Saying Farewell

For the last 8 weeks we continued fostering that extensive learning community and I must say it has assumed greater significance because we shared some very personal experiences with each other.  We have been encouraged and supported in opening our lives much more to each other and for that tremendous respect and concern were shared thus making our experiences much more meaningful. 

As we prepare to embark in our various specializations I hope we will continue to definitely find a way keep in touch.  I am on facebook so if it is possible we can keep in touch there.  It has been a tremendous learning experience with the entire group and one which has definitely left an indelible impression in my mind. I wish you all the best in your specialization areas. My area is Teaching Adults in Early Childhood.  All being well, I am also looking forward to see many if not all of you at graduation. I wish you all the best as you continue to fulfill your professional goals.

As we part at this juncture, I leave this quote with you: 

 “When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.”

-anonymous

Team Building and Collaboration, Part 1

The adjourning phase of a team is that separation phase signaling the end of the project.  At this phase the group usually reflects on its accomplishments as well as shortcomings towards the attainment of the goals (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009).  I think parting would have been more difficult for me when I was a teenager because during that phase you seek to a great extent the love and admiration of your peers.  I have come to realize that these are all phases which we go through; we meet persons, form relationships to achieve certain goals and there comes a time when we may need to go our separate ways as we continue to pursue our destiny. 

High performing groups are usually difficult to leave because there is so much happening.  Group members feel a great sense of satisfaction and eagerly look forward to making a difference.  They are highly passionate about what they do so their contribution extends well beyond the allotted time for meetings.  They have clearly established norm and the leader will remind members of these rules should there be any violation of these rules. 

I think leaving my youth group was the hardest because the members of our group bonded so well.  We made tremendous impact on the lives of persons in our community and at the same time we were developing ourselves – self concept, self-esteem, self-efficacy. There was always a hub of activities to which we channeled our energies. 

I cannot recall what closing ritual would have taken place for me in particular but generally we would end with a social evening where we would bring along eats and all members would partake. Persons would usually reminisce on the time shared and wish the persons God’s continued blessings.  

For our master’s degree I think adjourning would not be too difficult because we are some distance from each other.  Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it signals the end of an era and members are moving off into different directions (Abudi, 2010).  I hope for us that moment will culminate at graduation.  I am looking forward to that moment, hoping to join many if not all of you for that culminating event, putting faces to names and definitely hoping to foster some long-term friendships. 

References

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

O’Hair, D., Friedrich, G. W., & Dixon, L. D. (2011). Strategic communication in business and the professions. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

About two years ago many sections of the Division of Education, Youth Affairs and Sport that were conducting business at several different buildings came together under one roof.  We now occupy a four storey building with limited parking space.  When plans were being made to have us relocated a meeting was held with the then Secretary of Education informing us of the pending changes.  I remembered asking the Secretary whether there is sufficient parking at the new building and I was told yes there are sufficient spaces for parking. 

Upon relocated we quickly realized that parking was a huge problem however, persons were able to secure spaces on a first come, first serve basis.  Shortly after, several spots were assigned to top management.  The latest situation is that areas in which parking could have been obtained are now being blocked off for company vehicles leaving many of us fending for spaces.  I was unaware of the latest development until I was informed by a worker.  When I enquired I was told that a memorandum was released debarring workers from parking in that area.  That   has left me very disappointed because no discussion took place on the issue.

In order to arrive at a reasonable solution debating the issue can be considered.  It is important that the cards be placed on the table and a variety of tactics be utilized to arrive at a solution.  They include probing.  Probing raises questions that allow for specific and precise answers (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009).  It allows all parties to understand how each other feels with a view of arriving at cooperative conflict management.  For example, I could remind the audience of the assurance I was given in an open forum held at our previous site and discuss the hardship workers are experiencing on a daily basis in order to secure a safe park.  A compromise can also be suggested, in that, the Secretary of Education may decide to approach the owner of an adjacent piece of land with the hope of establishing an agreement so workers plight can be alleviated.

I enquired from two of my colleagues’ strategies they have learnt that have proven to be very effective in conflict resolution.  They noted that being a good listener goes a long way; restraint and exercising respect have also proven to be quite valuable.
Reference

O’Hair, D., Friedrich, G. W., & Dixon, L. D. (2011). Strategic communication in business and the professions. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Evaluation of the Communicator

As a communicator I am influenced by both cognition and behavior (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009).  Cognition refers to those thoughts which I possess about myself and others whereas behaviors refer to the verbal and non-verbal messages and it affects behavior. 

All three assessments produced the same categories of results.  What was surprising to me was the similarity in the results. It is clear that the 2 persons who evaluated me (my brother and a co-worker) do possess a clear idea of my strengths and my weaknesses.  They are fully aware of my reactions to various situations.  While they were completing the assessments they kept saying you will not do that or you will do that. The relationship that we have fostered over the years made it easy for the 2 individuals to produce such similar assessment.

