DEC: Code of Ethics

"We shall be responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the children and families we serve by protecting all forms of verbal, written, and electronic communication"


In a time when our lives can become open books, this rule must not be taken lightly.  I am proud to say that Head Start is doing a great job.   I have seen in some places where clients are openly discussed in hallways, and I find this to be very irresponsible as well as against everything the DEC stands for.

NAEYC: Principles

" Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children"

THIS PRINCIPLE HAS PRECEDENCE OVER ALL OTHERS IN THIS CODE

A very powerful statement, and rules that I take to heart.  I know all my colleagues also follow these principles. 

NAEYC: Code of Ethics

" To create and maintain safe and healthy settings that foster children's social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development and that respect their dignity and their contributions"


Too often, children are placed with sitters and child care centers without caregivers investigating where their child will be spending a great deal of time.  Children have the right to a safe, healthy environment, unfortunetly in my town there is a lack of reliable child care for low income families.  I would like to help change this one day soon.

Toll Free Numbers: Assistance for Families

National info Center for Childen & Youth with Handicaps     1-800-999-5599

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children                1-800-843-5678

Additional Resources

• YC Young Children
• Childhood
• Journal of Child & Family Studies
• Child Study Journal
• Multicultural Education
• Early Childhood Education Journal
• Journal of Early Childhood Research
• International Journal of Early Childhood
• Early Childhood Research Quarterly
• Developmental Psychology
• Social Studies
• Maternal & Child Health Journal
• International Journal of Early Years Education

Course Resources: Part 3

Selected Early Childhood Organizations

• National Association for the Education of Young Children
  http://www.naeyc.org/
  
  
• The Division for Early Childhood
  http://www.dec-sped.org/
  
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families
  http://www.zerotothree.org/
  
  
• WESTED
  http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/home.htm
  
  
• Harvard Education Letter
  http://www.hepg.org/hel/topic/85
  
  
• FPG Child Development Institute
  http://www.fpg.unc.edu/main/about.cfm
  
  
• Administration for Children and Families Headstart’s National Research Conference
  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hsrc/
  
  
• HighScope
  http://www.highscope.org/
  
  
• Children’s Defense Fund
  http://www.childrensdefense.org/
  
  
• Center for Child Care Workforce
  http://www.ccw.org/
  
  
• Council for Exceptional Children
  http://www.cec.sped.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
  
  
• Institute for Women’s Policy Research
  http://www.iwpr.org/index.cfm
  
  
• National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education
  http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/
  
  
• National Child Care Association
  http://www.nccanet.org/
  
  
• National Institute for Early Education Research
  http://nieer.org/
  
  
• Pre[K]Now
  http://www.preknow.org/
  
  
• Voices for America’s Children
  http://www.voices.org/
  
  
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/
  

Course Resources: Part 2

: Global Support for Children’s Rights and Well-Being

• Article: UNICEF (n.d.). Fact sheet: A summary of the rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
  
  
• Websites:
  • World Forum Foundation
    http://worldforumfoundation.org/wf/wp/about-us
    This link connects you to the mission statement of this organization. Make sure to watch the video on this webpage
    
    
  • World Organization for Early Childhood Education
    http://www.omep-usnc.org/
    Read about OMEP’s mission.
    
    
  • Association for Childhood Education International
    http://acei.org/about/

Course Resources: Part 1

Position Statements and Influential Practices

• NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/dap
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on child abuse prevention. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ChildAbuseStand.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on school readiness. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/Readiness.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009). Where we stand on responding to linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/diversity.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment, and program evaluation: Building an effective, accountable system in programs for children birth through age 8. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/pscape.pdf
  
  
• NAEYC. (2009, April). Early childhood inclusion: A summary. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/DEC_NAEYC_ECSummary_A.pdf
  
  
• Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010). Infant-toddler policy agenda. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://main.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ter_pub_infanttodller
  
  
• FPG Child Development Institute. (2006, September). Evidence-based practice empowers early childhood professionals and families. (FPG Snapshot, No. 33). Retrieved May 26, 2010, from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~snapshots/snap33.pdf
  

Bronfenbrenner (1917-2005)

"He spent many of his later years warning that the processes that make human beings human were breaking down as disruptive trends in American society produced ever more chaos in the lives of America's familes and children"  Ceci, Stephen   Cornell University 2006

Lev Vgotsky (1896-1934)

" Vgotsky suggested that children with and without disabilities be educated itogether. He recognized the necessary social and cultural developments would be more likely to occur in and intergrated environment and that isolation caused by an inability to participate in collective activities might have an even more deleteriious effect than the original problems"    Berk, Laura E. and Adam Winsler 1995

Love of teaching

" I have a built in passion that was important to make a real contribution to the world and fix all the injustices in the world by teaching". Louise Derman-Sparks

Passion

"I'm not here to save the world, but to just make a difference......one little sparkle will make a difference to me" Raymond Hernadez    MS Ed   

Personal Childhood Web

One of the most loving and caring individuals in my life was my mom.  There were four of us kids, and I was the oldest. Mom and Dad worked full time so I had a lot of responsibilty; I watched the younger ones, did most of the house cleaning and sometimes I felt I had too much on my shoulders.
Mom made me feel special in so many ways; girl scout camp when money was tight, a hug when I left for school and just knowing I had a loving parent I could depend on.


Theresa: My sweet best friend whom I met at age twelve. Theresa had this huge, extended family that I loved spending time with!  I had no grandparents, but her's sort of adopted me.  I learned about German cooking, religion and what it felt like to have actual aunts and uncles(my parents siblings lived too far away).

Miss Terence:  This  elderly lady lived two doors down from my family, and her only family was a brother who was in a nursing home. Miss Terernce would pick me and my siblings up on Sunday mornings for church. I remember the wonderful Sunday school classes and the love and friendship of the people I met. She taught me that there was more than one kind of family.

Aunt Nina: Mom's older sister was one of my favorite aunts.She never married or had children of her own, but I remember telling her she had me.

Aunt Nina was very outspoken, and I remember my dad telling me I was just like her.  She shared memories of my mom when she was young and shared photos of places she had visited. I was thirteen the first time I rode the bus to visit her, and her passing left a big gap in my life.


My sister Becky:  There was a two year age difference between us, but we were very close. We not only shared a room, but clothes, pillow fights and sometimes hurtful words.  I could always talk to her about anything, and she was the one who taught me to trust. We have grown older together and she has always been a blessing to me.

Martha Williams: my second grade teacher. Miss Williams was a true lady, and is still one of my favorite teachers.  She cared about all of her students, and once a month she brought in cupcakes to celebrate birthdays for the month. She was soft spoken and I learned my love of reading from her.  

"The Kissing Hand"

One of my favorite books is "The Kissing Hand" by Audrey Penn. 

I love this book because it shows a mother raccoon's love for her son, and her unique way of handling his first day of school anxiety.
Momma tells him she loves him, and even though she can't be with him, she kisses his palm and tells him he has a part of her with him.

Quote

 " I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think"  Socrates