Inspirational Quote

The thing that inspires and excites me about my advocacy plan and being an advocate is the fact that I feel like I am making a difference in the lives of students and families in literacy and language development. If I can only hope for a chance to see that children are taking an interest in books, magazines, environmental print or just using or opportunity to know that literacy and language is used at home during daily activities is a plus. When I know that parents are including reading in their daily activities with children and taking walks, talking about things in the environment, this is good. I see children in the classroom looking at their favorite books. They talk about the pictures and some begin to dictate the story to their classmates. Familarity of books is the key in getting children interested in books and reading. My advocacy plan is having classes for parents in how to read to their children at home and ways to use inferences to ask questions. These classes or workshops can be made accessible to parents so they can participate in literacy activities with their children that are learning experiences and fun for the family.

The challenge that I see is parents making a commitment to give up 10 – 15 minutes for reading activities. I know that many parents have very busy schedules, and are tired when they get home. After working all day, most parents come home prepare dinner, clean and check homework. As a parent myself, I know that it can be a little overwhelming to spend that extra time, but that 10 minutes will make a difference.

"It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed." Quote by Napoleon Hill

I think what will be most effective in helping me to overcome challenging emotions that I may be feeling in regard to presenting and implementing my Advocacy Action Plan is constantly reminding my parents that everyday of reading makes a difference. I know that I will have to stay committed and be prepared to offer suggestions if needed. They need to find 10 -15 minutes in their schedule to spend quality time reading to their child at home. Introducing picture books and easy readers are good beginning for children and parents can read the same book repeatedly. Children become familiar with the story and they begin to read the books to the parents. I would ask a group of parents to try reading for a two week period. Pick a time and read for 10 minutes every other day for the first week. The second week, the parents should read for 10 minutes everyday. After the second week, parents can give me their feedback on improvements.

Thank you !

A note to say thank you for visiting my blog and posting comments.  It took some time for me to get this blog up and going.  But, I must say, it has been an adventure.  I have figured out how to move around a little more than when I first started.  I will continue to visit other blogs from the classroom.  Do not stop posting.

Yvette T.

Module 4

This week I had the opportunity to assess a student in letter knowledge and phonics.  This student has been in Head Start for two years and the mother wanted him to be tested for kindergarten.  The teacher asked me to assess and I was surprised that this student only knew four letters.  He did not any recognition of sounds of the alphabet.  I asked the student to tell me the letters in his name. He was only able to recognize two letters in his name.  I was totally shocked.  This student writes his name everyday.  The teacher does the ABC Word Wall everyday, along with the morning chart.  I can honestly say that this student has no concept of what the letter are. 

Now when I go into the classroom, I search out this student and work with him.  If this student does not grasp the letter/sound correspondence, he will have some serious problems in the beginning months of kindergarten.

I have asked the mother to work with him at home.  She was surprised that he did not know his letters.  I asked if she worked with him at home and she said that his siblings did.  I suggested to her to read books to him. Environmental print from fast food restaurants, familiar foods or books that he likes she can point out the letters to him.

I would like to advocate for programs that will help familes incorporate reading into everyday activities.  This could be in the form of creating shopping lists for groceries, a list of chores, types of foods they like or a learning how to keep a journal.

Early childhood professionals could support this effort by donating books or helping familes to choose websites that will teach phonics and letter recognition. 

Yvette T.

Interactive with Program Director

Module 3

I had the opportunity to spend some time with the program's director this week.  She express that she was hopeful that with the new creative arts after school programs, children will get a better grasp of social emotional skills, creative arts and an immersion in language.  There are many children in the school who are ELL and this can be a difficult time for these students and parents.  Parents are trying to adjust to a new neighborhood and children are adjusting to a new school, friends and teachers.

It is helpful when after school programs are created where students can slowly become a community of learners.  "We have included many after school programs such as cooking, music, drama and dance for our students at the school".  Many teachers have volunteered their time to help these students to develop social emotional skills while creating opportunities for an emersion in language.  "We did an International Night that was very successful with familes and children who performed from grades Pre-K to 5th grade".

How would you address the advocacy issue with professionals in your setting?

I would address this issue by advocating for more school and community events where children and families have the opportunity to learn about other cultures and be exposed to more language. 
The director expressed a need for more teachers to find time to give back to the students and was hopeful that it will be a successful year next year with the new afterschool programs.  The children and the community expressed an interest in participating in these afterschool events.

What kind of difference would I make in this community or my field?

I would like to make a difference by inviting guests to come to afterschool programs in order for students to learn more from experts in their fields.  It does make a difference when you involve children, families, schools and the community to events.  It makes the setting feel more like a family

Yvette T.

