Science Collides With God

As many of you know, my major in college is Early Childhood and Elementary Education ages Birth through 6th Grade. I'm currently taking a Child Development course and an Infant and Toddler Development course. The Child Dev course is the prereq for Infant/Toddler Dev but my advisor/education teacher said he thinks I can handle it and has allowed me to take them at the same time.

At this point in the semester, both classes are looking at the same time frame in the life of children: prenatal through 3 months of age. We have been watching some amazing videos that require a log in for the site the school uses. However, I've found two segments on YouTube and I'm sharing them here. (Please feel free to find the Films on Demand website and see if you are able to sign up.)

There is one such video called "Horizon: The Nine Months That Made You (from BBC Two)." It is an outrageously interesting video that relates the nine months we spend in the womb to future health problems. For instance, low birth weight but high body fat at birth will almost certainly lead to Type 2 Diabetes regardless of the choices you make as an adult. Don't dismiss this information as hooey right off the bat.

The only two segments I could find are not related to the mentioned study (I will absolutely find out all I can and share it with you), but they are interesting on their own merits.

Pre-pregnancy and prenatal care is so vital to create healthy adults. It's amazing the things that science can discover given the curiosity and drive of the human mind.



Is Our Future Determined From Birth? - Horizon: The Nine Months That Made You, BBC Two
The above video is about Dr. Barker who first made the connections between low birth weight and future health problems.



The Personality Question - Horizon: The Nine Months That Made You, BBC Two
The above video is about a doctor's study on personality from the womb to childhood. It's funny and adorable. It's also incredibly thought provoking.

Note: If the videos don't work, please let me know.


I've titled this post, "Science Collides with God" because I personally take away some spiritual implications. If you don't, that's fine. As science progresses, it continually finds itself hitting a wall of unexplainable things. As humans continue to evolve (yeah, I said it, Christian and all!), we will continue to push those boundaries between science and God. We are closer than we were in the Middle Ages and we aren't as close as we will be in 300 years.

If you are not religious or spiritual and you clicked this post anyway, thank you. I hope you enjoyed these short clips and I hope you take away how important it is to take care of our children from before they're even a twinkle in our eyes.

Ultimately, what do you think of the studies presented here?

Citation:
The Nine Months That Made You: Pregnancy and Human Development. Films Media Group, 2011.Films On Demand. Web. 09 February 2013. < http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=10690&xtid=48258 >.

I haven't forgotten about you...

... But I just haven't had the time or inspiration to post anything.

However, I've decided that it doesn't matter right now. I have to write something or explode. I'm not taking an English class this semester so I don't have a major creative outlet. I do have some awesome news, though!

I've been invited to join the Honor Society also known as Phi Theta Kappa. Phi Theta Kappa is the national honor society for two-year colleges. This a big deal for me because I've never been in an honor society. High school was nothing more than a prison in which to bide my time and pray for release.

I have also gotten permission to take the next education class in addition to its pre-requisite I'm currently taking. So next semester I will be a little bit ahead of the game. Both classes require 15 hours of observation of infants/toddlers and preschoolers making it a total of 30 hours (they can't both count for the same time unfortunately). I've also joined the education club at school giving me some great experience and resume padding.

And finally, I'm also tutoring with my school's Learning Center. I'm part of a new program called "Supplemental Instruction." The developmental math class can be taken as a regular class or as a "lab" class where you work at your own pace. Because the teacher spends so much time grading and students can have questions on any of the 6 chapters, the school has decided to put tutors in some of the lab classes and see how it works. For me, it's a wonderful opportunity to work on my teaching skills. For the students, they get another person to help them instead of having to wait for the however many people in front of them to get their turn.

Basically, I'm at school from 9am to 5:30pm almost every weekday. That doesn't include study time and homework time or my one online class. 19.5 credit hours, 30 hours of observation (over the course of the semester), 10 hours/week for work study, 9 hours/week for tutoring, one hour a month for club meetings (not counting the events that we schedule and participate in like the three day conference), and all of the extra-curriculars that go into being a member of the Honor Society. And no way on earth could I forget my kid, that loud, rambunctious 3-year-old.

