Time Well Spent

At least three deeply felt learning's from this program

The first deeply felt learning from this program is leadership. I never knew what leadership really was until I did my assignment on it. There are so many leaders and I really enjoyed this assignment because it taught me what kind of leader I really was and want to become in this field.


The second deeply felt learning from this program was the challenges in this field. The challenges did not just involved children but also families and teenagers too. When I entered into this field I only thought it was about helping children but I began to realize it was more to just helping children it is about supporting them nationally and internationally as well because everybody needs help.


The third deeply felt learning from this program was the different organizations involved to actually help children and families out. I knew that there was support from those nationally but not those internationally as well. 

At least one long-term goal           


A long-term goal that I have is just to open up a childcare facility and organization to help assist families who are in need.

A farewell message to your Instructor and colleagues (consider uploading a video or audio podcast)

To my instructor and colleagues,

I want to thank my instructor for giving me constructive criticism. It helped me with my challenge not only by wanting to give back after this course is over but it makes me want to take action to all the things that I have said I want to do with the challenge that I see as a small problem in the early childhood field that can be overcome. I just want to thank you all as colleagues for being supportive as I began this course with your positive feedback and encouraging words along the way. This has been a journey for me and a learning experience for me and now I hope to go on and do great things and I want you all to do the same.  

Favorite Quotes

"Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.
- Dr. Hiam Ginnot                                                                                                  

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today."
- Stacia Tauscher

"The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one."
- Malcolm Forbes

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Child Care Services Association
http://www.childcareservices.org/
CCSA is a non-profit, United Way agency committed to improving the affordability, accessibility and quality of child care. Through research, services and advocacy, CCSA works to improve the child care system in local communities of Durham and Orange counties, throughout the state of North Carolina and across the United States. I chose this organization because this organization is there to help with the quality of childcare and improving affordability which is a part of my challenge.

Children's Defense Fund (CDF)
http://www.childrensdefense.org/
CDF was founded in 1973 as a private, nonprofit advocacy organization. CDF works on a range of children's issues including health, poverty, mental health, child care, youth development and school violence. CDF also coordinates a number of projects including the Black Community Crusade for Children and faith-based advocacy efforts. I chose this organization because I have always want to become an advocate for children.

USA Child Care
http://www.usachildcare.org/
USA Child Care is a membership organization that aims to effect policies that improve child care for low- and moderate-income families. USA Child Care represents and works with active statewide organizations of child care providers across the country to ensure they are informed and engaged in public policy and works with legislators and policy makers to improve child care services for low- and moderate-income families. I chose this organization because it is there to help low- and moderate –income families.

Job opportunities that interest me are a tutor and an Early Childhood Development Specialist a live in Nanny. The skills to competently fulfill each of these roles are for a Childhood Development Specialist are to be able to cook, clean, and be an organizer. For a tutor some skills needed are help students understand missed concepts and meet the students at school.

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

At least three national/federal organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you and why you chose them

                Three national organizations that appealed to me are First Children’s Finance (FCF), Child Care Aware of Americas, and Parent Network. I chose these three networks. I chose the First Children’s Finance because it provides financing tools and resources to child care centers and family child care providers. Child Care of Americas understands all parents and families have a variety of needs and interest one size does not fit all. I choose this as one of my national agencies because they are dedicated to supporting parents. Child care aware of America has partnerships, programs, and resources that are designated to help parents find quality child care get the latest information on child development and parenting issues, keep informed on current legislation and policies affecting young children, look at their work choices after having a baby and have access to hundreds of fun learning activities to do with their children. Child Care Aware of Americas is nonprofit initiatives that help parents find the best information on locating quality child care and care resources in their community. I chose Child Care America Parent Network because it helps bring together with others who share common concern about access to safe affordable and quality child care. Child care America Parent network provides members with tools and information and activities to build awareness and support quality child care in America. Membership is free and provides access to exclusive content and opportunities to network.

Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you /skills and experience needed

                One job that interests me is an administrator for a national organization. The reason this job appeals to me is because I would be able to find more information that helps family out. I think that for this job opportunity I would need many computer skills for this job. Another job that interests me is an entry level position in child care on being in a health club. The reason I was interested in this job is because I am all about health. The job skills that I would need are to learn the work environments and become familiar with policy and procedures and get accustomed to the work place environment.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Three local organizations that appeal to me are Prevent Child Abuse in Louisiana this organization is a non-profit organization and it appeals to me because children are so innocent that deserve the best in life. In a child care center I worked in there was two children who came every week with different bruises so as a child care teacher I suspected something was not right at home. A Child’s Wish is another organization is an organization that appeals to me because it is an organization that is there to cater to children’s needs. This organization is also a nonprofit organization. Every dollar they get they make sure to utilize it towards children and I really like that. I am a person who wants to give back to children so this is why I love this organization. The last organization that appeals to me is A Child Advocacy Organization. This organization appeals to me because they are there to make sure children grow up and finish high school. They are there to empower and educate parents and teachers so this could happen.

The jobs that interest me would be to find a director position in a child care center. I already work in a child care center and I enjoy doing it. I have been able to watch the children grow and help in their learning from potty training to teaching numbers, colors, shapes and so much more.  I love teaching because I am excited when they learn. Although I love teaching I just feel like I want to do something else and becoming a director is one in the child care field. This is the only job that really interests me in this field of study. Another job opportunity that I would like would be to work in a school setting with children who are getting ready to make the transition to 1^st grade just because I would like to get the experience of teaching those children. The skills needed for this positions needed for these positions are to have some years of experience. Some other skills are to know how to do first aid and have the right certifications and credentials.

WK8 Blog

My colleagues have supported me throughout this course by leaving positive feedback on my blog assignments. Another way my colleagues have supported me was that some of them left questions as feedback on my blogs and this helps me to look up more information on what I wrote and become more knowledgeable. I think that I have supported them the same way as well by leaving feedback. I wish all my colleagues the best of luck with their future courses. 

Week 6

This week you read about the five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. Think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye.

 Are high-performing groups hardest to leave?

            I think that high performing groups are hardest to leave because the people in the groups start to form a strong bond with each other. It shows that they are all committed to their work and because they are committed they would rather stay with other. High performing groups also share a bond that goes beyond working with each other it goes into hanging out together. They build friendships that will last for a long time so this is why high-performing groups are hardest to leave I think. Groups with the clearest established norms are the ones that hardest to say goodbye because they all have the same ideas which makes it easy for them to establish a relationship.

 Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why?

            The group that I participated in that was the hardest to leave was the high performing group. This group was the hardest to leave because I felt that I had a bond with these people that went beyond a friendship. I felt that we built friendship that made us feel like we were close like family and that we could tell each other everything.

What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced?

            The only closing ritual that I have experienced is everybody in the group meeting up together and just talking about how we enjoyed working with each other. The ritual that I would have liked to experience is for everyone to go out together and eat and get to know each other more outside of the group.      

How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master's degree in this program?

            I think that I will adjourn from the group of colleagues I have formed while working on my master’s degree in this program is that we will all build a strong relationship with each other and have more than just being colleagues.

Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?

            Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because in order to do well in a group I think that everyone must get a long so that everyone can do great in the group.

Week 5

Think about any disagreements, or conflicts, you have recently experienced or are currently experiencing at work with a supervisor or colleague, or someone in your personal life. Share at least two strategies you have learned about that might help you manage or resolve the conflict more productively, and why these strategies might be effective. For example, could you suggest a compromise? Could you look for a broader range of solutions to your disagreement? Could you use some of the principles of nonviolent communication or the 3 R's to better help you resolve this conflict?

I am a pretty outgoing person and one who does not really have any disagreements or conflicts. I have not recently or are currently experiencing any conflicts or disagreements at work with anybody. I remember having a conflict before at work and when I did it was because one of the employees was not doing work and I felt like I was doing all the work. My colleague did not want to do any work because she felt like she was new on the job so she didn’t have to do anything. I started to get frustrated because she only had one task to do was put up clothes. She had already been there for a few days and I think that she knew what to do by then. Although I knew nothing about the 3 R’s at the time I did stop and think to make sure I respect her because I wanted the same in reciprocal. I already had a relationship with her because she was my colleague.

