When I reflect on my collegial, professional learning community....

When I reflect on my collegial, professional learning community I think of all of the support and encouragement I have received throughout my experience.  The feedback I receive from my colleagues and fellow students has given me better insights and understanding of the issues and challenges that the early childhood faces.  I have a better understanding of the impact I can have on the early childhood field as an advocate.  I have learned that we are not alone in our fight for quality, funding, and better services for young children and families.

One of my goals is to use my collegial experience to inspire my advocacy in the early childhood field. I plan to continue to draw from the support and experiences of those I have worked and studied with to assist me in advocating for better quality services for all children.  I believe all young children and their families have a right to high-quality childcare and education.  I hope to continue to connect with my fellow students even after our program has ended.   You have all been a great source of inspiration, hope, and encouragement to me throughout my program. 

My Hypothetical Family Situation

My family is a blended two parent family with three children.  There are two girls and the newest addition a little brother, Emerson.  Mom and Dad were recently married last year, both the girls refer to their stepfather as Dad as he has been with Mom for several years and their biological fathers are not present.  Mom and Dad were told prenatally that Emerson would be born with a cleft palate.  Emerson arrived at the end of November with a bilateral cleft palate. 

A bilateral cleft palate is the incomplete formation of the lip and the pallet.  This requires extensive surgeries and the therapies.  Initially the infant will require a feeding tube as they are unable to suck.  Sometimes cleft palate occurs as part of a syndrome and other times it is simply genetic.  Until Emerson was born it was impossible to know the extent of the cleft palate or whether it was part of a syndrome or genetic.  Testing was done immediately after birth and it was determined that Emerson’s cleft palate was due to genetics only.

Babies with a cleft palate require initially feeding tubes, syringe feeding after surgeries, multiple surgeries to repair the lip and palate, dental repair, and speech therapy. 

Emerson’s family is a low-income family. Due to Emerson’s special needs the family has decided to have Dad stay home with Emerson while Mom returned to work as a Preschool Teacher.  Since there are no childcare facilities in their area that could meet the special needs for Emerson’s feeding issues both parents feel better if one of them is home with him until his surgeries are complete and feeding is no longer an issue.  Part of Emerson’s feeding issues is maintaining a very specific feeding schedule and ensuring that Emerson has a specific amount of formula or breast milk each day, increasing the amount each week.

Dad is from Honduras and Spanish is his primary language, with English being his second language.  Mom is learning Spanish but her primary language is English.  Dad speaks both English and Spanish to all of the children in the household.  The family has been impacted by sociocultural context of being a blended multicultural family.  Economic cutbacks to early intervention and early childhood services have impacted the family by the lack of services of available in their area.

 Early childhood services that would support my family would include: early intervention services, pediatric specialists, special needs early childhood care and education, and mental health services for the family. 

The Political Will To Improve Early Childhood Systems

My program of study has made me aware of many more organizations that can assist people in advocating to their local Congressmen and Senators for Early Childhood Programs.  As a member of the National Head Start Association (NHSA) I am updated on upcoming important bills that may affect Early Childhood Education and Programs.  This site also gives me step by step directions on how to write my local Congressmen and Senators.  Other sites like, Voices for America's Children, also keeps me informed.  Through this site I can sign petitions as well as write my local legislators.  I can also share these petitions and letters with friends, family, coworkers, and local community members through Facebook and Twitter.

When legislators are bombarded with letters and petitions they learn what is important to their voters.  Individuals can make an enormous impact in legislation just by banning together and writing and calling their local legislators.

Websites like those I have listed have shown me that even one person can make a difference.  You can advocate and share information with others on a local level and impact your local communities.  I like that you can share this information via social media as well as through printed materials. 

When I began this course of study I was not sure how much of an impact I could have as an advocate and was not even certain that I was cut out to be an advocate.  Now I feel more confident in my abilities to make a difference and in being able to impact my local community.

As Ghandi stated "be the change you want to see you want to see in the world".

Parent, Family, & Community Engagement

Why involvement opportunities for parents and families benefit young children, families, and the early childhood field?

Involvement opportunities provide a multitude of benefits for young children, families, and the early childhood field.  For parents and families it giving them the opportunity to become involved and engaged in their child's education allows them to learn how to advocate for their child.  It helps to prepare them for when their child transitions into public schools.  For young children, they get to see their parents actively involved in their school, share experiences with their parents and families, and tells them that they are important, building their self esteem.  For the early childhood field it is a way for the field to demonstrate and educate parents and families on the importance of early childhood experiences, growth, development, and learning.

My opinion regarding why or why not parent / family involvement is an essential element for all strands of service in the early childhood field.

In my own personal opinion family involvement / engagement is an essential component of all strands of service in the early childhood field.  Families and their young children are what make up the early childhood field.  It is essential that they partner with early childhood professionals in order to build high-quality care and education services for their children.  When families are a part of the process they become involved in their child's education, research shows that children have a higher school success rate when their parents are involved in their education.

As a past Head Start parent I have to say that Head Start had a major impact on my life and my children's lives.  Both of my girls, and later my son, went to Head Start and from participating in the parent committees and volunteering in the Center and Classrooms it made me more aware of how important early childhood experiences and learning is for young children.  I went back to school after my son was born and had the full support of all of the Head Start staff.  When my son demonstrated developmental delays I know it is because of the experiences that I had with Head Start that I knew exactly what to do and how to proceed to get him the early intervention that he needed.  I am thrilled to now be working for my local Head Start / Early Head Start program and am sure that the program will remain very dear to my heart.  I now have my Bachelors in Child Development and will soon complete the required courses for my Master's Degree.  I am sure that without the experiences in Head Start that I would not be where I am today and considering going for a PhD. in Early Childhood Education. 

My children also continue to excel in school and to this day have a love of learning.  They each remember their Head Start experiences and teachers and often look through their portfolios. 

Head Start empowers families, promotes self-reliance, and educates young children and families.  It's comprehensive system is one that the early childhood field can learn from.  Parents and families learn and experience the importance of becoming involved in one's own community as well as their child's education.