 One of the differences I observed was the variance on the continuum.  My brother’s assessment of myself and my own assessment on the Communication Anxiety Inventory (CAI) were both on the lower side of the scale with a difference of 1.  My co-worker assessment of me on the CAI was towards the higher end of the continuum When I compare my co-worker assessment to mine on the CAI there was a notable difference of 6 (Rubin, Palmgreen & Sypher, 2009).

 Two of the insights gained this week about communication are:

Self-Presentation requires communicators to find the appropriate level of self-monitoring for the situation and the people involved in order to communicate successfully.  Being aware of this, on a professional and personal basis will always help me to monitor the signals from the communicators so that interest is sustained in order for the desired objectives will be achieved.

 Self-Disclosure refers to the amount of information one share with others. It can be considered a tool for confirming our self-concept or improving our self-esteem (O’ Hair Wiemann, 2009 cited Miller, Cooke, Tsang & Morgan 1992). Both on a personal level and a professional level care must be exercised in terms of the quality and quantity of information that is shared because one can lose the respect of others should the lines become blurred and that can be very dangerous. 

Self -reflection is a good practice to embrace since it will identify areas of strengths and weaknesses so as a communicator who seeks to attain competence in communication, I will work towards eradicating those areas of weaknesses.

Reference
O’Hair, D., Friedrich, G. W., & Dixon, L. D. (2011). Strategic communication in business and the

professions. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Rubin, R. B., Palmgreen, P., & Sypher, H. E. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

Intercultural Communication

I do communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures.  My depth of involvement with people from different groups and cultures will depend on the extent to which we “are tuned into the same level of meaning,” that is, the factual or emotional-content messages. I seek to structure the discussion within persons comfort zone so they remain very comfortable while sharing with me.  It requires me to behave in ways that are appropriate by becoming knowledgeable motivated and skilled at communicating with others (Beebe, Beebe & Redmond, 2011).

 When relating to persons whose culture is different to mine I tend to be very mindful of the type of information I disclose.  I pay close attention to their language as well as non-verbal cues.  For example, about three weeks ago, a lady who spent a number of years living abroad returned to her homeland and she is desirous of establishing a early childhood centre so she was enquiring about the guidelines for doing so.  Throughout our initial conversation, I asked lots of questions and listened attentively in order to understand her contexts and the feasible of such a venture becoming a reality.  I also avoided negative judgment about the success of the venture.  She is aware that based on her experiences, what she is seeking to bring is quite unique, of very high standard so I sort to encourage her even though I would have shared with her the general cost families pay towards such a service.

It is important that we consider other persons world view or frame of reference and use their cultural priorities and assumptions when communicating (Beebe, Beebe & Redmond, 2011).   This is necessary in order to accomplish purpose.  It helps to avoid cultural noise and distortion.

Reference

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Making Assumptions

In the show “Uncle Buck” I assumed the man was transporting his daughter to class and he attempted to advice her but she wanted no guidance. She was very angry so she withheld her speech.  On reaching her destination, she alighted from the vehicle in disgust.  The man later telephoned a lady, I assumed she was his wife.  She became angry and he was seen reminiscing on some better days as he viewed an album.  Later he returned for his daughter who being accompanied by her boyfriend.  There were angry exchanges again between daughter and father until they arrived home.  Young brother assisted in the kitchen, before calling his mother and the girls seem very unhappy, the bigger one was complaining to her mother before the father spoke to the mother using another line while the daughter was seen ease dropping.

 On watching the show with the sound turned on, I realized that the man was not the girl’s father he was the caretaker.  While transporting her to school he was enquiring from her whether he should return for her, that she was not pleased.  On his return the young girl was in the company of her boyfriend.  The caretaker attempted to converse with her but she was not very please.  He asked her the guy’s name and added a derogatory surname to the name in a bit to humiliate her so she tried to defend herself.  The young brother assisted happily with the chores.  The phone rang, spoke to children. The daughters were very displeased that their mother left them in the company of the caretaker.  The bigger daughter told her mother that the caretaker was ruining her life.  She was ease dropping for a while when the caretaker took the call on another line. 

My assumptions would have been more accurate if I was familiar with the show.  We must exercise caution when relying on non-verbal communication alone to arrive at conclusions.  Reception and attention are important factors in perception.  By not being able to hear the exchanges at first would have affected my ability to accurately determine the communication.  A person whose hearing or sight is affected is likely to experience inaccurate perception (O’Hair, Friedrich & Dixon, 2011).

