Capstone: Time Well Spent

I am grateful for what this program has taught me. I have learned how to seek assistance from other colleagues in the field as well as other professionals with a vested interest. From this teaching I have come to discover the enormous benefit to collaboration in order to achieve a goal. I have also learned how my own role in the early childhood field can impact many changes and influence others through demonstrating my passion and sharing my knowledge and experience. Finally, I have learned to look at child development and family systems through a widened perspective by using Bronfrenbrenner’s family systems model. Through this I have come to understand the many dynamics that impact a child’s life and the needs that a family requires for their well-being and to promote their child’s success.

A long term goal that will remain with me long after this program is to continue to positively influence the early childhood field in any way possible. I often keep in mind a quote from Mother Teresa: "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." I have made it my goal to not only focus on the large changes or impacts for all of the early childhood field that I can make but also the small acts that are meaningful to at least one person.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues and instructors throughout this program for the knowledge and wisdom shared. I have been given a tremendous opportunity to improve on my professional skills from all of you. I wish you all the best of luck in your future within the early childhood field and beyond!

Roles /Jobs in ECE Field Internationally

As I researched various international organizations I came across the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) (2011). ACEI (2011) works in various countries to promote quality education for every child and supports professional development of educators. ACEI (2011)works to influence children to become “responsible and engaged citizens” in a changing society. The organization consists of a board of directors, headquarter staff, and an international advisory group. Each of the leadership and staff positions listed is currently filled. However, one position that caught my attention was the professional development and research specialist. The qualifications were not listed but I would imagine this position to be interesting as it likely entails promoting the training and development of educators across many countries. I would be interested to learn more about the techniques for education in other countries and being able to use the current skills and provide my own influence on the growth of educators and to share current research on early childhood development.

Save the Children (2011) has an available position for an early childhood development (ECD) specialist in their home office in DC. I would be interested in this position because it involves implementation, design, and monitoring of ECD programs across countries.  Some of the requirements of the position which I do not qualify are experience in developing countries and materials development. However, I would be very interested in taking on this challenge and learning how I can expand on my current skills. What draws me to Save the Children (2011) is found in the statement: “Recognized for our commitment to accountability, innovation and collaboration, our work takes us into the heart of communities, where we help children and families help themselves. We work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious orientation.”

A third international organization which appeals to me is the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) (n.d.). A statement by UNICEF (n.d.) that caught my eye on the website reports that a child dies from vaccine-preventable diseases every twenty seconds. The statement points to the need for more education and funding for health care for children. A position that seems interesting is an Officer, Foundations Partnerships in which duties include a great deal of grant writing and proposals to support goals of UNICEF’s work in maternal, neonatal, and child health. I do not currently have experience in grant writing which leaves me unqualified for the position and seeking more opportunities to learn about the grant writing process. I have attended workshops on grant writing/proposals in the past but have not yet been given the opportunity to do anything of this nature. My desire to work for UNICEF comes from my passion to support the health and well-being of young children and to advocate for the right to health care for all children.  

References 

Association for Childhood Education International. (2011). Retrieved from http://acei.org/

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

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved from  http://www.unicefusa.org/

Roles and Jobs in the Early Childhood Community: Federal and National Level

The first federal organization that interests me is the US Department of Health and Human Services. The organization has a position open for a Supervisory Children and Families Program Specialist which entails leading and guiding programs such as Child Welfare, Foster Care and Adoption Assistance, and Child Abuse and Neglect as well as developing strategies and plans for units to carry out legislative goals for improved effectiveness of programs. The position requires only a Bachelor’s degree and additional experience in the human services field. I am interested in the position because it is an opportunity to bring voice for children and families at the federal level and to bring my knowledge and experience to other professionals that impact many federal policies.

Zero to Three (n.d.) offers great knowledge and research regarding child development from birth to three years. I have found this organization to be incredibly helpful in the information shared through the journals and newsletters as well as the online links to child development and maltreatment information. To work for this organization would be a wonderful opportunity in any capacity. Currently there is a position open for a Senior Writer/Training Specialist. One of the requirements for the position is to have a strong knowledge of Early Head Start programs and experience in training a variety of audiences. These skills are ones that I would need to improve further before applying for the position.

The final organization that I would like to discuss is Healthy Families of America. This organization is a national group which supports state home visiting programs to offer child development and parent education to families beginning prenatally through five years. Because I currently work for the Healthy Families New York program I have a strong passion for what this organization represents. While I work in a successful county-run program, I have thought about what opportunities I may be able to open up in other counties or states through the national guidance and leadership. One of my dreams has been to start a new program in a county of need where I may become the program manager where I can lead and guide the direction of the home visiting program. I have family in an area of Pennsylvania which currently does not have a Healthy Families program. I can’t help but wonder if I moved there what opportunities would I be able to open up for families and children?