Quality Programs For All Children

I believe the current public opinion in the United States regarding the value and importance of providing quality services, including early care and education, is increasing.  Developments in brain research have increased awareness of the importance of the early years regarding young children's growth and development. Researchers agree it is the earliest years that are the most crucial for healthy growth and development for all children. Early intervention programs, Head Start / Early Head Start, and Special Education programs help provide high-quality, safe, and healthy experiences to young children and their families.  The history of these types of programs demonstrates the increased awareness and focus on quality childcare and education.  The long term benefits have social, economical, and political impacts on our society. 

My hope is that continued research, community based programs, and family involvement continues to raise awareness and increase the focus on the importance of quality early care and education for all children.  It is my hope that funding will continue to increase and that as a nation we will be able to create more and more programs to ensure that all children have access to high-quality care and education programs.  I hope to be a part of this continued movement and hope that I will be a part of implementing new programs, bringing awareness to my local area, and will have a positive influence on families and young children. 

I believe that when we can provide services to all children we will see long term benefits not only for our children but for our Nation as well.  Studies have shown that investing in the care and education of our young children is beneficial to our economy.   The economic benefits include lowering the cost of remedial, special education, and grade repetition, higher income for graduates, better job preparation, and fewer welfare payments to name just a few (MIT Workplace Center, 2005).  The social impact includes higher rate of graduation, lower crime rates, and individuals become better citizens (MIT Workplace Center, 2005). 

In the words of Maria Montessori:

"Free the child's potential and you will transform the world!"

References

MIT Workplace Center. 2005. Early childhood education for all:  A wise investment.  Retrieved from

http://web.mit.edu/workplacecenter/docs/Full%20Report.pdf



What resonates with me about early childhood public policy and advocacy?

When asked why I chose this specialization many things come to mind.  The first is the children.

The children and their families are the most important aspect of why I chose to go into Advocacy.  I want to be a voice for young children and their families. 

Advocates are essential in the early childhood field.  Advocates educate their local communities, society, and legislators on the benefits and importance of early learning and high-quality care for our most precious asset.....our children.  Advocates help empower young children and their families by giving them a voice. 



By specializing in Public Policy and Advocacy I hope I learn more about how I can make a difference in my area and call to action our local communities to improve the quality of care and education for our young children and their families.

"In every conceivable manner, the family is the link to our past and the bridge to our future!" 

~ Alex Haley  



Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field

In closing our final core course in this Master's Program in Early Childhood Studies I would like to say, I hope we meet again in the future and best of luck to everyone as we enter our Specializations!  It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work and learn with each of you.  Your insights and feedback have been invaluable. 

I have enjoyed reading your blogs and sharing this experience with each of you!  I wish you all the best!

Adjourning

Most of the groups I have been a part of have closure or adjournment.  The business groups I have been a part of have always closed with a celebration of our successes and a review of our accomplishments.  It feels good to celebrate what you have accomplished with a group of your colleagues.  All groups must experience some type of closure, even those groups that have not been a positive experience will experience some type of closure. 

For me it is harder to say good-bye and see a successful high-performing group say good-bye and come to an end.  Most of the groups that were not positive experiences were a relief to see come to an end.  Some of the types of closure I have experienced include celebrating our accomplishments with a luncheon.  It was very nice to feel appreciated and to celebrate as a group the accomplishments we made together.  When I was a part of the Employee Task Force it was nice to be able to close the group on such a positive note, I met several other employees that I had not previously known and to this day enjoy getting together with them. 

When I imagine the group of colleagues I am working with in my Master's Degree Program I imagine it will be bittersweet.  It will be a great accomplishment for all of us but many of us have been together in undergraduate courses as well as throughout the Master's Degree program.  I hope that we can all stay connected through Alumni groups. 

Adjourning is an essential stage in teamwork and groups because it allows us to say good-bye, celebrate together, and to let others know what an impact they have had on our lives.  Each of my colleagues in the Master's Program has enriched my learning and I hope that we will also have the opportunity to celebrate our accomplishment together.

Recent Conflict

In my office we recently hired a new home visitor.  There are now three of us in the county that provide home base services to Early Head Start.  In the process of trying to train the new person I noticed that the other girl (Christina) in the office was beginning to sound very bossy.  I also noticed that the new girl (Roberta) was beginning to take offense.  Because the new person found my co-worker to be bossy and pushy (her words) there was a dispute over lesson planning and training.  The new girl refused to be told what to do by Christina and Christina was becoming increasingly frustrated with Roberta.  We were not getting a lot of training done and soon Roberta would be taking over her own caseload.  Therefore, instead of taking my usual stance of avoiding the conflict or trying to 'fix' the conflict I decided to practice a couple of strategies from the Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and the Third Side material that we have been studying. 

I was actually very proud that I was able to utilize some of the strategies and skills that I have been studying recently.  When the new girl came to me and said that she felt my co-worker was being "rude, pushy, and bossy" and that she did not appreciate it I took a moment to consider how she might be feeling.  I imagined it must be confusing to have two people trying to train you as well as very scary to start an entire new position.  She has the added stress of having all of the Spanish speaking families on her case load and must also practice her Spanish speaking skills in order to communicate well with her families.   I then explained that this is not the normal personality for my coworker and suggested that maybe she was just trying to make sure that Roberta had all the information.  I also suggested that we all sit down and talk about it.  I told the Roberta that she should express honestly how she is feeling and let my coworker now how she is being perceived.  When I asked Christina to come down and speak with us she said she knew Roberta was upset but that she didn't know what she did to make her that way. 

When we all sat down to talk I suggested that we just talk about what had actually occurred and that we try explaining our actions.  After talking and redirecting the conversation a couple of times and pointing out the reasons behind a few of the actions made by myself and my coworker Roberta understood that we were not being bossy but rather we were just trying to ensure that she had all the information that she would need.  Christina also stated that she did not realize that she was sounding so demanding and bossy and stated she would make a bigger effort to make requests rather than demands.

Overall, I thought it was a very productive meeting.  Prior to studying Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and the Third Side I would have dreaded the conflict and bad feelings between everyone.  The challenge to any conflict is being able to understand and relate to different perspectives (www.thirdside.org).  I also agree with NVC that "having the intention to connect with ourselves and others is one of the most important goals of practicing and living nonviolent communication" (www.cnvc.org). 

