My Connection to Play

"Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity."  by Kay Redfield Jamison

"Nothing you do for a child is ever wasted." by Garrison Keillor 

"If a child is given love, he becomes loving...... if he's helped when he needs help, he becomes helpful. And if he has been truly valued at home .......he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself to the welfare of others." by Dr. Joyce Brothers.

While I was growing up I was involved in a dance, children especially girls danced during occassions to make culture become real in ceremonies, and the innocent appearance of children in a dance is always inviting to everyone. Nigerian music has a strong rhythms by using countless drums and percussion instruments which make the atmosphere entertaining, inviting and fun to be around.

When I was growing up story telling was done under a moonlight tree and everybody gathered around and my mother then will tell us stories and make us repeat the story she told yesterday before she would tell us another tale. But this days everybody is busy and not available to tell a story. Our children need those folktales we were told while growing up.  

I also enjoyed knitting, I could make anyting I thought about and every week my mother would buy yarns for us (myself and my siblings) so that could make more of what we wanted and we sold them to make money for christmas or festival that would be coming up.

Play is generally accepted in preschool and is an act of learning. Play enable enables children to play freely in a learning environment. 

I grew up without play in school put I had different types of play at home. The learning environment and method of teaching in Nigeria was has high quality but focused mainly learning memorization. Play has always been in my life because I like reciting lyrics of old musics and compete with my friends and sisters finding anyone that will recite and not make any mistake. I still love listening to music till present. When I was little in a particular market day we came together with our local soup and play card games and I have passed it to my children to have one family night where everyone comes togher and play a board game.                      

Relationship Reflection

      Relationships are important to me because they make me have a sense of happiness, fulfillment or identity. When a child does not have connection or relationship with the parents it affects her health physically and mentally. My father was not physically present when I was growing up because he was studying abroad all throughout my teenage years and I got married the first year I came to the states. My father inspired me a lot to never limit myself and he was always coming for holiday visits, and did not disconnect that fatherly bond. My father passed away in February 2011, since his passing I have felt a void within but still have a family that depends on one another for support and sustenance.

      My husband is my main confidant because I share my opinions, experiences, and talk to him about everything going on in my life. I have a beautiful relationship with my sisters. They are my friends because we share intimate details of things happening in our lives. My friends at my former job call most of the time to keep in touch with me because of our busy schedules and challenging lifestyles. We most of the time text each other, email and talk on the phone. I always make out time over the weekend to visit my mom and sisters and they do the same as well. Having a healthy relationship keeps an individual happy and health because you have your support system working for you.

      My mother, sister, husband and children are the best friends that I have to assure that I am not alone in whatever I am doing. The cordial relationships that exist between my family members and friends are deeply rooted in the trust we have for each other. Our words happen to be our bond, circumstances notwithstanding
I have learnt over the years that communication is the key to a good relationship. The flow of communication has to take its normal and unhindered course for effective communication

When I Think of Child Development

Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future. Quote from John. F. Kennedy.


The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him. Unknown author


In serving the best interest of children, we serve the best interests of all humanity. Quote from Carol Bellamy.


The greatest truth must be recognition that in every man, in every child is the potential for greatness.
Quote from Robert F. Kennedy

If you want children to keep their feet on the ground, put some responsibility on their shoulders. Unknown author.


The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential ... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. Unknown author.

Testing of Intelligence

  In measuring the minds and abilities of children, the following main developmental domains are factored in such as biosocial, cognitive, and psychosocial domains. Every child is unique. To use a holistic approach in assessing each child's development, needs the application of standardized test and other specific and compelling test. For a test to be used it must meet and satisfy the conditions for validity, reliability, and feasibility. Instances of meaningful and applicable specific test include physical, social, emotional, cognition, and language. For instanc, a child from a troubled household would exhibit some learning dysfunctions. If this child is tested cognitively and passes but is unable to socialize and communicate with his peers then there is an inherent emotional and social inhibited intelligence.
  I am of the opinion that a holistic assessment of the whole child should be more beneficial than using standardized test for assessing children. Standardized test tests intelligence (cognition and communication) mainly. Holistic test will be more inclusive in taking the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language aspects of the whole person into consideration.
  Another part of the world that I am familiar with is Nigeria. The assessment of school-age children in Nigeria is mainly focused on cognitive developmental domain. By focusing on cognitive developmental domain, the psychomotor and affective/emotional domains are left out of the picture. Recently, there has been improvement in Nigerian educational system that allows the replacement of once a year promotional exam with a 6-3-3-4 continous assessment for cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. This part assessment of the child is also prevalent in other parts of the world. Every effort should be directed towards the holistic assessment of the whole child.
  Therefore, Early childhood educators owe it as a professional duty to help in training and providing qualified and suitable staff to carry on educational works, and sourcing resources and funds to take adequate care of one child at a time. Summarily stated, physical, social, emotional,cognitive, and language assessments are good yard sticks for measuring intelligence other than stndardized tests.

