The Journey Continues.......

As we prepare to move on to another phase of our Master's Degree  journey,  I want to thank you all for the thoughtful contributions you have made along the way.  Some of us will continue on through the administrator's track while others will move on to other specialty areas.  Best wishes to you all !
                     Judi

Adjourning

Saying goodbye can be difficult in many circumstances we find ourselves in both personally and professionally. I think our level of commitment to the group weighs heavily into whether we can just walk away or whether we have a difficult time.  It was extremely difficult for me to leave the mentors that I had recruited for a school-based mentoring program I coordinated a few years ago. This group of individuals from different sectors of our community made a commitment to meet with a student at risk of dropping out of school for at least one hour every week.   The individuals involved took time out of their busy work day to meet their student at school and give them the one-on-one attention many of them rarely received.  When I made a career change, telling the group I would be leaving was one of the hardest things I have ever done. This group had become more than people I recruited to mentor at –risk children, they had become my friends as well. I had serious concerns about what would happen to the program after I left the agency which made saying good bye even more difficult.  Sadly, because of the time of year I left the program, I wasn’t able to plan a closing event. It is something I regret even now, five years later. 

                 Over the past months as I have worked on my master’s, I have had regular online contact with my classmates through our discussions and blogs.  The relationship is certainly different than a face to face relationship which in my opinion, makes adjourning from the group different.   The personal connection is lacking so saying goodbye for me will probably a closing blog entry to my classmates.

                Adjourning is important as a team completes their task because it provides everyone with the opportunity to feel a sense of accomplishment and freedom to move to new things.  I think as part of adjourning, the team has the opportunity to acknowledge each other for the work they completed. As I think about my experience with leaving the mentoring program, I realize now that formally adjourning from the group would have actually made it easier for me to move on, a lesson learned.

               

Using My New Conflict Resolution Skills

This assignment came at a perfect time!  For the past two weeks I have been dealing with a conflict at work that involved me, three of my staff, my supervisor and the director of our department.    Here are the details to set the scene- every year staff and I attend the Early Childhood Summit for three days in October.  It is a wonderful event that provides many workshops, experts in the field as key note speakers, state and federal updates on funding and a good opportunity for networking with other early childhood professionals.  It is something I include each year as I prepare the train and technical assistance budget for the program.  Past practice has always been that each person attending has their own room at the host hotel.  We all registered and reserved our rooms as we have done in the past.  About two weeks after this was completed, my supervisor emailed me requesting that I discuss sharing rooms with the staff going this year since the organization itself is tightening spending.   I explained to her that the money is already in place in our program budget so it was not a hardship for us.  I also reminded her that if the money was not spent out, it would need to be returned to the funder and could affect the amount of the allocation for the next program year.   Her response was that was still the present expectation of the organization that people share rooms when going to conferences.  I found myself in a true conflict both personally and professionally.  I knew I had no intention of sharing my room and as I discussed it with the other staff attending, each had legitimate reasons for not feeling comfortable sharing a room.  Everyone also said, had they known before-hand that would be the expectation; they would have declined the invitation to attend.  I have struggled with this for the past two weeks!  As I read the materials for this week, I found myself thinking about ways to incorporate these techniques into my situation.  First, I met with the staff involved to give them the opportunity to share their feelings relating to this request.  I then presented their concerns to my supervisor and the director and proposed a compromise.   I suggested the possibility of finding other accommodations in an all-suite hotel.  If I could find something that was less than the cost of separate rooms, I would propose that to my staff.  They both found that to be reasonable possible solution but the director said that going forward, sharing rooms would be expected but if there are no accommodations that would work, she would allow everyone to keep the arrangement they already made.  I was grateful for the internet! It made my research fairly easy and didn’t take too much time in my already very busy day.   As it turned out, the options were very limited and the only accommodation I found that was less expensive had a suite with only a partially divided room and still only one bathroom.   I met with my staff again, and shared what I found.  They did not feel those accommodations would be any better than just sharing a room.  I  reported back to my supervisor  the outcome of my meeting with my staff and she agreed, I had done as much as I could to attempt to comply with the new way of thinking  and that arrangements already made should stand.

                Reflecting back on the conversations with my staff and with my supervisor and the director, I can now see how different strategies affect the outcome when there is conflict.  My staff actually shared that they felt respected by the way I handled this and really appreciated it. I can’t say I felt the same way in terms of how I was treated by my supervisor and director.  The tone of my meeting with them was authoritative and uncomfortable for me.  In the end, there is a positive outcome and we will all be able to attend Summit.  I was grateful for the new skills I had just learned related to conflict resolution.  How timely this assignment was!

