My Connections to Play

Quotes for Play

Creative play is like a spring that bubbles up deep within a child. Joan Almon

It is in play, and only in play, that the individual child or adult is able to be creative and to use the whole personality, and it is only in being creative that the individual discovers the self. D.W. Winncott

A partially wooded area filled with sticks, leaves, trees, and many other “hidden treasures” would be an excellent place to let your imagination soar. It is here that you can be anything. As the youngest and only girl of four children, finding someone to play ball with was never a problem. We would not always play the structured sports game, but create our own; make our own rules.

Support for play
Growing up in such a large family there was always someone to play with. My mother encouraged free play. She would often join in on the silly, creative forms of play our imagination desired. Whether it was thinking of the woods as a journey to finding treasure, playing princess (yes, my brothers played princess with me), or it was creating forts the size of our living room.  While I never thought about it then, these were all ways my parents supported play as a learning opportunity. It was a chance to develop our problem solving skills, cognitive, and motor skills.  One similarity I see between play when I was a child and play is the amount of enjoyment children get from it. However, the difference is the amount of play we see. While many of the same materials we used for play still exist, we often are not seeing them used. Imagination is quickly becoming an unknown concept. Video games, Internet, television, and other electronic equipment are taking away the very powerful learning opportunities free play provided.  While I do not feel all of these new, popular toys are bad, I do feel it is eliminating an outstanding opportunity to children to think on another level and use more cognitive thinking skills than these new toys are requiring. My hope is that as time goes on, the desire for electronic games would decrease and the desire to explore nature’s learning environment would increase. By embracing the imagination and creative play, we may find that the mastery of academic skills we are pushing will become quiet easier, for Almon (2002) does tell us that a link exists between play and learning.  We don’t often think about adults and play together, but play does have an impact on us as adults. Play provides the foundation on which we build all other knowledge and skills. It is one of the first learning opportunities we have to “think outside of the box”; something we all do as adults.

Relationship Reflection

The positive relationships I have are my steady ground in life. Each of them provides me with various types of support and guidance. I have heard so many mention their mother as their best friend, but both my mother and father fill that position. They provide positive guidance ans support in the many challenges I face being a teacher whether it is simply by listening to me "vent" about my day, or by coming over and helping me with whatever task I may have. I feel this relationship is built on love. The second relationship is with my significant other, John. This relationship was built from friendship, respect, and love. Through all the changes we have encountered since we met, I have had him as a rock in my life. He truly cares about my well-being and is extremely supportive of the many journeys I embark regardless of how challenging they may seem.

These relationships remain positive and strong because I feel each of us takes the time to "maintain" them.  A positive relationship is not a one way street, but requires both sides to remain positive and strong. While each of these relationships provide me with many things, I also try my best to show how much I care, and support them as well.  I feel this often is a challenge and can lead to many failed partnerships/relationships. We must ensure that we take the time to keep these relationships strong.

I find that these relationships directly correlate with my ability to be an effective educator. These relationships provide me with support in developing ideas and activities that can be effective teaching strategies with my students.It is these relationships that motivate me and often remind me of my passion for working with children ( especially when times are hard).  Knowing how important relationships are, I strive to develop positive relationships with parents and children that can help me be more effective and provide the best for my students.

Quotes on Education

I close my eyes And I can visualize Things that may never be. Unless, of course, I take my dreams ... And turn them into reality. Sometime in the future, Someone may ask me, "Who taught you your values, Your skills, your determination?" And I will reply, "The same person who opened Locked doors without the key, Portals in my imagination, Windows in my mind, Holes in my seriousness. "A teacher taught me." Michelle Kao This quote sits in a picture frame in my classroom at my desk. I remind myself every day to strive to be that teacher. "Much education today is monumentally ineffective. All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow their own plants." -- John Gardner "It is not what is poured into a student that counts but what is planted." -Linda Conway I find this photo very fitting as well for how I currently feel towards education. While it may be hard to read, the students were each asked to write a singular noun in the plural form, then use it in a sentence, and draw a picture. Watching this child work on his assignment was exciting. He selected his word and then asked if he could go to our math center to get our connecting cubes. Of course I said yes out of curiosity as how this related to the assignment. I watched him count out connecting cubes, write a story problem and addition sentence ( our math lesson from the week).  With this in mind, I feel a true learning experience is not simply going through the motions of each lesson and answering questions correctly, but applying what you already know and integrating different subjects and topics together through your exploration of learning.  It is that small yet big learning moment, that motivates me.