References:
www.cse.ucla.edu/products/guidebooks/wolekid.pdf
www.nieer.org/resources/policybriefs
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces
www.iaea.info/documents/paper
Adaptive Behavior Scales for Infants and Early Childhood http://www.answers.com/

Impact of Environmental Pollution on childhood development

   Environmental pollution is the contamination of the physical and biological components of the earth or atmospheric system. Environmental pollution affects developed, underdeveloped and developing countries because it is an issue that is facing the world today. Children who are exposed to environmental pollution at any stage of their development exhibit health related problems, infections and diseases. These health challenges lead to deterioration of childhood development. For instance, a child who lives in an industrally polluted area is at higher risk of developing asthma because of inhaled polluted air. There are many aspects of environmental pollution which are detriment to human health, animal, plants, soil, air, and water. The cleanliness of the environment is vital to the survival and reproductive success of living things of which man or a human being deserve or attract major attention.
   The pollution of the environment involves the pollution or contamination of air, water, soil, plant, animals and food, thereby jeopardizing or threatening the lives of human being who solely depend on food processed from the environment to survive. Therefore, environmental pollution is equivalent to poisoning human and other lives leading to reproductive success. A poisoned life would suffer the toxicity of the poisonous substance up to the limit it can withstand and die when it can no longer withstand the toxic substance. Children can manifest many unusal skin reactions and other disease characteristics as a result of the inability of their bodies to convert injurious pollutants into harmless substances.


Types of Environmental Pollution:
Air pollution
Water pollution
Soil pollution
Consequences of Air pollution 
- Reduced lung functioning
- Irritation of eyes, nose, mouth and throat
- Asthma attacks
- Respiratory symptoms such as coughing and wheezing
- Increased respiratory disease such as bronchitis
- Reduced energy levels
- Headaches and dizziness
- Disruption of endocrine, reproductive and immune systems
- Neurobehavioral disorder
- Cardiovascular problems
- Cancer
- Premature death
Consequences of Water Pollution
- Typhoid
- Hookworm
- Rashes, ear ache, pink eye
- Respiratory infections
- Hepatitis, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach aches.
Consequences of Soil Pollution
- Causes cancer
- Lead in soil
- Mercury can increase the risk of kidney damage
- Causes headache, nausea, fatique, eye irritation and skin rash.
Effect of Environmental Pollution on Child Development
Cognitive:
- Hyperactivity
- Reduced IQ
Biosocial
- Malnutrition
Psychosocial
- Aggressive
- Self esteem
- Impulsive behavior
- Anti social behavior
Solution to Prevent air pollution
- Elimination of cockroaches
- Construction of more outdoor play
- Reduce traffic congestion
- Dust, pets, smokes and other allergens.
Solution to prevent soil pollution
- Package waste
- Usage of plastic and paper needs to be reduced
- Usage of pesticide and fertilizer needs to be reduced.
Solution to prevent water pollution
- Prevent oil spill
- Preventing the amount of coal burning emissions
- Stop deforestation.
    Conclusively, environmental pollution is an everyday occurence. Human and other lives would continue to function as far as it is possible to detoxicify. At a point when a living thing can no longer detoxify, death is eminant resulting from culmulative effect of pollutants. Life will be worth living when concerted effort is made to reduce environmental pollution and its impacts. Therefore, it is imperative that we raise and nurture healthy children, hence the need to have a pollution free environment as much as humanlly possible.


References:
Berger, K.S. (2009). The Developing Person Through Childhood
www.buzzle.com/articles/ways-to-prevent-air-pollution.html.
www.buzzle.com/articles/ways-to-prevent-water-pollution.html.
www.greenstudentu.com/encyclopedia/pollution

Nutrition and Development

Nutrition is a process whereby food substances are taken in the body for growth and maintenance. Major food categories include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Malnutrition is the opposite of nutrition and occurs when the body is not deriving enough nutrients from the food intake. Implicated conditions include but not limited to inadequate or unbalanced diet, digestive difficulties, absorption problems, and other medical challenges. Berger, (2009).