Also, if appropriate, ask your colleagues for their input and advice regarding, if not specific problems, how they have learned to be more effective communicators as it relates to conflict resolution skills.

            How would you have handled this situation using the nonviolent communication?

My CommunicationSkills

After taking the assessments that were given for this week the two people that I got to evaluate me was my twin sister Myisha and my best friend Natasha. During the assessment I was not so surprised  how both of them perceived me because the way I perceived myself was the way they did as well. I know that for a fact I am not as great of a communicator as I would like to be. One reason that I am not as great of a communicator that I would like to be is because I take a very long time to get my point across sometimes. I always make a short story long and I lack in self confidence in some areas of communication. One being job interviews and another is talking in big groups. Natasha and Myisha tells me this all the time and I think that it is because they want me to gain those things and believe that I can make a long story short, do great in groups, and go into an interview being confident but not overly confident. As far as my verbal aggressiveness goes I tend to not say much to others around me when I need to.

One thing that I have learned during this week is that I need to make sure I get my point across when talking to others and be confident when doing so. Another thing that I have learned is that no matter what I need to  make sure I understand that practices makes perfect and I just need to effectively communicate with others and in certain situations. I think that when it comes to being verbally aggressive I always think about others before I say anything even if I am right and they are wrong in whatever situation it may be. I think it’s just because I don’t like confrontation.

Assgn 3 Week 3

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?

            No, I do not communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures. It does not matter about the different groups and cultures as long as we have a connection we are communicating on the same level. For example, I have a friend who is from Ethiopia and although her beliefs and religion is different from mine we communicate with each other just fine. I learn things about her background and she learns things from mine without either one of us passing judgment. We may disagree here and there but we are still friends who are learning. This goes for all people that I interact with whether it’s those of a different sexual orientation or varying abilities.

Based on what you have learned this week, share at least three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified.

            One strategy I could use to help me effectively communicate with people or groups I have identified is to use the Platinum Rule. Another strategy is for me to recognize that I am a cultural being and understand that I see cultures as being different. By doing this I would realize that it is okay to see other cultures as different as long as I am not putting anyone else culture down because of the way I feel about it. The last strategy that I could use to help me communicate more effectively with people or groups I have identified is to relate to others when I communicate with them.

Assgn 2 Week 2

Mob Wives

What do you think the characters' relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating?

            I think that the characters relationships are not so good. Some of the characters seem to have a good relationship while the others seem to have a horrible relationship based on the way they are communicating. They seem to be yelling at one another based on how some of the women are using hand gestures and based on their facial expressions.

What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing?

            Based on the women nonverbal behavior they are upset and expressing anger towards each other.

What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed?

            Based on the assumptions that I have made I am correct about the character and plot. My assumptions were that they were upset with each other and that some got along with each other.

Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well?

            No because after watching this show I seem to have to gotten this show correct.

Write about your experience in your blog, including what you learned about communication from this experience and insights or "aha" moments you believe would be helpful to your colleague

            What I have learned about communication from this experience and insights is that you can tell a lot about how people communicate and feel based on their body language.

Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds (any format and any length)
 

            The hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds are that I would like them to learn about diversity all over the world and what it means to be diverse. I hope that I can teach them what it means to be diverse and that they will understand that diversity is something to be proud of.  I also hope that when working with these families and children I hope that we keep an open communication and that they are willing to learn open up with me and tell me all there is to know about their diverse background.

 One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice (any format and any length)

           
           One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity is to meet more people around the world and learn about their diverse background. The goal I have for equity is that everyone I come in contact with treats me fairly and I will do the same in return. The goal I have for social justice is that whenever I teach children I would like to let them know that social justice is something we should all have more knowledge about and let children know that we all have rights and should be treated according to them.

 A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

            I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their post. I enjoyed reading them all. I also like the comments you guys post to my blog it shows that you took the time out to read my blog. I enjoyed reading your post and I wish all you guys the best in your future courses. Good luck!!!

Welcoming Families Around the World

You are working in an early childhood setting of your choice—a hospital, a child care center, a social service agency. You receive word that the child of a family who has recently emigrated from a country you know nothing about will join your group soon. You want to prepare yourself to welcome the child and her family. Luckily, you are enrolled in a course about diversity and have learned that in order to support families who have immigrated you need to know more than surface facts about their country of origin.

