Friday, October 26, 2012
Communication/Collaboration Wrap-Up!
Thank you to all my group-mates, who followed my blogs, supported me with comments, and collaborated with me throughout the last eight weeks! We're one more class closer to being done!! :) I look forward to working with you all again in future classes!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Communication/Collaboration Week 6
I have been a part of several groups over my years, from high-school through my current professional groups. There have been some times throughout my experiences where a project comes to an end, such as when I worked on our student council in High School or the prom committee. Those times were a celebration of a job well done as we participated in the prom and then when we graduated our student council time was done. As this was MANY years ago, I do not remember what the adjourning process felt like. With both there was a sadness as our time was done, but we were also focused on the next exciting phase of life and on we went. In my professional and church experiences, I am usually the one who moves away from teams that are already formed and continue on after my time is completed. With these experiences, I am usually relieved to be done with a commitment and excited to make more time for family.
However, recently I was feeling as though it was time to back away from my position on our church Women's Leadership Team. I was feeling as though I was not a contributing member of the team and was praying about my time commitment now that I was working again. When I shared this at a team meeting, I was confirmed in my importance on the team and offered a new aspect of the ministry to be involved in which would give me a new vision on the team. I was excited to be a contributing member again, and would have been very sad to leave this group of women!
I do believe that high-functioning groups are the hardest to leave. Those groups where the vision is clear, where there is trust and respect, and there is excitement are the most difficult to walk away from. I believe that when we are part of a high-functioning group, we buy into the vision and invest in the team which makes it harder to depart from that group.
As for adjourning from my group of colleagues that are part of my Master's work, I feel that I will walk away and be just fine. When I finished my last Master's program through Walden I was exhausted by the work load and was SO grateful to be finished. I did not find it hard to walk away from the groups that had been established. I believe this is easier in the online setting than it would be if we were seeing each other each week face to face as I believe there's less personal investment in each other when it's in the virtual world. I believe that I will again be relieved to be finished and will not need an adjournment phase to my virtual colleagues.
However, recently I was feeling as though it was time to back away from my position on our church Women's Leadership Team. I was feeling as though I was not a contributing member of the team and was praying about my time commitment now that I was working again. When I shared this at a team meeting, I was confirmed in my importance on the team and offered a new aspect of the ministry to be involved in which would give me a new vision on the team. I was excited to be a contributing member again, and would have been very sad to leave this group of women!
I do believe that high-functioning groups are the hardest to leave. Those groups where the vision is clear, where there is trust and respect, and there is excitement are the most difficult to walk away from. I believe that when we are part of a high-functioning group, we buy into the vision and invest in the team which makes it harder to depart from that group.
As for adjourning from my group of colleagues that are part of my Master's work, I feel that I will walk away and be just fine. When I finished my last Master's program through Walden I was exhausted by the work load and was SO grateful to be finished. I did not find it hard to walk away from the groups that had been established. I believe this is easier in the online setting than it would be if we were seeing each other each week face to face as I believe there's less personal investment in each other when it's in the virtual world. I believe that I will again be relieved to be finished and will not need an adjournment phase to my virtual colleagues.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Communication/Collaboration Wk 5
Conflict Resolution:
This week I attended a CSE meeting for one of my students who has a hearing disability. The committee that met consisted of myself, my administrator, our director of curriculum and instruction, the child's mother, several speech therapists, the therapist for the deaf, and the CSE chairperson. As I sat through this meeting, there were a few areas of conflict or discrepancies between what the therapists were saying and what the child's mother really wants for him. One area of conflict is that the therapist suggested to me that we use more visual aids for the student in the classroom. Mom spoke up to say she did not want him to rely on visual aids as much as she wanted his to use his hearing aids and learn to listen. After some much heated discussion, I suggested a compromise between mom and the therapists. I offered to use more visual aids when I thought the child needed a greater understanding of what I was saying and then we would quickly phase out the visual and emphasize the listening. This was agreeable to both parties and was included on the child's IEP.
There was also a conflict between mom and the social worker when the social worker reported that his intelligence scores were not reliable and he failed the testing. Mom was visually upset and felt that the social workers testing was not an accurate assessment of his intelligence. I, again, played the neutral party and reworded what mom was saying to the social worker by telling her that mom felt that they did not show what he truly knew based on the fact that he could not hear what she was asking based on the fluid that is currently in his ears. Then I told mom that the social worker was in fact on her side saying that the testing was not reliable meaning it did not show his true intelligence. Then I interjected my thoughts, which are that the child is on-level in all academic areas and his hearing affects mainly his social skills, not his academic skills.
Being able to intercede and play the mediator at this meeting made me feel confident in my abilities to manage conflict resolution. As I discussed the meeting afterward with my administrator and my director of curriculum and instruction, they both complimented me on my communication skills at the meeting! :)
This week I attended a CSE meeting for one of my students who has a hearing disability. The committee that met consisted of myself, my administrator, our director of curriculum and instruction, the child's mother, several speech therapists, the therapist for the deaf, and the CSE chairperson. As I sat through this meeting, there were a few areas of conflict or discrepancies between what the therapists were saying and what the child's mother really wants for him. One area of conflict is that the therapist suggested to me that we use more visual aids for the student in the classroom. Mom spoke up to say she did not want him to rely on visual aids as much as she wanted his to use his hearing aids and learn to listen. After some much heated discussion, I suggested a compromise between mom and the therapists. I offered to use more visual aids when I thought the child needed a greater understanding of what I was saying and then we would quickly phase out the visual and emphasize the listening. This was agreeable to both parties and was included on the child's IEP.
There was also a conflict between mom and the social worker when the social worker reported that his intelligence scores were not reliable and he failed the testing. Mom was visually upset and felt that the social workers testing was not an accurate assessment of his intelligence. I, again, played the neutral party and reworded what mom was saying to the social worker by telling her that mom felt that they did not show what he truly knew based on the fact that he could not hear what she was asking based on the fluid that is currently in his ears. Then I told mom that the social worker was in fact on her side saying that the testing was not reliable meaning it did not show his true intelligence. Then I interjected my thoughts, which are that the child is on-level in all academic areas and his hearing affects mainly his social skills, not his academic skills.
Being able to intercede and play the mediator at this meeting made me feel confident in my abilities to manage conflict resolution. As I discussed the meeting afterward with my administrator and my director of curriculum and instruction, they both complimented me on my communication skills at the meeting! :)
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Communication/Collaboration Week 4
This week I used the self-assessments to find out my communication anxiety, my aggressiveness, and my listening skills. I asked my husband and a colleague to do the assessments for me as well. I was not surprised by any aspects of the assessments. I found them to be very true on many levels and they all describe those characteristics of my communication very well. Perhaps the only surprising thing about the assessments was the dead on accuracy of the results!
One insight that I gained regarding my communication this week is that there are two sides to my communication styles, one when it comes to my professional communication and one when it comes to my personal communication with those I love and trust. I have a very different approach to efficiency and confidence when it comes to professional communication. On the other hand, I have a very attentive and leisurely approach to my personal communication with my family and friends. I did not realize that the two were vastly different!
Another insight that I gained regarding my communication this week is that there are situations that I am uncomfortable communicating in. I realized that social situations where I do not know people and am expected to communicate with strangers is very uncomfortable to me. Although I already knew this about me on the inside, my results and my husbands results were able to pick up on this uncomfortable aspect of social situations. I identified one of my goals to become more confident in situations such as these.
Overall, I found this week's application to be interesting and intriguing! I loved getting confirmation about what I already knew!
One insight that I gained regarding my communication this week is that there are two sides to my communication styles, one when it comes to my professional communication and one when it comes to my personal communication with those I love and trust. I have a very different approach to efficiency and confidence when it comes to professional communication. On the other hand, I have a very attentive and leisurely approach to my personal communication with my family and friends. I did not realize that the two were vastly different!
Another insight that I gained regarding my communication this week is that there are situations that I am uncomfortable communicating in. I realized that social situations where I do not know people and am expected to communicate with strangers is very uncomfortable to me. Although I already knew this about me on the inside, my results and my husbands results were able to pick up on this uncomfortable aspect of social situations. I identified one of my goals to become more confident in situations such as these.
