Opinion On Early Head Start

I feel kind of sad that I haven't had the time to update this in awhile. Since my last update, I had time to squeeze in one more of my classroom crafty sessions in and made my supply desk organizer.. don't worry pictures and details will soon be up. For now though I wanted to write a short opinion piece over Early Head Start due to my own experiences that were eye opening. If you didn't know I have been working for the past few weeks at my new job at an early education center that is in within a local school district. After two weeks of working there I handed in my two weeks notice. Something I have never done due to being frustrated until now. I realized quickly why I didn't think of early ed one bit when decided what branch of education I wanted to go into. I will start with the most current pressing issue that is shadowing early education in Missouri.
    Most people haven't heard the word yet, but Missouri is cutting Early head start funding. This is a significant amount of money (7 million I believe was the number they threw out at our HR meeting I attended telling us our jobs would be getting cut). Apparently, no one associated with the early head start program saw it coming. Which is something that kind of gets me, first because word travels fast in Jeff City (well around any political bodies), second they had announced there were going to be cuts made in education and the early ed programs seemed to be having quite the big budgets.Besides that point though, I don't feel incredibly shocked that the program is getting cut. MARK ( the group that deals with the political side of things and all the funding.. also who hands down the money to early head start programs (aka.. schools themselves)). is currently redoing their budget in efforts to try to save at least a few kiddos from being cut from the program and saving a few staff from cuts. But regardless.... most early head start teachers will be cut. Bad timing to with an rocky education job market and the timing of the year... a lot of places have already conducted their interviews and filled positions for next year. Not only is staff extremely shocked but the news won't be extremely easy to break to many families that utilize the program.  Before I progress anymore for any newbies, early education centers with head start are required to have so many state funded spots and federally funded spots in classrooms (spots referring to an open place for a kid in a classroom). Only a small handful of parents actually pay for services (like 5 parents total in this huge district). As for federally funded kids who won't be affected, that would be only 21 kids district wide... which is very few. That means almost 98% of the kids in early education ages 0-3 will be affected by this. Tomorrow we are going to be informing parents that as of June 29th their kid will not be able to attend the center and receive any services. I know that there will be many upset parents. For some, those that do work it means they might be having bigger budget crunches due to hiring daycare or even having to quit their jobs an go on welfare to take care of their child.  I feel bad for some of the kids that are state funded, the center provides them with the love and attention they need to grow up and have a shot at success. Many depended on the food, the diapering, the education and interaction to grow and live. On the other hand though I understand the state completely.. but they kind of wasted money in the first place with the early head start program. Here is why I think that:
1. Last year the budget was so large for early head start that they bought toys and other materials that they didn't really need, solely because they needed to use all the grant money ( too much was given! HELLO!!!). Plus the money couldn't be saved to prevent situations such as the current. If they could have saved some of the extra money that could be funding some kids and saving a job or two.
2. The schools milk the money. No where else in the public school system you will find free food for staff, children and parents. It took me off guard when I was told I can have lunch with the kids for free (wouldn't be taken out of my pay) and that the parents could come in and eat with their children for free as well. What bugged me was on the menu it had meal prices for adults. This makes me question that maybe we are technically suppose to pay but since there was excess funds they could do free food at the center. Still seems weird though.
3. Where is the learning?  I try to incorporate educational opportunities in my classroom with my little ones but what I have observed in other rooms and what I am given for instruction and duties seems nothing more than normal daycare routine. This is incredibly sad.  Part of it is having staff who do not have a degree or education pertaining to early childhood, the other is having staff with cda's or associates. I don't wanted to knock completely associate degrees but there is a reason they are ranked less than a bachelor's on the ladder of education. The lesson plans I've seen for early education at the center seemed lazy and not detailed enough. 3 words  (i.e. roll the ball)  on a lesson plan doesn't seem right. Yeah they place it in the domain  (social, emotional, physical, etc.) but still I think they should be expanded and more in depth.  Also let's face it when you have infants you can teach them but it is more about nurture at that stage...yet we (*taxpayers) pay for educational services?
4. Sorry but I have to say it--- There are quite a few people that use the system. I am a democrat but in this matter it could be perceived as more of a conservative viewpoint, but, yes I think some services like health care should be available to everyone ( with some restrictions/guidelines), however, those who are just taking and never contributing shouldn't be getting a easy ride. What I mean by this is I see daily families where no one in the household works, nor are they trying to find a job, they sit at home but they send the kids to the center because a) they don't have to watch the kid and instead can have their own free time b) they know the kid will get food, transportation and diapers for free (less cost for them) and c)they are plain lazy. It is sad that some people who have kids don't take responsibility and an active role in their child(ren)'s life. We have a bunch of "takers". I.E. the school sent home picture packets for each kid if they wanted the pictures they could take what they wanted and send the rest back along with the money for them. What happened though was most kept the pictures and never paid. What can the school do about it? Nothing. The school then has to pay for the pictures themselves. Let's be honest lifetouch pictures aren't the cheapest things. Especially the packets that they send home to try to sale the pictures (at least 60 dollars worth of pictures in each packet). These parents create additional expenses for the schools. My fave example come from this past week when a parent made the remark that we got 2 days off this week and how nice that must be (it was said in a snarky manner). The 2 days were p.d. days, they weren't vk days we still had to work but no children were at the center. Obliviously the staff remained professional and ignored the comment, but the comment ironically came from a father who is unemployed, isn't looking for a job and stays at home all day.. yet sends his child in to the center everyday almost from open to close (7:30 to 6pm).
5. We have to pay for that?!? Early head start requires teachers to make home visits. I get that they want the teacher to go to see the environment the child is in and give parents suggestions on things they can do in their homes to help their child, but it almost seems like we are there acting like social services seeing if the environment is fit. We don't perform home visits in elementary or highschool... why should taxpayers, etc. have to pay transportation cost to go to these visits and salary for the staff to do so (home visits take a LOT of time to complete!).