I believe in this instance I took on the role of "The Bridge Builder" and allowed my coworkers to build a relationship across the lines of conflict (www.thirdside.org).  If we had not been able to 'mend fences' and build a bridge together then I believe the hard feelings would have continued and escalated.

In looking back at past conflicts between coworkers I noticed that I rarely spoke up and would usually just try to "keep the peace".  I have learned that you can "fix" everything for everyone and that people must take ownership of their own actions and feelings. 

Who am I as a communicator?

This week we took several surveys which gave some insights into what type of communicator we are and how well we communicate with others.  We also asked two other people to take the surveys for us.  What I found between my own results and their results did surprise me.  Both people who took the surveys, a co-worker and my fiance, scored me higher than I scored myself.  I was really surprised that both of them assumed that I was and even enjoy speaking in front of others.  Personally, this is something I really struggle with because I do not like speaking before a group.  My co-worker was surprised to hear that I actually don't like it and that I get as nervous as I do when I have to speak.  So I guess I apparently keep it well hidden.  

The first insight I gained is that others definitely perceive us differently than we may think.  Our tone of voice, body language, and the language we use also affects others perceptions of us.  While we may think we are not communicating well, others may feel that the communication was successful.  In the same sense, sometimes we think we communicated our message clearly when in reality others may not have received the message or understood what we were trying to communicate.

The second insight I gained is that I am definitely more critical of myself than others.  I am sure this is the case with most people, I just didn't realize how harshly I was judging myself until I took the surveys. 

I enjoyed this type of self-reflection and the opportunity to see where I need to improve my communications skills.

Ways In Which We Communicate With Others

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures? If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

In answer to this question, yes of course you communicate differently with different groups of people and cultures.  For instance when speaking to my immediate family I am much more informal, open, self-disclosing, and affectionate.  However, when communicating with fellow colleagues I am a little more formal, less self-disclosing, and will use professional jargon when discussing child development and early childhood issues and challenges.  When I speak to my clients I would not use professional jargon and would adapt to their communication style to put them at ease.  Then again when I am with my girlfriends I would be again more open, informal, and affectionate. 
We all want others to feel comfortable when communicating with them so we adapt our body language, verbal language, tone, and communication style to ensure that others are at ease.  When individuals are at ease with each other you are more likely to gain a shared understanding when communicating.

Based on what you have learned this week share at least 3 strategies you could use to communicate more effectively with the identified groups.

Three strategies I could use to communicate more effectively with different groups and cultures are:

1. Engage in self-reflection:  By this I mean examining my communication style, my body language, tone of voice, and how I communicate in general with others.
2. Avoid Cultural Myopia:  It is important to avoid the trap that "our way is the only way" or the "correct way".  When we allow ourselves to examine and see other perspectives we can gain a better understanding when communicating with others.
3. Learn more about other cultures, their beliefs, and traditions.  When we learn about the "why" behind behaviors we expand our knowledge of other cultures as well as gain a better understanding of beliefs, traditions, and behaviors that conflict with our own.

I recently came across a quote by Anthony Robbins that I found to be very fitting with this weeks learning.

"To effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communication with others!"

Communicating: Nonverbally & Verbally

For this assignment I went onto www.hulu.com to find an episode of something I had not seen or would not normally watch.  The episode I picked was Louie - Season 2, Episode 9.  I first watched this episode without sound.

By watching the body language and actions of the characters I gauged that the main character was obviously a stand-up comic.  He comes off stage and it appears he meets up with someone he is very familiar with because he smiles, hugs, and slaps the other man on the back.   It appears they are close friends.  From the flashbacks to younger version of the men in black and white I assume they have been friends for some time.

From the body language of other people who come into contact with the main character's friend it does not appear they like him very much.  One man gets up close to the friends personal space, his face looks angry and he is waving his arms.  There is another instance in a liquor store where the store clerk is obviously yelling at the friend, waving his arms, pointing at him and pointing at the door.

From their body language it appeared the main character was well liked but that the 'friend' was not.  Even toward the end of the episode it appears that the main character is mad at his friend because his face shows concern, mouth open, looks away from him, waves his arms about, points at him and shakes his head. 

After watching it with the sound on I found out I was right, it was an old friend who came to see the main character, Louie, do his stand-up routine.  They greet each other, the other man does offend others with his language and comments.  I was not really able to determine the "plot" or what was actually occurring by watching with the sound off.  However, with the sound on I learned that the man had come to say "good-bye" to his old friend because he had not been as successful as Louie and felt he had nothing left to live for in his life.  He talks about killing himself in the end which is what makes Louie so mad. 

If I had watched an episode of a show I was familiar with I think my assumptions would have been more correct because I would have had previous knowledge and experience with it, I would have created a schema and would have been familiar with relationships and characters.  My schema, or previous experience, could have given me an idea of what the plot would be and what the relationships were between characters. 

I found this exercise to be very interesting.  I was bored and found it difficult to follow the episode without the sound.  I also found myself looking closer at facial expressions, body language, and the actions and movements of the characters. 

Communicating & Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field: Personal Experience

When asked to think of someone who communicates well in a particular context the first person I thought of was our Mental Health Consultant.  For confidentiality reasons I will just refer to him as Mr. D.  Mr. D meets with us each month to discuss stresses that families on our caseloads are going through and to discusses strategies we can use to better communicate with and to assist these families.  He will also discuss how it affects us personally, especially if staff is becoming "burned out".  From the beginning I noticed that Mr. D. always looks in you the eye while you are talking, he does not interrupt, ad he will ask specific questions.  It is also apparent that he takes a minute to consider what he is going to say before giving feedback on particular situations.  He makes it obvious that he wants the whole picture before he considers what he is going to say in return.  The conversations with Mr. D. are so relaxed and informal that it makes it very easy to speak to him.  Often I find myself coming up with a solution long before he suggests it.  I'm sure this is part of his job but he never makes you feel like he is trying to influence your decisions, but rather just discussing different possibilities and perspectives. 

I definitely try to model my own communication behaviors after Mr. D.  I always try to look at people when they are speaking.  I try to indicate that I am interested in what others have to say by looking at them and responded appropriately as they talk.  My biggest downfall is wanting to jump ahead and think about what I want to say in return before they are even finished.  I don't interrupt but have definitely found myself already thinking of a response before the other person has even finished.  I also like the way that Mr. D. reflects back what the other person has said and try to do this as well to ensure that I have a clear understanding of what they are communicating.  I think that when you reflect back what the other person has said it shows them that you were truly listening and that you have a clear understanding of what they have said.  It sends the message that you respect them and value what they have to say.

