Time Well Spent

I have learned so much from this program about the early childhood program as a whole, children and the way they learn, the many influences that effect children and families, me and my ideas and biases.  One thing I learned from this program early on was how important play is to children.  This is their main pathway to learning, but what I find so interesting is how play and exploration is being taken out of the school settings.  A second lesson that I learned was the devastating effects that poverty has on children.  I had previously believed that it would be better to experience poverty as a younger child than as an older child because they would not know any better or even remember.  What I learned was that it is the opposite.  The effects of poverty are worse on young children due to lack of proper healthcare and malnutrition.  This causes learning delays and problems later in school.  It is never easy to live in poverty.  A third thing that I have learned from this program is that we all have biases that we are aware and unaware of.  This is nothing to be ashamed of but something that we must be aware of and possibly work on releasing.

The long-term goal that I have set for myself is to help children understand that we are all different and that it is ok because we all bring something different to the circle.  I want to help children fight the urge to hurt others through their words and actions.  I want to teach them and show them compassion.   

It seems like it should have been a longer journey, but having great colleagues and knowledgeable professors has made the journey easier.  There were many times when we bared our souls in the discussion boards and we knew that it was safe because we could trust that our secrets were safe with each other.  We supported each other through tough times as well as the good times.  Without the support and feedback from my colleagues through this course I am not sure I would have done as well as I did.  I say thank you to each and every one of you.  Remember we are all WILDFLOWERS.

WILDFLOWERS

Without our differences our world would be bland

Individuals need to be able to shine no matter what

Learn to accept each other’s culture, beliefs, and languages

Differently abled doesn’t mean they can’t

Follow your heart

Level the playing field with education

Open the mind to acceptance

Willingness to learn about others

Ears open to listen for clues and hurt hearts

Respect

Strong enough to stand up for others rights

ECE Jobs/Roles-Internationally

The three organizations that I chose to research are ones that have a positive effect on children and families.  They also provide large amounts of helpful and informative information for individuals interested in the topics of helping family’s nationwide.

Save the Children was one of the organizations that I chose to search through.  The career that caught my eye was as an Emergency Education Cluster Co-ordinator.  The position is global so there are many opportunities and countries to choose from. 

The position is to make sure that the education needs are being addressed by the different agencies that are promoting educational interventions through the United Nations Cluster System (Save the Children, 2011).  The coordinator will work closely with the children, families, communities, and educational institutions to provide a collective and strategic response to situations that occur.  The skills that I would need to complete this job include good communication skills, qualifications in Education, and experience in coordinating and chairing meetings, ability to work and represent different views across the different stakeholders, provide humanitarian interventions (Save the Children, 2011).  I would have to expand my advocacy skills and knowledge of the appeals process and other funding mechanisms. 

The second site that I looked at was International Step by Step Association (ISSA).  Their services are mostly provided in the Netherland areas of the world.  The Programs tab on their website caught my eyes first.  They provide educational programs for children from birth through primary school and provide teacher education as well (International Step By Step Association, 2011).  They train adults in their education methods and send them to work in their school facilities.  The position that I would like is to be one of the trainers who work with new teachers and help them to transition into their new position.  The skills I would need would be good communication skills, knowledge of the Step by Step programs and ISSA standards, be able to work with and train new students in a respectful manner.  I was not able to find this position on their site.  I would love to do this job, it lets me do what I love and that is to teach others.  They would then be able to go out and help others in the environment they are placed. 

UNICEF was the third site that I was of interest to me.  The position that was of interest to me was in the area of emergency preparation in the Sudan.  I chose this area because I am concerned about how families are cared for in emergency situations.  The position is to implement the countries emergency preparedness and response plan.  I would help develop, plan, implement, monitor and evaluate the emergency intervention plan for the survival and well-being of children and mothers and the communities who are in a state of emergency (UNICEF, 2011).  The skills that I would need include good communication, ability to set high standards and achieve project goals, work in a multi-cultural environment, data analyses, ensure that the team and departments follow relevant policies and procedures set by the company, leadership and supervisory skills, co-ordinate group activities, and set and define clear objectives and produce comprehensive project plans for the organization (UNICEF, 2011). 