The world of testing

Each day as a teacher we are committed to teaching the “whole child.” However, hidden within all of that, teachers, administrators, and even the students become stressed about the testing. In Tennessee’s case this is called the TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program). Take a step into a 3^rd-8^th grade classroom around the end of March. There is a very different feeling that lingers in the air. Teachers are often reviewing previous skills as refreshers in mass quantities. While these scores have always been very important, as of this year these scores play a factor in the evaluations of the teacher each year. The scores are directly correlated with how well the teacher taught the material. I feel that if we are committed to teach the “whole child” then this should also be applied to the assessment types we use on our children. The form of testing we are currently using does not promote teaching the whole child. While the TCAP is not the form of testing used for students below 3^rd grade, the lower grades also have a form of assessment used. Many of my students struggle to read words they have never been exposed to which in turn impacts their answers. This is not an accurate way to assess if they know the content. They may have known the answer, but the new word confused them.

            I do think it is important to monitor where your students are in their learning because we can use that information to meet the students’ needs. However, the use of scores to impact teacher evaluations and student’s grades does not follow our mission to meet the whole child. These tests put a great deal of stress on the children, and are asking quiet a lot of a small 7 year- old. I do not know many people who are able to sit in front of a book completely quiet and on task for multiple hours.

            China took part in a new standardized test in 2010 called the Program of International Students Assessment. This test showed that students in China are doing best in Reading, Writing, and Math. While this is the first year with this form of test, there is also a form of test in China that many students prepare for even at a young age. This test known as the gaokao is a multi-day assessment used to determine if a student enters college. A principal in a school in China even mentions that the gaokao is all about straight forward, memorized answers. Creativity, deep, different answers get you no where in this test, whereas the memorized answers get you into the good universities. After the PISA test many principals in China are realizing a need for educational reform to stray away from the memorized answers.  After reading about the educational testing in China, I consider the pressure many of these students must be under. To think that one test is the only thing that determines if they go to college would truly stress me out throughout school. What if you were not a good test taking? What if you learned from oral assessments better?

Resource: Chinese Top in Test, but Educators call for Reform  http://www.npr.org/2010/12/29/132416889/chinese-top-in-tests-but-still-have-lots-to-learn

Noise Pollution and Its Impact on Children

“With the modern world so dependent on and enchanted with noise-producing and noise-related technology—automobiles, aircraft, helicopters, motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet skis, leaf blowers, amplified music, bass-driven car stereo systems—the noise level is rapidly accelerating.”  Anonymous

As the youngest and only girl out of four, I loved the days my brother would pick me up from middle school. He would have his windows rolled down and his very popular music playing loud. Of course at the time, and for many years following once I was driving on my own, I thought loud music was the cool thing. The impact it had one me was the last thing on my mind. Now as a young adult, I see the impact this music has had on my hearing every day. I found the T.V. has to be louder for me to comfortable hear it, and my students must speak louder in order for me to hear them. With the impact this has had on me, I was curious to learn about the impact it has on young children and if it impacted other areas rather than simply hearing.

      Maxwell and Evans (n.d.) reiterate the impact loud noise has on the auditory system, but also warns parents and educators of the impact in can also play on the cognitive, physiological, and motivational areas of development.  There research finds that children living or attending school close to airports, trains, and high traffic suffer from higher blood pressure. Teachers in high noise areas also find motivating students in an activity to be very difficult. They also are less likely to take on a challenge. Chronic noise also impacts student’s ability to remain attentive and impacts children’s reading ability. Maxwell and Evans (n.d.) state that cchildren from noisy homes and schools are at more of a disadvantage than children from quieter homes.

