Farewell-Time Well Spent

“Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one”. –Malcolm Forbes

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge“-Albert Einstein

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops”.– Henry Adams

“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.“-John Steinbeck

Thank you all for a great course. This course has taught me the importance of expecting unintended consequences and challenges in early childhood education. As an early childhood educator,  I must prepare for cirumstances that may or may not be within my control. My goal is to provide the best educational atmopshere for the children and staff and to assist children with the development of confidence, curiosity and imagination to reach their full potential both emotionally and physically.We will provide a warm, nurturing and safe environment that caters to each individual child and families needs. This course highlighted the goal to create an inclusive program enhancing the children’s awareness of, and respect for cultural differences,similarities, and abilities. This was a great group and I appreciate all of the feedback, suggestions, and comments. I wish you all the best of luck and continued success.

         

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

International Association of Special Education

The mission of IASE is to promote awareness and understanding of issues and developments related to the education and welfare of individuals with special needs throughout the world. They also work to promote professional exchange between professionals in special education, family members and organizations in related disciplines internationally.

http://www.iase.org/

CASE is an international professional educational organization which is affiliated with the Council for Exceptional Children whose members are dedicated to the enhancement of the dignity, potential, and uniqueness of all individuals in society. CASE asserts that those who receive special education services are individuals who have basic rights and responsibilities and command respect at all times.

http://www.casecec.org/

TASH (http://tash.org)

TASH is an international leader in disability advocacy for human rights and inclusion for people with significant disabilities and support needs. TASH works to advance inclusive communities through advocacy, research, professional development training, policy and information and resources for parents, families and self-advocates.

The above are three international organizations that interest me. Special needs and disability inclusion are worldwide issues. We tend to forget that other countries suffer with racism, inclusion, poverty and other issues that we debate so often on in the United States. These organizations work towards increasing levels of literacy, improving equity in school systems and improving support within mainstream schooling for students with special needs. Their goals are   to improve the quality of teachers and school staff and offer help to school leaders who are focusing on inclusion and overall school improvement.

There are several teacher openings for international positions. An international teacher is needed for core subjects but the listing stated if the qualifications and experience are related to the US school system, a school that employs a British National Curriculum (NC) is not the best option.

Most international schools have switched to the International Baccalaureate (IB)  curriculum. IB sets high standards and emphasizes creative, individual and critical thinking. IB encourages students to work together and learn from each other. I would love to work in this international atmosphere. My challenge is that I only speak one language and it would be very difficult to teach and communicate.  Being able to communicate effectively is key to teaching and understanding. Language comprehension is a critical skill needed for this position.

SC Communities of Practice

I chose three South Carolina communities that appeal to my interest in early childhood education. South Carolina First Steps exists as an agency to help children prepare for school. They work with families and head start programs to transition children into the elementary setting. I remember when I worked at an elementary school in the 4k room, the First Step Program donated a readiness backpack with crayons, glue sticks, scissors and reading material for children. Some of the children never held a crayon or owned a backpack and were very excited to receive both. I actually applied for a program assistant job with the First Step Program but budget cuts forced an internal shift to fulfill the position. http://scfirststeps.org/

The second organization is the Bair Foundation. The Bair Foundation Child & Family Ministries exists to provide quality care & services in a family setting for children and adolescents who cannot remain with their families. The primary mission of the program is to ensure the safety and well-being of foster youth and work towards reuniting them with their families.  This organization is a staple in the foster care community.  It began in 1967 by Mama and Papa Bair. They were adoptive parents but said that God spoke to them to expand and open their home to help more. I applied for a secretary position last year. Working as an substitute guidance counselor, I see many children who are in foster care under the Department of Social Services. The Bair Foundation is more close knit than DSS. They are able to form connections and find the best placement for the children. They offer family training and counseling that include their vision to offer Christ centered social services.   http://www.bair.org

The third community is the Hopewell Community Center. The community center is opened from 3 pm to 6 pm to assist parents who are unable to provide after school care for their children. The organization works closely with the local elementary school. The center closed for a couple of years because of budget restraints. They have reopened thanks to a generous donation from a local family. The center works with the University of South Carolina to help tutor children online with math and science questions. The director has a huge passion for helping families in need. The center is very hands on. They host events in the local library to showcase the work and progress of the children. I would love to work with this center. My program will not be able offer after school care but I would love to coordinate local fundraising and community events with the Hopewell Community Center.