References

Save the Children. (2011). Careers.  Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org

International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.issa.nl/index.html

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

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

UNICEF, NAEYC, and Head Start are three organizations that appealed to me as avenues of employment in the early childhood settings.   All three of these organizations are nationwide and UNICEF provided international opportunities.  I chose these specific organizations for their well know work with children and families and the research that is being done by them for children.

The first job that caught my interest was as an Educational Specialist in Thimphu, Bhutan.   The skills and qualifications that I would need to possess for this position is an advanced university degree in primary education.  I would need five years of relevant work experience at a national or international level in education programs which I do not have at this time.  I would need to be fluent in English and another United Nations language, also which I am not.  Also it is important that I am able to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and formal public speaking.  I would need good leadership and supervisory skills, be able to coordinate group activities, and work effectively in a multi-cultural environment ( UNICEF, 2012).

The second job that I was interested in was through NAEYC Academy for Early Childhood Education as an Accreditation Coordinator.  The qualifications that I would need to possess are a BA in Early Childhood Education/Child Development, 3-5 years of experience in the early childhood field.  I would need experience with high quality programming and the NAEYC accreditations.  Plus I would need to have excellent oral and written communication skills, be analytical and computer skills in MS Office and database.  I also need to be willing to travel if needed (NAEYC, 2012).

The third job that I was interested in was through Head Start.  The position available was Family Development Advocate for Mohave County in Arizona.  The qualification for this position includes a Baccalaureate degree in Child Care/Early Childhood Education and AA Degree in Social Services or Child Care/ Early Childhood Education with two years’ experience in Social Services or related field.  Being bi-lingual in English and Spanish is preferred (Head Start, 2012).

References

Head Start. (2012). Career Center.  Retrieved from http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2012). Employment Opportunities.  Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/about/jobs

UNICEF. (2012). Employment at UNICEF. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/index.php

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

The three organizations that were of interest to my study of families living in extreme poverty or homeless were Saint Vincent DePaul, Arizona Migrant Head Start, and First Things First.  These three organizations are in my local area of service in Arizona. 

Saint Vincent DePaul is a charity organization that is located throughout the nation (Stvincentdepaul, 2012).  They operate on donations and volunteer helpers.  They offer a large range of services that help not only those who are experiencing a hard time financially but services for individuals and families of those incarcerated in the prison system.  This organization appeals to me because of the large number of services they provide.  They provide these services for those who have no other avenue and they serve in a caring, nonjudgmental, and supportive manner.

Arizona Migrant Head Start, this section of Head Start focuses on migrant farm workers (AZ Migrant/Head Start, 2012).  These workers move from area to area in order to work the farms.  Families work long hours and often have to resort to lower quality childcare do to financial hardships.  The Migrant Head Start takes the children from these families and works with them for the time they may be in the area.  They educate and serve the families in many areas such as oral health education, family literacy, and mental health services.  They use a team approach in working with not only the children but the whole family.  They promote school readiness skills for children ages 0-5 (AZ Migrant/Head Start, 2012).  This organization appeals to me because I living in a high migrant population area and would like to know how to better serve families who are migrant workers. 

First Things First is an Arizona based program that promotes education, healthcare, and family support to all families (First Things First, 2012).  They support the families in their native language and culture.  Offer access to a multitude of services such as oral health, early screenings, nutrition, mental health, and injury prevention.  They provide parent education, services to help you find the right childcare for your child, scholarships, etc (First Things First, 2012).  This is a state funded program that is open to anyone who wants to take advantage of the program.  This program appeals to me in that it promotes parent education as well as school readiness skills for children.

