Time Well Spent

My Deeply-Felt Learnings

1. I know this is going to sound cheesy but through my learning experience I have become a more focused and passionate person about the work that I do.  Not to say that I did not have passion at the start, but I can say that I got caught up in the woes of teaching.  I was more cautious then confident at the start of this program.  I was very introverted as a professional and had a very nearsighted vision of my professional development in the field.  I now have a vision for myself and how it fits in the early childhood education field.    
2. I am now more aware and educated on the topics, issues and trends that impact early childhood.  It may be embarrassing to say again but I had a very local view of the issues that associated with the early childhood field.  I was under the impression that the program I currently work for was a program of higher quality, I understood the fact that early childhood is always underfunded but I now have a source of understanding as to why and I am now the master of my own fate.  I have the ability to seek out my own professional development and research rather than waiting for it from my school or district. 
3.  The last thing I learned about were communities of practice.  They are the best way to build up and help an idea or project progress.  They are built on a common passion and stand upon good communication and collaborative skills.  All which I have gained better experience using through this program.  Thinking of working with a bunch of people on a project, to me, seemed like a bit of a nuisance but after reading the article by Wenger, I realized how to create a group of dynamic professionals to bring perspective, a fresh eye and experience on a topic.

My long term goal is to become a leader in the early childhood field, whether this be a principal or directors of a school.  Now I will begin to participate in the early childhood community as much as possible to nurture my passion, find my place in the field and to connect with other professionals.

A Farewell Message, or Not.
This program has opened my eyes to the early childhood field and also to how much I can do for young children and their families. I want to first thank our professors for creating a comprehensive program that lit the fire under us, while also holding us accountable for our role in the early childhood field.  Here at Walden we created a learning community that nurtured each others learning and I am so appreciative!  I want to especially thank my colleagues in this course because of their insight and the AHA moments you all created for me throughout this class.  The discussion boards were always full of so much new information and perspective.  I am a different kind of professional because of this program.  I have a vision for myself, the ECE field and I now know what I can do to make changes in my program.  You have all made this experience priceless for me. Thank you!


-Alyssa

International Jobs/Roles

Jobs/Roles Internationally

Save the Children is an organization that really connects with who I am as a teacher and as a person.  I feel that their mission and organization has a community that is strong, trustworthy and they are doing the right things to "save the children".  Save the Children not only has ties to the international community but they are advocating for the safety of children right here in the US.  This was pivotal for me because I do not see myself leaving the country to do volunteer or mission work as a teacher, but I am able to support the organization and be aware of their successes.  As an American there are many many children who are suffering domestically and something needs to be done as well.  The focus of this organization is similar to what I would focus on if I were to start my own non-profit school or organization.

UNESCO's mission for gender equality i caught my eye as well.  I would not call myself a feminist, but I am all for women empowerment.  Often the strength of women is underestimated and goes unrecognized due to societal norms.  UNESCO's view that gender equality could be one of the keys to peace is powerful.  As an organization they not only advocate for women's rights but they have programs in place to education women and train them.  In many cultures women are not allowed to go to school.  In America, we know that people can take a lot of things from you but your education is something they cannot take.  The lack of education leads to poverty and discrimination.  Gender-based equality rears its head also with laws against gender.

Be Social Change, is a community of practice that has the goal of developing and supporting entrepreneurs, consultants, speakers and other who want to impact social change.  Though they are not based from any international site, this non-profit aims to change the world.  This organization is a bit different from the others because they get their message out mostly through social media to connect with the younger generation of ideas.  I liked this organization because they focus on helping people to develop their brands and how to affect social change.

Center Director 
Program Administration and Coordination:

• develops and monitors center and staff schedules
• responsible for monthly safety checks
• responsible for investigation of any child or staff incidents
• takes lead and works with staff and parents to plan and carry out Family Nights and Parent Committee Meetings

Requirements
•Minimum - Associate's degree or higher in early childhood education, child development or related field
•One year supervisory experience preferred
•Previous Head Start/ Early Head Start experience preferred
•Knowledge of program planning and practices in infant/toddler and preschool center-based programs; thorough knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards and best practices related to early childhood education
•Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, children, parents and outside agencies
•Ability to oversee and operate the day-to-day program in compliance with all local, state and federsl regulations
•Good time management and problem solving skills
•Satisfy background checks, including fingerprinting (if required), TB screening results and initial health exam prior to employment
•Ability to drive with valid Driver's License and good driving record

