Time Well Spent

There are so many things I have learned through my journey in this Master's of Early Childhood Studies program.  The one thing that sticks the most with me is that in one way or another we are all advocates and that advocating for young children and families is what we do everyday!  I constantly share this insight with my colleagues who find themselves surprised that they are considered advocates.

I also learned all the ways in which we can advocate for families and young children from voting, to writing letters, blogging, and communities of practice.  I am excited to share and utilize what I have learned to better advocate for families and young children. 

I have also learned how to identify issues and challenges that I am passionate about.  I have learned out to analyze these issues and challenges and how to create a response to these challenges. 

My long term goal is to continue my education and to go on for a Doctorate in my field.  While I am still trying to decide on an exact specialization and program, it is definitely something I want to achieve.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my fellow students.  It has been a joy to experience this journey with each of you.  Your feedback has been invaluable and I look forward to staying in touch with each of you.  I would also like to thank the instructors of our program for their support, encouragement, and feedback that assisted each of us in achieving our goal of a Master's Degree in our field. 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Field: Internationally

The first international organization that comes to mind in the early childhood education field that I would like to work for would be Parents As Teachers (PAT).  This organization is dedicated to families and promoting quality care and education from birth to three years of age.  I chose this organization last week as well and would like to be a trainer if I worked for this organization or even in their administrative department.

The second international organization I found appealing to work for was the World Family Organization [WFO] (www.worldfamilyorganization.org).  This organization's mission is to "promote means, opportunity, equal rights and chances for women and men to assume their role and functions within the Family and Society, in conditions of freedom, equity, security, and human dignity, and promote policies and actions to bring about better life condition to all families, respecting their diversity and culture" (www.worldfamilyorganization.org).  I found their WFO University and Research Centre the most appealing to work in. 

The last international organization I chose was the United Nations  Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  Their mission is to:

provide international leadership to create learning societies with educational opportunities for all populations.

provide expertise and foster partnerships to strengthen national educational leadership and the capacity of countries to offer quality education for all.

work as an intellectual leader, an honest broker and clearing house for ideas, propelling both countries and the international community to accelerate progress towards these goals.

facilitate the development of partnerships and monitors progress, in particular by publishing an annual Global Monitoring Report that tracks the achievements of countries and the international community towards the six Education for All goals (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/about-us/how-we-work/mission/). 

For this organization I would like to work in the Education department in some capacity. 

The skills, knowledge, and experiences I would need to work for these organization would include learning another language; continuing to become culturally competent; staying current on the latest research and issues within the field; and continued work experience in the field of early childhood education. 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National / Federal

Parents As Teachers (PAT) is an international organization that I would be interested in working for in the future.  They are dedicated to the development, facilitation, and evaluation of programs and public policies that provide family support and education through the earliest years of life (www.parentsasteachers.org).  One position I would like would be a Parent Educator Trainer.  In this position I would assist in training others around the country in the Parents As Teachers curriculum and program.  The skills I would need to hone would be public speaking (I'm a little nervous about that) and continued experience utilizing the Parents As Teachers curriculum.  This position would also require me to travel, which is something I enjoy doing as well.  I chose this organization because we use PAT as a resource and I find it to be very valuable to our program and believe in its mission to educate and empower families.

The National Education Association (NEA) is another national organization that I would like to work for in the future.  The NEA is not only passionate about working to improve family-school-community partnerships and involvement but they are also one of the top 100 companies nominated by Women's Magazine for having the most family-friendly benefits (www.nea.org).  This demonstrates their commitment to families.  It is their dedication and commitment to families that peeked my interest in this organization. The skills I would need to develop would be to continue my education and research into the issue of Family Engagement and building partnerships.  There were no specific jobs listed so I am not sure of the exact title of a position but would love to work for them in the capacity of working on family engagement.

The last national organization I would like to work for in the future is the National Head Start Association (NHSA).  The position I would be interested in is an opening for Public Policy and Research Director.  For this position they do prefer a PhD. so continued education in the field of early childhood would be something I would have to pursue.  As a prior Head Start parent I am always passionate about Head Start / Early Head Start and their mission to support and facilitate healthy growth and development for our nation's infants / toddlers, and preschoolers as well as their families.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Three local and state communities of practice that appeal to me are:

1.) Professional Child Care Association of Southwestern Indiana (PCCASI), (Email: dskomppccasi@yahoo.com).  This organization was started by a local family care provider, Diana Skomp, in order to bring other licensed family care providers within the area together to share ideas, work together on professional development, and to improve the quality of licensed programs.  They often partner with other licensed centers for professional development and meet once a month for professional development.  While they do not have a website the founder regularly emails and sends newsletters out to members. 