One job that is currently open is for Center Service Manager III for the AZ Migrant Head Start program Chicanos Por La Causa.  The qualifications that I would need would be Bachelors in Education, experience in an early childhood setting, and administrative experience.  I would have to be able exhibit leadership abilities, multitask and have knowledge in the areas of program management, finances, computer skills, and Head Start procedures and protocol.

Resources

Arizona Migrant/Early Head Start-Chicanos por la Causa, Inc. (2012). The Arizona Migrant & Head Start Program. Retrieved from www.cplc.org/education/arizona-migrant-early-head-start.aspx

First Things First. (2012). Ready for School Set for Life. Retrieved from www.azftf.gov

St. Vincent de Paul Charity Phoenix. (2012). Voice of the Poor. Retrieved from www.stvincentdepaul.net

The end of another course

My goal and hope for my future as an early childhood professional is that I provide a warm and accepting environment for the families and children who I work with.  I want to create an environment where children feel safe and free to be themselves and not have to worry about being stereotyped.  I want children to be able to stand up for what is right and be open minded and accepting of differences.  I want families to see the center not just as a place to drop off their child but as a place of excitement and wonder where their child will be loved, accepted, and inspired. 

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to each member of this class.  I don’t think of each of you as just a classmate but as a valued colleague whom I am able to bounce ideas off of and get honest feedback.  Without the support from each other this journey would have been a long and boring ride but we have made it more bearable for each other.  So again dear WILDFLOWERS it is not good byes but see you in the next course. 

WILDFLOWERS

Without our differences our world would be bland

Individuals need to be able to shine no matter what

Learn to accept each other’s culture, beliefs, and languages

Differently abled doesn’t mean they can’t

Follow your heart

Level the playing field with education

Open the mind to acceptance

Willingness to learn about others

Ears open to listen for clues and hurt hearts

Respect

Strong enough to stand up for others rights

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

Central and Eastern Europe-Commonwealth of Independent States

The area I choose to look at was Central and Eastern Europe-Commonwealth of Independent States.  The reason why I chose this area is because I know so little about the state of care and education in this part of the world.  I am curious as to the conditions the children live in. 

The challenges that the children of this area are experiencing include children who have disabilities are kept socially distance, violence within schools, extreme poverty, and a lack of access to social services such as health care and child care. 

In the Kyrgyz Republic children are placed in institutions because lack access to social services such as day care.  Parents are not able to work and pay for the family.  They turn their children over to institutions.  The private institutions have no monitoring by the government and provide many safety hazards such as lack of heating, poor sanitation, and deprive children of their family environment.  Reform is coming in the Kyrgyz Republic to help with child care reform (UNICEF, 2011).  Children in Montenegro suffer mostly from poverty-every 10^th child suffers from poverty.  Children under the age of 5 are the heaviest concentration of those affected.  Parents who have not finished secondary schooling, children from north of Montenegro and rural areas are hit the hardest.  Poor households with children are farthest from primary healthcare and schooling (UNICEF, 2011). 

The experience of poverty is going to have a lifetime effect on children.  Without proper nutrition and healthcare they will not succeed in school as well.  They will be at an academic disadvantage to their peers who have had proper nutrition and healthcare.   If they are malnourished they may not have the strength and muscle tone that is needed for an active life style and they will not be able to fight off many childhood illnesses.  For the Kyrgyz Republic children who are placed in institutions they are deprived of the interaction and care that a parent figure will give them.  They may have a higher rate for depression and an inability to relate or bond with others.

As a professional in the early childhood field I feel sadness and struggle for these children.  With such odds against them they are going to struggle more than any child should have to.  It does seem that the government is trying to make the proper reform in the childcare area, but knowing how long it takes and the red tape that will come, it may be too late for many children.  With properly trained and caring professionals in the early childhood centers, these children will have more success than if they were just left alone.  It is my hope that in the reform the governments are making that they see the huge impact early childhood professionals make in a child’s life.