Who Am I as a Communicator

     The three  tests we used for this assignment provided an interesting assessment of my communication skills. As I compared how I scored myself with the scores provided by my co-worker , Nanette and my long-time friend, Pat, I noticed some similarities.   I was surprised by the difference in the communication Aniexty Inventory.  While I consider myself a competent communicator and felt my score reflected that, both Nanette and Pat scored me considerably higher. I must admit, this bolstered my confidence.
      I also discovered just how much my personal schema impacts on my first impression of people I interact with. When I reviewed my classmates answers, I realized that we all probably based the answers on a personal frame of reference.  I think it would be difficult not to . Having that awareness now, I intend to before conscious of this as I make new aquaintences.
     Another insight I gained this week was related to the Listening Skills Profile.  My score as well as the scores Nanette and Pat provided, put me in Group 1. I wasn't  surprised by the style being people oriented. Every position I have ever held in the work world has involved interacting with people. The description pointed out that people scoring in this group are empathetic which is a positive quality when interacting with others.  It also stated that there are some negative implications as well which I had never thought about.  Sometimes being too empathetic causes one 
 to be more trusting of others which can create problems in communication and relationships. As I thought about this more, I understood the connection.  I see being people oriented as a benefit both personally and professionally. This assignment helped me come to understand the importance of  keeping a balance between being empathetic and at the same time maintaining a realistic perception of how other people are feeling as we communicate with them.

Strategies for Communicating More Effectively

I find myself communicating with the staff I oversee differently than I do with other colleagues.  We have different personal backgrounds, different levels of education and different work ethic in some cases.  Sometimes this becomes problematic and I almost set myself up for issues by not taking the time to adjust for these differences.  I have found myself misreading their nonverbal cues and even failed to consider our cultural differences at times.  The three techniques that especially stood out for me this week that may help me remedy this problem are self-monitoring my environment and the others in it for signals that will help me determine how to present myself (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2012), becoming more aware of nonverbal behaviors of the group and improve my ability to pick up on the silent messages (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010) and applying the Platinum Rule by putting myself into the other person’s frame of reference. I hope to improve the communication with my staff and in doing so, have more productive and positive interactions with them.   I think incorporating these things into my interactions with the staff will produce a more positive climate for everyone. I find myself thinking about the quote “In each head there is a world” (Gonzalez-Mena, 2011) and knowing that there is so much truth in just those few words. By adopting that mindset when I communicate with others will help me become a more competent communicator.

 

References

Beebe, S.A., Beebe, S.J. & Redmond, M., (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others  

                (6^th Ed.). Boston, M: Allyn & Bacon

Gonzalez-Mena, J., (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families.  Upper  Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012) Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

 

Words Really Do Tell the Story!

This assignment was interesting!  I chose a new television show called “The New Normal”. The show aired on NBC on Tuesday evening.  The characters were two men in their 30’s- Bryan and David, a woman who appears to be a little younger- Goldie, her daughter about 10 years old- Shania and another woman in her 50’s who is not named.        (The ages are estimated!) As I watched it without the sound, it seemed to be a first meeting between the 2 men.  It took place in a night club of some sort.  Initially it seemed like two guys becoming friends.  As the storyline continued it became obvious that they were gay and they were actually flashing back to how they met.  The younger woman at first seemed like she was in a romantic relationship with David. They all seemed to be avoiding the grandmother. The plot seemed to be centered on Goldie and Shania moving into a new house.  Shania seemed dressed oddly for a child her age and had some difficulties when she started a new school. The show ended with David answering the telephone and making an announcement to Bryan and Goldie.  Throughout the show, there seemed to be an obvious friendship between Bryan, David and Goldie.  Bryan had numerous conversations with Shania.  The grandmother seemed to be plotting something.

                When I watched it with the sound, the story was somewhat different!  Bryan and David were in a stable, romantic relationship and had decided they wanted a family. Both were successful in their fields and well off financially.  Goldie had just ended her marriage and was struggling to make ends meet financially and had hopes of going to law school.  Bryan and David meet with Goldie to discuss her becoming a surrogate mother for David and Bryan.  The grandmother it turns out is very bigoted against gays and is appalled that Goldie would even consider this.   Bryan and Shania share a lot of things as he tells her what growing up was like for him because he knew he was different at an early age.  They had a special friendship by the end of the show.  The telephone call at the end of the show was in fact the call from the Doctor’s office announcing a positive pregnancy test.

                I totally missed the part of the plot concerning Goldie becoming the surrogate without the conversation.  Initially, I assumed that Bryan and David were straight.  With the sound on, it was obvious from the very beginning that they were gay.  Their character traits were stereotypical for gay men. The grandmother’s part in the story was not at all evident without the sound because the nonverbal signals made it seem that she was friendly to everyone.  It was the commentary made in her “thoughts” in her head that helped me understand how she felt about gays and their becoming parents.

                Had I been watching a show I was familiar with, I would have had some previous knowledge of the relationships among the characters.  Since it was a brand new show, I had no prior knowledge of the relationships or the plot. This made the exercise really interesting and fun. The assignment helped me understand more clearly that communication is not always straight forward and things are not always what they seem to be making it important to always be open to all that is going on when communicating with others including the context in which the interaction occurs.