2.) Children's Coalition of Indiana, www.childrenscoalition.org.  This organization is "a united and informed voice for Indiana's children, youth, and families".   Members and organizations unite through this coalition to ensure that policy makers at the state, local, and national levels hear year-round about issues and concerns that affect families and children in Indiana.  Members contribute their time, expertise, knowledge, and resources so that important issues and trends in the early childhood care and education field will be heard. 

3.) Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children (IAEYC), www.iaeyc.org.  This state organization promotes and supports quality care and education for all young children, birth though age eight.  The IAEYC has 16 chapters and approximately 2,000 members.  They focus on offering professional development for early childhood professionals and assist in improving quality within programs.

These communities of practice interest me because they focus on sharing information with other early childhood professionals, keep me informed on current issues and trends, and promote and advocate for families and young children.

Job opportunities that interest me are:

An educator for adults in the early childhood field.  I believe I would prefer to be a virtual instructor but would be interested in learning more about teaching in a classroom environment.

Parent Involvement Coordinator.  This is a position that we have within my own organization that I find very interesting.  The coordinator encourages and facilitates family engagement within our program and partners with local businesses and organizations. 

Skills and experiences I would need to completely fulfill these roles would be continued experience within the early childhood field as well as continuing my education.  As an educator we are lifelong learners.

Profile of a Volunteer

When I think of the word "volunteer" I think of someone who gives selflessly to others, to their community, and to the well-being of others.  Someone who wants to give-back to others and cares about others.  I also think of my fiance, Troy.  Troy is the Volunteer Fire Chief of our local fire department (for the last 10 years), is a reserve Police Officer, and the Boy Scout Cub Master.  Troy gives his time freely to these organizations to ensure that our community is safe and that the children in our town have organizations like the Boy Scouts.  In the past he has also volunteered (with me) on our local pool board to ensure that the local pool would remain open for the kids, assisted me when I was a Girl Scout Leader, and volunteered his time as an EMT. 

I know that Troy has had an enormous impact on the lives of others within our community.  We have seen the teens that he has pulled out of car wrecks graduate; he has kept others safe during Police and Fire incidences; and created a safe learning environment for young boys.  He has also sponsored several boys who were unable to pay the registration of Boy Scouts so that they could have the same experiences he was fortunate enough to have as a child.  When our children were in Head Start he was always volunteering in some capacity.  When our bus needed seat belts he arranged for the Fire Department to install them. 

  (Troy giving our son his Derby award!)

I believe the "take-a-way" message is that we must be willing to give of ourselves to help others.  When we help others we are helping ourselves and providing something greater with our time and efforts.  It was Troy's volunteer efforts actually that inspired me to start giving back by volunteering on the Pool Board, Girl Scout Leader, and Middle School Cheerleading Coach. 

One of my favorite quotes is: "No one cares what you know, unless they know that you care." 

Using Social Media to Get Connected

My experiences with social media mainly consists of Facebook and LinkedIn.  I have utilized LinkedIn to stay connected to contacts that I have made through my work as well as conferences and trainings. In the beginning I primarily utilized Facebook as a way to stay connected to old friends and family.  After I began my journey into Advocacy I realized I could also use Facebook to link to other advocacy groups.  Occasionally I will use my status updates to share news on funding issues for Head Start and Early Head Start or on other educational issues.  I also share links to organizations such as the Association for Childhood Education International, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and Child Advocacy. 

I believe social media sites like Facebook, Blogs, and LinkedIn are beneficial for effective advocacy.  These sites allow advocates to share their message as well as stay connected with other advocates.

I am interested in hearing how my colleagues utilize social media and if there are sites I have not heard of that I could also utilize.

Advocacy Messages

Fatherhood Initiative Public Service Announcement

This public service announcement was inspiring to me because it demonstrates that the "smallest moments make the biggest impact" and that it "takes a man to be a dad".  So often society forgets what an enormous impact fathers have on our children and their growth and development.

 

Autism Awareness Public Service Announcement

This public service announcement on Autism drives home the fact that Autism affects 1 in 110 children and puts it in perspective.  It also shows that Autism affects anyone, regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic status, religion, and is a global issue that affects all of us.

Literacy Awareness Public Service Announcement

This is a public service announcement from the Library of Congress and I find it inspiring because it shows how literacy can open our minds and hearts.  Books open the door to imagination, new worlds, and endless possibilities.

Considering Your Capacity

The issues that affect young children and their families as well as the early childhood care and education field that fuel my passion include homelessness, early childhood quality care and education awareness, funding cuts, child poverty, and access to quality care and education for all children.  All of these issues touch my heart deeply and have impacted me in some way so that I am passionate about advocating for solutions.