References

Healthy Families America. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.healthyfamiliesamerica.org/about_us/index.shtml

USA Jobs. (n.d.). US Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/351906400

Zero to Three. (n.d.). Job Posting. Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/careers/jobs/senior-writer-training-specialist_ehs-nrc_8-13.pdf

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community

One community of practice that I find interesting is the Prevent Child Abuse New York organization. This organization works to promote parent education and increase funding and public awareness of parenting education programs. I chose this community of practice because I believe the opportunities that can be created through parent education programs is tremendously powerful in preventing child abuse and increasing child health and development. As a current parent educator my current hopes for my career is to maintain and continue to improve my skills as a parent educator with the home visiting program I work for. To competently fulfill this role I need to continue to improve my communication skills and knowledge of parenting practices and child development.

Another community of practice that is appealing is the Family Enrichment Network (FEN). This group creates a partnership with parents and family members to achieve optimal child development and learning potentials. FEN coordinates children and family services using a comprehensive and collaborative approach to improve their quality of life.” I am interested in this group because of the devotion I have witnessed from the group within my community. The services offered extend beyond just working to build on children’s development and learning to the families and community connections that serve to advocate for empowering the family and child. I would be interested in working for this organization in the role of a Family Support Services Director or a coordinator in other areas as well. For this role I would need to improve on leadership skills.

              A third community of practice that I am interested in is the Let’s Read program through the United Way of Broome County. This group works to improve reading skills of children by encouraging parent and family involvement and creating lending libraries for children throughout the community. I like that the group has utilized many areas where children and families commonly go within the community in order to promote reading.

 References

Family Enrichment Network.  http://www.familyenrichment.cc/

Prevent Child Abuse New York. http://www.preventchildabuseny.org/

Let’s Read: United Way of Broome County. http://www.uwbroome.org/lets-read

My Collegial, Professional Learning Community

Being among other professionals in this learning community has made me much more aware of the wealth of knowledge we can gain from each other as we share our knowledge and experiences with one another. I have gained new perspective from my colleagues in the community about various systems and services that are offered in other states. This community has given me a great opportunity to learn from fellow early childhood professionals and fueled my passion to continue my own work knowing that there are others striving for the same overall goal.

I also feel that my professional development has been impacted by gaining an overall understanding of how early childhood systems are created and supported yet still require the passion and motivation to make continuous improvements from all professionals like us. As colleagues in the field, we all can provide the necessary motivation for each other to make a positive impact on policies and advocate for change. I feel that this community has awarded me the chance to learn about the field with the confidence that I can communicate with others to ask questions or gain advice on various topics and ideas.

The ability to collaborate among other colleagues in this learning community shows the benefit to collaborating among colleagues within any community. I feel that I have an understanding of how each community can benefit to use collaboration techniques in their efforts toward advocacy and policy issues or simply to support each other within the field.

My goal from this point is to always maintain my passion for the early childhood field. When I am able to maintain my passion, I am able to work at my strongest level and to advocate for young children and their families. If I let my passion filter out, then I risk losing my interest in the field and my ability to make a difference in the lives of young children. My passion for the early childhood field is what enables me to educate others on the importance of educating and caring for young children and advocating for their needs. My passion is what gives me the ability to fuel the passion of others and inspire them to improve their work within this field.

Hypothetical Family Situation

I am a 31 year-old woman expecting a baby boy in early October. I live with my boyfriend and we have been ecstatic to be having our first child even though we had planned to wait until after we get married. I work for the local hospital making about $30,000 per year as a family support worker. My boyfriend, Chris, is an accountant and makes a bit more than me at about $45,000 per year. We both love our jobs but we are a little tight on finances due to our student loans. I am also finishing up my Master’s degree and will soon be having those loans to add to the pile. We live close to both of our families and are hoping to get a lot of help and guidance from them as we raise our son, Jack.

After having a non-stress test and subsequent following tests, we found out that our baby boy has a malformation in his lung, called congenital lung malformation. Because of my own childhood history of severe asthma I am blaming myself for this condition occurring in Jack. I am completely beside myself because I know that we will likely have to have surgery to correct the malformation. The doctors have explained that doing surgery once he is born may help before it takes over his chest causing problems with oxygen levels and issues with blood flow to other organs. Even though our family speaks English, this all seems like a foreign language of medical terms to me. It feels like I need a translator to explain what I need to do to help my son live a healthy life. I am also scared that other conditions/issues may have erupted due to any lack of oxygen to his body. I have taken such good care of my body during this pregnancy. How could this be happening to our baby boy?

Chris and I were planning to take Jack to the child care center where my sister works once he is old enough to attend. However, given his lung condition, we will have to wait to determine if it will be safe and appropriate care for him. Given the amount of illnesses that can run through a child care center I am scared Jack will be more susceptible to getting an infection which may lead to pneumonia much more easily. What if his lung causes severe asthma where an attack can cause difficulty breathing at a moment’s notice? Will the staff be able to handle something like this?

