Farewell....

Three deeply felt learnings are pretty well described in my wordle. First, I do indeed have what is necessary to be an effective leader. Next, I will be a lifelong learner. I think I have always known that, but this course reinforced it for me. And lastly, I am amazed at the amount of job opportunities available to me. Since Dr. Teri had us do that assignment on international jobs, I am in awe of the possibilities!

            My long term goal is to always avail myself to learning opportunities. I do not ever want to stop learning or advocating for children, ALL children. I hope that obtaining my master’s degree avails me many opportunities to advocate and I am sure that it will. I look forward to it.

            It is hard to believe this journey is over… I will miss you all as my colleagues and I wish you all many blessings and success wherever the future leads you. I am sure that some of you will surpass your “dream speech” and I will be proud to say “ I knew them when…” And what words are appropriate for Dr. Teri? She somehow congealed us into students worth receiving our master’s degree! Thank you.

            I will end this with a few favorite quotes… “The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind. – Maria Montessori

            How one handles success or failure is determined by their early childhood. – Harold Ramis

            From birth to five, the brain downloads the world. – Daphne Ryser

 

 

 

Reference

Famous Quotes, Retrieved from http://www.famousquotes.com

oops! I forgot to post my references!

• Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

•  Academy for Educational Development. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.aed.org/en/index.htm
• International Consulting Firm. (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.icfi.com
• 
  

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Save the children is probably my all time favorite website to go to. I chose this site because it is so encompassing. Anything and everything that can/will/does affect children is present on that site. World-wide issues and support is available. The position I chose to look at there is currently available.

Early Childhood Development Specialist

You need to at least have your master's degree in early childhood development or a related field, 3-5 years experience in early childhood program design, development or implementation. They prefer experience in developing countries, and materials development, excellent communication skills and the ability to travel 30-40% of the time.

The next site I chose was www.aed.org which promptly took me to www.fhi360.org and that website had several interesting jobs available. The position I chose was:

Technical Advisor I, Global Learning Group

You were also required to have your master's degree in education or a related field. 5-8 years experience with international education projects, experience in areas of literacy, strong research and evaluation skills, strong organizational and communication skills, strong research and writing skills and a professional demeanor. French language skills are a plus.

This was an interesting site and offered a variety of positions. The mission statement was to improve lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions for human development. I will continue to follow it because I was not aware of it prior to this assignment.

The next website I chose was ICF International. This website seems to have a collection of different jobs. Their mission statement is they provide connections for their clients to build a better life, and implement solutions that protect and improve the quality of life.  They are passionate and committed to providing clients with expertise to provide the desired outcomes. I think that is quite a mouthful, and will be interested in following this site too. The position I chose was:

Head Start Grantee Specialist - Region X

The basic qualifications were a minimum of a B.S. or B.A. in a field related to program design and management, master's degree is preferred. Head Start experience, experience providing training at state, regional or national levels and providing technical assistance to private organizations. The ability to work independently as well as part of a team with excellent verbal and communication skills are also desired.

All three of these jobs sound like promising opportunities. It would be very exciting to travel internationally and make a difference somewhere!

National/Federal Organizations

My blog assignment for today was to post at least three national/federal organizations or communities of practice that appealed to me and explain why I chose them.

The first organization I chose in the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). It seems like a standard, but it seems that if you cannot truly find a resource, NAEYC always has it. I admire their dedication and unaltered facts concerning the “real world” of early childhood. And the job that I did choose is currently available. “Senior Meeting Planner” is the job title. Duties include: Managing, coordinating annual professional development institute (2000+ attendees), assist with planning and support for annual city wide conference (10,000+ attendees). Coordinate at least 20 concurrent sessions during time slots in a day. Managing, setting up individual sites, catering, inventory, vendor contracts and all onsite management.

You must possess knowledge of Microsoft Office, databases, and have the ability to travel frequently, a BA/BS degree, and 5-7 yrs. coordinating logistics. Salary is commensurate with experience.

My second choice is the Zero to Three site. I have a great love for infants and perhaps this is why this choice is second for me. Zero to Three does a great job providing current information about very young children. I also chose a job at this site that was currently available. Development Manager is the title of this position that has interested me.  The duties are to identify and respond to funding opportunities from private foundations and government agencies. Coordinate and manage internal development processes, research the availability of foundation and government funding, communicate regularly with current contracts, grant officers and inform relevant staff, develop power points and other materials as the Executive Director sees fit. Serve as primary writer/editor for all applications and proposals, develop an accurate budget, support all reports and other duties as assigned.

            You must possess knowledge of Microsoft Office, have 5-7 years experience identifying public and private funds, knowledge of early childhood issues, build relationships and have strong organizational skills. Salary is commensurate with experience.

