Time Well Spent!!!!

I have had the most amazing experience from enrolling in Waldens Masters Program for Early Childhood Studies. The specialization of Teaching and Diversity is a direct reflection of who I am and what I stand for! There are three deep felt learnings that I recieved from this program and will take with me throughout me professional developement. I have learned that I must conform to the fact that the minority will soon be the majority and it is up to me to ensure that I am the idividual that embraces this factor.

I have learned that it is so important to understand the concepts and true meaning of my biases, beliefs, values, and true meaning of my support circle. I have developed a support circle that I now rely on to better help me identify with my biases and discomforts concerning the children that dwell within my community in order to advocate positive change in the early childhood field. I have learned and adopted Derman-Sparks’ quote that states, “Understanding these dynamics in your life will strengthen your awareness of, sensitivity to, and empathy for the personal and social identity development of the children and families I serve” (Derman-Sparks, 2010, pg. 23). This statement stands true to all of the families that I interact with on a daily basis in both my facility and my community as well. My long term goals include: I will strive to work harder to improve my communication and listening skills in order to ensure that I foster the well-being of young children and in working with families in order to be more pertinent in my success. As an early childhood professional, I have always believed that our profession has to be defined, and it is critical to demand quality/excellence in respect to all early childhood teachers and other professionals in the field. I will continue to conduct research on the ever-changing realities of expectations and professional development in the early childhood field.

 To all of my colleagues and Dr. Darragh, Thank you for all of the knowledge, wisdom, and life experiences that you have shared! I have learned an abundance from each and every one of you! I can honestly say I am a better early childhood professional because of you! Good luck in all of your future endeavors and I hope to see you in Orlando, Florida in January!

Job/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

The Save the Children organization works to protect children in their child protection program

 activities.  These activities include creating Child Friendly Spaces in emergencies, reunifying 

separated and unaccompanied children with their families in emergencies, developing public 

awareness campaigns against child trafficking, piloting training programs for social workers to 

provide supportive care to families and children and advocating for more effective national

 protection policies and child welfare reform. Save the Children also focuses on the 

participation and leadership of the children themselves. Save the Children actively supports 

child clubs and other child-led activities that educate children on how to protect themselves, and

 empower them to call for action in their communities (http://www.savethechildren.org).  I chose 

this organization due the fact that it focuses on child protection, education, child survival, 

hunger, as well as health and nutrition.  All of this issues need attention and assistance, and 

Save the Children has the tools and resources to succeed in accomplishing their mission.  

There was only one job opportunity that sparked my interest and it was the Early Childhood

Development Specialist.  This career requires three to five years experience in an early 

childhood program design, experience in developing countries, experience in materials 

development to support ECD programming, and excellent communication skills in English

and fluency in Spanish.


The United Nations Children's Fund focuses on child survival and development, education,

gender equality, child protection, policy advocacy and partnerships.  The United 

Nations  Children's Fund advocate for measures to give children the best start in life, because 

proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future 

(http://www.unicef.org)/.  I believe in this statement to the fullest.  I also believe in the fact that

unicef holds individuals accountable to the promises they make for children for the rights of 

children.  There were no job opportunities that sparked my interest in this particular 

organization.


The International Step by Step Association is a membership organization that connects 

professionals and organizations working in the field of early childhood development and

learning.  ISSA also promotes equal access to quality education and care for all children,

especially in the early years of their lives, and supports family and early years practitioners'

empowerment (http://www.issa.nl/global). I chose this organization due to the fact it also focuses 

on the development of children at a young age.  Being a Campus Director at a childcare center 

with infants beginning at six weeks of age, my focus is also on the access of a quality 

early childhood program.  I did not see any career opportunities, but there was opportunity to

join ISSA as a member or their online community.

References

 Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved 
     from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.ht

 United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2013, from 

 http://www.unicef.org/

International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved October12, 2013, 

from http://www.issa.nl/index.html

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

The National Center for Children in Poverty is dedicated to promoting the economic security, health, and well-being of America’s low-income families and children (http://www.nccp.org/).  The vision of this organization is to promote family economic security, strong, nurturing families, and healthy child development (http://www.nccp.org/).  NCCP is a nonpartisan, public interest research organization that seeks ways to improve work supports, provide nurturing early learning environments for young children, and secure adequate health and mental health care for our nation’s families (http://www.nccp.org/).  The vision of this organization stands for everything that I believe in.  The were no career opportunities at this particular time. 

