Course Reflection - Thank You!

     I would like to start by saying thank you to all of my colleagues that have worked along side me throughout this course.  I feel that especially in this course about communication I have been greatly influenced by others.  I have learned about varying communication capabilities and how we all react differently to group work, public speaking, and one-on-one environments.  I hope that I have shown my colleagues the same respect they have shown me throughout this process.  I hope they have learned from my experiences and we have all become better communicators.  I hope for my colleagues that they become comfortable with the communication struggles they may have had previously and that they have learned skills to help them effectively influence the lives of others.  I also hope they have learned effective leadership skills so that, together, we can lead the youth of the world in a positive direction.  Thank you all again and I hope to work with you again soon!

Effectively Resolving Conflict

There have been many situations throughout my life where I have struggled to effectively communicate my thoughts and feelings to others and, oftentimes, these struggles have led to conflict. It is difficult to step away from conflict while it is occurring if you are emotionally invested in the conversation.  I have been learning, through experience and throughout this course, that learning to listen and be nonreactive is essential to being an effective communicator.

My experience recently with conflict has been in my personal life.  I have learned to reflect on the conversation or conflict prior to reacting.  For instance, if an argument ensues I have learned to not voice my opinion automatically but to think about the purpose of the conversation and the emotions I am trying to convey.  I then return to the conversation and am better able to effectively communicate my point of view.

Another strategy is to propose a compromise of sorts.  To try and calm the situation down and realize that there is a solution as long as we can communicate with one another.  There is a compromise to be made and in any relationship it is important to compromise because resentment can build and tensions can grow that make communication in the future more difficult.

Please feel free to share any of your experiences and how to best resolve conflict when you comment on my blog post.

Evaluating Communication

This week we had an assignment to evaluate ourselves through some online quizzes.  In turn, two other individuals we know had to evaluate our communication as well.  Prior to this assignment I thought that I was an excellent communicator.  One thing that surprised me was my score on the verbal aggressive scale.  I tend to consider myself very mild-mannered and this score was not as high as I hoped it would be.  I will take this into consideration moving forward and recognizing any aggressiveness when dealing with others.  It was encouraging that when my colleague took the verbal aggressive scale test about me that my score was higher than I had received.

It is so interesting to realize how others perceive you and how you may be perceiving yourself without even noticing.  I do not tend to think I am as good of a listener as I could be.  I often become so passionate about a topic during conversation that I tend to interrupt others, however the listening test made me aware that in general I am a good listener.  Also, when another colleague took the test about me it too said that I was a good listener.  I think the process of evaluation and understanding yourself as a communicator is such an important part of being a human being and an early childhood educator.

Overall - I really enjoyed this assignment and will continue to seek out tests and quizzes that help me to reflect on my behaviors and evaluate myself personally and allow other to evaluate my skills and weaknesses.

Effective Communication

Communicating is an important part of every day life and can help to build relationships.  On the other hand, it can also be a factor in destroying and hindering relationships.  As early childhood educators it is essential that we understand and acknowledge diversity and the way it affects communication.  I have learned throughout this course that communication involves verbal, nonverbal, AND listening!!

When considering culture in your interactions with others, it is important to understand how different groups and culture react to various communication patterns.  It is important to communicate in a way that is comfortable and inviting to others when dealing with children and families of different backgrounds.  You definitely do not want to offend someone by being ignorant of their beliefs, values, and methods of communication.  I have taken this into consideration when dealing with multicultural groups of people and it has changed the way I view communication and its relation to culture.

Three strategies that could help me be more effective with the people or groups I am communicating are:

1. Always be mindful of cultural practices.  Take time to understand and learn about various cultural practices, verbal and nonverbal, and their significance to emotion.

2. DO NOT be afraid to ask questions to learn more about others.  This will help to build a strong bond between ourselves and those we work with, whether colleagues, students, or families.