                                                      

Resources

UNICEF (2011). Analysis of the Situation of Children’s Residential Institutions in the Kyrgyz Republic.  Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html

UNICEF (2011). Every tenth child in Montenegro is poor.  Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html

The kids are learning WHAT?

My initial reaction to the book excerpt So sexy so soon, was amazement (Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J., 2009).  The thought that children at such a young age are being hit with these ideas and are able to process them was horrible.   Once I was able to close up my jaw from the shock I was able to process the ideas more clearly.  I started to analyze things I saw on TV and toys that are in the store and even my own child’s behavior.   I can see the ideas that they shared happening all around me.

One experience that I had recently was in talking with another professional colleague who worked with college level adults.  She was asking me my take on a conversation she had with a friend.  The friend has a preschool daughter (3-4 years old).  The mother got a phone call from the school about and incident that happened at during the day.  The girl leaned over the table during activity time and kissed a boy.  She had her tongue in his mouth and was holding on to him so he would not get away.  The mother did not understand why everyone was so upset.  She was asking “is this not normal?-they’re just kids”.   When I first heard this story I though “what is she learning at home?”   After reading this book excerpt I had to rethink.   It may not be what she is learning from her parents but the media she is watching.

This spring at our school play day the children were allowed to wear their swimsuits.  The children were third and fourth graders, who know what they are looking at.  I must be old fashion but the swimsuits the girls were wearing were a little lacking in the material department.  The girl’s new fashions were bikini tops and boy shorts.  I thought I was at a skin farm.  These bikinis’ showed way to much skin for 8 year old girls.  The girls were discussing with each other how “hot” their suit looked on them. 

These messages will impact young children in a negative manner.  The girls will think that they should wear clothes that are reveling and make them look “hot” in order to fit in with their peers.  If they do not have the “right” clothes they may be ostracized by the larger group.  This will deepen the message and cause them to go down a bad path-one of trying to be accepted.  Boys will be given the message that this is how girls are supposed to look and act.  So the message they will get about gender is that boys were just shorts and girls wear skimpy tops and boy bottoms. 

As teachers we have to stop looking the other way when issues come up.  We have to confront them even though it may be difficult and uncomfortable.  As early an early childhood professional I could promote books and pictures of children who are having fun in a nonsexual manner.  I could also use pictures and books with more sexualized images to discuss how it could hurt the image the child has of themselves.  We will also look at boys and girls who are outside of the normal stereotype and talk about it they are boys or girls and why they think that.  Also it is important to have the discussion that they are each different and that they don’t have to follow the rigid stereotypical roles. 

Resources

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from:http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf

I can accept others

The ism that I have experienced in my personal life is my religious beliefs.  I chose to go to Church and I hold my religious beliefs tightly.  Some people feel that I don’t understand or accept specific groups of people.  They feel that they have to act and talk differently around me.  Some hold the stereotype that I will judge them for the actions they take or choices they make.   Emotionally this affects me in that I feel left out and not trusted.  People have not taken the time to get to know me for who I am.  Cognitively I understand they are basing their knowledge of me based a stereotype they have from the media or past experiences with others.  Physically I am worn down by having to work harder to get others to accept me or get to know who I am and what I stand for.

The consequences that I see affecting the children and families in which I work with is they may not trust me with family issues.  A gay/lesbian family might not disclose their situation for fear of me trying to burn them at the stake.  I want families to know that yes I am a religious person and I don’t participate in certain life styles but I do accept that others may.  I can be trusted and I try not to judge others for their life choices.  The children may be taught to keep parts of their lives secret from me.  Their parent may be afraid of what I may say or do if “secrets” are reveled.  All families regardless of their life choices are welcome and will be accepted.  

Family communication

A day at the splash pad

The situation that I observed was a father and his two daughters at the community splash pad.  There are many jets that shoot water into the air and the children can run through them and get wet.  The first girl was around 7 or 8 and the younger girl was about 2.  I was there with my son and water loving puppy enjoying the cool water on a day that was quickly warming up.  