Competent Communication

When I think of an effective communicator one person immediately comes to mind.  I think of Rita.  She is a friend and colleague who spent many years working as a psychiatric nurse.  She used her many experiences to build a repertoire of workshops on the topic of social and emotional wellness.  Rita has a wonderful sense of humor that she incorporates into her presentations.  She is also a master at providing examples that are easy to relate too.  I have heard her speak many times over the years and I always find myself think “I know just what you mean” as she points out circumstances that have been stressful.  Her demeanor is warm and caring.  Even when she addresses a large group, she has a way of making you feel like she is talking directly to you.   Rita presented a workshop to my staff of teachers and family advocates last Spring that was a wrap up for our program year. Throughout the year, our professional development theme was related to social and emotional wellness for children and those that work with them. Rita has the ability to communicate on a level that was meaningful to my staff and make it relevant to the work they do which made the workshop very beneficial on a professional and personal level for everyone.  I use Rita as a model for communicating with people both personally and professionally by incorporating a little bit of humor and also keeping it real.

 

Professional Hopes and Goals

During the past 7 weeks as I studied Perspectives on Diversity and Equity,   I feel I have been provided a unique learning experience.  I found myself remembering many situations in my life that I honestly had not thought about in a long time. I also realized how things around me have changed over the years and also how I have changed in terms of diversity and equity.

            In this final post for  this class that helped me look more deeply at the challenges children and families face because of  intolerance and lack of cultural understanding, , it is my hope that through my work as a Head Start program administrator, I am able to make a difference in my community in the following ways : to provide a high quality program with staff that is culturally responsive in meeting the needs of all families, to investigate additional funding sources to provide services to more children,  and  to be more culturally responsive as I interact  with   my staff.

            In a more global sense, it is my hope that  the early childhood field continues to support the efforts around the world that are  addressing   the needs of children in those countries where expectations for children are very different from what we know as childhood in the United States.  It is my hope that advocacy efforts continue to bring social justice that will allow children all over the world to experience childhood and to experience positive educational experiences.

            Finally, I would like to thank my colleagues that have been a part of this learning experience for sharing their personal experiences related to diversity, equity and social justice. Also I appreciated the thoughtful feedback I received to posts I made to our discussions and my blog. I feel that this course, unlike any of the others I have taken on this journey to acquire my Master’s degree has had a personal and professional impact on me. 

 

           

Welcoming Families From Around the World

This assignment comes at an interesting time.  I enjoyed watching the Olympics this past week and reading some interesting stories about athletes from other countries.  One story that caught my attention involved the two women from Saudi Arabia who are the first to ever participate in the Olympics from their country.  Sara Attar participated in a track event and followed the tradition of being completely covered including a head covering called a hijab.  The other woman, Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani   who participated in judo did not.  This is being viewed as a huge step forward for women in Saudi Arabia as well as globally.

                 Having found detailed information on Saudi Arabia on the following website- http://www.everyculture.com, I decided to have my family originate from Saudi Arabia.  Their daughter will be entering my preschool class at a child care facility.  I would prepare for her arrival by in the following ways-

                1- I would learn more about the specific region of the country the family was from since I learned through my research of the country that there are four distinct regions and the lifestyles are different in each one.

                2. I would learn more about the dietary restrictions their culture and religion imposes to be sure to be mindful of this when preparing menus for the lunches served.

                3.  I would read more about the common practices concerning childrearing as related to parent child interactions and expectations.

                4. I would investigate the family’s level of comfort with English to determine if it would be appropriate to bring in a translator for their first visit to the center.

                5.  I would read more about the social etiquette especially concerning gender.  Having read about the Saudi views that are very evident even today concerning gender, I would try to be respectful of their beliefs in my interactions with the family.

                I think learning more about the Saudi Arabian culture in general would help me be prepared to handle some of the differences in a culturally responsive way and help the child and her family feel welcome and comfortable .

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice and Oppression

                Growing up in the 1950’s and 60’s, I remember clearly the scenes on the evening news of police brutality and race riots across our nation.  It was difficult to watch the treatment people were subjected to especially in the South.  In my community, there was no evidence of segregation and for the most part, there was equality for all.  As a child and even as an adolescent, I had a difficult time understanding what I was seeing.  Sadly, we didn’t discuss it as a family so I was left to try to figure it out on my own.   When I reached high school in the later 60’s, I gained a better understanding of the issues.  In my high school, there seemed to be equal opportunity for all students.  Interracial dating was unusual but it did occur.

                The segregation and unjust treatment of people of color completely diminished equity   which is what I feel led to the demonstrations and eventual riots.   Sadly, it was the only thing left to bring about desperately needed change in our society.

                As a young person watching these things on the news and not having conversations with my parents to help me understand what was happening, I was afraid and confused.  It was difficult to understand why people were treated so differently in other parts of our country. Reflecting back on this now, I realize that it was only when I learned about the issues in school that I found myself developing my own perspective on civil rights and the importance of equality.  That has remained with me throughout my life.