References

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2011). Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/

besocialchange.org  

Jobs/Roles in ECE Field: National/Federal Level

Due to the great suggestions of Anne Copp (http://annecopp.blogspot.com/) I have been made aware of the program Three for Me from the website pta.org.  Not only would this program be great for the developmental stages of getting parents involved, but the website also offers a plethora of resources, programs and ideas to engage parents according to a school community's needs.  This is an amazing resource that I cannot believe I did not find!  There are branches of this organization all around the country and their urban family engagement network spans nationally as well.  They also have resources for advocacy for any topic that involves the educational field.

The Department of Human and Health Services is an integral part of state run preschool programs.  There grant opportunities and resources available to programs can allow for great information to be disseminated to parents during PTO/PTA meetings.  A partnership that helps provide services to low income families and help inform parents of readiness goals for their children entering kindergarten.

The US Department of Education has resources on their parent page for parents throughout their child's educational career but specifically for early childhood education.  They offer educational resources for parents to use, encourage parents to provide their children with a healthy start to life and educational facts and activities that parents can use to promote educational success for their children.

Job Opportunity
Director of Family Engagement and Support ***DREAM JOB****
The Director of Family Engagement Quality and Support provides policy level advice and assistance to the Executive Director of Family and Community Engagement related to the design, development and implementation of birth to age eight (8) and family engagement strategies to ensure that Division of Early Childhood Education (DECE) services meet the needs of children and families, and that families have the tools needed to be effective partners in their children’s education.  The Director of Family Engagement Quality and Support will be responsible for managing key programs and staff, developing and maintaining a cohesive family engagement and communications strategy for internal and external stakeholders, and identifying partnerships to support and enhance early childhood programming. The Director will work closely with the Executive Director in creating strategic planning and policy decisions that impact DECE efforts citywide. Performs related work.

Qualification Requirements
Minimum:

1. A master’s degree from an accredited college in a field related to the position and three (3) years of full-time progressively responsible professional experience in education administration in one or more education-related areas, at least eighteen (18) months of which must have been in a managerial capacity; or
2. Graduation from an accredited college with a baccalaureate degree and four (4) years of full-time progressively responsible professional experience, as described in “1”; or
3. A satisfactory combination of education and/or experience which is equivalent to “1” above including teaching experience towards meeting the general experience in “1” above; however, all candidates must have the eighteen (18) months of managerial experience.

Preferred:

• MSW, MEd, MA, MBA or MPA degree.
• Excellent project management capabilities – able to manage multi-faceted projects with complex deliverables.
• Five (5+) years of experience in social work administration.
• Prior knowledge of and experience in education and/or government.
• Experience with strategic planning, project management, and its implementation.
• Experience in carrying out analysis, needs assessment, process mapping, and functional analysis.Self-starter and creative problem solver who focuses on creating solutions.
• Capable and detail-oriented multi-tasker who can prioritize and remain professional in demanding situations.
• Ability to learn quickly and succeed in a rapidly changing environment.
• Strong analytical skills and data presentation skills.
• Ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to prepare written documents and to make oral presentations clearly and concisely.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues at all levels of the organization.Demonstrated team player capable of resolving organizational roadblocks.
• Ability to communicate and disseminate knowledge to field personnel, school personnel, parents, students, and central office staff, while complying with confidentiality requirements in local, state, and federal policies and statutes.
• Talent for listening, asking effective questions, and synthesizing information.
• Ability to engender trust and maintain confidences.
• Internal candidates preferred.

References
http://www2.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml
ptatoday.org
www.hhs.org
https://nycdoe.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjob&jobid=214846&company_id=15651&version=1&jobBoardId=1112

Exploring Roles in the EC Community: State and Local

 My Role in the Early Childhood Community

The first state agency I found to be appealing is the State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC).  This agency advises and assists the Department of Health (the lead agency) and provides leadership towards achieving the vision and goals of the New Jersey Early Intervention System (NJEIS).  The SICC provides a forum for families, early intervention service providers and the entire early intervention community to meet and share information and ideas for enhancing and improving coordinated services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.  I chose to take an interest in this state agency because it advises the state intervention services while also taking into account the families that it is helping.  Families and others are able to speak up at meetings that are held every other month and it addresses issue with the NJEIS. 

