My Connections to Play

A three year old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a fifty-six dollar set of swings as it does out of finding a small green worm.  ~Bill Vaughan

When children pretend, they’re using their imaginations to move beyond the bounds of reality. A stick can be a magic wand. A sock can be a puppet. A small child can be a superhero.

Fred Rogers

This week's focus is play.  In my own childhood, play was part of every day life.  I grew up in a neighborhood full of children my age and we would leave our homes early in the morning with only the instruction from our parents of "Be home by dark."  Even then, we would often end up having impromptu sleepovers or late night games at someones house.  My family was one that played cards every time we gathered for an event.  I learned Canasta and other complex card games at an early age and have the fondest memories of sitting around a table, not a television!  Truth be told, our family was the last in my peer group to have a color television and our old black and white had lost its knobs so we turned the channel with a wrench!  We also had the privilege of having family in Door County, WI, where nature was our playground.  We would disappear into the woods behind my grandma's house for hours, building forts and throwing rocks down at the shore of Green Bay.

This is my cousin Amy.  We are about 2 years apart in age and we were very close growing up.  Even though she and her family lived in WI, our families made a point to visit several times a year for holidays or long weekends at a hotel.  In middle school, we began the tradition of spending a month or two during the summer at each other's houses.  We'd take turns and have the best time playing all day, going to the pool, the parks, and pretending the most amazing adventures.  One time, we packed up our Cabbage Patch babies and some snacks and went to my mom's car that was parked in the garage.  We were going to Florida and we took turns "driving".  I don't know exactly how long we were in that car, but it is a memory that we talk about when we get together to this day!

Play today is grounded in the same principles, but because times have changed, play has changed.  There is a greater fear of the environments in which children play, so often parents are not willing to allow them to go out on their own.  The presence of technology and video games has changed the way children interact with one another.  There is less imaginative play and more competitive play.  There is a greater focus on academics early in life and so children are losing the opportunity to apply knowledge they are gathering in school to real life situation.  It breaks my heart to hear of 4 and 5 year old children that are over scheduled and go from school to dance or soccer, instead of home to play with their family or to the park.  Those activities have their place in a child's life, but I feel that parents think it is a better use of their time to be in an organized event instead of simply hanging out in the backyard looking for bugs or going to the park after dinner. In an article by Kenneth Ginsburg, he discusses the pressures parents feel to make sure their child is prepared for school and life and that the concept of "building a resume" for the college admissions process through both academic and other activities is starting at younger ages (Ginsburg, 2007).  My hope for young children today is that they find joy in what they choose to play and that families realize that it is the time they spend together, not necessarily the activities they choose that makes the greatest impact.  A secure, empty car, two dolls and some snacks were all Amy and I needed for hours of imagination and fun.  The other piece that I hope parents begin to realize is the they do not always need to facilitate their child's play.  Children are so capable of creating worlds of play on their own or with a close peer that will make lasting memories.

As you can see, play has been part of my life because my family saw the value in it.  As much as we protested about that old black and white television, the fact that my dad refused to change and often required us to go outside and play or help with a project has made a great impact in my life.  As an adult, my family still sees the importance of play and relaxing.  We go on a vacation at least once per year and my cousin Amy and I still get together often (though we do not go to Florida with our dolls anymore)!

Reference:

Ginsburg, Kenneth R. (2007).  The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. American Academy of Pediatrics, 119, 182-191. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2697.

Relationship Reflection

This week we have been exploring and discussing the importance of relationships and partnerships in the field of early education.  We know that building a relationship with the child is only part of the equation that makes the time spent in the classroom successful.  When we partner with families we gain a better understanding of where the child comes from and how best to tailor their learning.

In my own life, I have several significant relationships.  Some have shaped who I am as a person and some have influenced who I am as a professional.  All of them have their own significant meaning and as I reflect on a few of them here, I am reminded of the ways in which each of them came in to my life or how I entered theirs.

