Observation and Interaction with Professionals, children and Families

Mary Grady URL Blog: http://gradylmary.blogspot.com
Module 4: Blog Journal
Name: Observation and Interaction with Professionals, children and families
Date: February 28, 2012
Name of Program: St. Vincent DePaul Child Care Center/Infant & Toddlers Section

I feel early childhood professionals can support families efforts by providing high quality care and education through developmental appropriate practices with the children and their familes. They need to be able to recognize signs for children for early intervention services, professiuonals need to develop reciprocal rrlationships needed to connect and provide families with support by developing a partnership and communication with them. Professionals can use newletters, bulletin boards, parent's conferences and special activities for parents and children; create resources for things they need to know for early intervention process.

I talked to one of the physical therapist K.A. that comes from the outside to work with one of our children who have Down Syndrome. She explained, that early intervention is a very good process for children birth to three, for example she discuss how she started working with the child at the age of four months. Giving her physical therapy she is now two years old, she started the child's theaphy using the normal patterns for development, she started with the crawling, pulling up and moving to walking. She also explained how the speech therapist, occupational therapist and her communicate together on different activities to help the child. For example she is helping the child to walk up stairs, so the speech therapist is helping the child with words such as "up, stairs, down, walk, etc." K.A said one of the draw backs of early intervention, some professionals in the education field want the service to be in a natural environment but after the age limited it is sometimes forgotten, she would like for the children to be able to go to a clinic  for more intervention services.

I observed and intericated in a toddler classroom, Ms. Z.W. said when it comes to early intervention with  children and the role of the parents and teacher, she feel it is in a supported way that helps to develop cognitive,physical, social and emotional needs during birth to three. During my classroom observation and interview I could see where some of the children needed early intervention for example one child name London (not her real name) was very aggressive and showing signs of bullying. Every time her friend Nancy (not her real name) would go over to London to play with her she would scream, hollering saying "no, no," running with the toys or she would take the toy away from her. I could see delayed factors with London, when the teacher call to her she would just stop and stare at her, moving to doing some other area in the classroom and she would also repeat some of the words the teacher would say to the other children. I feel it the teacher would begin to observe, assess and evaluate the child, the process of early intervention can begin the child will be able to receive services before she move to the two year old section.

My learning experiences have been one of joy and enlighten, I had many experiences that provided me with insight about children and families advocacy efforts; collaborating with parents, families and the community are essential partner in the process of early intervention. I will find out more about my advocate plan by being well informed, finding information about the topic, talk to my colleagues about my goals and ask them to help me clarify my goals, help my parents to understand what it takes to prepare their children for the steps of early intervention and I will  collaborate with professionals across discipline issues to address early intervention in the classroom.

The different I would like to make in my setting is to be a role model for young children, helping them develop a sense of self and well being as they learn to function in this society and always supporting and pleading the causes of children and their families about early intervention. In my community I would like to be a part of the solution helping to make every child a part of it and the difference I would like to make, if I can get one of my colleagues to advocate for early intervention it will be a pulse.
 

Blog 3: Interacting with professionals/administrators and my advocacy plan

Mary Grady URL Blog: http://gradylmary.blogspot.com

MODULE 3: Blog Journal

Advocacy 411: Early Intervention

Name: Interacting with Professionals/Administrators and your Advocacy Plan

Date: February 11, 2012

Name of the Program: St. Vincent DePaul Child Care Center

     Continuing my interaction with professionals and administrators at my program has been so enlighten and I have gained so much information. After my interviews I really have made up my mind to be an advocate for Early Intervention. I attended a work shop on Early Intervention at the Chicago Metro AEYC (Association for the Education of Young Children) conference.  The name of the work shop was Early Intervention; The Sooner We Start, The Further They’ll GO; Patricia Singler, LIC Coordinator, Easter Seals Metro Chicago/Child & Family Connections. I received pamphlets and information I can use in my paper.

By talking to administers and social services workers I find another way that could lead to a more accurate assessment of young children, if the screener or tester would spend time prior to administering the assessment familiarizing themselves with the child and giving somewhat of a summary of the child developmental growth from the teachers. I realize this is not always possible, so another option I would advocate for would be to have the screeners provide teachers and parents with a tip-sheet that will help children to feel comfortable with the process.

One of my administrators said she advocacy for El issues through education and reminding all concerns parties about the need for accountability. I agree with her everyone needs to be accountable for their actions. With this being said I feel educational advocate activities should revolve around both parents and teachers. With us being mandated we must realize the importance of being accountable to young children and their families. Being accountable to me means that as a advocate of EI, early childhood professionals must ensure that all concerns stake holders; parents, teachers, social workers and therapists are kept well informed regarding issues as they relate to EI and that we are transparent in our interaction with all concerns stake holders and we are willing to collaborate with others agencies.

I plan on educating myself more about EI.  For example there is a booklet called The Illinois Early Intervention Program: A Guide for Families which is published by The State of Illinois Department of Human Services, I will attend workshops and reading of many pamphlets, materials on Early Intervention. Once I have educated myself I will ask and have conversations with other childcare professionals in the field and keep being an advocate for the cause. I will address issues concerning EI by researching information and taking it the right source at my center. To become more involved with current advocacy programs in my setting I will established a good relationship with my parents, with this relationship I can make a positive impact on how they view EI. The difference I would like to make in my community and the field of early childhood education is a positive one impacting the opinions that educators, parents and developing children as well as the society has on EI and the developing of children.