The next organization that I found is Community Coordinated Child Care (CCCC).  It is a non-profit based in Union County, New Jersey.  The organization is a a resource and referral agency that provides referrals for wrap-around services, CCCC works with parents, community, business, and government. CCCC helps parents find services to help them. The agency helps the early childhood centers and family child care providers by giving training and other help to improve their programs.  I chose this center because it not only is a resource to families but to the providers that they recommend to families.  They also offer teacher training and workshops for centers.

Advocates for the Children of New Jersey is a non-partisan advocate for children.  They work with state and local officials to promote the well-being of all children.  The goal is to influence public policy and implement changes that will benefit New Jersey's youth.  A main advocacy for early learning is that early childhood education is aligned from Pre-k through 3rd grade.  I chose to speak about this organization because it is a community that is not just looking to affect early childhood education on one issue there are other issues of children's health, high-quality care and access to care that high on their priority list.  

Bright Horizons: Associate Director 
This a job opportunity that would help me gain experience as on a leadership team, while also inspiring and helping to train teachers.  

The Associate Director position will provide several months of training throughout the New York City region, shadowing another Director while floating and visiting centers in the area. The position will then settle into one of our current or upcoming new centers as a center Director.  While I know that I have to gain more experience as an educator to become an associate director, I find this listing as motivation!

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Education required, Masters preferred. Certification in N-6, B-2, 1-6 or Special Education is required, study plan eligible is considered
• 3-5 years of management/leadership experience
• A combination of infant, toddler or preschool teaching experience
• Well versed in NAEYC accreditation and licensing standards
• Strong leadership, supervisory and customer service skills and ability to create/maintain partnerships with families and staff
• Ability to lead staff in implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum
• Strong organizational and communication skills and the ability to handle multiple tasks or crisis situations effectively
• Capacity to understand and manage center financial duties
• Computer literacy
• Experience working in an inclusive work environment and managing across differences
• Must meet state educational and licensing requirements for director; additional center/school requirements may apply

 
 
 
  

References

http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/eis/sicc.shtml

http://www.ccccunion.org/page_1_aboutus.html

http://acnj.org/issues/child-health/

https://sjobs.brassring.com/tgwebhost/jobdetails.aspx?partnerid=25595&siteid=5216&jobid=368854

What's the Word-le?

My Wordle =-)

Thank you All...It's been real =-)

Over the past eight weeks we have all had some "AHA" moments about how we personally communicate and what measures we can take to become better listeners.  I have enjoyed, as always, reading all of your discussion and blogs pertaining to communication and collaboration. 

I am early in my career and the veterans I have met on this journey have really given me insight and motivation to keep pressing forward.  Everyone's blogs have really made a difference in my educational experience and has made me a better teacher, advocate and student. 

I want to thank you all for being a part of my journey and I look forward to learning with some of you in a couple of weeks!!! I hope everyone enjoys their week off!

Alyssa
email: glenn06@gmail.com
or
find me on Goggle+

Adjourning from TeamWork

Adjourning from TeamWork

Adjourning has never been too difficult for me.  I would say the only time saying goodbye was difficult was when I worked at a camp for the first year.  The comrade between the group developed at the trainings prior to the start of the program.  Our solution to dealing with this part of the group development process is to keep in contact through social media.  Each year there are counselors that come back, but there are also new ones that come and become a part of the team.  The return counselors are paired with new comers and expected to "show them the ropes".  This particular group has definite established rules because we are working with children.  Those who do not follow the protocols usually get reported because it is important to keep the students safe on a college campus. 

I have definitely have a sensitive spot to those I have started this program with or have been in several classes with.  The Blog Assignment and Discussion parts of this program have really been an asset to understanding and learning more about other students. 

Adjourning is an essential phase of teamwork because it allows us to reflect back on what mistakes were made, how the project could have gone smoother and also establish friendships/relationships for future team situations. 

"All good things must come to an end."

Communication and Conflict

Communication and Conflict
 

Professionally there have been some disagreements between the administrative departments that oversee preschool in my building.  On one hand, the preschool staff is directed by the early childhood department located in another building.  The early childhood department provides professional development, a PIRT team for strategies, a master teacher for each preschool team and gives us a budget for school supplies.  On the other hand we are given directives to follow the procedure of the administrators in our building.  Often our building administrators and the early childhood department are not on the same page about the activities and teaching that is going on in the classroom.  This creates frustration, confusion and a bit of chaos during evaluation time.