Focus Thought - Module 3

I am focusing my paper on how to create a classroom of exceptional learners by incorporating phonics, technology and parent involvement.  I have noticed that in the center that I am working at, there seems to be children who have been in the program for almost eight months and still have not mastered phonemic awareness and are still having a problems with alphabet recognition.  These children are struggling with combining sounds.  Children who work on computers become easily frustrated when they are not able to complete the program.  And, when frustration sets in, many children want to switch to another program that is less challenging.  It takes some time for children to get use to using  program and when they feel that it is too hard they move on to something a little less challenging.

How can these children be prompted to stay on a progam and work with a phonics lesson for at least ten to fifteen minutes a day in order to increase phonics and alphabet recognition?  The teacher notes that it takes time and children have to be in small groups.

Parents can also help by reciting nusery rhymes and playing word games with their children.  Another suggestion is to have at least two nursery rhymes that children can recite to help with words that sound alike.  Those parents who do not have computers at home can be given blending words to help children with sounds.

Yvette T.

Linking Literacy, Technology and Parent Involvement

There are many approaches to reading and the debate is between the whole versus the part learning.  I have found the teachers have to find a medium between teaching phonics first which is called the "bottom up" approach.  Children begin to learn the names, shapes and letters in the alphabet.  After learning the letters in the alphabet, they begin to learn consonant sounds, which is then followed by more complex vowel correspondence sounds.  This type of learning helps children to break up complex words.  Another approach is teaching children to read by looking at familiar words.  This way to teaching children to read is called the "top down" approach.

I think the best way to teach children to read is to use both approaches.  Incorporating phonics and sight words together will help children develop sounds as well as new ways to look at words in reading books.
I have found that in teaching literacy is is necessary to use open-ended querstions with children.  Children need to be in a classrom where the atmosphere promotes an environment of learning.  Ask children questions about the story, and how they feel about what is going on in the story.

Parents can be a part of this literacy learning by reading books that encourage children to be active listeners.  As children begin the process of listening, as open ended questions such as ""Where and when does the story take place?", Can they create a different ending to the story?, "What do they think is the main idea of the story?". 

Computers are a great resource for teaching phonics to children also.  They provide opportunities for children to work independently or in small groups. 

Gunning, T.G.  (2004).  Teaching Literacy Instruction for All Children in Grades Pre-K to 4
Cooper, D.J. ( 2000).  Literacy:  Helping Children Construct Meaning. 

Y. Tuitt

Healthy Nutrition ideas experts from the UM

On Tuesday, May 3, I was able to observe a nutrition series that is taking place at SHL Head Start.  There will be an ongoing program at SHL Head Start that will focuses on good nutritional skills for children and families.  This program is offered by the University of Maryland and is a five week program that offers good nutrition tips and cooking recipes for families.  This program was wonderful because it incorporates learning about foods that are good for children and different ways to get children to enjoy eating new foods.  The two nutritionists that came to prepare the foods were very knowledgeable and excited about coming to the school.

The first step in helping parents was to get the parents to participate in a motor activity with their children outside.  The parents were encouraged to walk and jump along with their children.  The suggestion was that this can be done at least 3 times a week.  Parents were encouraged to take their children out for a short 20 = 30 minute walk.

The women talked about how to cook healthy meals that are meatless and also discussed how children need not drink juice with every meal.  They were encouraged to give their children water along with meals.

Another thing that was positive about this class was that it provided child care to the parents who came to the meeting.  Many times parents have no one to look after their children so they prefer not to come to the meetings at all.

Children and parents had a good time at this first session.  Parents were able to get good tips on how to create a nutritional meal and children were learning social skills as they waited for the session to end.

Focus question:  How do organizations get more parents involved in health nutrition classes in elementary schools?

Can centers offer opportunites for local chefs to come to classroom to show parents how to prepare healthy meals?

Are there interactive computer programs that will teach children about good nutrition?

Yvette

Technology Information from CEC-Computer program helps struggling students build skills

Educators at a Michigan middle school are helping struggling students build reading and math skills with SuccessMaker, a computer-based learning system. The program first assesses students' proficiency levels, then provides them with an avatar to complete self-paced, personalized lessons aimed at boosting their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. Patch.com/Dearborn, Mich. (5/5

Technology research is aimed at equality in education

Researchers at Bowie State University are working to expand equal access to education for students with disabilities through technology. One project -- in collaboration with researchers at the University of Illinois -- seeks to interprete graphic images for individuals with visual impairments, while another project aims to understand the psychological and cognitive issues associated with assistive technology and promote concepts in universal design. Diverse: Issues In Higher Education (5/5) 