My family has played a significant part in who I am, both as a person and a professional.  My older sister and I were not close growing up.  We are four years apart and to say that we had a rivalry as children would be an understatement.  It was only after we had both been to college and back that we became close.  She is extremely bright and I go to her for advice or answers for most everything I encounter.  We have had to work on our relationship as I believe the rivalry we had scarred us.  We are very different in many ways and disagree about many things, however we have learned that we can disagree and still continue the conversation.  We spend time on vacations together, with my mom.  The three of us are very close as it has been just the three of us since my dad passed away almost 17 years ago.  That was a difficult time that I believe brought my mom and I closer together.  My dad and I were always close, but when he died I relied on my mom for so many more things.  It is interesting to look back and think about the ways you are influenced by your family and that you will never have that time back.  The relationships within a family are often complex and you are tied together forever so it is important to reflect on where you have come from to see where you are going.

(From left to right: me, sister Jen, mom Linda)

I was never the girl that had a large group of friends.  I have always had a small group of close friends and, to this day, I wouldn't trade that for anything.  I think it is because I invest time in each relationship that I value so I only end up with a few!   My best friend from high school and I are still so close.  She is still single (like me) and we feel bonded in that way.  She and I have not always seen eye to eye on things and have taken time away from one another, but we always seem to come back and pick up where we left off.  She is one person that I can say anything to and has been there for me through so many things.  She knows when I need space and I know when she does.  This has occurred over a long period of time and so I think that it has been those challenges that we have worked through and not given up the relationship over that has allowed us to remain such close friends.

My best friend from college and I have had a similar journey.  We were never roommates in college, but when I bought a house after college she moved up to Minneapolis from her small town.  It was difficult for both of us to be on our own, but we figured it out together.  We met new people and had fun living our post-college lives.  After several years, I was ready to live on my own and so she moved out.  It was not easy for me to talk to her about it, but she understood.  It was awkward and uncomfortable and after she moved out we didn't talk or see each other for over a year.  Finally we reconnected and began spending more time together.  We traveled to New York and California together and established our post-living together friendship.  She has a degree in the early childhood field and, though she is not using it, she supports my work and asks about the master's program I have started.  She has always been someone that I can go to about challenges I am having at work and she offers sound advice because she understands.  This is another example of a relationship that went through its challenges, but was not left behind.

(From left to right: Cheri (college best friend), me, Colleen (high school best friend))

In each of these relationships, there were times that things were difficult and it was through these experiences that I learned that these individuals were people that I could rely on. In my professional life, I can see this process happening frequently, whether it be with an employee that does not agree with a policy or practice or a family that is unhappy with the service they are receiving.  Investing time and space allows each side to think carefully about the best interest of the child and, through further discussion, a common ground can often be found.  There will be times that disagreements occur and may not be reconciled, but that does not mean that the relationships should be abandoned.  When partnering with families, there is most often always a way to meet in the middle and act in the best interest of the child.  As with personal relationships, partnering with families takes time and effort and the construction of the relationship does not happen quickly.  It must be cultivated slowly and with sensitive guidance.

Final thoughts

"Play is the work of childhood."

This past eight weeks, we have been asked to chart the development of young children, conduct observations, and reflect on the various factors that influence young children in this generation.  Technology, assessments, and other expectations are changing the face of education, but one thing remains:  Play is the work of childhood.  Whether you agree with the use of technology, media, and computer games, you cannot deny the importance of play and social interactions in early childhood education.  As educators, we need to be mindful of these various influences and provide children and families with the support they need.

Assessing Children's Abilities

This week, we have studied the early elementary age group and have been discussing the current trends in testing and evaluating young children.  In the United States, there is much emphasis on the academic skill level of young children.  Teachers in early grades find themselves focusing on teaching the skills and concepts the children will need to know in order to pass the state mandated tests they face each year.  Teachers I know have told me that they feel limited in their creativity, ability to stimulate free thinking, and feel pressured to ensure their children do well in order to secure their own job.  They follow curriculum, but find that the children who learn at a different pace or in a different manner are falling behind early in the year and have difficulty catching up.