Professional Hopes and Goals

Professional Hopes:

I hope that I continue to learn about the families I work with and learn more about other cultures and lifestyles.  I hope that I can make all the families and children I work with feel welcome to my classroom and program, appreciated, and included.  In addition I hope that I continue to analyze and reflect on my own biases and am able to learn and grow through this self-reflection.  I hope that all the families and children I work with feel represented, acknowledged, valued, and feel that they have a voice in my classroom.  I truly believe it is essential that children see themselves and their families represented within the classroom and program.  In the words of Maya Angelou: "We should all know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color".   I would add to that no matter what their color, sexuality, gender, age, race, or ethnicity. 

 
One goal that I would set forth for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to continue educating our communities, programs, and future teachers on the importance of valuing diversity.  With diversity, equity, and social justice we can build a brighter future for our world.

I would like to also thank my fellow colleagues.  It is has been a pleasure working and learning with and from each of you.  I continue to grow and learn and appreciate all of your feedback and encouragement.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I think the earliest memory of bias, prejudice, and oppression that I have is when we lived in Germany.  I was 16 years old and me and my girlfriends went into the city to look for and buy prom dresses.  My mother is German and I am fluent in the language so I usually did the talking or asking of prices, sizes, etc.  One of my girlfriends was biracial, another was Italian with dark hair, dark eyes, and the other girl had red hair and had a very southern accent.  We went into a shop and I guess the clerk did not realize that I was with the girls and she told me in German to keep my purse close to me because there were "Americans" in the shop and they were very suspicious.  At first I was appalled and then I thought I would ask why they were suspicious.  She told me that there were two who were obviously "black" and the other one she wasn't sure about and you just never know about "those people".  I was very angry and told her your right you never know who is American and who isn't and then in English I told my girlfriends that we should leave because the shop clerk were afraid we might steal something.  The clerk was very embarrassed and tried to apologize but we walked out.  I remember I was very angry.  I also never told my girlfriends that she was only questioning the others because I felt badly for them.  I assume since I could speak the language and am very fair the clerk assumed I was German.  I felt a little guilty about not telling my girlfriends but I did not want to hurt their feelings.

I remember I spoke to my mother at length about the incident.  She told me that every nationality has individuals that are biased and prejudiced against others.  She also told me that prejudice and bias are products of fear and ignorance. 

The incident diminished equity for my girlfriends by singling them out because of their race and nationality.  In order for the incident to have a greater opportunity of equity the store clerk would have to put aside her bias and prejudices. 

I found this picture and thought it was appropriate for the topic:

We should all STOP - THINK - ACT - and RESPECT one another regardless of our differences.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

This week I quietly observed and listened to conversations and picked up several microaggressions.  The microaggressions that I observed were mainly microinsults and microinvalidations, with witnessing only one microassult.

The microassault was terrible to witness and made feel extreme empathy for my co-worker.  As an Early Head Start Home Visitor we are assigned students to our caseloads as opening occur.  We are currently getting our next year's caseload ready and setting up enrollments.  My co-worker who is African American was assigned a child, she called to welcome them to the program and left a message for the parents to return her call so that she could set up an enrollment.  The parent did call back but asked for the Family Specialist, she asked if Ms. Stacey was the "Black one" and when she was told that Ms. Stacey is African American the parent told the Family Specialist that she would not take the opening because they didn't want "one of them" coming to their home.  We were mortified.  The parent did not take the opening and went back on the waiting list.  It was a terrible experience for my coworker and I felt at a loss of words for her.  I told her my grandmother always said that "ignorance is the root of all evil".   

The microinsult came when I was checking the air pressure in my tire at the gas station and a man walked over and asked if I needed help.  I told him no I would be fine and thanked him and then he bent down and took the gauge from me and checked it, proceeded to tell me how much I needed, and then aired up my tire.  When he handed me back my gauge he told me "now you will know it has enough  air".  I told him that it was really not necessary that I was capable of airing my tire and he told "oh it's no problem, I know how women are".  I just shook my head and had to drive away because I did not have the time to get into the conversation with him of just what he meant by that.  I definitely got the feeling that he believed because I am a woman that I was not capable of airing my own tire!  I was extremely annoyed and vented about it several times during the day to friends at the man's audacity! 

I noticed that it did not take much effort to find microaggressions this week, it was just a matter of listening and being aware of not only what is said but what is implied.  Most people mean well and would not want to offend.  I'm sure the man that aired my tire walked away feeling like he had done a very good deed that day, but the experience left me feeling annoyed and irritated. 

I once read that "awareness is empowering", with awareness we can take action to change.  My new awareness and understanding of microaggressions will allow me to change my actions and behaviors, which in turn hopefully is a positive role model on young children and families. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Perspectives on Diversity & Culture

I asked three people to define culture and diversity for me.  I found that each of them quickly and easily defined culture but had to stop and think about how they wanted to define diversity.

Person Number One:  My fellow co-worker, Christine, and an Early Head Start Home Visitor.  Christina was born and raised in rural Indiana. 

“Culture is a set of beliefs followed by a group of people. Diversity is a variety of different beliefs within one community.”

Person Number Two:  My new supervisor, Pam, Site-Manager for Head Start and Early Head Start Home-Base.  Pam is from the East Coast but has lived in rural Indiana for the past 25 years.

“Culture is the combination of your beliefs, behaviors, actions, and language that impacts the way we think and determines what we value.  Culture impacts every aspect of our lives.  Diversity is the differences between cultures and accepting these differences with respect so that we can all live and work together for a common goal.”

Person Number Three: A father on my caseload, Joyarsi.  This father is from Honduras and has lived in the United States for several years.

“Culture is one’s language, where someone is from, holidays that you celebrate, and your beliefs.  Diversity is multiple cultures in one area.”

The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied this week that are included in these answers can be seen in the second answer in that culture touches all aspects of our lives and surface culture which is depicted in the third answer.  The definitions of diversity from the second person depicts what we have learned in our studies that diversity is acceptance and respecting differences in one another.

