FINAL BLOG

I guess you would consider this the adjourning phase of our course and therefore I want to begin by thanking each of you for your encouraging words through our discussions and our blogs.  It has contributed greatly to my growth with knowledge and understanding, but has given me a new window in which to view the work that I do.  Having another persons perspective on how to address situations, opportunities, and working together with others can shed light on the things that you are doing right and those that need to be changed.  It is amazing how communicating with others can impact the way you see them and they see you in developing relationships.  I want to encourage my colleagues to continue reaching for your next level in the field of ECE. I hope that I have made some small contributions during this course that may have been beneficial to you in some way. You each have so much to offer our families and children to enable them to succeed.  I want to wish you continued success and I hope to meet up with you again in a future course.

My contact information is:

eliza.west@waldenu.edu

westeliza@hotmail.com

TEAM DEVELOPMENT - ADJOURNING PHASE

           I had an opportunity to work with a group of professionals on a project that involved working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Since I have a son with Autism, I was especially interested in working with this support group and preparing different educational and research studies about the difficulties families face when they have a child with this disorder.  I was also a part of a study group with colleagues while in college working on my first Master’s Degree.  I think that of all the groups I have been involved with, these are the two that were the hardest to adjourn from.  When developing a team of individuals, with common goals, outlooks and visions, it makes it easy to secure that commitment to work together to obtain a desired outcome or goal.  It was easy to work with the group and families of children with ASD because we all had similar experience, some more intense and overwhelming than others, but regarding of the enormity of the situation, they all have an impact on the family and this is what drew us all together.  

           The group that was formed with my colleagues from school became a bond because we each were trying to achieve the same goal, successfully completing the program.  We began the process together as a group of 30 and after the first semester, we became 17 and we each work together, studied together, commiserated together, and celebrated together at graduation.  It was because of this bond that even after we each went our separate ways, we continued to keep in touch.  O’Hair & Wiemann (2012) noted that team members may opt to maintain friendships even if they will no longer be working together.  Abudi (2011) found that it is likely that any group that reached Stage 4: Performing will keep in touch with each other as they have become very close knit group and there will be sadness at separating and moving to other projects independently.  This was the case with both of these groups with which I became closely involved.

            The groups of colleagues in which I have been working with in this Master’s Program have given me insight into their lives some personal and all professionally that has allowed me to get to know them.  Some, whom I began the program with, last year, have given me essential feedback and encouragement that has meant more to me than they realize.  I feel that I have made so lasting professional and a few personal friends that share a vision of creating a more caring, socially conscious and professional group of educator to ensure that our children and families attain personal and academic success.  I look forward to the adjourning of our group because by then we will have seen our vision come to a successful end in one instance and a beginning in another.

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., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York:

            Bedford/St. Martin's.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

          I have not been involved in any conflicts recently with any supervisors or colleagues, but in my personal life, I did have a disagreement with my daughter regarding a trip which she wants to take in December.  I am aware of the fact that she is an adult and that she no longer lives in my household, but I still feel that in some cases it is necessary to give her my opinion even if she does not accept it.  She asked if I would assist her with a ticket to go to LA to visit a male friend of hers.  She has never taken this type of trip before and she really does not know as much as she should about the young man she is going to visit.  I felt that if he was interested in her visiting him, he should offer to pay for her ticket and her hotel room.  She has not known him very long and most of their conversations have taken place on the phone because he travels a lot and because of where he lives.  He is in the entertainment field and this concerns me even more.  She was not happy to hear what I said and because of this she was upset and felt that I was wrong in my suspicions and my request.  I was raised in the old school that said if a man wants to have a relationship with you, he should do the pursuing.  I stated to her that, because she is an adult, she has to make the decision of what it is that she wants to do and that I would respect her choice even if I don’t agree with it.  I also made it clear that if she decided to go, she would have to be responsible for her expense because that is what adults do.