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

            France

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

            1. One way I will prepare myself for this family is for me to know how the weather is in France. In France their winter is really cool and their summer is mild.

            2. Another way to prepare myself for this family is to make sure I know about the different foods that are popular in France.

            3. The third way I would prepare myself is to know more about the languages spoken in France and which ones are more dominant.

            4. The forth way to prepare myself is to learn more about the school systems.

            5. The last way to prepare myself for this family is to let them know about the driving in France and the justice system.

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

I hope that these preparations will benefit both me and the family is through letting them know that they will be safe because I have knowledge about the different systems in their country. Another way that I hope these preparations will benefit me and the family is by showing them that I know everything there is to know about their country so if they have any questions they could come to me with them.

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? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

            The memory that I have of an incident when I experienced prejudice is when I was watching a movie at home. I could remember feeling so disgusted at the movie because of how the people way before my time were treated. The movie is called Rosewood and there was a mother who was trying to protect her son from getting killed by some Caucasian men who were apart of the KKK and when she went outside she was shot dead in front of him for trying to protect him from them. This was not the part I was disgusted by it was when they took her, put her in a box, and burned it. As a child I just couldn’t fathom why people were so cruel back in those times toward African Americans and sometimes I can’t understand it today. I have a better understanding so it doesn’t bother me as much but I still dislike it.

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

            The prejudice in that incident diminishes equity because African Americans back then were not treated fair. In this movie they were not only killed but beaten if they talked back to a Caucasian person. We are supposed to live in a world that states justice for all but there was no justice for those people in that movie. Once they were dead and gone they were still disrespected.  

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

            The feelings that this incident bring up for me is confusion and sadness.

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

            Those people who has hatred towards African Americans into an opportunity for greater equity. I think that this would be a great change in those who are unfair not just to the African American race but to all those races people have hatred for.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

One type of microagression that I detected this week or remember from another time is sexism. The way this happened is that one day there was a friend of the family who came over and saw my sisters and I helping my grandpa build a brick mailbox in the hot sun and just because we were girls he assumed that we were not the type who did hard labor. He thought we were girly girls who didn't want to get their hands dirty and that the boys in the family should have been the ones out helping my grandpa do all the work.

My observations experiences this week affect my perception on stereotype because now I learned to sit back and watch people before I open my mouth and pass any judgment.

Perspective on Diversity and Culture

My Blog

Roza

Culture: “Whatever defines us as human beings whether it ours religion or the way we speak.”

Diversity: “Diversity is to me is nothing more than what type of group we belong to as a race.”

Adam

Culture: “When I think of culture to me it means that we all are part of a different background than other people. For example, I am African American male and I have a friend who is Asian American. We are both American but our race is what separates us.”

Diversity: “Diversity to me is anything; it is not just something that is associated with race or gender but something that could also be associated with other populations such as plants and animals.”

Sophia

Culture: “A group of people who are of a different background. Culture to me is also people who act a certain way such as the way one may talk or their beliefs in different holidays.”

Diversity: “After thinking of diversity the only thing that I can think of is different things people do. Some people are diverse when it comes to what type of music they listen.’

Which aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course are included in the answers I received—and what are some examples?

The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course that’s included are that culture is someone background, the way they spend holidays, and their religion. Diversity that I have studied in this course is not just one’s ethical background but it is also what makes them as a person whether it is different genre of music they listen to or how adventurous they are.

Which aspects have been omitted—and what are some examples of such omission?

The aspects that have been omitted are the fact there is so much about culture and diversity than they know about. I have just found out about them because I am taking this course so it is something that I could share with them so that they could get a better understanding. For example they have omitted that culture is someone economic status, their body language, culture is also someone ethical background. This is what makes us all diverse. Beliefs seem to be more of someone culture and diversity is more of what makes up that culture such as a person’s background.

In what ways has thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics?