Now that we are aware of this condition, Chris and I must take a look at how we will prepare for Jack’s arrival in just over a month. First we must look at who will be caring for Jack’s health. We need to work closely with his pediatrician and discuss steps in setting up care with a pediatric pulmonologist. I also think we will need to make sure that we have someone who will help us understand the medical terms and steps that we will be taking in the near future. After I am released from maternity leave, how will we ensure that Jack is properly cared for? If I quit my job to stay home with him we will lose the good medical coverage with the hospital. Maybe I can have our parents care for him during the day while we work (although they also work full-time jobs). Is there a day care service for children with special needs in this area? Or can I somehow ensure that his teachers are properly trained with his medical needs? Someone please help me find our way through what is about to come!

Questions/Concerns

                I believe this hypothetical family situation is very realistic. I have based it mainly on my current family situation because it is what truly may happen. While I have considered the future of a family with my boyfriend, I have not thought about some of our own health conditions that may affect our own child, which is how I came across the condition of congenital lung malformation. Given the details of my hypothetical family situation please provide any insight you have. I appreciate the advice and suggestions J

Have I given a complete picture of my family, or are there details missing that I should include in order to complete the assignment successfully? If so, what are your suggestions?

Are there any specific websites I should be reviewing with regard to learning about quality services and programs for my child and family in this hypothetical family situation?

Does anyone have any thoughts, based on my specific family situation, that will affect the early childhood system I am creating?

References

Seattle Children’s Hospital, Research, and Foundation. (n.d.) Congenital lung malformations. Retrieved from http://www.seattlechildrens.org/medical-conditions/airway/congenital-lung-malformations/

The Political Will to Improve Early Childhood Systems

Throughout my courses, I have noticed that many of the early childhood professionals seeking to bring awareness or change to policies use educational strategies. Educational strategies seek to inform and target a specific audience while maintaining high credibility. Based on a policy’s particular needs or actions, an educational strategy can be used through providing fact sheets, reports, position papers, websites, letters or opinion pages, and multimedia presentations.

The reason this strategy works so well is because it is used in a manner which provides researched details of importance while also persuading the audience to understand particular factors involved in policies. Educational strategies use intentional methods in a strategic way to advocate an issue. This strategy appeals to me in my work so that I may better advocate for families based on the information they present to me and that I may take further to speak or inform others on their behalf. I also enjoy that this work allows me the opportunity to take part in making positive changes that effect children and families in the current day and age. As an advocate I am looking at how policies effect a family today, where I can use the information from fifty years ago to better influence the decision-makers for today’s policies and issues.

Parent, Family, and Community Engagement

Hearing the stories from the families involved with the Head Start programs is of great significance to me because of my role in working directly with parents and families of young children. I am fortunate to see the successes of the families that I work with; however, it is somehow different when I get to hear the impact of having a relationship with an early childhood professional through their own words. Granted the families in the media segment are not the same that I work with but they are somewhat the same stories. The stories give me added confidence that my efforts make a difference in the lives of others in positive ways.

Parent and family involvement greatly benefits young children, families, and the early childhood field through the opportunities presented to help the programs grow by helping to make decisions and building partnerships with the programs. Family involvement can especially help to enrich the learning of the child through assisting in consistently reinforcing what is being taught within the classrooms. Furthermore, by keeping families involved in their child's education, we are instilling a sense of confidence and strength in a family's parenting abilities.

The value of hearing these family stories has on all involved in early childhood is the strength that it can give those who make decisions impacting these families. The families that are involved in their programs are essentially their own advocates as well as advocates for other children and families. All early childhood professionals, policymakers, and government officials greatly benefit from listening to the stories of these families because they are firsthand accounts of the impact Head Start can have. The stories are a way to communicate what is possible and what is needed.

I firmly believe family involvement is a crucial piece for all strands of service in the early childhood field because the families are the ones that hold the cards for the future of all children. As we discovered last week, the history of the early childhood field strands have changed based on public opinion and early childhood advocates. The families are the ones who can determine what types of service they feel is best for their child by influencing the public opinion and voting for particular officials that can make the decisions of change within the field. Families also are crucial in every strand because it begins the foundation for family relationships with the education systems throughout a child’s life.  

Quality Services and Public Opinion

I think there is a progressive shift by the United States public in the understanding that the early years of a child’s life are the most influential in regards to health and development along with beginning a foundation for education. Perhaps it is because of my newer role in the early childhood field as a parent educator, but I am noticing more advocates for beginning education programs and strengthening health and development for infants and toddlers as early as possible. While many mothers have stayed home with their children for many years in the birth-five age range, I have begun to notice that many parents are taking advantage of the help from early childhood professionals as well as public health initiatives even if they are a stay at home parent or a working parent. As we are discussing every day, the public is gaining the understanding of the importance of the early years. Even President Obama has stated in his State of the Union addresses that there is a need to strengthen the services for children and families during the early years, showing the understanding of crucial development factors from birth.

I hope over the next five years this public opinion continues to grow to support the early childhood field and the importance of a child’s health and development within the critical first 3 years. I hope policies will continue to improve the early childhood services offered and that the economic factors will shift toward increasing funding for early childhood services. I believe that the early childhood field is gaining support from the public and elected officials and will continue to grow in a positive way.  I also believe whole-heartedly that if the support from all strands of the early childhood field work together and recognize the power that exists among this field, the future for all factors will show a positive shift toward healthier children with a strong family foundation as well as sufficient funding for necessary education systems.