I think I might have my hands full.

In the time since I last mentioned anything about my life:

- I edited a book for classmate. She is self-publishing and it will be available in paperback and ebook format in 6-8 weeks. It's a Christian novella about a girl who is in the depths of her personal hell. Through the love of God and His followers, she is brought to know Christ and the forgiveness He offers.

-I tutored a gentleman who is studying for his physician's assistant boards. It was wildly unsuccessful. His ad said he needed someone to grade practice tests and write out flashcards. That is NOTHING near what he asked me to do. But he and I agreed that I couldn't continue due to my own obligations and my ignorance of the material.

-Christmas happened. It was sad in one way and happily glorious in every other way. I can't wait until a Christmas comes where I can actually buy gifts for my son and any other family who may be with me.

-New Years happened. I believe I was asleep before 11pm.

-I worked at the college over the break despite the job being for work study. Usually the job ends when finals start and doesn't start again until the next semester but they got permission to let me work over the break. It was mostly fun and at times boring.

THE most exciting part of what's been happening:

ICK IS POTTY TRAINED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One day I said, "We don't have any diapers for the daytime, only for the nighttime." He took it in stride and had ONE accident and ONE purposeful poop in his undies.

Last weekend I let him nap in his undies. SUCCESS! The last three nights he's slept in his undies. SUCCESS!!!!

I cannot be ANY happier! I have a HUGE bag of unused diapers and I know just who to give it to! I can finally get those nasty things out of my house!

The length of this post is why I should never go months without writing. Thanks for sticking around. Those of you who read this are my inspiration for continuing the work that is college, especially for a single mom and a woman who is older than most of her instructors. You are my inspiration for overcoming my fears of inferiority and knowing that I *can* do this. Not just for me but for my adorably obnoxious son! So thank you for reading and giving such wonderful encouragement.

New This Week...

     Well! This past week was anti-climactic to say the least! The principal of the school I chose for my observation hasn’t called me back and I called her last Tuesday. So I’ll be calling her back. I mean, I know the first week of school is busy and all, but I have stuff to do, too! :P In fact, my first observation assignment is due next week! Other than that, everything went along as I’d planned.

Last week I:

-Found an amazing article for my education class. It’s on neuroscience and how teachers can use what we know about it to teach more effectively. I like to think that Susan Niebur (aka @whymommy) would be proud.

-Wrote 3 new poems and even started a new blog for them! You won’t see any links from here, though, because I want to keep it relatively anonymous. I also found my old poetry and I did post that to my poetry group. Let them read my angst from my teen years, hah!

-Practiced my handwriting a little bit every day. It’s slow goings and I haven’t noticed a change yet. But I know that practice makes perfect and eventually my writing will be the way I want it to be!

-Had to cancel Ick’s birthday picnic at the park! It rained for almost 3 days straight so I cancelled the trip to the beach only to have the weather be absolutely perfect and gorgeous. Of course. So it’s for next Sunday and I hope it all works out!

This coming week isn’t really much different except that, well, the weather is changing. Fall is creeping in the way it does on golden velvet feet. Chilly, crisp mornings and bright warm days that turn the leaves yellow, orange and red. Fall is my favorite time of year, even over Christmas! And I do love Christmas! So as I make my way from class to class on campus, and spend the late afternoons out front with Ick, I’ll be watching the leaves and enjoying the shortest season of the year.

This week I:

-WILL get the classroom observation situation clarified

-Will keep up with the potty training.

“Do you need to pee?”

“No!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!”

“Do you want to try anyway?”

“I don’t wanna try anyway!”

“Okay, well, let’s go pee!”

“Okay!”

You’d think I’d have learned by now to skip the first three questions, but I think it’s important to get him tuned into his body when it tells him he needs to pee!

-Will do better than last week with my homework. It is after 1 o’clock in the morning and I have only just finished my two assignments that are always due on Monday mornings. Since I technically have this post due every Sunday as well, that’s three things that always need to be done by Sunday night. This past week I really put it all off and I shouldn’t have. My bedtime is 10pm, y’all. Sometimes I make it in there at 8pm so I can read my Xanth novels!