Children's Defense Fund also is an organization that stands on the well-being of the growth and development of young children.  Children’s Defense Fund has become known for careful research on children’s survival, protection and development in all racial and income groups and for independent analyses of how federal and state policies affect children, their families and their communities.  CDF has influenced the child policy agenda and helped define the results for which we, as a nation, should strive.  CDF has also partnered with various organizations and has also worked with policy makers to build support to enact laws that have helped millions of children fulfill their potential.  These children have also had the opportunity to escape poverty due to the fact that they received the health care, child care, nurturing, proper nutrition, and education they deserve (Children’s Defense Fund, 2013).  The website http://www.childrensdefense.org/. is very informative.  There are 5 positions available for employment.  There were no positions that sparks my attention within this organization.

Voices for America's Children is an organization that focuses on equity and diversity, health, school readinenss, school success, safety, and economic stability.  All children achieve their full potential in a society that closes opportunity gaps and recognizes and values diversity. There is a job opening for an executive director.  This job requires individuals to establish a prominent and active presence in the Richmond, Virginia area, have evidence of desirable leadership skills including organization, communication, 
finances, reporting, and personnel management.  The candidate will also need to demonstrate innovation and strategic planning to further the impact of Voices, forge and sustain relationships that increase the capacity for accomplishing the research, policy and funding objectives of Voices.  Moving to Virginia would definitely be a challenge being that I reside in the state of Texas. 

References

The National Center for Children in Poverty.  (NCCP). (2010).  Child Poverty. 

            Retrieved from http://www.nccp.org/topics/childpoverty.html

Children’s Defense Fund. (CDF). (2013). Retrieved from    http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Voices for America's Children (2013).  Retrieved from http://www.voices.org

Reply Quote

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Child Care Associates, Early Childhood Intervention (ECI), and Texas Association for the Education of young children are the three local/state organizations that appeal to me in various ways for various reasons. Each of these organizations strive for excellence and the goal of providing all children, families, and professionals the tools to be successful.

Child Care Associates: http://www.childcareassociates.org/
This organization was formed more than 40 years ago in the state of Texas.  The initial goal was to provide a basic necessity for many Texas families... quality child care. Child Care Associates is the largest private non-profit child development organization in the area, operating 37 child development centers throughout Fort Worth and Tarrant County.  Child Care Associates also oversees several other programs and special initiatives in this immediate region, all focused on early childhood development.  The mission of this organization is to assist family successes through excellence in comprehensive child care and development services.  The vision of this organization is to implement our model for delivering quality child care and development services throughout this industry, serving as the leader in child development service delivery with the capability of providing a turnkey business model for other child development organizations (Child Care Associates, 2013).  The one employment opportunity that interests me is the Regional Director position.  I would need to be able to oversee and mentor center directors within assigned region to ensure job performance and competency levels meet desired expectations.  I would have to be knowledgeable of personnel policies and ensure that they are administered fairly and consistently and ensure that daily center operations, staffing requirements and staff-child ratios meet Minimum Standards and Head Start Performance Standards. 



ECI (Early Childhood Intervention):  https://www.mhmrtc.org/CO/

ECI is a statewide program for families with children, birth to three, with disabilities and 
developmental delays. ECI supports families to help their children reach their potential through 
developmental services.  These services are provided by a variety of local agencies and 
organizations across Texas.  These services are also free for children under the age of three.  ECI goes to families and focuses on working with the child and family in their natural environment, such as at home, grandma's, or a child care center. Essentially, it's where children live, learn and play. Research shows that growth and development are most rapid in the early years of life. The earlier problems are identified, the greater the chance of reducing the impact of them. Early intervention responds to the critical needs of children and families by:

• promoting development and learning,
• providing support to families,
• coordinating services, and
• decreasing the need for costly special programs.

The employment opportunity that interests me the most is an Early Intervention Specialist.  This position requires  a bachelors degree (minimnum) and a special credentialing system. EISs earn their credential by completing specific training activities on their Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). Once all of the training activities on the IPDP are completed, an EIS is awarded a certificate declaring his/her status as an EIS Professional. EISs must obtain 10 contact hours of Continuing Professional Education each year in order to maintain their credential. EISs must also complete 3 hours of ethics training every two years in addition to the 10 hours of CPE.