Reference

O’Hair, D., Friedrich, G. W., & Dixon, L. D. (2011). Strategic communication in business and the professions. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Competent Communication

It was only this week my brother and I were speaking about a pastor who is extremely eloquent with the English language.  We indicated that he is an effective communicator when it comes to preaching.  He is able to take you through the process with ease because he is excellent at manipulating the language and create such clear imagery which at times can be quite witty.  There is no other person in his fraternity that we are aware of that can communicate so appropriately and effectively.  We even alluded to the fact that most likely he reads a lot but he has excellent retention capacity.  O’Hair & Wiemann (2009) stated that competent communication must be both appropriate and effective.  In order words, it must help us to fulfill the demands of the situation as well as the expectations of the audience, in addition, to the attainment of our goals.   

I will not object to modeling some of my own communication behaviors after this person because I am always impressed by people who can communicate effectively.  I certainly believe it enhances one’s repertoire of skills and increases his/her chances at succeeding in life.  These persons are usually selected as group leaders; they are highly acknowledged and generally succeed at interviews.  Their chances for promotion are almost guaranteed if one were to be judged only the basis of communication.

References

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Professional Hopes and Goals

This course has forced me to critically assess my belief system in light of the various issues pertaining to diversity, equity and social justice; identifying my biases and helping me to realize the need to remove the fortified barriers that might have been erected either intentionally or unintentionally thus impeding children’s progress. 

My hope for working with children and families from diverse backgrounds is that their culture will be honored in the teaching learning environment.  Their culture must become visible in order to give them an opportunity to develop into a just world, a world that recognizes each child as unique, fully human beings with the ability to be all that they can (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). 

Children must be able to make the connection between school culture and home culture in order to fulfill their highest potential.  Children who experience severe cultural discontinuity between home and school will experience difficulty succeeding at school.  Children thrive best when their home culture is integrated in all aspects of the early childhood setting.  In such setting, children will learn and develop because they feel “supported, nurtured and connected not only to their home communities and families but also to teachers and the educational setting” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010 cited NAEYC 1995, 2)

One goal I will like to establish for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity and social justice is to ensure that all teachers are trained in the area so that all our children provided with critical pedagogy - provision has been made to address the issues of power and inequity and culturally relevant pedagogy - teaching aimed at educational liberation for groups of children who are marginalized that will optimize their development (Hyland 2010 cited Ladson-Billings 1994; Beauboeuf-Lafontant 1999).

I extend thanks to each and everyone who has been part of this journey.  It has been rewarding.  I know we are better poised to ensure that equity and social justice become a reality for all children.  I thank you for sharing your many experiences; they helped to reinforce our understanding of the various issues.  I am sure that you would have also benefitted from my contributions.  I wish you all the best in your future courses and I am looking forward to sharing future classes with many of you. 

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Hyland, N. E. (2010). Social justice in early childhood classrooms: What the research tells us. YC: Young Children, 65(1), 82–87. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the ProQuest Central database: http://search.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/197637742?accountid=14872

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The country I have selected is Indonesia.  It is the world’s fourth most populated nation. 

In order to be culturally responsive towards the family I will prepare myself in the following ways:-

1.      Familiarize myself with the culture of the country.

2.      Enquire from which region of Indonesia the family is from so I can familiarize myself with basic words from their culture such as good morning, good afternoon, how are you so I can utilize them to make the family feel welcome and at the same time expressing care and concern for the family.

3.      Include artifacts from Indonesia in our centre such as books, customs and traditions.

4.      Source the assistance of an interpreter if required.

5.       Enquire from the family what their expectations for their child and how the school can assist in that regard.

6.      Exercise sensitivity when dealing with the family.  Ensure that respect is displayed at all times and an increased level of alertness in order to analyze carefully the spoken and the unspoken forms of language.

I hope that the preparations will benefit both parties – the family and myself, in that, the family will realize that they are valued.  Each family matters as such by taking time to familiarize myself about their culture and to display aspects of their culture, the family will recognize that I value diversity so it can reduce or possible eradicate some of the barriers that are usually erected as defensive measures.  They will therefore realize that their input will be greatly appreciated.  As the educator, the preparation will sensitize me on the culture including the do and don’ts so I can operate from a position of knowledge.  By so doing, both parties will exchange ideas for the enhancement of the child’s development in an atmosphere of respect and tolerance.  

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

My brother was performing quite well at medical school; he even assisted many students who were experiencing difficulty.  However, to complete his program requires him to successful complete the National Board Exam which takes about 12 hours.  When he sat the National Board Exam, he was informed that he passed the exam.  About 2 weeks later he received another call this time notifying him that he did not succeed.

It is highly unacceptable for a university to release results stating that someone was successful and subsequently call again this time informing the person that he did not succeed.  It means that they had engaged in institutional and interpersonal racism.  My brother noted that some students from the dominant culture, who succeeded struggled throughout the program, even sought his assistance at times yet he was being told that he did not succeed.

I was spell-bound when I got the news.  My brother is a conscientious worker.  He has applied himself extremely well throughout his schooling and never failed any exam so it was really shocking to receive such devastating news.  More so the manner in which the result was conveyed. 

