My Supports!

Hello Everyone!!     

This week in class we have been discussing the importance of having an infrastructure of supports (multi-level individuals who are involved in the learning process) for children as they go through the learning process. As our population of young learners becomes more diverse, a strong system of supports is even more necessary as we need to be able to accommodate diverse learning needs. 

As we consider the importance of supports, we were asked to think about the support we receive from our own personal infrastructure of VIP's within our own personal lives on a daily basis. Much like the needs of a young learner, we receive emotional, practical and physical support every day. 

As I progress in my second pregnancy, I am no stranger to support. Not only do I need emotional support, but I need practical and even physical support these days. My family, consisting of my husband, mother, grandparents and uncle are all supportive as I grapple with an ever-changing body and hormones. Even my  daughter, who is a toddler gives me a sense of emotional support as some days her smiles, hugs and kisses are all that can bring a smile to my face. Needless to say, I'm just not as functional as I usually am right now and I wouldn't be able to get through my days without some sense of support. 

As I ponder over the challenge of having to children under the age of 1 in a matter of months, I am forced to admit that I will continue to need my supports even after I deliver my second child. As I have never had two children before, I realize that I will need a great deal of assistance as I adjust to being a mother of two. Thus, I am very thankful for having such a supportive family, I'm not sure I would be able to be an effective and efficient individual without them. 

So, as prospective educators, think about your support system and how you just would not be able to make it if you didn't have someone you could turn to. Then, relate that to a young child who will need a lot of support as they start the learning process. Now you will be able to more clearly see how important it is for a child to have a strong support system, especially in those fundamental...foundational early years. 

My Connections To Play

Hi Everyone!

This week in class, we have been learning about the importance of "play". A s I continue to broaden my knowledge on developmentally appropriate learning practices for children, I am forced to consider how important play was in my own upbringing. 

Being an only child and grandchild, I often found very creative ways to play and entertain myself. My mother and grandparents encouraged and fostered my imaginative nature, and this has lead me to be the creative thinker and artist that I am today. One of my favorite things to play with was doll babies. Through playing with my dolls, I developed a particular nature when it comes to the care and keeping of others. To my dolls I was a mother or teacher, or sometimes I would develop complicated stories for them to participate in.  I was also a fan of dress up, using my imagination to turn anything into a costume to act out a story, which further  developed my social and communication skills. Lastly, these may not be considered toys, but they have and still are an integral part of my life.....books. Being an avid reader has positively impacted my development exponentially. Through reading, I developed an active imagination, a soaring vocabulary and a knack for problem solving.

While I am not that old, play today is very different from the play of my years. I think that today's type of play is far more technology driven. There are alot of benefits for utilizing technology in play for today's child. However, I do feel that moderation is key. After all too much of a good thing can become an issue. As I leave you to think about the important role played in your life, ponder the following quotes on the benefits of play time!

“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

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.”
― Dr. Seuss