Codes of Ethics: Professional Codes to Live By

As a an emerging professional in the field of early childhood education we have codes that are the platforms in our day to day interactions with the children and families that we serve as well as the guiding forces in how we represent the field. I looked at the code of ethics from the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). From these two documents there were three codes that stood out to me.

1. Enhancement of Children's and Families' Quality of Lives (DEC)
    This is important to me because it is the reason why I choose this field. As an emerging professional it is my responsibility to enhance and improve the lives of the children and families I come into contact with. I am here to help them to reach their full potential.

2. Ideal 1.1 (NAEYC)
   "To be familiar with the knowledge base of early childhood care and education and to stay informed through continuing education and training".
This ideal is why I enrolled in the Masters program. I feel in order for me to be a leader and outstanding professional in this field I must grow in my knowledge and stay current.

3. Ideal 1.9 (NAEYC)
   "To advocate for and ensure that all children, including those with special needs, have access to the support services needed to be successful"
In my senior seminar class my professor continued to use a phrase "to help them to reach their full potential". Since then I always keep this in my mind. I aim to help both children and families to meet their full potential. I have also taken a great interest into children with special needs and know the importance of all children to reach their potential no matter what.


Just a side note:
This class and blog has introduced me to my hidden passion to work with special needs children and families. I have also been exposed to multiple resources and networks. I have become a member of the NAEYC, learned about advocacy, and what it takes to me a leader in this field. I am on a journey of professional growth and becoming an emerging leader and advocate in the field of early childhood. My craving for knowledge in this field continues to grow and I hope that it never fully gets fulfilled.

Know Your Field. Learn New Information. Explore Your Resources.:Early Childhood Resources and More

I've learned this week the value of resource. After exploring different early childhood sites, journals, and articles I have discovered my own hidden desires for the field and became a member of NAEYC. Besides the numerous resources provided to us for week 5 of class there are others that I found to be wonderful, useful resources, and tools.

My Plate
www.MYplate.gov 
 My Plate is where you can go for nutrition. These days fast food is easy to come by and the dollar menu is cheap and easy. However, with My Plate you can get healthy eating habits and tips and ways to make eating fun and interesting with the children. Having good eating habits starts young.

California Department of Education
www.cde.ca.gov
The California Department of Education is a great place to find out the standards and any new changes that have been made regarding educational requirements for the state of California. There are also additional resources and tools that are accessable. 

Get Active! Let's Move
 www.letsmove.gov
This website provides ways to help children get and stay active. Daily activity is important for children and helps them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I am a big advocate for healthy and active children.

Below are more Resources:
 

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://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf
  
  Note: The following article can be found in the Walden University Library databases.
• Turnbull, A., Zuna, N., Hong, J. Y., Hu, X., Kyzar, K., Obremski, S., et al. (2010). Knowledge-to-action guides. Teaching Exceptional Children, 42(3), 42-53.
  Use the Academic Search Complete database, and search using the article's title.

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:

o     

• 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.

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/
• 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/
• 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.pewstates.org/projects/pre-k-now-328067
• Voices for America's Children
  http://www.voices.org/
• The Erikson Institute
  http://www.erikson.edu/

Selected Professional Journals:

• 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

 

Those Quotes That Make You Go.....Mmmmmm Yes!

“We’ve got to be so proud of what our special friends do and their future. Their possibility of really bringing the world something that really resembles peace and hope and faith and love that’s what they can do. And we’re so proud of them. And we want to keep going all the time, the next 20 years. I’m going. You come with me?” –Eunice Kennedy Shriver,1964

“You may not be a member of the one in three families experiencing the tragedy of the mental retardation. But if you are a parent or expect to become one, if you love children, the subject should concern you…” –Eunice Kennedy Shriver, “The Sun Has Burst Through”

“Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me brave in my attempt” –Eunice Kennedy Shriver, The opening Remarks of the Special Olympics

“Working intently with children and families was like earning a doctorate…” – Renatta M. Cooper, Program Specialist

“…it’s in the early childhood I was able to see what a unique opportunity we had to make a difference…to shape a child’s life for the better” –Sandy Escobido, Deputy Field Director

“…one little sparkle will make a difference for me throughout the whole day”- Raymond Hernandez, MS Ed, Executive Director, School of Early Childhood Education

“It’s not about you, you got to take your ego out and think what is best for the child” –Renatta M. Cooper, Program Specialist

Personal Childhood Web:

 To the left: My siblings are my best friends. I am the youngest of our group.Since they are all so much older than me they each have been my biggest supporters, lead by example, and continue to show me the different ways to reach success.

