I have two birthing experiences that I would like to relay to all of you. The first one, who I call "daughter of my body" is Brianne, age 25. The second one, who I lovingly will refer to is "daughter of my heart", is Tessa, age 14. Both are my daughters, both I love equally and dearly. Both were very difficult birth experiences in totally different ways.
I became pregnant with Brianne when I was twenty six years old. I had planned this pregnancy for a couple of years and was delighted to learn I would have a baby. Within the first two months of pregnancy I became very ill due to asthma and at that time smoking in the work place was a common occurrence. This made my asthma even worse. Ironically, I worked for a health insurance company and over 30 people in my office smoked at their desks. I was entrenched in a grey haze. My asthma doctor and ob doctor assured me the baby was getting enough oxygen in spite the cigarette smoke. However, I wasn't getting enough. Instead of providing a smoke free place for me to work, my employer chose to disable me for the duration of the pregnancy. The subsequent few months were better, I enjoyed being home and anticipating the arrival of what I HOPED would be a baby girl. However, all along I had to take several medications to keep my asthma under control. By the last trimester my breathing problems went from being very uncomfortable to very serious. I was monitored constantly. I was on five medications just to breathe, having to set my alarm for waking up every three hours in the night to take medication. I was sent to a genetics doctor which was rare for the mid 80's. He told me all of the medications I was taking were safe for the baby except they could not tell if one of them was or not. However, I needed it, so they kept me on it. There was an unanswered question...would this medication affect my child? Finally my breathing got so severe, that at 36 weeks of gestation they attempted to perform an amniocentesis to see if my baby's lungs were developed enough for delivery. She was fine, but I was in distress. However, all the fluid was behind her body, so they didn't feel comfortable with using the needle, thus the test wouldn't work for me. Instead they gave me large doses of prednisone via IV every few days. It helped my oxygen starved body and would help mature her lungs they said. Back in the 80's they considered full term 40 weeks of gestation so they were concerned about delivering a 36 week fetus. Finally at 36 weeks and 5 days they delivered my daughter via a planned c-section. My pelvis was too small for the normal birthing method and labor would have made my breathing worse. I had an epidural for anesthesia, which only worked on the right side. As a result I had about ten local injections into my left side to get it numb. However, I still felt a lot of sensation in that side, such as tugging during cutting the incision, etc. Finally once she was born, they gave me twilight sedation which sent me in and out of la la land. I kept asking "what did I have?"...hoping it was a girl. It was a girl!!!!!!! My dream come true. I was in the hospital for four and a half days with Brianne, on morphine two of those days and so out of it I really wasn't concerned about the fact that I had a newborn. After just two days of being on morphine I had severe withdrawals which made me miss an entire half day of being a mom while I tried to fight the very uncomfortable sensations. Finally on Christmas Eve morning I brought my new daughter home. She was healthy, I was healthy, and I could breathe without the aid of any medications.
Daughter of my heart, Tessa, came to me via a very long and difficult East India adoption. I did not give physical birth to her, but I went though birthing pains that equal those of women who go through labor. Foreign adoption is not for the faint of heart from countries who would rather not see their children going to a "Christian" country. We lost one of our adopted children, who died of an illness, while trying to come to the USA. She would have been fifteen this week. We named her Jennika. Whereas we do not know Tessa's exact birth experience, and if we did I would want to talk in generalities here for the sake of her privacy. What I can say is that the birth process in India is very different depending on whether the family is rich or poor. If they are a family of means they might have the baby in a hospital setting that is very sterile and the mother is confined to bed from the very beginning of labor and command pushing is the norm. If a baby is delivered at home they might have a traditional birth attendant and men would be excluded from birth. Women could experience a period of confinement after the birth. Also, many rituals surrounding the birth of the child very likely would take place. Many times if a female was born there would be disappointment within the family. Some of the time these female children would end up in orphanages because they were female, and other times because the family couldn't feed one more child. The newborn might be dropped off in the dark of night or might be brought in by the police.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
The Beginning's End
I am happy to say that I have completed the first eight week course of my masters program. I have gained a great deal of knowledge about the early childhood field, but more inportantly, I believe I've gained even more insight into myself. Through the various assignments, I have learned about myself and though that wasn't easy, it was cathartic. I have appreciated having my colleages in this course for their imput, insight and passion for the early childhood field. I especially want to thank Dr. Longo for her skill as an instructor, kind approach and for making a first class very manageable.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Important Ideals
The ideals that are important to me professionally come from NAEYC. The three ideals and their code of ethics that are meaningful to me are the following:
1. To appreciate the vulnerability of children and
their dependence on adults.
2. To recognize and respect the unique qualities,
abilities, and potential of each child.
