ellamaeterryearlychildhoodeducation

     Blog 4

    Literacy is the road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential." 
~ Kofi Annan

  

     I had the pleasure of observing and interacting with more closely the parents and children of the Hegewisch Daycare Center.  At first, I was a little nervous about observing and interacting with the children and families.  After doing so, I was glad that I did.  They left such a wonderful impression on me regarding early childhood literacy.  

     The Director, Social Service Worker and Host Teacher, introduced me to the families upon each of their arrival.  Ms. "O" the social service provider shared my reasons for being there.  She then walked me to the toddlers classroom.  There I spoke to one of the parent in this particular classroom.  Ms. "O" informed me of the parent being an advocate for early childhood literacy and how she goes out to the different hospitals and read to children that are less fortunate.  I asked Ms."P" (the parent), "What made her get involved in literacy? and Why?".  Ms. "P" shared her reasons.  She stated that this ha always been an interest to her, because she remembers being read to as a child and having a food foundation that was laid in her early childhood years.  Because of that, it inspired her to give that which was given to her back to those she feels are less fortunate.  She went on to say that doing her early childhood years, she learn from being read to that her ability to focus while being read to helped her to succeed in school.  In addition to that, she is able to identify what reading and writing skills look like and being able to read fluently.  Al of the help me to interact, self regulate, gain ability to focus my attention, socially interact and gain control over my action.  I know that sounds like a lot, but it is true.  Because of that, I felt the need to reach out and give back to others what was given to me.  For me, that was a WOW!!! moment.  I thanked her for her insights and giving me the opportunity to talk with her.  

     Ms. "O" then took me to my home room teacher Ms."S".  She was standing and doing instructional activities with the children.  Ms."S", asked if I wanted to talk to one of the parents in her room;.  I replied yes.  As she was talking, the doorbell ranged.   It was a parent.  I asked if it would be okay to talk to her regarding early childhood literacy.  I shared my reasoning for being at the center.  She welcomed me and sat down to talk.  I asked her, "What are some concerns you have as it relates to early childhood literacy?"  She looked at me and hesitated for a minute or two and then replied.  As a parent, I can see why literacy is not to be taken lightly.  As I watch TV, read different articles as well as in my child's school all I hear is "school readiness".  It is understood, that children must be able to read and write at a level to be successful in today's world.  I'm preparing myself and my child to succeed in school.  I'm teaching my child the sounds of the alphabet to become fluent for reading in the future, because this is a must and it is very important.  I want for my child to be able to make sense and know that letters can be put into words and that words means something.  Words convey meaning.  I want for my child to know and mean what he say.  I want him to make sense out of what it is he is trying to convey as he interacts with others as he exchanges dialogue.  I take it serious and that is why I do a lot of one-to-one correspondence with my child.  This is to equip him to be literate as he learns to read and write.  This was another WOW!!! moment for me.  I was so amazed with the response I got from the conversation with the parents.  I wasn't expecting her to be as detailed and in depth as she were.  I walked away feeling so enlighten with the thoughts and response I gained from the parents about the way they felt about early childhood literacy.  From the beginning of the conversation to the end, I have gained another level of respect for parents and their thoughts.  

     Observing and interacting with parents that close, I had the opportunity to learn and gain insights that they to have a voice and that their voice needs to be heard.  As an advocate, they to are advocating for their children and their children's needs.  They care about empowering themselves and the future of their children as it relates to literacy.  

Blog No. 3 ECE 450

     I had the pleasure of observing and interacting with the Program Director and other Administrative Staff at the Henry Booth House Hegewisch Staff for the last several weeks. 

     I spoke with Ms. D.  She is the Director at the Hegewisch Daycare Center.  I chose to speak with the director first, because I had been communicating with her over the phone and through email.  Ms. D. shared with me how long she had been in the education field for the past fifteen years.  She had received her Bachelor’s Degree from Erik Institute as an Infant/Toddler Specialist.  She is currently working on her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.  She went on to share with me about how long she worked as a teacher in the classroom.  She worked in the classroom for all fifteen years. 

     I went on to share my reason for observing and interacting with her.  I shared my passion as an advocate for children as it relates to early literacy.  I shared with her why I believe early literacy is vital in the lives of children and that it must take place at an early age.  I shared that for the next five weeks I will be researching, observing, and interacting with her and the staff to gain a greater understanding why I believe as well as why others believe early literacy is important in the lives of children.   I went on to say why I’ve chosen this topic.  This is a topic that is not to be overlooked.  It must be addressed.  She agreed and began to share her concerns about early literacy.  She shared that the staff is putting together a “Family Literacy Night” for the children and families they serve.  It will be a way to reach out to parents and parents learn important tip or strategy to use when reading aloud to their children.  She shared that this year they have plans to work hard and involve the parents more.  She invited me out to the event when it is to take place. 