3. Assess your nonverbal cues and listening skills as they are often overshadows by verbal communication techniques.  Be aware and collaborate with colleagues so that you gain an outside perspective and are truly aware of your behaviors.

Learning about Communication through Television

This week's blog assignment was very interesting to me.  I think that it really forced me to think outside my normal thought process.  We were required to view a TV show that we don't normally watch, and view it without the volume turned on.  I chose a show called The League.

   This show is about a group of friends that participate in a fantasy football league. When I was watching the show I saw that the relationships were light-hearted and friendly.  You could tell by watching that the characters had a sort of back-and-forth camaraderie in a joking manner.  The nonverbal behavior was aggressive at times.  There was eye rolling and hostility at times between the men especially.

  What I learned about communication was that is very dependent on your environment.  It is something that I haven't really thought about too often but is something I will pay more attention to. Recognizing how your communication changes with your surroundings and environment is an important part of being an educator.  Realizing how your tone needs to be with children and how it should not change dramatically when transitioning from professional to personal lives.  I think it is important to maintain balance and ensure that we are holding ourselves to a standard whether we are in the classroom environment or outside of it.

Communicating Competently

   First of all, I am excited to begin this class on communication and collaboration.  It is such an essential part of being an educator, particularly in early childhood when children are at their prime developmental years.

  The most effective communicator I know is my grandfathers.  He speaks to committees and groups at length helping to find funding for nonprofit organizations.  He is knowledgeable, understandings, and approachable.  I believe his knowledge helps increase his effectiveness as a communicator.  He is very good at speaking to people with various backgrounds and diverse cultures.

  I would like to model many of my communication behaviors after him.  I think the balance he exhibits with respect to passion and cooperation during communication is such a great quality as a leader and communicator.  Being effective in reaching various cultural groups is also another quality I admire and hope to be effective with in my communications.

  I look forward to learning and hearing from all my classmates!

Summing Up Diversity and Equity in Early Childhood Education

When I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds I hope that I can make a difference in their lives and help them to feel comfortable and welcomed.  I hope that I can learn to discuss the diversity within the classroom without offending any particular group or persons.  I hope I can be an anti-biased educator that leads children to become accepting and equitable people in society.

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is that each child has the ability to receive an equitable education.  I hope that children can feel respected and equal regardless of economic status, culture, and gender (just to name a few).

I would like to thank my colleagues for being open and honest when sharing personal experiences of discrimination and struggles with equity.  It has helped me learn the value of collaboration and sharing experiences.  I have learned so much from each colleague and will continue to lean on others ideas and values to expand my knowledge of diversity.

Welcoming Families from Around the World

    The country I chose as my new family's origin is Bulgaria.  It is very important to understand each child's country of origin and the issues they could face when transitioning into a new environment. Five ways I would prepare myself would be:

1. To create a visual for the early childhood environment so that the new student feels welcome and the other students can learn about the new child's country of origin.  This will also help me to learn increase my surface knowledge of the country.
2. Create lesson plans that cover each child's country of origin along with certain aspects that children are familiar with, such as native food, weather patterns, and language variances.
3. Create a comparison to the demographics of the United States that is in visual format so that the new child can understand their new country and environment and the current students can learn more about where the new child is coming from and the changes that are occurring to their environment.
4. Discuss special, comforting aspects of the Bulgarian culture that might make the child feel more welcome and at home in their new environment.  For instance, have the parents give me an object that pertains to their life in Bulgaria and display it in the classroom (environment) for a day.  Discuss with the class why this object is important to the new student and what objects in their lives make them feel comfortable in new environments.
5. Meet with the parents to discuss and understand the emotions and feelings that the child has been going through during the move.  How these new emotions and feelings vary from their ordinary behaviors and what they feel like could be potential issues dealing with diversity.