Early Childhood Systems

It has been through many years of working in various jobs that I have come to realize that I have a passion for working with young children. While I have been able to gain great knowledge and insight into child development and family matters, I still found myself wanting more information on learning ways that I may help to improve the lives of children and families. I chose the specialization on public policy and advocacy because I want to gain knowledge on how public policy processes work and impact the lives of children and families as well as to learn what I can do in my daily work to be part of bringing awareness to the issues these families face.

Being an advocate in the early childhood field is crucial to bringing the voices of young children and their families to the community and the elected officials who can influence the changes needed or desired. Without having skilled and confident advocates who are able to speak up and bring awareness to the issues faced in the early childhood field then we are missing out on improving such a crucial time of life for a child and helping them to develop to be the best they can be. We need early childhood advocates to be the connecting piece between the children and families to the public policy world. As an advocate I want to be the messenger that helps families have their needs and concerns be heard at the community, state, and federal levels.

I hope to learn ways to promote the connection between families and public policy officials. I want to learn about the public policy process so that I may gain a better understanding of how policies are formed and can be changed to fit the current needs of children and families. Finally I hope to use the skills and information I learn daily in my work to relay information to others so they also may better understand the public policy process.

Profile of a Volunteer

I have to admit that I do not know one person that I can profile as a volunteer. However, I know many individuals that go out of their way on a daily basis just to make a difference in someone’s life. I am part of a committee at work (which happens to be a hospital) and we receive many little cards every month that someone has sent in describing the ways they have been shown exceptional service or provided with the extras in care. Many of the people that we receive cards on go beyond their job duties on a regular basis and happen to have been called out on their abilities to show their kindness and compassion for others. Perhaps this is not a good description of a true volunteer but in my eyes, each person’s name that is written on one of those little cards has demonstrated much of the same effort of what it takes to go out of one’s way to touch the life of another. An example is when a coworker’s car is showing signs of trouble and following the coworker home to make sure they make is there safely. Yet another example is searching through piles of dirty laundry for a child’s very favorite stuffed animal to make sure they get it back (the man that did this cried as we showed how valued that effort was to the family).

I don’t believe that there is one volunteer that I am inspired by but rather all the little moments where people are thinking of a stranger to make their day brighter. One of the messages we always share with staff as we share the card that was sent in expressing the appreciation is the same that was stated by Mother Teresa: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” I am inspired by this statement every day and think it is one that can greatly be applied to our advocacy work with children in every effort we make. This is also why I believe that I am surrounded by many great volunteers that can inspire us all to make one small act of kindness that may be reflected to another which may be continue to be carried on and on.

Using Social Media to Get Connected

I have to confess that I am fairly challenged when it comes to using technology. So using any forms of social media are not something that I often go to unless I am bored and just want to view the latest pictures of family and friends through Facebook. It is only recent that I have found Pintrest and have been searching all sorts of ideas for home and work. While I often feel as though some members of these social media sites use it as a venting system or gossip forum, I can see the benefits to sharing memorable moments with others and keeping in touch, especially with those that live far away.

Using social media sites can certainly be a positive opportunity to share advocacy information where you can reach multiple people at once and provide links to resourceful information on the issues being advocated for. I have noticed one of the ways Facebook has shown effective advocacy is by allowing “creators” to start a page or forum for a particular group of people to come together and discuss a particular topic or issue. One page/group that I am a part of on Face book is titled “Yummy from My Mummy”. This group advocates for breastfeeding and will be used as a useful resource to promote public breastfeeding awareness as our local Breastfeeding Friendly Committee posts information for any members to view. Another effective way for advocating this issue in particular is that Facebook allows for links to other sites to be posted giving members the opportunity to share other resources. Tonight I was able to link to another social media that I hadn’t thought of before as a useful tool: BLOGS! I can’t believe I forgot about this considering we have been using this tool throughout our time at Walden.

I plan to use each of these social media tools to promote awareness to my advocacy efforts and to advise of upcoming community events. I also have been using these tools as a way to build on my own knowledge as I learn from the experiences of others and read the articles and resources shared by others. I have known of many of my coworkers to use these tools as a way to connect with other early childhood professionals as well. Social media is a great way to connect with others in an informal manner and give a voice to the efforts being made in the early childhood field.

Advocacy Messages

The first advertising message that I found inspiring was on the website for the United States Breastfeeding Committee. The message was clear in the title of the page stating “Breastfeeding Saves Dollars and Makes Sense: Good for Families, Employers, and the Economy.” Perhaps it is because I am already interested in this topic as to why it caught my attention but as I glanced through the website page, it provided further details on the ways breastfeeding benefits the three parties named in the message as well as giving information on the need for attention from Congress and how others may take part in the campaign.  This message provides a clear statement while also providing a brief description on what is intended by the campaign. It sparked my attention to read further and see how Congress can improve conditions for breastfeeding families.