Texas Association for the Education of Young Children: http://www.texasaeyc.org/

TAEYC is committed to promoting professional development and evidence-based best practices in early childhood education and TAEYC recognizes the early years set children up for all future educational success, and is committed to furthering their mission, vision and values. TAEYC is a state affiliate of the National Association of Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Texas AEYC mission is to provide opportunities for professional growth and to broaden public awareness on early care and education issues affecting the lives of children and families.

Vision Statement :
Texas AEYC is a bridge of collaboration and communication and between early care and education and the communities we serve. 
Values

• Diversity ∼ the potential, uniqueness and importance of all members
• Professional Growth ∼ it is lifelong learning
• Collaboration ∼ among all entities working on behalf of children and families
• Quality ∼ developmentally appropriate practice and NAEYC accreditation as quality indicators of early childhood programs
• Advocacy ∼ a vehicle to maintain and promote quality, compensation and affordability
• Responsibility ∼ accepting ours and supporting others in furthering the mission of our organization

There are no positons that appeal to me at this particular moment, but I desire to become a member and possibly sit on the board one day!

References

http://www.childcareassociates.org/

 https://www.mhmrtc.org/CO/

 http://www.texasaeyc.org/

Reflect On Learning

My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood professional and the children and families that I touch daily is that I become more “in tune” with the children and families with whom I work.  I want to embrace and celebrate our differences.  Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010), states that in order to form a caring, learning community where all children can learn and thrive means forging a working partnership based on what families wish for their child and what you believe is important for children (pg. 39).  It is imperative as an early childhood professional; I respect what the parents’ desire for their children, and put my personal beliefs and philosophies aside.  I must have a common goal with parents to ensure that their child’s identity and anti-biased attitude is developed.  It is important to approach differences in perspectives as opportunities to build partnerships with our families (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

To my colleagues, I have learned so much from each and every one of you!   I appreciate your honesty, feedback, and opinions and I hope I have been helpful to you as well.  I hope for nothing but the best in your future endeavors. We're almost there at the finish line and we have children waiting for us!

Good luck!

References

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and

             ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young

             Children (NAEYC)

  

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

The region of the world I chose to investigate in regards to the challenges faced by children such as poverty, war, terrorism, abuse, and other forms of trauma is Latin America and the Caribbean.  I chose this particular region because this is an area that I have visited several times from a tourist approach.  I have often observed the children there selling bracelets and necklaces on the streets at all times of night and I am really curious to research whether or not these families are really living in poverty or if this was just a way to get over on those of us that are visiting from other countries.

The children of this region are confronting many challenges such as poverty, domestic violence, explotation, abuse, social exclusion, and natural emergencies such as weather.  Sixty percent of children under 12 years of age live in poverty.  Nearly 85,000 children die annually as a result of violence in the home, violence affects over 6 million children and adolescents.  There are young people living with HIV/AIDS, and those with disabilities, and dramatically affects indigenous and Afro-descendent communities. As one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world, there are 40-50 million indigenous and 150million Afro-descendants living here, close to half of which are under 18 years of age. Children in these communities have lower levels of nutrition and limited or non-existent access to basic services (unicef.org, 2013).  Emergencies are common and harsh with natural disasters such as flooding and hurricanes occurring yearly. Invariably these days of havoc create years of distress.  

These experiences might have a long lasting impact on children's emotional wellbeing and development in many ways.  These children including 7.3% of boys and girls under-five years of age are underweight for their age, and about 20% show signs of stunted physical and developmental growth.  Poverty is threatening the health of children and their families. Violence against children threatens their survival and well-being, and prevents them developing to their full potential, leaving physical and psychological scars, too often perpetuation a cycle of violence (unicef.org, 2013). 

I gained much personal insight from this research.  I learned that the people and children here really are suffering from a wide variety of challenges.  I have a different outlook on the way that I will look at the children when I go to visit these places in the near future.  I now understand that these children and their families really do need the money from the tourists that come into these regions and it is not a gimmick.  It really makes me sad to learn these things.

References

http://www.unicef.org

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

Sexualization in early childhood is becoming more and more evident.  I have worked in the early childhood industry for the last nineteen years and I am sometimes flabbergasted at some of the conversations and remarks that I have no choice but to confront,.  Over the last few years I have really noticed a growing trend of sexual references in children's movies, commercials, and clothing.

I remember years ago a rated G movie or cartoon was just that ....rated G and children were safe to watch it and it reflected pure innocence.  The movies and cartoons that are now being released are geared more towards adults than the general audience it should have been produced for.  As I shop for my son I notice as I walk past the little girl's clothing department that the skirts are exceptionally short as well as the shorts.  The animal prints such as leopard and zebra and fur seem so provacative for such little people.  I have even noticed that little girl's shoes as little as two year olds have a slightly elevated heel on them.  I feel our children are being forced to accelerate their childhood and grow up too fast.

