11/23/09
EveryDay Exchange: Touch and Go:
Tad Waddington, appeared in Psychology Today (November 2009): shared how “Monkeys go nuts if they are not touched”. People are much the same. Babies need to be touched in order to develop properly. I remember reading stories of babies in orphanages. If the babies weren’t being touched they began acting differently from regular babies. In a true story of a child adopted from Romanian, the adoptive mother tried to regain the neglected child’s ability to receive love. It was very sad, she was unsuccessful. Everyone deserves to have human contact. Teachers that incorporate touching and hugs into their classroom teaching style have happier children.
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The Contribution of Early Childhood education to sustainable society: UNESCO:
The first stage for the foundation was “Foundation for lifelong learning and development and building a sustainable society”.
This article reflects on the linkage between early childhood education and sustainable development. They found that sustainability in the early years is significantly under-practiced, under resourced and under- examined. We live in a sea of change concerning the practices happening in the early childhood community.
I found the study in Australia to be interesting. Australia has embedded sustainability throughout all aspects and in so doing provided opportunity for children to act as agents of change for sustainability. Wow, I wish we had done this in America! It’s going to take foundational changes for us to do something like this. Also, it will take some serious mind changes.
There are 7Rs for education for sustainable development reduce, reuse, recycle, respect, repair, reflect and refuse. Each part includes not only the child but the families and the community.
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Chapter 10 Providing Nutrition, Health, and Safety Services
Providing for children's nutrition, healthy, and safety are key components of quality early childhood programs. It’s very important that a director keeps herself informed about every area of this chapter. Much of the licensing process focuses on nutrition, health and safety.
Nutrition
We just can’t learn enough about nutrition. After all the newsletters and information that goes out, our school still has children bringing, for breakfast, “mountain dew (soda) and doughnuts”. Now, I understand (and do my fellow colleagues) the concept of being so busy that cooking can be a chore; none-the-less, rather that soda, choice juice or milk, instead of doughnut, choice fruit. It’s not always about time as some parents will indicate.
Early childhood programs need to ensure that children are offered a variety of healthy and appealing foods. It is important for programs to promote healthy eating, nutrition and exercise as part of their daily routine. On raining days active indoor play is important. We have clean balls kept inside for just these types of days.
Safety
Emergency folders need to be accessible at all times to all staff. The numbers should remain updated all the time. Many parents change jobs and addressed without letting the school know, it’s in a situation that the school finds out. Teachers and staff should routinely ask parents for any numbers or other changes that might affect the child. Knowing and posting child's allergies, and any special medications they may need or might be allergic also.
Safety breaches on so many areas. The teachers ability and intuition to foresee situations that could be dangerous to a child, is part of the job.
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Hi Judith,
ReplyDeleteI had never thought about children as agents of change -- what a concept! How might teachers and administrators create environments where children engage as agents of change? Does it call for the serious mind change you discuss? What might it mean for a school's mission or structures? What might it mean for teacher education programs?
How might you describe a child as an agent of change? Are there certain characteristics? Does it only relate to sustainability?
Jeanne
I also read the EveryDay Exchange on how “Monkeys go nuts if they are not touched”. I remember hearing stories about the orphanages in China and how the babies were left in cribs for hours not being cared for. The pictures were awful and all those babies needed human touch and weren't getting it. If babies don't get human touch they will develop differently and won't be able to have that "human feeling". They will be distant no matter what people will do. I think that Oprah did a show on the Romanian child and the orphanage with Lisa Ling (spelling name may be wrong). It was very insightful and extremely sad, but very true. As a teacher I make sure that I give gentle touches and loving hugs.
ReplyDeleteI think it is fascinating that touch can have such an impact. That should show people’s needs for others in their lives. We are creatures who respond well to affection. Maybe the world would be a better place if we all hugged a little bit more.
ReplyDeleteThe early years of a child’s life are so important. They help to mold and shape a child’s future. Children are able to absorb so much information when they are younger. They are putting together their view of the world unknowingly and experiences that they have can affect their whole outlook on things. For example children who may have had a difficult time in school when they were younger may grow up to hate school. As teachers we should try our best to remember that our job is to benefit the children and maybe if the are presented with so many positive opportunities and experiences they will have a positive association with school for the many years to come.