            By using honest expressions of Nonviolent Communication (n.d.), it allows us to reframe the way we express ourselves and listen to others by focusing our consciousness in the areas of what we are observing, feeling and needing and what we are requesting to enrich our lives.  When speaking with my daughter, I was able to express myself while still listening to her reasoning as to why she should still go on the trip.  I also acknowledged that I respected her feelings and her need to make a decision independent of me and my thoughts or opinion.  I also listened empathetically to her by recognizing her feelings and the fact that as an adult she has the right to decide what is best for her.

 

            I would love to have the opinions of my colleagues about what I should do in this situation?   

Reference:

The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (n.d.). The center for nonviolent communication. Retrieved 

          from http://www.cnvc.org/

Communication Skills

What is the one thing that surprised me the most? Why?

The one thing that surprised me the most about this week’s assignment is how each of the people that I had to take the test found that my communication skills were so very similar to the same results I generated from the test.  There was less than a 5 points difference in each of the areas and in one of the areas, Verbal Aggressiveness, all of the scores were the same and that really was surprising.  I realize that if I was younger, the scores would have a greater variance than it does today because of maturity and knowledge gained over the years. 

What other insights about communication did I gain this week?

I realized that even if I don’t interact the same with my colleagues as I do with my family, it’s refreshing to know that they see a lot of the same traits in me as far as communication skills. I am glad that I exhibit many of the same communication skills with my family as I do with colleagues and co-workers.  The colleague that took the test is someone that I interact with on a professional level, but not on a daily basis.  When taking the test, I knew that he was aware of my work ethics on the job and when I am presenting at training and it is great to know that I am able to communicate well with others. 

How might 2 of these insights inform my professional work and personal life?

These three tests allowed me to see whether or not others felt that I communicated with them the same way as I felt that I communicated with them.  I know that I try to listen as well as I communicate, but if others don’t feel that about you, then it lets me know that I need to work on my communication and listening skills.  The test did not reveal any significant areas that I wasn’t already aware of, but I know that there is always room for improvement and I will continue to work on those areas.

Ways of Communicating

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

I do feel that I communicate differently with people of different cultures but it is not based on ethnicity, but more about social situations.  I don’t speak to people differently because of their cultures because the same way I speak to my African American friends, I speak the same way to friends who are Caucasian and Latino.  I know people of diverse cultures both on and off the job who I interact with quite often and we get together in social situations.  Many of them I met while attending school and not only do we interact as adults but also through our children. We have found that we have a lot in common and that is what draws us closer together.  The area where the difference occurs is on the job or in a professional capacity.  The communication that I have with diverse cultures on the job is of a more professional that personal nature because of the setting and the occasion in which the communication is taking place. 

·         If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

I realize that when I am working, I communicate differently with those on the job and when I am at conferences or presenting at a conference.  On the other hand when I am among friends off the job or in a social gathering of close friends and family, I communicate differently.  Vuckovic, (2008, p.54) also found that when we produce a response in a social communication, we are influenced by our culture, perceptions, social role, identities and our personality. I feel that I’m not as careful or concerned about the way I speak or what I say in social situations as I am on the job.  I like to be myself regardless of where I am and I always want to be the kind of person who is approachable to anyone I know or meet, but I am aware of the different hats that I wear both on and off the job. 

When I am communicating with diverse cultures in a professional manner I must always be cognizant of the family background, traditions, and most of all their cultural beliefs.  My role professionally and personally each influences my social identity and how I am viewed by others with whom I interact with daily.  Vuckovic (2008) noted that our personal and social identities influence all our communication behavior, even though one may predominate in a particular situation.

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

I feel that becoming other-oriented which is the process of focusing on others rather than yourself is a process which would enable me to be a more effective communicator.  This process includes social decentering – taking into account the other person’s thoughts, values, background, and overall perspective; empathy – an emotional reaction that is similar to the one being experienced by the other person and the last one of adapting my communication – which is to adjust your behavior to others to accommodate differences and expectations. (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2011).