And the last organization I chose is also a national organization, albeit a little less well known. It is the National Inclusion Project. This organization deals exclusively with my challenge, but on a broader scale. All age groups are included, not just young children. This organization is very young, 10 years old this year, and is still establishing funding. While they are not currently hiring, I do think this is the place I would very much like to work. I would like to apply for the position of Lets All Play Manager. This position would coordinate opportunities to implement this program with the YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Park and Rec depts., community centers, and privately run programs. I would be introducing volunteers and toolkits to local communities to create inclusive recreational experience for ALL children ensuring comprehensive support and training through learner modules provided by the National Inclusion Project.

I hope that this blog has provided some additional opportunities for someone who did not know about some of these organizations and will help you in your future endeavors.

 

 

 

 

 

References

National Association for the Education of Young Children, (NAEYC). Retrieved from: http://www.naeyc.org

National Inclusion Project, Retrieved from: http://www.nationalinclusionproject.org

Zero to Three Foundation, Retrieved from: http://www.zerotothree.org

 

 

Farewell.....

For some of us, this is farewell... for others we will meet again and soon! I have so enjoyed working and collaborating with all of you. I wish you much success and happiness in your futures! Thank you for all the support you have given along the way!

Adjourning

The hardest group that I was a part of to say goodbye to was probably my fellow teachers at my last job. We all got along really well, participated in trainings, and collaborated well. We did have clearly established norms. Our closing ritual was a farewell lunch and exchanging numbers and emails.

How do I imagine I will adjourn from the group of colleagues I have formed while working on my master's degree in this program? Well, this is truly the first I have thought of this. I believe it will be difficult because we formed a tight group that was focused on a shared goal.

Adjourning is an essential stage of team work because separating is necessary to move into different directions and to celebrate your success (or learn your lessons for the future). It can be a bittersweet celebration because you will be sad, yet anxious to embrace new challenges!

Conflict Communic:

You could use the Platinum Rule and reflect on how the person you are conflicting with feels. Trying to see something from someone else's perspective can oft times be very enlightening.

Respect is always a key component. If you truly respect the person you may be disagreeing with, you will agree with  their option to have an opinion, whether you agree with it or not.

In asking a colleague, she suggested the Platinum Rule and told me how her life experiences had shown her that during a conflict, this method was the most effective in communicating.

Reference:
O'Hair,D & Wiemann, M., 2012, Bedford/St. Martin's, Boston, MA.

Evaluations

What surprised me the most on my evaluations is that both of my evaluators noticed me weakness just as I did. I guess I did not realize it was so obvious that I am too trusting. I am a people oriented listener and I tend to create and build relationships, and sometimes it does interfere with my judgement. I tend to be just a tad too trusting of people I have built or am building a relationship with. I do tend to think the best of people and I do think that has a lot to do with it. Both of my evaluators pointed that out to me, so one of my communication goals is to become more discerning when listening to people!

Comunciating Differently

I do find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures. I feel from having been in this field for 30+ years has made me aware of how important it is to have a relationship with families in order to have a good "working" role in the lives of their children. I have been preaching treat children as individuals and get to know them and their families on an individual basis for quite some time now. It was probably decades ago I had my first international student. (90's) I embraced their culture and went on to develop a close, warm relationship with the family. The little girl really thrived in our classroom. We were in a public school setting,so she did receive ESL services because she spoke very little English. The family was from Japan and our class learned all sorts of things, had Japanese snacks, did Japanese arts and crafts, learned how to count to ten in Japanese, and even had mom read a "Japanese fairy tale" to us. That taught me early on in my career how important it is to learn all about each individual child and respect and respond to their cultures. I had a great time, it was only my third year of teaching and my children thoroughly enjoyed themselves, parents responded positively, and Uki thrived and went on to excel in school.

Week 2 Communication blog

I dvr'd a show called Last Man Standing, starring Tim Allen. I like him and assumed it would be a funny show. The episode I watched had a woman all dressed in black and appearing to attend a funeral. Tim Allen was dressed in a black suit and looked like he was leaving the house with her. However, he did not leave his house with her. He stayed behind and sat on the couch. So far, not funny! When I watched it with sound, he and his wife were having a funny conversation about going to a funeral for one of her co-workers and her concern about why she got a promotion. It may have helped if I was a follower of the show. The wife went to the funeral without Tim Allen, who really did not want to go. She tried to bond at the funeral with another woman who worked there but did not get the promotion. That did not work out very well and when she talked to her boss, she found out she got the promotion based on her accomplishments. There were lighter moments in the show, but I did not find it funny overall.