I hope these preparations would benefit me, the family, and the child because they strive to create a comforting and familiar environment.  They would allow all children in the program or classroom to learn about diversity and one another's culture.  By speaking with the parents, we learn how we communicate with one another and more about each other environments and how to best teach their child.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

   My memories of prejudice are not ones in which I experienced the act personally, however I did witness the act of prejudice occurring.  It is very unfortunate when you witness these acts because in such a diverse world, you wish that people would be more accepting of others.  This happened when I was dating a person of a different race.  Seeing someone I cared about go through the experience and be judged on exterior appearances was difficult.  The experience diminished equity because it made me aware that people can be cruel and think they are better than others for no particular good reason. Because someone is different is not a legitimate reason to be biased and verbalize prejudices.

   The feelings I experienced were of disgust and confusion.  I find it difficult to believe that people can be so socially incompetent that they do not understand the affects their decision can have on other people.  Regardless of what form the prejudice comes, if it is intentional it is something I view as ignorance.  I believe in today's society that there are resources available to educate oneself on bias, prejudice, and oppression.  I understand that people unconsciously discriminate, however self-reflection is a great way to make oneself aware of biases that may be occurring.  In order to make this situation into an opportunity for greater equity it would need for that person to learn they had affected not just one persons, but two people's lives, because of their verbal discrimination.d

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

      This week our assignment revolved around microaggressions and the unintentional consequences they can have on others.  As a grade school student I experienced a microaggression toward one of my best friends who was handicapped.  He was often treated differently in scenarios dealing with is mental capabilities, when in reality, he was very intelligent and probably smarter than most of his fellow classmates.  I remember people treating him like he had a mental disability even though he had a physical disability.  This made me aware of people's misconceptions and how they can negatively affect people.

This week I learned that prejudice occurs in many aspects of life and can come in many forms.  It is not always easily to identify and can be unconscious or conscious behaviors.  This makes it difficult to try and create a "perfect" learning environment for students.  There will be children who grow up with prejudice parents and the prejudice becomes a learned thing in a child's life.  We must try to create understanding and equality through practice.

Defining Culture through Another's Eyes

This week we were supposed to call or speak with at least three friends, family members, acquaintances, and/or colleagues about their definitions of culture and diversity.  The three people I chose to speak with were 1. my best friend who teaches 2nd grade (age 27, female), 2. my boyfriends mother who ran daycares for over 45 years and 3. my good friend who works for a daycare in Asheville, NC where I currently live.

The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied and were part of my discussions was the growth of cultural diversity among our classrooms today.  For example, my boyfriends mother spoke with me about how she has seen the demographics of early childhood programs shift over the years.  It was very interesting to speak with someone who has been so involved in their community for so many years and has seen the changes.

One aspect that was missing was the resources that are available to deal properly with diverse children's' programs.  My friend in Asheville spoke of the difficulty she had at times because the director is very busy and has limited time to actively reach out and communicate with individuals.  I think this makes it very difficult for a program to run smoothly, however with standards and guidelines that need to be met it is hard to delegate duties effectively at times.

One way thinking about other people's definitions of diversity has influenced my own thinking is that I see how it depends a lot on the community in which you work, the demographics in that community, and the resources that are available to educators and programs.  Time seems to be a difficult factor when dealing with a classroom of students and one or two instructors.  There is a lack of time to become the professionals we strive to be and more demand of duties and responsibilities than the time to do so.

My Family Culture: The Beginnings

This week I am starting a new class for my Master's program in Early Childhood Studies.  This class is about studying diversity.  To begin, the first two weeks we have taken a look at our social identities and our family cultures.  Family culture is something that I personally hold dear to my heart because it has made me the successful and caring person I am today.

   This blog post is about if some catastrophic event happened and we could only bring 3 items with us that represent our family culture.  To begin...my three items would be:

1. My grandmothers, my father's mother, ring that I inherited upon her death.  This item is important to me because it is one of the only things I have that connects me to my now deceased grandmother besides my wonderful memories.  The ring is beautiful and vintage.  There is an Opal in the center that reflects light beautifully and every time I wear it I remember all of the memories growing up of the love she showed my siblings and I, the wonderful meals we cooked, picking apples, veggies, and flowers from her garden, and many many more enjoyable memories!