References:

 Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to

            others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Vuckovic, A. (2008). Inter-cultural communication: A foundation of communicative action.

Multicultural Education and Technology Journal, 2(1), 47–59.

Communication in Action

For this assignment I watched an old episode of the Roseanne show, which is a I have never sat down to watch.  I was never really interested and I don’t watch a lot of television.  In this episode Roseanne was in a salon and was given a birthday cake and asked to make a wish, which she did and preceded to blow out the candles.  There was more verbal interaction between she and the other ladies of the shop and they seem to ask her what was her wish.  She smiled and looked as though she did not want to tell them and she left to shop to go home.  At home she was reading from a tablet that looked like it was hers from her high school days and the children seem to make fun of what she was reading.  She decided to put the book back into her box of memorabilia and put it away because she was ashamed.  She them began to cook dinner and while doing so, her children looked as though they were questioning her about her age and the fact that she kept a book that she wrote in.  She later received a surprise from her family who blindfolded her and lead her to the basement.  Once there they took off the blindfold to reveal a table and chair setup with a book shelf and several small packages that looked like paper, pencils and a box of crayons.  She looked very happy and content with her birthday gift as she began to remove the paper from her packages.  She sat down at the table and begin to try and write but could not so she began to clean up. She was lonely and eventually saw a friend who tried to give her some ideas of something to write about but this did not help so she went upstairs and began to make sandwiches while talking to a friend of hers about her problem. Her friend told her to be patient, she will eventually find something to write about.

After watching this episode without sound, I went back to watch it with the sound.  I discovered that one of the ladies was her boss and she was giving Roseanne the upcoming Saturday off for her birthday.  She did make a wish to get paid while off work and she was told that she would.  She did tell what her wish was and that was to have time to write, such as poem and other things, because this was something that she loved to do at one time.  She talked about not having time because of her family demands.  She went into the basement and found a box of her old journal.  She read about thinks she wanted to do by the time she turned 30 and one of the things she wanted to do was be a writer.  She talked about how she used to write and that she does not have time to do it anymore.  She was being encouraged to start again by her husband and although she was smiling, it was very apparent that she was frustrated because she could not enjoy something that she loved to do.

I assumed that because this was a comedy, Roseanne was joking about something very silly when she made her wish and that she was being sarcastic with the others in her group and at home about becoming older.  I would never have guess that she was taking about a hobby that she used to enjoy. 

I don’t know if I would have made the correct assumptions if I knew this show as well as other shows I have watched.  It is very difficult to make that assumption, especially with shows that are comedic in nature because you never know if the character is being serious or funny.  It is important to notice everything about a person when you are communicating with them, but it is not always as easy to tell what the meaning behind the statement is when you are not as acquainted or familiar with them as you would like to be.

COMPETENT COMMUNICATOR

          This week I had the opportunity to think about a person whom I think is an effective and competent communicator and the one person who entered my mind was Sherri.  Sherri is an educator, motivator and most of all a great friend.  I have know her for more than 10 years, but the thing that comes to mind when I think about her communication skills is not how well she speaks or how she has the skills to draw you into her conversation and not even that she is a great listener, but because she hears you.  What I mean when I say that she hears you is that there are people I know that are good at listening to what you have to say and giving you the appropriate response, but she not only listens, but she hears you in such a way, that she can hear not only what you say and what you are not saying.  She is a great motivational speaker and does so at many local and state events.  She is also the kind of person who is genuine and real about what she says. She works with  lot of kids at the school and they love her for her openness and honesty.  She has group sessions with many teens who know that they can voice their opinions without feeling judged.

         My greatest desire is to develop the type of skills that makes it easy for others to feel that I am effective and competent by having to ability to listen and hear what is being said.  I want to be able to be open and genuine with others so that they know that I am listening and hearing what they are trying to say.  I also want to be able to communicate my thoughts in a way that makes others feel they can freely talk with me, regardless of whether they are children or adults and know that they can trust me to be honest and real.

