Week Three

A music game is a tool for children to relate to each other, especially with the autistic child. When I was teaching before surgery, I had a child in my class who had been diagnosed as autistic. He went to a child assist class in the afternoon. On two particular occasions I observed this class doing music games in the “big room”, this child was forced to sit on the floor by an assistant and not allowed to participate. I was disappointed that this child who needed so much was not allowed to be a part of the game. In my class, he was much calmer and more cooperative when music was being used. I observed in this classroom this child being left behind but yet in conference of thirteen consulters he was made to look like a child who was completely cooperative and allowed to do everything the rest of the class. As it turned out he was dismissed from my class and put in a private setting because of his behavior. I know that he was pretty much ignored in the afternoon class after this. I was disappointed with myself that I could not help him more than I did.

On a different note, I found a great website that has information about consent/assent for parents and children. I want to share with you:

Parental Consent Form Retrieved from
http://www.research.umn.edu/consent/mod2soc/parent_consent.html

Children’s Assent Form Retrieved from
http://www.research.umn.edu/consent/mod2soc/child_assent2.html

The topic I chose is: Using music as a teaching tool

I am looking at music therapy as a tool to reach people who have limitations in communication. My specific interest is children with autism. In my experience the children in the class that are autistic are either overlook or over disciplined. I want to study an avenue to communicate with the children that gives them a sense of accomplishment and security. Music therapy appears to be a source of relaxing and calming plus a learning tool.

I have lots of research to do to answer my question: how is music used as a teaching tool for autistic children.

I do not know as much about autism as I would like, but have had some contact with autistic children. Those experiences were not necessarily rewarding. As I was not the one to make decisions, both children were dismissed from the school because their behavior was unacceptable. There was no attempt to find ways to relate to them.

I was disappointed that the children were not evaluated and given the attention that was needed. The parents answer was to pull them and place them in another childcare.

One site that I found that is very informative is:
Wigram, T., Gold, C. (2005) Music therapy in the assessment and treatment of autistic spectrum disorder: clinical application and research evidence
Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16919132

I would appreciate any experiences or thoughts you, my classmates, might have on this subject. As I read the text with its definitions of the different methods of researching it gives me directions for the principles to be followed. Ethical research has nine principles for measuring good research. This helps me have a guide for pursuing good research.

Research Class

Hello to all of you,
I had to drop out for a time to have hip replacement surgery. I only recognize one name from former classes, Melanie.
I am looking forward to learning how to do research correctly. I have done research in the past for various subjects but now I will know the correct steps to take.
I am looking forward to learning with each of you and sharing ideas.

Recovery

I am recovering from surgery. It has been a long slow process and am coming along. There are many things I still cannot do or do with pain. I guess most of you are finished with the research class and moving on. I feel sad that you are all so far ahead of me now. I would love to hear from you and know where you are in your process. God bless each of you!!!

My Early Childhood Friends

I have had to withdraw for a time to recover from a left hip situation. I will find out Tuesday, the third, as to when the surgery will be.
I will miss all of you. I pray God's blessings are each of you and that you will have good classes.

RESEARCH MAKING LIVES BETTER

Early Head Start is a program that uses families and children to evaluate their programs in research settings. “A rigorous evaluation of Early Head Start in 17 programs selected from the first program cohorts shows that the program had significant and positive impacts on a wide range of parent and child dimensions, some with implications for children’s later school success.”

Early Head Start Benefits Children and Families Retrieved from
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/dissemination/research_briefs/research_brief_overall.pdf

Parents who participate in HS(Head Start) are found to have greater quality of life satisfaction; increased confidence in coping skills; and decreased feelings
of anxiety, depression, and sickness. HS children are at least eight percentage points more likely to have had their immunizations than those children who did not attend preschool. Similarly, EHS(Early Head Start) children had a higher immunization rate than children in a control group.

Benefits of Head Start (HS) and Early Head Start (EHS) Programs Retrieved from http://www.nhsa.org/files/static_page_files/081FD64E-1D09-3519-ADC7E878DDB5CEC9/REDFactSheets1.pdf

I have witnessed families that are enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start programs and have been impressed with their desire to learn and work to better their lives and their child’s life. The Head Start that I observed in Newton was a community of helpful teachers and counselors and responsive parents with healthy children.

My interest in the childhood field

My interest in the childhood field lies with the education of teachers going into the field. It appears that many young people who are going into the teacher field of early childhood have lots of book knowledge, which is good, but they are short on practical knowledge.
My focus for this class is the standards set by the states, particularly Kansas. I will be working to investigate the qualifications that are required for an Early Childhood teacher.
I want to research resources that teachers can use for children and their families if they are not knowledgeable or qualified to do so.
Thirdly, developing a mentoring system and how it could or would work for helping those inexperienced and uncommitted teachers to realize their potential. I know that mentoring systems are used in public school systems, at least some and they work. My daughter-in-law was mentored her first year, now she visits her mentor regularly. Her daughter goes with her to visit, Hannah asks often when they are going to visit Kay again. It not only helped my daughter-in-law but her daughter.