 Japan has always been a fascinating country to me, and knowing the busy lifestyle of Japan, I was curious about noise in Japan and if it is a stressor in this country. Through my search I found that Japan is right up there with the United States when it comes to noise pollution. Japan’s city is filled with public loud speakers, and constant air travel. Chepesiuk (2005) states that many people find themselves wearing ear plugs in the city to minimize the noise.  The impact of noise in the United States also applies throughout other countries. Japan is also taking action by passing many noise pollution acts to minimize the noise within the city.  

Reference:

Maxwell, L. & Evans, G (n.d.) Design of child care centers and effects of noise on young children. Retrieved from http://www.designshare.com/research/lmaxwell/noisechildren.htm

Chepesiuk, R (2005) .Decibel Hell: The effects of living in a noisy world. Environmental

Health Perspectives. 113(1) A34-A41.  

Malnutrition

When I first saw the different public health topics, I was very interested in the topic of malnutrition. I always see malnutrition as something that only occurred in developing countries, however, even though the percentage is small, malnutrition also occurs in the United States. Less than 1 % of children suffer from chronic malnutrition in the United States, and over 10 % of that number is found in rural areas. Even the article mentions that in the highest risk group (those living in shelters or homeless) only accounts for less than 10 % of this group in the United States.  I found this very surprising considering all the struggles many of these children in shelters or homeless face daily.

            Also through this research, I found many programs that strive to help those countries that are often impacted by childhood malnutrition. One of those programs is to help Nepal, which is know to have stubbornly high numbers in childhood malnutrition. The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction gave a 2 million dollar grant to help programs that are striving the meet the needs of malnourished children. The group’s goal is to cut the number of malnourished children by 25 %.

            After researching different programs designed to eliminate malnutrition, all I could think about were many of my students who get terribly upset when they miss breakfast or choose not to eat their lunch. It is so obvious, just in that short period of time, how the lack of nutrition impacts their cognitive ability and physical ability. When children (and adults) are hunger they naturally do not work as hard because the energy to do so is missing. I can only imagine the incredible impact lack of nutrition has on children who not only miss one meal, but multiple.

http://beta.adb.org/news/nepal-gets-help-reduce-child-malnutrition

http://motherchildnutrition.org/india/index.html

Birthing Rituals Around the World

Since I do not have any children of my own at the time, I would like to share the birth of my nephew, Hunter. Hunter was a surprise for my brother and sister- in- law. Their daughter had just turned one, so they were not planning to have another child right away. As soon as they found, they consulted their doctor, and continued to do so throughout the pregnancy. Due to minor complications with their daughter, they wanted to stay well informed if any possible situations were to arise. My sister-in-law did have an epidural to ease the pain. Hunter is now a very loving, smart, and energetic 2^nd grader. I selected the birth of my nephew because that is the only instance in which I was in the room during the process. As someone who was a teenager at the time, this was a very scary, painful scene for me, but also a beautiful one once I met my sweet nephew. I feel having great prenatal care is so important. Doctors and parents need to be aware of the development of their child, and how to best prepare their lives for this new child.

Looking at many of the birthing rituals around the world, I found Germany’s to be very eye opening. In Germany women see midwives for prenatal care. These midwives are so highly respected that they are required to be present during the birth and the doctor is considered only optional. The actual event of giving birth is a focus in Germany. Having a c-section is, to many, considered a failure.  German women who hold jobs feel secure to know that their jobs will still be there after the birth. As soon as a women tells her employer that she is pregnant she can not be fired, which is very helpful when the economy makes a turn for the worst. A woman may stop working six weeks before the birth and is forbidden to work for eight weeks after the birth with FULL pay.  Another practice, one of the authors mentions, is the selection of names. The government keeps a list of “accepted names” that parents much follow in the attempt to avoid potential ridicule for the child.

While I do not have children, I have worked with many women who were pregnant. The benefits Germany provides are very different from what I have seen here. I have been informed by many to save all of my paid sick days and personal days, so they can be used when I have a child, otherwise I will only have a week or two of paid time off. Also, while I understanding the reasoning behind the “accepted names” I wonder how well that would go over if it were a practice here. Before looking at the different practices I never would have expected that much difference between each country. It is extremely interesting to see the focus each country puts on certain aspects of the birthing process. I encourage all to check it out http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/vaginal/birth-customs-around-the-world/?page=3