What’s new for your family this week? Do you have any activities that are fall-related? What’s your favorite part about this time of year?

Labor Day Weekend

So I didn't post about the week on Sunday because I was too busy ignoring any and all responsibilities! Ick and I played with Play-Doh, built train tracks on the train table his aunt and uncle handed down to him from his cousin, and I played EverQuest 2! It's a double-XP weekend, how could I not? Last week was pretty much business as usual. School was school, Ick's still trying to use the toilet instead of his underwear (ew), and well, that's my life right now! Hah... I did, however, watch some clips by a handwriting expert on how to improve your handwriting. I'm trying to get my handwriting under control as far as uniform size and neatness. Oh, and I joined the Education Club at school! They've got some great events this semester and I'm really looking forward to them. But this upcoming week...

-I have to pick an article from a "scholarly journal" for my education class and get it approved by tomorrow! (Yipe!) I'm having a hard time finding anything, so advice is welcome.

-I have to contact an elementary school this week to see about getting placed into a class to observe. I'm really nervous about that!

-I've got a poem to re-write for my poetry group and I still haven't even attempted it!

-Potty training continues! lol

-I'm still practicing my handwriting on a small whiteboard in my bedroom and in a notebook.

I have a lot of school work to do including the article paper, a book report on an educational book written by a teacher, a paper every week for English and my weekly observations of the elementary class. I'm excited, nervous and scared. I'd appreciate good thoughts, good vibes and some prayers sent my way!

I want to say that I'm so thankful that now my stress is coming from school work and potty training rather than from lack of funds just to get by from day to day.

Final note: I will add the handwriting link to my Resources for Teaching page in case you are interested!

New Week, New Experiences

     So this is just an attempt a new post subject akin to Thirsty Thursday, Wordless Wednesday and the like. On Sundays I'd like to try to do a short post about the new things coming up in the week that's just about to start. Because this is the first and I'd like to share what new things I've been up to, here's a short list:

     -Poetry group on GoodReads: I joined a couple of weeks ago. I haven't shared any poetry yet, but I'm anxious to!

     -COLLEGE! I started my second semester of college last Monday and I'm really excited about it. I'm taking 18 hours this semester including my very first education class! Week after this one I'll be contacting a school in my area for observation of a classroom! YIPE!

      -Potty training. No, not me, I've been doing that for years now. Hah! Ick is learning the joys of using the potty: Treats for 1, a present for 2. He still shies away from doing 2 on the toilet, but I'm not worried. He really wants to go to school with me (we have a daycare!) so he's trying really hard.

     -Ick's 3rd birthday was Saturday the 25th! It started out horrendous but got infinitely better after nap time. I hope he starts to grow out of his screaming stage soon.

      -This blog. I've put up a new template, a new description and a new determination to get stuff written at least once a week.

     I know that today I've posted twice but both posts were pertinent and well, I came up with this idea less than an hour after posting about my font issues. I think it's a pretty cool idea. Not only can you talk about what new things are coming up, but you can talk about the new experiences from the past week that you didn't know were going to happen! Kind of like a review and then a preview. I know, genius, right?

     Well, I can't wait to see what new stuff is coming not just in my own life, but yours too! What's coming up this week that's new for you or your family?

A Letter to the Editor Regarding No Child Left Behind

Note: Yes, it's long. It's an English assignment with a requirement of at least 900 words. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

To the editor:

     “We're drowning in information and starving for knowledge.” -Rutherford Rogers. No Child Left Behind is a catchy name; it has you imagining groups of children with their teachers looking out for them, making sure they learn everything they need to move to the next level of education. The truth is not so romantic and can actually devastate our society.

     This policy was implemented in my hometown’s schools after I graduated high school. It had been tossed around my school district for years and I heard my parents discussing it which is what brought it to my attention. I didn’t understand it then but the name made me want it. Uninformed as I was, it sounded perfect. It meant not failing a class or being held back. It meant making sure all the kids did well on tests and papers.

