Early Childhood Resources

As early childhood professionals, we must stay current; it is our responsibilty. "We need to foster our collaborative skills. We need to foster our critical thinking skills our advocacy skills so that we can share with people why it's important...... to know the research and to develop quality-based programs. We need to know our information so that we can help influence others." - Leticia Lara, Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families

Here are some very helpful and important resources for Early Childhood Professionals

http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/ect/leadership.htm
The Association of Early Learning Leaders   http://www.earlylearningleaders.org/
Scholastic.com   http://scholastic.com
Public Broadcasting System   http://www.pbs.org/kcts/preciouschildren/diversity/read_linguistic.html
Early Childhood News  http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/
Lisa Murphy, the Ooey Gooey Lady  http://www.ooeygooey.com
Conscious Discipline  http://consciousdiscipline.com

NAEYC -  National Association for the Education of Young Children
http://www.naeyc.org/

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

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:

World Forum Foundation
http://worldforumfoundation.org/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

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/

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families. (2010).Infant-toddler policy agenda.Retrieved May 26, 2010, fromhttp://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, fromhttp://community.fpg.unc.edu/sites/community.fpg.unc.edu/files/imce/documents/FPG_Snapshot_N33_EvidenceBasedPractice_09-2006.pdf

Interesting Quotes from Interesting Early Childhood Professionals

"Children benefit most from teahers who have the skills, knowledge, and judgement to make good decisions and are given the opportunity to use them." Dr. Susan Bredekamp, NAEYC

"If the first three years of life are deprived in terms of stimulation and interaction with warm nuturing human beings, it's going to be real tough for the child to acquire the depth and breadth of verbal language needed to build reading abilities."  Dr. Susan Bredekamp, NAEYC

"If done right, high-quality, parent-focused Early Child Development programs that begin at birth can make an extraordinary difference in outcomes both for the child and society." Aurthur Rolnick, Federal Reserve Bank, Minneapolis, MN

"My passion has been evolving through the years.  It's an ongoing process.  It's like a ripple.  You throw a little rock and you have sort of the center.....but it grows." Leticia Lara, LCSW, Regional Manager, Outreach and Professional Development, ZERO TO THREE (speaking about her passion for early childhood)

"I'm not here to save the world.  I'm here just to make a difference in the community that I'm working."  Raymond Hernandez, MS Ed., Executive Director, School of Early Childhood Education, University of Southern California

Personal Childhood Web

       I would like to introduce you to some of my childhood influences.  My mother, Margie.  She is the absolute biggest influence in my childhood and continues to be that influence.  My mom always has had a love for children.  She opened our center when I was 6, my brother 4.  She worked long hours everyday, but we always knew she was there for us.  She instilled such a great work ethic into us.  I actually started working at the childcare when I was 12, cleaning bathrooms and sweeping sidewalks and driveways.  She helped to develop my love of children by being an great role model.  Even at 73, she is still working everyday, either with the children themselves or with the health dept., dept. of education, and school district to further the causes of children.  She is a great encourager and my proof-reader for my papers and proud of me going back to get a Masters Degree.
       My grandmother, Margaret Blacklidge, was the smallest little lady with the biggest heart and personality.  She made a huge impact in my life.  She was one of my biggest supporters.  She loved everyone and treated them all like they were her own grandkids.  I try to make sure that all childred I come in contact with are made to feel that they belong to me and I love them.  I felt it was a privilege to be able to sit with her when she got sick until her death.  I loved that little woman and still remember her smiling as the ambulance took her away for the last time.  She grabbed my hand and told me to tell the family to let her go.  She trusted me to take care of that for her.  She died 2 days later after the family decided that it was time to trust her and God.  Even now I'm tearing up and she went to heaven 20+ years ago.
       My Aunt Patty, she's not really my aunt, but my best friend's mother.  She made sure that we always had what we needed, still does.  She is a loving woman and going through some hard times now.  I hope that I am able to support her like she has always done for me.
      Childhood influences are so important to build positive experiences. The three ladies are the epitome of positive experiences.  I am so thankful to have grown into a woman and mother with these ladies influences in my life.

Fave Books

Some of favorite books that I use in class are

Elmer by David McKee
It's all about being original!

The Maestro Plays by Bill Martin, Jr & Vladimir Radunsky
Great new vocabulary words! skippingly, beseechingly, maestro, etc.  Just a fun book.

Llama Llama books
They're just plain good, fun books.

Pete The Cat books
Pete Rocks!

Wolf's Coming by Joe Kulka
I use this for birthdays.  It's spooky and scary, then it's a party.

Napping House by Don and Audrey Wood
Love repeat books.

Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni
There are so many things this book can teach.  Everyone is different, but can be friends; colors & blending, etc.

Little Cloud by Eric Carle &
It Looked Like Split Milk by Charles G. Shaw
Great imagination books

The House That Jack Built by Simms Taback & Mandy Patinkin
Love repeat books.

If there is one on here you don't know about, please ask so I can give more information to you.  You NEED to read each of these to your children.  You'll have as much fun as they do.

Sites I love...

www.mralmusic.com  for Mr. Al  great musician and loves kids!

www.ooeygooey.com  Lisa Murphy,  what can I say.  She's FUN!

www.consciousdiscipline.com  Dr. Becky Bailey has some great information

special days at school

Read Across America Day

Llama Llama Red Pajama Day

Mr. Al is in the house!!

Al Rasso Rocks!

Stocking the shelves at our food pantry with food we collected during community helper month

more teacher workshops

Some teacher trainings I've organized

a quote....

"If at all possible, nothing without joy."
Loris Malaguzzi

Long-time provider; continued learning; children excel!

Hello everyone. I’m Kim Merritt from Petal, MS. Currently, I am the Director of a childcare center with 170+ children, with 25 staff members. I am President of our local State Early Childhood affiliate, an officer of our local Owners & Directors Network, and a members of the National Child Care Association and Association of Early Learning Leaders. I have presented at several conferences and love getting to meet so many early childhood professionals. I am also a mother of an 8 year old, who (I have to brag) is reading on a 4^th grade level, as well as the Children's Coordinator and VBS Director at my church.  I am happily married to my husband of almost 18 years (on Christmas Eve).

For me, the purpose of earning a Teaching and Diversity in Early Childhood Ed. Masters Degree at Walden University is to greatly expand my knowledge in the early childhood field. I do my best to stay up-to-date on current trends going on in our state, but so much is changing it is extremely hard to keep up. I am looking forward to learning new things and also getting to know my colleagues.

In Mississippi, it has changed so much in the last 5 years, providers, as well as teachers must be current new terminology, trends, and legislation to be able to adequately care for themselves, their businesses, and their children and families at the center. We now live in such a diverse and politically correct world that old school ways of doing things sometimes just don’t work.