Overall, I found this week's application to be interesting and intriguing! I loved getting confirmation about what I already knew!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Communication/Collaboration: Week 3
Communicating with my own children versus my students:
I find that when I am communicating with my own children, I revert to mindlessness when they are talking to me. I am not sure if it is the exhaustion at the end of the day, or just that they tell me the same story many times over, but I do not give them the same attention that I give my students. When my students are talking to me, I am more likely to give them my full attention. With both my students and my own children, I speak authoritatively and firmly which helps to manage behaviors in both arenas. My strategy for these groups is to make sure to pay much closer attention to my own children as they deserve the same attention that my students get.
Communicating with my colleagues versus parents of my students:
When communicating with my colleagues, I am able to use terminology and quirky teacher jokes that they will understand. However, when I communicate with parents, I find myself using some of the same terminology without thinking that they may not understand. My strategy for these groups is to make sure that when I use teacher or student terminology, that I am explaining what I mean or using different words that parents can relate to. I need to keep in mind that many of my parents are not as educated as my colleagues and this can sometimes be a barrier to communication if I assume they understand things that they are not schooled in.
Communicating with my Bible study gals versus my MOPS moms:
When communicating with my Bible study gals, I am able to share personal stories, successes, and struggles with them as we know each other intimately and have been studying together for two years. With the MOPS moms, I communicate on a very social basis and do not share personal stories that I would share with my Bible study gals. These two groups of women are both moms groups, but I am more closely connected to the Bible study gals. My strategy with these two groups is to make sure that I am taking the opportunity to share stories relevant to our experiences with the MOPS moms so that I can begin to grow closer to them.
I find that when I am communicating with my own children, I revert to mindlessness when they are talking to me. I am not sure if it is the exhaustion at the end of the day, or just that they tell me the same story many times over, but I do not give them the same attention that I give my students. When my students are talking to me, I am more likely to give them my full attention. With both my students and my own children, I speak authoritatively and firmly which helps to manage behaviors in both arenas. My strategy for these groups is to make sure to pay much closer attention to my own children as they deserve the same attention that my students get.
Communicating with my colleagues versus parents of my students:
When communicating with my colleagues, I am able to use terminology and quirky teacher jokes that they will understand. However, when I communicate with parents, I find myself using some of the same terminology without thinking that they may not understand. My strategy for these groups is to make sure that when I use teacher or student terminology, that I am explaining what I mean or using different words that parents can relate to. I need to keep in mind that many of my parents are not as educated as my colleagues and this can sometimes be a barrier to communication if I assume they understand things that they are not schooled in.
Communicating with my Bible study gals versus my MOPS moms:
When communicating with my Bible study gals, I am able to share personal stories, successes, and struggles with them as we know each other intimately and have been studying together for two years. With the MOPS moms, I communicate on a very social basis and do not share personal stories that I would share with my Bible study gals. These two groups of women are both moms groups, but I am more closely connected to the Bible study gals. My strategy with these two groups is to make sure that I am taking the opportunity to share stories relevant to our experiences with the MOPS moms so that I can begin to grow closer to them.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Communication/Collaboration Week 2
Last night I recorded an episode of "What would you do?", which is a hidden camera show that takes different situations and evaluates people's responses to situations. The main idea behind the show is to see if people will stand up and defend other people when given tricky situations. I watched one part of the show where a woman had a young girl standing on a street corner wearing a sign that said something about stealing and lying. With the volume off and a general understanding of what was happening, there were many non-verbal clues that I could identify. It was clear that the two people knew each other, the woman and the young girl. I assumed that they were mother and daughter and that the daughter was being punished based on what the sign said. As people would walk by, many of them stopped and spoke with the woman. Some of the non-verbal communication that I saw included putting their hands on their hips, tilting their head to the side, rolling of their eyes, high-fives, and hugs to the woman. It was clear which people stopping to address the mother were supportive of her discipline and which ones were appalled at the situation. The young lady's face was down and her demeanor was very defeated. She was clearly not enjoying the situation.
When I went back and watched the segment again with the volume on, it was clear to me that my assumptions about the situation were correct. The mother and daughter were standing on the corner because the mother was disciplining her daughter who had stolen and lied. As people stopped the mother and engaged her in conversation, some were supportive (those who had high-fived and hugged her), and there were others who told her she was not doing the right thing in humiliating her daughter (those who had their hands on their hips, rolling their eyes, and tilting their heads). Based on the daughters verbal responses to her mother, she was clearly being humilitated and was embarrassed by the situation.
I was amazed that even with the small amount of time that I spent watching the interactions that I was able to glean so much information from just the body language and non-verbal clues. It was a good reminder to me to think about my own body language and what my non-verbal clues are saying when I am engaged in conversations with others.
When I went back and watched the segment again with the volume on, it was clear to me that my assumptions about the situation were correct. The mother and daughter were standing on the corner because the mother was disciplining her daughter who had stolen and lied. As people stopped the mother and engaged her in conversation, some were supportive (those who had high-fived and hugged her), and there were others who told her she was not doing the right thing in humiliating her daughter (those who had their hands on their hips, rolling their eyes, and tilting their heads). Based on the daughters verbal responses to her mother, she was clearly being humilitated and was embarrassed by the situation.
I was amazed that even with the small amount of time that I spent watching the interactions that I was able to glean so much information from just the body language and non-verbal clues. It was a good reminder to me to think about my own body language and what my non-verbal clues are saying when I am engaged in conversations with others.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Communication/Collaboration Week 1
When I thought of the question for this weeks blog, our school administrator immediately came to mind. I teach kindergarten at a small private Christian school, that contains one of each classroom from a three year old preschool program all the way through twelfth grade. Last week we spent two full days at Teacher Development prior to the start of our school year. During these two days, our administrator presented lots of information from a wide variety of topics.
To start with on the first morning, he presented a vision for our school and for the year. It was evident as he was speaking that he was passionate about what he was presenting. His presentation was filled with visuals, handouts so we could follow along, audience participation, and statistics backed by research. I walk away from the first session with an excitement about the upcoming school year. His vision and passion were so clearly presented with such excitement that you could not listen to him and walk away without being excited too.
He also took several opportunities to present more information, from drop-off and pick-up information to curriculum schedules. Although the information on its own was very mundane, he was able to articulate and present it in a fashion that was not boring. All the information he presented was well-prepared, organized, and it was evident that he has taken the time to put everything together so that it would present well. I would say his behaviors on presenting information to his staff was very effective as we all walked away excited about the new year and also well informed. I would model his behaviors when presenting to a crowd as his words had an impact on all of us sitting in that gym!
To start with on the first morning, he presented a vision for our school and for the year. It was evident as he was speaking that he was passionate about what he was presenting. His presentation was filled with visuals, handouts so we could follow along, audience participation, and statistics backed by research. I walk away from the first session with an excitement about the upcoming school year. His vision and passion were so clearly presented with such excitement that you could not listen to him and walk away without being excited too.
He also took several opportunities to present more information, from drop-off and pick-up information to curriculum schedules. Although the information on its own was very mundane, he was able to articulate and present it in a fashion that was not boring. All the information he presented was well-prepared, organized, and it was evident that he has taken the time to put everything together so that it would present well. I would say his behaviors on presenting information to his staff was very effective as we all walked away excited about the new year and also well informed. I would model his behaviors when presenting to a crowd as his words had an impact on all of us sitting in that gym!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Professional Hopes and Goals
One hope that I have for working with children and families from diverse backgrounds is that I will embrace the differences without hesitation. When I think about diverse backgrounds, I now think of all families that I work with as each family has a unique background that makes it special and different from every other family. My hope is that I will embrace the unique qualities of every family and make them feel welcome and loved in our classroom.
One goal that I would have for the field of early childhood education related to diversity and equity is that our standards would continue to show a value placed on the unique abilities and culture of every student. With the push from NAEYC, the early childhood field is moving in the right direction towards a level of tolerance, understanding, and equity for all children. If we can continue moving the field of early childhood education towards an attitude of acceptance, there is a hope that the acceptance will be ingrained in the children as they grow and will perhaps spread to the elementary schools then to the high schools, and on to the greater society. There can be a world of change that begins with our children.
Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback throughout this course and allowed me to voice some very controversial feelings and thoughts as I explored my religious and cultural values during this last eight weeks. Although my feelings were not embraced by all, there was never an attitude of irritation or ignorance and I was encouraged to continue to explore this internal battle. I appreciate the understanding and the support from everyone!
One goal that I would have for the field of early childhood education related to diversity and equity is that our standards would continue to show a value placed on the unique abilities and culture of every student. With the push from NAEYC, the early childhood field is moving in the right direction towards a level of tolerance, understanding, and equity for all children. If we can continue moving the field of early childhood education towards an attitude of acceptance, there is a hope that the acceptance will be ingrained in the children as they grow and will perhaps spread to the elementary schools then to the high schools, and on to the greater society. There can be a world of change that begins with our children.
Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback throughout this course and allowed me to voice some very controversial feelings and thoughts as I explored my religious and cultural values during this last eight weeks. Although my feelings were not embraced by all, there was never an attitude of irritation or ignorance and I was encouraged to continue to explore this internal battle. I appreciate the understanding and the support from everyone!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Welcoming Families from Around the World
For this week's scenario, I will use my current setting as a kindergarten teacher in a Christian school. I just found out that a child and her family from Iran will be joining my classroom in a few weeks.
The five ways I would prepare myself, my current students, and their families to be culturally responsive to this family would be:
1. To invite this family into my classroom for an observation day prior to the first day that she will be in our classroom. This will allow the child and her family to see what our school day is all about, the activities that we will be doing, what we believe in, and the culture of our classroom.
2. After their visit, I would take the opportunity to sit down with the family to gain specific information regarding their overall culture, family culture, what their expectations are from our classroom and school, and to answer any questions.
3. Knowing that their involvement in our school may be controversial with parents of children who are enrolled, I would try to plan a family culture night fairly close to the time that she starts to encourage the families to meet and greet each other and share a little more about what makes each family unique.
4. I would use the new student in the "Star of the Week" within the first two to three weeks of her arrival so that she would feel comfortable sharing more about herself and her family and to allow the other children to get to know her better.
5. I would address any insecurities or biases right away in order to ensure that misinformation is not passed on and so that our classroom culture of tolerance and acceptance is felt by her and her family.
My hope would be that using these preparations, the student and her family would feel a sense of welcoming and understanding within our classroom. Being prepared is one way that we can encourage the meshing of different cultures in our classroom and be sure that the uniqueness of each family is valued.
The five ways I would prepare myself, my current students, and their families to be culturally responsive to this family would be:
1. To invite this family into my classroom for an observation day prior to the first day that she will be in our classroom. This will allow the child and her family to see what our school day is all about, the activities that we will be doing, what we believe in, and the culture of our classroom.
2. After their visit, I would take the opportunity to sit down with the family to gain specific information regarding their overall culture, family culture, what their expectations are from our classroom and school, and to answer any questions.
3. Knowing that their involvement in our school may be controversial with parents of children who are enrolled, I would try to plan a family culture night fairly close to the time that she starts to encourage the families to meet and greet each other and share a little more about what makes each family unique.
4. I would use the new student in the "Star of the Week" within the first two to three weeks of her arrival so that she would feel comfortable sharing more about herself and her family and to allow the other children to get to know her better.
5. I would address any insecurities or biases right away in order to ensure that misinformation is not passed on and so that our classroom culture of tolerance and acceptance is felt by her and her family.
My hope would be that using these preparations, the student and her family would feel a sense of welcoming and understanding within our classroom. Being prepared is one way that we can encourage the meshing of different cultures in our classroom and be sure that the uniqueness of each family is valued.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
The Personal Side of Prejudice
One incident that comes to mind this week of oppression, prejudice, and bias is the Chick-fil-A controversy that has taken over the headlines. Regardless of your stand on gay marriage, the events of this week are confusing, misleading, and full of prejudice and bias from both sides of the event. For the gay community who were offended by the comments of the CEO to the Christians who were taking a stand against the hatred that was then spoken against the CEO, both sides are dealing with and dishing out prejudice and bias against each other. The gay community has the right to be offended by the comments, but on the other hand the CEO also has a right to his beliefs and free speech to discuss those beliefs when asked for his input. However, the events that proceeded showed nothing but disrespect for both sides, and were full of prejudice and bias, and diminished equity by not showing respect for a difference of opinions.
My feelings about this situation center around the ideas that the CEO is certainly entitled to his feelings and when asked for his personal opinion on gay marriage he took the Christian stand that centers around his beliefs. As a devout Christian myself, I would hope that I would be comfortable in taking a stand given the same position that the CEO was in. Then a backlash of hatred was directed towards the CEO and Chick-fil-A, which promotes prejudice against his beliefs and the right of free speech. However, the day when Christians flocked to Chick-fil-A to show their support also showed a level of disrespect for those in our gay community, who by God's standards we are called to love. The event showed no love or tolerance towards the gay community, and showed Christians in a very shallow light. Being called a Christian now lumps me into this "movement" that showed disrespect and prejudice towards those living a gay lifestyle, and quite honestly shames me to think that those who are called to "love our neighbors" are showing such great disrespect.
I believe that in order for this incident to create a future opportunity for equity, the CEO's comments should have been linked to his personal beliefs and not to his company. Then the comments would have simply been someone asking his opinion and not a countrywide opportunity for prejudice to begin!
My feelings about this situation center around the ideas that the CEO is certainly entitled to his feelings and when asked for his personal opinion on gay marriage he took the Christian stand that centers around his beliefs. As a devout Christian myself, I would hope that I would be comfortable in taking a stand given the same position that the CEO was in. Then a backlash of hatred was directed towards the CEO and Chick-fil-A, which promotes prejudice against his beliefs and the right of free speech. However, the day when Christians flocked to Chick-fil-A to show their support also showed a level of disrespect for those in our gay community, who by God's standards we are called to love. The event showed no love or tolerance towards the gay community, and showed Christians in a very shallow light. Being called a Christian now lumps me into this "movement" that showed disrespect and prejudice towards those living a gay lifestyle, and quite honestly shames me to think that those who are called to "love our neighbors" are showing such great disrespect.
I believe that in order for this incident to create a future opportunity for equity, the CEO's comments should have been linked to his personal beliefs and not to his company. Then the comments would have simply been someone asking his opinion and not a countrywide opportunity for prejudice to begin!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions
I had the opportunity this week to be the recipient of microaggressions! In a conversation with a casual friend, I was telling her of the opportunity that I have been given to return to my old kindergarten classroom after taking two years off to stay home with my children. Her comment was, "You'll really miss sleeping in and having all that down time at home." I was quite shocked by her comment, knowing what it implied, finished checking out my groceries, and left the store with a quick goodbye. I was offended by her comment which suggests that the last two years that I have been a stay-at-home mom have been characterized by sleeping in and having all kind of time to myself. I believe that too often that is the stereotype of a stay-at-home mom, when in fact it is usually a very different lifestyle. I am up earlier now then when I worked, and have roughly a half hour of "down-time" between the going down and waking up of children when I can down my lunch and go to the bathroom without having someone accompany me!
This experience has given me a better understanding of microaggressions and their impact on the person who is the target. I am sure that the comment was not made to be malicious, as mircoaggressions usually are unintentional, but it sure felt like an attack on my character and my job. Having experienced this has helped me to be more careful about the assumptions I hold regarding culture and lifestyles, which will make me more sensitive to the words that I say.
This experience has given me a better understanding of microaggressions and their impact on the person who is the target. I am sure that the comment was not made to be malicious, as mircoaggressions usually are unintentional, but it sure felt like an attack on my character and my job. Having experienced this has helped me to be more careful about the assumptions I hold regarding culture and lifestyles, which will make me more sensitive to the words that I say.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Perspectives on Diversity and Culture: Week 3
I talked with three of my friends about their definitions of culture and diversity. These are their explanations:
1. Culture is everything that makes us the same and different from those around us. Diversity is understanding the differences as acceptable.
2. Culture- religion, dress, food, laws, and social norms that a group of people share in common. Diversity- bringing different groups together to one place.
3. Diversity is what makes things (living and not) or people different. Culture is the way humans express their diversity.
What I realized through these three different but similar responses is the understanding that my friends have of true culture and diversity. I expected the standard responses, stating race and ethnicity, but saw the depth of their answers as reflecting the true ideas behind culture and diversity. I believe that their definitions, particularly when combined together, state all the ideas that we have expressed throughout this course without eliminating any important aspects! Talking with them about diversity has allowed me to see the importance of understanding, particularly in the way that I now know diversity and culture express themselves.
1. Culture is everything that makes us the same and different from those around us. Diversity is understanding the differences as acceptable.
2. Culture- religion, dress, food, laws, and social norms that a group of people share in common. Diversity- bringing different groups together to one place.
3. Diversity is what makes things (living and not) or people different. Culture is the way humans express their diversity.
