ECSE421 Final Reflection of Class

I have learned so much from this class - it's nice to walk away from a class and look back and think about what you have learned and then realizing that there's so much you learned that you could go forever. I loved the real life experience it brought with the family resource plan and the guest lectures. The best way that I can learn is through real life application - so I actually felt like I learned what it's like to work with the family and what it will be like in my profession. It helped me to better understand aspects of the family and things that should be considered when working with families. I loved this class and appreciate the impact it has on my life now and will have in my life in my future.

Before I came into this class I had heard of a developmental specialist but I didn't exactly know what it was. As I have learned about it and learned about working with families in this class, being a developmental specialist is something I am very interested in and would love to learn more about this profession. 

ECSE340 Week 6

It was the last home visit and I was so sad to say goodbye to the infant I worked with and his mom! I came at a time of day that I don't usually come, and the baby was really fussy and hadn't really napped. Our main goal for the last visit was for him to lay on his tummy for a total of 20 minutes - 5 minutes on the blanket and 15 minutes on the boppy. Right when we put him on the blanket with his PVC gym, toys, and mirrors ready for when he needs, he started crying right away and just would not stop. We started again and put him on the boppy instead but he still just would not have it. He was so distraught that we decided to let him calm down and be held by his mom. And he fell asleep and would not wake up! We stayed for a while, trying to attempt again but it just didn't work. Wrong time of the day! I gave her and explained to her the future development plan and the resource page and my thank you letter and said our goodbyes. She said she will still try to make his goal of 20 minutes straight! I learned a lot from this experience and glad I was able to have the opportunity to do this!

ECSE340 Week 5

This week I brought my developmentally appropriate activity to the home, which was a little "baby gym" made out of PVC pipe and I hung black and white patterns and a mirror from the top with red ribbon. We started him out tummy time on the boppy next to the hanging patterns. While he was on his boppy we went over the 3 month questionnaire. He was fussier this week than usual and only lasted about 16 minutes on the boppy and 1 minute on the floor, after the boppy time. We decided that for the next week, which will be the last visit, we will shoot for 5 minutes on the floor (first) and 15 minutes on the boppy (second), so 20 minutes all together! Hopefully he will be happier for our last visit!

ECSE340 Week 4

This week was great! The baby I'm working with has improved SO much and he's so much happier on tummy time than he was the first time. Last time he absolutely hated the mirror but when we tried it it was the second attempt of tummy time so I used the mirror on the first attempt this time. He lasted 5 min and 30 seconds and the mirror ended up being a hit! It took him a while to look at it but when he did he loved it. For the second attempt of tummy time, after a few minute break, we used the black and white patterned paper (the tool we used on the first attempt last time) and he didn't last too long - 1 minute and 10 seconds. I concluded that he was always just tired on the second attempt and the tool didn't play a factor in that. After another break, we tried the boppy again. This time with the mirror, black and white patterned paper, and a little book of his. He lasted so long - 9 minutes and 45 seconds!! It was so awesome! The whole visit he was pretty gassy and so he fussed a little bit here and there but he was suffered through it and was so tough. :) I told baby's mom the overall goal of 20 minutes a day and I really think he will be able to do it easily!

Week 11

I really enjoyed this week and the discussions, readings, and clips we had this week. Mental health illness was a subject that really made me think. Because I knew the background of Liza Long's child and more information that was given, I had a hard time agreeing with anything she was saying. I don't agree that she should have made a big deal about this, or comparing her son to Adam Lanza. I don't doubt that this affects him Mental health illness is a hard subject because I do agree that it's something that the world needs to be more aware of, but I also believe that it does not need to be blown out of proportion.

I loved the video clips on Wednesday, and pondered a lot about how those apply to teaching and how teaching, or just these different types of professions in general, can bless our lives.
What is one talent you have been blessed with that will make you a better teacher? I feel like one talent I have been blessed with is my ability to love and show it. I love to share my love with people and tell them constantly that I do.

Weekly Quote:
"Ours is the responsibility to care for the flock. May we each step up to serve." -Thomas S. Monson

HWD: Presenting on Monday! Agh!!

ECSE340 Week 3

The intervention session with the baby went so great! We worked on the only thing he fell behind in on the ages and stages questionnaire which was gross motor skills: tummy time. I used a variety of ways to help him get used to tummy time and actually like it! I started by having him lay on a soft blanket and I used a black and white patterned paper to gain his attention and distract from the hard time on his tummy. He loved it and did a lot better than I thought! He was able to lay on his stomach that time for 2 minutes and 40 seconds. We gave him a break and then a few minutes later we tried again using a mirror instead, and he absolutely hated it! I can't tell if it's because of the mirror or if it's because it was the second try and he was worn out from the first try. He only lasted 1 minute. After another break we tried again on the boppy his mom had, and he loved it! It was so fun, he was smiling and happy and it was awesome to see the mom discover something that had worked for him and something that had made him so happy. He lasted for 3 and a half minutes on the boppy. I left her with the black and white patterened paper and recommendations like having his older siblings lay with him and play with him, lay him on his tummy for 1-2 minutes after feedings, diaper changes, and naps, and lots of time on the boppy! I'm excited to keep working with him and see if he will be able to achieve the goal I've set for him, which I know he will be able to!

Week 10

It was super interesting to learn about all of the laws this week. You hear about the laws all the time in this major so it was nice to finally learn the details and descriptions of all of them. I know that knowing the laws is a huge part of this major and learning about them got me super excited for my major! HWD is stressing me out! Here's to a crazy week!

Weekly Quote: "You can have it all." -Abraham Hicks

HWD: Handout