Wk 1 Competent Communication

The person I have chosen to talk about is my executive director. She demonstrates competent communication and is well versed in many things concerning young children. She is effective because she is knowledgeable, calm and authoritative when she speaks. She consumes vast amounts of information constantly and interprets it easily. I would love to model some of my own communication behaviors after this woman because her leadership and communication skills seem to be inbred. It is a natural position for her to take and she excels at her ability to confer information appropriately and thoroughly through making eye contact, gesturing, and with a can do attitude. She uses the right words, is a well-paced speaker and adapts her communication to the current situation. I have great respect for her.

Thanks!
Deb

Professional Hopes and Goals

A hope that I have when I think about working with children and their families who come from diverse backgrounds is that we can all be accepting of each other, our cultures and values.
A goal I would like to set would be for all the Early Childhood field to embrace the project of designing global citizens. We have to start somewhere and I believe starting with our youngest citizens is the best place to start.
I wish all my fellow students a successful journey, many rewards and much happiness. I has been my sincere pleasure working and learning with you all.
Thanks!
Deb

Welcoming Families From Around the World

I am working as a Child Life Specialist in a hospital where we are receiving victims from a major catastrophe in Guam. There was an earthquake in the Philippines, and that caused a tsunami in Guam. The island is so small, many people were swept away. It was a 12 foot wave. This particular family lost the mom and their little boy. They were walking to their car and the little girl fell down. The rushing water pulled her under a truck and she held onto the truck. The little boy was in a stroller with his mom pushing him. The water swept them both away. The girl was found hours later when the truck driver returned to his truck. The dad had already been looking for his family since the tsunami ended. This girl suffered abrasions to her hands and legs from holding onto the truck and the debri  that scraped her legs while she was holding onto the truck. Her major difficulty was emotional. She saw her mom and little brother get carried away in the water and is having nightmares about the screaming she heard.
They transferred this family to another Micronesian island, Palau. I am a CLS at the local hospital. the ED doctor wants to keep her for observation. I will ask dad to tell me about their extended family, their customs about family members passing away, their food choices, and any suggestions he has for comforting his daughter. I hope that by gathering this information, I can enable them to accept what has happened and to begin healing. I will do my best to offer hope and comfort to this family and encourage them to get to a place where healing can begin.

Life Lessons Learned

I have a memory of a movie I watched, called Nell. She experienced bias, prejudice and oppression. Nell was twin who grew up in the woods with her grandma who had a stroke. She and her sister had their own twin language and their language model was her grandmother whose speech was impaired from a stroke. The grandmother and sister passed away, so Nell was left alone. She was found sometime later and her "rescuer" was very nice to her, but obviously the people who evaluated her were biased because of her situation and she experienced prejudice from people who look at her outward characteristics. Nell was oppressed because of her situation. She had no control over things surrounding her growing up. Being poor, illiterate and alone were not choices Nell made.

This made me feel empathetic with Nell. She was wounded and alone with a long road to her recovery. I am not really sure she felt the need to "recover" as much as her rescuers did.

I believe that her rescuers would have to be more accepting of her cultural differences and get to know her as a person to help her determine the direction in which she wants to go. Equity would be greater because Nell would become an active participant in her own life.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

The example of microaggression I observed this week was at Walmart. Several people were in line for Customer Service returning items. There was a couple two people ahead of me who spoke limited English. I think they may have been they may have been of German or Polish descent. The person in front of me was extremely rude remarking that if they didn't want to learn English, they should have stayed wherever they were from. She was loud and boisterous. The couple obviously did not understand what she was saying and the customer service person did a great job trying to help them and make them feel comfortable. After they left, that person continued her little tirade and the clerk hurried her along as quickly as she could. Obviously to her, her behavior was amusing, because she laughed and carried on like she was at a party. No one else in line was laughing.

I personally, felt horrible for this couple who expressed no idea they even knew what she was talking about. I was also pleased to witness that no one else in that line agreed or participated with her. Perhaps, we are further along in our understanding of how microaggressions affect the people they target.

My perception of the way some people still react to non-English speaking people has widened to know that as many steps forward we make towards unity, there is always someone available to move us back 2 steps! Sad, but true. Being in the 21st century makes little difference to some people, who living in a small town like I do, do not get enough exposure to the real world!

3 Opinions on Culture and Diversity

The first person I questioned was my husband. His definition of culture is the work ethic ( you can't tell that is important to him, right??), mannerisms, and parental leanings (generational) you inherit from your family. Diversity is going out of the box to engage others without fear.
My second person was my eldest son, Michael. His definition of culture is the way you are raised, how you learned to socialize, and the methods you use to define yourself. Diversity is how people do everything differently and how you adjust to it.
And thirdly, I chose my manager at work. She said culture is the dynamics of anywhere you are. She also said that diversity is the differences you don't know.
The answers I received did include some examples of what I am learning in this course. I particularly liked my husband's answer about going out of the box and approaching others without fear. Diversity is all about how you relate to and adjust to others.
Examples of some omissions are really not evident to me. I think that they pretty well covered culture and diversity. I was actually proud of their responses.