In order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity, I believe that people of color who will advocate for social justice must form part of all the committees at those institutions to ensure that fairness exists.  Persons of the dominant culture who sit on the various committees at the institution need to understand their own biases and deal with them, before they can honestly relate to people of color.  Margles and Margles (2010) noted that “no one, no matter how intelligent and skillful at critical thinking, is protected against the subliminal suggestions that imprint themselves on our unconscious brain.”  This implies that institution should seek to empower all citizens equitably.  Persons should not be given an unfair advantage over others on the basis of racism or any other “ism.”     Discrimination can alter a person’s destiny if measures are not taken to avert the likely results.

Reference

Margles, S., & Margles, R. M. (2010). Inverting racism's distortions. Our Schools/Our Selves, 19(3), 137–149. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database: http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=51372248&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

My awareness of microaggressions has forced me exercise greater alertness to the use of oral language because I am now aware that it is possible to classify some of these messages as microaggression which can be categorized as racial, sexual orientation and gender microaggressions according to Dr Sue (Laureate Education, 2011).  During the week West Indies Cricket team played a match and the commentators were discussing Marlon Samuel’s bowling so John turned to Rebecca and said Samuel’s bowling is once again engaging the attention of the commentators.  Rebecca replied, “Wasn’t Marlon accused of that before?”  John said, “Rebecca, you know the game!  Rebecca simply turned and looked at him.  He simply smiled.  Immediately upon witnessing it, I said to John you have just committed a microaggression.  I told him that it’s a new term to me and I am paying attention to the spoken word to identify instances where these indignities are committed. John most likely was well-intentional but that microaggression sought to invalidate the lady because it is not very common in his opinion for a lady to be abreast of what is taking place in cricket which to him may be still considered a man’s game. 

My observation this week made me recognize that discrimination, prejudice and /or stereotypes on people occur on a daily basis and in different degrees.  Microaggressions inflict the greatest pain on the person who is on the receiving end. Some may be a bit slight but some may be very blatant so there is need to exercise sensitivity.    According to Dr. Sue “It saps the spiritual and psychological energies of the person receiving the microaggression because it is cumulative in nature.”  Microaggressions have further raised my level of awareness to additional injustices that are committed on a daily basis and some of them may provide teachable moments which we may be able to capitalize on because these offensive remarks can be extremely damaging.  In order to live harmoniously with each other in our multicultural society, we must identify acts of microaggression where possible so we can avoid using them since they are repressive to the person/s receiving them.

Reference

Laureate Education (2011). Microaggressions in Everyday Life [Video Program]. Retrieved fromhttp://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=5691618&Survey=1&47=8207343&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Point-of-view of a  39 year old father and businessman

Culture is a way of life of a people.  It affects their values and belief systems in terms of work, education and socialization to name a few.  It impacts on the type of family structures they foster whether its extended family, nuclear family and single parent family.

Diversity refers to differences in terms of culture, ethnicity, race, language et cetera. 

Point-of-view of a 47 year old teacher

Culture is the totality of who one is. It encapsulates the general way of life of a group of people. The way the group thinks and behaves. It therefore includes their language, foods, dress code, method of worship, dances, songs and general values, beliefs, rituals and customs. One's culture is acquired through socialization and is passed from generation to generation.

Diversity has to do with acknowledging the difference in each human being and accepting and respecting each one as being unique. Areas of diversity may be in age, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality, intellectual ability, developmental capacity/ability (cognitive, physical, social, emotional), religious affiliation/spiritual orientation, race, ethnicity et cetera.

Point-of-view of a 61 year old Guidance Counselor

Culture is the way of life of a people. It takes into account the foods, dress, languages, ways of worship, education etc. The culture of a school is everything that is done in the school and is the accepted ways of doing things by the participants who interact within the school.  Since a school is a microcosm of the wider society, students bring with them their culture. The teacher's responsibility therefore is to provide opportunities for students to practice and share their culture. This is a positive way of catering for diversity in the classroom.

Diversity is a state of being different. It includes differences in human development, languages, culture, economy etc. Diversity must bring into focus issues of fairness, equity and justice.  As humans there are variations in the rate we develop owing to diversity in environmental contexts which affect students' behavior, thinking, personality, abilities, learning styles and appearance. These have implications for teachers.  It is imperative to avoid discrimination at all times.

State aspects of culture and diversity that have been studied in this course and are included in the responses.

Culture has been referred to by all respondents as a way of being.  It includes the values and beliefs of a people.  The respondents made reference to both surface culture and deep culture.  For example, the businessman’s examples relate strictly to deep culture.  They include work, education and socialization.  The teacher and the guidance counselor examples included a mixture of both surface culture and deep culture. The teacher made mention of one dimension of cultural identity, that is, the acquisition of culture through the cultural group to which we belong which is referred to as cultural socialization. Dominant school culture which is the widely accepted ways of functioning in the school has been mentioned by the guidance counselor as well as student culture.  Even reference was made to cultural identity when the teacher mentioned that culture incorporates the way the group thinks and behaves.