                As a country, those difficult times brought about necessary change.  The government adopted laws that protected all people from being treated so unjustly and proposed equality on all levels. While I know we have made tremendous progress over the past 50 years, as I have gained a deeper understanding of the issues related to diversity through this course and others I have had on this journey toward my Master’s degree.  I have come to realize we are not completely there yet. There are still groups within our country that are subjected to bias, prejudice and oppression in varying degrees. As an early childhood professional, I feel I have a responsibility to the staff I work with, the children and their families to be culturally responsive and respectful of all people and accepting of the elements of their social identity that may be different from mine.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions          

                Observing people around me at work this week with the intent of noticing microaggressions was interesting.     I honestly saw very little in terms of the interactions among my staff that could be categorized in that way until today.  I met with 3 supervisors to work on planning for the upcoming school year. In discussing placements, one of them made a comment about a family worker who is morbidly obese.  She complained about this person expecting others to do her work because she is so overweight and that she was just plain lazy.  She continued to insinuate that her obesity prevents her from doing what is required and that families wouldn’t want to work with her. Her comments were not founded. Finally, the other woman who  supervises the person that was the subject of the comments  spoke up and said many assumptions were being made about her job performance   that were not true .  I purposely did not comment initially.  I wanted to let the conversation continue to see where it would go and how many other things she would blame things she would blame on the woman’s obesity.   As I sat and listened, I realized that microaggressions can occur even among professionals.  It was not a good feeling to know that someone in a supervisory position could be so judgmental in such an inappropriate way. 

                My observation clearly pointed out that when there is insulting commentary based on a person’s appearance it can make everyone involved in the conversation very uncomfortable.  Taking it a step further, I observed a change in the interactions among the group even after the conversation moved on.  The body language of the supervisor who was listening to the derogatory comments about her staff person changed as did the amount of conversation being exchanged by the two.   Also, the supervisor whose staff person was the subject of the comments seemed to pull back from the conversation. This exercise has made me aware of how the tone of a group interaction can change when microaggression surfaces.

Other Perspectives on Diversity

                In seeking other perspectives on culture and diversity, I decided to be diverse in my choice of whom to interview!  The results were very interesting.  I spoke to my sister who is professional woman in her 50’s.  She works in the field of social work as a Family Therapist.  Her definitions of culture and diversity are as follows: “culture is the unique blend of traditions, rituals, customs, style, religion, belief systems, and family customs that encompass a particular group of people. Diversity involves the differences that make up the specific humanness of various cultures.”

                The second person I interviewed is a staff person in my Head Start Program who is a woman in her 40’s, bilingual and bicultural and originally from Puerto Rico. She defined culture and diversity as      “all the things you have learned from your family. It is how you think about things especially personal things.  It is about being Latino. It is what makes me different from some of the people I work with but more like many of the families I know from my work. Diversity is what I think about that makes us different.  It is what I see every day where I live and work.”

                The third person I interviewed was a male in his 30’s who works in special education. He defines culture and diversity as follows: “Culture involves whatever little subgroup you allow to define you. It could be your country of origin, the people you live with or whoever you spend your time with.  Diversity is a well-represented mix of cultures, ideas and customs in a certain defined area. “

In all answers, there was a common thread that culture is related to what we learn from our family throughout our lives. Some reference was in a more traditional sense while the third person seemed to be more open about what constitutes the group.  It includes our morals, traditions and is at the heart of who we are.   There were not any references to ethnicity from my sister or the male I interviewed.  My colleague on the other hand   made direct reference to being Latino.   

Reflecting on other people’s definitions has made me realize we sometimes make assumptions about people’s views on these topics even within our own families.   I also realized that age seems to be a factor in how we view things.  All very interesting……

My Family Culture

                What a thought provoking exercise!  As I pondered what I would take if I found myself faced with being evacuated from my home as described, the three things that came to mind were my Bible, a family photo album and a blank journal.  The Bible provides me with guidance through every aspect of my life.  Knowing myself, if I were faced with this predicament, I would be depressed and need encouragement to get through the situation. I would also need guidance.   I would find both of these things in my Bible.  I would take a family photo album so I could always be able to look at my family who is precious to me. The third thing I would take is a blank journal to write about my experiences   throughout the ordeal. 

                I would be extremely upset giving up any of the three items. My feelings would run the gamut of anger, extreme sadness and depression.  I would plead my case as to why they were so important to me and my need to keep them given the circumstances I was forced into.

                This exercise reinforced what I knew about myself going into it.  My faith is the foundation of my life no matter what the circumstance. Family is extremely important to me as well and as I have gotten older, I journal to keep a running record of the experiences I have. 

Moving on to More about Diversity

As I begin my sixth course toward my Master's degree, I am looking forward to learning more about views on diversity.  I think it is easy to come to conclusions about diversity that are somwewhat narrow.  As  I viewed the video Playing for Change on youtube, I was taken back by how that was put together.  I also viewed the clip Imagine.  I must admit, I am a huge Beatles/John Lennon fan so it caught my attention in the list.  I enjoyed watching it and was moved by it.  I am looking forward to what lies ahead.

When I think of research.....