 Another advertising message that I find inspiring is the “Pinwheels for Prevention” campaign through Prevent Child Abuse New York. This campaign provides the message that “getting right early is better than fixing it later.” The advertisement encourages others to act on preventing child abuse and neglect both as individuals and corporations. This message inspires people to look at the pinwheel in a different way. Not only is it representative of a child’s toy, but also the way that action can keeps advocacy going. The way I view the representation of the pinwheel is that there is a constant need of movement to keep the campaign going and maintain awareness for the need from others to keep the actions going. The pinwheel is a great symbol of how if there is only one person trying to make an effort in prevention of child abuse, then the one person may run out of energy. However, if there are many people making efforts and taking action, then the pinwheel of prevention can be maintained and keep striving for advocacy of child abuse and neglect.

References

Prevent Child Abuse New York. (n.d.). Pinwheels for Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.preventchildabuseny.org/news_events/pinwheels-for-prevention/

United States Breastfeeding Committee. (n.d.).  Breastfeeding Saves Dollars and Makes Sense: Good for Families, Employers, and the Economy. Retrieved from http://www.usbreastfeeding.org/LegislationPolicy/BreastfeedingAdvocacyHQ/BreastfeedingSavesDollarsandMakesSense/tabid/339/Default.aspx

My Own Capacity

My passions for children and families are to help prevent child abuse primarily. Even though there are many programs and organizations that work to raise awareness to child abuse and maltreatment, it is still occurring far too often. I use my communication skills to talk with families about this issue and educate others on how to handle difficult situations that may lead to child abuse/maltreatment. I also have been fortunate to have had much training on how to look for symptoms and signs of this issue with families and children.

Another topic that I am passionate about is breastfeeding. I have done my own research for other courses on the topic and have been fortunate enough to work alongside other early childhood professionals who are just as passionate as I am and work to raise awareness of the numerous health benefits for both mother and child. My knowledge about the topic has fueled my abilities to assist mothers in difficulties with breastfeeding however; I still seek more information every day.

I am fortunate to work for a program that supports both of these passions of mine. Through my program I have been able to find other community agencies that are also working toward the same advocacy issues and to collaborate our efforts.

My passion for children and families to live in a peaceful and healthy environment will help me in my advocacy work. I believe that I have the ability to engage with many people from diverse backgrounds through using effective communication and having an open heart and mind. I also feel that my desire to continue to learn new information will assist me in becoming a more effective advocate. I hope to grow through finding new ways to work with others at both local and state levels. To be an effective advocate I believe that I must use every opportunity to voice my passions and raise awareness for the issues and topics I am working for.

My Role as an Advocate

•  What motivated you to start advocating for very young children?

I started working with children at first because it was an easy job to get into a daycare center since my sister was already working there and able to get me in. However, after my niece went through a lot of traumatic situations when she was five, I was shocked by how various family and children’s services handled things. I was unable to do much for my niece since we lived in different states; however, I continue to be inspired to do more for other families and children.

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

Fostering advocacy efforts is important on all levels because it shows the desire to improve the lives and conditions for children and families all around the world.

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

Being a community leader takes effective communication skills as well as the drive and passion to advocate for children and families. Collaboration skills are also important so a leader can work with and address issues among other community organizations which can further institute a louder voice of advocacy.

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

A state leader needs to also have communication skills as well as political knowledge and understanding to assist in advising and implementing policies. I believe state leaders also must have skills that enable them to gain an understanding of how policies and advocacy efforts affect children and families at a more personal level.

• What tactics or strategies do you use to mobilize others?

As an advocate for children and families I use my voice as a way to mobilize others. By talking with others and using my passion in advocating for children and families, I have been able to bring fellow early childhood professionals to join committees with me. Any chance I get to talk with people about children and families, I am always expressing how I interact with children and families and I what issues need to be change and have more awareness and advocacy.

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

My advice to others interested in being a leader in advocating for young children and families is to first and foremost gain an in depth understanding of how children and families are affected by issues and how changes will impact their lives. It is also important for leaders to use the passion they have as an opportunity to express issues for children and families and to utilize every moment as a chance to gain another voice in advocacy efforts.

Personal Advocacy Reflection

When I was in 5^th grade I remember my family going through a lot of family trouble.  My older brother was going through many struggles with the law and being sent to jail and other juvenile correctional centers. I looked up to my brother and was taking these situations very hard, especially because my mom, a single parent, was struggling to keep up with the everyday things like work and caring for my sister and me as well as handling all of the situations with my brother.

Given the emotional challenges going on, my mom wanted to communicate with my teacher about what was going on in the family so that she was aware of my absences from school as well as my withdrawn emotions. I will never forget when my teacher, Mrs. Kubisa, asked for her assistant to take over in the class and asked me to come to another room with her. She sat and talked to me for more than an hour about my thoughts and feelings on my family situation.  She reassured me that she understood how difficult it must be going through everything and that she truly cared for me as an individual.