In my studies, we would have examined the definition of diversity in terms of the differences and the need to respect those differences.  We also noted the important role the teacher plays to ensure that fairness and justice prevail. 

Identify aspects of culture that have been omitted and provide examples of such omission

Mention was not made of cultural continuity and discontinuity (Derman-Sparks & Edwards 2010).  Cultural continuity includes upholding family practices such as religion. Cultural discontinuity will refer to the falling away from certain family customs such as honoring birthdays which was a regular family practice.  

Ways in which other people’s definitions of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics

I realize that many similarities exist between the perspectives of the individuals selected and my own perspective even though cultural differences exist among us.  However, that does not mean that if we were to live closely with each other we would automatically work well with each other.  Fiction is likely to manifest itself among groups of people.  It occurs in families which are “suppose” to be close knit relationships among kin.  No relationship is exempted from disagreement.  The formulae which must be embraced in order to live amicably are tolerance and respect for each other.  It is important that rules be establish at schools and in the wider sphere of society so that a certain level of respect and appreciation  for each other is maintained in order to exist harmoniously. 

 Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

My Family Culture

Three items I will take along as a refugee are: my bible, a credit card and a family album.

My bible represents my spiritual armor that will strengthen my faith through such crisis.  Situations like these test the very mettle from which we are made.  It is important that I don’t lose hope during this crisis but hold fast to Jesus Christ, the source of my strength.

Over the years my family has enjoyed a level of independence because of our strong work ethics.  We firmly believe that we should harness our abilities and our expertise in order to achieve a comfortable standard of living.  In light of this, I will take along my credit card since the amount of credit available indicates my credit rating.  My favorable rating should allow me to access goods and services to sustain us until I am somewhat settled and can seek some form of employment if that is possible.

A family album represents a significant aspect of our culture.  It includes lots of memorable moments such as birthdays, holiday events and breathtaking scenery, family weddings, graduations and other memorable occasions that will serve as a source of strength and encouragement to the family.

If upon arrival I was told that I can only keep one item I will be very disappointed because it would seem as though I am being stripped further of some aspects of who I am.  However, I will take courage in the fact that what is on the outside only constitutes to the surface culture and regardless of what may happen in life I still possess my deep culture –language, values, religion and extended family relationships, concept of work among others (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010 p. 56).  Nevertheless, I will seek to keep my credit card because it gives me a sense of power.  Hopefully it will allow me to purchase basic commodities family members need to survive.

It is absolutely clear that I like to feel a sense of empowerment.  I believe that even though I am faced with challenging situations, my family values will navigate me out of these situations.  My family culture has and it continues to play a significant role in my life.  It has contributed in all aspects of my development.  

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Final Blog Assignment

Each module in this course has further enhanced my capacity in the field of early childhood care and education.  The in-depth discourse with colleagues, international professionals, our own instructor, Dr. Klein as well as the many articles that have been made available as well as what I discovered  have added to the vast array of ideas acquired.   

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development are:

·         To develop a greater awareness of the issues and trends facing the field of early childhood in other parts of the world and learn of the measures adopted to improve the life chances of all children especially those children whose academic development is likely to lag behind. 

·         To increase my resolve to continue my advocacy efforts to ensure that quality care and education is available to all children.  Interestingly, several weeks were spent collaborating on equity and excellence as it relates to policies, availability, accessibility and affordability as well as early childhood professionals because these areas are extremely pertinent for a successful program.  They impact significantly on the success of programs and it was important for me to share with my international contact and at the same time learn about how these areas are being addressed in her sphere.

·         To foster lasting professional relationships.  Dr. Lyon has extended that invitation to me.  I wanted to raise the issue in my closing remarks with regards to whether we can continue our professional relationship but I was a bit hesitant.  She was quite generous in doing so and for this I am forever grateful.  It is important to know that there are persons not only on a local level but on the international level that one can discuss issues pertaining to children’s development and the field of early childhood as well, as we strive to ensure that the bars of quality education continue to remain high and social justice is attained for all served in the field.

·         One goal for the field related to international awareness is that we will continue to extend our level of awareness to include issues and trends on the international arena so we can learn from their efforts, obtain additional support for the measures we hope to implement in our local programs so we can improve the quality of service provided for children, families and the field at large. The quality of care young children receive will impact directly on the state of the economy.

 

THANK YOU NOTE

Finally, I must express thanks to all my colleagues for the level of  collaboration that occurred during the last 8 weeks. I must say it was deep, insightful and compelling. We would have learnt a lot from each other and I wish you all the best in your future courses.  I am sure some of us will share the same classroom in the next course.  All the best! God Bless!

Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 3

Once again, I contacted my international contact Dr. Susan Lyon and I shared with her my thoughts about excellence and quality as well as my professional goals and dreams. I posed the under mentioned questions to her and stated below are her responses.

What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?

This is all relates to the context or the location state, local or national level.  There are some minimum requirements here for teachers in ECE so my project provides a structure for professional development that most teachers do not get.  It is not required.  Their directors or bosses must believe in the training.  All kinds of non-profit organisations and agencies are offering PD in many areas: reading, literacy, parent  involvement., mental health.. the list goes on. Usually the school district decides on the choice of PD.  In ECE there is very little. All teachers deserve high quality thoughtful ongoing professional development thru their entire teaching career.  I forgot to emphasize ongoing.  We ask teacher to create a pd plan every year for themselves as well as the school has a pd plan with a particular focus. Many times schools and teachers get lost in their work without knowing where they are going.

What are some of your professional goals?

 My goal is to mentor.  My goal right now is to mentor a person I have chosen to take over the Innovative Teacher Project and expand it.  For the next 2 years she will co-direct with me learning about the project.  I am mentoring students in the doctorate program at Mills College.  To build a K-8 Italian immersion school in SF inspired by the Reggio Approach... this is already in the works.  I already established a preschool with a group of parents and it is the first Italian immersion preschool in SF.

What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?

I would love to make a film about the meaning of childhood.... it is in the infant stages now.  I am more interested in the visual than a book.  Several people have asked if I am going to write a book.  At this moment I believe the most important work is local.... everything I have done has always started very small and grown organically.... it is true and pure in a sense.  

Insights gained from the conversation.

When Dr. Lyon stated that all kinds of non­-profit organizations and agencies are offering professional development in many areas that struck a chord.  There are many persons who believe they can perform the duties of the early childhood professional, it does not require skill and that is what we have been discussing again this week which is furthest from the truth.  I strongly believe that training for early childhood teachers must be conducted by persons who are knowledgeable about child development, developmentally appropriate practices, teacher-parent partnerships, secure attachments with children in order for children to grasp school readiness skills for academic learning as well as that critical foundation in social and emotional regulations that make learning possible (Lasser & Fite, 2009 cited Zigler, Gilliam, Jones, 2006).

 Reference

Lasser, J & Fite, K. (2011). Universal Preschool’s Promise: Success in Early Childhood and Beyond. Early Childhood Educ J.

Sharing Web Resources

The website I have been exploring is the National Black Child Development Institute http://nbcdi.org

This week I decided to explore the resources link and there I found a wealth of information.  The resources link comprises of the bibliography, papers and publications.  Under papers I found 5 areas which are considered priority of the NBCDI in 2011 and coincidentally these areas also contribute to my understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education and at the same time issues and trends in the early childhood field.  They are:

• Protect and sustain investment in Early Childhood Education and Care
• Increase alignment and coordination across early childhood and the early grades
• Invest in early childhood workforce quality
• Promote meaningful family engagement
• Reduce childhood obesity and hunger

Among the Recommendations and Letters is a letter that was sent to President Obama on the 29th July, 2011 by an advocacy group appealing to the President not to use children as any deal as it relates to raising the debt ceiling. This letter also addresses issues of equity and excellence.  The group noted that 1.3 million children drop out of school each year.  Forty three percent of families with children are struggling to afford stable housing.  Poverty level for children will soon hit 25 percent. It really worth your time actually it deals with the starling really that is facing us so you can access it at: http://nbcdi.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Final-letter-to-President-and-Congressional-Leadership-on-Federal-Budget.doc

Another letter was sent from NBCDI to the Administration for Children and Families in which comments were sent pertaining to the proposed rule amending Head Start Program Regulations to establish a system of designated renewal.  In this letter an appeal was made to ensure that high quality programs are not sacrificed at the expense of low-performing programs, the need to close the achievement gap and many other related issues. The article can be sourced at: http://nbcdi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Head-Start-Redesignation-Letter.pdf. 

I was unable to access the publication area, a donation is required.

Additionally, I realized that having a deficit budget may not be a negative thing since it will keep many persons – elderly children, families on the brink from experiencing sever hardship unlike if efforts are made to ensure that a balanced budget exists.  It would necessitate severe cuts in vital programs.  I am sure that early childhood would be one of those programs that will be sacrificed if it comes to that.  I believe that it is for reasons like these that serious efforts are not being made to make early childhood care and education compulsory by making universal preschool education a reality – free preschool education available to those who need it.

Reference

National Black Child Development Institute http://nbcdi.org

Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 2

 Once again I contacted Dr. Susan Lyon.  I posed the following questions to her and she was happy to share her views on the issues.

Which issues related to excellence and equity are at the forefront of professional discussions in your country? Why do you think those issues are at the forefront of discussion at this time.  How are you addressing one or two of those issues?