2. The picture of my entire family in front of the house my mother grew up in Cabin Creek, WV. This is important to me because it reflects a large part of why I am the way I am today.  My grandfather ran a coal mine when my mother and her siblings were growing up.  We recently went as a family (all 27 of my cousins, aunts and uncles, brothers and sister, and grandparents) and saw the house.  We took a picture in front and I hold it so very dear to me because it represents the foundation of family that has been instilled in me since I was a child.  My grandparents have always made sure we stay connected and build relationships that last a lifetime.

3. A dish (that I fill with trinkets and such) that I found in my mom's mother's house.  This is special to me because I was perusing my grandmothers house one day for no particular reason and came upon this lovely little dish.  I went and asked her if it was significant to her and she said she would love for me to have it.  It is a reminder of her simple, sweet heart and how much love she has given to my family.  She gives her time and commitment to those less fortunate and is always thinking of others and having just one thing that she cherished means so much to me.

   If I was told upon arrival to this foreign place that I could keep only one item I would be sad, however I realize that the memories and the person I am are the most important part of family culture. Material possessions are nice reminders and signify a lot, but it is what we hold in our hearts that is the most important.

   One insight I gained was how much I appreciate my family and how much I wish and hope for every child to have at least one person in their lives who mean as much to me as the HUGE family that I have.  I realize that this is why I enjoy early childhood studies and education and reminds me that I am in the right profession and doing the right thing for me and my life.

   

Reflecting on Early Childhood Research

   My understanding of research prior to this course, Building Research Competency, was limited.  I realize now that the research process is much more complex than I had imagined.  One of the elements of research that stuck out to me the most is being flexible and able to adapt to various scenarios while conducting research.  Ethical considerations, design methods, and even simply figuring out the research topic and specific question are all key elements of conducting research that can be complex and require extensive knowledge and understanding.

     My ideas about the nature of research have changed because I now understand the time and resources it takes to conduct valid and reliable research.  The knowledge and comprehension that it takes to conduct research in the early childhood field requires intense preparation and reviews of previous literature on the studies that have been conducted.

   Throughout the research simulation in this course we learned about planning, designing, and conducting research.  All these elements are complex and require devotion of time and a willingness to learn. I think one of the most important parts when beginning research is to ensure that your topic is something that is interesting to the researcher and interesting to other professionals in the field.  Because research takes so much time, resources, and effort it is essential that the results are valid and reliable which requires planning, designing, and conducting research ethically and professionally.

   Early childhood research is so essential to the field and figuring out the best practices and programs.  Behavior, whether negative or positive, and their relations to family structure, teaching styles, and social interactions are just a few examples of why research in the early childhood field is important and can help to further the success of future generations.  It is complex because it involves young children who are not legally able to give consent and require more qualitative methods in order to analyze responses and find results that are beneficial to the early childhood field.

Research Around the World

This week I chose to explore the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).  I found that some of the current international research topics are creating an international network of early childhood professionals to contribute to the field and support early childhood development.  What I came to realize is that before these networks were implemented, early childhood development was of very small importance to many African countries.  Due to network activities, there are now 20 or more African countries that have implemented a national early childhood development policy.  They have increased awareness through using technology to share ideas, methods, and build positive relationships among early childhood professionals and groups.

The Virtual University program has brought technology to the forefront as the basis for communication and allowed many opportunities for collaboration within early childhood development that would probably not be available today otherwise. It has increased social development and made many African countries aware of the importance of early childhood education and how it can benefit the future of their countries and communities.

Websites like these bring about awareness of the similar struggles that are relevant in every country and can be found in most communities.  By working together on a global level we only expand our reach to all children and promote positive programs and networks within the early childhood field.