Even though this moment was not anything that went into great detail or actions by any adults, it was one that will forever stay with me because I knew that I was not alone. As a young child, I did not understand everything that was going on and was very torn between my emotions. Having both my mom and my teacher take the time to communicate to each other and to ensure that I knew I had people that cared for me was a great way to advocate for my well-being. Thinking about this way of advocating for one child and family by one teacher greatly impacts my desire to work with children and their families every day. It only takes one person to advocate for one child or family to make an impact forever. This is something that I remind myself of each day that I am questioning my work. I have to continue to remind myself that it is often the small acts I do or things I say that may stick with a family.  

Advocacy for Children Families

I am excited to be taking this course so that I can learn the tools and practices in becoming a more effective advocate for children and families. I currently work as a parent educator with a home visiting program and have completely fallen in love with my work. I am lucky to work with a variety of diverse families where I get to educate them on child development and assist them in their family well-being. I cannot begin to explain how many stories I am inspired by.The experiences that the families share only increase my desire to advocate for their needs and desires for a safer, healthier, and more child friendly community. I hope this course will improve my abilities as an early childhood professional to help speak up and give voice to the issues and concerns for the children and families in my community.

Thank You!

This course has taught me so many things about how to communicate with others in both my personal and professional life. Most of all I have learned new perspectives and experiences from all of you! I appreciate everyone for sharing your knowledge and supporting me through your posts and responses.

I wish everyone the best of luck in your professional career!

Adjourning Phase

The hardest group for me to leave was when I worked at a pediatric office. I was so excited to move on to my current job which was a big move in my career. However, the pediatric group was there for me during a very difficult personal point in my life. With the stress of the office, they continuously supported me during the loss of my father. I had built a positive relationship with most of the office and many of them became a friend outside the office. One of the rituals to leaving that took place was a good-bye/congratulations party which gave everyone the chance to take a moment and reflect on our time together. I am glad that this party was held because it was the perfect opportunity to show my gratitude for everyone and to express my thoughts and feelings for our relationship in the future.

I imagine the adjourning phase from the master’s degree program will be a time to congratulate everyone and show gratitude for the shared experience. The adjourning phase is one that is important to acknowledging the accomplishments of the group. It is a moment which offers the sense of closure that can help any person’s ability to move on.

Conflict in Communication

In the past, I have had a disagreement with a cowroker during a staff meeting about a topic that affected the entire staff. While there was not much to the decision of the topic, for some reason, my coworker and I had a moment where our personalities clashed and was on display for the entire staff. Because of my personality, I essentially shut down because felt as though my opinion was being threatened yet I could not express my thoughts clearly. My coworker on the other hand has a stronger way with words and she continued to direct her words toward me through facing me while sitting and turning to me each time she spoke. The situation was very uncomfortable for everyone there and one other coworker even stepped in to try and help resolve the issue by asking us both specifically what we thought. This helped and allowed us to end the discussion however, the disagreement has never been addressed again by myself or my coworker.

From this experience as well as the information in our text this week, there are two strategies that may help me in the future if a conflict in communication arises again. First I would support the discussion by focusing on the issue. By allowing our personal opinions to overcome us, we were not making ground in the disagreement. There came a point where the disagreement too personal and was not focused on the topic which we were there for. The second strategy is to consider the importance of the outcome. This strategy may help to focus the discussion as well as to improve communication by following the philosophy that I tell parents all the time: "Pick your battles".

Communication Evaluations

For this assignment I asked my coworker and my sister to evaluate my communication. I was most shocked by how low my verbal aggressiveness scored by my sister. I guess I would have assumed that it might have been closer to the score when I did the evaluation myself. I would have thought that being my sister; she would have thought my verbal aggressiveness to be higher considering there are times that I can be brutally honest with her. My coworker actually placed the score for verbal aggressiveness into an even higher group which was also shocking. This insight makes me wonder if my tone in the office is offensive to others since I often joke and use humor to get through the day. I must be more conscious about my communication and find other ways to relive stress through the day.  Another insight I gained was that my listening style is consistent across all evaluations. This makes me feel more confident since this tends to one area that I take seriously. I hope to continue this communication skill considering my career is working with people and using empathy to support the families I work with as well as my colleagues and my own family.

Communication with Various Cultures

                When I am working with families from other cultures I believe I use various communication styles based on their personalities. For example, if a family is older than me and has more than one child, I typically use more formal language based on their displayed knowledge of child development. If the family is younger in age, I use more humor and informal language. The best use of communication that I have been able to use with families with various cultures is to ask questions and learn about what cultural practices are special to them. In the past, I have said that I wear a different hat depending on the family. Every family has their own unique culture so I try to find a way to fit into the family in the best way possible that will benefit them. I think I have a fairly flexible communication style which enables me to transition from one family’s home to another. By wearing the different hats, I am able to build a relationship with the family and support them in any way I can.

One of the strategies that could help to communicate more effectively with families is to use reflective listening. It is also helpful to apply the Platinum Rule in order to ensure that the thoughts and feelings of the family are reflected and appropriately responded to. The third strategy would be to ask questions to engage the family and gain a better understanding of their culture.
 