     A few years after I graduated, one of my older sisters, Becca told me about how the policy made it difficult for her to give students their earned failing grades. At her middle school, they posted grades online allowing parents and students to see them as soon as tests and assignments were graded. Within minutes of posting grades, Becca would be inundated with emails and phone calls from parents full of arguments like, “You have to pass them eventually, so just pass them now!”

     While I don’t have any specific examples of personal experience, I do have my daily interactions with young people between the ages of six and 25. The children of my friends enter 3^rd and 4^th grade without being able to read or do math at that level. People I speak to in online forums for parents write like they are still in middle school and cannot express themselves in a way that shows they earned a high school diploma. Teenagers and young adults who hold jobs at my local businesses speak like they learned English just last year when they’ve grown up right here in Utica, NY.

     I have always been one for proper spelling and grammar because it is the language we speak and the way we communicate with those around us. Without good communication you have a breakdown in basic systems including familial and romantic relationships. When faced with ignorance, I try to gently teach the correct way to spell words or express ideas and feelings. Sometimes I’m met with disdain and name-calling and other times I’m met with outright hostility. I’ve asked those hostile people why they choose to remain ignorant and usually I get sarcasm or more hostility. Even intelligent people can look stupid if they haven’t been taught in a way that they are able to learn all that is being given. That applies to more than just English. It applies to knowing the history of the world we live in, the science behind the workings of the world, social studies of the people who populate it and the math we use every day to do simple tasks. The most important thing to remember is that ignorance is not stupidity. Ignorance the absence or lack of knowledge, it is not a name to be called in an argument. Ignorance is the result of an education that caters to laziness like No Child Left Behind.

     One reporter, Sheena Dooley from the Quad City Times in Illinois, talks about how many states are lowering their own academic standards. She reports, “Iowa and Illinois are among numerous states skirting a federal law meant to boost student achievement by lowering the target scores pupils must meet, according to a recently released report. Researchers at the Policy Analysis for California Research, a nonprofit organization, said that lowering standards inflates the number of pupils who pass state tests. Those tests are used to judge the performance of a school, as required under the federal ‘No Child Left Behind Act.’” (Dooley) While allowing states to set their own standards that are approved at a federal level is a step in the right direction, it should go further. Setting the state standard low so that low income, underachieving, urban schools will pass robs other students of higher goals and more education, especially when teachers aren’t allowed to teach more than what is on those tests. Letting specific districts set goals that are approved at state and then federal levels would go even farther to ensuring a more fair assessment of the education that students are receiving and would allow them to tailor their goals based on the needs of local students.

    The same reporter also talks about the gaps in her state’s scores compared to the federal standards, “The study compared fourth-graders' results on state tests with those on the National Assessment for Educational Progress, or NAEP, a federal test used to measure student performance across all states. In Iowa, researchers found gaps of 38 percent and 45 percent in the number of students who passed reading and math, respectively. Illinois mirrored those figures with a 35 percent gap in reading and a 47 percent differential in math.” (Dooley) Illinois is not the only state lowering their standards to make sure their students pass, however. It’s hard not to want to do that when the school’s funding depends on passing those standardized tests, but public school funding is a separate topic. These statistics show that because of lower goals, Illinois and Iowa are graduating students with a lesser education than those from other states with higher goals.

     Upon my recent decision to become an educator myself, I did some research into the subject in order to get a little more involved. I realized the real-life implications are perilous. While my sister refused to give in to those parents, some teachers don’t want to fight parents or don’t have the strength to continue the fight for their students’ education. These teachers will give passing grades to students even though they haven’t learned the material. While this hasn’t affected me personally yet, I definitely foresee this being a problem. Since I am a parent and will be an educator in a few years, I will be actively involved with this issue for the rest of my life.

     Being a parent, I understand the desire to give my child everything. I understand wanting him to have lots of friends, to be accepted and not to be held back or failed in a grade. I know the desire to prevent him from feeling disappointment, unworthiness and other negative feelings. However, his ability to spell common words, do basic math, know the history of the world around him and understand the scientific workings of that world are more important than a few bad feelings. As parents we equip our children with the tools to deal with disappointments and failures and the desire to make their own place in the world. As educators we give them the knowledge to go out into the world to make that place. When you get to college, you get it right or you fail. At your job, you don’t get endless chances to get a task right, you get fired. As a soldier, you get it right or you can die.