What I realized through these three different but similar responses is the understanding that my friends have of true culture and diversity. I expected the standard responses, stating race and ethnicity, but saw the depth of their answers as reflecting the true ideas behind culture and diversity. I believe that their definitions, particularly when combined together, state all the ideas that we have expressed throughout this course without eliminating any important aspects! Talking with them about diversity has allowed me to see the importance of understanding, particularly in the way that I now know diversity and culture express themselves.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
My Family Culture: Week 2
Blog: My Family Culture
Imagine the following:
A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.
The three items that I would choose would be our children's birth certificates, our family bible, and the family scrapbook. I would choose our children's birth certificates because that would be all they would have of their origin, complete with their names, birth dates, our names, and our town where they were born. It would be a lasting piece of their identity. I would take our family Bible, as it is the basis of our religion for our family. The words in the Bible can bring comfort, identity, belonging, and peace, all things that our family would be missing during this chaos. For our family, our Bible is the only book that we would need to find all the answers that we would be asking. Finally, the last item I would take would be a scrapbook that I made for my firstborn, in the weeks prior to her birth while we were waiting for her arrival. This scrapbook contains pictures of my husbands and my grandparents, parents, and our sisters/brothers and their families. It also contains birth dates for everyone, a small description of each person, and some words of wisdom from them about life in general. I created this in order for my daughter to know the important people in her life and would take it with us as a remembrance of our extended family that we probably would have lost contact with.
If upon arrival in our new country we were told we could only keep one thing, I would keep our family Bible. I would be able to write the important dates of their births and birthplaces in the pages, along with the names and information that is found in the scrapbook. The Bible would then contain all three items in one, and would remain the backbone of our family's faith. Although I would be sad to lose the other two, in the end it is my children's eternal life that I am concerned more about then if they know where they were born. The Bible would give them the most opportunity to share in our family's faith.
This exercise was one that I had to look at on Tuesday (when I usually get all my work done for the week) and I put it aside until today as I was almost sick to my stomach to think of this scenario. I am one who doesn't watch the news because it fills me with uncertainty to think of the future difficulties that my children will face, so to think of a catastrophe such as this was one that I did not want to address right away. It was also a little more difficult to think of what I would take with us based on culture, rather than immediate need as I was first thinking that I would take my children's comfort items (their bears & blankets that they sleep with every night) for their own security rather than the things that would give them cultural background. Their immediate comfort, which would come from their security items, seemed more important to me at the time!
Imagine the following:
A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture.
The three items that I would choose would be our children's birth certificates, our family bible, and the family scrapbook. I would choose our children's birth certificates because that would be all they would have of their origin, complete with their names, birth dates, our names, and our town where they were born. It would be a lasting piece of their identity. I would take our family Bible, as it is the basis of our religion for our family. The words in the Bible can bring comfort, identity, belonging, and peace, all things that our family would be missing during this chaos. For our family, our Bible is the only book that we would need to find all the answers that we would be asking. Finally, the last item I would take would be a scrapbook that I made for my firstborn, in the weeks prior to her birth while we were waiting for her arrival. This scrapbook contains pictures of my husbands and my grandparents, parents, and our sisters/brothers and their families. It also contains birth dates for everyone, a small description of each person, and some words of wisdom from them about life in general. I created this in order for my daughter to know the important people in her life and would take it with us as a remembrance of our extended family that we probably would have lost contact with.
If upon arrival in our new country we were told we could only keep one thing, I would keep our family Bible. I would be able to write the important dates of their births and birthplaces in the pages, along with the names and information that is found in the scrapbook. The Bible would then contain all three items in one, and would remain the backbone of our family's faith. Although I would be sad to lose the other two, in the end it is my children's eternal life that I am concerned more about then if they know where they were born. The Bible would give them the most opportunity to share in our family's faith.
This exercise was one that I had to look at on Tuesday (when I usually get all my work done for the week) and I put it aside until today as I was almost sick to my stomach to think of this scenario. I am one who doesn't watch the news because it fills me with uncertainty to think of the future difficulties that my children will face, so to think of a catastrophe such as this was one that I did not want to address right away. It was also a little more difficult to think of what I would take with us based on culture, rather than immediate need as I was first thinking that I would take my children's comfort items (their bears & blankets that they sleep with every night) for their own security rather than the things that would give them cultural background. Their immediate comfort, which would come from their security items, seemed more important to me at the time!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Reflection on Research
As I complete this last week of Research in Education, I have gained knowledge and understand regarding the process involved in creating and carrying out research. The first insight that I have gained, and probably the most important, is the sheer quantity of time that is required during the planning phase of research. From my limited perspective, prior to this course, my understanding of research was the time application during the data collection portion of research. After concluding this course, I am aware that the planning portion of the research design is probably the most intensive part. Another insight that I gained from this course are the many considerations that must be taken into account when designing research. From equity to bias, and cultural aspects to consent, there are so many ideas that must be looked at in order to conduct valid, relevant research.
My ideas regarding the nature of doing research have changed in that, although the planning process is intensive, it is a must in order to be successful and validated in your research. I feel confident in my ability to define a research question and plan the research design. Although I would need to be under the guidance of an experienced researcher, I believe that I could be successful in the process of research design.
One of the challenges that I encountered was choosing a topic of research that would be relevant to not only the field of education, but to my specific interests. After choosing that topic, I also faced the challenge of redefining the idea into a workable research question. This took a few tries and many considerations, but I was finally able to define a specific hypothesis for research. Another challenge was simply trying to understand the limitless options in regard to the different types of research and the ways to go about collecting data. There are many considerations when choosing the data collection methods and choosing the right one for my specific question took some understanding and thinking before I was able to identify the one that would work the best.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
International Research: Australia
I chose to look up information regarding Australia's early childhood research. I chose Australia because during the last course, my international contact was from Australia. I learned a great deal about early childhood from my correspondence with her. Trish is the director of an early childhood center that was made up of about 60 children. The main ideas regarding early childhood care in Australia is centered around the development of National Standards that oversee all early childhood centers within the country. The development of these National Standards has lead to an overhaul of the early childhood system in Australia and the new push is towards excellence in all centers.
From my contact with Trish, and from reviewing the website provided for this week, I learned that much of the current research in Australia is the same as in the United States. One such research aspect is the idea of higher levels of education for early childhood workers. With the new standards in Australia, the level of education required for early childhood teachers is increasing as the research shows that better care is provided by those teachers with higher levels of education. There is also a push in the standards for play based learning in classrooms, which comes directly from the current research regarding the way children learn. Low wages are also a current issue in Australia as the research also shows that those teachers who are paid better wages are more likely to stay with the career reducing staff turnover, which has been shown to have a positive effect on the children in early childhood programs.
I learned a great deal of information regarding the early childhood changes that are currently taking place in Australia. I think the information on the website, along with my knowledge from the last class, has provided me with a better understanding of the importance of quality national standards and the impact that they make on children in early childhood programs. I think in the near future, we will begin to see some of these changes taking place, particularly thanks to the current research on topics such as teacher education, higher wages, and play based learning.
From my contact with Trish, and from reviewing the website provided for this week, I learned that much of the current research in Australia is the same as in the United States. One such research aspect is the idea of higher levels of education for early childhood workers. With the new standards in Australia, the level of education required for early childhood teachers is increasing as the research shows that better care is provided by those teachers with higher levels of education. There is also a push in the standards for play based learning in classrooms, which comes directly from the current research regarding the way children learn. Low wages are also a current issue in Australia as the research also shows that those teachers who are paid better wages are more likely to stay with the career reducing staff turnover, which has been shown to have a positive effect on the children in early childhood programs.
I learned a great deal of information regarding the early childhood changes that are currently taking place in Australia. I think the information on the website, along with my knowledge from the last class, has provided me with a better understanding of the importance of quality national standards and the impact that they make on children in early childhood programs. I think in the near future, we will begin to see some of these changes taking place, particularly thanks to the current research on topics such as teacher education, higher wages, and play based learning.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Research Competency: Week 3 (Daycare vs. Home)
Option 2: Imagine that you possess the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field. Imagine further that you are not restricted by the reality of the present. Imagine that your study will make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families. What topic would you choose? What can you imagine the positive contribution(s) would be?
If I could choose any topic to research and had no limits to my research capabilities, I would choose to research the impact of raising children at home versus in a daycare setting. The debate between choosing a career over raising children is a topic that I have always been interesting in learning more about. As a former professional (teacher), who had two young children in daycare and gave up my career during the pregnancy of child number three to stay home due to the high cost of daycare, I can see both side of the argument. We loved our daycare and felt that it provided a loving, nurturing, educational setting for our children, but also see the value in them being home with me during their early childhood years.