   The second person I spoke to was Ms. As the summer approaches, the children including the infants & toddlers go to the library for story time.  It is a community outreach program provided by the city to incorporate language development through reading. The children walk to the library and walk back.  The babies are pushed in their buggy.  The teachers and staff talks to the children while walking to the library.  They sit to enjoy others reading and not themselves all the time.  At this point in the conversation, I shared that in my research, it stated that early language and literacy (reading and writing) development begins in the first three years of life and is closely linked to a child’s earliest experiences with books and stores.  I asked her do she agree with the findings.  Absolutely I do, she replied.  There is no way of getting around literacy, reading and writing.  In a world that is technology driven, we need to be able to engage proficiently and strategically.  For those reasons alone, I advocate literacy and my passion on behalf of the children and families I come into contact with.  The library is a good resource for use to gain information as well as be informed about advocating on behalf of literacy.  I thanked her for her time and went into the office with Mrs. “O”

     I was greeted by Mrs. “O” upon entering her office.  I introduced myself and shared my reason for coming and interacting with the administrative staff.  Ms. “O” is the Family Service Provider.  She provides services to the children and families.  I asked Mrs. “O”, “What is her intake about advocating early literacy?”  I believe that it should be given much attention to.  As a child to an adult, I struggled with reading.  I could remember how I used to stutter and when the children would laugh, I would get embarrassed.   That stopped me from wanting to read aloud.   I vowed to never read aloud again.  I no longer feel the same.  I strongly want to advocate on behalf of others.  What I could do now as a professional will affect others.  I have now raised my awareness.  Reading while the baby is in the womb can make a world of a difference.  I’m about making a difference in all the areas of learning.  I agree with that.  My first difference would be to empower others on the importance of literacy.  My four year old granddaughter loves to get the book after being read to.  That motivated me to want to read to her.  I don’t want her to be left in the class.   

     I spoke to Ms. “C”.  She is the Educational Coordinator.  She works along side with Mrs. “O”.  She believes that “Early Literacy” is just as equally important in the lives of the children and families they serve.  A big factor to my surprise was that Ms. “C” couldn’t read.  I played reading and writing down.  I would not go into the writing center because one of the children made a mistake.  I would go regardless to the fact because I’m aware of the importance of early literacy.  It sets the tone for emergent reading and how we are to embrace reading with ease.  If a lot of people felt the way you feel, we would have a better world and environment for learning through hands-on experiences.  Literacy starts with the parent.  They are needed and to be treated as such.  Besides reading and writing, there are other ways of learning the importance of early literacy. 

     Insights I’ve gained was that early literacy is vital.  We must not sit around and wait.  We must do something about early literacy and impact the learning environment with an array of materials that would promote early literacy. 

          Sources:  www.zeroto three.org/Brain Wonders/early-language-                literacy/earlyliteracy2pagehandout.pdf.

         

    

Observing and Interacting With Professionals, Children, and Families in an Early Childhood Setting

Ella Terry (Early Childhood Literacy)

Blog Journal 2-EDU 450

Observing and Interacting With Professionals in an Early Childhood Setting

     During my observation and interacting with professionals, it was brought to my attention from the conversation that emergent literacy is important.  It supports the learning development of the child.  It is not to be taken lightly.  As professionals, we must make every effort to provide children with effective strategies as well as offer positive opportunities for them to want to learn.   Also, I found that literacy within itself is one of the major concerns in assessing how well children comprehend language and be able to use it fluently.

