February 16th, 2010
Filed under: Pre-School, Rants, Work | Tags: childhood, children, guns, Pre-School
Guns in Early Childhood Education
Currently my centre has a No Gun policy. They don’t allow toy guns and we are meant to tell the kids that guns are not allowed at pre-school if we see them pretending they have one.
This in my mind is stupid.
First of all, trust me when I say that I’m no gun activist. In fact, I’m completely against guns being used against human beings. But that being said I sure as hell played with water pistols when I was a child and I even had a BB Gun when I was in high school. I have fond memories of my friends all going down to the local primary school with our BB Guns and glasses and having wars late into the night. I still enjoy the odd paintball game now a days. This didn’t make me into a crazed killer. This was just a part of my boyhood.
Second, aren’t we meant to be working with the children’s interests? The kids at my centre are very interested in guns. Wouldn’t it be awesome to do a project on guns. Learn about the different types of guns. Learn what guns are used for? Learn about how to safely use guns. Learn about gun licenses? Make some gun licenses? Teach them what to do if they ever find a real gun? To me this sounds like a great idea, but I’ve had some pretty horrible “great” ideas in my life time. But then again what’s the alternative? Make guns, which are seen by kids everyday in their cartoons and stories, a taboo subject. Just pretend they don’t exist?
What’s your thoughts on toy guns at centres? Would you allow them at your child’s centre? If so, why and what rules would you expect to come with them? Would you forbid them? If so, why and how would you stop a child from pretending a stick is a gun?
January 22nd, 2010
Filed under: Pre-School, Work | Tags: babies, childcare, ece, Nappies
Does this image disturb you? Why?
Nappies are just another part of the job description when working as an early childhood educator in New Zealand. Unless you happen to be a man that is. For some reason, being of the male persuasion leads to all sorts of awkward questions during interviews when it comes to the nappy changing policies. Are you comfortable changing nappies? What’s your stance on nappies? How do you feel about changing soiled children? Of course, these questions are usually followed up with some sort of polite statement roughly translated to “We know this is a non-issue now a days, but we feel like we have to ask”.
You’re right, in this day and age it is a non-issue, but you asking is making it an issue, isn’t it? For me personally, I have no problem doing nappies and believe that it comes with the job. I would be happy if I was just expected to do it and no one batted an eye or suggested otherwise. I mean, it seems to me that the only way it’s going to really become a non-issue is if that’s how we treat it.
But instead, I feel pressured into giving the centre permission to ask the parents if it’s alright with them if all staff (including the new guy we just hired) changes nappies, soiled clothes etc. It seems like the easy way out. The company gets to cover itself.
I wonder if there will ever be a time when I start at a new centre and this isn’t brought up. Or a time when if a parent does have a problem with me changing their child’s nappies, management will tell them that I’m an employee like any other and to get over it rather than awkwardly asking me to not to change little Susie’s nappies anymore.
January 17th, 2010
Filed under: Music, Reviews | Tags: Alternative
The Antlers - Hospice
1. Prologue
2. Kettering
3. Sylvia
4. Atrophy
5. Bear
6. Thirteen
7. Two
8. Shiva
9. Wake
10. Epilogue
Overall: 
I really wanted to get away with just rating albums with stars and not having any written description. Mainly because I don’t really have the writing skills to differentiate in words how one album or track makes me feel compared to another.
Unfortunately for me, this album does require a description. This is an album that needs to be listened to in its entirety in one sitting. You also need to be really focusing on the music to get the most out of it. The ten tracks tell a story of a relationship with a terminally ill child. With tracks made up from hospital scenery, snippets of conversations with doctors, terrifying dreams, and prayers. They take you on a emotional trip through guilt, duty, mortality, and hope in the face of hopelessness.
As overly depressing as all this sounds, the album is surprisingly uplifting. Make no mistake, you will feel the emotional strain that singer Peter Silberman is going through, but by the end you will see that even in our darkest moments there is unfathomable beauty.
Well, Ki, I believe your blog is very significant and you have valid thought and opinions. I must say, as an educator for more than ten years, I have always worked at child care centers where there is a no guns policy. No weapons period. That meant even if they made swords. The thing is is that as early educators, we have to think of the generalization of our children. What separates them from learning what is right from wrong at school and at home. We never know what is being taught at home about guns in general. Some parents have no problem with it and others may be totally against it. We don’t want to offend the parents that are totally against weapons. And we also want to let the parents know that they are the primary teacher of their children in that aspect. Kind of like religion as well. Which is why a lot of day care centers either don’t celebrate any holidays or celebrate them all.
But what I want to focus on is the point you made about working with the children’s interests. And you are so absolutely correct!!! This is something that educators tend to loose track of when it comes to sensitive issues like weapons. Of course if all the children were interested in dinosaurs, educators will go all out to create a extensive theme on dinosaurs and get extravagant… but not with weapons like guns. I could go on and on. Especially with this society and the views that it puts out there… For example, with police officers. Society tends to make it seems like police officers are bad and send a message to children that they are there to take you to jail if you’re bad, and child care centers work so hard to change their mind set from society that police officers are good and are there to protect and serve. Which is very true… and what we should think about police officers regardless of what children see and hear…
Guns and weapons are very taboo in the child care world. And educators have made it that way. There are many reasons why and why not. And we could go around in circles forever. I would say, that if it’s the child’s interest, especially if the curriculum you are using is child-centered, and it’s ok by the parents, if I were a director of a center, I would allow a thematic unit on guns.
I appreciate your feedback and will keep it in mind as I continue in my career in ECE. Thank you!