In the last response the parent that I interviewed only mentioned surface culture, they omitted deeper aspects of culture such as housing arrangements, values, role of children, gender roles, and how these deeper aspects impact our actions, interactions, behaviors, and the way we think and feel. 

I found this assignment insightful and was very interested in what others had to say when they were defining culture and diversity.  This assignment has influenced my own thinking and made me consider exactly what culture and diversity consist of by becoming more aware of it in my daily interactions with others.  It has also made me realize that most people define culture based on people’s beliefs and surface aspects such as holidays, language, and foods. 

My Family Culture

If I had to choose just three items to take with me and my family to a new culture they would be:

1. Our family Bible, which contains the births and deaths of several generations of our family.  This Bible was given to me by my grandmother who filled in the family tree from her Bible.  This was a tradition for my grandmother when ever one of us married.  Unfortunately, my grandmother is no longer with us, however; my mother continues the tradition.  The Bible represents not only our religion but our family history as well.
2. My family scrapbook would be the second item I would take.  I started the family scrapbook when I became pregnant with my first child.  It holds pictures, news clippings, and awards from my children as well as pictures of us on family vacations and outings.
3. My maternal grandfather's wedding ring.  This is the ring that my maternal grandmother bought for my grandfather when he returned from WWII after being a prisoner of war in Russia.  While he was a prisoner of war my grandfather lost his original wedding ring so my grandmother replaced it when he returned.  She gave it to me during one of our visits to Germany.

I would explain to others that these three items represent to me my religion, my heritage, my culture, and the one thing that is most important to me:  my family.  My family, extended and immediate, mean the world to me.  We have always all been very close and have seen each other through some very serious trials and tribulations.

If I were told that I could only keep one item I would feel very torn and heartbroken.  Out of the three items I believe I would choose my family's Bible.  I would choose this item out of the three because it does contain my family's religion, some single snapshots of family, my family's history and heritage.  I believe this item is a complete representation of my family's culture.

One of the biggest insights I gained from this assignment is how I would feel having to give up so much of my culture and family history.  I realized how sad and depressing this would be for me.  I also realized how important my heritage is to me.

When I think of research.....

When I think of research the first thing that comes to mind for me is the insights I have gained from my course on Building Research Competencies.  From this course I learned that research is more than just statistics and that I should not be intimidated by research studies. 

I have learned the importance of research design, planning, and conducting a research study.  It is important to reflect on personal biases to ensure equity of the study as well as to ensure reliability of the study.  One of the biggest lessons I learned was the importance of examining each step of the research steps: planning, designing, and conducting. 

My biggest challenge throughout this course has been clarifying my steps in my research simulation.  I addressed this challenge by rereading my simulations with the perspective of someone unfamiliar with the process.  When I took this perspective I was able to identify areas that may be unclear and edited those areas. 

My perceptions of early childhood professionals have been modified in that I have a deeper understanding and knowledge of the ways in which early childhood professionals can contribute to early childhood research.

I would also like to thank all of my fellow students for their encouragement, support, and insights.  With your wonderful insights and feedback I have been able to deepen and expand my knowledge of research in the early childhood field. 

Research Around The World

For this assignment I reviewed several articles on the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA).  The EECERA is a non-profit organization solely funded by its world-wide membership.  They generate their own funding and revenue to ensure its independence, innovativeness, and radical attitude (www.eecera.org).

The first article, Researchers Crossing Borders, by Jin-Hee Lee.  In this article the author examines educational practices and concepts across geographical areas.  The author states " By crossing geographical, cultural, or disciplinary borders, we will be better able to reflect upon and learn more deeply about ourselves, and why we do what we do, through the expanded and diversified perspectives of why others do what they do" (Lee, J., p.271).  The author also stated that they are concerned about concepts and ideologies from other cultures being too quickly adopted by other cultures without first considering and examining the cultural meanings and functions they represent.  For me, this was a new insight. While we learn about diversity and cultural differences we often forget to examine this aspect when we get excited about and adopt new practices. 

The EECER Journal allows researchers and practitioners to share experiences, discuss differences, and to learn more about our cultural meanings and differences. 

In the other article, Let us Disagree, by Michel Vandenbroeck the author discusses the changing views on diversity from the 1950's to the present.  "Today, the early years community is much more aware that equality and equity are not synonymous" (Vandenbroeck, M., p.165).  He also states that we must challenge what is taken for granted, and we do this by disagreeing and we must acknowledge that our expertise is provisional and tentative. 

The past articles on this website were very informative and reiterated that we all face the same challenges and the ways that we address these challenges is dependent on our cultures.  By sharing our different views and cultures we can learn and grow from and with one another.

References

Lee, J.H., Researchers crossing borders, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Vol. 18, Issue 3, p.271-273.

Vandenbroech, M., Let us disagree, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, Vol. 17, Iss. 2, p.165-170.

Research That Benefits Children and Families: Option 2

If I had full reign to design and implement a research project it would be one on the topic of Effective Home Visiting Programs and the impact on young children and families.  I believe a research project of this type would provide many positive benefits for young childen, families, and the early childhood field.

These benefits would include:

• Greater awareness of home visiting programs
• What are they?
• Identifying different types?
• Identifying characteristics that make-up an effective home visiting program
• Professional development for staff
• Types of curriculum utilized
• Documenting positive benefits of home visiting programs
• Child abuse prevention
• Closing educational gaps
• Parental education
• Early detection of possible developmental delays

These are just some of the benefits that I believe would be found in this type of research project.  By learning more about home visiting programs and their positive benefits I believe early childhood professionals can provide higher quality services to young children and their families. 

Below is a video I have included from the PEW Organization.  It is a testimonial from a parent on the role that home visitng played in her life with her child.  The more we learn the better services we can provide!

My Personal Research Journey

I have to admit when I saw that this course, Building Research Competencies, was coming up I was a little intimidated and concerned at how interested I would be in this subject.  I was concerned with the statistical aspect and reading detailed research papers.  I am happy to say that I am really enjoying the course so far and was excited to pick a research topic.  The research topic I chose was Homevisiting Programs in Early Childhood Education and narrowed down a subtopic of factors that contribute to the success of these programs.

