One of the main issues regarding quality and early childhood professional being discussed where I work is teacher moral. Some of the teachers don’t feel appreciated, they don’t feel like their voices are being heard, and they don’t feel fairly compensated. I do not share the same issues but it’s hard for me to work in such a toxic environment. Initially, I would try to talk to help them get through their day with some positivity but it became draining to me. It is my hope that leadership begins to address these issues so the environment shows improvement.

Some of my professional goals include being open to professional development, increasing the moral with my co- teacher, increased parent participation, and moving up in center leadership.

Due to state regulations there are a certain amount of hours required for professional development, therefore getting those hours does not permit an issue.

My hopes, dreams abs challenges include owning and operating my very own childcare center, being a mentor to others through out my career. The challenges would include keeping up with the fast paced world of ECE, keeping parents involved, funding, teachers who are invested into the classroom. But I’m up for those challenges! Ready to face them head on.

The newsletter that I am prescribed to is NIEER National Institute For Early Education Research. In this weeks newsletter November 22,2919/Volume19/Issue 43 an issue I decided to read more about was related to schools helping to prolong early childhood education effects?

The article highlights included

1. Children who attend an early childhood education program are more likely to attend a higher quality school.
2. Attending a magnet middle school is associated with higher state test scores
3. Attending a magnet middle school is associated with higher rates of attending a middle school

The notion is that an ECE student is most likely going to have a better chance of getting accepted to a magnet school, or any school of high academic achievement. Accordingly to Gormley (2018) Acceptance into an academic magnet school at both the middle school and high school levels is based in part on student grades and teacher recommendations. Because ECE increases student test scores we expected students enrolled in ECE to be accepted into a academic magnets at higher rates.

This issue to me sounds very realistic, and I can definitely see how ECE relates to students being accepted into higher performing middle schools and high schools. The study that the group performed on this issue was about to conclude that students who attend ECE programs are accepted at higher rates and show academic success, which is credited to them attending ECE programs.

Gormley,W (2018) The effects of Tulsa’s preschool program on middle school student performance. Journal of Policy Ayynalysis and Management, 37 pp. 63-67.

In studying Harvard University’s Global Children Initiative I was very interested in learning about all of the initiatives. I learned about the work that is been being done regarding equality and excellence in the field of Early Childhood Education.

The collaboration that the organization has with other organizations with same goals is amazing. The collaboration with NCPI to support ECE movements across the world is very important work.

Helping families who are facing adversity in innovation clusters was a very good article to really get a better idea about the mission.

Lastly, I enjoyed the article about Frontiers of innovation and it’s launch of the lab to help other researchers, from multidisciplinary terms as it relates to co-creators.

National Institute for Early Education Research weekly newsletter

This weeks article titled: Revised Model Work standards for teaching Staff in center based child care. This week the newsletter topic focused on recent work the Center for study of Child Care Employment and the American Federation of Teachers have updated their Model Work Standards to reflect a 21 st century context.

The topics relevant to my current professional work include addressing the needs of the professionals taking care of the children. The idea that better adults equal better child care. It makes perfect sense, a good way to improve the quality of childcare.

I did not find any topics or ideas in the article controversial.

From this weeks newsletter I learned that looking quality standards over a period of time can help with improving quality care. The organization admits that they are still working on improvements as it relates to the need of children and the needs of adults are interconnected.

The organization website I am closely studying is National Institute for Early Education Research

In this weeks newsletter the issue related to poverty is introduced in an article titled Large Hispanic Population States use New Federal Dollars to Increase payment rates to child care providers payment rates

Article main points :

In 2018 Congress appropriated nearly $2.4 billion to help states meet the goals and requirements of the 2014 reauthorization of the Child Care and development Block Grant, the largest source of federal funding for childcare.

The Hispanic communities used the money to increase payment rates to providers, also invest in professional development activities for childcare workforce, invest in toddler and infant care, and lastly increase the number of children receiving subsidized childcare.

Due to these funds being state funds the issue is each state can examine and allocate funds to their discretion, creating only a possibility that the communities in need in the most at risk neighborhoods may not be afforded the funding.

In my opinion this so unfair to the population in need. It’s a slap in the face, it’s like saying we have the funding all that you need but varying state by state we shall decide if you deserve it. Therefore a community childcare center had plans to start a business or increase subsidies those plans are not established continuously until the funding amount is finalized. This is so unfair to a community, children and families who are in need.