Research Benefiting Children

    This week's assignment I chose option 2 which is to imagine that I had the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies on any topic with no limitation from the present.  Also, my research topic will benefit children and their families immensely.  I chose this option because I find enjoyment in pushing the boundaries and dreaming about the inconceivable.  It is the out of this world ideas that create inspiration for researchers today and give them the motivation to achieve the unimaginable.  Starting with an idea can be the first step in reaching goals that we may have once seen as unattainable.

     The topic that I would choose to research would be studying the global world and how international connections achieve considerate and accepting feelings in the early childhood environment.  Many children are faced with cultural diverse scenarios in their education that they may not have encountered in their neighborhoods.  Creating equality and cultural acceptance early in education would create a society that is more aware and accepting, ideally with less violence and discrimination.  This study would require resources enabling young children access to other parts of the world, ideally in face to face contact.  With the many regions of the world experiencing cultural unrest it would interesting to see if those communities could create a bond with other children and thus increase knowledge and understanding of acceptance.

    It is exciting and interesting to dream up ideas and thoughts that may seem impossible and irrational at the current time.  As we progress, I would hope that international communication become somewhat of a normal scenario throughout the classrooms in the United States.  This would create relationships between cultures and increase the knowledge and understanding of diverse groups of people.

The Beginning to My Personal Research Journey

      This course on Building Research Competencies requires us to choose a research question for simulated research.  I have been having a difficult time narrowing down my topic to a specific question that is appropriate for the remainder of the course.  As I filled out my chart this week, one of the insights I gained from the readings was that this can be a difficult part of the process for anyone participating in research.  Especially in the field of Early Childhood Education where there are many facets and various contributing fields of study like psychology, communication, social and emotional balance, etc.

      I think I will struggle with many aspects of the simulation and believe that this course in particular is one where I will look to my colleagues and instructors for guidance and knowledge.  It is important to be able to ask for assistance and to help one another as we begin the journey through simulated research.

International Education on Early Childhood

I have learned numerous ideas about early childhood education through international resources.  Here are just a few....

1 - There are many similarities in the challenges faced in the US with regard to the EC Field, and the challenges faced abroad.

2 - Connecting with international EC professionals is not always easy.  Persistence is key!  However, once those connections have been made, a conversation can begin that stimulates our ideas and thoughts on EC education.

3 - Personally, my desire to assist with the early childhood field abroad has been stimulated and I hope to one day be able to travel and connect with children in foreign countries.

One goal I will set for myself will be making the time to do more international studying of effective practices and programs.  While simultaneously expanding my knowledge of the various cultures within my community.

UNESCO's Early Childhood Care and Education Webpage

This week I chose to look through UNESCO's Early Childhood Care and Education Webpage via:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

A couple of very interesting news pieces and informational pieces were discovered!  It is truly remarkable what we kind find with the click of a mouse.  There is almost an overload of information given to us through the internet so it is especially helpful to visit the websites of organizations we know and trust.

First thing I began to read was an article on the global education initiative.  The ultimate goal of the group that met is to "ensure equitable and inclusive quality education and lifelong learning for all by 2030".  There were seven proposed "targets" discussed that will help to achieve the overall goal.  This kind of initiative serves as motivation and inspiration for all early childhood educators.  Through global perspectives we realize that the issues are bigger than we are and will involve complex, strong, and individual thinkers and doers to find solutions.

Under the "Access and Equity" (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/access-and-equity/) section many issues on the global scale are ultimately the same on the local level.  The website discusses the distribution of resources with respect to the need.  This is just as much an issue in most of our own communities as it is on a larger scale.  Universal access to resources, whether learning or otherwise, should be a priority and UNESCO shows that it is indeed a priority.

One of my favorite readings was regarding "Quality" (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/quality/).  The quality of early childhood education should be evaluated based upon the overall education a child receives.  What I mean by that is the fact that children are not just in early childhood care to learn vocabulary, shapes, etc., but to learn social skills, receive encouragement and motivation, and enhance school readiness.