The characters in some of these movies and cartoons are the epitame of the perfectly built human.  The females have the tiny little waist with pertruding hips and nice round derriere.  It also appears that the clothing these characters wear is always tight and form fitting, sometimes exposing a mid-drift.   The male characters also have the small waist and big biceps.  I've seen promotions for pregnant dolls and dolls that even breast feed.  I feel that this is totally innapropriate for young children and as parents it is our duty to educate our children on these life experiences as they get older.

I can recall last summer one of the eleven year olds enrolled in my summer programhad his cell phone out texting another little girl that was not enrolled in our program.  I asked him to give me his phone and I went through his text messages.  I was not prepared for what I was about to read.  There were references to bi-sexualism and lesbians, there were pictures of this little girl in her bra and panties.  I called the mother of this little boy and told his mother to please stop by my office to pick up her son's phone and he was not allowed to bring it back to my facility.  The mother said she had no idea that her son had these types of messages in his phone.  She seemed surprised.  I was very disturbed by her naive attitude.  I feel like first of all, this child is eleven years old and therefore there should be NO PRIVACY in your home.  I think that a response to this concern is that parents really need to be more in touch as to what their children are exposed to.

My nephew wanted a Facebook page and my sister asked my opinion.  I told her that she needed to set up his page and only she should have the password, not him.  He could go in and control all of his privacy settings where he could control what she sees.  As the parent, I told her she needed to be the one in control, not him.  He had a fit saying that wasn't fair, needless to say my sister gave in and allowed him to be in control of his own page at his young tender age of 10.  I told her now he was about to be exposed to so many things that could have been within her control.

There are many sexual messages that our young children are exposed to, and as early childhood professionals it is imperative that try our best to communicate with and educate our parents as well as form relationships with the community. I'm not by any means saying that it is totally the parent's fault, and there are some parents that do try really hard to shelter their children from the sexual message and images that they are exposed to.  We just have to work together to transform those images to positive images and get back to values and morals, and work to ensure that our children will thrive in our crude society.

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

Racism is definitely the one -ism that I can relate to on so many different levels. There are consequences that families and children may experience from the results of racism that I am faced with on a daily basis.

  I have never understood the reasoning behind some individuals that do not want their children around "those" people.  "Those" people not verbally referred to as African Americans, but those people visually referred to as African Americans.  As a Campus Director of a facility that is located in a corporate business park, I am exposed to racism on a weekly basis.  It appears as if some families are surprised to see that an African American woman manages my facility.  The proof??  As some of these perspective families proceed to tour my facility, they always tend to walk past me searching for "my director".  I consistently am asked, "Is your director here?"  It is so satisfying to see the facial expressions and body language when I make the announcement that I am the Campus Director.

I sometimes find myself on the defense now when perspective parents come in to tour my building. I have found myself being very self-conscious and careful when I am speaking with these families.  I find myself carefully choosing my words and even evaluating the way I articulate my words, so I don't sound ignorant.  I honestly feel that there have been some families that did not enroll in my facility due to the color of my skin.  I have even been told by the HR department that maybe I am not experiencing racism to the point that I think I am.  I have explained to our HR manager who happens to be Caucasian, that she will never experience the things that I experience because we are from two different worlds.  I can sense when someone does not want to shake my hand in fear that my skin color is contagious. I can sense the anxieties that surface once these families learn that the fate of their child's early childhood education lies in the hands of an African American.

I will continue to provide our children with the ultimate early childhood experience.  I have concluded that the individuals who judge and percieve color is a factor that determines success, I will show them that it comes from the heart and soul.  Either you have it or you don't, point blank.  The stereotypes remain a product of ignorance, and I will not succumb to anyone's ignorance.

Observing Communication

My observation took place in a Walmart store near where I live.  I watched a mother interact with her son that appeared to be about three years old.  The mother and her little boy were in the produce section of the store.  They passed the bananas and the little boy expressed that he wanted a banana.  The mother picked up a bunch of bananas and placed them in the grocery cart.  The little boy started to cry and the mother had a blank stare on her face.  The little boy then yelled that he wanted his banana right now.  The mother tried to explain to the son that the bananas needed to be weighed first and then he could have one after they paid the cashier.  The little boy continued to scream that he wanted the banana and the mother kept reinerating that they had to wait to pay the cashier first.  The little boy looked at his mother and said, "Now!".  The mother then picked the little boy up out of the grocery cart and exited the store.