I would focus my research on the long-term effects and outcomes of children who were raised in a home setting (being cared for by a parent) and those who were cared for in an early childhood setting on a full-time basis. I would look at different characteristics such as attachment, social abilities, educational success, and health issues. I believe that this research could provide valuable information to mothers and families who are having a hard time deciding on the best option for their children. The conclusions of the research could have a great impact on early childhood as it could create a positive light for daycare, or provide the opportunity for changes that could lead to a more home like setting for early childhood programs. I believe the research would have a great impact on children and families who are looking for answers when it comes to daycare versus staying at home.
If I could choose any topic to research and had no limits to my research capabilities, I would choose to research the impact of raising children at home versus in a daycare setting. The debate between choosing a career over raising children is a topic that I have always been interesting in learning more about. As a former professional (teacher), who had two young children in daycare and gave up my career during the pregnancy of child number three to stay home due to the high cost of daycare, I can see both side of the argument. We loved our daycare and felt that it provided a loving, nurturing, educational setting for our children, but also see the value in them being home with me during their early childhood years.
I would focus my research on the long-term effects and outcomes of children who were raised in a home setting (being cared for by a parent) and those who were cared for in an early childhood setting on a full-time basis. I would look at different characteristics such as attachment, social abilities, educational success, and health issues. I believe that this research could provide valuable information to mothers and families who are having a hard time deciding on the best option for their children. The conclusions of the research could have a great impact on early childhood as it could create a positive light for daycare, or provide the opportunity for changes that could lead to a more home like setting for early childhood programs. I believe the research would have a great impact on children and families who are looking for answers when it comes to daycare versus staying at home.
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Research Competency: Week 2
For my research topic, I would like to focus on behavior issues and discipline in the classroom. This is an issue that faces many childcare settings and is something that many teachers struggle with. I have decided that the initial subtopic of this broader topic will focus on the connection between parenting styles and child behavior. I am a firm believer that parents play a crucial role in the behaviors of their child. I understand that there are instances where all children will act out regardless of the parents, but that there is a larger connection between the interactions between the child and parent and the overall temperament and behavioral patterns in children.
I chose this topic as it is one that I have dealt with in many areas. In the daycare where my daughter was for the first year of her life, there were several children who displayed negative behaviors and they seemed to baffle the childcare providers. I often felt that my daughter did not get as much attention from the caregivers as she was well behaved and had an easy temperament. Once I became a kindergarten teacher, I was faced with many instance of children who displayed negative behaviors and I could often link them with certain aspects of the parenting styles that their parents displayed. I believe that as we strive to work with children from all backgrounds, it is important to understand the role of parenting styles in the behaviors of the children. This will provide the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the children and the background that may also provide clues to their behaviors.
My personal experience so far with developing a research simulation has been slightly frustrating. I am not sure if I am on the right path with it and that is particularly discouraging. I am also hoping that I have the information right when it comes to research versus a literature review. In my mind, I am conducting my own research when looking up information regarding a question I have, but according to this course I am simply doing a literature review. It is a little perplexing thus far.
I did enjoy filling in the research chart for this week's resources. I think it gave me a better understanding of some terms that I would have simply read over and not understood in greater depth. It allowed me to take the time to fully grasp the meaning of some research terms. It also allowed me to reflect on the research process and think ahead to the parts of the research that I would enjoy the most. I am still unsure that I am enjoying this class, but am finding the information worthwhile none-the-less.
I chose this topic as it is one that I have dealt with in many areas. In the daycare where my daughter was for the first year of her life, there were several children who displayed negative behaviors and they seemed to baffle the childcare providers. I often felt that my daughter did not get as much attention from the caregivers as she was well behaved and had an easy temperament. Once I became a kindergarten teacher, I was faced with many instance of children who displayed negative behaviors and I could often link them with certain aspects of the parenting styles that their parents displayed. I believe that as we strive to work with children from all backgrounds, it is important to understand the role of parenting styles in the behaviors of the children. This will provide the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the children and the background that may also provide clues to their behaviors.
My personal experience so far with developing a research simulation has been slightly frustrating. I am not sure if I am on the right path with it and that is particularly discouraging. I am also hoping that I have the information right when it comes to research versus a literature review. In my mind, I am conducting my own research when looking up information regarding a question I have, but according to this course I am simply doing a literature review. It is a little perplexing thus far.
I did enjoy filling in the research chart for this week's resources. I think it gave me a better understanding of some terms that I would have simply read over and not understood in greater depth. It allowed me to take the time to fully grasp the meaning of some research terms. It also allowed me to reflect on the research process and think ahead to the parts of the research that I would enjoy the most. I am still unsure that I am enjoying this class, but am finding the information worthwhile none-the-less.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Final Reflection: Issues and Trends
3 Consequences of Learning:
- Making an international contact is not as easy as it may seem. There are many organizations that focus on childcare and early education throughout the world, but finding someone to partner with you one-on-one and to take the time to share information is difficult. That places a high value on the time and energy of my own personal international contact and I am so grateful that she took me on this semester!
- As you learn about issues and trends relating to international children, you are no longer an uneducated party. This means that once you are made aware of the issues and trends facing children in other countries, your obligation becomes one as an advocate of change. Regardless of whether you advocate for change in another country or our own, there is a responsibility that comes with gaining knowledge. You can no longer assume that because you did not know, you are not responsible to make a difference in a child's life.
- Given the similarities in many issues that are facing early childhood programs around the world, it is important to acknowledge that change can be made on an international level. Children are similar regardless of where they live... they have the same needs, hopes, and dreams. To understand the life of a child in another country, you simply need to understand the life of a child around you. Their circumstances may be very different, but inside they need love and their basic needs met in order to be successful in life.
- The elimination or reduction of poverty is my goal for the EC field, in our own country and throughout the world. There are so many damaging effects of poverty on children and families and so many small changes that could improve a families livelihood, that it seems irresponsible to not address this on a global scale. There are many agencies that strive to make this their primary goal and supporting these agencies is an excellent way to advocate change.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
My International Contact: Part 3
Trish, the director of a child care center in Australia, has much insight to offer regarding issues and trends in early education in her country. Here are her responses to this week's questions:
What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?
Trish replied that one of the issues regarding professionals in the field is quality and qualifications, with the push being towards a better, more-highly qualified staff. The former requirement for classroom teachers was simply a diploma. Now there is a requirement for Bachelor's degrees and a teaching licence if working with children the year before they enter formal schooling (much like our Pre-K programs here). With this being a new push, there is a gradual phasing in approach. By 2014, all programs, regardless of numbers or ages of children, must have a full-time person on site who has a Bachelor's degree, and by 2018 must employ at least two full-time people with Bachelor's degrees. Although this new push has increased the recognition of the importance of Early Education, there is little recognition of the need for increased wages. The same wage issues present themselves in Australia as they do in the US, with low pay and little recognition. Trish did mention large labor unions who are fighting for better wages to accompany higher standards. The National Standards, that I have mentioned in prior posts, are creating better programs nationwide, while still allowing for states to carry out the assessments and ratings according to the Federal Authority (Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority, also known as ACECQA).
What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?
Trish stated that professional development is not mandated by law in Australia for ECE professionals, but is left to each facility to keep their educator up to date on best practices and changes. It is also part of the quality measures that each program assesses when implementing the new standards. There is a program in Trish's state and region that provides funding for professional development for EVE professionals. Participants are simply required to pay a small fee, based on the session time. Trish is part of the Professional Support Network in her State and meets with her team every six weeks to organize professional Development programs for their region. She states that due to this funding, she is able to send her entire staff for the same cost that it would have been to send one!
What are your professional goals, hopes, dreams, and challenges?
Trish is fully committed to attaining the national rating of excellence for her program. She also is studying to complete her Bachelor's in ECE to upgrade her own credentials to meet the needs of her students and staff. She also believes her role is to fight for the rights of children under the Australian Code of Practice and also the United Nation's Convention on Rights of the Child. At the end of the day, it is Trish's goal that she would have made a difference in the life of just one child. She states, "The best things we can provide young children with is the opportunity to engage in quality play based learning, while in a place where they are loved and respected, safe and secure."
************
It is with great gratitude that I have been able to work with Trish over the last few weeks. She is an inspiration to me, and her heart and passion for her work and the children and families she works with is clearly evident in the way she describes her center. Thank you, Trish, for all your insight and wisdom! Good luck in your journey of changing the world, one child at a time!