Professional Hopes and Goals

The one hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds.

My one hope would be to create an environment where my children and families can feel accepted, embraced and celebrated for the similarities as well as their differences and to feel empowered by knowing that they are valued as members of the community, classroom and society.  I want to create an environment where diverse families feel respected and to build a relationship where we can share information, ideas, and hopes for their child’s educational success.

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice.

The one goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field is to eliminate the many biases, prejudicial ideologies and inequities that exist in educational opportunities for all families regardless of ethnicity/cultural diversity, economics/class-ism, or ability/able-ism. I would like to study and research diversity issues more in-depth and to become more of an advocate for social justice and equity for all families so that when families face issues of discrimination, biases and injustice there will be legislature in place that prevents these issues from occurring.

A brief note of thanks to my colleagues

To each of my colleagues, I thank you.  I thank you for your many views on diversity, micro-aggressions and social justice.   I thank you for your knowledge and open communication during our discussions regarding our experiences with diversity, different and often difficult “isms” that we have suffered from others as well as our goals and visions for the future.  I am thankful that although it was sometimes difficult experiencing past hurts and disappointments we still maintained a positive outlook about life and our determination to prevent the same thing from happening to others.

To Dr. Snider, I thank you for the opportunity to develop my self-identity which I’m sure will change over the course of my studies.  I thank you for allowing me to reflect on my life journey and how it has had an overwhelming effect on the work and the passion I have for the children and families I serve.  I have truly enjoyed this course more than any I have taken during educational journey and I hope you continue the great work you do helping each of us take a closer look at ourselves and how we address diversity and equity for all children and families.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

        The name of my family’s country of origin is Iran. This is a country that has so many different cultures, languages, ethnicities, traditions and religious practices, it is important to determine each of these when trying to culturally responsive to the family.

Five ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family is to do the following:

• 1.      Do research on the culture, traditions and beliefs of the Iranian culture after finding out which region or culture my family is from and what language they speak.  The country is multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and speaks several languages.  I would also find out if the family speaks English and if not, I would locate an interpreter before meeting with the family.  If they do, I would ask about the home language and try to learn some key words or phrases.

• 2.      I would also find out about religious practices and holiday celebrations.  I would determine their eating habits, customs and about their home life and about their child rearing practices.  I also want to know if there are other siblings or relatives in the area who would be of help with the transition process.

• 3.      I would provide information to staff and administrators about the family and their beliefs, customs and traditions as well as any other important facts that will assist them in being prepared for the family.

• 4.      I would invite the parents in to discuss their goals and wishes for their child’s education and find out if they are willing to be involved by volunteering in the classroom.  I would invite them to come in and meet with the staff and children to talk about their culture and traditions and provide some activities to help them to understand more about their culture.  I would also determine if they have any needs or problems and provide resource information to help meet those needs.

• 5.      I would ensure that there are some diversity materials in the classroom that displays ethnicity, cultural and traditions of Iranians and invite the children to ask questions and present activities to enable them to learn more about the Iranian culture. 

I hope that by incorporating these procedures it will enable the family to have a smooth transition into school and we, the staff and administration, will be prepared to provide services to the family.  I am hoping that if there is any information that we have omitted to cover, the family will feel comfortable in discussing those needs and providing details that will enable us to ensure that they and their child will have a positive and successful experience. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

            One act of micro-aggression which I observed this week was when I took my mother, who is 84 years of age, to the emergency room for treatment.  The attending nurse wanted to know why she was in the emergency room and whether she had a doctor?    After answering her, the nurse then wanted to know why she did not go to her doctor instead of coming there.  We were there at 9:00 p.m. and her doctor was out of town.    Her personal doctor was the one who called and had me take her to the emergency room when I called her office for an appointment because she did not want her to wait until her return to receive treatment.  They had to admit her and of course I stayed with her for the 3 days she was there.  I was very upset by the attitude of the nurse who was attending to her initially because of her attitude.  It wasn't about the questions she asked, but the attitude she had when asking was very patronizing and ugly. I immediately let her know that if she had any further questions about my mother, they should be directed to me.

