To all who have ever thought you were too old to go back to school:

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. ~Henry L. Doherty

I CELEBRATE YOU! 
Another class has ended and I am just that much wiser because of the special things my instructor and classmates have imparted in me.  I have been pushed and stretched throughout this class and I am so very proud to be completing yet another season on my journey to my Master's Degree!! Best wishes to all this Holiday Season and I look forward to a new year of very special things.

THANK YOU!
Berdetta Clark

AN AMAZING QUOTE!!

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Assessments

Assessments are very important to the development of children.  Educators must be diligent in assessing children so that their needs may be met.  Although assessments can be biased if not conducted correctly, they are very useful when measuring the development of a child from a holistic perspective.

It is very important to in the identification of a child's strengths and weaknesses so that the child is placed in the appropriate setting in order to have rewarding education experience.  I believe every child can learn however, we as educators, must solve the puzzles that lie ahead of us that will open the door to the individual child's desire to learn.

I enjoy seeing children as they learn new things.  It is almost as if they have just opened a gift at Christmas!  Their eyes grow wide as they move to the edges of their seats.  Children are like sponges.  They soak up information and thirst for more which is why it is important to fill them with good information that will help shape their personalities and give them positive experiences in life.

  

I believe Assessments are very important for early identification of exceptionalities in children.  Not all assessments identify where children are lacking in cognitive abilities but also where they may be advanced in those areas as well.  So, children benefit from assessments by receiving the necessary accommodations.

Here is an interesting article about how the country of Africa is using Cognitive Assessments for children more and more everyday.
 


http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic856151.files/AssessmentCognitiveAbilitiesMultiethnicCountries.pdf

Poverty in the State of Louisiana

I am particularly interested in this state because it is where both my husband and I are from and we both have a huge percentage of our family who still live there.

The following link depicts the poverty in my home state, Louisiana:

http://www.hopenetworks.org/povertyinlouisiana.htm



The following link is a document discussing solutions to end poverty in the state of Louisiana:

http://www.ifedgbr.com/files/poverty/governorsummit.pdf

Overcoming Poverty

My husband and I both grew up in poverty.  Although our stories are very different, they are very similar as well.  My mother was a single parent and worked very hard to try and make ends meet although most times we struggled even to the point of not always having enough food to eat.  I overcame poverty by getting a job at the age of 14 to try and help my mom and making the tough decision to join the US Army after graduating high school in order to prevent my mother from having to pay for me to go to college.  I celebrated my 18th birthday while in Basic Training (boot camp) and served for 6 years.  My military experience was amazing.  I learned so many things such as discipline, team building and most importantly a skill that afforded me the opportunity to obtain a job after leaving the army earning a salary that was more than enough to make sound investments and along with my husband, provide a great home for our family.  I have been very fortunate to remove myself from poverty by getting a good education and maintaining skills that help make a good salary.
My husband's mother was also a single parent however, she passed away when he was only 11 years old.  He has never known his father which meant that he had to live with his older siblings until he was old enough to make the tough decision to also join the US Army.  We met and together have overcome the cycle of poverty.

Breastfeeding in Mongolia

This is a very interesting article on Breastfeeding in Mongolia

http://www.drmomma.org/2009/07/breastfeeding-in-land-of-genghis-khan.html

Breastfeeding

I am a firm believer in breastfeeding.  Although very time consuming, the payoff is priceless!  When
I became a mother for the first time, I didn't understand the value of breastfeeding and the medical bills confirmed that.  After becoming better educated about the subject, I tried breastfeeding and the benefits have been very healthy children as well as lower medical bills.  I recommend it to every mother out there.  I didn't do it for a very long time but committing to breastfeeding for at least a month will be very rewarding.

Kenyan Childbirth

Please click on the link below to view a childbirth in Kenya.  Kenyan Childbirth
It is very sad to know that children are born in such unhealthy and poor conditions.  As I watched this video, I felt so very blessed to have had my children in safe environments so that when I began to have complications during the delivery of my last child, there were people there with specialized equipment to act quickly.

Childbirth X's 4

I am the very proud mother of 4 beautiful children.  I know...I know...YES 4 children.  Each birth was just as unique as each of my children's personalities.  The way they each acted in the womb is how they act now.  My youngest daughter was a "flipper" in the wound and she loves to flip and wiggle even now at 10 years old.  All but one of the births were natural births.  My last child was the biggest and the only one I had to have a cesarean with.  She went into distress so they had to hurry and get her out.  Childbirth is one of the most difficult but yet the most amazing experiences a woman could ever experience.  To feel a child grow inside of you and then actually see the child born and look into their eyes for the first time is indescribable. 