The Department of Social Services of Chesterfield County has an opening in the Foster Care Department. The requirements including knowing the laws and statutes associated with the foster care program , a Master’s Degree and three years experience working with children. The Bair Foundation has an opening for an intake coordinator. This position involves recruitment, family screenings and referrals and placements.  A Bachelor’s Degree in social work or related field or a Master’s Degree in social work or a related field, along with 2 years experience working with at risk youth is required.

I chose these three communities because I have seen the services that they offer. They care about the progress of all of their children. There is an inclusive vision in each that responds to the needs of the individual and  highlights the nature of communities of practices.

 

Thank You!

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart”.

Nelson Mandela

Communication is an important aspect of education. This course has enhanced my prospective on the roles that communication and collaboration play in early childhood education. I have enjoyed all of the discussions, blog post, feedback, comments and suggestions. Thanks to all of my colleagues for making this Walden experience a success. I look forward to working with you all again in future classes. Best of luck and God speed.

Adjourning and Group Relationships

The adjourning phase is most difficult in high performing groups. When I worked at the elementary school, I was the Parent Volunteer Coordinator, Relay for Life Chairperson and Recreation Committee President. I loved the support from the children and the parents. I enjoyed seeing the children that I coached on Saturday morning walk into the office and talk about making their first free throw. Every Saturday morning I also worked with a group of parents on a fundraising committee. Our recreation department was very small and few children participated in basketball. Every year, I was drafting and recruiting 7-12 year olds to sign up. The committee held car washes, faculty vs. student basketball games, spring flings, carnivals, dunking booths activities, bake sales, and raffles. Our group worked hard to support the Recreation Dept and the town. Our efforts funded trophies for every child, a banquet dinner and all other basketball expenses. That year I also coached two baseball teams and my daughter’s softball team. I loved it!  It was easy to work with individuals who were dedicated to making the recreation dept. a success.

When I got divorced, we left the town and moved to another. I have joined several committees at the new school but the relationship is not the same. My involvement was subtle at first because the school didn’t seem very receptive to newcomers. I have slowly become more active. I do miss relationships that were formed at my old school and wish that I could do more here, but I feel limited. I am more active at my son’s school than my daughter’s. The parents are more concerned with name dropping and associations than working towards permanent goals that would benefit our children more. I still don’t feel like I fit into their “country club” society.  

 Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork. Adjourning allows us to take time to celebrate the team’s achievements. If the past experiences are positive, it becomes much easier to work with the group again. I have enjoyed being in all of my groups formed while working on my Master’s. The discussions have been very beneficial to my professional growth. When I log on to see which group I am in for the next class, I am excited to see familiar names. These groups have helped me to transition into a wonderful Walden experience. It is comforting to read responses that are similar and sometimes totally different than my own. I am thankful for the Walden relationships and adjourning will be difficult but rewarding because it will be the completion of a successful program.

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

The most recent conflict was with my ex-husband. We were married for 14 years and the one problem that we had was the way I handled conflict. We never argued around the children and whenever there was a big disagreement, I would walk away. He is an emotional person and I tend to let things roll off my back and move on. That has always bothered him. There were some things that I should have talked about instead of walking away from.  My responses during a conflict with him have changed a lot.  There is nothing in my life that warrants a hostile, irate, angry attitude that cannot be handled by God.  When he has something to say he expects the same loud, abrasive reaction.  That is not who I am. It bothers him more than he cannot get that same reaction from me.

It is easy to walk away from the colleagues or friends who want to argue, but it causes problems when it is a spouse.  I come from a family of passive people. I do believe that watching my mom’s relationship influenced my marriage. My step dad was the same way that my ex was. I vowed not to marry a man like him and I married one almost exactly like him.  At first, I thought that I was keeping peace in the family by walking away but now I know that he needed to hear how his rages and conflicts pretty much destroyed the marriage and my inability or unwillingness to talk about them did as well. My tongue is sharp and attitude quick, but I never argued for fear of disrespect of the marriage something I picked up from my mom. When I got divorced, she had a really hard time understanding how I could give up.  She said that divorces are not of God.  I love you mom, but I have since learned that God gave us common sense and he wants us all to be happy.