            As I reflect on the past eight weeks, I have come to realize I am in a different place than I was at the onset of this course. I began with many feelings of apprehension since my experience and education related to research of any sort was very limited.  The terminology, methods and principles all seemed so complex.  Each week as we added a new element to our simulation and read more to understand the terms and process, I gained a little more confidence.  

            My “fear” of studying research has been addressed somewhat.  I feel that I have gained knowledge in all areas including the terms, the process and how to be sure that any research I would consider conducting is done keeping in mind the importance being equitable.

I also learned about being conscious of the feasibility of a topic I would study. Initially, my question was too broad and had too many elements to consider investigating.  Through the weekly assignments, I learned to narrow the scope.  This was my biggest challenge as I thought about a question.  I knew what I wanted to accomplish but not exactly how to begin.   

            For me, the notion of equity was new to me as it is related to research. I continue to think about how important this is. Going forward, it will always be a consideration in my work. I will also consider using the process we learned to conduct actual research related to my various aspects of my work. I don’t think I would have considered this prior to taking this course.  All in all, it has been an interesting and worthwhile experience

Early Childhood Australia

Research around the World

I viewed the website Early Childhood Australia.  The information was easy to access and seemed very current. The site had a wealth of information on key early childhood research. The articles and books are not free to retrieve but a summary is provided on the website. I reviewed an article entitled ”Children’s Resilience: Working with the Early Years Learning Framework”. The article explained how work has been done to use the Early Years Learning Framework to help formulate strategies for enhancing children’s resilience.  It also provided information on the factors that contribute to a child’s resilience.  Another interesting article, “Greening Services-Practical Sustainability” provided strategies for helping children gain an understanding of the importance of recycling.  The final article I reviewed, “Young Children as Active Learners” supported children being self-directed in their learning.  It also discussed the importance of play.  I found it interesting that the current research in Australia is very similar to what is currently being studied in our country.

            I was surprised to find the research on promoting being green and our responsibility to sustain our earth on a preschool level.  The focus was on involving children in many ways.  It just seemed like much more than celebrating Earth Day one day per year as we do in our country. I also was surprised to see the similarities between Early Childhood Australia and our professional organization, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).  Many things aligned closely.

            I found the many videos especially interesting. They covered many different topics and provided many useful strategies. One video reviewed the types of care for children.  It referred to “long day care”.  This was a term I never heard before but watched the video and came to understand it as extended hours for working parents.

            All in all, I found the website well designed and easy to navigate.  I was somewhat surprised at the amount of similarity in the Code of Conduct as well as the many topics that supported best practice as we know it.

Reference

Early Childhood Australia- http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au

            .

Benefits of Research for Children Since I had no personal stories to share about the positive effects of research I decided to find an article that discussed positive research findings on a topic I am interested in. As I searched the Walden Library, I came across an article concerning an arts- integrated approach to emergent literacy and school readiness. I had thought about this and wondered if we under estimate the use of creative arts as a method of teaching academic areas but never had any reason to investigate it further. This article peaked my interest. My experience and formal education both support the notion that children learn best through multi-sensory approaches. The article reported out on a study that looked at the impact of using an arts-integrated approach to introduce emergent literacy skills. Often we tend to silo learning into specific domains. In early childhood education, experiences children have in the arts are often viewed as brief opportunities for creative expression and not real learning (Phillips, Gorton, Pinciotti, Sachsen, 2010). The goal of the research was to investigate the premise that young children acquire many of the skills that support emergent literacy in a variety of ways including experiences they have in the arts. The findings of the research were not definitive but did show there was a relationship between the skills gained through all forms of creative arts and emergent literacy. The conclusion the researchers came to was that young children gain knowledge in many ways that can than tie into many domains related to school readiness and also that additional research was necessary to more clearly define the specific details of what works best when integrating the arts into introducing the skills in the area of emergent literacy ( Phillips, et al, 2010). I found this especially interesting since I personally believe that young children are learning in all that they experience be it formal teacher led instructional experiences or completely child driven learning. it also aligned with my thinking in terms of children's learning being very individualized. By giving children as many multi-sensory experiences as possible and integrating different methods of introducing the knowledge, I feel there is a greater possibility for more children to be gain the knowledge and be successful. Reference Phillips,R., Gorton, R., Pinciotti, P., & Sachdev, A., (2010). Promising findings on preschooler's emergent literacy and school readiness in arts-integrated early childhood settings. Early Childhood Education, 38, 111-122. Retrieved from the Walden Library Education Research Complete database.