I subscribed to NIEER -National Institute for Early Education Research weekly newsletter. The weekly newsletter is emailed to subscribers via info@nieer.org. The weekly topics vary in topics regarding Early Childhood Education. The past two episodes were Should Preschoolers writing be more communication and a less ABC’s? and Access to High Quality State-funded Preschool by Black and Latino Children.

I was very interested in this weeks topic issued on November 8,2019 Volume 19/ Issue 41. The research completed on this topic was from an annual survey of state pre-k programs. The issue is related to Latino children being underrepresented in state-funded preschool programs in 11 of 26 states and black children are underrepresented in three of those states.

The article points out that NIEER’s annual survey should be taken cautiously due some differences that hinge on whether the states provide significant services for any children at age 3. The annual survey does take an accurate evaluation of the enrollment of Black and Latino children in state pre-k requires taking into account Head start enrollment, which the report does not do.

This issue is most important to me because all children deserve important learning opportunities and they don’t have access due to barriers. I am grateful that organizations such as NIEER shares the research that they have found to address such issues. I hope that this issue and more are seen just as important to lawmakers and politicians so that any barriers are addressed and all children have access that they need to pre-k programs.

This week I reviewed Global Fund for Children website and read an article titled Theory of Change Understanding how we enable change and measuring what matters. After reading this article I learned about many issues that have intrigued me. GFCs role in the theory of change is to provide evidence based practices, so that they can be measured. In this article GFC presented how they developed their theory of change and the challenges.

It was my understanding that initially GFC did not have certain things in place to measure their impact. I do give GFC credit for knowing that they wanted to make sure all children and youth were safe, however we all know things like that need measurements. GFC now has a system set in place for financial and capacity development support, they now can offer more contributions to social change.

Lastly, GFC is very transparent and is looking at ways they still need to improve. They seek to now are learning of ways to reinforce their internal capacity to utilize data for decision-making and learning. What I think is really awesome is GFC’s transparency allowing us in to see their successes as well as things they can work on.

Part 2-Expanding Resources- NIEER

In selecting early childhood organization websites it was important to me that it was easy for an individual to move through the website. The site is very informative and answers all the questions. Lastly, I am pleased that the website has a newsletter, I was able to subscribe to the weekly newsletter.

When I think about my days and where they are most spent it would be work. Therefore, I would have to say I have a huge support system at my jobs. Most often we all try to help one another professionally and personally deal with the daily task. Outside of work, I would say family is key to making sure my days are carefree. Most often I can pick up my phone and make a call or text for assistance and I can depend on at least one person to help, I would have to say I am blessed with a great support system.

 It is very beneficial to have my support systems in my life, I would go crazy without them, I mean who would I call when the kids need to be picked up from school and I have an emergency, who would I call when I am having car problems, and who would I call when I am having a bad day and just need to vent. If I had to deal with all of theses issues alone it would be very chaotic.

As I reflect on play as a child it is nothing like play today. In the words of scholars ” Children have full time occupation. It’s called Play! Let them be occupied by it from early years until theirtwilight” – Vince Gowmon

” Play is the highest form of research”- Albert Einstein

Growing up I was never questioned, asked what I was doing or given directions on how to play. This all begin in my home my parents allowed me to play freely and pressure free. I was never sent to a particular place to play, there were no time limits placed on my play I was free. Transitioning to grade school, even though in class their were certain areas we had to play in the play was still very much free, and outside play was more like outside play at home. Play for me looked like group games outside hide and seek, hop scotch, kickball. Indoor play included board games, duck duck goose, and Jax allowing me to opt in or out as I choose.

Play today is very organized, I understand from being in the classroom that it is often for safety reasons, school administrators believe when children have free play there are more injuries. My concern with that is why can’t anyone teach them how to be safe during free play. Recess is just not the same, it’s planned, organized and limited to certain activities and if you don’t follow the rules you are punished! Who gets punished during play?

Growing up I reflect on how play shaped my life skills. I grew up an only child everything inside my house was mine, I didn’t have to share. In free play I had to learn with peers what communication looked like, how to be a team player and how to share. As an adult these are things I have to do in every job/career I have had and I can say I have been successful for the most part with few hiccups.

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If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, travel together- African Proverb.

Life isn’t meant to be done alone. You need partnerships and collaborations every step of the way as you develop. Think back to when we were all children: we were thought how to share at such a young age. This was our first exposure to partnerships. As you grew older, you were placed in groups for projects and other things. As an adult, you get married and share you life with someone else.

I have established partnerships with my husband, my children, my coworkers, community partners, and friends. Each partnership means something different to me and impacts my life in one way or another. Each partnership also teaches me one or two things about myself that I might have not known before.