children score slightly higher than their American peers on this test. This difference is assumed to reflect a higher mean level of parental education, and a similar effect is expected to be observed in the WISC-IV standardization sample (Hannan, 2013).

Berger, K. S. (2012). The developing person through childhood (6th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Hannan, T. (2013). Assessing children: Hits and myths. Austrialian Psychological Society. Retrieved from http://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/assess_children/

 

Consequences of Stress on Children's Development

This is a true story. The people I am going to talk about are dear friends, very close to my heart; however, I will not use their real names. This is a family of five: Mom (Olga), 49 single, registered nurse; oldest daughter (Lori), 22 with two children age 2yrs and 3mos; youngest daughter (Ann), 15.

My relationship with this family is childcare provider for the grandchildren. I also lived in the apartment across from theirs. They seemed like a very loving family until one day as I was leaving my apartment; Olga was standing outside her door with a knife in hand swearing and demanding to be let in. At first, I thought her 2yr old grandson had locked her out, so I asked, “did Jimmy lock you out?” she said, “No, Ann did. She pulled a knife on me, I took it from her, ran outside to keep from hurting her and she locked me out.” And then there was silence. I had no words. That incident occurred the summer of 2009 and is still going on.

Later, I asked Ann when she started hitting her mother; she answered, “11, I wanted to spend the night at a friend’s house and she wouldn’t let me, so I got smart with her and she slapped me, so I slapped her back and we’ve been fighting like that ever since.” Again, there was silence. I had no words (having no words meant that I was experiencing a “wow” moment).

Olga and I had the opportunity to take a short trip together; she shared that when Ann was very young, preschool age, she was always everybody’s favorite and whatever she wanted someone would get it for her. So whenever she was told no, she would have tantrums until she got it and eventually she always got her way. Olga expressed that when she didn’t give in others family members would make her feel bad until she did whatever it was Ann wanted. Now that Ann is older, a teen mom and high school dropout, family members are blaming mom for Ann’s abusive behavior.

The obvious stressor in this situation is violence; however, knowing what I know about this family, I would say negligence. In the early childhood years, according to Baumrind’s style of caregiving, Ann experienced the permissive parenting upbringing; permissive parents are very involved in their children’s lives: defending them from criticism, arranging lay dates and sacrificing to buy them coveted toys (Berger, 2012). Permissive parents raise unhappy children who lack self-control, especially in the give and take of peer relationships. They tend to continue to live at home, still dependent, in early adulthood. Eventually, in middle and late adulthood, they fare quite well (Berger, 2012).

When researching parental abuse by children globally/worldwide, not much was found. The majority of information is dated within the American borders, very interesting.

Reference

Berger, K. S., (2012). The Developing Person Through Childhood. 6^th Ed. Worth Publishers. New York, NY. Chapter 10, pp 299-300.

Child Development and Public Health

Diaz, a Plano mother of two children, killed the 3 and 5 year olds before stabbing herself. She said she thought she was saving the children from evil spirits. Laney of Tyler killed two of her sons by stoning them to death while maiming a third. She also had a religious motive: God ordered her to do it to test her faith. Schlosser, also of Plano, killed her 10-month-old son because, as she told her husband the night before, she wanted to “give her child to God” (Floyd, J. & Sinclair, B., 2010). All of these women were said to have suffered from postpartum depression. In this state of being, women hurt those who are dearest to them, not just their children but husbands and other family members, also. My topic is mental health of mothers, fathers, and families in general.

This topic is meaningful to me because any one of these women could have been me. I gave birth to four children in a span of four years; my second and third are 11mos apart. My husband was sole provider and very adamant about his “me time”. I was a very young mother, single one day and mother of four the next; with a husband who didn’t have a clue about how to be a father outside of financial provision. Yes, I had harmful and destructive thoughts from time to time. But then I would look at my babies and would see their precious innocents and vulnerability; if I had given them poison to drink, they would have drunk it. If I had put them on the roof top and told them to jump, they would have done it, simply because they trusted me as their mother; they trusted that my love for them would never do something so tragic. I ask this question “is it important for men and women to discuss mental health issues before conception?