During conferences and meeting with our administrators as a preschool team we bring up the fact that the lack of cohesion between our evaluators and the early childhood department is causing some confusion for us when planning and also we are concerned about the proficiency of our evaluation because of the discontinuity.

The first strategy I can use in a situation like this is a cooperative strategy.  Coming together, discussing the issues and making a plan on how to fix the issues.  A compromise would not really deal with the matter at hand.  But cooperatively, we can work out the miscommunications while also making a plan for better communication in the future. 

The second strategy would be an distinctive line of the allocation of power.  Though the administrators in the building have the last say, many of the policies that they enact are developmentally inappropriate and unachievable for preschool classrooms, teachers and students.  Through the allocation of power the two departments and the preschool team has a chain of command and we will also know where to go when particular situations arise.

References

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. Pgs. 219-245. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Communication Evaluation

I think that the variation of differences in the scores for the tests all depend on who takes which test.  Some of the tests require someone who has been with me in certain settings to have experienced situations that would show my personality and reactions.  My mother evaluated me with many more situations to draw upon.  My coworker was sometimes asking me what I prefer because she has never been in a situation were I was verbally aggressive or angry.  One thing is that I evaluated myself more harshly than everyone around me.  That is a good thing, but my parents are always telling me that I am too hard on myself. 

It is not that I did not know that I am a direct person when talking to people, but as I have gone through the courses in this program and some conversations between my family, I have become more empathetic and sympathetic to the way I approach parents and people in general. 

Personally my family and boyfriend feel that I am critical when speaking to them but I am a great listener.  My coworker feels that I am sympathetic and engage in positive conversations with colleagues and parents.  The differences speak to the my self-concept and how I view others as well as the differences in environment.

Communicating with ALL

In undergrad, the education dept. gives teachers insight to how to appropriately deal with families from different backgrounds to parents who are just difficult.  Unfortunately, some of those tactics can only go so far.  I learned through hands on experience how to really communicate with the families that I work with.  I had to realize for myself that not all parents are just thinking about what is best for their child.  Though there are only a select few who operate this way, the demands can really ruin your day.  So my first strategy is to calm them with kindness.  Dealing with frustrated parents has hurt my feelings many times, but when I look at their perspective, they are reacting to hurt as well. 

When communicating with children, there are many different strategies to employ.  It depends on if the child is sensitive, aggressive, a go getter, a child that refuses to try things by his or herself or if the student has never encountered a specific situation before.  I have received about 3 new students in the past month.  This is difficult in Pre-k because when they come in most know little to nothing about self-regulation and academic information.  I have really had to adjust my mindset and approach when going all the way back to September information about information, like colors and drawing a picture.  In this situation patience is a virtue.

When communicating with co-workers and professionals, it is important that my tone is calm and understanding.  It is imperative that professionals sense an open mind.  Many people have many different views on certain topics but sometimes as a educator you have to know when to speak up and when not to.  It is a finesse to understand how to work the system.  Sometimes you have to play the game, instead of always trying to make your voice heard when no one wants to listen. 

Verbal and Non-verbal Communication

The Housewives of Atlanta

I decided to watch the housewives of Atlanta on bravo for this assignment.  If you havr never seen this show, its about affluent wives of Atlanta, Georgia that are "friends".  Most of the show contains women arguing, hanging out, doing some type of charity and being housewives.  

As I began watching, it was really difficult not to turn on the volume.  The first scene was the women meeting at the airport on their way to somewhere.  They all seemed excited to be there.  They gave hugs, there were smiles and their husbands were dapping each other up and it seemed that they were telling each other jokes, from the way they were laughing.  The show then cut to when they were at the hotel.  One of the women, Nene, was rolling her eyes and gave another cast member a fake hug when she arrived.  The part of the show that showed the most amount of communication was at the dinner table.  All of the couples from the airport were there and two other couples as well.  The dinner received about 10 min of airtime.  For the first part of the dinner everyone was laughing and talking with each other.  Then, one of the husbands seemed to direct his questions at one of the women across the table from him.  Through body movements, facial expressions and gestures I was able to conclude that the male, Peter, was questioning the other lady, Porsha, about something.  As I looked at her answering him, she was flustered, it looked that she was speaking in a loud tone but not yelling and she was using her hands while she was speaking.   