 To the right: This is my oldest sister Yolanda. She is 15years older than me and has always been my "other go to". She moved out to California at 18 and since then we spent as much time as we could together. She would do my hair for school, since my mom worked nights, she would always let me sleep in her room, and to this day I am always able to talk to her. She keeps life real with me and shows me unconditional love day in and day out. As an adult my sister has shown me how to me a woman of God, examples of an amazing mother, and how to be a good wife.

 To the left: This is my sister Lt. Desiree Woodman. We are born on the same day 9years apart. As children we were opposites, I always wanted to follow her around and I was always that pesky little sister. My sister was always supportive, and was such a caring individual and always wanted everyone to get along. I watched her model these actions each and everyday. My sister joined the Air Force her 2nd year of college and from there transferred to the Navy. As adults my sister has shown me how to keep on keepin on. She is now working on her second degree and shows me how anything is possible if you put your mind to it. 

 To the right: My Parents, Charles and Leslie Moore. These two people are my rock. My mother, who is my biggest cheerleader has always fostered my need to be an individual. She is my support and friend. As an adult she continues to support me and be an amazing grandmother to my two sons. My dad is the first man I have ever loved. He taught me the street smarts I needed as a child and the lesson to speak to everyone as a reminder that we all put our pants on one leg at a time. As an adult I am still daddy's little girl.

 To the left: My brother Charles III. We have a different type of relationship. He is the second oldest and 13years older than me. He always demonstrated his love by picking on me, calling me names, and pushing me around. That type of affection from my brother always meant a lot to me. He is my other protector next to my father. My brother is a man of little words but is always in my corner when I need him the most. As adults he has shown me how a man can be a provider and still picks on me each time we are together.

 To the right: My sisters and I during Thanksgiving 09

 To the Left: My First Grade Teacher Mrs. Cosgrove

 To the Right: My first and forever best friend Brittany.

 To the Left: My friend Stacy

 To the Right: Brittany and I at her Bridal Shower 08'

To the Left: Stacy and Her at her 22nd Birthday

A Picture Can Say a Thousand Words and A Child Can Touch Your Heart for a Thousand Years:This is Why I Do What I Do

This is Me!

  Why I Do What I Do:

I was at the same center for 4.5years. During that time I mostly had the same children with few changes. I nurtured them as babies, watched them weeble and wabble as they learned to walk, and taught them their ABC's as toddlers before they left me to join their fellow preschoolers on the other side. I had numerous children and parents who many are still in my life today. However, there are also a handful that you never will forget. I remember my last day at the center. One of my newer parents had me in tears, could have also been because I was four months pregnant, her daughter came with a necklace for me, and a simple thank you card. The words the mother spoke after affirmed once again why it is I do what I do. To sum it up she simply said thank you with tears in her eyes and outreached arms. She thanked me for making her feel comfortable about leaving her child because each day I took her daughter up in my arms, asked her how she was doing today and had her baby doll ready for her. She thanked me for caring for her daughter as if she was mine day in and day out, and the wonderful growth she watched in her daughter. But, the last words she said to me continue to echo in my heart. She had thanked me for having a passion, love, and willingness to do what was right for the children and the relationship I had with her and the other parents. From that day forward I am her daughters "Dom". When at their house for dinner or a birthday party, I am her daughters Dom, no one else is allowed to sit next to me and she wasn't  sure about the baby growing in my belly either since I was and is, "her Dom". The relationships I have built and continue to build keep my coming back for more.

A Gift From My Co-Worker:Pictures of my "kids" and I

 Books!

Another wonderful aspect of working with children are the books.Oh the books we get to read to the children and the excitement they have as the story unfolds. I am constantly being introduced to new books or introducing the children to my favorite childhood books. Either way I get to share my love for books and reading with the children and in return some of it rubs off on the children and they love to just read! Below are books from my favorite childhood author. Mr. Eric Carle. I loved reading  his books as a chinld and continue to read them and purchase them now for my two sons.

Eric Carle Books: The Very Busy Spider

Mister Seahorse

The Mixed Up Chameleon

Brown Bear Brown Bear: What Do You See?

Welcome

My name is Dominique. I graduated from California State University Fullerton with a BS in Child and Adolescent Development with an emphasis in Youth and Social Welfare in 2010, after switching my major twice. I started in the early childhood field back in 2007 working with infants and toddlers. It took me 3months and I was hooked. I  knew I had found my purpose. Being a part of a child's social, physical, emotional, and cognitive development is an important role and one I take seriously. I recently decided to return to school to obtain my Masters in the field to satisfy my ongoing cravings for more, more knowledge in the field, more ways to help the children I serve, more ways to grow as a professional, and more ways to grow as an individual. I am looking forward to connecting with my fellow classmates/colleagues and absorbing the different ways they already make a difference in their community for their children. It is time for me to tie on my cape, hit the ground running, continue to be better, and add to my library of skills so I can be a saver of the Early Childhood World. Welcome to my Journey.