In my opinion both topics have been at the forefront in the US for a long time.  They are the issues that we must always be interested in for all the children in the world deserve excellence and access to education and the realization of their potentials.  In my work the Innovative Teacher Project (ITP) is more of a local project even though it is recognized nationally and several places have replicated the project in their own context.  This project is focused on quality and excellence in Early Childhood Education in all the schools in the network as well as including public schools that usually have more of a struggle for quality due to many requirement from the state licensing in California that have a low image of the child and their main concern is safety.  Also ITP is a project of professional development for teachers that is not always taken into consideration as a value and an essential in education.  We are experiencing difficulties with our state budget that impacts the $$ available to teachers for their participation in furthering their professional development.  Much of the existing professional development for teachers has been based in the image of teachers as empty vessels so we include alot of discussion time for teachers to dialogue and learn together... co-constructive approach this then hopefully translates to the children. 

In my work I always see working with teachers, administration, as a local, national and international endeavor as creating opportunities and initiatives to focus on excellence and access.   Here we have strong reference points both in the public and private sectors in preschools with multicultural families.

Am I to believe that the state of California is seeking to obtain more from the children than what is possible?  Are standards being forced down to the early childhood institutions in an effort to fulfill the requirements from the various assessments at the elementary level? Why does the state possess a low image of the child?

Our state is becoming test driven so yes things are being pushed down and assessments for teachers and children are on a high priority.  This is also driven by the state of California economy which is in bad shape.  Another issue is the low pay for teachers at every level.  Many are leaving the field because the salary is too low.  For ECE this is a real issue the salary is the lowest.  There is a new film that was shown at the International Film Festival called “American Teacher " by actor Matt Damon.  The film is about this issue of low teacher pay in the US.  The long researched view of children learning thru play especially 0-8 years old is still very controversial even all the brain research shows that children learn through play encounters with materials, objects etc and an interesting well thought out environment based on relationships.

The investment in the child is the most important investment we can make however when it is viewed thru a $ return this is where the words do not translate into action and the daily life of schools.  In San Francisco many private schools have been created to create environments for children that the parents believe in..  parents also bow to the pressures of the image of the child as an empty vessel filling their lives with many appointments after school violin, dance...etc later having hours of homework. In my opinion our fast paced life is rushing the children into adulthood and this is where the image of the child is a lens that must be explored.

Describe the additional information obtained from your international sources

It is quite unfortunate, sad and demeaning when one considers how persons like Marian Wright Edelman advocated for the field of early childhood to gain recognition and today that struggle continues in order to ensure that excellence and equity exist.  Many policy makers are paying little attention to what professionals in the field have been saying for years.  They possess little value of the child at this stage; they expect the best returns none-the-less with little investment in the field.  Greater focus must be given to our early childhood teachers – recognition, training and remuneration are only some of the areas which require immediate attention.  Teachers need support; they cannot do it alone if they are to meaningfully impact on the lives of the children and the families which they serve.

Sharing Web Resources

As I explored The National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) website: http://nieer.org/ the  section that held tremendous interest for me was the initiative section that focused on early childhood education, education, health & nutrition and literary.  Among the wealth of information available is an article that centers on Prek-3^rd in the education section.  The NBCDI with support from the Foundation for Child Development is pursuing a campaign to improve children’s chances at school through a series of policy initiative aimed at improving systems for children up to age 8.  Their aim is to make the transition process from preK to elementary school as smooth as possible to ensure continuity for children and families through child care as well as facilitate the seamless movement from high-quality preschool to high-quality elementary school.  This is critical in order to ensure that children educational path progresses along the course that will lead to higher achievement.  It is necessary to provide support to children and families especially those who may have started off with the odds set against them in order to improve their chances of success.

With regards to resources on the website that provided greater insight in child development , there are the Parent Empowering Project (PEP) and the Child Health Talk.  PEP is a great idea that effectively works in tandem with the efforts of the school to ensure that parents view themselves as their children’s first teacher.  By strategically planning empowerment projects for parents, it indicates that NBCDI understands Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model of human development (bronfenbrenner and Evans, 2000; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998).  The child forms part of that nested structure that should facilitate his/her successful development and since the school also constitute an arm of this structure and they are already on the path to promote children’s development then it makes sense to ensure that parents who are the other vital entity get on board. 

An article in the NBCDI’s quarterly publication Child Health Talk entitled: What Happens “Between the Covers’?  http://nbcdi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CHT-Spring-2011.pdf      where it is stated that low income children hear 30 million fewer words than higher income children by the time they are 3 years old so it is critical that low income children be immersed in books and spoken to in order to reduce its effect.  Low income families are so focused on their daily circumstances, they are unable to direct attention to issues that pertain to building self confidence and self-esteem which are contributors to higher achievement.  Teachers who teach children from low-income background must cater to address these children literary development since its consequences are devastating.  Parents need to be told of the various measures they can implement in order to reduce its effects.