3. To base program practices upon current knowledge
and research in the field of early childhood
education, child development, and related disciplines,
as well as on particular knowledge of each child.
The significance of the ideals I chose is to remind myself that each child is unique and that I also need to remember that they will look to me for a sense of safety each day that they come to school. I need to keep in mind that I can best serve my young learners by staying current on the latest information related to teaching them and to teach each child at the level they are at cognitively and emotionally. I have the ability to make their learning experience wonderful or miserable. I commit to making it an enriching, happy experience! The quote below sums this up for me.
“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.”
-Haim Ginott
This is the most important information I take with me into the classroom each day as an early childhood educator.
References
NAEYC. (2005, April). Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf
Friday, October 7, 2011
Valuable Resources for Educators
- NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/courses/72033/CRS-CW-5691428/educ6005_readings/naeyc_dap_position_statement.pdf
- 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
- Article: 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 video on this webpage - World Organization for Early Childhood Education
http://www.omep-usnc.org/
Read about OMEP’s mission. - Association for Childhood Education International
http://acei.org/about/
Click on “Mission/Vision” and “Guiding Principles and Beliefs” and read these statements. - 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/main/about.cfm - 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/index.cfm - 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.preknow.org/ - Voices for America’s Children
http://www.voices.org/ - The Erikson Institute
http://www.erikson.edu/ - RIE
http://www.rie.org/ - Reggio Emilia Approach
www.reggioemiliaapproach.net/ - Reggio Alliance
http://www.reggioalliance.org/ - PBIS
http://www.pbis.org/ - Learning Theories
http://www.learning-theories.com/constructivism.html - BG Center
http://www.bgcenter.com/Scaffold.htm
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Quotes by Early Childhood Professionals
Quotes by T. Berry Brazelton, M.D.
“A family's responses to crisis or to a new situation mirror those of a child. That is to say, the way a small child deals with a new challenge (for instance, learning to walk) has certain predictable stages: regression, anxiety, mastery, new energy, growth, and feedback for future achievement. These stages can also be seen in adults coping with new life events, whether positive or negative.” (Brazelton, T. Berry, 1989).
“Attachment to a baby is a long-term process, not a single, magical moment. The opportunity for bonding at birth may be compared to falling in love—staying in love takes longer and demands more work.” (Brazelton, T. Berry, 1992)
Quote by Susan Bredekamp Ph.D.
"We are decision makers. As adults caring for children, it is our responsibility to seek out and intentionally plan the best opportunities for children that support their over-all well being and healthy development. Developmentally appropriate practice, commonly known as DAP, is a comprehensive educational perspective that supports optimal healthy development for every child. Understanding DAP - its meaning and intentional practices - is essential in guiding the decisions we make for young children". (NAEYC, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, 2009)
Quotes from week 2 Early Childhood Professionals:
“I had a built in passion that it was important to make a contribution to the world.”
(Derman-Sparks, Louise)
“We as professionals in the early child field have an opportunity to shape a child’s life for the better.” (Escobido, Sandy)
A_familys_responses_to_crisis_or_to_a. (n.d.). Columbia
Attachment_to_a_baby_is_a_longterm_process. (n.d.). Columbia
NAEYC, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8, 2009)
Video Program: “The Passion for Early Childhood”
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Personal Childhood Web
Due to the dynamics of my family of origin, I don't feel that I had five people in my life that cared about me and took care of me as a child. Only one comes to mind, and that is my half sister, who is a generation older than me. My parents were two generations older than me and not involved in my life. Additionally I dealt with abandonment when I was nine years old. I have moved on from that as much as possible and tried to turn the bad into good by giving back to children in the form of teaching and through adopting my daughter from India
The one person who did care about me is my half-sister, Barb. She is 21 years older than me, and though we never lived in the same house, we did things together a couple of times a month. I would stay over at her house on weekend nights now and then and she would fix my hair and paint my nails. We would eat yummy, child friendly food, the types of treats I don’t remember having at home. Throughout my teenage years she began talking to me about how getting a good education was important and continued to through my college years. I was proud and happy to see her at my graduation last June. At 72 years of age, she is still supporting me in my education. Though she has always been good to me, I would not classify our relationship as close. She is a very private, closed off type of person that has trouble exposing her real self to anyone else.
Here’s a picture of my sister, Barb, and I at my graduation from Portland State University
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Out of the Mouths of Babes
Today my co-teacher told me a funny story that I thought was perfect to share with you. When she was teaching older preschool in Colorado she posed a question to her students at circle time one day . The question was "what do you want to be when you grow up?" As you can imagine, she got as many answers as she had students. The funniest response by far was from one little girl who said she wanted to be a senior citizen when she grew up. She then went on to explain the reason behind wanting to be a senior citizen was so she didn't have to work!
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