Parental concerns about your special needs child

It seems very interesting to find out that there are many problems that come about when we speak of education.  The blogs that I have talked about contribute to the issues that we come face to face with, especially as parents.  As this is the last blog for the course EDU 473, my main concern now, would be of how I will focus on the fact that my daughter has just gotten out of surgery 3 days ago and that I go back to work after 2 weeks and that school is not too far away.  "How will she be able to do what she used to do in school?  This is just a concern that will elapse into an issue when the new school year begins in September.  Ok...let's take a look back at to what goes on with the department of social and health services also known as DSHS here in WA. 
     I am a mother of two children ages 11 and 7 now and I have had childcare assistance through the state when I began working in 2010.  Throughout that time, I was able to afford childcare at the minimum wage, but as time progressed and my opportunities have stretched, minimum wage was no longer the case.  In 2011, I then worked at another retail company along with a private preschool where I then became the office manager in which I earned a higher paying wage than what I was earning from previous work. With the income coming in from two jobs, DSHS said I was no longer qualified to receive subsidy's from the state to help pay for childcare.  So, with that, I had to quit my retail position and focus on the manager position which did have a good pay at the time.  I was then reconsidered after I updated DSHS and that I also have a child with special needs.  As time went by, it was ok for a while until I was offered another position at another preschool with an even higher pay.  Again, I had to update DSHS with the new position and income.  It looked like I was still eligible for subsidy but my copay was 200% higher than what I was paying.  I knew I couldn't afford it so I pulled my kids out of childcare and decided to start picking them up from school. I actually enjoyed coming out of work to be with my kids, as I know this is what most parents would enjoy doing.  For that time, I worked only 6 hours a day until we had moved to another city and went back to full time at the start of the second semester.  With the new school, the bus was able to pick up and drop my kids off right at the front of our apartment complex which made it convenient for them and myself.   The part where I now find myself lingering through the air is how or what should I do now that my youngest daughter will be in elementary by herself while her sister is in middle school?...Do I go back down to working 6 hours a day or should I have my kids back in after school childcare?  I know that I have worked my way up into self sufficiency and not rely on state and local assistance anymore, but is there a need to go back to it?  Another question I ask myself is, will my daughters 504 plan and the school be willing to accommodate her current situation?  There are still questions that come in and out of mind when I think about it and how will I can get help.  As time goes by, developing a plan that will go hand in hand with my busy schedule and hers will surely be one skill that I can gain.

Finding the right accommodation for your child who has special needs is something to clearly think about as a single parent, especially when you are the one who takes care of everything.  Parents become concerned of what will affect their children and the activities that go on in school.  I know for a fact though, that the school is committed to doing every possible thing for my daughter and that I hope every school finds a way to accommodate certain situations.  (Updates to follow)

Daisy Quitugua

More Preschools?...

Are 4 year old's capable of learning more than what parents teach at home? Of course, a child's mind is like a sponge that soaks up the entire amount of liquid that it is drenched in.  The more a child learns, the more they challenge themselves into creating ways they can explore their knowledge.  Creativity and imagination is what happens at preschool.  Building a foundation for them to grow and learn gives a child the learning capabilities they need to begin Kindergarten.  If there were enough preschools to go around, and not just preschool corporations but public preschools, this will give every child the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge and engage in activities that the rich kids are doing. According to James Heckman in an interview with Paul Solman,  he says that  "Conclusive research has shown for decades that the brain develops most rapidly from birth to age 5. There is also clear evidence that high-quality early childhood education can actually raise IQ in young children" (2013).  Our country invests a lot of money in the elderly, give tax breaks to the wealthy and subsidize a lot of inefficient industries. But we cannot find the cash to develop an effective system of preschools for our nation’s children, almost half of whom are from families who are low-income or in poverty. Yet we know such a system can and will transform lives and ultimately save money...This ultimately is a win-win situation for everyone. 

References:

America’s 4-Year-Olds Need More High-Quality Preschools
Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-31/america-s-4-year-olds-need-more-high-quality-preschools.html 

Solman, P. (Feb. 2013). It Pays to Invest in Early Education Says a Nobel Economist Who Boosts Kids' IQ. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/02/it-pays-to-invest-in-early-education-says-a-nobel-economist-who-boosts-kids-iq.html