In terms of additional information from the newsletter that added to my understanding of how economics support the early childhood field, here is a classic case. In an effort to encourage our children to eat healthy NBCDI in collaboration with Wal-Mart and other entities have implemented Project FUN (Families Understanding Nutrition).  They are attempting to convince one and all that “fighting obesity should be a family event where making healthy choices can be affordable and fun.” It is all features in the newsletter http://nbcdi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/CHT-Spring-2011.pdf  under the heading: Being Healthy is Fun.

In terms of seeking to acquire excellence and equity there is a literacy article, under the initiatives link entitled: Love to Read that is the National Black Child Development Institute’s (NBCDI) national early literacy public education initiative designed to build caregivers capacity so that they can improve children of color academic performance. The link http://www.rif.org/   takes you to an exciting page where children are provided with free books in order to awaken their curiosity for books.  The site is very attractive with cartoon like images and exciting resources to advance children of color development.

There is a wealth of resources available on this website.  There is a saying that goes like this: “The people perish for a lack of knowledge” I hope that will not be the case but we will all seek to share the information to all caregivers and others with vested interest in child development so that our children will achieve their fullest potential.

Reference
Keenan, T., & Evans, S. (2009). Theories of development. In An introduction to child development (pp. 35–43). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

National Black Child Development Institute  http://nbcdi.org/

Getting to Know Your International Contacts-Part 1

I have been fortunate to establish contact with Susan Lyon, one of the professionals listed in the podcast of the World Forum.  Susan Lyons initiated the Innovative Teacher Project in order to create meaningful dialogue among teachers in the context of their work… the school.  They use the school as a place of research and to learn through walking the environment with questions, discussion about specific topics all focused on creating high quality of ECE inspired by Reggio Emilia.  There is a network of schools where the directors of these schools also meet with her once a month to discuss ideas, challenges and learning from colleagues.  The roundtables once a month are a great resource to teachers for ideas, understandings between teachers and schools, common interest etc all having in mind the creativity and research with children that is so important.  The project offers 2x a year Fall and Spring professional development from educators from Reggio or the US that have expertise in areas of interest to teachers  for example... environment, materials, group learning, teacher as researcher, image of the child, parent involvement, documentation, collaboration, organization .... 

I also took the time to discuss with her the issue of poverty.  The following is what she had to say on the issue.

Is your work affected by poverty?

My work includes schools both private and public.  Several of our centers have children from low-income families.  I cannot really say specifically about poverty of the families but we know from the families many are struggling and have difficulties raising the children. 

If so, what measures have been instituted to assist families?

All schools provide breakfast and lunch.  Our solution is to provide the highest quality of care and education in the school for children and always include the dialogue with the families.  We pay close attention to the children in relation to their families.  The teachers plan many initiatives to include the families and this is very successful.  We want the families to feel welcome in the school and use it for dialogue and exchange. There are many different services in the schools that include a nurse, special education teacher and counselor.  However, these are not available in all schools. In my opinion the best measure that one can implement to arrest poverty is to create high quality school or center.

How is it working?

Use that concept of education based on relationship and with each child, each family we develop a strong relationship and in that hopefully the issues of poverty can be addressed ..isolation. 

Is there any other information, you will like to share?

Children in the school deserve interesting environments and engaging projects and play to combat the poverty in their home.  Poverty is not only $$ it is emotional and physical environment.  Our school environments are rich with materials and engagement with the children.  The school can become the place for the family as well as the children.  Maria Montessori created her method of the poorest children in Italy. 

Sharing My Thoughts

It is clear that Ms. Susan Lyons is deeply involved in changing the lives of children, families and by extension society.  I think she is strategically poised to effect change and meeting monthly with fellow professionals is a powerful strategy that will definitely improve practice.  We cannot do it alone so it is a great idea to adopt, utilizing best practices to impact teaching and learning. Poverty seems to affect us all in some measure.  I realize that the problems I encounter here in Tobago are not unique to us.  Ms. Lyons spoke of the unavailability of support services at some of the centers.  It indicates to me that as persons in the field of early childhood, we must be unrelenting in our advocacy drive for improvement in the services our children and families receive.  Providing for the emotional and physical environment is critical in order to minimize the effects of poverty and at the same time assist children in achieving their fullest potential. Moore, Redd, Burkhauser, Mbwana, & Collins (2009) noted that children in poverty are more prone to display behaviorial and emotional problems such as impulsiveness, disobedience and difficulty connecting with peers.

Reference

Moore, K. A., Redd, Z., Burkhauser, M., Mbwana, K., & Collins, A. (2009). Children in poverty: Trends, consequences, and policy options (Research Brief Publication No. 2009-11). Retrieved from Child Trends website: http://www.childtrends.org/Files//Child_Trends-2009_04_07_RB_ChildreninPoverty.pdf