What I noticed and observed

The father was interacting with the girls and encouraging them to explore the fountains of water shooting up from the ground.  He would occasionally lower himself to where he was closer to eye level with his younger daughter.  He was very encouraging and would clap when she squealed at getting wet. The older girl was not as excited about getting in the water and kept asking if it was ok that she got wet.  The father kept encouraging her to get wet but did not look at her when he did.  He was focused on watching the younger girl.  He would occasionally gather handfuls of water and chase her with them.

Was it effective?

The effective communication strategies that I noticed were that the father was including the girls in the conversations.  He would talk to them and wait for their responses.  He would lower his body to where it was more at their level.  He was a taller gentleman so it was more noticeable.  He also did not intrude on what they were trying to do but was waiting for them to include him into their play.  The older girl was more willing to accept his participation.  The younger girl was more interested in taking the risk of joining other child’s play but would occasionally come back to check on Dad.

What may have helped?

What may have been more effective when talking to the older girl, would have been for the father to look at her when he was encouraging her to get into the water.  He could have asked her why she was more timid about getting into the fun of the water.  She may have needed that act of concern.  As a parent I realize it is harder when you have a toddler you are trying to keep track of as well.  When he was praising the younger girl at her braveness for exploring the water he could use more specific feedback.  He could say something such as, “great job on getting your feet in the water” or “you are brave for running through the fountain”.   Then follow up with questions such as “how does the water feel on your feet?” or “where does the water come from?”  These types of questions will help them to think more deeply and may start a new conversation and investigation. 

What they may have felt

The younger girl may have felt empowered by her father’s praises and she was more willing to try new experiences.  She was willing to take larger risks because of the encouragement and support she received. The older girl may not have felt as supported and that was why she was more timid at joining in on the fun.   

My insights

In watching the interactions with the father and his two girls it made me think about my own conversations with my son and young children I work with.  I am going to try and use more open ended questions and questions that may spark a whole new investigation.  I don’t feel that I listen as well as I should to children and need to pay more attention to what they are trying to tell me.  I need to slow down and take a step back and spend time just listening to what is going on around me. 

New Class

Having a great time with this new class.  I am learning so much about adding anti-bias strategies in my classroom environment.

The Little Gray House Center

The Little Gray House Center

For my home center I would want to include items and philosophies that make all feel welcome.  I want this to be a place where children and their families can come to learn, feel supported, grow academically and socially, and feel safe.  I want all families to feel included regardless of economic status, ethnicity, language, abilities, or family make up. 

Some of the concepts that I want to include in my center include:

Check in and information center-

At the check in center families will sign in their child for the day.  The rational for the sign in is for attendance as well as a security measure.  At the check in parents can get information that is relevant for their family as well as activities that are happening at the center or in the community.

Open floor plan-

            The rational for the open plan is so that students regardless of their age and abilities are able to maneuver safely.  If there are lots of items in the way visibility is impaired for staff as well as children.  With the open plan children can explore without the fear of items in their way that could hurt them. 

Culture Corner-

            This is an area where families can display items they feel are an important part of their culture or heritage.  I saw the idea of the video of Adriana’s home care center.  I am torn between having multiple families share at the same time or just one family at a time.  With multiple families sharing children can compare and contrast the items. 

Some of the items that I feel are important to include in my center are:

Comfortable furniture-                                                                               

I want to incorporate furniture that is not only comfortable for them to use but also similar what they may have at home.  In the sleeping area the children will have cots or cribs depending on their age or needs.  Throughout the center I want couches or bean bags for children to sit on for reading with a friend, family member, teacher, or independently.  In the home center there will be a kitchen set, table and chairs for them to sit at, doll size crib, and child size coach and chairs. 

Pictures-

            Pictures of different families (single parent, same sex, mixed ethnicity, or adoptive), differing abilities, and multiple cultures in differing settings will hang on the walls of our center.   Also I will take pictures of the children in various setting and activities.  I want to also take and hang up pictures of the children with their families.  This will hopefully help the children to feel more comfortable at nap time or other times they may feel sad or lonely.