I noticed that the mother used  a very patient soft tone in the beginning.  After her son kept screaming, I could tell that she was becoming unsure of what to do or say.  Her tone turned somewhat firm after her son continued to scream.  I learned that young children have no understanding of what it means to wait due to the fact that fruit needs to be weighed.  I feel that maybe the mother should have told the little boy that his screaming hurt her ears as well as the other people in the store.  I felt  like she did the appropriate thing by taking him out the store instead of allowing him to continue his temper tantrum.  The mother did not use a humiliating tone or mean tone.  She gently removed him from the grocery cart and carried him out the store.    She was very firm, but her son obviously just wanted his banana right then!

 I believe I would have probably handled the situation just as this mother did.  When dealing with two and young three year old children, it is imperative to understand that they do have the patience and understanding of older children.  My own son has the same issue when we go into the grocery store, therefore I have to pack snacks to take with us.  Needless to say, this was defintely a short observation!  

Creating Affirming Environments

As the owner of my own Family Child Care Home, I would incorporate many components in order to ensure that every child and family feel welcomed and respected in my early childhood setting.  An anti-bias rich environment is vital for chilldren to develop a strong and positive self concept and empathy for others through healthy intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and moral development (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

In my Family Child Care Home, I would have many anti-bias materials for the children to have direct assess to.  I will ensure that there are a variety of anti-bias, multi-cultural books, ranging from board books for Infants to Preschool children.  The books will focus around multi-cultural foods, traditions, and celebrations. There will be a variety of multi-cultural puzzles, pictures and posters.  The posters that will be placed on the wall will include all types of families ranging from  all races and ages, reflecting the family base in my facility.  

In my dramatic play area, I will have multi-cultural dolls of all races and genders.  I will also include dress up clothes from all cultures and families that are not stereotypical.  I feel that cultures should be respected but not stereotyped.  I would include music from all cultures such as classical, jazz, music sung in many languages.   I would also encourage families to share some of their cultural traditions with us in order to make strong home/school connections.  I would have a parent communication board posted in plan sight for parents for be informed of important upcoming events and information that they need to be aware of.  

Every child will have space for their personal belongings and also family connections will be evident in my facility.  A family connection board will consist of pictures that families bring in of all family members so the children can feel secure and there is a constant reminder of their family culture while the children are in my care. Personal space is also essential in children feeling comfortable.  I will ensure that there is plenty of soft material for a child to be able to go to if needed in order to sooth themselves if needed.   

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

What I Have Learned

One hope that I have when I think about working with young children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that I continue to make a difference in the lives of the families and children enrolled in my facility and within my community.  I hope that one day each and everyone of can put our differences aside and realize that we are all of the human race, regardless of our sexual orientation, color of our skin, socioeconomic status, and religious background. We all belong and deserve to be treated with equality.

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to continue to work towards Level 6 in surpassing my discomforts and biases. I plan to conduct my Parent's Night workshops on a quarterly, consistent basis to create unity within the early childhood field.  There needs to be a hand in hand partnership between parents and the early childhood professionals in order to ensure that we respect diversity, equity, and social justices of all people.  "The more passion you have about the need of for creating a world of justice and peace for children, the more you will be able to make it a priority in your work (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for sharing their knowledge and experiences with me!  This course has indeed caused each of us to dig deep into our inner souls and come to terms with our discomforts and biases.  I hope to experience more of your knowledge from the next course if we are together.  Good luck on your future endeavors!

References

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and

             ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young

             Children (NAEYC)

Diversity Is Me

Diversity Is Me

I am the one that does not look like you

I am the one that hurts like you when I’m feeling blue

I am the one that deserves a chance

To be respected and given the opportunity to advance

My skin tone, you ask? It was not my choice

But I was raised and taught by both of my parents to use my voice

Fried chicken, collard greens, red beans and rice

Sometimes I did not want my food, so I fed it to mice

My gender, my race, and my age should not be

 

A determining factor of being treated with equality

You say you don’t want to shake my hand because I am black

Did you get the memo? Being black is something you can not catch

Please do not exclude me because you think I don’t know

For knowledge is key and three degrees later it shows

The world will be a better place if everyone could just embrace and see

That diversity is a part of YOU and ME!