TV Without Sound

For this assignment, I chose to watch the show “30 Rock”. Based on the setting, it is clear that the characters have a working relationship with each other. The main character, Liz, seems to be caring toward others as demonstrated by her smiling, giving hugs, and handing out food to others. The other character, Jack, is clearly the boss given the business suit he wears and seems to be directing others. His facial expressions remain the same and he is sitting behind a desk with others across from him. Jack and Liz don’t seem to get along as she shakes her head at him and they never smile at each other.  One character, Tracy, showed he was upset by using exaggerated hand movements and his mouth opened wide showing he was yelling. I noticed that Liz seemed interested in working with Tracy since she appeared nervous with her smiles and her body appeared tense. Later she appears to be more relaxed as she is talking to Tracy and trying to find to make eye contact by moving around as he does.

After watching the show with the sound playing, it was much easier to observe the interactions between characters. The boss, Jack, is a blatantly honest character that is new to the company and does not seem well-liked. Liz did not seem as quiet and nervous as she did when I watched the show with the sound off. She makes more remarks that are straight-forward. While talking with Tracy, Liz seems more relaxed than I thought before and she is more open and honest. Tracy does not appear as upset but rather he seems confident in himself. The relationships I noticed are the same as when I watched without sound yet now I have a better understanding of the dynamics within their working relationships. 

If I had watched a show I am more familiar with, I would have predicted what the characters would do and how they would react between each other. It also would have been easier to understand the plot of the show without trying to decipher the relationships between the characters. I often watch TV shows while completing other projects at the same time. I often only look at the TV when they say something that catches my attention or I am trying to gain more insight into the show. If I didn’t have sound playing or had only sound (like a radio show), it would take a lot more of my attention to grasp the plot and the relationships of each character.

Effective Communication

My sister is the person that demonstrates the most effective communication as I can see. She is a Childcare Center Director and has a staff of about twenty teachers and around one hundred families that attend her center. To be able to handle all of the varying personalities, beliefs, and desires for children she must put on a different "hat" each time she is communicating with others. She also has to report to administrators in a successful hospital which oversees the center. When I ask her how she does it, she responds stating that it is what she was made to do and it is her passion to help others. But the reason she is successful is because she is open and honest with everyone she interacts with and she maintains the policies and ethical standards of her center. When issues arise, she does not hide the truth but rather faces it head on and reports how the issue will be resolved. Even in her personal life, she is able to effectively communicate with those around her. She again faces issues head on. She researches issues that need facing and she brings the new knowledge with her as best as she can when communicating with her children's teachers and principals. She stands up for what she believes in and communciates her role as a professional, mother, and friend. She is the most effective communicator I have witnessed and I look up to her commendable abilities.

Professional Hopes and Goals

My hope for working with children and families is that I help them to feel at ease with their own culture. I hope to teach them to stand up for themselves and what they believe. By supporting their own cultural diversity I hope that this will transcend into the ways they interact with others. Perhaps if families feel empowered with their own culture, they will understand that others may have the same feeling. This then can help create a better sense of awareness for diversity.

My hope for the early childhood field is to provide more trainings and information regarding cultural awareness. I feel that I have been fortunate to be given numerous trainings on diverse groups. This has helped me tremendously in my field. By learning about the ways to ease communication with diverse groups, we can better assist in finding ways to promote equity and social justice within community agencies.  

I am very thankful for the stories and experiences that have been shared throughout this course. It is clear after reading all of the posts that we are all in this field for the right reason and have much the same passion to work with children and their families. This is motivating since it helps me feel supported in my own vision for the early childhood field.

Welcoming Families

The name of “your” family’s country of origin

India

At least five ways in which you will prepare yourself to be culturally responsive towards this family

-First I would ask other colleagues what information they can share about the culture in India.

-Next, I would find out if the family speaks any English and what language assistance would be helpful in effective communication with the family.

-I would ask the parents/family about some of their traditions and what they would like to see incorporated in their child’s educational experience.

-I will incorporate some of the traditions and/or important cultural factors from India into the classroom and lesson plans.

-Finally, I will find ways to educate the other children and families about culture and tradition in India.

A brief statement describing in what ways you hope that these preparations will benefit both you and the family

My hope is that my preparations to be culturally responsive to this family would help the child and family is more comfortable in this early child education setting. By taking the time to prepare to work with this family, I will benefit by having the knowledge about ways to incorporate the Indian culture into the classroom. It is important to take the time to get to know a family and their culture. By gaining this knowledge and taking the time to prepare, I will be much more efficient and finding ways to promote the child’s development and support their learning.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression?

It is unfortunate that I have heard many discriminatory and prejudice remarks made against race or sexual orientation. I cannot recall any specific moments when I have been the target of bias or prejudice although I know I have heard numerous remarks regarding my gender. A coworker recently revealed an incident when she went to meet a new family she was to work with and the mother opened the door and told her she wouldn’t work with her because they had nothing in common. The mother had merely looked at my coworker’s skin color and decided from there that they were completely different based on my coworker being a black woman.