Books-

            The books will range in topics from different cultures, careers, differing abilities, multiple languages, countries, etc.  Books are not only for reading pleasure but for teaching different concepts and explaining hard concepts to children in a safe manner.

Centers- In the play/education area centers will be situated for children to explore.

Dramatic Play-

            This is an area where children can act out situations that are happening in their own life.  They can sort out the feelings and emotions in a safe environment with little threat of ridicule.  Parents can donate items from their own home that can be incorporated by the children. 

           

Persona Dolls-

            Teachers and children can use the dolls to act out situations without using the actual names and places of an incident.  The dolls should be multi-age, multi-culture, and have both boy and girl dolls.

Thank you Wildflowers

One hope that I have when thinking about working with children and families who are from diverse backgrounds is that when they come to a center or school setting they feel comfortable, accepted, and encouraged to share their differences. I hope that through education and time I am able to help families get to this point in their journey.


 One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field is to accept all children regardless of their background and experiences. That instead we embrace their background and learn from it. Also I would hope that we could all be wildflowers. 

WILDFLOWERS 

Without our differences our world would be bland
Individuals need to be able to shine no matter what 
Learn to accept each other’s culture, beliefs, and languages
Differently abled doesn’t mean they can’t 
Follow your heart 
Level the playing field with education 
Open the mind to acceptance 
Willingness to learn about others 
Ears open to listen for clues and hurt hearts
Respect
Strong enough to stand up for others rights 




Thank you-
I would like thank all my colleagues for traveling this path of reconstruction with me. We have had to confront some demons and have had to correct misinformation. I thank you all for being thoughtful and considerate during this process. There are not a lot of groups where you are able to feel comfortable enough to open up and reveal the truth. Again, thank you and the best wishes for the next class.

Wildflowers

Take time to think about what you have learned in this course about children’s identities and development and the ways in which each is impacted by bias, discomfort, and trauma. What you have learned about anti-bias work, yourself, and others.

WILDFLOWERS
Without our differences our world would be bland
Individuals need to be able to shine no matter what
Learn to accept each other’s culture, beliefs, and languages
Differently abled doesn’t mean they can’t
Follow your heart
Level the playing field with education
Open the mind to acceptance
Willingness to learn about others
Ears open to listen for clues and hurt hearts
Respect
Strong enough to stand up for others rights

Wal-Mart is never boring

I can remember a time not too long ago when I was in Wal-Mart with my son. We were working on our weekly shopping list and there was a man who had prosthetic legs. He was also completing his weekly shopping list as well. He was wearing a Vietnam Vet vest that displayed many different patches. I can only assume that he was injured during the war. As I was scanning the aisles for what I needed I see out of the corner of my eye my son gazing at the man’s legs and reaching out to touch them. I quickly grabbed his hands and shook my head “no” and we walked down the aisle. The man was not the friendliest and glared at us as we continued on our way.

The message that I was hoping to convey to my son was that we don’t reach out and grab people. Especially we don’t grab at people when they are not expecting it. The message that could have been received by my son was that we don’t touch people who have plastic legs. He could have received the message that people who have legs that are different than his are not to be touched.

How, as an anti-biased educator, I should have handled it was to quietly explain that we don’t just reach out and grab at people. I would have to explain that we don’t want to startle people by grabbing them. We should keep our hands to ourselves and look with our eyes. Then if he had questions about the man’s legs we could discuss why they look different than his.

The world of children entertainment

What I noticed about child entertainment and homophobia and heterosexism

What I noticed in the way of children toys regarding heterosexism is the dolls. The girls get doll and for boys they are called action figures. The “girl dolls” are very fancy with fluffy clothing that is brightly colored, high heel shoes, and lots of accessories. The “boy action figures” are bulky, lots of muscles, weapons, and are darker colors. In the world of children books I did not notice too much heterosexism in the books for young children. As the children get closer to the toddler ages I noticed a change. The boy characters were very active and were more adventurous. I did notice in some of the girl centered books they made the girls less feminine. The girl characters were tougher, more adventurous, and were more in charge.