So it begs the question...what skills should be measured and how?  In early childhood, we evaluate children on basic skills like literacy, numeracy, gross motor, fine motor, and cognitive abilities like scientific and mathematical thinking.  I believe that these skills can be taught and attained in a play-based environment.  Children learn best through play, right?  When does that change to children learn best through direct instruction in chairs and desks? 



In addition to the skills listed above, I believe that it is important to invest in and assess children's social and emotional intelligence.  If a child is unable or struggles to interact with peers and adults, it will also be difficult to learn some of the key skills needed to pass standardized tests.  For example, if a child cannot regulate his or her emotions in a stressful environment, the child will struggle to attend to the tasks asked of him or her to practice the learning necessary to pass the test.  It seems like a complex example, but it is so common, even in our early childhood environments.

In the Republic of South Africa, children ages 7-15 are required to attend school. When I visited the country in 2000, we spoke with many teachers that told us of stories of children and families that struggled to send their children consistently because the family lived too far from the school or one or both of the parents had passed away from HIV and the child was sent to live with extended family. 

"By 2009, only around 2.5% of children aged 7 to 15 were not in school. Yet

this 2.5% represents around 200 000 children who are not in school when

they should be. There are many reasons why these children are not in

school. Some children live very far from a school. Others are children

who need special education and who get told that the local school cannot

offer them this. Nearly all those children who are not in school are from

poor homes, sometimes with no adults in the home." (Government Gazette, 2010).

According to the South African Government Information website, there is an action plan to improve the performance of students in the education system.  In the plan, one of the goals is to increase the number of learners in Grade 3 who by the end of the3 (Government Gazette, 2010).  They use a standardized test called the "Annual National Assessments", which focus on language and math.

year have mastered the minimum language and numeracy competencies

for Grade

References:

http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=DV%2bNwF3%2bM1s%3d&tabid=418&mid=1211

Stress in early childhood

This week, we have been asked to identify and reflect on different stressors in the lives of young children.  In this day and age, there are so many worldwide, from natural disaster to war and poverty.  The idea that children are resilient is common, but we are left to wonder about the long-term effects of stress on the developing child.

In my own childhood, I can recall very little stress.  My family was stable, always employed, and we were happy.  We didn't have everything we wanted, but we had everything we needed.  Living in the Midwest, there was little threat of natural disaster or war, however, I do recall being fearful of war.  When the US invaded Grenada in 1983, I remember watching the coverage with my dad and asking if we were going to war.  I was too young to fully understand the situation and how minor the incident was.  All I knew was that people died in war and I was afraid of a similar invasion of Minnesota.  This is a great illustration of the impact media has on young children.  I was lucky to have parents that responded to my questions and reassured me that there would be no invasion of Minnesota, but I internalized what I saw on TV in those days and remember feeling anxious whenever people would talk about it.

For children directly affected by war and violence, the impact can be long-lasting and early intervention is crucial.  In a study of refugee families in Australia that had experienced war-related violence and stress, the use of supportive play groups provided them with an outlet to process what they had experienced and gain a sense of stability (Jackson, 2006).  The study was an intervention that provided families with programming for the children and families.  It was intended to allow for the exploration of the events that had occurred in a safe and nurturing environment.  The children were enrolled in a supportive playgroup for five or more hours in the day and the families were given opportunities to participate as well.  The findings indicated that the structure and content of the playgroup, the relationships between the child and parent, and the sensitivity to separation anxiety in this population were some of the most critical factors in ensuring the success and protective nature of the project (Jackson, 2006).

It is important for us to remember that children are resilient, but for those that have seen tragedy, they need support and an environment in which to recover and feel protected.  War-related trauma is not a common issue in the lives of children in the U.S., but with their access to media and all that is happening worldwide, we need to be vigilant and sensitive to their questions about what they are seeing and hearing.