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

This incident diminished equity because the mother would not even speak with my coworker before she decided they were different and had nothing in common. The mother failed to let my coworker share that she is also a mother filled with experiences that anyone can learn from. This incident demonstrated that the mother felt that my coworker was beneath her and did not give her the fair chance to share any information with the mother.

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

Hearing about this incident, I was heartbroken that someone I know to be a very caring and high-spirited person could be the target of such unforgiving prejudice. I also feel sorry for the mother who misses out on the experience of working with a well-educated woman with many experiences to learn from.

What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

It is fairly clear that the person needing to change in this incident is the mother closing the door on my coworker. Perhaps if my coworker chose to try talking further with the mother she might have been able to change her mind. However, I think the hurt my coworker felt had already broken the potential for building a working relationship.

Microaggressions

Microaggressions frequently occur all around us. Just this week, I have witnessed countless microaggressions in the media as well as in my work environment. Just this week, I was at a home with a new mom and we were discussing her own relationship with her mom. At some point she made the comment that she does not want her mom to have another child with her current boyfriend. When I asked why she was saying this, she said that it was because the baby would be Arabic. She did say that she would love the baby because it would be her sibling, however she does not want her sibling to be Arabic. Thinking about tis course, I was kind of taken back because I never would have thought we would be having this conversation. Because of my role, I wanted to focus on how the mom would feel about this affecting her ability to take care of her own baby. This conversation lead us back to her own abilities as a parent and we left the microaggression alone. The hidden message that I noticed here was that her sibling would not be equal to her because it would be of Arabic heritage.

It is difficult to bring out a full conversation on how different races or cultures would affect this mom in her abilities to take care of her own child when I only have an hour to visit with her (my program limits visits to about an hour to allow time for each family). I wanted to dig deeper into her thoughts but it is my job to focus on the new baby in the home and to help this mom understand child development. With this instance in mind, this course has opened my mind to the various ways microaggressions occur everywhere and are not always directed at one individual but can be felt by many with just one statement. I hope I may approach this topic with the mother again when I may tie it into the child's social development. The strength I have on my side in this instance is that I have built a trusting relationship with this family so that I can hopefully revisit the effects of prejudice and discrimination on a child in the future visits.

Perspectives on DIversity and Culture

Jen- Culture is a person’s way of life, such as their age, clothing, economic status, and family heritage. Diversity is the degree of change and/or variance to the amount of various cultures.

Sheila-Culture is all the things that make a person who they are. Diversity is all the differences in society from a variety of cultures.

Chris- Culture is a combination of your belief system and societal norms.  Diversity is the level of difference there is society in relation to culture.

 

Each one of the answers relates to what we have been learning in this course. Social identities and the relation between diversity and culture can be found within the definitions provided. Jen uses examples of social identities to define culture. Sheila recognizes that culture is the embodiment of social identities and how someone defines themself. The relation between culture and diversity is prominent in the definition of diversity by all three.

One of the topics we have been discussing in class which is omitted from the definitions provided is the degree of power in culture. While Chris notes that culture is related to societal norms, he does not specify any degree of power or how the norms may change depending on the diversity of the culture.

Exploring definitions of culture and diversity with other people helps me to understand just how complicated it is to incorporate culture and diversity into any program if we all have different definitions of what the two are. If everyone has a different answer to what culture is, for example, how are we to truly capture its essence and to ensure cultural awareness is present in programs? There are so many topics to explore within culture and diversity which are essential to fully gain the true aspect of these definitions. It is important for anyone working with children and families to have the information necessary regarding culture and diversity to be able to promote and enhance cultural awareness.

My Family Culture

Given the catastrophic events, I must have the picture frame that holds a photo of me with my dad at my sister’s wedding. The frame itself represents my family culture because it has a Celtic design which is indicative of Irish culture. This frame is dear to me because my father passed away a few years ago and behind the photo is the obituary from the newspaper. It is also from a special day that had all of my family together and represents our close ties with each other.

I also must take my dog, Niah with me. Even though it may seem silly or odd to some, my dog is like my child and also truly is my best friend. She is the item that represents my family culture in the ways that she will help me feel safe and comfortable in the drastic change of culture and environment. I also include her because I understand that not everyone recognizes a dog as family like I do and I must ensure that she is included.

The third item that I would need to bring with me is my box of Christmas ornaments. The box is full of my family traditions and culture. Each year my mother bought me a new ornament which has a special meaning based on what was going on in my life for the year. This means that each ornament has a unique meaning behind it while also representing the traditions that are carried from one year to the next.

If I were told I must choose between the items and pick only one to keep I truly don’t think it would be difficult for me. It has to be my dog. The other items I listed have a lot of meaning and memories but my dog is another life that I must protect. Choosing between what items to bring is rather difficult to begin with. Most of my family culture is represented by the foods we eat. When these foods are being prepared and eaten, this is the time that my family gets together to help each other and celebrate each other. This exercise has taught me that I do not have many tangible items that are truly dear to me and represent my family culture. As long as I have my family, including my dog, I know I will be okay.