After thinking about their definitions of culture and diversity it has influenced my thinking in that we may all have some type of definition about culture but they are very broad. We all seem to know that it is dealing with each other background and religion. When it came to the definition of diversity thinking about their definitions has influenced my own thinking because it gave me a different perspective of the definition. For example, Adam gave a definition on diversity that not only pertain to us as human beings but also plants and animals. Adam’s definition is one that help me understand that we cannot  focus just on human beings as being diverse but also the other things in the world out their i.e. the animals and plants.

My Family Culture

A description of the three items you would choose

1. My family photo album
2. My stuff animal which is a black bear
3. My Mom’s wedding ring

How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you

One of the items that I would choose is the family photo album. The family photo album is important and dear to me because I love the fact that when looking through the album it brings back memories. The second item I would take is my stuff animal which is a black bear. This item is so dear to me because it was the last thing my father gave to me before he passed away. The last item I would take is my Mom’s wedding ring. This is dear to me because she told me that I could have it and it is something that I wear often.

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you

            My feeling would be crush. I would feel like those are the items that mean so much to me and for me not to be able to take them would feel like a piece of me was ripped out and thrown away like garbage. I would also feel sad and angry because I was told I could bring the items and then to say I had to leave them is horrible.

Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise

             The insight that I have gained about myself during this exercise is that I never knew how special the things I have now play a major part in my life.

Research Around the World

What are some of the current international research topics?

Building Community Leadership for Quality Sustainability in Madrasa Preschools: The Case of Madrasa Preschools Post Graduation Support

 Parents’ and Other Caregivers’ Perception of Early Childhood Development Needs and Quality: A Study of the PLAN-Assisted Programmes in Bawjiase, Ghana

Involving Fathers in Early Childhood Care and Development

What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website?

The surprising facts/insights/ new ideas about early childhood I gained from exploring this international early childhood website is Involving Fathers in Early Childhood Care and Development. “Nyerere (1998) reported that cultural norms that affect fathers’ participation in

childcare practices could affect development and the general well-being of children,

including the quality of family life. The objective of this study is to investigate the

current roles of fathers and explore ways to increase the involvement of fathers and other

males in childcare.” (Hua, 2004 p.1). This is an insight that I think is amazing because men are not involved in most of the time when it comes to childcare. Men are not a major part because bringing children to childcare program women are the ones who are normally dealing with the children on a day to day basis. I would like to know more about how this will affect children. I think that involving men would give them more insight as to what women deal with on a day to day basis with the children. 

                                                                   References

Hua, R. (2004). Involving fathers in early childhood care and development. Retrievd from http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/major_projects/Hua%20-%20MP%20Final%20-%20UVic%20LP.pdf

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

One positive example of the effects of research on children and/ or families is that research can save the lives of other children. For example, cures for various diseases can help families who are facing the disease get cured. Another example is that some family and children who go through research can help with many different experiments not just those dealing with diseases. Another example is how children are used when it comes to how they interact with other children and how children perceive different things such as when they are in the preoperational stage.  From my personal I watched my little sister and brother say that one of them had more drink in their cup then the other one because one glass was tall and the other glass was short but in actuality the cups held the same amount of liquid in them. At the age that they were at the time they did not know the difference between  the two different cups because their mind did not understand just yet on how to perceive the two glasses.

Your Personal Research Journey

During my simulation the topic that I chose last week to know more about was do’s and don’ts in the early childhood field. The subtopics that I want to know more about in early childhood programs are what to do when children are misbehaving, what to do when children have separation anxiety, and what to do when children don’t understand what is being said to them as far as how to discipline them. I choose these topics because I work with a lot of children and I know that I can’t discipline them the way that their parents discipline them. The other subtopic that I chose was what to do when children have separation anxiety because sometimes there are children who cry a lot after being away from their parents or other guardians. My topics are pretty broad so I would like to know if any one of my colleagues can help me narrow my topics a bit. I am not sure what other topics I could talk about to narrow my topics down a bit. 

Final Blog Assignment

1.     One consequence that I have gained personally is reading other colleagues blogs and leaning so much about other countries.

2.     Another consequence of learning about international early childhood field for my professional development is that internationally there education in some areas are not the same in America. One example is how those younger children who have the opportunity to go to school every day don’t actually go whereas children in USA get go to school because they don’t have to worry about labor.

3.     One last consequence of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional development is that many people in America are there to help those who are international with education and other funds.