Is change a good thing for educators and learners?

As I read, Rethinking Early Childhood Education from p. 147-150 the author talked about inclusion in a Head Start classroom. What does inclusion mean to you? To me it means accepting children with special needs or disabilities of ages 3-5 to become apart of a preschool classroom. When I read about Nyla's experience in the classroom I thought it was a great experience for the other children to include her in the classroom and learn about her disabilities being in a wheelchair. Nyla's mother was almost going to take her out of school because she was worried that she didn't fit in with the group or have any friends. However, her mother heard that she made friends and she changed her mind and kept her in school. After I read 'Talking the Talk' on p. 175-176 the author talked about teachers who spoke Spanish and she also wanted to expand and change the languages at school to include other languages spoken such as, Mixteco, Triqui, Zapotec, and Canjobal etc.

I personally have not experinced an inclusive classroom. However, I recently experienced a four year old child at our preschool program that had signs or symptoms of autism. He would shout and scream if other children got in his way, he would have trouble sitting and listening, and his eyes would constanly be twitching. He was a smart boy who could notice large numbers, put words together and read the word. He was a child who enjoyed playing on his own most of the time and being around adults. We were working with his parents and they got him help from specalist. The specialist would come in the school and observe his behavior. They gave us some tips that would help him calm down such as, rubbing his back at least three times. He stayed at the preschool for about three months and his parents decided to put him in a special needs program.

In chapter 4 New Possibilities for ECE the author interviewed some women who have gone through some hard times in life. They talked about their experiences on how they came from abusive homes, lived in poverty, dealing with death, by a loved one, using drugs etc. After going through an emotional life the women wanted to change their old ways of living and got their lives back on track by going to school and becoming educators and career women.

How can educator's expand children's learning?

As I read, 'I Just Want to Read Frog and Toad' from Rethinking Early Childhood Education from p. 99-102. I thought about children in elementary schools from grades K-5. Do children get to experience reading at their own level or do they follow the class level on reading? When I was in elementary school along with a few other children we were placed in a program called project where some educators will take us away from our class for a few minutes or half hour and help us improve our reading and literacy skills. When ever I was taken away from the other classmates I would always wonder why. The author talked about a five year old boy named Eamonn who wanted to read story books in his class which, were appropriate for his age and not baby books. However, his mother wanted him to read real books and not photo copied books which, the teacher has assigned him to read. As he read a story called "White Knight" he wasn't very proud on how he read the story and he wanted to develop his own story on the "White Knight". I believe that it's important for children to have fun and learn new skills that are developing their mind and knowledge. While I read, 'Strawberry Fields Forever?' On p. 171-173 the author talks about her past on teaching children of migrant farmworkers. Back then, families worked in strawberry fields while children were going to school. She talked about preparing children to speak and develop their vocabulary in Spanish before they go on to kindergarten. According to the author, she was more concerned with what was developmentally appropriate for children such as, the world around them and incorporating their interests into curriculum (Rethinking Early Childhood Education p. 172). I agree with what she said because it's important for children to learn about different topics that are interesting to them and where they come from.

In Chapter 3 New Possiblities for Early Childhood Education the author talked about five different women's life experiences and stories. I thought that Sharnette's story was emotional to read about because she was growing up in a home being raised by her mother. However, she mentioned being in foster care because her mother was on drugs. She also grew up being in poverty and in an abusive home. What can we do to provide and help children growing up in abusive homes, being in poverty, and struggling to survive?

Is there something we can do to help families in poverty and change the way we use technology in the classroom?

As I read Rethinking Early Childhood Education from p. 75-83. It made me think is it necessary to have computers in the classroom for preschool children. In my opinion, I don't really think children at this young age need to go on the computer or learn how to use it. I feel that it's more for children of ages 6 or 7 and up to learn about computers. According to the text on p. 75 "The time spent with computers in the early years not only subtracts from important developmental task but may also entrench bad learning habits, leading to poor motivation and even symptoms of learning disabilities." In our preschool program we don't have computers for the children to use however, they can learn by doing hands on activities and develop other skills such as, problem solving, building their social and emotional skills, developing their gross motor and fine motor body movements, cooperate and play well with other children, and dramatic play or being creative, etc. The text also explains that with young children it is even more important than with older ones to determine what we want them to learn before choosing the technology to do the job (Rethinking Early Childhood Education p. 81). However, in some ways technology can be both beneficial to children and adults. So I ask this question, Do you think computers are appropriate or inappropriate for young children? What can they learn from a computer at ages 3-5?

In Chapter, 2 of New Possibilities for Early Childhood Education the author talked about three different women Bertha, Diane, and Olivia on their experience as mothers in poverty who were also being treated unfairly because of their cultural backgrounds. I though that Diane's story was emotional to read about because she is a single mother who was on welfare and working hard to support herself and her children. Then she became ill with diabetes and high blood pressure. She had to put her college career and job on hold and waited until she became well again to continue college. After reading about Diane's story I thought about families at our preschool and how hard it must be for them to work and provide an eduation for their children. What can we do to help families get through their time in poverty?

What types of activities or lessons can we do to assess children?

As I read, Rethinking Early Childhood Education from p. 113-120 the text described steps of an assessment system called "Learning Stories". The first step is assessment protocols, which ask teachers to record a child's work through observation and in narrative form. Another step of assessment asked teachers to plan from an analysis: What might they offer to encourage a child's interest, ability, or disposition? ( Rethinking, p. 120). After I read this, I thought about how we assess children in ECE. In our preschool program we assess children in the beginning of the school year of September to see what they know and what we need to help them with. For example, colors and shapes for 2 and a half-3 year olds and colors, shapes, alphabet, and numbers for 4-5 year olds. Throughout the year, we do different learning activities, and games to strengthen children's minds and bodies. I also try to teach them positional and opposite words/movements. To help children become more independent we role play and show them how to do things on their own such as, pouring milk into their cups, scooping food into their own plate, washing hands, putting their toys away after playing with them etc.

According to, Susan Bernheimer in chapter 1 of New Possibilities for Early Childhood Education mentioned her experience on teaching a class to women on welfare. She started searching for ways to start her class and break through the silence of the women who had concerns and insights to express. through my experience when I first started to teach children, I was very nervous and worried because I was thinking to myself how could I teach them so that they will understand, What do they need to know before they go on to Kindergarten? However, when I assessed them I was suprised to see how much some of them knew. As I thought about my own experience it made me think and realize that everyone has to experience and learn new teaching techniques, which will work out for them and their students. Overall, in the near future I hope children will reflect on their school experience and set new goals for future education.