Author-Theresa Johnson

"We Don't Say Those Words In Class!"

There are many times that I have witnessed a child being reprimanded for pointing out someone they saw as different.  One incident that I recall involved myself and a little Caucasian girl that may have been no older than the age of three.

I worked at a Foot Locker store before I began my career in early childhood.  I was helping a customer try on shoes.  I vaguely heard a soft little voice say "What color are you?'  I turned around and there was this cute little blond baby with all signs of curiosity in her eyes.  She was so innocent and she could tell that I looked very different from her.  After the little girl asked me about my color, I did not respond because I was a little unsure of what to say, so the little girl proceeded to ask me again as she followed me around the store.

The little girl's father looked mortified! He kept apologizing to me and saying that he and his wife do not teach differences.  He told the little girl to tell me that she was sorry.  I told the father that I was not offended by any means and there was no need for an apology.  I explained to him that I was impressed by the fact that she was observant enough to notice that she and I were two different colors.  I did ask the father if it would be okay for me to answer her and he said absolutely.  I told her that I was black and gave her a hug!

As the little girl and her mom and dad proceeded to leave the store, the little girl kept turning around, smiling, and waving goodbye to me!

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

There are many different types of families that exist in the world that we live in today.  Many individuals have existing biases that enable them to be accepting of the changes that have transpired and the changes that lie ahead.

Those individuals that believe that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families need to be educated.  At my facility we do have an inclusion policy that is stated in our parent handbook. I would also tell those individuals that are a program that incorporates all types of family cultures and beliefs.  We serve ALL families and do not discriminate against anyone for any reason.  Literacy is an intricate part of our program and we provide books that revolve around various cultures, foods, race, and gender.  There are actually pictures in my current location that I purchased through Lakeshore that includes a family consisting of two mommies.

I have had a parent to voice her opinion in reference to a lesbian teacher that she did not want her children to interact with.  I told the parent that I respected her preference, but this caregiver was excellent and provided our children with exceptional care.  I told her that if her children were going to be enrolled in our program that this particular teacher would be their caregiver and she had an option of whether she wanted to stay enrolled or not.  I personally do not desire to have those types of parents in my school.  Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to be the best that they can be.

Well Wishes.....

Wow! What can I say?  Never in a million lifetimes did I think I could feel so connected to a group of individuals that I have never seen face to face.  There are a couple of you that have really inspired me to do better as a person. We have shared great stories, we have spoke on uncomfortable situations that dug deep into our insecurities.  We have shared our biases and perspectives on many different levels.   I feel as if I have lived and felt your pain with some of you!  I feel we have all grown as early childhood professionals and the only way to continue to climb in upward!  Because of us, young children will continue to experience quality early childhood programs, as we mold our future.  I wish each of you nothing but success and development in your professional paths.   For those of you entering the Teaching and Diversity specialization, we will meet again on May 6th!!!

Adjourning Phase of Team Development

I have been involved in several group settings that the adjourning stage affected me in many different ways. The adjourning stage of a project is when the project is coming to an end and team members are moving off into different directions (Abudi, 2010).  There are many aspects of the groups that made for a difficult goodbye.  High performing groups have been hard to leave, especially if we started from the bottom and worked our way to the top.  Usually when a group starts out together in a less than ideal situation and spend time together problem solving and sorting through issues in order to succeed, it makes harder to leave.  We have been through so much together to become high performing.  

The group that was hardest for me to leave was when I was promoted from a teacher to a Campus Director.  The teachers in this group and I worked very closely together in all aspects of the Early Childhood field.  We planned Staff Development Day training together and many other training opportunities.  Many of the other teachers were finishing up their degrees and CDA's and were venturing off to fulfill other goals and ambitions.  

Our closing ritual consisted of a celebration of everyone's accomplishments! We would also always go to dinner after we completed of Annual Staff Development Day.  The preparation for those trainings were always intense.  Dinner and drinks always made for a time to unwind and celebrate our success.  

I am hoping to get to meet many of my colleagues at graduation!  I was not going to participate when I initially enrolled in this degree program, but the closer we get to the end, the more anxious I get to put a face with a name.  I find myself looking for familiar names during each course that we take.  I hope that many of my colleagues plan to attend graduation and celebrate  our goals and accomplishments!  There are a couple of my colleagues that I just want to hug because I have heard their story and I am extremely proud of them!