My Personal Research Journey

  As I pondered what topic to use in designing my research simulation, I tried to think of something that was related to my work so whatever the end result of the project is, it would be useful.  I am very interested in social and emotional development in children as it relates to school readiness.   I decided I would investigate the effectiveness of a new curriculum we have implemented in our Head Start program that teaches social and emotional skills.  The curriculum is called PATHS which is an acronym for Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies. I have mounds of data related to the children’s progress in this area since the assessment tool we use to monitor children’s progress has a section that specifically measures this domain so it seemed like a good idea.  I must be honest; at this point I’m not sure I’m on the right track. I’m concerned that what I am considering may be too broad. I am most definitely a novice in terms of understanding the process of conducting research and I am finding it daunting!  As I started the research chart, I began to get a better understanding of at least some of the terms.   Knowing if I’m traveling in the right direction on this journey remains to be seen.  Is anyone else feeling like this?  I would appreciate feedback and any suggestions that might help point me in the right direction.   So far, the road I’ve taken for my research journey seems a bit bumpy

Adding an International Perspective

Adding an International Perspective

                When I began this journey for my Master’s Degree, I thought about where I have been during my 20 plus years in the field and wondered how much more could there be to learn.  The new knowledge I have gained through our coursework during   Issues and Trends in Early Childhood expanded my understanding of the many issues young children face around the world.  I was not able to make a connection with an early childhood professional somewhere else in the world after several attempts but I don’t think that hindered my learning.

                Over the past seven weeks, I became familiar with valuable resources that comprehensively addressed many important issues that affect children in different parts of the world.  The podcasts made available on the World Forum provided a wealth of information.  Several of the podcasts I viewed touched me deeply as I was reminded of some of the horrible conditions families live in.  The work of the government in Tanzania to increase the level of protection for children in terms of abuse was heart wrenching (Smith, A., 2011). I also learned about the positive efforts being made  by government in some of the poorest countries to provide appropriate child care so parents can work.  I found it very interesting that many of the countries of the world place a tremendous value on educating the youngest in their community. It seems to go fare beyond what we do in our country.  There was also a sense of importance given to including parents in their child’s learning on all levels.  Gaining additional knowledge about UNESCO and its services to many countries was important as I continue to become more aware of the issues in the world.

                Personally, this new knowledge has provided me with a different context to understand the importance  of general safety and rights for all children.  A goal for our field related to international issues should be tied to supporting  a level equity for all children to be safe and be given opportunities to learn.

                As we move on to the next course, I want  my classmates know how much hearing about the challenges each of them face within their communities helped me realize it is not just my community that is struggling and that we need to band together to be a strong voice  for the importance of educating  young children. I appreciated everyone’s feedback each week as we discussed the various issues.  The value in what has been shared is immeasurable.  I also want to express my gratitude for the wealth of information that everyone brought to the group each week from their own experiences.    I wish each one of you  many opportunities to continue making a difference in the lives of children and their families.

Reference

Smith A., (2011) Global Development/ the guardian. Retrieved from http://guardian.co.uk/global-                   development/audioslideshow/2011/aug/09/violence-against -children.

UNESCO

UNESCO

                The United Nations has many branches and departments that work in many areas of global concern.  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has led the international efforts related to developing an integrated Early Childhood Education and Care system since the 1950’s. The mission of the organization has been and continues to be to help develop global policies that support learning during the early years.  Their work has helped establish a better understanding of children’s development worldwide.  While I had heard of UNESCO, I did not have a clear understanding of the work they do until I began to research the site for this assignment. The information is comprehensive.  It incorporates research articles as well as videos that report out on current projects and initiatives.   The way the site is organized makes it easy to zero in on a particular country or issue.

                I learned that one of the major undertakings of UNESCO was to study ways to integrate early care and education.  A global initiative, “Caring and Learning Together “promoted the idea that many of the inequalities young children are subjected to can be decreased when the two elements are coordinated. 

                My frame of reference has been limited to early childhood policy in the United States.  I learned about other countries which I found very interesting. I read a policy brief on supporting home-based early care services in New Zealand.  This was especially interesting to me because I operated a family child care for 12 years.  The regulation of family child care homes in New Zealand originally was a function of the Department of Social Welfare.  It was more custodial than educational in nature.  In 1986, that changed when the regulation switched to the Department of Education.  The system is very different from what we have in the United States.  It is government funded as well as regulated.  Homes are clustered together and the providers have an Education Coordinator who provides support professional development and monitors their compliance.  Realizing the this type of child care if often preferred by families with young children, the government was forward thinking when they involved the Department of Education  since it supported adding the educational piece  in a home-based model.  It has been very effective and provided a needed service for working parents.

                Another policy brief I read about looked at how preschools have changed in Singapore.  Early on, preschools were privately owned and run for profit.  When the government reviewed the situation, it was determined that this was not the most effective way to provide early care and education.  A shift in how services were provided to families came about when the Ministry of Education became involved.  Child care facilities were able to be run more efficiently and the overall quality improved.

                The variety of videos available on the UNESCO website was very interesting.  There were videos that are clearly for early childhood professionals as well as ones that are geared for parents.  I viewed one that looked at how the early educational needs of young children were met in a small village in Kenya.  Resources were extremely scarce yet the children were engaged in learning on many levels.  I found it very interesting too that there was a strong emphasis on family engagement. 

                I enjoyed reviewing the UNESCO website. The wealth of information available has greatly expanded my view of early care and education globally.  I would encourage early childhood professionals to become familiar with it and visit it often.

