The Center of the Master's of Science in Early Childhood Studies Program-Sherida Richards-Malcolm

    The quotes above practically sum up what support means to me. Those relationships and connections that I have forged over a period of time. They all have varying degrees and depts. These individuals have supported me in different areas of my life. These are individuals who will tell me whenever I am taking the wrong road, lane or curb. I expect some of these individuals to share my joys and sorrows, sunshine and rain, and my planting and reaping seasons. In, other words, they are not necessary for financial aid but, emotional and physical support. Maybe assisting with a difficult task or just helping out. We all spend quality time together, share effective communication, and respect for each other.                The man of my dreams, my soulmate and confident. The one who cooks for me, up to 3 times daily, if I so desire. Emerging from a broken relationship, Calbert has been there for me through "thick and thin", and the connection ...

        Getting dirty and spending most of my days outdoor discovering the world around me, being in touch with nature and my inner self summarise my childhood experience of play.                        Essential Tools for Play Trees could be used for so many outdoor activities such as climbing and swinging. As a child, I was the eldest of all my cousins. I enjoyed climbing small trees and sitting in them. As I got older, I could climb every tree in the yard except the coconut trees.  The tire in the tree represents a swing in my childhood days. I would sit in the tire for hours, and be pushed by my cousin, Jeff, who lived next door. Each time  I was pushed, I thought of reaching the sky, after all, the sky is the limit. This was a fun-filled, enjoyable activity. Significantly, the tire in the tree was also used to roll down the road with a stick. Oh, how exciting this game was. I played for hours....

  As Principal, Mrs J. Brown is my Education Officer/Supervisor. I value the relationship we have because I am mentored by her daily. Mrs Brown offers support and guidance on tasks that are required by the Ministry of Education, reprove and admonish with love, communicates clearly and effectively. She encourages me to build on my areas of strengths and improve in the weak areas. She is one of my role models, one who I admire dearly. Mrs K. McKenzie is my former Principal and friend, who has seen my potential and help ushered me into Principalship. As my former colleague and then Principal, she is one of my driving forces. She involved me in everything she was doing as a Principal, and this was because of my attitude towards my work. Having good work ethics help to forge our relationship. I admire her leadership qualities. She is like a big sister who wasn't afraid to tell me where I went wrong, and I was not afraid to apologize. She is a great role model, mentor, and friend I emula...

  Children are unique in their own right, and they must be provided with the opportunity to grow and develop at their own space and stage. Children all have potential, and it is my duty as an early childhood professional to maximise their full potential. Whether they are gifted/talented or suffer from disabilities, all children must be catered for in an inclusive classroom. Children should be allowed to play and discover the world around them. As a result, whether structured or unstructured, early childhood professionals, provide students with the opportunity to develop social skills and maintain healthy relationships. Lastly, children should be taken out of the proximal development zone into an area where they learn something new daily. Leaving from the known to the unknown. collaborating and cooperating to unleash the creativity and innovativeness that is waiting to unwrap.

A holistic approach to child development seeks to simultaneously address the physical, emotional, relational, intellectual and spiritual aspects of a child's life. The importance of the Holistic Approach is that its children learn different things at different stages, e.g. walking talking, fine motor skills etc. Holistic learning is especially effective for young children because it encompasses the whole child and a broad range of learning goals. Besides, it focused on more than cognitive development, holistic learning incorporates mind, body, spirit, behaviour and social interaction.  I believe the Multiple Intelligences play a very vital role in the holistic development of children. 'Learning' and 'education' are embedded in care and development (Myers, 2001). When we take about Early Childhood Education, the outcomes are high school enrollment, schools retentions, intellectual and academic achievements, low delinquency rates, better job opportunities. The fact is...

   Natural Disasters occur every so often and harm many children and their families globally. Like those children, I have the experience of natural disasters in the form of hurricanes. However, Hurricane Gilbert, 1988 has been the most lasting and impactful experience, one that is still vivid in my mind. I was only 12 years old. We heard on the news that a hurricane was coming and it would make landfall at approximately 3:00 pm on September 12, 1988. I went to school that very day. While at school, the principal sent us home midday, for us to escape the eventualities. Besides, upon reaching home, I was in my community playing until the rain started. Not knowing what to expect, I was anticipating this hurricane as though it was a gift coming my way.  The wind and the rain started, and we were all inside.      Furthermore, Hurricane Gilbert slammed an unprepared Jamaica. No one battened their windows and doors, nor secured non-perishable food items and stoc...

I am going with the health issue of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is a global concern not only in the US, Korea and Africa, but worldwide. Laureate Education states. “healthy children are a prerequisite for healthy communities and healthy societies. Public health measures are designed to contribute to children’s health.” (Laureate, 2020). In the United States of America “sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) remains one of the most intriguing mysteries in medicine. The US National Institute of Child Health and Development defines this syndrome as the “the sudden death of an infant under one year of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including the performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history.” (Laureate, 2020). However, many risk factors contribute to SIDS such as prone sleeping position (lying face down), sleeping on the same bed with parents and higher ambient temperature (the aver...