  

A SPECIAL THANK YOU

I would like to take this time to thank all of my wonderful colleagues!  You all have been awesome sources to priceless information as well as supporters!  I am so excited about what our future holds and I hope we will see each other at graduation!  I wish you all the very best in your future endeavors!
Sincerely,
Berdetta Clark

Kingdom Kids will partner with Division for Early Childhood (DEC)

 

 

 

 

As a Early Childhood Educator, it is important to care for ALL children and their families.  Sometimes parents look to us as guides to finding the best programs for children especially those with Exceptional needs.  Kingdom Kids will partner with the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children to ensure the well-being of families with children with Exceptionalities. 

Enhancement of Children’s and Families’ Quality of Lives

 

1. We shall demonstrate our respect and concern for children, families, colleagues, and others with

whom we work, honoring their beliefs, values, customs, languages, and culture.

2. We shall recognize our responsibility to improve the developmental outcomes of children and to

provide services and supports in a fair and equitable manner to all families and children.

3. We shall recognize and respect the dignity, diversity, and autonomy of the families and children

we serve.

4. We shall advocate for equal access to high quality services and supports for all children and

families to enhance their quality of lives.

NAEYC Ethical Standards Adopted by Kingdom Kids

Here are some of the Ethical Standards Kingdom Kids will adopt from NAEYC.  It is vitally important for the children in our care to receive the best care possible from professionals in the field of Early Childhood Education. 

 

I-4.2  To promote cooperation among professionals

and agencies and interdisciplinary collaboration

among professions concerned with addressing issues

in the health, education, and well-being of young

children, their families, and their early childhood educators.

I-4.3 To work through education, research, and

advocacy toward an environmentally safe world in

which all children receive health care, food, and

shelter; are nurtured; and live free from violence in

their home and their communities.

I-4.4 To work through education, research, and

advocacy toward a society in which all young children

have access to high-quality early care and education
programs.

 

Great Christian School and Home School Curriculum Resource

http://www.abeka.com/
A Beka Book provides Christian schools and homeschools with outstanding curriculum and textbooks built on a foundation of academic excellence and Christian character training. Schools and homeschools benefit from our treasury of textbooks and teaching materials that reflect the very best in traditional education, comprehensive curriculum, and eternal truths.

COURSE RESOURCES

Here are some great resources concerning early childhood:

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
 

GLOBAL INFORMATION:

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 media segment 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/
Click on "Mission/Vision" and "Guiding Principles and Beliefs" and read these statements.

HELPFUL WEBSITES:
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/
  
• 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/
  

A Quote by Maria Montessori

“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.” --Maria Montessori

Patty Smith Hill

Patty Smith Hill...A Pioneer in education, founder of NAEYC and member of the Kappa Delta Pi the International Honor Society in Education which is the organization I was inducted into this year!!
http://www.kdp.org/meetourlaureates/laureates/pattyhill.php

Personal Childhood Web

This is my big brother and my mother.  They have had the biggest impact on my life and I love them very much.  I am the youngest of three children and I must honestly say that sometimes it seems as if I am the oldest.  My mother was such a strong role model for me that I am now a very strong person.  Her determination and zeal are traits that I quicky learned and have carried on in my life and passed on to my children.  My brother has taught me so many things that I carry with me today.  He has taught me what to do and what not to do.  Although his decisions weren't always the best, he constantly encouraged me to make better decisions than what he had made.  I love both of them because through the good times and the bad times, we have always stuck together. 

 
This is my father.  I didn't meet my father until I was about 12 years old because my parents separated when I was a baby.  I include him in my Early Childhood Web because although he wasn't physically with me, I remember longing to meet my father as a child.  My mother and aunt would tell us stories about him and laugh at the memories because he has such a funny sense of humor.  I also realize now looking back that I have many of his character traits which are his laugh, his sense of humor and work ethics.  I love my father and yes, I am still "Daddy's Little Girl"!
This picture is of my Mom, big sister, grandma, grandpa, myself and my brother.  My big sister is simply the best.  She impacted my life by always being a trailblazer.  She showed me how to set goals and run until I met them.  My grandmother was my ROCK!  She saw things in me early on in my life that I didn't see in myself.  She was such a wonderful person and loved me unconditional.  My grandfather was the one who spoiled me.  He knew that I was a child who was very conscience of right and wrong and he always encouraged me never to change.  He protected me and always talked to me about his childhood and the history of our family.

An Inspirational Song for ALL!

Happy Blogging...I Think

Welcome to my Blog Page!  My name is Berdetta Clark and I am really excited about exploring a new way of communicating with fellow classmates, friends and family.  I hope the information I publish will be helpful in developing kids for "Kingdom Living"!  Enjoy!