References

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, website

                http://www.unesc0.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-

                systems/early-childhood

Teaching for Change

A New Discovery- Teaching for Change

                As I searched the internet several sites surfaced that related to the topic of equity in early childhood education for all children.  One that really stood out was Teaching for Change (www.teachingforchange.org).  The site provides information on an initiative that began in Washington D.C. and has expanded to other areas of the country.  It is the belief of those involved in Teaching for Change that given the appropriate tools, teachers and parents can transform schools into centers of justice that will be a welcoming environment for all children.  The message that drives the initiative is that schools can provide students with the skills, knowledge and inspiration to be citizens and architects for a better world.   In 2003, a project was implemented called the Early Childhood Equity Initiative (ECEI).  One of the parent programs to come out of the project is “Tellin’ Stories.  It has been successful in engaging parents on many levels in their child’s education and the school community as a whole. 

                Imbedded in the website are several YouTube videos that explain and give examples of the success Teaching for Change attained.  I have included one that explains  "Tellin Stories".   There is also an e-newsletter that has a wealth of information related to the importance of equity.

                I returned to the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center to seek out information on equity in early childhood education and found it embedded in many areas of the website which I must say didn’t surprise me.  Head Start has always focused on meeting the needs of children faced with the greatest needs and has diligently worked for equity in the early childhood experiences children have.

                The term equity has taken on a more enriched meaning for me after do the readings and researching the topic further this week.  The knowledge I gained has already been applied to the work I do every day.   

Reference

Teaching for Change- www.teachingforchange.org

Equity

Equity- The Right of All Children to be Protected from Abuse

                While searching for an appropriate podcast to review for this week’s assignment, I came across a very informative website that addresses global issues on many levels. After reviewing several podcasts on   the guardian (http://guardian.co.uk) which is sponsored by  the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, I decided to use one concerning child violence in Tanzania as the basis for this week’s blog post. 

                The podcast content was upsetting as they interviewed a young girl who had been raped numerous times by her father over a four month period.  The family consisted of the father and his two daughters. The mother was dead. The child feared for her life if she did not compile with his sexual demand on her because the father threatened to kill her.  It was because of a caring teacher that the child’s exposure to the abuse was addressed.   When the child stopped coming to school, the teacher took it upon herself to speak to the sister who continued to come to school and was not subjected to the abuse.  The teacher involved the child protection agency and the end results were that the father was prosecuted and sent to jail for 30 years. The girls were placed in foster care.  The child returned to school and as the interview concluded she commented that when she grows up, she would like to be a lawyer to help others that have experienced abuse.  It was stated that the teacher and social service worker put themselves in an understandably difficult position within their community.  It is only recently that this type of abuse was even spoken about.  Finding support through the law enforcement system has made a huge difference in helping to improve the rights of children in Tanzania.  It was a moving podcast.

                In addition to the podcast presented by Alex Duval Smith, an article follow up article was also on the website.   Smith writes that Tanzania is the first African country to reveal the serious problem of child violence within their country and take steps to improve the systems to protect children from all forms of abuse.  Even though the country struggles with malnutrition, and poor physical health, the government has identified violence against children as a national crisis as well.   UNICEF provided the funding that made the national study possible.  The study strongly supported the need for rethinking the definition of “most vulnerable children” to include exposure to all forms of violence in addition to vaccinations, adequate nutrition and clothing, as being essential if globally we are to improve the lives of children in all countries.    Children have the right to be protected against all forms of violence.

References

Smith, A., (2011) Tanzania report reveals extent of violence against children. the guardian. Retrieved

                from http://guardian.co.uk/global-development/audioslideshow/2011/aug/09/violence –

                against -children

Sharing Resources

Sharing Web Resources

                 In a previous blog post, I discussed a web site that provides a great deal if information on many topics related to Head Start and early childhood in general.  The Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) is managed by the Office of Head Start.  It is updated frequently with not only Head Start specific information but also information for  all early childhood professionals and parents.

                Recently, I have been using a new section on  ECLKC.  It provides a wealth of   information on   School Readiness Goals.  Head Start  programs receive a considerable amount of guidance from the Office of Head Start which is an office of the Administration for Children and Families and a component of the Department of Health and Human Services.  A few months ago, information was pushed out to programs introducing revised child outcomes.  The Child Development and Early Learning Framework (CDELF) outlines eleven domain areas and many indicators within the domains that are skills young children need to be prepared to enter kindergarten.  We were charged with developing School Readiness Goals that specifically met the needs of our respective programs.  I was pleased to notice an area on ECLKC that provides clear guidance and examples for what an appropriate goal should include.  What was even better was that the work I had already done to begin formulating my goals aligned with what I was seeing on the new section!    The CDELF is based on the most current neuroscience and is developmentally appropriate.  A great deal of collaborative work  by the experts in the field went in to the development of the new framework.

                ECLKC also provides information on operational changes for programs.  Most recently, an information memorandum posted about criteria for in-kind contributions.  Head Start funding is unique in that as a program, we must show a 20% match based on the total amount of the Federal money provided in donated services and volunteer hours.  This is sometimes a challenge. The new revisions posted on ECLKC clarify the recent changes.  ECLKC posts all official updates related to the operation of Head Start.