As the dinner continued there were shots of the dinner party members making confused faces, others having side conversations in low tones voices, and hand gestures telling others to stop or to show if they were getting all worked up.  

Without the sound I assumed that everyone was friends and they were all taking a trip.  Come to find with the sound that, many of them do not like each other made clear through Nene eye roll earlier in the show.  The show culminated at the dinner at the end.  Come to find out the couples were separated from their significant other around the table to stimulate conversation and avoid conflict.  Because this show is reality TV, I feel that I was able to get the gist of the show and its cast.  If I was watching a show that I knew I would probably not have needed to turn on because I might have been able to figure out the plot through what I previously knew.  

I learned that I was mostly right about what I was viewing with and without the volume.  This tells me that non-verbal communication is a big part of communication.  It has also shown me that without listening you can miss large parts of what people are trying to communicate.

Competent Communication

The person that I know that exhibits competent communication is my principal.  She is very knowledgeable, she has many years of experience and through my 3 years of teaching she has been able to give me mentoring, without making me feel incompetent. 

The first thing I would say that she does well is, when she is listening to you she looks right at you.  She validates the conversation by answering during the conversation.  Secondly, the demeanor in which she communicates is respectful.  She thinks deeply about the words she intends to use.  There have been some situations in which I have had to communicate unfortunate news to a parent and it did not go well.  She explained to me that no matter how disturbed or irritated I am with a parent or their child that I must always be empathetic, even if the parent tries to "engage" with me.  Lastly, she has a relationship with each of her teachers.  This aspect is important the person that you are communicating with must know that though you may be delivering some bad news, you are still being respectful.

No one is perfect but my principal is respected and I feel that she has communicated well with me over the years.  

Professional Hopes and Goals

One goal that I have for myself is to have better communication with families from diverse backgrounds.  In a district where is there is not alot of diversity, it is easy to become set in your ways of dealing with young children and their families.  I have always struggled with the way I speak to people.  I often say what is on my mind and depending on the type of person they may be offended or thankful for my honesty.  As I have grown in my past three years of teaching, my goal is to keep growing, not loose my vision and become a better communicator.  I am an early childhood educator because I want to educate and help young children and their families.

My goal for the early childhood field is a local one.  I would want the EC community where I work to better address the diversity that we do encounter.  This a small step of printing notices in multiple languages, having ELL staff and translators for conferences are just the details but so important to addressing diversity. 

I would like to thank all my colleagues this semester for their insight and contributions to the learning community.  Many of you have different perspectives and I am appreciative because your perspectives have helped me to grow as an educator.  Good luck and God Bless to all on their journey!

-Alyssa Glenn

Welcoming a Family from Japan

A Family from Japan

 

I chose to have my family come from Japan.  

Ways to be Culturally Responsive:

1. Research the culture.

2. Invite the family into the classroom.  I will need to better understand the Japanese culture, when it comes to education.  I read on the CIA website that the most followed religions are Shintoism and Buddhism.  This will make celebrating holidays and events very foreign to my new student.  Christianity and Judaism are the most acceptably celebrated by schools in America and our calendar follows the events of each religion accordingly.  To be prepared I will need to know what holidays they do or do not celebrate and understand their values so not to offend them (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html). 

3.  Two-way communication in response to family's spoken language.  First I must find out if the child and parents speak English.  If this is not the case, information for the parents have to be translated.  If I must speak with parents in a conference, I will also need a translator. 

4. When in class I will have a few key words and phrases that will allow me to communicate with the child and that they will learn over time.  This will help with continually trying to integrate the student's culture in the classroom. Also, learning phrases that the child speaks it important as well.  It is key to have rituals and routines for this child to begin to understand what to do in a non-verbal way. 

5. Develop creative and alternative ways for student to show what they know and what they have learned (NAEYC, 2009).   In America, teachers single out students to make them more comfortable and develop a relationship with them in the ECE field.  In Japan, education is focused on the group and all the teachers are cohesively teaching the same thing (http://japanese.about.com/od/japaneselessons/a/061000.htm). Through observation of play and small group interactions from student to student and teacher to student I will be able to better understand how to support the student.