References

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

Disagreement/Conflict Strategies

Conflict with colleague
I am currently in the process of being in a conflict with my School Age Manager.   I am her superior, but I do not use my power to accomplish goals.  Apparently, she and I have very views of the term "showcase ready".  I continue to tell her that before she leaves the building to go on her break (she works a split), that the School Age program has to be picture perfect and tour ready.  We have tours daily with parents looking for before and after school care for their children.  We need to be confident in selling our program.

One strategy that I feel would make me a more effective communicator is to model for my School Age Manager.  Being respectful and going into the program and demonstrate to my School Age Manager exactly what my expectations are can be extremely effective.  The second strategy I could use is to increase my understanding of exactly what my School Age Manager is trying to convey.  Communicating with her and respecting her position in the program can also assist with conflict resolution.  It is critical to try and understand both sides of the conflict and come to an agreement.  Nonviolent communication keeps us in touch with the natural state of compassion.  I will continue to work on and with my School Age manager and encourage her to buy into me and the belief of best practice for our families, both enrolled and perspective families.  I told her that I know I am over the top, and a little extreme when it comes to cleaning and organizing, and I can identify that within myself.  My School Age Manager also has identified with her faults of not paying attention to detail and ensuring that our program is the best that it can be!

Who Am I as a Communicator?

While enrolled in this course, I am continuing to learn about the ways in which people perceive me and the way that I communicate with others and relate to others. There are many ways to communicate and send messages varying from verbal to nonverbal methods.  “Our thoughts and cognitions influence how and what we communicate to others and at the same time influence the way that we interpret the behaviors and messages that others send to us." (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 38)

Upon completing the three assessments from the application this week, I was very pleased to discover that there were quite a few similarities between how I evaluated myself as a communicator and how others evaluated me.  What surprised me the most is that a colleague and family member viewed me as I viewed myself.  Our scores were not the same, but they all fell in the same category.  It seems that in most circumstances, individuals view you totally different than you view yourself.  In this situation, this was not the case.   

I learned that I am very comfortable communicating in most situations and I feel confident in anticipating such encounters.  I knew this about myself, but it was reassuring to see the confirmation from my assessment results as well as the results from other individuals that evaluated me.  I do believe that I have a good balance between respect and consideration for others’ viewpoints, and the ability to argue fairly by attacking the position rather than the person holding that position.  In my professional life, this method of communication is quite effective and has helped me be diplomatic in many situations that could have escalated to a different place.  

Communication Among Cultures

There is a wide range of cultural diversity within my community, workplace, and family.   Their differences are from many aspects such as race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and the list goes on.  After reflecting on my history of interactions, I do find that I tend to communicate differently with individuals from different groups and cultures. 

Communicating differently with individuals from different groups and cultures is not something that I do intentionally.  I believe there are many people that also do the same and aren't even aware of the fact that they are communicating differently.  

I can think of a couple of examples where I have had to tread lightly with a group of my older, more tenured teachers.  These are the teachers that are set in their ways and do not adapt well to change.  Whenever there is a change within our organization, I approach this particular group of teachers differently than my other short term teachers.  Now that I think about it, information is information, and presentation can be the determining factor of how the information is received.    The teachers flying off the handle really is not an option.  Insubordination is just that, insubordination, no matter who you are and how long you have been employed.

I also tend to communicate differently with members of my family.  I am more direct and straight to the point with my mom's side of the family.  I am more reserved when I am communicating with my dad's side of the family.  I am realizing this revelation as I am completing this assignment.  I am not sure why I am more reserved and quieter when dealing with my paternal side of the family.  I am very comfortable with my relatives on my mom's side of the family because they are very kind and nurturing.  They embrace and accept everyone!  My dad's family appears to be more judgmental.  I would just rather greet them with a smile because I never know what they are really thinking about me in their heads.  Frankly, I don't think I ever want to know! My dad's family just has a different culture than my mother's side of the family.  I love them all though!

Based on what I have learned this week, the three strategies that I am going to use to help me communicate more effectively with the people that I am struggling with are:

1). Identify with social roles, a set of expected behaviors that is associated with people in a particular position and be consciously aware of the of the rules that govern a social episode like my personal communication (Vuckovic, 2008)

2). Take the time out for self reflection, and think about myself, my past, present, and future.  Communication success depends on being cognisant of the roles and identities one embodies at a given time and their influence on behavior (Vuckovic, 2008).

3). Utilizing the Platinum Rule in communicating with others, such as my colleagues in my workplace and my family. It is imperative that I remain in touch with the beliefs and perspectives of everyone and provide every attempt to communicate without differences in order to be an effective early childhood professional. 