What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?
Trish replied that one of the issues regarding professionals in the field is quality and qualifications, with the push being towards a better, more-highly qualified staff. The former requirement for classroom teachers was simply a diploma. Now there is a requirement for Bachelor's degrees and a teaching licence if working with children the year before they enter formal schooling (much like our Pre-K programs here). With this being a new push, there is a gradual phasing in approach. By 2014, all programs, regardless of numbers or ages of children, must have a full-time person on site who has a Bachelor's degree, and by 2018 must employ at least two full-time people with Bachelor's degrees. Although this new push has increased the recognition of the importance of Early Education, there is little recognition of the need for increased wages. The same wage issues present themselves in Australia as they do in the US, with low pay and little recognition. Trish did mention large labor unions who are fighting for better wages to accompany higher standards. The National Standards, that I have mentioned in prior posts, are creating better programs nationwide, while still allowing for states to carry out the assessments and ratings according to the Federal Authority (Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority, also known as ACECQA).
What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?
Trish stated that professional development is not mandated by law in Australia for ECE professionals, but is left to each facility to keep their educator up to date on best practices and changes. It is also part of the quality measures that each program assesses when implementing the new standards. There is a program in Trish's state and region that provides funding for professional development for EVE professionals. Participants are simply required to pay a small fee, based on the session time. Trish is part of the Professional Support Network in her State and meets with her team every six weeks to organize professional Development programs for their region. She states that due to this funding, she is able to send her entire staff for the same cost that it would have been to send one!
What are your professional goals, hopes, dreams, and challenges?
Trish is fully committed to attaining the national rating of excellence for her program. She also is studying to complete her Bachelor's in ECE to upgrade her own credentials to meet the needs of her students and staff. She also believes her role is to fight for the rights of children under the Australian Code of Practice and also the United Nation's Convention on Rights of the Child. At the end of the day, it is Trish's goal that she would have made a difference in the life of just one child. She states, "The best things we can provide young children with is the opportunity to engage in quality play based learning, while in a place where they are loved and respected, safe and secure."
************
It is with great gratitude that I have been able to work with Trish over the last few weeks. She is an inspiration to me, and her heart and passion for her work and the children and families she works with is clearly evident in the way she describes her center. Thank you, Trish, for all your insight and wisdom! Good luck in your journey of changing the world, one child at a time!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Sharing Web Resources, cont. 2
www.naeyc.org
Outside Links: There are so many outside links within the NAEYC website. Some of them lead to the positions statements and standards set by NAEYC. These are very valuable in looking at equity and excellence as they are a solid basis for national standards that may be considered in the near future. Other outside links such as affiliates and research lead to outside sources containing much information on current issues and trends in the field.
One Area: One area in particular that I looked at extensively is the link to the magazine, Young Children. As a member of NAEYC, I am granted access to this online magazine that contains valuable information about issues and trends in education. These are very important to me as a new early childhood educator and student as I begin this journey to change the lives of children. Young Children provides well-written, relevant articles from many avenues of the field. There are many options to search for specific information as well as the option to browse through issues online.
E-newsletter: I do not get a newsletter so there is no new information contained in such that would provide information on current trends and issues.
New Insights: As I search through the website and become more familiar with what it offers, I begin to better understand the issues and trends currently facing the field. There are so many different issues, ideas, trends, and trainings that are part of this rapidly changing and advancing field. The lives of many children hinge on early childhood programs and it is my duty to do what I can to influence their lives. This website gives me a strong basis for this influence and plenty of information to continue on my path of professionalism.
Outside Links: There are so many outside links within the NAEYC website. Some of them lead to the positions statements and standards set by NAEYC. These are very valuable in looking at equity and excellence as they are a solid basis for national standards that may be considered in the near future. Other outside links such as affiliates and research lead to outside sources containing much information on current issues and trends in the field.
One Area: One area in particular that I looked at extensively is the link to the magazine, Young Children. As a member of NAEYC, I am granted access to this online magazine that contains valuable information about issues and trends in education. These are very important to me as a new early childhood educator and student as I begin this journey to change the lives of children. Young Children provides well-written, relevant articles from many avenues of the field. There are many options to search for specific information as well as the option to browse through issues online.
E-newsletter: I do not get a newsletter so there is no new information contained in such that would provide information on current trends and issues.
New Insights: As I search through the website and become more familiar with what it offers, I begin to better understand the issues and trends currently facing the field. There are so many different issues, ideas, trends, and trainings that are part of this rapidly changing and advancing field. The lives of many children hinge on early childhood programs and it is my duty to do what I can to influence their lives. This website gives me a strong basis for this influence and plenty of information to continue on my path of professionalism.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
My Internation Contact, cont.
Excellence and Equity:
My contact, Trish, described the changes currently facing the early childhood field in Australia and many of those changes have ties to excellence and equity. The push in Australia has been towards nationalizing the regulations and requirements, which previously were like the US in that they were state driven. The changes come in many forms from qualifications for educators, child:staff ratios, and the introduction of the National Early Years Learning Framework, which the program curriculum is to be built on. Trish also stated that there are new National Quality Standards, which are similar to the old standards, but have been merged with the regulations and licensing requirements for all early childhood centers. This standardization of the early childhood field will bring about both equity and excellence.
Within the new standards, there are ratings and assessments based on the standards. The highest rating is a level of excellence. Trish's goal is to attain this standard and achieve this rating for her center. Her idea of attainment is when people walk into her program and say "wow" as it provides a place that is above and beyond what people are expecting. She spoke of her beautiful natural environment which is undergoing a renovation based on the new standards and requirements, and will include an outdoor space where the children can explore and learn. These changes will also promote equity between all early childhood programs.
Below is the link if you want to check out more on the National Early Year Learning Framework:
http://www.deewr.gov.au/earlychildhood/policy_agenda/quality/pages/earlyyearslearningframework.aspx
and
http://www.nationalearlyyearslearningframework.com.au/
My contact, Trish, described the changes currently facing the early childhood field in Australia and many of those changes have ties to excellence and equity. The push in Australia has been towards nationalizing the regulations and requirements, which previously were like the US in that they were state driven. The changes come in many forms from qualifications for educators, child:staff ratios, and the introduction of the National Early Years Learning Framework, which the program curriculum is to be built on. Trish also stated that there are new National Quality Standards, which are similar to the old standards, but have been merged with the regulations and licensing requirements for all early childhood centers. This standardization of the early childhood field will bring about both equity and excellence.
Within the new standards, there are ratings and assessments based on the standards. The highest rating is a level of excellence. Trish's goal is to attain this standard and achieve this rating for her center. Her idea of attainment is when people walk into her program and say "wow" as it provides a place that is above and beyond what people are expecting. She spoke of her beautiful natural environment which is undergoing a renovation based on the new standards and requirements, and will include an outdoor space where the children can explore and learn. These changes will also promote equity between all early childhood programs.
Below is the link if you want to check out more on the National Early Year Learning Framework:
http://www.deewr.gov.au/earlychildhood/policy_agenda/quality/pages/earlyyearslearningframework.aspx
and
http://www.nationalearlyyearslearningframework.com.au/
Friday, March 23, 2012
Sharing Web Resources, cont.
www.naeyc.org
Information relevant to my current professional development:This week as I searched more through the NAEYC site, which I have chosen for this class' blog posts contained quite a bit of information found in "member only" areas. So I took a step this week in my professional development and joined the organization, gaining rights to the member only areas. In regard to my current professional development, I believe this was a valuable step. The member only areas gained me access to many current research articles, the online magazine Young Children, as well as a subscription to the magazine "Teaching Young Children". I believe adding these options to my professional development will allow me to find current research, trends, and issues right at my fingertips! There is so much worthy information on the site about all walks and issues in the early childhood field that I will turn to this site often to further my knowledge of children.
Controversial ideas/New thinking about an issue:
When signing up for the website, you are asked to select from a variety of topics that interest you, which will include you in their forums. As I was scrolling through the list, one particular topic caught my attention which was a forum for Gay/Lesbian parents and families. This caught my attention as I often struggle in this area as a devout Christian and the knowledge that there is a good chance that I will be working in the future with families that live a Gay or Lesbian lifestyle. Although this goes against my Christian beliefs, I must acknowledge the lifestyle, accept the child and the family, and work through the internal prejudices that often surround this topic. It is an area that I struggle with and know that I will continue to need to work through this idea and other family situations that may go against my religious beliefs, but must accept as part of the families that I will work with.