     The importance of good nutrition in the developmental milestone of children cannot be overemphasized. Good nutrition is important for the bones, muscles and brain. Eating proper and balanced diet will help the individual to properly develop completely-mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, psychologically and cognitively. Healthy diet help children to grow and learn properly and as a result helps prevent overweight and help the children maintain their weight within acceptable ranges. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childnutrition.html

     In developing and undeveloped countries e for example Nigeria, malnutrition is prevalence because of large segment of the population is in abject poverty. Malnutrition will reverse the benefits of proper nutrition. Lack of nutritious food can result from poverty hence people in poverty will exhibit diminished developments – mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, psychologically and cognitively.

     Based on what I know and see happening in Nigeria and U.S.A., I now have the urge to arrange and redirect the surplus nutritious food items from the U.S.A. to the poor and hungry people in Nigeria. Further, I will embark on informing the uninformed regarding available nutritious food resources in the U.S.A. to their benefit. The channels to the resources include the following: wic program, food stamps, family first/temporary assistance for needy families, chip program (the children health insurance program), and free of charge reduced meals in schools.  In light of this understanding I will become a more assertive advocate of balanced diet initiated early in the life of every child. 

 References:

Child nutrition: Medline plus

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childnutrition.html

www.multimedia.md.iatp.net

Berger, K.S. (2009). The Developing Person through Childhood. New York: worth publisher.                                

Child Birth in Nigeria

       There have been alot of maternal mortalities, injuries, infections or diseases during childbirth in Nigeria. Majority of child bearing women fall within the low socioeconomic status. Therefore, the lack of health care for the mother and the developing fetus is a predominant feature.        Prenatal care is not usually provided and post conception folic acid is not readily administered. Another challenging area of concern is that health is not adequately monitored during the three trimesters. Many unhealthy mothers and developing babies abound. Some mothers give birth in homes, sometimes with the assistance of nurse midwives. Some women give birth on their way to the hospital, as a means of last resort. Consequently, avoidable and preventable complications, diseases, and deaths occurs
        In the U.S. A there is generally available adequate health care for all people in all socioeconomic classes. The informed make the most efficient use of available health care. These are lacking in Nigeria. In the U.S.A. the government provides adequate health care. The government does not provide health care in Nigeria. For a patient to be attended to, that patient must make reasonable amount  and monetary deposit. Without money there is no care in Nigeria.

Birth of My Niece

     This is a story about the birth of my niece. My sister taught that she was going to have the baby the next day which was supposd to be 23rd of June but labor started on the 22nd of June 2010 at 8am. She came from my country (Nigeria) to have the baby in the U.S. She was in my parents house when the labor started and she was home alone, so she called 9-1-1. She said that she was in deep pain when she got to the hospital but she has dilated enough, so they had to give her epidural and that was when I arrived to witness the birth of my niece. The nurse kept on monitoring the heart beat of the baby and how wide she has dilated, until it was time to deliver the baby. The nurse told her to stay in a position that will be easy to deliver the baby. The baby's head was coming out inch by inch and finally the entire body came out at 12:10pm on that same day on a sunny afternoon. They asked me to cut the umblical cord then the doctor brought out the placenta. The other nurse took the baby and cleaned her up and took her to the nursery. I stayed with my sister while the doctor was stitching her up from the cut she sustained when she was having the baby. After everything they cleaned her up and sent her to a room.

Ideals - Professional codes of ethics

1. I understand the unique individuality of every person. Each individual is capable of accomplishing certain   task better than others when presented with favorable conditions and circumstances. With openness to operate engaged individuals will be delighted to reach for their untapped potentials for full engagement of activities that will be productive.

2. Working with children and families calls for group dynamism. Every member of a group counts towards the groups collective success therefore I will ensure that each child in my care is fully integrated irrespective of differences in culture, language, ethnicity, and family structure.

3. In any given class some students will be fast, moderate, and slow in accomplishing their task. It will be helpful to use a fair minded assessment approach to determine areas of strength and weakness to pave the way in improving areas of challenges.