                 I schedule time to review what is new on this web site at least two times per week.  There is a wealth of information that any early childhood professional could find useful.  The information on school readiness is certainly a good example of that. 

Reference

Early Childhood Learning and knowledge Center- http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc

International Contacts

International contacts

                Unfortunately, I have not been able to establish any international contacts.  Through my research however, I have found some excellent resources on the effects of poverty on young children throughout the world. I listened to a podcast of a recent symposium titled “Tackling Child Poverty in the Twenty –first Century “took place at the New School in New York City.  Two of the participants included Dr. Jo Boyden, Director of Young Lives at the University of Oxford, England and Professor Alberto Minujin from Equity for Children project at the New School addressed critical issues worldwide related to the effects of poverty on children.  Dr. Boyden opened the podcast by reviewing general issues we think of most often in terms of poverty and its effects on young children. She spoke from a world perspective stating that we have made strides in the areas of health and education that have been addressed in a straight forward manor. She noted that while gaps still exist, some progress has been made to address them. s.  She then went on to talk about those serious issues that are not presently in the forefront but are extremely damaging to children. Dr. Boyden used the term “child protection issues” which include child trafficking, violence in the home and exploitation of children through child labor (equality for children, 2012). I found her perspective very interesting.  She pointed out how complex these issues are because they are influenced by many things including cultural norms and belief systems.   Professor  Minujin  discussed the Young Lives project which is a longitudinal study conducted collaboratively by several major universities over a 15 year period in four countries- India , Viet Nam, Ethiopia and Peru. The purpose of the study is to effect policy by transforming the way we think about its effects on children (equalityforchildren, 20102).

                I found the discussion on the podcast very informative.  It presented a perspective on the underlying effects of poverty that I hadn’t thought about before.  It expanded my view on poverty and has made me more aware of the complex nature of understanding all of the effects instead of those factors that are in the forefront.  I realized how easy it is to become focused on the aspects of poverty in my community rather than taking a world view.  As an early childhood professional, I also realize how important it is take the next step outside of my own community and gain a world view.

Boydon, J & Minujin, A., (2012). Young Lives panel discussion at the New School. Retrieved from                      http://www.equalityforchildren.org/young-lives-panel-discussion-at -the-new-school

Sharing Web Resources

Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center

                As a Head Start Program Administrator, I refer to the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) website – http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov-  on a regular basis for many things.  I feel that much of the content of the website is useful to all early childhood professionals, not only those involved with Head Start which is why I decided to share it.   When I decided to focus on the issue of dual language learners for our assignment, ECLKC was one of the first places I looked for current information. It is not an area of the website I had gone to before and I was impressed with what I found.  There is a wealth of current research available on ECLKC that addresses the challenges in meeting the needs of dual language learners from the professional viewpoint for early childhood educators as well as from the more personal viewpoint that is useful for families.  There is also an abundance of information on school readiness and the importance of family engagement that is provided in such a way that professionals and families should find it useful.  It is a comprehensive resource. Information is updated on a regular basis keeping its content current.    Most of the information is also provided in Spanish.  It is certainly a resource worth investigating.

Reaching Out and Expanding My World of Early Childhood Education

                Reading through the syllabus for this my fourth class toward acquiring a Master’s in Early Childhood Studies, I found myself thinking about how this experience had the potential to change me as an early childhood professional.  As I read the tips for Part 1, I thought this will be different.   I must admit, I haven’t given much thought to making global connections in the early childhood world.  I was eager to make a connection with someone in the field from another country.  I sent out numerous emails to try to connect with someone but have had no success yet. My first thought was to reach out to someone in Mexico since many of the families we serve in Head Start have emigrated to our community from there.  Sadly, that email address was not a good one.  It bounced back to me. I tried another address in Croatia and have yet to hear from that person. Since the week was going by quickly and I wasn’t hearing from anyone, I decided to check into the World Forum since it seemed that the alternative was probably going to be the route I take.  I was really surprised by what I learned.  Even after over 20 years in the field, I didn’t know this group even existed.  I am eager to learn more about the work they do.  I listened to 2 podcasts that were very interesting.  I decided to try to contact George Forman who was featured on a podcast about play.

                Moving on to Part 2, I looked over the list of resources provided.  I have referred to many of them over the years.  Pre [K] Now: A Campaign of the Pew Center on the States caught my attention. Not being familiar with it, I decided to take a look at it. In Pennsylvania, the previous governor and his administration was extremely supportive of early childhood education.  During Governor Rendell’s eight years in office, great strides were made toward improving quality in prekindergarten settings all over the state. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania has a two term limit on the Governor’s office.  The current administration does not share the same interest or see the value of early childhood education. As I skimmed over the Pew Center website, it seemed to focus on strong advocacy for early childhood education so I decided to learn more about it.

                Each step of this journey has increased my knowledge and appreciation for early childhood education.  I look forward to this course as yet another way to expand my knowledge base and help me grow as an early childhood professional.