My response to those who believe that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families-
I understand that many teachers do not want to include books depicting gay or lesbian families. It is a hard subject to discuss and many don’t want to deal with the questions that may arise from children or parents. Centers also don’t want to offend heterosexual families either. But what has to be looked at is that in not offending heterosexual families’ same-sex families are being left out and ignored. They are not being treated as equal; they are not even being recognized. So my response to early childhood centers who avoid books depicting same-sex partnered families is that they are not teaching anti-biased education or tolerance.


My response to a parent/family member who informed you they did not want anyone who is perceived (or self-reported) homosexual or transgender to be caring for, educating, and/or interacting with their child
I would have to ask “why”. I would ask them what they are afraid of. Are they worried that it might “rub off” onto their child? Then calmly discuss with them that homosexuals or transgender are still individuals who care for children and want what is best for child. Their sexual orientation or preferences has no legitimate impact on their ability to care for or educate children. I would encourage the parent to go and check out the center and see how the caretakers interact with the children, as well as talk to other parents and get their feedback.


I have heard children call others names such as “fag, gay, sissy, etc.” The situation where children were calling another “sissy” was during recess when one child did not want to do what the peer group asked him to do. They were taunting him to go up and take a toy away from another child and the first child refused. The peer group called him a sissy and excluded him from the group. This type of name calling impacts all children in that they are afraid. They are afraid of being excluded from the group and being labeled. I have also heard parents call their children “sissy” when the get hurt and cry and the parents feel it is unnecessary. This tells the child that they are not allowed to get hurt and feel ashamed when they do.

Farewell and good luck

Beginnings are scary, middles are stressful, and endings are sad. 

Throughout this course I have learned that gal pals lying on the bed, feet in the air talking on the phone for three hours over nothing is not truly communication.  In order to have good communication individuals have to listen to each other, understand the emotions that are behind the words, and work through misunderstandings that can occur.  I have been armed with skills that will help me to develop relationships with parents even though we may not see eye to eye on things.  I have also learned that team work and collaboration is not just a group of people who are grouped together.  Collaboration and team work involves trust, commitment to the goals, and working through everyone’s personal agendas in order to work as a strong committed team.

At the beginning of this journey we discussed how we would support each other through the tough times and the good times.   I feel that we have done just that, we have all given words of encouragement while we shared parts of our lives that are sensitive and personal.  Though we have never met face to face we have developed a trust during this time.  We have gone through the trust stage of group development (Learning Center, 2011).  It is now time to say farewell.  I don’t believe in good byes but “see you later”.   I wish everyone a safe and exciting journey as we head into the next stage of our journey.  I would feel honored to have anyone of you as a colleague. 

Resources

Learning Center. (2011). How to build a team using vision, commitment, and trust. Retrieved from http://www.learningcenter.net/library/building.shtml

Adjournment- Beginnings are scary and goodbyes are sad

The hardest group to leave for me was the Bible study group I was involved in during my first teaching assignment.  This group consisted of a group of teachers whom I worked with.  We would meet each week for our study.  We had to have strong trust as we shared deep personal issues.  We all knew that we could count on each other no matter what the issue was.  When the adoption my husband and I were waiting on did not go through they were there to support me through it.  When I was getting ready to move to Arizona we had the final meeting that I would be able to attend.  I was teaching the study and was finishing up the book we were reading.  Instead I found we were having a farewell party.  I received a quilt with patches from the teachers at the school I worked at.  This was a tradition for retiring teachers which I was not.  I still have my quilt and pull it out from time to time when I need strength or guidance.  I look at the individual squares and think “what would she do?”  I love my quilt as I love all the ladies in that group.