All-in-All I stand with the state on this one... Early Head Start wasn't worth the money. Of course, I do feel for those children that are placed in households, were going to the center is vital for them to receive the nurture they need but there comes a time when the parents need to recognize their responsibility in raising a child. Society as a whole needs to perk up their eyes and take a listen. You need to be a contributing member of society not just a baby factory (I say baby factory since most of the state kids have siblings... way over 80% do. If you can't take care of a child  you shouldn't keep having more). Maybe someday they can figure out what they can do to help young children (in providing better services) but also eliminate people taking advantage of the services provided and being mindful of a budget (not giving large, excessive sums).
I know there will be some who disagree with this view but I felt the need to relay it.

*disclaimer: I love all my students and only wish the best for them. I work to make a better life for them and I work to get the parents more involved in their child's life. I am not saying in anyway that I don't see parents who actually contribute. I am instead giving a general blanket statement about the my general observations over all of early education in especially lower income areas.

Garage Sale Treasures!

So I hit the streets to go garage sale shopping for my classroom with my mum this morning. I am proud to say I found some cute stuff that will be great in my classroom. Plus, I am a huge fan of neighborhood garage sales--- so much easier then finding individual ones.  Below are my finds some need some TLC but once I get them back up to beauty standards they are going to be fabulous!

1). cute metal drawers/bins
Location: Bent Tree neighborhood garage sale: hsh estate sale
Price: $1 each    
These were my first buy of the day.. well all the orange ones. I went back later for the green ones because I realized I needed them as well... too bad 2 of them had already sold but the one that was in a different room from the rest was still there so I snag it. Still need to take the white price stickers off them.

2). Glass/metal table (slash shelf) 
Location: Bent Tree neighborhood garage sale
Price: $8 
When I pulled up outside this house I knew I wanted this piece. I was kinda sad to see that it was a bit bent (which I later found out because the owner had taken a hammer to it to make the glass shelves more tight.. aka not be able to lift up). The color isn't bad so I am still debating repainting it. I need to wash it off to see what exactly I am working with.
                        front:

              side:

3) Dinosaur
Location: Bent Tree neighborhood garage sale
price: $1    and  50 cents
My lovely mum actually bought this for me, it won't be a permanent fixture in the classroom but something fun to put out during our dino week.

4) Orange shelf
Location: Millstone neighborhood
price: $5
Definitely will be painting this piece. It was in a little girl's room apparently (she wrote her name in pencil on it). It caught my eye.. probably because it was orange, but I think it will be a good little shelf for keeping student supplies on and whatnot. I am thinking of painting it a teal color.. still debating though.

with my bins on them... and of course louie had to sneak into the picture.. he was extremely excited about the dino.

Total spent: $18.50!!!