It was not because she incapable of answering her questions, but because of her condescending attitude.  She immediately apologized and her entire attitude began to change.  I was not sure if this was a case of unintentional micro-insult or intentional and whether it was because of age or color, but nevertheless, I wanted to bring it to her attention.

            

The attitude of the nurse let me know that discriminatory practices are alive and well and it doesn't matter why or whom it is directed toward.  I also happen to witness her attitude toward a mother and child, who happen to be Caucasian, and it was empathetic and concerned, although the child was sick with a virus, she never asked if he had a doctor and why his mother didn't take him to see his personal physician.  I must admit that I became upset initially by her attitude, but I proudly handled the situation in a mature and professional manner.  I did not allow her attitude toward my mother change the person I am today to the person I used to be at a younger age where I would have reacted much differently to the insult.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

          When I thought about an example of microaggression for this assignment, I thought about an incident which happened during my internship as a counseling student.  I often had the opportunity to counsel with students on campus and more often than not, these were students of diverse backgrounds.  The one incident that stands out so vividly in my mind happened with a young Caucasian man from Alabama.  When he signed up for the extra credits, he was unaware of who the person would be that would counsel him.  When I went into the room to escort him to the cubicle where we would be working, he was totally surprised to discover I was a female and was African American.  The way that I discovered his surprise was that he stated to me, “I did know that you would be the one I had to talk with”.  When I asked him if he thought it would be a problem, he stated that it would be because I would not be able to understand him or his life and he did not want to tell me any of his personal business.  When I asked if he would prefer a different counselor, he said yes as long as it was someone like him.  I then asked if he wanted a male counselor, he stated that it did not matter as long as it was someone like him.  I then asked if he would prefer a white counselor and he stated that he would because he thought they would understand him better.  I told him that I did not have a problem with his preference and that he could make an appointment with one of the other counselor that he felt would be able to help him. 

After this incident, I then had a supervisory session with my instructor, who observed all of our sessions and a couple of my colleagues from class.  What I had to realize is that this was not an isolated incident and that I would ultimately encounter other people who would feel this way throughout my practice.  I initially had many mixed reactions afterwards.  There was anger, disbelief, surprise and later acceptance.  The anger was because I was unable to voice my feelings at the time the student was with me about what he said.  The disbelief and surprise was because he is on a school campus, in a dormitory, with so many diverse groups, how is he able to co-exist with them when he harbors such disregard and obvious feelings of superiority toward minorities. The last feeling was acceptance because I was able to understand that although he felt the way he did, it did not reduce who I was or my ability to do my job.  I worked through my feelings within my sessions with my supervisor and was able to overcome the microaggression of racial and gender discrimination which were clearly intentional. 

Although the young man did not make his statements in a disgusting way, but in a superior manner which let me know that he did not feel that I was capable of being of any service to him.  If I had not gone into a session with my supervisor immediately after this happened, it may have had a very negative effect on my self-esteem and integrity and made me doubt my ability as an effective professional counselor.  I now work with children and adults of various diverse backgrounds and I have learned to not take things that are said to me personal because of my strong sense of knowing who and what I am as a person. 

Ultimately, I have learned through my observations of people and experiences that as people, through our cultural, educational, internal self awareness and interactions with others, we must respect each others difference and eliminate fear of those differences.  Oftentimes it is the fear of what we don't know that keeps us separated and unwilling to open up to others.  When we develop an awareness of who we are and an acceptance of others for who and what they are, we will learn that it doesn't matter whether we agree with their beliefs, customs, traditions, or ideas, as long as we respect them.  We must eliminate our biases toward others by becoming more secure in ourselves personally and professionally and this way we can provide services to our children and families with an open mind and embracing spirit.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

 Definitions of culture and diversity

D. Cage, is a 25 year old music student defines culture as a person’s heritage or customs.  It is family, environment or where you live, race, beliefs and values.  All these come together to influence you are as a person, how you live and exist in the world. Her definition of diversity is the co-existence of people of different backgrounds, cultures, languages, or abilities within a school or community learning to live together in respectful and acceptable ways. (personal communication, July 19, 2013).