Global Children's Initiative

This week I chose to review and research the Global Children's Initiative website:
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/

The initiative should indeed be a global one, which involves high-power people all over the world recognizing the importance of early childhood programs and development.  Not only does this help the well-being of all people in different countries, but it is economically profitable to educate and ensure healthy development for all children.  This leads back to the importance of varied programs and practices depending on cultural diversity, economics, and environmental surroundings.

Much of the focus of the website was on children in critical conditions.  This is something that tore at my heartstrings.  It is so painful to hear of children suffering, and people in general suffering.  This is just one more reason to tackle the problem at an early age, rather than later when conditions and situations are so dire that they can not be reversed.  Health issues are at the heart of many economic problems.  This leads to high child mortality rates and is devastating to many communities future productivity.

One of the most interesting parts of the website was an article about implementation in Brazil.  http://developingchild.harvard.edu/index.php/activities/global_initiative/applying_the_science_of_early_childhood_in_brazi/  Seeing the effects that the research in the United States has on other parts of the world is not only interesting, but motivating.  We can take our own experiences and help another community in places that are geographically so diverse.  One of the most essential parts of integration of the Global Children's Initiative was training early childhood professionals to be leaders and coordinate this movement.  It requires multiple people working together to create and facilitate an initiative to help all children of Brazil.

I have signed up for the newsletter and look forward to reading more about expansion and learning more about this particular initiative.

Harvard University. (2014). Center on the developing child. Global children's initiative. Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/global_initiative/

The Power of Electronic Resources

    To refresh...The website and newsletter I chose was ZERO TO THREE.

     Challenging Behaviors is a section of the website and was also addressed in the newsletter for April. This is relevant to my current professional experience because I have been dealing with a particular child who has tantrums and has been hitting and biting.  This is pretty common for a two year old, however that doesn't make the situation any easier to deal with.  Studying and learning effective methods of dealing with this behavior is necessary for any early childhood professional.  We need to begin at the lowest level of behavior to understand why children react the way they do.  Looking at their history, family environment, and many other factors allows us to gain a clearer picture of challenging behaviors.

     One section I found particularly interesting and made me look at home visiting programs in a new way was the section on depression in families during home visits.  This is a very common disease and many families and children suffer from depression, anxiety, and others.  Home visits need to be noted in detail and observations should be thorough.  This involves training professionals to know what to look for and how to identify depression and other chronic illnesses in a child's environment.  This will also lead to a better understanding of how families interact and why children may be acting out or more reclusive.

    The Public Policy section of the website is adds to my understanding of how politicians are influenced by media and how their decision affect early childhood education.  Many of the resources we use, including ZERO TO THREE, are initially started to bring to light issues and trends to politicians.  The federal, state, and community levels of public policy are all discussed.  The agendas are made clear and will be submitted to administration and congress for review.  Having this information available is such a great feature and allows for a better understanding of current legislative issues.

 

Exploring Childhood Poverty in Nepal

     This week I chose to look at the childhood poverty issues in Nepal.  I found many interesting facts about this topic, however I am just going to share a few with you.  First, lets start out with some basic facts regarding Nepal:

• Children under the age of 15 make up about 40% of Nepal's population
• More than 1/3 of the population lives in poverty
• There are approximately 75,000 neo-natal and post-natal deaths every year
• Majority of children are not provided with any education

A couple of interesting insights I found while perusing the website are as follows:

1. Nepal was plagued with violence for nearly a decade over political rule and rebel fighters.  This has led to unrest and numerous deaths.  The people of Nepal are beginning to see some political stability which should help address issues of poverty and childhood fatality and hopefully begin to bring awareness to the people.
2. The growing health concerns include increased prevalence of STD's and the fight against HIV and AIDS.  There is a commercial sex trade that has been identified as a direct cause of the disease growing.
3. Poor and marginalized women are the focus of education initiatives. Many of the primary school programs are focused on girls and the underprivileged.  By creating awareness for all women, they are more capable of making the most of what learning opportunities they do have access to.  