Childhood Vaccinations: Is It Important

Yes! Absolutely! Immunizing your child/children from infectious diseases is key to protecting the health and wellness of your child, your family and the public. Vaccines prevent disease in the people who receive them and protect those who come into contact with unvaccinated individuals.  The one thing that concerns parents are the health and safety issues that constantly cross their minds when it comes to protecting their children.  Let's look at the pros when vaccinating children and how it affects the whole community:
The risks of not being vaccinated far outweigh the small risks associated with vaccination. Preventable diseases like measles and mumps can cause permanent disability and death. In 1991 an outbreak of measles in an unvaccinated group of children in Philadelphia caused seven deaths. Children infected with the mumps can become permanently deaf.  Although a very small number of deaths from the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine have been reported), the most common adverse reactions are minor soreness and or fever
Vaccines should be required because they produce significant economic benefits for society. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every $1 spent on vaccination saves the public $6.30 in medical costs that would result from having to treat unvaccinated diseased individuals
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most childhood vaccines are 90-99% effective in preventing disease. When children who have been vaccinated do contract a disease, despite being vaccinated against it, they usually have milder symptoms with less serious complications than an un-vaccinated child that gets the same disease.  And, if you're thinking about enrolling your child, remember that most states require that your child is immunized before entering.  each state decides which immunizations are required for your child's enrollment and attendance at a child care facility or school in that state. Immunization requirements and allowable exemptions may vary by state, and they may be updated and changed regularly.
So, when considering the option to vaccinate your child or not, it is important to remember that an unimmunized child is at greater risk of catching measles, one of the most infectious diseases there is and one which can cause serious complications or even death...And, they might not be able to get into school.

References:
Five important reasons to vaccinate your child. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/promotional/media/downloads/matte-reasons-vaccinate.pd

Student Teacher Ratio in Schools

As we all know it, class sizes tend to increase more and more every school year thinking the advantage would be helping a child participate in learning.....well, not really.  The average class size consists of 15:1 with 17:1 being the most. The more there are students in a class with a teacher and assistant, their learning capabilities will be scattered into different outcomes.  When a child learns with 25 other students, their minds are not so connected to the subject being taught.  Rather, their minds float in a midst of chit chat, daydreaming, and nonsense that a teacher would not catch.  Research studies indicate that a smaller class size increases a child's learning then those who attend a larger class. 

A few of the many benefits of smaller class sizes:

• Individual instructional time with students
• Higher achievement for children in poverty
• Smaller class sizes in early grades score higher in tests, improved attendance and have better grades.  

The same goes for me and working in a preschool environment.  The ratio goes from 

• Preschool (Ages 3 and 4) at 10:1
• Twos (Ages 20 months to 2) at 6:1
• Toddler (Ages 1 Year to 2 yr) at 5:1
• Infants (Ages 3 months to 1 yr) at 4:1

As a teacher, I would say that the preschool and twos program work great and that each child receives individual learning with the teacher.  In the toddler and infant programs, the teaching with toddlers at this ratio becomes easily distracted among the other children as they have a short span on interest of activities.  Infants require a great amount of bonding and caring and with 4 babies to 1 teacher, not all of them are given that adequate amount of individual learning.    

References:

http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/class-size/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/145709175/CSR-National-Fact-Sheet

     Parents are our first teachers as a child.  They teach us the foundations of reading, math, science, art and all sorts of other subjects.  As a child goes to preschool, their teachers at school continue building that learning skill to a higher level along with their parents.  The demographics and culture vary from area to area and with the level of academic achievements, there seems to be a lack of parental support in education.  In some cities, there is a district that has the highest level of parental support and in the next city, it just isn't even there.   Every family has their own situation at which it makes it hard for a parent or parents to get involved in their children's education.  It could be that they work late and having financial hardships or they may not be interested in helping a child learn. Different factors take into play with this situation and yes, some parents might forget about certain things, but even just 20 minutes a day reading a book helps to stimulate their minds and creates a bonding relationship that every child needs.
   
     Improving schools comes from parents helping their children in their academic studies.  With research studies being conducted around the country, specialists have found that students who have parental guidance and support have succeeded regardless of income or background. According to the National Education Association, "a synthesis of research on parent involvement over the past decade, also found that, regardless of family income or background, students with involved parents are more likely to:
Earn higher grades and test scores, and enroll in higher-level programs
Be promoted, pass their classes, and earn credits
Attend school regularly
Have better social skills, show improved behavior, and adapt well to school
Graduate and go on to post-secondary education..."

     As a mother, student, and educator, my children and their education are first and foremost among all other activities that go on in life.  Educating and taking part of their academic achievement also becomes an achievement for me, as I see them progress knowing that I have helped shaped their minds to focus on school.  As a child growing up, my father always told me to learn everything you can because it never stops. Everyday we learn something new.

Daisy Quitugua


Reference: http://www.nea.org/tools/17360.htm