                I learned this week that during my marriage, I was an escapist. O’ Hair & Wiemann  (2012) suggest through escapist strategies people try to avoid direct conflict because they are afraid it would hurt the relationship. I never reciprocated and rarely responded and while thinking back it, I may have feared that the arguments would become physical.  The best compromise to the recent conflict was to just to say, “Be quiet and listen sometimes”.  I have always let him rant on and on but it was finally time for me to say, “Shut-up”.  The marriage is over and we are both to blame. I thought that I was being respectful of God, him and the marriage by not cursing and screaming as he did. There is a way to talk things over calmly but I have to make the effort to do so instead of always walking away.   I have become more vocal and able to peacefully say, “Listen and let me speak”.  The 3R’s will work great with the next relationship.

Reference

O’ Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Communication Evaluations

For this week’s assignment I was asked to consider similarities and differences between how I evaluate myself as a communicator and how others evaluate me. I asked my colleague and my best friend to do the evaluating. One thing that surprised me is that they both said that I am very quiet and laid back during formal and informal meetings and that some people may be offended when I’m quiet. My colleague is like a pit-bull in meetings. She never lets the suppliers finish a complete sentence without interrupting. She mentioned that she is trying to be a better listener but she doesn’t have time for suppliers who go on and on. I do realize that if I’m not conducting the meetings, I don’t engage much.  So is it better to be quiet and rude or interruptive and rude?

My best friend mentioned that my facial expressions never change when I agree or disagree with something. She says that my look is always stoic when I informally met new people but the frequent eyes rolling is a dead give a way when something appears senseless. She also said that sometimes my unwillingness to participate in conversation when I meet new people may seem rude. I will admit to being a bit standoffish when I meet new people informally.  I am not that way when I meet professionals. My best friend is the life of the party and I’m the chick in the corner not excited by much. While I was taking the test, I read the questions aloud. My son was listening and he said that I always cut him off when he talks, always corrects his grammar and I am an impatient listener. I agree with all of his comments. There is a difference between communicating with a supplier and listening to a 16 year old who thinks that the world revolves around girls, football and friends.

This assignment has made me more aware of the way others view my communication skills. I have been working on the eye rolling and body language. O’Hair & Weimann (2012) suggest our behavior generates feedback from others, which leads to our assessments of self-actualization, self-adequacy and self-denigration (pg.95). My ex was a professional athlete and I didn’t do well with the attention. He was always smiling and ready for the crowd. I thought that was just a part of his job, but that is his personality. I looked at some pictures that were taken years ago and my facial expressions are awful. I am a work in progress. I don’t want to be thought of as a rude person because I am quiet in meeting or because I don’t smile in pictures.

Reference

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. Chapter 2: “Perceiving the self and others”.  New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Different Ways to Communicate

Communication varies according to the audience. When I am speaking to my colleagues and suppliers, my verbal and nonverbal communication is professional. The communication is straightforward and to the point. There is little room for playfulness in conversation or demeanor. When I am communicating with my children, my words and actions are lighter but still strict and direct. We do joke around at times but my communication lets them know that I am mom and not a friend from school. I often see parents who are on the same level as their children and the discipline is lacking. I cannot judge them but I know what works in my household. When I am communicating with my friends, the laughs never end. I enjoy sharing my day and listening to them speak about theirs. We bounce complaints, advise on good and bad decisions, and talk about female topics in an informal way. All of my female friends hate sports and I am a sports fanatic.  When I want to talk about sports or catch up on NCAA scores, I have to call one of my male friends. Of course, that conversation has to be strictly about sports because he could care less about boots, dresses and sandals.

