Professional Thank you!

I would like to say thank you to all my colleagues who helped shape my learning world this term. The doors that have been opened to me because of the sharing of information and professionalism has been amazing and enriching. Walden students foster learning and the professional community has enriched my life. Thanks to all of you and Merry Christmas. I sincerely look forward to seeing all of you in 2012~~!!!!!

Learning from the Children

This is my favorite quote about children......

While we try to teach our children all about life,

Our children teach us what life is all about.

~Angela Schwindt

We can learn about life if we watch life through the eyes of a child. They are so non-judgmental and loving. They are open to new ideas and open to change. They love to learn and have a zest for life that is amazing. Let us all remember and honor childhood.


I also remember something a wonderful presentor, Dr. Jean Feldman, said in a workshop I recently attended. She said, "Let us not be so busy trying to give children what we didn't have that we forget to give them what we did." It is not the material things in life that matter. It is the love, guidance, experiences, and memories that make people happy and self-sufficient.

Merry Christmas!

Special Education in the United Kingdom

The following is an excerpt from the Department of Education in the United Kingdom
retrieved from
http://www.european-agency.org/country-information/united-kingdom-england/national-overview/identification-of-special-educational-needs

English as an additional language, giftedness and high ability are not included within the definition of special educational needs.

The Equality Act 2010, defines a disabled person as 'someone who has a physical or mental The Education Act 1996, states that a child has special educational needs ‘if he has a learning difficulty which calls for special educational provision to be made for him’. Such provision is required when a child:

• has significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of his/her age; or
• has a disability which either prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided in schools, within the area of the local authority concerned, for children of his/her age; or
• is under the age of five years and is, or would be likely to fall within either of the above paragraphs when over that age, if special educational provision were not made for him/her.

impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities'.

I was very surprised by the recentness of the Equality Act. That was last year! Seems like they were a little late in passing this reform. The Special Education Act was in 1996. That was only 15 years ago! The guidelines also seem very broad. Interesting!

Every Child Can Learn

My feelings about labels and Special Education are very strong. I believe that although I understand why labels are necessary in today's world, I am not sure that they are always best for children. Sometimes adults focus on the label and not on the child. We tend to focus on what we think we know about the child's disability instead of really getting to know the child for who they are. About three years ago, I had two 4 year old boys in my classroom who had been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. I recieved the "paperwork" before ever meeting either one of the boys. I read the evaluations and researched the PDD on the internet. I thought I was prepared and informed. I am educated, right? I know what is going in here! WRONG! I learned so much from those two precious boys that school year. I learned that there is alot going on in those sweet little minds and those two boys are two of the smartest little boys to ever grace my classroom doors. I learned patience and it is ok if things don't always go as planned. I learned that it is ok to let a child self soothe...we can't always fix everything immediately. I learned that a smile and eye contact are sometimes all the hugs you need. I learned that love comes in a lot of ways, shapes, and forms. I learned mutual respect goes a long way. I will never forget that year. I thought the label told the story. The label lied. Every child can learn. They may not learn at the pace that society thinks they should. They may lay down, stand up, flap their hands, and seem not to be listening. Take the time to observe and watch. They are listening the only way that they can. Be patient and be loving. Teach to the whole child. The social/emotional, the cognitive, the physical, the WHOLE child. Each part. Each piece. Be patient. Results will come. Nurture each facet of each child. I truly believe that when a relationship of trust is built in the classroom between teacher and child, great accomplishments will take place.

Poverty and African Children

Poverty in Africa is very prevelant but the effects are no different on African children than children amy where else. Poverty has causes and effects. The causes are many but in Africa, most are culturally influenced. Poverty in Africa is caused by lack of education, women who are segregated and not allowed to earn livings as men do, and cultural norms. The effects are poor treatment, lack of education, high crime rates, social exclusion, poor health conditions, and high stress home lives. Poverty creates a domino effect where almost every aspect of the family's life is affected. Over 62% of African children do not complete their education. This makes the cycle impossible to break....without education there is no way out. Statistics vary from site to site but one thing is certain.....the incidence of poverty in Africa has something in common with poverty in America and it is alarming. In both countries, the rate of children living in poverty has increased each year for the last 11 years. This is scary. In the Sudan, 90 of every 1000 children die by age 5. In Ethiopia the figure is 164 per 1000, compared with a norm of 4-6 per thousand in industrialized nations. For adults, lack of food and money means lack of health care, made even more dangerous by living conditions marked by lack of clean water and adequate sanitation.  1 out if every 3 African children suffer from starvation. This is alarming and unnecessary. THE CYCLE MUST BE BROKEN! The children are suffering.