The link to the Save the Children site:  http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150545/k.B8DE/Nepal.htm#challenges

A brief overview of Nepal's history was retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-12499391

Web Resources

ZERO TO THREE (http://www.zerotothree.org/)

This organization is the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families.  It focuses on all areas of early childhood development including: behavior and development, maltreatment, care and education, and public policy.  It serves as a resource for parents, educators, and people in general.

One issue that caught my eye on the website was the press release for response to the 2014 Budget Proposal.  Many of the politicians today, Hillary Clinton for example, have advocated on early childhood funding and care. This press release applauds the President for his efforts in bringing attention to the importance of early childhood care.  Funding starts with the communities however it ends with the politicians and the national budget.  This is a great step forward for the future of early childhood development and the future of our nation.

Quotes

This is one of my personal favorites:

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

   - Shel Silverstein

And another just because:

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” 

    - Margaret Mead

I would like to thank two blogs from my class for your inspiration throughout my Early Childhood Development class.

   FallonGirl Blog: http://cmfeigner.wordpress.com/ and

  Little Hands Loving Hard Blog: http://littlehandslovingheart.blogspot.com/

Access to Healthy Water

This week I chose the public health topic of access to healthy water.  This recently became very near and dear to my heart.  Many of you may, or may not, have heard about the recent chemical leak into the Kanawha (Elk) River that occurred in Charleston, West Virginia. (This happens to be my hometown.)  For about 7 days, 9 counties of WV were without clean and usable water.  Residents were advised to not shower, drink, or cook with the tap water.  Water stations were set up and FEMA arrived to help supply bottled (fresh) water to those living in the affected areas.  Recently, they lifted the ban for some areas and put out instructions for the flushing of the current tap water.  About a day later, they issued a warning to pregnant women that the water was unsafe for drinking, showering, etc.  The importance of safe water for pregnant women is obviously very important, as if the importance of safe and drinkable, usable water for all people.

This experience has affected so many people I know with and without children and families.  It has brought attention to the worldwide issue that many, especially those in 3rd world countries, live their lives every day without access to clean water.  This leads to death and illness for many, especially children whose immune system is not strong enough to fight off serious bacterial infections.  This has inspired me to learn and study about the crisis worldwide and find a way to help.  Whether I make a trip to help out physically or donate resources, I will find a way to make a difference in a persons' life.  This is something that will not get better unless those with the resources and knowledge reach out and help!



The link to an article in the local paper:
http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201401160034

The link to an article on Yahoo comparing this crisis to the worldwide crisis:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/many-worldwide-dont-access-clean-130336248.html
 

Birthing Experiences

   The closest and most personal birthing experience I have to share is that of my dear friend Danielle's. I threw a baby shower for her and due to the fact that the child's father wasn't in the picture, I took on a role to provide support and comfort during her pregnancy.  Finally, the day had arrived!  We did not know we would be waiting in the hospital for close to 22 hours waiting for Maliyah to arrive.  Tears of joy streamed down my face the first time I saw Danielle hold her daughter.  It is such a personal and intimate moment, something I do not know if I was fully aware of prior to this experience.  My hope is for my own birthing experience to be a happy and healthy one.  

    It was interesting to learn the differences of the birthing experience in New Zealand.  For instance, the most common care provider is a midwife.  Although they are not uncommon in the United States they are also not the most common care provider.  There are different levels of care facilities as well, primary, secondary, and tertiary.  Although there are only six tertiary facilities in New Zealand, they are also the least needed.  These facilities are for women who experience complex issues during pregnancy and need access to multidisciplinary specialists.  The commonalities and differences from country to country and region to region are definitely an interesting area to learn about.

About Me

I recently began studying to complete my Early Childhood Education master's degree program.  One of the many interesting aspects of getting an degree online has been creating a blog.  I have no experience with blogging and am still learning and finding my way.  I hope to share my journey with you all and give you a peek into my exciting educational experience!