April's Bulletin Board

Where is Spring?

A Note of Thanks!

I would like to congratulate all of my classmates for another successful class towards completing one of our many goals in the education field. Thank you to each and everyone of you for your responses and views on all the discussion topics presented in this class.  I have learned and discovered so much more than what I had anticipated. I would like to wish you all the best of luck throughout the remainder of this program. At times, I wanted to give up because of some difficulties during this course but because I am resilient, I have managed to pull through and complete this class. I hope that my discussion responses have helped you as well. 

Quotes

" A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on a cold iron." Horace Mann 

" Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." Benjamin Franklin

" It is not what is poured into a student that counts but what is planted." Linda Conway 

Testing for Intelligence

The apartheid in South Africa is mainly responsible for teachers being unmotivated which led to their laid back attitude resulting in no motivation or inspiration from students. Most teachers were unqualified or under qualified. Since the reform on education in 1994, they established one national system of education in 2005. This new system wanted to withdraw from the rote model of learning to student center. They changed because they wanted to produce learners who become life long learners. According to the National Curriculum assessment is suppose to be continuous process of gathering information on student achievement.

Currently, students are assessed by collecting data, observing during classroom task, standardize test and classroom test  and peer and group assessment. Educators are responsible for recording all assessment procedures and using a checklist to ensure that everything is collected and reviewed. According to Robyn Dixon of the Los Angeles Times, students in South Africa are given a choice of test in 11 subject areas.Students must past at least 6 out of the 11 test subjects. They must pass 3  subject test at 40% and the other 3 at 30% in order to receive their National Senior Certificate. Entrance into a Public University depends on your National Senior Certificate exam scores and or the National Benchmark test.

Consequences on Stress on Children's Development in Africa

Children in Africa are exposed to a numerous amount of stress that impacts their development. It's unfortunate that they are in an environment where they have to worry about the next attack on their village, whether or not they will have enough to eat, where they are going to live and how they are going to survive after the disease HIV/AIDS has claim their parent or adult guardian. As we know, Africa has been hit the hardest with the disease HIV/AIDS effecting 60% of the population. I will discuss the effects of this horrible disease on children's development.

If a family member is affected with HIV/AIDS and can no longer complete any work related duties, the families income decreases by 60%, they go into debt and food consumption drops by 41% (Richer,2004). Families often relocate to the home town village of their parents. Sometimes there are family members that are willing to assist in help the sick parent. The children's work responsibility increases, children as young as 5 years old have duties they now have to complete for the families survival. Work responsibilities include domestic chores, farming and begging for food and supplies. Children's school attendance is affected because of their new responsibilities and in some cases where the child is still able to go to school they refused to attend in fear of being made fun of.

One of the most important effect of AIDS on children is emotional. Children watch their parents and sometimes guardians suffer over a long period of time and because of their deaths , children are sometimes separated from their siblings and are left abandon, lonely, or become an orphan. Children want to know about their future and would like for their parents to educate them about this disease but parents are silent in helping their children understand what is going to happen next. This stress triggers anxiety, depression, fear, sadness and withdrawal.

Overall, there is a consensus that the first priority is to strengthen the family and to educate the people of Africa about this disease and its effects on the family structure and the country. It is also to support families and children when the parents first become sick. The organization that is trying to make a difference in Africa is www.developafrica.org , they are trying to help educate the people and make them more knowledgeable about the prevention of this disease.

Richter, Linda (2004). The impact of Hiv/Aids on the development of Children. Published in Monograph No.109.

Consequences on Stress on Children's Development

I remember spending the night at my them BFF's house for the first time ever. We stayed up late, played on the phone did each other's hair and talked about what career's we wanted. That Saturday morning her mom woke up up very early as our punishment for laughing and playing all night. I remember thinking, my mom would have never done this to us.We did all that we were told to do sweep, wash dishes, mop the floor, clean the bathroom and dust the living room. We were tired and worn out. My friend called her grandmother to complain about what her mom made us do, her grandmother requested to talk to her mom and that was the beginning of the sleep over form hell. Once her mom ended the conversation, she stormed into the room, where we both were watching television, with a belt. Her face was red, her eyes were huge and her lips were tight. At that moment she just began attacking her daughter, repeatedly hitting her with the belt. She was screaming and had balled up into a fetal position. I was frozen, stuck and confused by what was going on . I wasn't being hit but, I flinched with every hit her mom landed on her body. I was so afraid that she was coming for me next. After, the beating was over, her mom separated us and began yelling about how she was a good mother, how she gave up so much for her and how could she call to say she didn't want to be there anymore. Obviously  the phone conversation made her irate. I wanted to cry but didn't .I wanted my mother so bad to come and rescue me. 

As soon as my mom entered she sense something was wrong. My friends mother began to explain what happened and her actions. My mother entered my friends bedroom and saw her still balled up on the floor. She was sore to the touch, black and blue and blood soaked into her clothes. My mom exit the room with disgust. She asked if I was hit and immediately asked my friends mom to talk in the other room. Soon after we left. I never spent the night again. I was too afraid. 

In school her grades were never steady, she was always in danger of failing. She didn't have many friends, her attendance was poor and she was aggressive towards all adults and authority figures. We are no longer friends but, I would like to know how she is functioning as an adult. 

Child Development and Public Health

Breastfeeding is a topic that is meaningful to me because I breastfeed both of my children. I was only able to breastfeed my first son six weeks but, with my second I was able to breastfeed him until he was six months old.

Breastfeeding is beneficial to both mother and baby. The benefits for babies are that it provides all the nutrients and antibodies they need. It protects babies from illness because their immune systems are not yet fully developed. Babies who are breastfeed are less likely to experience ear infections and diarrhea.

The benefits for mothers are that it decreases her risk for breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, ovarian cancer and are less likely to suffer from postpartum depression. I enjoyed breastfeeding for the following reasons, I didn't have to sterilize any bottle or nipples, the baby bag wasn't heavy, it saved me money and it allowed me to have more quiet time with my new baby.

I looked into breastfeeding in Africa. I just recently researched the traditional and cultural ways to give birth in Africa, so I decided to further my investigation. The husband, the village elders, education, socioeconomic status and their culture and traditions determines whether or not a mother will breastfeed her new baby.

• more than 95% of infants are breastfeed in Africa 
• average duration of breastfeeding is 0-6 months before they are introduce to water and porridge
• AIDS epidemic is threatening breastfeeding in Africa 
• World Health Organization (WHO) is promoting exclusive breastfeeding for moms in Africa 
• all villages and huts are not properly equipped with clean and sanitized water so formula and bottle feeding are impossible and unsanitary for those living there. 
• decision making individuals like husband and grandmother are not properly educated about the benefits of breastfeeding 

Improvements are being made by educating mothers on their perception of breastfeeding and providing them with the proper counseling and support by the World Health Organization.