     I did my observation in a Preschool setting with children ages 6 months-to-5 years of old.   The host teacher in which I did my observation with name is Ms. Smith.  Ms. Smith was recommended by the Site Manger for me to do my observation because she has a strong passion when it comes to Literacy.  She has seventeen students and a Co-Teacher that works in the room with her.  She welcomed me as well as the children as I shared my reason for being there.  Upon my arrival, the children were setting the table for breakfast.  They talked during Breakfast.  They (the children) were asked questions about what they were eating.  As I looked around the room, the walls were filled with the students work and at eye level for the children to view.  On the walls were the children drawing and story dictation, books in every area of the classroom, writing materials pencils, crayons, markers, envelopes, paper, stamp pads, stencils, and magazines were placed in the writing center.  There was a Sign-In sheet for the children to sign their names as they enter the room.  Each child’s name had a different number and color.   On the wall, the children’s name was placed on it starting with the child’s name from A-to-Z along with other words.  Children’s name was placed on their chairs.  All the areas in the room were labeled and identified.  The Writing Board was place in the center on the rug where Instructional Time took place.  During Instructional Time, I observed the children take part in meaningful activities, Sing-Along, Read-Aloud, Story Dictation, Counting, Numbers, and Shapes recognition.  The teacher called attention to the letter-sound relationship.  For example she said, “That word begins just like (L one of the children’s).  It begins with the letter “L.” She used different strategies to incorporate and demonstrate knowledge of the alphabet.  There were two computers in the classroom with headphones placed along the sides of the computer table.  Teaching Strategies is the lesson that the entire center uses.  The Lesson Plan is placed on the wall in a cover sheet to be seen and observed.  The lessons are studies that are provided within the Teaching Strategy Library that is given to all the teachers.  The studies lessons are taken from it.  During the week of my observation, they were doing a study on Mammals (Lions).  As an extension to what the children get in the classroom, the do go to the Library once a week to hear stories of all kinds by the Librarian followed by an art project.   These are all the things I’ve learned as I spoke with Ms. Smith and during my observation.

     Insights I gained during my conversation with the different professionals as it relates to Literacy, is that you can’t expect for children to know literacy if it is not properly introduced.  Literacy starts early on in life and carries on into adulthood.  Every effort should be made to incorporate Emergent Literacy throughout the day and in the life of a child.  Literacy starts with the parent.  They are the first to introduce sounds through singing, listening, and talking that supports the development of the child. 

     There is a quote I like to share in my blog this week as it relates to Emergent Reading.  Children do not learn to read by magic.  Rather, they learn by engaging with other, more accomplished readers around print.  Caregivers and teachers play a critical role in promoting children’s participation with books.  They explain important concepts, encourage children’s attention to meaningful events in stories, and involve them in using the information they are learning in dynamic ways that build connections beyond the printed page.

                                                                                                                  ---Neuman, Copple, & Bredekamp (2000)

Literacy

After interviewing a couple of people, I was'nt satified with what was said to me. I went back to interview more professionals regarding Literacy because of the concerns I had as it relates to promoting literacy in the classroom (what it promotes), while at home and in the womb. I was torn between chosing Literacy, Poverty and or English Language Learners. I had the pleasure of interviewing a Site Director, Early Childhood Teacher and Librarian. After each interview, I decided to go with being an advocate for literacy.

Insights I've gained during my conversation with the different professionals is that each of them feel that literacy is not being done as often as it should. Parents are the child's first teacher and reading to them while in the womb is of great importance. Each of them had concerns about the absence of or lacking of the quality of literacy. What are ways to encourage literacy. We as teacher make a conscious effort to incorporate literacy, but it don't stop with us. We make every effort to met the need and interest in tin literacy a welcome one. The interviews influenced my decision and provided great impact in my topic interest to proceed further in my research on literacy.

It has influenced my focus and helped me to narrow in on the lack, quality, and ways to incorporate literacy. It caused me to look at literacy from another perspective. I have to raise my thought pattern to fit into the real reason why literacy is important in the early years of life. It lays the foundation for future endeavors. It is vital in the life of a child to know how to read and comprehend what is being ask of them through words.

A question I have is, "Why is literacy not seen a important?

Literacy

After interviewing a couple of people, I was'nt satified with what was said to me.  I went back to interview more professionals regarding Literacy because of the concerns I had as it relates to promoting literacy in the classroom (what it promotes), while at home and in the womb. I was torn between chosing Literacy, Poverty and or English Language Learners.   I had the pleasure of interviewing a Site Director, Early Childhood Teacher and Librarian.  After each interview, I decided to go with being an advocate for literacy.

Insights I've gained during my conversation with the different professionals is that each of them feel that literacy is not being done as often as it should.  Parents are the child's first teacher and reading to them while in the womb is of great importance.  Each of them had concerns about the absence of or lacking of the quality of literacy.  What are ways to encourage literacy.  We as teacher make a conscious effort to incorporate literacy, but it don't stop with us.  We make every effort to met the need and interest in tin literacy a welcome one.   The interviews influenced my decision and provided great impact in my topic interest to proceed further in my research on literacy.

It has influenced my focus and helped me to narrow in on the lack, quality, and ways to incorporate literacy.  It caused me to look at literacy from another perspective.  I have to raise my thought pattern to fit into the real reason why literacy is important in the early years of life.  It lays the foundation for future endeavors.  It is vital in the life of a child to know how to read and comprehend what is being ask of them through words. 

A question I have is, "Why is literacy not seen a important?

Literacy

What are your feeling on literacy?