E. Littleton is a 65 year old administrator defines culture as a combination of people’s race, traditions, languages, religion, ethnicity, and values which make them who they are and gives them a sense of pride and meaning.  She defined diversity as people of different ethnicity, languages, or cultures living within a community, group or social setting but working together. (personal communication, July 18, 2013).

D. Rogers is a 32 year old computer tech who defines culture as language, traditions, values and beliefs, family and ways of life, social and economic classes, and most of all ethnicity and race. He believes diversity is the way we live, work and accepts people of different cultures, races, languages, foods, customs, abilities and beliefs in the same community, schools, and society. (personal communication, July 18, 2013).

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

I feel that all the answers I received included most if not all of the aspects of culture and diversity which I have studied in this course.  I know through the webcast and the readings that culture is inclusive of people’s ethnicity, beliefs, values, family customs and traditions as well as their religious practices.  Diversity includes the differences in language, ethnicity and culture as well as abilities.  Each of the people I interviewed offered some of the same definitions of both culture and diversity and how they each are inclusive within groups, communities, work and school.

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

Some aspect regarding culture that may be inclusive would be music, clothing, foods and although language was mentioned, this would also include dialect. Many cultures have common languages, but different dialect, such as African Americans.  Although we all speak English, there are more common word used in the African American culture that are not a part of the English language, but are recognized by many within their community and even across the country.

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

After interviewing each of the people listed above, I realized that there are commonalities among each of us when it comes to defining what we believe define culture and diversity.  After giving careful thought to what each of them had to say and given everything that I have read over the past weeks in this course, I am inclined to believe what Smidt (2006) defined as our cultural tools which are specific to and often used to define our culture.  There are so many different levels to defining who we are, where we come from and what makes us who we are until it would take forever to identify each of the levels which make us whole.

References

Smidt, S. (2006). The developing child in the 21st century: A global perspective on child development. New

         York, NY: Routledge.

MY FAMILY CULTURE

MY FAMILY CULTURE

            If I were caught in a major catastrophe and would have to relocated to a different county with only three small items and the clothes on my back, I’m sure that once I was reassured that my family was alright and with me, there would be three most important items I would choose.

Those three items would be my family photo, a set of rings given to me by my mother which has been in the family for four generations, and my small bible that was a gift from my grandmother.

            

The significance of each of these items are:

            The family photo is the last one that was taken in which all my family was together and there is a photo of my father and oldest brother, who are both deceased.  It is the one thing I have to remember each of them.

            The rings have been in my family for four generations.  They were the rings given to my great-great grandmother for a wedding gift.  She worked on a plantation and I am not sure how my great-great grandfather was able to afford them, but they have several diamonds and there are two identical rings.  My mother wears them although she gave them to me.  I do not wear jewelry at work so they are safer with her at the moment.

            Lastly, I would take my small bible because it contains all the information from our family bible.  Our family bible contains all the names, birthdays and place of birth of my family members on both my mother and fathers side of the family dating back to before the 1900’s.  I have condensed a lot of the information into a smaller bible that I have begun to enter my children’s information into.  Hopefully, one day I will have an opportunity to place my grandchildren’s information into this bible.

            Upon arrival, if told I could only keep one personal item, I would insert the picture into the bible and keep the bible.  I place more value in small things that cannot be replaced such as the photo and bible than the rings.  I love the rings but having my family’s ancestral information to pass down to my children would be more important than the rings.  When I thought about this blog and what I would hold most valuable, I had to think long and hard of what would mean the most to me.  Knowing that my children would have something tangible to bring awareness of their family history is most important and significant.  I tell them always that it is just as important to know where you come from as it is to know where you’re going.  I want them to know about their family’s struggles, accomplishments, beliefs, values, and most important, their life which made it possible for them to be here. 