Reference:

Jackson, D. (2006). Playgroups as Protective Environments for Refugee Children at Risk of Trauma. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 31(2), 1-5. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

The Whole Child

This week, we have been asked to look closely at one topic in the public health arena related to young children.  I chose to focus on mental health in mothers and fathers and the effect it has on the development and functioning of children and families.  As an educator and administrator, it is important for me to understand where families are coming from, what stressors they are experiencing in their daily lives, and how it affects the overall performance as parents and the support network for the child.  It reminds me that the child does not exist as an isolated being...that there are many factors that affect their development and success.

In Taiwan, there was a study that shows the state of mental health of the mother and father have an affect at different ages and stages of development, and that it is important to note the age and education level of the parents as well. It examined the impact of the growing trend of mothers returning to the workforce and the need for fathers to play a larger role in child rearing.  If a father is experiencing any sort of depression, it tends to increase the presence of behavior problems, especially in sons.  However, the presence of the fathers also offsets stress and depression in mothers, creating a positive impact on the family.
The role of age and education at childbirth should also be examined. For instance, children of older mothers have better social development at 6 months of age, but children of older fathers have worse overall development at 6 months of age and improved social development at 18 months of age.  This highlights the importance of preparing parents of any age for the role they are to play.

In Australia, a different study showed the impact of the behaviors and emotional development of children diagnosed with autism on parents.  It found that there is more stress felt by mothers, but that fathers experience more stress that those of children without a diagnosis.  This study highlights the importance of both early intervention for the child and adequate and abundant support for the families.  We often forget that families take on the stress that a child with special needs presents and it is part of our job to support them in their journey to find resources, services, and support groups.

Currently, I see a need for increased support for families.  We may have become "experts" in teaching their children, but we need to remember that our commitment is to the success of the child and the child does not come to us as an individual.  There are parents, extended family members, and friends that are part of the child's life that have an effect on that success.  In the future, I would like to be able to provide more extensive support to families in simple ways such as support or networking groups, newsletters, trainings, and connections with community resources for them.

References:

Lung, F., Shu, B., Chiang, T., & Lin, S. (2009). Parental mental health, education, age at childbirth and child development from six to 18 months. Acta Paediatrica, 98(5), 834-841. doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.01166.x

Herring, S. S., Gray, K. K., Taffe, J. J., Tonge, B. B., Sweeney, D. D., & Einfeld, S. S. (2006). Behaviour and emotional problems in toddlers with pervasive developmental disorders and developmental delay: Associations with parental mental health and family functioning. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50(12), 874-882. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2006.00904.x

New Life

I have had the opportunity to be part of two births, other than my own.  The first was a child that could not wait to travel to the hospital so he was born at home while I took care of his older sibling and dad and the paramedics assisted mom.  The other occurred in a hospital, though without the use of drugs.  When I think about each of them, I remember the various emotions I felt, from fear to joy and everything in between!

As I took care of the sibling in the first experience, I had to remain calm for him, yet support dad until the paramedics arrived.  I remember him asking me to go get a shoelace and thinking "What for????".  I learned later that it would have been used to tie off the umbilical cord.  As a 23 year old, I was learning more than I really wanted to about the miracle of life.

In the hospital with my close friends that had invited me to be part of the birth of their second child, I was again reminded of all the emotions that go along with such an event.  I met them at the hospital at 11:30 in the morning and Lucas was born at about 3:00.  It was a long 3 hours for me, but even longer for her as she progressed so quickly, regretted not getting the drugs, and managed to have this beautiful baby boy regardless.  At one point, I was encouraging her through a contraction and the phrase I had used again and again was "You've got this."  She turned to me and said "I DO NOT HAVE THIS!"  It was time for me to either find a new phrase or just be quiet and hold her hand.  We joke about it to this day.

Compared with a "home birth" in Ghana as described our text from this week, it seems that, because the process is more widely practiced, it is a calm and quiet time for both mother and newborn child.  "The baby did not cry, not because there was any problem, but because it was a gentle birth" (Berger, 2009).  In my experience, the mom I observed was a calm as she could be, but because it was progressing unexpectedly fast, there was panic and tension.  Notably, the child has developed typically and has no lasting effects of the birth, except an incredible story to tell.