My preparations will benefit me and the family because they will see that I am making a concerted effort to include their child and understand their differences.  Hopefully the parents will feel supported rather than excluded from the culture of the classroom.  This will better the student's relationship with their peers and teachers.  Also, it will help the student transfer from home to school easier because their will be similarities between the two. 

References

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2009). Where we stand on responding to cultural and linguistic diversity. 

http://japanese.about.com/od/japaneselessons/a/061000.htm

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ja.html

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

As I went through this week, I cannot recall a situation where a microaggression occurred.  But recently in the news there has been controversy over a statement made by Phil Robertson of the A&E show "Duck Dynasty". 

 

(Some light humor)

As many of you know there has been a situation with one of the cast members from the show "Duck Dynasty".  A show about a family from the south that made an empire from building duck whistles.  The patriarch of the family came out with statement claiming that black people were happier when they were in the cotton fields.  He claimed, he always heard them singing while working and he never heard them complain.  REALLY???? Also in his rant he goes on to insult gays as well.  He compares homosexuality to bestiality.  Robertson's remarks are outright racist, homophobic and ignorant of reality.  He has literally hit each form of microagression with his statement. 
The CNN article:  http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/19/showbiz/duck-dynasty-suspension/

When I heard the comments that he made, I was immediately offended.  First, because I watched (past tense) the show.  Second, because he is not only going against what the Bible says by judging people and showing hate, but he is perpetuating the stereotype that Christians feel they are better than others.  The biases that he has inherited from his family members about African Americans and gays are completely off base and shows that the suppression of different groups of people is still happening in the modern world (especially in the south). 
Because of these comments I no longer watch the show. 

There have been many many other cases and situations like this in the media where race, religion and homosexuality have become a large part of politics topics and debates.  As mentioned in week 2 of the course.  It is important to address differences and not sweep them under the rug.  Invalidating situations such as this can be detrimental to the future of this country and its youth! I can guarantee that.  The comments show that there is still work to be done when it comes to accepting people who are different.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

One of my best friends, she is a Chinese American.
She explains: Diversity can include anything that makes an individual different from the larger group.  Such as race, ethnicity, religion, disabilities, etc.  It can also include things such as how people dress and people's values.
Culture can include family history and the lineage of their ancestors.  It can also be developed from the environment a person is raised in. 

A Portuguese American co-worker.
She explains: Diversity in a classroom is the presence of different types of people/students in the classroom.  Diversity is the mixtures of different types of people in one place. 
Culture is the customs and values that a person or group of people have.  Culture explains people behaviors, its their religion, what they wear and explains how they think about themselves and other.

An African American male:
He explains: Diversity is different types of people.
Culture is someone's customs.

How interesting it is to see the definitions by women and the simplistically thought definition by a man.  Each person's definition was pretty much on the right track to all the information we have learned about in this course.  None of the people I interviewed spoke about culture and diversity influencing the identity of a person.  My Chinese American friend did touch on the environment that a person is raised in as an element of their culture.  In Ngo's (2008) article Beyond "Culture Clash" Understandings of Immigrant Experiences he explains culture and identity as dynamic.  Identity is constructed by the social relations at play in a person's life.  Thus culture has to do with an person's identity as well as their environment.  Each participant touched on surface culture, the differences between people, their family and ethnicity.

Overall, putting together the definitions of my peers was the summation of my definition of culture and diversity before this course.  They each have listed an aspect of culture and diversity but I now know that each is simple to understand but quite complex to explain.  It is important that when thinking about these topics, you have an open mind it is also important to have an idea of your own culture and self-identity. 

My Family Culture

 

If I had to leave my home and country I would take:

1. I would take my Bible.  There are many places where having individual religious beliefs are unacceptable.  If I am unable to get a Bible or even let it be known that I am Christian, it will serve as a way to stay connected to my religion.

2. I would bring family photos.  Most of my free time is spent with family, friends and loved ones.  If there is a possibility that I may never see them again, pictures will be somewhat helpful for all the memories.  The memories will remind me of the good times we had and also all the places we traveled together in America.

3. I would take my computer.  Hopefully they have WiFi where I am going.  My computer has the past 10 years of my life on it.  Along with photos, grad and undergrad work, and my work as a professional this computer stores, electronically, the other items I chose to bring.