     While this issue hasn’t yet affected me personally, I know it will affect me when I start to teach, and when my child starts attending school. You can help prevent or fight against this policy through PTA meetings, contacting the school board and getting together with other parents and teachers who want to end this path towards a “non-education.” No Child Left Behind creates ignorant adults without motivation and entire generations of unskilled workers. Without highly educated people, who has the wherewithal to run a country or further our study of the universe around us? I once thought it sounded like a smart idea, to make sure lessons were taught until every student grasped the concept. Now I know it’s about pushing our youth through years of schooling with a piece of paper at the end that is becoming more and more worthless. An unearned education is not an education at all, merely a 12 year prison sentence to be suffered.

Sincerely,

A Future Educator of Your Children

Works Cited

Sheena Dooley “Report: Iowa, Illinois lower bar on student scores” Students First. 12 January 2006, 25 June 2012 http://www.studentsfirst.us/news/contentview.asp?c=181547

College At Any Age

After 10 years, I am finally returning to college. I'll be attending the local community college to begin a transfer Associates on my way to a Childhood Education degree. Most of my life I wanted to be a teacher. For a couple of years I thought about becoming a Pharmacist and while that still interests me (as does the salary), being a teacher calls to me. I've always loved school and I can't wait to go back. I'm only slightly disappointed that it'll be a couple of years before I start doing "teacher-y" things. :o)

I'm starting not in the fall but in the first summer term. It'll put me 20% through my 2yr degree with only 4 semesters left. Theoretically, I'll be done by the end of next summer. This is very, very exciting.

I am 28 years old. I'll be 10 years older than most of the students at the school, and I have a kid. It's going to be weird but I'm a firm believer in "It's never too late." I have a dream, a desire for more and my son as motivation to get it done.

For a long time I didn't go to school for a variety of excuses.
A slightly-more-than-minimum-wage job was plenty for just me.
I'd done the whole "work full time, school full time" thing before and it wore me down fast.
I don't have the time.
I have plenty of time I'm only 20-something.
I like having free time to do stuff with friends.

I'm sure there were more excuses and a lot of it was just plain not even thinking about my future. I'd applied to schools here and there in the many states I lived. Memphis, TN, Johnston County, NC, Utica, NY. It was only after my son was born that an urgency started to build. However, I still had excuses.
I don't have time to work, go to school and raise my son.
I don't have the money.
I'll fill out the paperwork another day.
I have to get booster shots? I don't have time to go do that.


Well, I've been unemployed (not counting a 1-day and a 5-day job) since August of last year. I have nothing but time! I filled out my FAFSA, my HESC application for NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP Award), applied to school, got my booster shots, and registered for summer classes.

According to the five seconds the guy at the Financial Aid office deigned to give me, my spring PELL Grand will be used for the summer term, but it should be fine since I'll be getting other aid.

I think I've said it like three times already, but I am so excited. I am finally taking a much-needed step in making a better life for Ick and me. It's so past due but definitely better late than never.

My short-term goal is to transfer to UNCC (University of North Carolina in Charlotte) to complete my 4 year degree so I'll be close to all kinds of my family, maternal and paternal. Yes there will be a custody fight (again) but I have a better chance this time. I'll be asking just for custody, not to move, and I'll be filing this month. *fingers crossed*

My long-term goal (if I happen to be unable to complete my short-term goal) is to complete my degree and move to NC near family. This year Utica cut 217 positions and raised taxes 2%. I've been told by many people that I absolutely will not find a teaching job anywhere near where I live. My response? A very cool, "I know. That's the point."

A blogger that I look up to said something about luck not being luck at all. It's about you being prepared for the opportunities that arise. Good "luck" means you're prepared and ready and you can take advantage of the opportunity. Bad "luck" means you haven't done what you need to do to take advantage. She's one smart cookie!

Not only am I prepared for school this upcoming term, but I'm ready to fight successfully for my baby boy. I pray for strength and guidance every day and I hope you'll say a little one for me as well.