The knowledge, skills, dispositions, and / or talents that I feel I possess that will contribute to my advocacy work are: being knowledgeable about child development and quality programs, being organized, being knowledgeable about my local community resources, passionate, and persistent.  It has been said that I can be like a dog with a bone....this may not be a bad quality for an advocate. : )  




The ways that I hope to grow in order to be a more effective advocate is to learn more about how to network and make better connections to achieve the goals within the field and for children and families that I am striving to achieve.  I feel this is the one area in which I am lacking and that I must learn how to network in order to be a better advocate.

My Role As An Advocate

What motivated you to start advocating for very young children?

When I began my journey into the early childhood field my three young children were my biggest motivation.  When my children were very young I was a single mother who was struggling to go back to school and obtain early child care and education for my girls.  After I entered into the early childhood field my motivation remained my children but began to include the families high-quality early childhood care and education programs serve.  I have seen as well as experienced the impact that the early childhood field has on families. 

Why is it essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro level as well as the macro level?

I believe it is essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro and macro levels so that both levels can partner and collaborate together to create high-quality programs and services for young children and their families.  The micro level must feel acknowledged and know that they are being heard and appreciated while the macro level must have a clear understanding of the needs of young children and their families.

What does it take to be a community leader on early childhood issues?

To be a community leader on early childhood issues it takes passion, persistence, commitment, and openness to work with a diverse group of individuals and organizations.  Community leaders must be able to communicate well with diverse groups and individuals, build relationships, and be persistent in their efforts to educate their community on the importance of early childhood issues.  They must also be passionate about the issues that affect young children and their families. 

What resources does it take to be a State leader on early childhood issues?

The resources that a State leader on early childhood issues need include funding, advocacy networks, professional organizations, and communication skills.  State leaders on early childhood issues must partner with preschools, teachers, professional organization, early childhood programs, and parents to ensure that they have a full understanding of the needs at the local levels.

What tactics or strategies do you use to mobilize others?

Tactics or strategies that I utilize to mobilize others include sharing email alerts from professional organizations, sharing information on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and meeting with other professionals to share ideas for advocating. 

What advice would you give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocacy for young children and their families?

Advice that I would give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocacy for young children and their families is to remember that their will be challenges, that sometimes your views may not be popular, and that you must maintain site of your long term goal: providing quality programs and services for all young children and their families.  I would also advice them to stay current on legislative policies and legislation that affect young children and their families, and to build relationships with community leaders.  It is important to remember that change does not come easily but in the end it is well worth the work.  In the words of Herbert Hoover: "Children are our most valuable resource." 

Personal Advocacy Reflection

Eight years ago when I moved to Indiana I was a single mother with two small children.  I enrolled my children into the local Head Start program.  I remember the day Ms. Cheryl contacted me and told me they were both accepted into the program.  Ms. Cheryl took the time to talk to me and build a relationship with me after my girls were enrolled.  She encouraged me to create a goal for myself and my family.  The goal I created was to continue my education.  Ms. Cheryl was always available for support and guidance.  She did not take over or make any of the phone calls for me that I needed to make but rather gave me the tools to do these things myself.  She offered to let me use the computer and phones at the local Center, followed up with me on my progress and celebrated my successes with me.

Years, later when my son was born and it was clear by the age of 2 that he had hearing and speech issues it was again Ms. Cheryl who assisted me in getting him services and entering into Head Start when he turned three.  When it was clear that my son would need his teachers to use sign language in order to communicate it was again Ms. Cheryl who advocated for the teachers in his classroom to learn and utilize sign language.  She brought in materials for the teachers as well as for my family and ensured that he would be able to communicate with staff and his teachers.

Without Ms. Cheryl's support and encouragement I am not sure that I would have continued my education or even be where I am today.  I also believe that my son would have had a much harder time communicating with his teaches and the staff at the local program with out Ms. Cheryl.  I am sure that if you asked her she would not consider herself an advocate at all but she truly assisted me and my family in becoming self-reliant.

The impact that Ms. Cheryl's advocacy efforts had on me and my family inspired me to pursue Public Policy and Advocacy as my Specialization when pursuing my Master's Degree.  She also inspired me to pursue my current position as an Early Head Start Home Visitor which allows me to personally interact and impact the lives of young children and families.  I only hope that I can touch some one's life as much as Ms. Cheryl has touched my families.

Tools for Policy Makers and Advocates - Week 1

I look forward to learning more about the tools and strategies that advocates can use to impact policies and change within their own communities and the early childhood field.  I believe everyone can make a difference and that together we can have a tremendous impact. 

I believe strongly that all children deserve high-quality comprehensive care and education.  I have worked in Head Start / Early Head Start for the past five years and have been fortunate enough to see the impact these programs have on families and young children.  In fact, Head Start is the reason I decided to go back to school and continue my own education. 

I hope that I can have an impact in my own community and can continue to grow and learn more about Public Policy and Advocacy.

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.