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.