Is there something you've wanted but haven't prepared for? What's stopping you? Do you think you'll try harder to achieve your goals?

If it's school, don't feel like you're too old. Starting over in a new career or life path is always scary and challenging, but that doesn't have to stop you. If you want it, you can do it. Believe in yourself even if no one else does. Just remember, I believe in you, too.

Note: I know it's been months since I've posted and I have no excuses. Thanks for sticking around and continuing to read.

Parenting on Minimum Wage

I am a part-time clerk at a drug store. I'm not in the position I want (full time with more pay as a Pharmacy Technician) and that I'm trained for, but I am working. I'm attempting to blog every week to see what I can do to make a difference in someone's life (a good one, I'm hoping!). I'll be starting school in the fall to pursue a Doctorate of Pharmacy so I can make good money and afford more things. But right now, I'm parenting on minimum wage - well, close to it.

I recently tweeted (yup, I do that too: MamaPoodle), "99% of the time my bills are late notices. Sometimes we eat plain pasta and use discount diapers. But I sure do love my life. #happy" And that, my friends, is the God's honest truth. I am usually stressed out about one bill or another that I can't pay, some high-stress relationship or situation with my co-workers, how I don't make enough money per hour, or that I'm not being the best parent I can be.

If I could be a SAHM (stay at home mother), I would. In a New York minute! But since I am a single parent, I must work. I have to be away from my son as many hours as I can bear so that I can take care of him and myself. I choose to work only 4 days a week but have told my employers that I'm willing to work ten hour days if they want to schedule me for that. I struggle with knowing my son is at home with his NaNa (his Aunt Angelique) or at his paternal grandparents' house playing, eating, bathing, growing and learning without me. Working with the general public does distract me, but in just about every free minute I'm thinking of my little Ick. This stress alone is enough to drive me to drinkin'.

But I also have to worry about that electric/internet/phone/water bill that's due in 3 days and I just don't earn enough to pay it? Even if I worked full time?

Some of you may ask, "Why don't you get some assistance? Aren't there government programs to help people like you?" Yup. There are. I'm semi-ashamed to admit that, yes, I get food stamps. However, I earn too much for any "cash" assistance. And no, I don't get child support. Why? Well, technically, Ick's dad and I have "shared physical and legal custody" even though I am the sole financial responsible party for our little bundle of joy. We've been to court twice to change that and both times he has fought it and won. Ridiculous. The Family Supreme Court of New York has some issues that need to be worked out. But this isn't about that.

This is about how many, many parents out there are barely getting by and are doing everything they can. This isn't about the ones who play the system and refuse to work just because they "don't want to." I may get some government assistance (like millions), but I do have a job and I work very hard at it. I still struggle every month to pay my bills and they don't always get paid. I have to leave my child behind four days a week in order to make what little money I can.

As much as I struggle with all of this, the one thing I keep reminding myself is this: I am a good parent. I do what I have to in order to make sure my child is fed, clothed and is being taught everything he needs to know, whether it's by me, his NaNa or another caregiver. My son is loved, disciplined, and well taken care of. I am doing the best I know how at this point in my life.

Soon (as in a few years), even though I'll be a pharmacist, I'll be able to take real, paid time off, family vacations, make my own hours and my pay will be sufficient to give little baby Ick the right education and childhood. While nothing can make up for me being gone 40 hours a week, I can at least make sure he is getting top notch child care (hopefully from family) and a great education.

Soon, I won't be parenting on minimum wage, and I won't have to worry about how I'm going to pay that pile of bills or buy a whole new wardrobe because the clothes I bought 3 months ago don't fit him anymore. I look forward to that and every day I look forward to the time I do get to spend with Ick.



If you are like me and live paycheck to mouth, just remember that there is a way to make your life better. You can get the education and training you need to get a better paying job. And as long as you are "doing what you're able, putting food there on the table ... that's something to be proud of." (Montgomery Gentry, "That's Something to be Proud Of"). Don't let others put you down for getting assistance, or because your baby wears garage-sale clothes.

Make a change and prove that you are the best parent there is, because you know that there's always room to improve yourself to make a better life for your family. There's no bigger love than that.