  One strategy I could use to communicate more effectively involves understanding verbal and nonverbal communication codes. Beebe, Beebe & Redmond (2011) suggest the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately depends whether you can understand each other’s verbal and nonverbal codes. With my colleagues, children, female and male friends I am able to adjust my communication and behavior suitable to the audience. My male friend is ready to slap high fives after a good sports play. When my female friends see me react to a sports game they think that I am crazy. My children know that when they play sports I will be in the stands screaming and yelling and they hate it. When it comes to sports I am very emotional. I would never react that way with my colleagues after closing a big deal with a supplier.

 A second strategy is managing my identity. O’Hair & Wiemann (2012) suggest the choices we make in our communication behavior are determined by the way we want others to perceive us. I wouldn’t wear a business suit to a sports bar to watch the NCAA tournament nor would I wear a basketball jersey to a business meeting with a supplier. I most always know my role and dress and play the part.

 A third strategy is learning not to stereotype. O’Hair and Wiemann (2012) state negative stereotypes make it easy to protect your own group’s attitudes and behaviors while abusing those of other people. I mentioned that I often see parents who do not discipline their children and they treat them as friends. My beliefs are different but I can’t judge or persuade others to believe as I do. One of my son’s friends talks to his mom in the most disrespectful way and she never says a word.  But when he is at my house, he is always polite and courteous. I would love to pull him to the side and tell him that his treatment and attitude toward his mom is unacceptable. I would never do that because he and his mom may both feel offended. I must learn that everybody has different ways to discipline and accept that some are more lenient than mine.

 References

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

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. Chapter 2: “Perceiving the self and others” (pp. 42-46).  New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Nonverbal Communication

 

For this assignment, I watched “Modern Family”. My daughter often flips through the channels and I saw a familiar face from the cast of an older show, “Married with Children” that I used to watch many years ago so I decided to view. I first watched the show with the sound turned off. The show stars three families, one dad and his children and families. The older dad is married to a sexy woman half his age, the daughter is married with three children and the son has a boyfriend and an adopted child.

In this episode, the families are having a yard sale for a school benefit. The yard sale is held at the dad’s house. The dad appears against the sale and everyone who wants to buy anything gets a killer frown. Mitchell (son) and Cam (boyfriend) seem tense over the sale of some jeans. Claire (daughter) and her daughter (Alexis) are arguing. Based on the ways in which they are communicating through eyes and heads rolling, jerking items from each other, flaunting of the hands, nail biting, folded arms and constant walk-offs there seems to be tension at the yard sale.

When I turned the sound on Jay (dad) was telling everyone to get out and leave. Mitchell and Cam were arguing over the sale of Cam’s “fat jeans” since he lost weight and Claire and Alexis were discussing Alexis’ boyfriend being gay. This show has a lot of things going on. I was correct that there was some aggression at the yard sale. Although all three families appear stressed at the yard sale, the episode ends with Jay’s wife Gloria performing a puppet show from her childhood. The puppet show is about a grumpy old man who hates and says no to everything. Claire and Mitchell say at the end that Gloria has married her puppet, their dad.

It would be harder to make assumptions about a show that I have been watching. I would already know the personality of the characters and probably could predict the body language messages. From this experience I learned that body language is the unspoken sensor for nonverbal communication. It is important that professionals monitor their body language norms and habits. What could seem harmless to us could ignite conflict and problems with others. I definitely have to work on my eye motions. When Mitchell was listening to Cam, the first thing he did was roll his eyes. It was a very familiar sight.

Effective Communication

One person that I admire as an effective communicator is my son’s football coach. I have always had a problem with coaches who scream and curse at athletes to get a point across. My ex husband was a professional football player and he often said that’s what it takes to make a boy an athlete and then a man. I totally disagree. Coach Kennedy is a mild mannered Christian guy and his players respect his calm disposition and demeanor. During time outs, Coach Kennedy is always telling the players to work hard and fight back. His messages are positive and encouraging versus downgrading. There is so much opposition with showing reverence to God in schools. Coach Kennedy quotes a scripture and always prays before and after each game.  He always reminds the players that it’s a blessing to be able to use the talents that God has given them. He makes sure they understand the power behind their ability. At the games I can hear parents complaining that the players are soft because the coach is weak. The team performed well this year and I am pleased that my son is transforming into a respectable young man first and athlete second. I would model his communication behavior. Children are impressionable and most respond to positive messages and praises versus negative comments and put downs.