When I Think Of Child Development

I have known I have wanted to work in the field of education every since I was a little girl. As I got older I was able to do tutoring and work in summer programs which allowed me to gain experience. I learned so much from the teachers that I worked with, I admired them for their knowledge and wisdom. Since I have been an EHS teacher I have learned just as much from the children as they have learned from me. It amazing to see them develop from the time you get them. I feel like before my career is over I will end up working with middle or high school students. Early Childhood education will forever be in my heart. Below you will find some quotes about children that I like, I hope you enjoy!

Free the child's potential and you will transform them into the world-Maria Montessori (Bird 2012)

For children play is as natural as breathing, and as necessary- MIMI Brodsky Chenfeld (Bird 2012)

It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men- Frederick Douglas (Bird 2012)

“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.” – Stacia Tauscher - See more at: (http://www.positivemotivation.net/early-childhood-education-quotes/#sthash.QCH22O5g.dpuf)

“In early childhood you may lay the foundation of poverty or riches, industry of idleness, good or evil, by the habits to which you train your children. Teach them right habits then, and their future life is safe.” – Lydia Sigourney - See more at: (http://www.positivemotivation.net/early-childhood-education-quotes/#sthash.QCH22O5g.dpuf )

“Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression. – Dr. Hiam Ginnot - See more at: (http://www.positivemotivation.net/early-childhood-education-quotes/#sthash.QCH22O5g.dpuf )

Children must be taught how to think not what to thing-Margaret Mead (My favorite quote of all).

I also want to give an professional thanks to my colleagues Melody and Nicole. You two were both very inspirational to me in your blogs and discussion boards. Each week I looked forward to what new bright idea's and aspects you both were going to share. I want to also thank both of you'll for being professional at all times and always offering a kind word. You both are going to be master educators in whatever field of education that you choose to work in. Keep your heads held high and don't let any one or anything distract you off of your path to success. I wish you both the best and I also hope to see in our next class.

I look forward to continuing my studies, and I wish all of my classmates nothing but the best!









References

Bird, Kendell (2012) 12 Motivational Education Quotes to Inspire You http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/education/blog/12-motivational-education-quotes-to-inspire-you/

http://www.positivemotivation.net/early-childhood-education-quotes/#sthash.QCH22O5g.dpuf

Childhood Assesments

                                                                          Childhood Assessments

I am not one that’s big on assessments and test, and this is for personal reasons. When I was in school it’s like my life revolved around preparing for EOG’s. However as an early childhood teacher I do recognize the need to assessed children, so that we can see where they are developmentally. Children are always growing and changing so of course I feel that we should assess and measure their physical growth over time. So that if they are not developing normally there can be some type of intervention or treatment sought. I have to be honest I feel that assessing children in school to see what skills they have mastered is necessary only to see if they are performing at grade level. If results show otherwise they should not be used to hold children back or to label children. Instead they should be used for personalized educational plans that map out how children are going to get to the level that they should be on. If they are already on grade level their plan should state how they will be challenged. I am whole hearty against regular standardized testing in schools because I feel like they cheat teachers and students. Because some children are not good test takers and secondly teachers cannot literally place information in the head of a child. This week in our text we learned about IQ test which produces a score that measures the overall intelligence of a person (Berger 2016). This is a test that I feel that could be done for fun, but not for valid results. Because over the years the results of IQ test have been questioned.

I love to travel and one of the places that I would like to travel to is China. Chinese parents are very avid about their children’s education.  Student engagement in the classroom is prized. Students are expected to be full participants in the lessons, which often include problem solving individually or in groups. This emphasis on student engagement is common in Chinese schools, but Shanghai schools have been leaders in focusing on understanding and application rather than memorization and have even instituted a limit on the number of hours of homework a student may be assigned per day (http://www.ncee.org/programs-affiliates/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/shanghai-china/shanghai-china-instructional-systems/). Chinese children go through a formative amount of assessments throughout their time in school. At the end of their lower and secondary year of school they have to take a graduation examination. They even take tests that will help to determine if they will be accepted into college when they finish high school. All tests are given locally put differ depending on what part of China the child lives in. In 1985, the Ministry of Education granted Shanghai the right to create its own higher education entrance examination. This privilege has been granted to an increasing number of regions since then.  Since 2001, the Shanghai examination has been based on the principle of testing what students can do, rather than what they can memorize, and includes “integrated papers” – essay questions in which students must demonstrate knowledge from multiple disciplines in order to respond (http://www.ncee.org/programs-affiliates/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/shanghai-china/shanghai-china-instructional-systems/). China’s education system is very rigorous especially for the older children because they expect them to further their education, so that they can be productive members of society. I feel like all countries have their youths best interest at heart as far as education, they just have different was about do it.

                    

Reference

Berger, K. S. (2016). The developing person through childhood (7th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

http://www.ncee.org/programs-affiliates/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/shanghai-china/shanghai-china-instructional-systems/)