Reading Nook wall decor

After getting some inspiration via pinterest and my web browsing, I found a picture of a reading in a classroom with the word 'read' on the wall made out of wooden letters painted white with black designs on them. I knew I definitely wanted to do something similar. I wanted actual color on the letters for two reasons: 1) i have tan walls and a color scheme already in mind 2) I have read some feng shui books for the classroom, as well as, book pertaining to special needs students and for those students black and white can overwhelm them since there is such a contrast in colors. Also I learned that having lots of red in the classroom can also be distracting and make students feel more anxious. All in all, thank goodness that I was already thinking of staying more neutral, calming with blues, greens, tans,  whites, and occasional bright focus pieces. I have a travel/adventure theme already in place since it fits with the grade level (5th grade). I read once again that exploration is a big key thing to stress in 5th, plus a lot of the curriculum covers exploration in its many facets. Let us not forget I myself have the travel bug so i will also enjoy such theme (and i can use some of my travel pictures in my classroom! bonus!). Anyways, back to my latest project... I went to hobby and bought the chipboard letters (walmart doesn't carry the bigger letters anymore!), I also decided to make the project easier and headed to the scrapbook paper aisle-- which if you ever hear about me heading to hobby lobby you can always find me in that aisle.... so addicting--- and I can't help it that feel compelled to take advantage of scrapbook paper sales (which is it me or does it seem like it is always on sale at hobby lobby?!?!). Anyways I found Daily Junque paper by house of three in a pack of 24 pieces. The colors were perfect and it is actually card stock paper. The only downer was that the pages are double-sided (not the same print on both sides) so that kinda sucks. Once at home I picked out my papers to use on each letter: 'R'- I wanted bold and eye catching but not a real busy pattern. 'E' I went with a pink colored paper that had a pretty busy pattern/ collage feature.  'A'- I went with a pink graph paper that had a distressed/ stained look but helps balance the pattern on the 'e', 'D'- I wanted to something that popped but still kept balance so I went with the yellow number patterned paper.. plus the paper was too darn cute not to use. I used modpodge to attached the paper after stenciling the letters on to the paper and cutting them out. I did not use modpodge on top of the paper since I didn't want a gloss plus this way i can always remove the paper easier if i want to change up my theme. Below are pictures of each letter and then them all together! I can't wait to put them up in my reading nook in my classroom!!! They turned out sooo cute!

 I also love that the 'E' says destination on it, has a map print, and a globe-- perfect!!!

Substitute Teaching

It's been awhile since I have been last on here posting. Now back in the United States and home in the KC metro, I am looking for a full time teaching position. I graduated the day after returning home and since then have been applying to every school district in the kc metro area. I am currently working for Independence School District as a substitute teacher. I am grateful to have a sub job and it has helped me keep refining myself as a teacher. I got to teach p.e. for K- 2 at a school, which is something I don't have a lot of experience with. I also have been taking a lot of early education jobs, which is something I never really pursued in teaching since I was only elementary ed and not early ed. It definitely is different from elementary ed. I have had to handle lots of potty incidents and diapers, sat through nap times, and sang songs (for those who don't know me all that well, I am a horrible singer- so it was one of my biggest fears singing to strangers.. even if the strangers are only 3 years old).  Tomorrow I have a long day ahead of me at a school I haven't been to before. It is an early childhood- head start school so shall prove to have some funny, good experiences I am sure! Just wanted to give a little update. Will write more later. I have a plan for this blog that involves education articles, projects, lessons, and ideas. excited!!!

last day of school in ireland!

Today we did maths, Spanish, Art, worked on BT presentations, had my farewell and also watched most of the movie "Twister". It is crazy that we can just show it and dont have to send home permissions due to language and whatnot. Does make it a lot easier not having to worry about those things but..... in the states cursing in school is way more looked down upon... as some of the students pointed out to me, you wouldnt be irish if you didnt curse every once in awhile. Interesting to say the least.

I hope to post more later but need to head to bed to be able to wake for my flight home tomorrow morning.

The snowflakes in the window are the ones I taught the kiddos to do and the rest of the pictures are of their lighthouse projects.

Last Week

I hope to get pictures up soon of the snow flake project that I did with the kids for art the other day. I found a more complex way of making snowflakes to give them more of a challenge. When I started in on the lesson with them I ask them if anyone could tell me how snowflakes formed and did a little science background with them. As I walked them through the steps and the diagram I drew on the board I was a little worried that it was too complicated for them. However, they proved me wrong and their snowflakes look fabulous!


Their lighthouses for young scientist look amazing as well, I will try to take some pictures to put up here to show you guys. They are wiring them at the moment.

The students are also working on a presentation in their junior achievement groups. They got invited to the BT headquarters in Ireland to present their findings on the environment and renewable energy to staff there. I am sad that I wouldn't get to see it!

Don't forget you can always see what we are up to on the school site. Click here to see some pictures from our science projects over the past few weeks

Field trip update

1. The dad that came in who works for Electric Ireland put on a fantastic presentation about energy, electricity, and numbers for the students... he didn't get to finish it all but will be coming back in some other time to finish it up.

2. the musical- it was great to see so many different schools there to watch the performance. Everyone was even given a snack during intermission from the secondary school.  It was kind of hard to follow but the music was good-- can't go wrong with Queen. Although, there was some swearing in the play that was not exactly school appropriate, but the kids didn't react to it so that was good.

3. We have been practicing for the carol service-- their christmas play. The students have done an excellant job in acting their roles. Quite sad I am barely going to miss their performance... It takes place Monday night, the 19th.

4. Tomorrow we are going to the ASPCA with the kids to talk about animal cruelty and the responsibilities of being a pet owner. I am quite pumped because I love animals. The kids already asked Mr. Malseed if they could adopt one of the animals as a class pet. (The response was no to that if you were wondering).