I have a very personal interest in this subject matter being an Early Head Start Home Visitor.  Within my career I have also been a Head Start Home Visitor.  I have also worked in the classroom but have always found myself going back to the home base option.  I have also participated as a parent in a home based intervention program for my son when he was little and found it to be very beneficial to both my son and my family as a whole.  I am always trying to look at ways that we can improve our program and provide better services to  my families.

I have also found working on the Research Chart has been very beneficial to me in that it gives me a better understanding of terms and topics.  By writing them down in my own words I am better able to remember and use the information in my own work.  Just this week I was able to show my supervisor why an article she chose to share with us on ADHD may not be the most accurate information.  I also was able to show her how to read a research article to get the information that you wanted, the article she chose was not even on preschoolers.  When we looked at the Participant section we found it was done actually on older children.  The research chart helped me to remember this information quickly and easily.  I was very excited to be able to share this information.

I now look forward to the remainder of this course and learning more about how to best utilize research data.

EDUC6162 Week 8

Consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development.

1. By learning more about the international early childhood field I will be better informed of global issues and trends that affect the field.  I can share this information with my colleagues and co-workers.
2. By communicating with others and learning more about international practices I will become more culturally competent.  I believe early childhood professionals should continually work on being culturally competent so that they can provide higher quality services to the families they serve.
3. I have also learned that we all, nationally and internationally, are fighting many of the same issues in the early childhood field.  We all struggle with access, availability, and providing quality programs. 

One goal for the field related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations.

My goal for the field is that all professionals will work together, learn from one another, share what they have learned and bring more awareness to communities, political leaders, and society in general on the importance of high-quality early childhood care and education. 

Getting To Know Your International Contacts - Part 3

Korea

This week in my correspondence with Jo Theis, my international contact from Korea, she told me that her professional goals are to continue doing what she loves, working with children.  She enjoys working with children who have challenging behaviors, who can't sit still, and who think outside of the box.   She uses Art as her "vehicle" for doing this.  Ms. Theis holds four Teaching Licenses and always feels like she can continue to learn more, to her it is not about a "title" but rather about enjoying what she does. 

The school that Ms. Theis works at provides each staff member with $1200 a year for professional development which they can use as they choose.  This is how she was able to attend the conference in Malaysia, she is able to choose her own professional development.  She also attends any required or requested conferences, workshops, and/or seminars requested by the school.  These requested conferences, workshops, and/or seminars do not come out of her $1200.00 yearly budget. 

She believes that the International schools maintain a high level of professional development in order to keep their clientele.  Families pay a lot of money to attend these schools and expect staff to be knowledgeable, competent, and the best in their field. 

Ms. Theis hopes that one day the schools in the United States will also take professional development of staff as a priority and that we are able to find the funding to make our schools comparable to those around the world.


Costa Rica

My correspondence with  my other contact, Mrs. Tapiaaguilar, from Costa Rica stated that her professional goals were always to provide the best services to her families and the children that she worked with.  She still continues to stay current on issues and trends in the education system in Costa Rica and Mentors new teachers when needed. 

During the time that Mrs. Tapiaaguilar taught she stated that Professional Development was done at the Teacher's expense.  This shows how committed teachers truly had to be within the profession.  Now that Costa Rica has improved so much on their education system Professional Development is on going once you become a teacher.  You have yearly trainings, workshops, and conferences that you are required to attend.  These are paid for by the government.

Mrs. Tapiaaguilar stated that her professional hopes and dreams include seeing all children throughout the world receiving high-quality education services.  She believes every country has their own challenges to work through but that with commitment of professionals, parents, and governments these challenges can be overcome.

Sharing Web Resources - Week 6

The Global Fund For Children (GFC), www.globalfundforchildren.org, posted their Winter/Spring 2011 E-Newsletter.  In the Newsletter the new CEO, Kristin Lindsey introduces herself and two new board members.  She also summarized the mission of GFC for children globally by quoting her favorite Dr. Seuss book, Oh, The Places You Will Go.  From the book she quotes:

You have brains in your head
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
Any direction you choose.

The mission of GFC is to focus on children's safety, access to education, health, and their ability to thrive.  With these needs attended children can go anywhere and achieve anything.

The newsletter also provided an outside link to the conference the founder, Maya Ajmera attended at Duke University's National Conference on Social Entrepreneurship Education.  The conference focused on social problems facing children today and their solutions.

On the outside link at Duke University the article on the conference referenced what was discussed at the conference.  Issues such as health disparities, quality education, and the importance of grass roots organizations.  Michael Merson stated that the health disparities are a result of chronic disease, climate change, and inadequate health systems.  He also referenced the importance of health and its relation to development.

Leela Prasad discussed the quality of education and how it continues to be a global problem in both rural and urban areas.  She stated that their research shows dramatic changes in the quality of education can be seen when governments invest in schools, when this investment is reduced or taken away education quality declines.  This demonstrates the importance of government funding and investment into education.

The area of the website that I researched further was the Our Work section.  This section focuses on the news in Children's Issues.  There is an article on former child soldiers who even after a demobilization, disarmament, and reintegration process remain living in poverty.  Another article discusses the Democratic Republic of Congo stepping up its immunizations for pneumonia which is its leading cause of death in children under five.  The last article discussed how child advocates continue to fight in the Philippines for justice for young children who are targeted by the militia. 

One important insight I have gained from this website is the importance of grass root organizations.  These entrepreneurs who start up organizations and programs in their communities provide services for health, safety, and education for children who are often sometimes invisible, lost, or forgotten. 

Getting To Know International Contacts - Part 2 Equity and Excellence

Unfortunately this week I have not been able to correspond with my first International contact, Jo Theis.  I believe she is still in Malaysia attending a Conference.  However, I reviewed her previous correspondence and found several references to the excellence in her experience in Korea.  The school Ms. Theis works for costs $25,000 a year to attend and none of the students are attending on a scholarship.  She told me that education and children, rich or poor, are a priority in Korea.  Families will make great sacrifices for their children's education.  She also talked about how the children push themselves and strive for excellence.  Because the students work so hard it pushes the teachers and raises the bar for them to challenge the students.  Many students will attend after school what is known as Hogwon, which is not tutoring or assistance with homework but rather it is more school.  Compared to her experience in Minneapolis it is drastically different.   Excellence in education is expected in Korea.