Poverty and It's Effects

As an edcuator in an income based program, I can see first hand how stressful living in poverty can be. Life is tough but when you don't have the means to put food on the table or find reliable childcare so you can hold a job, it seems unbearable at times. Although I have never experienced true povery for myself, I do work with families who live their daily lives with the bare, bare minimum. The children sometimes suffer simply because of the stress that being poor brings. I will never, ever forget my first true dealing with a child who lived in poverty. I was teaching a unit in my classroom on Community Helpers and I arranged a trip to see several places in town. The stops included the veterinarian's office, the post office, the fire station, the hospital, and a stop at the greocery store that included a tour of a truck being unloaded and the bakery. The second stop was the grocery store. A little boy in my class was absolutly amazed at the grocery store......you see, at 5 years old, he had never been there before. His parents lived in poverty. They had no vehicle. Mommy had to hitch a ride to "town" to go shop and since she was riding with someone else, there was no room to bring children. I will never forget how I felt when I realized the whole story about his lack of this experience. It was the first time I had ever thought about anything like that. In 2008, we "chose" a daughter who had been in foster care and living in extreme poverty with her biological family. When she came to live with us, there were so many experiences she had never had. She had never been inside of a mall, a Pizza Hut, a clothing specialty store, or ordered any food item EVER from a menu. She was 13 years old. The instances of how poverty affected her life are still part of our lives today. We deal with situations and instances where she is not clear on how things work because of the lack of exposure simply due to the lack of adequate financial means. Poverty affects school life, home life, social life, and all other aspects of life. Self esteem for the family as a whole suffers and the lack of self worth is most often evident in children at a very young age. Poverty causes stress that affects the whole family as well.  I truly am not sure what the answer is to combat this horrible social crisis but we must comtinue to try to break the cycle of poverty and save the children.

Breastfeeeding

Breastfeeding is the most wonderful experience! I nursed both of my girls for many months. My oldest I nursed for 13 months and the youngest for 9 months. Both of my girls stayed healthy as infants and this benefit lasted well into their childhoods. Neither one ever experienced ear infections, colds, or other common ailments for most children. I recieved great support from my husband and family. Public support was, for the most part, positive. I only recall one instance that had negative feelings attached to it. I was in the dentist office nursing discreetly in the waiting room. The receptionist from the office came over to me and politely said, "Ma'am, there is the restroom" as she pointed to the bathroom door. I asked her if she ate her lunch if the restroom. She looked rather stunned and said ,"No". I giggled and replied, "Well, neither does she". She quickly left to share that information with her co-workers. Needless to say, we finished nursing in the waiting room without much more attention.

Nursing is natural! It is easy (after the first two weeks) and it is FREE! In today's expensive society, that seems like enough benefit for me! The benefits of nursing also include babies who are nursed usually suffer fewer sicknesses and stronger immune systems than their non-nursed counterparts.

I looked at breastfeeding in several different regions of the world. In countries like Kenya, Egypt, and Ghana, nursing is encouraged and the normal practice for feeding infants. In Ghana if you do not nurse your baby then people assume that it is not really your baby. Public opinion is supportive in all three of these countries and all across Africa.

In the UK. breastfeeding is frowned upon in most regions. Only 3% of women in the UK nurse beyond 5 months. This is a very shocking fact! There are support groups for women in the UK who choose to nurse. One of the organizations that encourages breastfeeding in the UK and around the world is UNICEF. The website for breastfeeding facts and support is http://www.unicef.org.uk/BabyFriendly/About-Baby-Friendly/Breastfeeding-in-the-UK/UK-Breastfeeding-rates/
I hope you find this link to be helpful.

Nursing my girls was the most normal and natural thing for me. I cannot imagine feeding my babies any other way. It was not necessarily the easiest choice in the beginning but I am confident it was the best choice for the health of my daughters.