My Family Culture

A major catastrophe.............I am imagining all different types of scenarios. The three items I would choose to bring with me would be my bible, a family photo and the dog. I hold the bible dear to me and would explain it as my "rule book" to remind me how to live my life. I would bring a family photo so I can remember my family with love and be reminded of how dear to me they are. And lastly, I would bring our dog because he is a true reminder of the love we share. My children have always had a dog and although we have gone through a few over the years, they are always loved like family members and would be lost without us and us without them.

My feelings upon arrival if I was told I could only keep one item would be extreme devastation. I would probably experience the same feelings I had when I had to choose only three items in the aftermath of the major catastrophe. I would definitely feel lost and floundering. All three of the items I chose are integral parts of my life and who I am.

The insights I gained just from doing this exercise are enormous. It must be devastating to leave behind all you hold dear and then move to a place where you will never see any of your family or "things" again. Refugees are lucky to have their lives, but I am sure some of them feel like they were leaving their entire lives behind and had no idea of what direction they should go in. How easy it must have been to sweep them up and assimilate them into the dominant culture! If really thinking this through doesn't make you more culturally sensitive, nothing will!

When I think of Research....

The insights I have gained through this course are many. I have learned there are many ways in which research is classified, and I have only begun to understand a few of them. Many avenues have to be considered before beginning a research adventure.

I have changed my ideas about research because I had no idea research was such a complex endeavor. I am in awe of people who do this as a career.

The challenges I have encountered have been the complexity of dissecting a research method in order to better understand it. I believe the only ways available to meet it are to slow down and take it step by step.

My perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified because I truly had no idea of the immensity of a research foundation. I understood it required much work, but perhaps not the magnitude of it!

I would like to thank my classmates for all the positive comments and support they have provided throughout such a challenging course. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dr. Davis for enlightening us about such a necessary subject. She has truly showed us the light at the end of the tunnel! I wish blessings to all and good luck in your future endeavors!

Research Around the World

I was very interested in the Early Childhood Australia website. It is very similar to the NAEYC website. Some of the current international topics that I noticed were: Childhood Allergies are on the Rise; this interested me because it seems the same here in the United States. However, Australia is reporting the highest of any other country!
Workforce Strategy is in the news because each state and territory government have committed to develop implementations that outline steps to be taken to support people to join the Early Education and Care workforce and get the qualifications and skills they need to support children from diverse backgrounds and with differing needs.
Crisis in Syria is a report about how it is affecting children and families. At AlZaatari Camp there are 5000 children under the age of 4! How will this affect their futures?

Australians belive in the support of their youngest citizens. Something the United States could take lessons in.

I found the information on this website very noteworthy and I would definitely look here in the future to see what types of things are happening internationally and how Australia is dealing with problems that are similar to ours.

Research that benefits....

I started out with good intentions! I decided to talk about fluoride. Research done on fluoride showed it would be beneficial to our children's teeth, right? Well, in a Harvard study in July, has found that there is a relationship between fluoride and reduced IQs! The U.S. fluoridation proponents have continued their approach of forcing individuals, including children to ingest fluoride through tap water and food made with it. The United States in conventional risk assessment uses a default margin of safety that is ten times the levels that cause adverse effects. (Harvard study, 2012).
This truly was to be about how fluoride in the drinking water was good research to strengthen our children's teeth! Once I started looking for articles, however I ran across this one and it was over!
As the public is learning, there are deeply disturbing details that have been omitted from reports about fluoridating our water. Some children are at much greater risks than others. "A UNICEF-funded study (http://www.fluoridealer.org/uploads/lin-1991.pdf) for example, found that children with iodine deficiencies suffered reductions in IQ at low fluoride levels. (Harvard study, 2012). This situation is unnerving and very serious. Fluoride is toxic and the USDA has the public believing it is beneficial to us! How many children will suffer needless harm because of our government's inability to tell us the truth?
Thank you for letting me share this information with you. Please go to this website and read it for yourself!

Reference:
Harvard study, (2012), Retrieved September 20, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://www.fluoridealert.org/hsph_2012/.

No Difference in Tooth Decay between F and NF countries. Retrieved September 20, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://www.fluoridealert.org/issues/caries-data/

Many Children Now Exceed Recommended Daily Fluoride Intake From Toothpaste Alone. Retrieved September 20, 2012 from the World Wide Web: http://S4780.sites.pressdns.com/issues/sol-toothpaste/