References

 Vuckovic, A. (2008). Inter-cultural communication: A foundation of communicative action. Multicultural Education and Technology Journal, 2(1), 47–59.

Assumptions Based on Messages

The television show that I chose to analyze is "Friends".  I do not watch normally, but I have surfed channels and seen the show in passing.  As I watched the show with the sound turned off I observed a lady and a man sitting at a table across from each other.  Based on the ways the lady and man are communicating, I really could not tell what type of relationship they were involved in.

I started to assume the lady and man were possibly in a relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend.  They were looking at each other with direct eye contact and they started to hold hands.  They seemed to be engaged in a serious discussion. It seems as if they are expressing some type of affection for each other.  It almost appears as if the woman is telling the man something that is not going to make him happy.  The woman is the one that reached out to hold the man's hand as he shakes his head.  

I turned the sound on and the assumptions that I made were somewhat accurate.  The woman was telling the man that she did not share the same feelings as he did for her.  They were friends and she didn't want to ruin their relationship.  I think my assumptions would have been more detailed if I had been watching a show that I know very well.  Knowing the characters and the roles that they play on a familiar sitcom would have made my insights and experience a little easier.

Facial expressions and body language plays a huge role in communication.  Eye movement and hand movements say a lot about what a person is trying to say.  

Competent Communication

My district manager is one person that I can definitely say has demonstrated competent communication within a particular context.  She exhibits knowledge, wisdom, dedication, drive, and commitment.  I have worked for her the last eighteen years and I have nothing but the utmost respect for her.  She has the ability to be nurturing and kind, and she also has the ability to take that "tone".  I refer to the "tone" as the boss tone, meaning I need you to do this particular task with no questions asked.  

I have found that over the years, I have adopted her communication skills when dealing with my own staff.  My district manager has the power but does not use the power mechanism to get her point across, she just asks for what she needs.  I would never question her as to why or use any other tone other than a respectful tone with her.  Her knowledge exceeds anything that I have ever witnessed.  Our district ranks top the majority of the time.  My district manager is a great leader and mentor.  I have watched her get people to confess certain accusations and totally trust in her because she just has that skill.  I also have that same ability and it is helping me to become a more successful manger.

Professional Hopes and Goals

When I think about working with children and families from diverse backgrounds, I hope to touch each family on a personal level.  This course has really helped me to dig deep within myself and now I realize how much I need to work on "me".  I will deter from using microagressions and I hope to educate others on the negative effects of using microagressions regardless of an individuals race, sexual orientation, gender, etc.  My whole perspective of connecting with my families has changed.  I can feel the difference when I communicate with them.  I hope to learn Spanish as a second language to increase my capability of communicating with families that would otherwise pose a language barrier.  

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to educate my colleagues that we must conform to our surroundings.  The minority will be the majority, and we must do what is required to ensure that we are on the cutting edge of research.  I will continue to increase my knowledge in regards to diversity, equity, and social justice.  I will take a stance for the children and families enrolled in my facility to protect them from being victims.  

I would like to send out a huge thank you to all of you for sharing your personal experiences throughout this course. This course did dig up some deep feelings and I applaud each of you for enlightening us on what you have been through.  I wish each of you good luck in your future endeavors and I hope to have you in my next course!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

I am working in a child care center, and I am so excited that I will soon have a family from Egypt to join my group. In order to ensure that I  am culturally responsive and welcoming to the child and her family, I must make some preparations.  

After researching the culture of the Egypt origin I have decided to do the following:

1).  I will get a better understanding of the main religion in the country of Egypt.  90% of Egypt's population is Muslim.  I will also learn about Coptic Christian which makes up the other 9% of the population.

2).  I will study about the Egyptian cuisine and work with my kitchen manager to incorporate some familiar foods into the menu for this family. 

3).  I will learn some useful, basic Arabic words to assist with communicating effectively with this family.

4). I will learn about their public holidays such as Victory Day, Eid El-Adha (sacrifice feast), Eid El-Fitr (breakfast feast), and the list goes on.

5).  Overall, research until I have somewhat of a well rounded understanding of the Egyptian culture.  

I hope all of these preparations will benefit the family by making them feel comfortable relocating to a whole new world that they have never been exposed to.  I also hope that these preparations will give me a better understanding of individuals from a country outside of my own.  I can also educate my teachers to make them more comfortable with the new family and their culture.