Establishing Professional Contacts

I emailed the contacts from NAEYC’s website on their Global Alliance list, for Spain and Netherlands. I wrote that I was a student seeking to establish professional contacts. I also subscribed for newsletters from Save the Children, got on their Facebook site and explored some articles.

I am curious to find out information on childbirths trends and issues in Netherlands and Spain. I have such questions: What is the nature of how and where births take place? Such as, do the majority of mothers have normal births at home or in hospital settings, or do the majority of mothers birth in a hospital settings with medical interventions? Are there any studies in .... organization(s) on the outcome later in childhood that relate to the mother and baby’s birthing experience?

After joining Save the Children on Facebook as well an article, “Premature Birth Endangers 15M Babies Worldwide” from ABC media. In this article I found it interesting even though preterm babies have a good chance at survival in the U.S. verses other countries it “ranks 6^th on the list of 184 countries with the highest rates of pre-term births, far higher than other high-income countries”. Also, for example, in Asia pre-term births are related to adolescent pregnancies, where pre-term births in the U.S. are connected to “…high rates of C-section deliveries and induced labors account for the nearly 500,000 premature births annually” (Gann, 2012).

 Reference

Gann. (2012) retrieved form http://www.savethechildren.org/

My Connections to Play

The play that I remember most is outdoor and dramatic play, usually a combination of both. Also dancing and bike riding, this too incorporated some type of dramatic, pretend or fantasy play for me as a child. I remember playing for hours in the sand and small waves when visiting the ocean. Creating forts out of bushes and trees near our home where we would play 'house' or have thematic club. I was really into creating dance routines, comedy productions and being the lead in my group of friends. I often initiated themes and projects.

 "Play involves a free choice activity that is non-literal, self-motivated, enjoyable and process oriented. Critical to this definition is the non-literal, non-realistic aspect. This means external aspects of time, use of materials, the environment, rules of the play activity, and roles of the participants are all made up by the children playing. They are based on the child's sense of reality" (Wardle, 1987, p. 27)." (Wardle, 2010).

When I was younger, adults provided me space, materials and freedom for play. There are differences in play for the children that surround me now as an adult than when I was a child. At home and in the preschool's where I work children are provided plenty of materials, yet limited indoor space and outdoor freedom for play. What these children do have more of than I did as a child are adult guidance and interactions.  The limited outside freedom comes from increased safety issues and an increase of fear on the adults part. Also the lack of outdoor space in general. The importance of spending time with children is more consistent my life now.

Wardle, F. (n.d.). Play as curriculum. Retrieved August 1, 2010, from http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=127

Relationship Relfection

Positive factors in my immediate relationships are respect, affection, empathy, laughter, understanding perspectives and being helpful. These aspects of my relationships are what maintain and develop these relationships. Challenges in the relationships are unhealthy dependency patterns, misunderstanding perspectives, time, and individual intentions. Understanding that relationships grow from positive outcomes and difficulties are important. Special characteristics of my relationships and partnerships are genuine care for one another’s well being and engaging in aiding in the development of that well being.

"Good relationships depend on finding a reasonable balance between being able to track your own feelings at the same time as you track other people's" -Sue Gerhardt "Why Love Matters"

"Adults are always asking children what they want to be when they grow up because they are looking for ideas" -Poundstone

From "Why Love Matters" by Sue Gerhardt

"[F]oundations are laid during pregnancy and in the first two years of life. This is when the 'social brain' is shaped and when an individual's emotional style and emotional resources are established" ("Why Love Matters", by Sue Gerhardt).

Testing and a commitment to the "whole child"

Those successful schools with holistic approaches to the commitment of the whole child do not to assess and measure students like the traditional public school in the U.S. Below is an excerpt from an article written by a parent to answer some basic questions on Montessori and Waldorf schooling:

Waldorf is rooted in anthroposophy. This philosophy believes that in order to understand the workings of the universe, people must first have an understanding of humanity. Montessori and Waldorf recognize and respect a child's need for rhythm and order in his daily routine. Both Montessori and Waldorf have a strong sense of societal reform built into their teaching. They believe in developing the whole child, teaching it to think for itself and, above all, showing it how to avoid violence. These are beautiful ideals which will help build a better world for the future. Montessori and Waldorf use non-traditional methods of assessments. Testing and grading are not part of either methodology. -http://www.privateschool.about.com/

More information on the holistic approach to learning in early childhood is expressed on Waldorf Education website, here is an excerpt:

Sensory integration, eye-hand coordination, appreciating the beauty of language, sequencing, and other basic skills necessary for the foundation of academic learning are fostered in the kindergarten. In this truly loving, natural and creative environment, children are provided with a range of activities to prepare them for later learning and for life itself.

From Windows into Waldorf, by David Mitchell (used with the permission of the author)

-from http://www.iaswece.org/

In many parts of the world Waldorf schools have started and grown, bringing the holistic roots of the their country into the learning institution. Here is an excerpt on Waldorf in India:

            In 1997 the first Waldorf Kindergarten opened its doors in Hyderabad. In the             following years, four additional Waldorf or Waldorf-inspired-schools came into existence, as well as one in Mumbai. In Bangalore two kindergartens are now starting grades schools, and additional initiatives in Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai have started. Since 1997 there have been many teacher training courses and workshops in Hyderabad, with the help of many teachers from different parts of the world, and now also experienced Indian Waldorf teachers.

            Since 1997 there have been annual Waldorf education seminars in Khandala             organised by Aban Bana for all teachers from all over India in search of holistic education. –from www.iaswece.org

Since Waldorf education and philosophy are set to particular standards world wide through the Waldorf Association, we can assume that the Waldorf schools in India also use non-traditional methods of assessment. I do not yet have a firm belief in what areas of schooling or the whole child need to be assessed. I do know that the pressure of the “test result” will create more problems in our children’s well being and increase crime rates in the future. I also know that there are approaches to measuring where a child is currently at developmentally that will not impede their development or academic success.

Public Health

A public health measure that impacts children’s development all over the world, among many, is breastfeeding. Breast fed babies have nutrient milk that prevents from sickness and benefit from the connection with the mother. Babies from all over the world benefit most from breast milk. “Babies who are exclusively breast-fed are less likely to get sick, because breast milk provides them with the antibodies against any disease to which the mother is immune” (Berger, 2009). Research and health promotion in countries are urging mothers to breast-feed longer before turning their child’s diet to formula. Not only the awareness of the physical benefits becoming more widespread so is the mental health of the infant. “Breast milk … is a mild sedative, so the newborn literally feels happier at the mother’s breast, connecting pleasure with taste, touch, smell, and sight” (Berger, 2009). The infant bonding that comes from this experience is also good for their mental health.  In a town in northeast England they successfully used social marketing to increase breastfeeding to promote the health of children (Lowry, et. al., 2009). “The World Health Organization recommends that babies should be breastfed exclusively for six months" (Lowry, et. al., 2009).

References:

Berger, K. S. (2009). The developing person through childhood (5th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers

Lowry, R., Billet, A., Buchnanan, C., & Whiston, C. (2009). Increasing breastfeeding andreducing smoking in pregnancy: a social marketing success improving life chances for children. Royal society for public health, 129,6. Sage Publications.