If suddenly, I was only allowed to bring one item it would be my computer.  Though each of these items are not overtly a symbol of the dominant culture, they are special to me and represent the culture that I was brought up in. 

Through this assignment I have realized that how, as individuals, we define ourselves can change each day, month or year.  The person I am not is not the person I was 2 years ago.  The dominant culture can be defined by those who dare to change it. 

Reflection: When I Think of Research

I made it! Yaaaaaaay!

Research is a complex process, but it seems that its a process once learned, each time I will get better and better at conducting it.  Though I have only explored the intensity of research for eight weeks, it seems just as a daunting task as it did the first day of the class.  Only now, I have the right tools and mindset to complete it with reliability, transparency, validity and equity.  It is interesting how much self-reflection and self-awareness is necessary to conduct research. Its so important for a reaearcher to know how their personal stake in the research could possibly alter its validity if it is not recognized and addressed.  Design and planning are so essential to the process of research because without them, research data and results can be challenged and question fo validity. 
Some challenges for me were finding the correcr type of research to meet the content of my research.  Also I had to think of ways to not make the trial and error part of the data process not redundent.  I rectified this by adding online elements to the questionnaires and surveys given to parents.
As an early childhood professional I have become more versed different aspects of the field.  I also know how to question and read research that I am reading. 

I would like to thank my colleagues for a great semester.  All of your comments, insights and questions have made me a better professional! Happy Holidays.

Research Around the World

Early Childhood Australia (ECA) is an advocacy organization for young children.  One of the first things I saw when I logged on to their site is that they are advocating for children with disabilities to have quality education.  This organization is very much so one that provides vital information to educators and families.  They reach out to families and educators through webinars, membership and newsletters and the reporting of daily endeavors with the government.  This organization also publishes an early childhood journal call the Australasian Journal of Early Childhood which is the longest running early childhood journal to date. 

Quality support from the government seems to be an issue brought up in the section of Early Childhood news.  As the government a fund wage increase for early childhood workers there is great celebration, but the uncertainty of these funds in the near future still causes anxiety among the early childhood field.  These funds are a big step toward hiring more qualified workers and sustaining quality it early education.  This is another step in ECA's advocacy for quality reforms for education.  After further investigation of the website and reading more recent newsletters, the funding promised was revoked by the government this November saying it was "inequitable" and that they are reviewing the funding bill. 

Another issue is making early education affordable, flexible and available to all.  This topic is definitely an issue that many parents in America can relate to.  Only have early childhood care for those in poverty or those who can afford it for their children is not allowing access to all young children.  In an August media release, it states that the lack of investment in early education is affecting children later in school and also addresses that there are strong economic benefits to investing in early education. 
 

An insight I gained is that the fight for early childhood education is long from over or nearing it end.  When I entered this field I thought it was a developed, support field just like elementary education.  But my assumption was far from the truth.  The understanding and commitment to early childhood education is just at its beginning stages.  No matter where you are on this earth, there are teachers and advocates fighting for the rights of young children, their families and the right to affordable, quality early education. 

Research the Benefits Children and Families

Imagine that you possess the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field. Imagine further that you are not restricted by the reality of the present. Imagine that your study will make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families. What topic would you choose? What can you imagine the positive contribution(s) would be?

If I could contribute to the early childhood community with any research topic it would be to improve quality.   The quality of early childhood education, I feel, is the foundation for all other research.  Whether looking into research on ELL, accountability, economics, assessment, access, or teachers, quality outcomes for programs, young children and families are all related.  
A quality program has many many elements.  There are studies that claim that quality early education is scarce and I take a personal offense to that (EQUIP,2013).  There are many elements to a quality program such as teacher education, curriculum, the environment, funding, community outreach, etc. As quality continues to be questioned in recent years, I would want my positive contribution to be a clear understanding of early childhood quality.  As most early childhood educators know it is difficult to put ECE in a box.  Its elements are non-traditional, require teachers to have a different type of relationship with their students (compared to grade 1 and up).  Also I would want to help improve the quality of early childhood education in New Jersey.

References:

nieer.org

Alexandre, J.M.Y, Makow, N. Jung, K., Barnett, W. Steven. (June, 2013) Essex Infant/Toddler Quality Improvement Project (EQUIP). National Institute of Early Education Research (NIEER).