Infomation from CEC-Job training partnership benefits students with disabilities

A Chicago public school for students with developmental disabilities is partnering with a local chain of grocery stores to provide students with job training. The students first receive lessons and training in an on-campus lab that simulates a grocery store before learning interview skills and taking on a work-study position at a local store. "We take them all the steps of the way," special-education teacher Barbara Otis said. WLS-TV (Chicago) (5/5)

Early Childhood Professionals Who Make a Difference

Professionals who make a difference are one in a million.  After talking to this seasoned teacher, I realized once again that working as a teacher in the Early Childhood Education is the best position I could possible be in.  Her comment on using technology in an early childhood environment:  This is a great topic.  Technology has long been an ally in enhancing learning in literacy development in Early Childhood development because technology approach is through attractive/ colorful interactive games evidenced by how our Head Start children are learning in our mini computer center in our classroom.

Helpful related topic would be the kinds of technology you want to be used in the classroom i.e, is your study just limited to computer software and parts of it, or others like scanner, recorder, and stuff. She suggested these two links that will help.

http://secure.worldforumfoundation.org/library/5015417.pdf
http://www.netc.org/earlyconnections/byrequest.pdf

Current issues related to this  topic would be training for the teachers/personnel that should facilitate this technology, if it will be in technology what kind of software that will best enhance literacy or what kind of interactive games (focus or content), if the use of all technology resources- the availability of the technology tools in each classroom, will it be taught separately in the classroom or will it be integrated in all other curricular areas.

Other issues that commonly encounter in working with colleagues are
*The "how" of teaching a particular concept or lesson.
* Teaching should not just be to raise test scores /to pass standardized/State Test/ or meet AYP  (but teachers are tied into this cycle because they need to meet the expectation and therefore neglecting the true essence of teaching) rather than teach to the goal of education --- to develop students who are ‘confident and motivated’ and who enjoy reading and writing on their own, who enjoy challenges, and are able to work cooperatively.

A website that will help with advocacy efforts is: (Retrieved from http://www1.pgcps.org/UDL/index.aspx?id=132932)
    •      Special Education Law and Advocacy for Children with Disabilities
A Parent’s Guide to Advocacy on Universal Design for Learning, a Parent Advocacy Brief by the National Center on Learning Disability.
National Task Force on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) sponsored by the Advocacy Institute shares helpful online resources.
Universal Design for Learning and Meaningful Access to the Curriculum sponsored by TASH.

Another advocacy group that has useful information:
http://www.childrensdefense.org/policy-priorities/advocate-family-resources/child-advocacy-groups/
An issue that is of most concern are most in need of advocacy is
* Needy children & families -providing them with materials/resources they will need to educate themselves like training, seminar, books and literature in their language & with English translation and other related resources to improve their way of living, process of learning by both parents and children.

Thanks

Interviewing Professionals in Early Childhood

I am thinking about focusing my research paper on literacy development using technology in an early childhood classroom environment.  I had the opportunity to interview a teacher who has been teaching in this country for two years.  Before the interview, I wanted to get a little background information on how teaching was different or the same in her country. She is originally from the Philippines.  This teacher explained to me that teaching is a little different because of the children’s SES.  Most of the children are from parents who are economically stable and most are college graduates.  She sees an improvement in the learning of students as when they can work on computers that have programs that incorporate the children to be interactive. In the interview she stated that children have access to the newest technology and with the knowledge programs are enhanced to develop learning as students master one program after another.
Some of the related topics that she found interesting is that children in her classroom now do not have enough time to work on programs and she notes that it takes a one-on-one effort to help students to achieve more learning skills.  Another issue is insuring that basic programs are available to students who are ELL in order to slowly incorporate learning.
In discussions with other colleagues, she commented that there seems to be a disagreement of the amount of time students need in order to master programs.  It has been noted that teachers feel that they do not have enough time to sit with students on a one-on-one basis.  With a classroom of 20 students, it can be a little overwhelming to help individual students.  Some teachers have up to 25 students in the classroom with no paraprofessional.
Advocay effots that are currently underway in the area in the field of technology are teachers advocating for appropriate training, newer computer in classrooms, teachers who are using blogs, and comic creating software to help students to become more creative in their use of new technology on computers.
“All issues that on technology that will give students the opportunity to work effortlessly and creatively with computers are issues that I will advocate for”


Interview completed by Y. Tuitt 4/20/11

One Day At a Time

As we live our life one day at a time, remember to make a difference in a child's life.  Many children do not get the opportunity to listen to stories, create adventures with friends, enjoy making new friends or singing familiar nursery rhymes.  Give a child the opportunity to listen, create, sing and be included.

One day at a time.....

Yvette