            

When I Think of Research

When I Think of Research

What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

            

            When I began this course, I assumed that I would have to actually do a research project or that I would end up having to complete several papers throughout the course as I did in a previous research class.  I must say that it was a enjoyable learning experience which help me gain even more knowledge about conducting research and how to determine what constitutes an actual research study.  Preparing a paper and preparing to complete an actual study has proven to be so different even though the study prepares you for writing the actual paper.

In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed? 

            My ideas have changed because I now have more comprehensive knowledge about how to conduct a research study and what details are involved in order to ensure the study has validity.  The information I gained here coupled with what I retained from previous courses have help me become more thoroughly knowledgeable about what is needed before, during, and at the conclusion of the study.  Research is a more critical and complex than I originally thought and therefore must be done ethically, professionally and without bias in order to achieve much needed results and desire information.

What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

            The planning, designing and conducting of research are the most important process of study.  This must be done in detail so that the researcher is thorough and has covered all the areas needed to ensure success.  The process is very time consuming and detailed oriented and must therefore be given much need forethought before beginning the process so that every possible step and unforeseen problems can be addressed before beginning the study.

What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

            The biggest challenge I had was modifying my research question so that it met the criteria needed to form a hypothesis and eliminating generalizing what the study would be.  I also felt another challenge was that of determining the step I would take in order to conduct a research study in the field of early childhood.  It is so vastly different when working with young children than adults, which is what my previous experience included. 

What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

            My perceptions of an early childhood professional has modified as a result of this course and the previous courses I have taken in so many ways.  I was unaware of all the research done by many professionals in the field of ECE in other countries and all the information gained from much of that research.  I realize that it is only through continuous research and work in the early childhood field that we as professionals will improve the services to children and their families and as a result of the courses I have had the opportunity to engage in, I find that I want to be a part of this process on every level, even having the opportunity to conduct research in the future.

            I would like to thank my colleagues for all the input and information they have given me throughout the semester through both our discussions and our blogs.  Your insights have been invaluable and the information that I gained throughout this course and I appreciate all that I have learned, both from them and from my instructor, Dr. Myers.  This has given me insight about the direction I would like to take as an Early Childhood professional.

RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD

            The International early childhood research link that I chose was that of European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA).  The EECERA publishes a research journal which contains peer-reviewed articles regarding the different types of research in the early childhood education.  It seeks to provide a relevant academic forum in Europe to promote and distribute research on early childhood by encouraging exploration of new paradigms, methodologies, concepts and applications in the ever-changing context of early childhood studies through collaboration and cooperation between European researchers and communities across the world.

Some of the current international research topics I chose are:

Arndt, A., Rothe, A., Urban, M., & Werning, R. (2013).  Supporting and stimulating the learning

               of socioeconomically disadvantaged children – perspectives of parents and educators in the    
               transition from preschool to primary school.  European Early Childhood Education Research 
              Journal. 21(1), 23-38.

Ho, H., Gol-Guven, M., & Bagnato, S.J. (2012). Classroom observations of teacher-child
              relationships among racially symmetrical and racially asymmetrical teacher-child dyads.  European 
             Early Childhood Education Research Journal. 20(3), 329-349.

Doyle, O., Finnegan, S., & McNamara, K. (2012).  Differential caregiver and teacher ratings of
             school readiness in a disadvantaged community.  European Early Childhood Education 
             Research Journal. 20(3), 371-389.

Some surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood that I gain from exploring this international early childhood website was that many of the research simulations in early childhood education , that I was interested in exploring was also being researched by other researchers.  I also noted that much of the research was done through collaboration with other researchers throughout the world, including the U.S.  I also discovered that there were forums, seminars, and conferences held each year to discuss new and innovative policy and practices in the area of early childhood studies.