Information regarding economists, neuroscientists, and politicians:
I did find in the current research tab an article titled "Research News You Can Use: Debunking the Play vs. Learning Dichotomy," written by Dr. Kyle Snow. This article suggests that the political drive behind No Child Left Behind and the Common Core Standards is causing some parents and policy-makers to look at early childhood programs more like education classrooms. This would lend itself to this week's discussion regarding play in early childhood and the struggle to maintain play while stressing the learning components that accompany it. This article also suggested that the science of play supports the view of early educators by stressing the importance and the focus on play that early childhood programs should have. It also provided links to another NAEYC resource which focuses on DAP and play in early childhood classrooms.
*****
I feel like making the choice to join NAEYC at their student membership rate will increase the impact that my own research has on my Master's program and the importance of tying research based ideas to our current learning. I am excited to learn more about issues and trends that are important in the field of early childhood.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
My International Contact
About My Contact:
I'd like to introduce to you my international contact for this particular class, and as an ongoing professional contact within the field of early childhood. Her name is Trish and she is the director of Karana Early Education Centre in Brisbane, Queensland. Her centre serves approximately 60 children ages 15 months to 5 years. Trish is highly involved in the Early Childhood Community, including partnerships with peak early childhood bodies, government health departments, training organizations, and a number of forums. In her initial acceptance of my partnership, she explained that there are massive changes in the early childhood field currently taking place in Australia, which are leading towards a nationalized set of standards and practices. Trish's goals for her centre are currently focused on attaining a status of "excellent", which from my understanding can be compared with our national accreditation process through NAEYC and other accrediting organizations. On a personal note, Trish is also studying towards a degree in Child and Family Studies. Her statement to me in her last email was of particular importance as it truly reflects the heart of a passionate early childhood professional. She said, "Most of all, our service is about relationships - between Staff, Families, Children, and the community - and about creating a special place where people feel "at home" and that they belong.
On the Subject of Poverty:
Trish gave me a very thorough overview of poverty and how it relates to her work, centre, and community. The first thing that she pointed out was that she has worked at two distinct centres. Her current center is in a high socio-economic area and they do not deal directly with children who come from poverty situations. However, her previous centre was situated in a low socio-economic area and they dealt with poverty on a daily basis. Most of the children that attended live in government supported housing units. She explained that in this centre she had constant contact with the Department of Child Services, which is the government body charged with the care and safety of children. They worked together to identify needs in each family and planned what they could do to help the families in need. Their main support for these families was in the form of clothing drives, connecting them with local food banks, and providing a safe, loving environment for the children in hopes of providing the emotional support that the children needed. Trish also emphasised the problem of drugs and alcohol on the families of children in her care. She said that when parents would come to pick up their children, she had to greet and decide if they were of sound mind before letting the children go with them. This statement broke my heart for those children. One major impact that Trish had on the previous centre was the development of a food program that provided nutritious meals for the children at the centre. This was a major improvement over the lunches that the children were bringing from home.
Despite the differences in lifestyles between the two centers, Trish made sure that the children were aware of the diversity of others and the poverty that exists in places other than their community. Both centers have children in other poor countries that they support financial, and they also do collections of various items that are given to families and children in need. The goal in this activity is to bring about awareness to the children that there are others in need and the focus becomes providing for others and accepting diversity.
I'd like to introduce to you my international contact for this particular class, and as an ongoing professional contact within the field of early childhood. Her name is Trish and she is the director of Karana Early Education Centre in Brisbane, Queensland. Her centre serves approximately 60 children ages 15 months to 5 years. Trish is highly involved in the Early Childhood Community, including partnerships with peak early childhood bodies, government health departments, training organizations, and a number of forums. In her initial acceptance of my partnership, she explained that there are massive changes in the early childhood field currently taking place in Australia, which are leading towards a nationalized set of standards and practices. Trish's goals for her centre are currently focused on attaining a status of "excellent", which from my understanding can be compared with our national accreditation process through NAEYC and other accrediting organizations. On a personal note, Trish is also studying towards a degree in Child and Family Studies. Her statement to me in her last email was of particular importance as it truly reflects the heart of a passionate early childhood professional. She said, "Most of all, our service is about relationships - between Staff, Families, Children, and the community - and about creating a special place where people feel "at home" and that they belong.
On the Subject of Poverty:
Trish gave me a very thorough overview of poverty and how it relates to her work, centre, and community. The first thing that she pointed out was that she has worked at two distinct centres. Her current center is in a high socio-economic area and they do not deal directly with children who come from poverty situations. However, her previous centre was situated in a low socio-economic area and they dealt with poverty on a daily basis. Most of the children that attended live in government supported housing units. She explained that in this centre she had constant contact with the Department of Child Services, which is the government body charged with the care and safety of children. They worked together to identify needs in each family and planned what they could do to help the families in need. Their main support for these families was in the form of clothing drives, connecting them with local food banks, and providing a safe, loving environment for the children in hopes of providing the emotional support that the children needed. Trish also emphasised the problem of drugs and alcohol on the families of children in her care. She said that when parents would come to pick up their children, she had to greet and decide if they were of sound mind before letting the children go with them. This statement broke my heart for those children. One major impact that Trish had on the previous centre was the development of a food program that provided nutritious meals for the children at the centre. This was a major improvement over the lunches that the children were bringing from home.
Despite the differences in lifestyles between the two centers, Trish made sure that the children were aware of the diversity of others and the poverty that exists in places other than their community. Both centers have children in other poor countries that they support financial, and they also do collections of various items that are given to families and children in need. The goal in this activity is to bring about awareness to the children that there are others in need and the focus becomes providing for others and accepting diversity.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Sharing Web Resources
Organization:
NAEYC: National Association for the Education of Young Children
www.naeyc.org
Description:
NAEYC is the world's largest membership organization working on behalf of children. The organization boasts 80,000 members, 300+ state and local Affiliates, and a growing global alliance. NAEYC members include teachers, paraeducators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, and the public at large. Perhaps the most notable portion to the organization is their accreditation standards and monitoring of child care programs. NAEYC accredited programs are sought by many parents for the level of education, care, and curriculum that NAEYC guarantees through the accreditation process. NAEYC, due to their national reputation as a leader in the field of early childhood, is often sought out by state and national policy makers to weigh in on public policies that affect young children.
Issue/Trend:
One particular thing that caught my attention was an area of the website devoted to "Childhood Obesity Prevention". At first glance, I was looking for one of the issues and trends that normally come to mind when thinking of diversity, but being on my own personal weight loss journey this area caught my eye. I began to think of obesity in a new light and certainly one that could be defined as an issue or trend within the early childhood setting. Obesity has many roots in early childhood nutrition, activity levels, and family histories. Knowing that this issue begins in childhood and can be prevented makes it a current trend that I think is valuable to know about and understand as it relates to the children in our care. On the other hand, as part of this wealth of resources was information regarding malnutrition and children who lack food and nutrition. Obesity, lack of nutrition, and the effects on learning and good health are all interrelated and part of early childhood education. It is our job as educators to provide good nutrition, model good eating habits, and healthy activities.
Relation to this week's topic:
Relating obesity and nutrition to changing demographics and diversity at first was difficult. However, after some thought, the two can certainly be interrelated as children from different cultures and backgrounds will come into our care with specific food that they like and dislike, food that is specific to their culture, and perhaps even eating cycles or meal preparations that are not the same as our western culture. As educators, we need to be sensitive to these issues and be sure that we are aware of the role that food plays in cultures and specific families.
NAEYC: National Association for the Education of Young Children
www.naeyc.org
Description:
NAEYC is the world's largest membership organization working on behalf of children. The organization boasts 80,000 members, 300+ state and local Affiliates, and a growing global alliance. NAEYC members include teachers, paraeducators, center directors, trainers, college educators, families of young children, and the public at large. Perhaps the most notable portion to the organization is their accreditation standards and monitoring of child care programs. NAEYC accredited programs are sought by many parents for the level of education, care, and curriculum that NAEYC guarantees through the accreditation process. NAEYC, due to their national reputation as a leader in the field of early childhood, is often sought out by state and national policy makers to weigh in on public policies that affect young children.