From my contact in Costa Rica, Jeanette Tapiaaguilar, she told me the history of education in Costa Rica and how they are the most literate country in Central America.  She proudly told me that the country is proud of their 93% literacy in the population over the age of 10.  Teachers are highly respected in her country and out number policemen she jokingly told me.  Even very rural communities have a elementary and high school.  Education is state-funded in Costa Rica with even their Universities being state-funded.  There are also private elementary, high schools, and universities but they also do not cost very much to attend and are regulated by the State Ministry.  Libraries in rural areas also assist with educating older adults if they need improvement on their literacy skills or just want to learn more.  Education is available for everyone, rich or poor, and she was very proud that even children from poor families have the opportunity to obtain a higher education.

From both of my contacts it is evident that both countries make education and children a priority.  This seems to be something that here in America we lack.  While education and children are important in our country I don't feel that we make them a top priority.  The tide seems to be changing in America, however we still struggle for funding, accountability, achievement gaps, and meeting standards. 

Sharing Web Resources - Global Fund For Children - Part 2

The website I reviewed, Global Fund For Children (www.globalfundforchildren.org), was relevant to my current professional development in that it allowed me to learn more about the needs and issues facing children around the globe and to learn more about the innovative programs being implemented in other parts of the world.  I love learning more about other cultures, other programs, and how others are meeting the challenges facing children and the youth of the world.

One statement from the site that really stuck with me was the comment under the Our Model section that stated that "the needs of children and youth, though in many ways universal, are best responded to in ways that fit the particular situation on the ground"(www.globalfundforchildren.org).  I found this statement to be very thought provoking and it made me realize that "one model" will not fit all circumstances.  This can be applied even to the United States.  What works in Minnesota may not work in Georgia.  We need to ensure that we are meeting the needs of children so that it is appropriate for the children in that area. 

The Global Fund For Children has several strategic partnerships with several organizations such as: Charlesbridge Publishing; Good Weave (combats child labor in India); International Center of Photography (fellowship program for young photographers); Tea Collection (clothing line used to raise funds); and youth Philanthropy Worldwide (an organization to increase New Global Citizens in schools across America).  The organization also is made up of a very "diverse, motivated, and highly accomplished professionals" in the fields of grant making, philanthropy, communication, development, books, and finance and operations.  Their Board of Directors consists of professionals from finance, philanthropy, management, and consulting.  These individuals partner and work together to help fund programs operated and managed by professionals in their own fields, such as the early childhood care and education field, to "advance the dignity of children and youth around the world" (www.globalfundforchildren.org). 

Other insights that I gained from exploring the website came from reading the Blog Section, On The Road.  The blog is made up of many different authors from many different regions from around the world.  Each posting gives you wonderful insight into programs and daily life from around the world. 

Getting To Know International Contacts - Part 1

The first person I made contact with was through a colleague of mine whose cousin work as a teacher in South Korea.  Jo Theis taught for 20 years in the public schools of Minneapolis when she transferred to the Seoul Foreign School to teach Middle School Art.  The school she teaches at was created in 1912 by missionaries.  In order to attend this school you must hold a passport from outside of Korea.  For this reason Ms. Theis explained that it is not uncommon for families to move to the United States to have their children and then return so that their children will hold a U.S. passport.  Education in South Korea is a priority and is taken very seriously.  Families will live apart so that children can attend the best schools.  Ms. Theis also is the Assistant Head of School for Academics.  She works a great deal with the benchmarks and standards for PK-12.  This week she will be attending a Conference in Malasia and will be attending a focus group on Early Childhood Education. 

Ms. Theis explained that many of the students in her school are what are considered "Third Culture Kids".  Prior to our conversation I had not heard of this expression.  She explained that this means that the culture the children encounter at school is different from the culture at home and different from the culture of their community.  I found this interesting since I realized that this is exactly what I experienced as a student in West Germany when I attended the American High School there.  She also gave me a link to a blog that I found interesting which discusses Third Culture Kids and their challenges:  http://libbystephens.com/blog/schools 

When I asked Ms. Theis about poverty she explained that South Korea hides their poor and it is rarely ever seen.  In her years living there she has only ever seen one woman who begs in the town they go to when they go to the market.  When she spoke to her colleagues regarding poverty many felt that because South Korea has been occupied by other countries that it has created a sense of pride and determination and this keeps individuals inspired to overcome their struggles.  Many also felt that poverty is a very personal issue for Koreans and they do not discuss such issues openly with others.  While they are a very giving culture and have many holidays where they give gifts to everyone and they will share what ever they have they are also still very private about some issues.   

I have found our conversations very interesting and informative.

My second contact, Jeanette Tapia-Aguilar, is actually my brother-in-laws mother.  She lives in Costa Rica.  While she is now retired she taught for 20 years in Costa Rica from Preschool to Third Grade.  She explained that in Costa Rica Preschool and general education is mandatory, free, and funded by the State.  They have two "periods" which include the Infant/Nursery period for children under 5 and Preschool for children 5-6 which they attend prior to Kindergarten / First Grade.  She explained that poverty has always been an issue in Costa Rica but one which they have greatly improved on reducing in their country through social service, education, and health programs.  Their medical services are of the highest quality and their higher education costs much less than it does in America. 

She also told me that while she worked she did have children who would come to school hungry, dirty, and who lived in very poor conditions.  For those children, the school would always feed them and try to assist them with local services, many of which were provided by local churches.  She feels that poverty is always an issue which educators face with the families and students in their schools but she feels that Costa Rica goes a long way to address the issue. 

Below I have also listed the link to the school in which Ms. Theis works for:

http://www.seoulforeign.org/

Sharing Web Resources - Global Fund For Children

The website I chose to review during week 1 was Global Fund For Children, I also signed up for their newsletter.  The link for the website is:   http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/  This organization provides capital through grants to "strengthen innovative community-based organizations serving the most vulnerable children and youth" (http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/).

Their newsletters are released four times a year: fall, winter,spring, and summer.  They also have their previous newsletters available online to review.  Their newsletter discusses several grant award winners and their projects.  I reviewed their Fall 2010 newsletter and was impressed with the types of projects that won grants.  The projects range from educating young women to helping young children and families in Haiti and Pakistan. 