Yes. Because emotional surges are believed to be a natural effect of the hormone shifts that occur with pregnancy and childbirth. Levels of estrogen and progesterone that increase during pregnancy drop suddenly after delivery and this can affect mood. These female hormones return to their pre-pregnancy levels within a week or so. As hormone levels normalize, baby blues usually resolve on their own without medical treatment. However, in some cases they do not, therefore men and women should at least be aware of this and discuss it along with the idea of having children.

Studies are now showing changes in the mentality of men concerning their roles as husbands and fathers. In the past men would spend much less time with babies than mothers do; with some even thinking it unmanly to dote on an infant. Fathers enhance their children’s social and emotional development in many ways and close relationships with infants help men, as well, in reducing the risk of depression. Worldwide, fathers are increasingly involved in baby care, but this varies by culture. Most nations do not yet have policies in place to facilitate father care and then again, some provide paid leave for new fathers as well as mothers.

 

           Postpartum depression is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later. Most of the time, it occurs within the first 3 months after delivery. This information is news worthy to all men and women seeking to have children some day. Sharing this information and increasing awareness of the importance of discussing mental health issues before conception is something I plan to do with parents associated with my facility through parenting and strengthening families from generation to generation workshops.

Childbirth In Your Life and Around the World

I have given birth to six children, with my first child; I was in labor over 20hrs and gave birth to a 6lb.4oz boy. Two years later, second birth 12hrs of labor produced a 6lb.9oz girl. Eleven months later, third birth came prematurely at 7months, labor was very short approximately 3-4hrs. It was a natural birth, however, a breech footling (meaning baby arrived feet first) at 3lbs. 5oz, boy; a year and a half later, fourth birth, 8hrs labor producing a 5lb.6oz girl. Eight years later, fifth birth, 5hrs labor producing a 6lbs.10oz boy and finally (whew) seven years later came baby six, another preemie also breech footling only this time the doctor insisted on caesarean. Although, I was reluctant, I agreed to it resulting in a 3lb.10oz, girl.

If I were to make an assumption, it would be that every third child would be a breech footling preemie. However, to confirm that I would have to give birth to three more children and that’s not happening, so I guess the world will never know : ).

I also had the wonderful pleasure of observing the birth of my daughter’s first child. It was hilarious and so precious. It took all of 18hrs; though she and I had numerous conversations of what labor would be like, when the time came, she was totally clueless. The explicit things that came out of her mouth that day (nothing vulgar)—so funny. And then it happened, I participated by holding one of her legs, I saw the crown of my grandson’s head; it was the most spectacular sight ever. The whole cycle of conception, pregnancy, and childbirth is the greatest miracle of all times, that was my first and only time witnessing childbirth up close and personal like that; my daughter sometimes ask if I had to do it over again, would I? My answer is always the same-in a heartbeat!

I found a great website (http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?) that share stories about different birthing cultures in Germany, Japan, Brazil, and Turkey; go there when you have the time. Here is what I found out about women in the Netherlands:

Most expectant moms in Holland don't see an obstetrician, but are instead referred by their family doctor to a local midwife practice. Doctors only intervene in high-risk cases or if complications arise during delivery. Dutch women decide whether they want a home or hospital delivery. I was surprised to learn that more than half of the women at my midwife's practice deliver at home. In fact, all expectant mothers in Holland are required to pick up a kraampakket that includes all of the medical supplies necessary for a home birth. If you choose not to deliver at home, your midwife will make a house call to check on the progress of your labor and determine the ideal time for you to go to the hospital.

The most common similarity is women always available and ready to help women through this phenomenal experience rather it’s a midwife or a doula, rarely do women have to go through childbirth alone.

 

A Note of Thanks and Support

The past eight weeks has shown me how little I know about the early childhood field. I feel that I have grown in wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of my purpose, what is expected of me, and what I am able to do. I take this opportunity to express my thanks to Walden University for allowing me into this course and making available all the resources that will help me become a better person as well as professional. Thanks to Dr. Kien, for guiding me through this course and asking the right questions to draw out answers I needed to build on. Dr. Kien, you are a great instructor and valuable asset to Walden University, God bless you. Finally to my fellow Colleagues, if I were in the classroom alone just me and all the resources; I would have failed the course. Group 1, I do not have words enough, to express my appreciation for you. All of the examples, experiences, and insights shared has helped me immensley in my career. Thank you so much.