What made this group so tough to leave was the friendships I built, the trust I had in them, and the growth that we had all made personally and professionally.  I would consider this a high-performing group.  We would set goals for ourselves and work with each other to meet them.  We had clearly established norms that we all maintained.  High performing groups are hard to leave because of all the accomplishments and contacts that you make.  These contacts you can use for future projects.

I am guessing that the adjourning phase of our group will be one that cannot be avoided.  Our departure will be full of well wishes on our blogs and we will silently go on our new journey.  We have shared our struggles and ideas with each other.  Though we have never met face to face we have an idea of what each other is like.  We all have a story to tell and a path to guide.  So I will say farewell, good luck, and strength be with you all.  We have made our own quilt here through our blog; we can pull up our blog and ask “what would she do?” 

It's the Parents fault- It's the Schools fault

Conflict Resolution

The conflict I chose to discuss was a situation with a parent and their child and the school personnel.  The child, who we will call L, is in constant trouble.  She has more energy than five children put together and has little to no impulse control.  With that said she can get herself into a large amount of trouble by not following the rules.  She has maxed out her chances with the schools discipline policy.  When her parents were confronted about her behavior they were upset with the school and teacher.  The parents feel that their daughter is just the average everyday child who knows her limits and boundaries.  The parents refuse to see the schools sides or take any steps to help their daughter in school. 

The first step that needs to be taken is opening the lines of communication between the school personnel and the parents.  A meeting will all parties involved needs to happen in order to help L.   In this meeting it is important to remember to attack the problem not the individuals (http://www.crnhq.org).  Also during this meeting each side needs to listen to the other.  The school personnel need to put themselves in the shoes of the parents and vice versa.  When each side has the perspective of the other then real communication can take place.  While each side is speaking the listener needs to go through these steps as laid out by the Conflict Resolution Network (http://www.crnhq.org):

• DON'T DEFEND yourself at this point. It will inflame them further.
• DEAL FIRST WITH THEIR EMOTIONS - People shout because they don't think they are being heard. Make sure they know they are - that you are hearing how angry or upset they are. Label accurately the emotions/feelings as you perceive them.
• ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR SIDE - This does not mean you agree with them, only that you are registering their viewpoint e.g. "I can see, if you think that was my attitude, why you are so angry", "I can see why the problem makes you so upset"

Once those steps have been taken moving towards options for change or a solution can start.  The team needs to work together to come up with a workable solution or plan.

Reference

Conflict Resolution Network.  (n.d.)  Retrieved from http://www.crnhq.org.

How do I do on communication??????

  

How do I do on communication??????

This week I took 3 different communication assessments, Communication Anxiety Inventory, Verbal Aggressiveness Scale, and Listening Styles Profile.  I also had my husband; Kelly and a coworker; Emily take the assessments on my behalf as well. 

The only real similarity between all three of us was that we scored me in group one on the listening styles.  The differences were the range of scores on the other two tests.  On the verbal scale I scored myself higher than Kelly and Emily did.  The verbal test is the one that surprised me the most.  I don’t feel that I am that aggressive verbally.  I tend more to back down instead on standing up to fight.   I attributed the differences in scores on the communication anxiety to the fact that Emily does not know me as well and nether one of them knows what I am physically experiencing. 

Insights to communication this week

I don’t really see this as an insight but more of a confirmation of how the media influences our self- concept.  The images that are projected through the media are pretty far off from reality.  I can only assume that visitors or immigrants from other countries gain a large shock when they actually meet us.  All women in the US are not 6’7 white, with long legs, fit body and beautifully flowing hair.   I can use this information to work with the students in my care.  I can show them that we are all different and beautiful in our own way.    We don’t have to conform to the Medias perceptions of us.  In order to teach this I have to accept that I don’t meet the Medias criteria and that is OK.

Assessing our self-perceptions is a continual process.  We are constantly assessing our abilities whether they are our strengths or weaknesses.  This is not always a cognitive process but just something we do.