This website really caught my attention because the grantees are grass root community-based projects.  They award grants to projects and support the needs of children in a variety of ways.  The projects can range from providing tutoring, after-school programs and establishing classroom environments (http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/).  The classroom environments are sometimes simple, basic teaching environments located outside, near garbage dumps, or even train or boat stations. 

This organization is funded through donations and their media program that highlights and brings awareness to the needs of children through photos, books, and films.

From this website I have learned about projects in Pakistan and how they are assisting young children and families.  Some of the projects in Pakistan after their flooding in July include emergency grants to the following projects:  "De Laas Gul Welfare Programme (Peshawar) provides relief packages for families and documents the situation through reports and photographs. Aware Girls (Peshawar) reaches out to meet the needs of adolescent girls. Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy (Islamabad) provided food and clothing to children. Shangla Development Society (Shangla district) made food and milk available to children" (http://www.globalfundforchildren.org/).  Prior to reviewing this website I was not familiar with these projects or any others in Pakistan. 

This website has truly made me more aware of issues facing young children throughout the world.

Issues and Trends in the Early Childhood Field

Part 1:  Establishing Contacts

In order to establish contact with early childhood professionals outside of the US I reviewed the World Organization For Early Childhood Education (OMEP) website.  From there I visited the different regions and chose several different professionals via email.  In my letter I wrote that I was a student studying the Early Childhood Education field and that I would like to find another early childhood professional that I could communicate with regarding the early childhood field in their country.  I have also contacted several different family members and asked if they have any contacts they could possibly share in the country they live in.  I have also contacted several friends and family that live outside the United States to see if they know of any early childhood professionals who would be willing to allow me to make contact with them.  Another route I took was to search for Early Childhood Education Organizatons on Facebook and posted a message on their walls.  I choose organizations such as Zero to Three, Association for Childhood Education International, and Global Fund for Children.  I am hoping to be able to make contact with several professionals; however, if I am unable to I will be doing the alternative for Part 1.

Part 2:  Expanding Resources

For this portion of the blog assignment this week I chose to review the Global Fund for Children website (www.globalfundforchildren.org).  I signed up for their newsletter which is issued quarterly.  I reviewed their Fall 2010 newsletter in which they discussed four of their grantees and their programs.  The Global Fund for Children organization awards grants to community-based programs that work with some of the world’s most poverty-stricken and vulnerable children and youth combined with a media program that highlights and brings awareness through digital photography, books, and film to issues affecting today’s children.  The organization began awarding grants in 1997 and since then has awarded over 400 grants in 75 countries totaling 18.9 million dollars. 

The Global Fund for Children supports the needs of children in a variety of ways from granting scholarships to children to attend formal schools, providing tutoring and mentoring programs, providing after-school programs, and establishing classrooms in a wide range of environments.

The Core Values of the organization include: Innovation, Excellence, Accountability, Knowledge, Dignity, Empowerment, Results Oriented, Integrity, Flexibility, Collaborative, and Supportive.

This site intrigued me because it assists in such a wide range of ways.  It provides capital to grass-roots organizations and allows them to promote health and education throughout the world.

Public Health Issues - Clean Water

The topic I chose for this portion of the blog is access to clean water.  I chose this topic because I have seen places, here in our own country, where access to clean water is not always easy.  While the United States has "one of the best supplies of drinking water in the world" the "threats to our drink water are increasing" (Environmental Protection Agency, 2009).  Some individuals may be more sensitive to contaminents in drinking water than others such as, pregnant women and infants, individuals recieving chemotherapy, the elderly, and transplant patients.  Therefore, it is essential that we know what is in our drinking water and that we read our annual water statements and contact our local water departments to ensure that you are aware of what is in your local water supply.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has worked with Congress to pass the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) "to protect public health by regulating the nation's public drinking water supply and protecting sources of drinking water" (EPA, 2009).  Even with these laws I have seen very rural areas in the Appalachian Mountains and even rural areas in my own state (Indiana) where individuals rely on well water for their drinking water.  I have even worked with families that have no running water.

There are several microorganisms that can cause serious health affects on individuals.  There have been several local outbreaks of waterborne disease.  Last summer, in my own community, we were under a "boil order" due to contaminents in our tap water.  Some contaminents, such as nitrate, can not be boiled out of the water and pose serious health risks for pregnant mothers and infants.  Nitrates are turned into nitrites in the intestines, when they are absorbed in the bloodstream they prevent the transference of oxygen in the bloodstream.  Younger children, infants, and pregnant women do not have the enzyme to fight this and excessive levels can cause "blue baby" syndrome (EPA, 2009).

In Haiti cholera has killed more than 290 people and 4,150 cases have been reported (UNICEF, 2010).  Cholorea is a "highly virulent waterborne bacteria that causes massive and painful diarrheal dehydration" (UNICEF, 2010).  Cholorea can be easily prevented by washing hands in clean water and soap, but without access to soap or clean water this can be difficult.  This is the biggest "medical crisis" in recent years and most Haitians have never even heard of cholorea (UNICEF, 2010).  UNICEF is working diligently to stopping the spread of this epidemic.  Recently, a drop in  death rates does show that some progress is being made but it is important that the humanitarian efforts continue to stop this epidemic.

The impact of clean water is definitely knowledge I can use and will share with the families I work with on a daily basis.  It is important that pregnant mothers and families with small children have access to clean water.  One aspect I found interesting is that even in our country we need to be aware of the threats to our water supply.  Families living in old homes may have lead pipes that allow lead to seep into their water supply.  This is a condition that can even affect families living in newer homes whose pipes are considered "lead free' but still contain 8% lead.  After installation these pipes can leak significant amounts of lead into the water.  Other facts that brought to light the impact of lack of clean water include: 2.6 billion people live without proper sanitation; 1 billion have no access to safe, clean drinking water; and that 4,000 children die "each day" from unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation (UNICEF, 2010).

    
References:

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). December 2009. Water on tap: What you need to know. Retrieved from www.epa.gov/safewater

UNICEF USA, October 28, 2010. Containing the cholorea outbreak in Haiti. Retrieved from www.unicefusa.org/news/news-from-the-field/containing-the-cholera.html