Resources for the week

Early childhood educators help children and families partner with the media, and also partner with professionals
NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. htttp://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdt

Network of teachers or Early Childhood  Educators
World Forum Foundation
http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php

World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://omep.org.gu.se/English/about_OMEP?

Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/about/

                           Books
             



                                                                Quotes
"The events of childhood do not pass but repeat themselves like seasons of the year". Eleanor Farjeon

" A teacher affects eternity;  he can never tell where his influence stops". Henry Adams

Quote from Dr. Stanley Greenspan

"Regardless of the history of IQ tests in the family, If I see nurturing, warm, interactive people who read emotional signals well and interact well, usually I see happy, competent and bright children." Dr. Stanley Greenspan

Quote from President Lyndon B. Johnson

"Poverty must not be a bar to learning and learning must offer an escape from poverty."

"Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time."

"There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves."

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose."
President Lyndon B. Johnson

Quote from Janet Gonzalez-Mena

"Part of being who you are has to do with feelings, which means you'll have a wide range of emotions---not just constant sunshiny happiness." Janet Gonzalez-Mena

Quotes From Professionals

"The passion to make sure that all children where taught in environment and in ways that truly nurtured their ability to grow and to develop to their fullest ability."   Louise Dermon-Sparks

"When I go to this parents meetings and see parents learning how to speak to policy makers, learning how to write letters, learning how to tell their stories and share their voice that is what make me motivated regardless of all the challenges going on."  Sandy Escobido

"All education really is a civil right issue because the right to what we think about in relationship to a child, childhood lives you to an optimum life experiences."  Renatta M. Cooper

"At a very young age I realized that families need support." Leticia Lara  LCSW

My Personal Childhood Web

My father, Chief Pappy Jude Ekeocha, nurtured and cared for me from childhood till adulthood. He is a quiet, caring, protective and loving man who lives to teach others. He is a role model to me by being devoted to his children and family. He shares his resources with family members and extends to outsiders. My dad's actions inspired and continue to inspire me to become the person that I am today.
     The influence of my father's words and actions in my life and the lives of other people, cannot be stressed enough. From my father I learned to work hard and get the best out of life. Being a God-fearing man, my dad passed down the desire to know and fear God to (us) his children.

My mother, Mrs Chinyere, is the next person who nurtured and cared for me. She is a responsible, terrific,marvelous person who taught me to be a giving person today because during the holidays she would prepare alot of food and invite people over to come and dine with us. She impacted my life by teaching me to give, sacrifice and volunteer to do something to benefit someone else.

My Sisters as a body impacted my early life in many positive ways. I am very thankful to God for giving me kind, caring, and loving sisters. They possess and manifest friendly personalities. I vividly recall the commitment of one of my sisters to academic pursuit that propelled her to obtain her university degree. I followed her footsteps so closely that I have succeded in getting my university degree. Presently, I find it fulfilling and rewarding to encourage people to get education.

My Grandmother, Mrs Celine, is a loving and caring maternal grandmother. She has always been the source of my strongest support and sustainance in going through every challenge I have faced in life. My grandmother's house is my favorite place to and enjoy school vacation. I feel safe and warm in her house. My maternal grandfather passed away when I was little so my grandmother lives in her old house by herself. At night she would tell us stories about tortoise, the moon and other folklores. Spending time with her was truly spending time to experience and enjoy nature and humanity.

My Aunt, Mrs Uche, is another person who loved, cared and nurtured me during childhood. She was always present physically to hold my hands. Aunt Uche took care of me when I had my first surgery and she made sure that I ate light food that would not interfer with the procedure. She did everything humanly possible to be certain that my health, welfare, and education turned out the best.

The story of a child that touched my heart

        John was three years old when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana, 2005. The family took shelter at the memorial medical center, the convention center before airlifted to Austin Texas. While in New Orleans they neither slept nor rested day and night. The environmental disturbances distrupted John's emotional standing to the extent that he would unusually scream and wake up while trying to sleep. With little passage of time, John's family began to adjust to resettle at their new location. John started life afresh, interacting with new family members, making new friends and relearning the basics of ABC in a well equipped and age appropriate childhood center. Today John has caught up with his normal developmental progression because of timely availability of childhood care post natural disaster. John has strived and survived, I am proud of him.
       John's life touches my heart because he is a living example of a precipitating life trauma from an abrupt physical dislocation which got timely intervention and without such intervention John's life would have been wrecked irreparably.
 

"Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand"

Image of a child's drawing