Issue/Trend:
One particular thing that caught my attention was an area of the website devoted to "Childhood Obesity Prevention". At first glance, I was looking for one of the issues and trends that normally come to mind when thinking of diversity, but being on my own personal weight loss journey this area caught my eye. I began to think of obesity in a new light and certainly one that could be defined as an issue or trend within the early childhood setting. Obesity has many roots in early childhood nutrition, activity levels, and family histories. Knowing that this issue begins in childhood and can be prevented makes it a current trend that I think is valuable to know about and understand as it relates to the children in our care. On the other hand, as part of this wealth of resources was information regarding malnutrition and children who lack food and nutrition. Obesity, lack of nutrition, and the effects on learning and good health are all interrelated and part of early childhood education. It is our job as educators to provide good nutrition, model good eating habits, and healthy activities.
Relation to this week's topic:
Relating obesity and nutrition to changing demographics and diversity at first was difficult. However, after some thought, the two can certainly be interrelated as children from different cultures and backgrounds will come into our care with specific food that they like and dislike, food that is specific to their culture, and perhaps even eating cycles or meal preparations that are not the same as our western culture. As educators, we need to be sensitive to these issues and be sure that we are aware of the role that food plays in cultures and specific families.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
International Professional Contact
Professional Contacts:
In order to establish international professional contacts, I chose not to use the links provided by Walden as I was unsure how many people would be emailing the same organizations. Instead I chose to use my most favorite internet tool, Google, and searched for a listing of daycares in specific international areas. I searched for Tokyo daycares and for Sydney Australia daycares. Both searches provided a list of links for daycares in the respective areas, along with a brief description of each organization (home-based, center-based, and approximate number of children served). I opted to contact center based programs that would have more people perhaps willing to partner and also those who served more than 40 children, giving a good age range of children. I emailed between 10 and 12 organizations on Thursday morning. By Thursday afternoon, I had received one email back from a daycare center in Australia who was willing to partner with me! I was super excited and emailed her back with a brief overview of what I would need from her. She should be a good source of information and is excited about working together. I have yet to hear back from any other contacts, but am hoping for at least one more.
Expanding Resources:
In looking through the list of resources, I chose to further explore NAEYC. This organization is often resourced for current research based information that is valuable to our current program of study and also to the field of education. I am familiar with the position statements and requirements of NAEYC as I was a teacher at a daycare, as well as a parent, at the time of accreditation. I trust the organization and know that they will be a future resource that I will use when interviewing and working in the early childhood field. Being familiar with their information will make them a valuable resource to me in the future.
In order to establish international professional contacts, I chose not to use the links provided by Walden as I was unsure how many people would be emailing the same organizations. Instead I chose to use my most favorite internet tool, Google, and searched for a listing of daycares in specific international areas. I searched for Tokyo daycares and for Sydney Australia daycares. Both searches provided a list of links for daycares in the respective areas, along with a brief description of each organization (home-based, center-based, and approximate number of children served). I opted to contact center based programs that would have more people perhaps willing to partner and also those who served more than 40 children, giving a good age range of children. I emailed between 10 and 12 organizations on Thursday morning. By Thursday afternoon, I had received one email back from a daycare center in Australia who was willing to partner with me! I was super excited and emailed her back with a brief overview of what I would need from her. She should be a good source of information and is excited about working together. I have yet to hear back from any other contacts, but am hoping for at least one more.
Expanding Resources:
In looking through the list of resources, I chose to further explore NAEYC. This organization is often resourced for current research based information that is valuable to our current program of study and also to the field of education. I am familiar with the position statements and requirements of NAEYC as I was a teacher at a daycare, as well as a parent, at the time of accreditation. I trust the organization and know that they will be a future resource that I will use when interviewing and working in the early childhood field. Being familiar with their information will make them a valuable resource to me in the future.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Daily Supports
In my current role as a stay at home mom, I need several supports.
Husband:
The most important support is that of my husband. He is supportive of my decision to stay home, provides the income that we need in order to survive, and provides emotional support when times get rough. He encourages me to take time to myself and be involved in activities outside of our home, so I get some reconnection time with myself. Without his support, I would not be able to function on a daily basis, emotionally, financially, or mentally.
Kids:
My kids provide me with the positive reinforcement that I need to accomplish my task as a stay at home mom. They love spending time at home, are grateful that I am there for them before and after school, and enjoy the activities that we do together. Without their love, hugs, kisses, and snuggles, I am not sure the reward for this particular choice would be as great!
Friends:
My friends provide emotional support and sanity in my world. Most of my close friends are also stay at home moms so we work out playdates together and spend time in each others homes. We talk about things that affect us, that we're struggling with, and share our successes together. Without their support, I would go crazy inside these four walls!
Activities/Groups:
I am involved in a MOPS group that meets every other Thursday for a couple hours. We focus on our jobs as mothers and the things that we struggle with. We drink coffee, eat, and laugh together and they provide care for our children so we get a little break! I also host a Bible Study for mom's every other week that does the same things as our MOPS group and does a short Bible Study together. Without the opportunity to network with these moms and the support that we provide each other, I would also go crazy!
Finances:
Our financial well-being is currently the sole responsibility of my husband. Without the money we have, we could not live comfortably. We do not have a lot extra as one income with a family of 5 does not go very far, but we have food, clothing, shelter, and a little extra for some fun stuff too.
*One challenge that I do not have now but have thought about quite a bit latley is having my teaching job on top of raising our children. How would my support system be different?
Husband:
I would need more of his help with daily routine activities such as housework, laundry, paying the bills, and getting the kids to and from daycare and school. Our evening schedule would be much more hectic and I would then need his help with preparing dinner. I would also be exhausted so I would need more emotional support from him in order to keep everything sane.
Kids:
My support from my kids would certainly change as I would no longer be in the role of their daily care provider. They would seek emotional, social, and love during the day from someone other than me. That would be emotionally draining on my own sense of being a mother, so I'm not sure how that would all work out.
Friends:
My friends would still be my friends, but my interactions with them would become very limited. Between working a full-time job and taking care of our children, I would not have much extra time for playdates and coffee. I would miss them all very much, creating an emotional void in the friendship department.
Activities/Groups:
I would no longer be part of these groups as the focus on stay at home moms. The time spent in these groups would be replaced with a job. This would mean I would lack the support from the ladies in these groups, again impacting my emotional well-being.
Husband:
The most important support is that of my husband. He is supportive of my decision to stay home, provides the income that we need in order to survive, and provides emotional support when times get rough. He encourages me to take time to myself and be involved in activities outside of our home, so I get some reconnection time with myself. Without his support, I would not be able to function on a daily basis, emotionally, financially, or mentally.
Kids:
My kids provide me with the positive reinforcement that I need to accomplish my task as a stay at home mom. They love spending time at home, are grateful that I am there for them before and after school, and enjoy the activities that we do together. Without their love, hugs, kisses, and snuggles, I am not sure the reward for this particular choice would be as great!
Friends:
My friends provide emotional support and sanity in my world. Most of my close friends are also stay at home moms so we work out playdates together and spend time in each others homes. We talk about things that affect us, that we're struggling with, and share our successes together. Without their support, I would go crazy inside these four walls!
Activities/Groups:
I am involved in a MOPS group that meets every other Thursday for a couple hours. We focus on our jobs as mothers and the things that we struggle with. We drink coffee, eat, and laugh together and they provide care for our children so we get a little break! I also host a Bible Study for mom's every other week that does the same things as our MOPS group and does a short Bible Study together. Without the opportunity to network with these moms and the support that we provide each other, I would also go crazy!
Finances:
Our financial well-being is currently the sole responsibility of my husband. Without the money we have, we could not live comfortably. We do not have a lot extra as one income with a family of 5 does not go very far, but we have food, clothing, shelter, and a little extra for some fun stuff too.
*One challenge that I do not have now but have thought about quite a bit latley is having my teaching job on top of raising our children. How would my support system be different?
Husband:
I would need more of his help with daily routine activities such as housework, laundry, paying the bills, and getting the kids to and from daycare and school. Our evening schedule would be much more hectic and I would then need his help with preparing dinner. I would also be exhausted so I would need more emotional support from him in order to keep everything sane.
Kids:
My support from my kids would certainly change as I would no longer be in the role of their daily care provider. They would seek emotional, social, and love during the day from someone other than me. That would be emotionally draining on my own sense of being a mother, so I'm not sure how that would all work out.
Friends:
My friends would still be my friends, but my interactions with them would become very limited. Between working a full-time job and taking care of our children, I would not have much extra time for playdates and coffee. I would miss them all very much, creating an emotional void in the friendship department.
Activities/Groups:
I would no longer be part of these groups as the focus on stay at home moms. The time spent in these groups would be replaced with a job. This would mean I would lack the support from the ladies in these groups, again impacting my emotional well-being.
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