If ever, I can support you in anyway, do not hesitate to contact me. I plan to keep this blog updated throughout the rest of my career as a journal, so I will always remember the value of reflections; the importance of interconnections and resources, and the passion that motivates me to continue. Much success to all of you.

Examining Code of Ethics

The NAEYC and DEC code of ethics represents a high level of standards and core values in the field of early childhood education. They ensure the purpose and focus of the work done by caregivers, educators, and policy-makers remain vibrant as they carry out day-to-day tasks. Because all of the ideals are valid and appreciated, it was not a simple task to choose only three. However, here are the ideals that are most meaningful to my profession.

 

Ethical Responsibilities to Children

a.       To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions.

b.      To work with families to provide a safe and smooth transition as children and families move from one program to the next.

c.       To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training.

d.      To recognize and respect the unique qualities, abilities, and potential of each child.

 

DEC

Professional and Interpersonal Behavior

a.       We shall demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, and honesty in all our professional activities in order to inspire the trust and confidence of the children and families and of those with whom we work.

b.      We shall strive for the highest level of personal and professional competence by seeking and using new evidence based information to improve our practices while also responding openly to the suggestions of others.

c.       We shall build relationships with individual children and families while individualizing the curricula and learning environments to facilitate young children’s development and learning.

 

These ideals are significant because I want above all else for the children I work with to be safe and healthy. I want the work done with and for them to be effective in preparing them to transition successfully into elementary school. It is paramount that families are involved with the development of their children at and away from home and that as professionals we continue to seek improvements and research what is best for early learners. It is important that lessons plans and activities are relevant to the needs of each individual and most of all, it is important that children have fun, parents are happy, and educators teach with passion.

Resources for Early Childhood Field

Course Media: "The Resources for Early Childhood"
Five early childhood professionals discuss their preferred and trusted resources.

Position Statements and Influential Practices

 NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap

 NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf

 NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf

 NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf

 NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf

 NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf

 Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller

 FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf

Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.

Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.

Global Support for Children's Rights and Well-Being

UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

 Websites:

World Forum Foundation http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the media segment on this webpage

 World Organization for Early Childhood Education http://www.omep-usnc.org/

 Association for Childhood Education International http://acei.org/
Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.

 Selected Early Childhood Organizations

National Association for the Education of Young Children http://www.naeyc.org/

 The Division for Early Childhood http://www.dec-sped.org/

 Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families http://www.zerotothree.org/

 WESTED
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm

 Harvard Education Letter http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85

 FPG Child Development Institute http://www.fpg.unc.edu/

 Administration for Children and Families Headstart's National Research Conference
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/

 HighScope http://www.highscope.org/

 Children's Defense Fund http://www.childrensdefense.org/

 Center for Child Care Workforce http://www.ccw.org/

 Council for Exceptional Children http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home

 Institute for Women's Policy Research http://www.iwpr.org/

 National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/

 National Child Care Association http://www.nccanet.org/

 National Institute for Early Education Research http://nieer.org/

 Pre[K]Now http://www.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067

 Voices for America's Children http://www.voices.org/

 The Erikson Institute http://www.erikson.edu/

 National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
http://www.naccrra.org/ (Newsletter: http://capwiz.com/naccrra/mlm/signup/ )

 Zero To Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
http://www.zerotothree.org/ (May have to use http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/ )
(Newsletters: http://zttcfn.pub30.convio.net/child-development/from-baby-to-big-kid/ and
http://capwiz.com/zerotothree/mlm/signup/ )

National Institute for Early Education Research
http://nieer.org/ (Newsletter: http://nieer.org/resources/newsletter/index.php )

 Selected Professional Journals Available in the Walden Library

Tip: Use the A-to-Z e-journal list to search for specific journal titles. (Go to "How Do I...?", select "Tips for Specific Formats and Resources," and then "e-journals" to find this search interface.)

·         YC Young Children

·         Childhood

·         Journal of Child & Family Studies

·         Child Study Journal

·         Multicultural Education

·         Early Childhood Education Journal

·         Journal of Early Childhood Research

·         International Journal of Early