            Other noteworthy information I found on this website were articles which I could use in my research topic for class.  I also found several articles which I was interested in reading, but because the website required membership in order to access these articles, I was unable to download the information.  I was also interested in the "What's New", section, but it is still under construction. I have given some though to become a member in the future, but for now I will be content to utilize the information I can obtain through the Walden Library website. 

Reference

European Early Childhood Education Research Association (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.eecera.org.

Research that Benefits Children and Families -- Uplifting Stories

            If I had to the means and knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic, it would be about Autism Spectrum Disorder.  As a parent of a child with Autism, I have had the opportunity to witness how this disorder affects the lives of children who suffer with this disease.  My initial area of interest would be how this disorder became so prevalent in the lives of children within the past 20 or more years whereas before, we really did not hear a lot about it.  I would like to discover what the causes are and what we can do to prevent other children from suffering from this disorder.  I would also like to know why some children are affected more severely than others and because it affects the brain, is there a way to determine whether a child has this disorder prior to birth?  

            These are just a few of the questions that I would seek to answer so that I would be able to help parents with children who have this disorder and for those who are looking to have children, we would be able to test for this disorder prior to the child’s birth or at least before their child turns 2 or 3.  This is when the effects of the disorder is most noticeable. 

            I was fortunate enough that my son was able to overcome some of the difficulties he experienced so that he was able to graduate from college successfully and is currently working.  It was not an easy journey but I am very proud of how much he has accomplished.  I also work with children with special needs each year, I have children with Autism enrolled and because the spectrum is so wide, I have seen children on both ends of the spectrum from the severe and profound (Rett syndrome or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder) to the milder form of Asperger's Syndrome.  I have been passionate about learning as much as possible about this disorder because of the experiences I have had with both my son and other children who suffer from the disorder.

PERSONAL RESEARCH JOURNEY

PERSONAL RESEARCH JOURNEY

            When considering my topic for my simulation, I chose to look at, “How classroom diversity affects preschool children’s interaction with each other based on adult influences”.  I am curious as to how children of differing backgrounds, cultures and abilities interact based on attitudes of teachers and peers within the classroom.  In order to narrow the topic to one that would be more specific, I looked at the following subtopics:  1) how increased classroom diversity effects teacher/child interaction; 2)  how increased classroom diversity promotes optimal learning within the classroom; and 3) how classroom diversity increases positive peer relationships. 

            I have had the opportunity to witness the attitudes of teachers in classrooms of children with differing levels of learning abilities, from different socio-economic backgrounds and from different cultures.  Their attitudes have a direct effect on how other children and parents within the classroom treat each other.  The classrooms which do not address diversity can influence how well children learn, how they feel about themselves and the relationship between them and their peers.  There has been such an increase in families of different cultural, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds within our classrooms, but there has been little increase in the way which we address these differences as teachers, parents, and a community.  When constructing my research chart, I attempted to narrow my subtopics to areas that I felt would address the overall topic for research that interest me.

            I think overall, that this is a very good topic, but when I looked at specific areas in which to identify as supporting subtopics, I came up with quite a few.  I tried to narrow the topic and subtopics for my research simulation so that I could concentrate on specific areas related to the overall topic.  If any of my colleagues can assist me with these, I welcome your comments and resources.   

Learning about the International Early Childhood Field

             I looked at three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development began with the information I gained from researching early childhood on a more global perspective.  I began by choosing the website for the Association of Early Childhood International (ACEI) which is an organization focused on the education, development and well-being of children globally.  They developed affiliations with other organizations that seek to not only provide education to children from impoverished areas, but also include children with disabling conditions.  This opened my eyes to how there is not only a movement to provide quality education to children here in this country, but the need is far greater on a global scale. 

The second consequence of learning was that the advocacy for children’s right to receive early childhood education and the inequities that parents suffer are no different in other countries than here in the U.S.  These inequities happen to families of certain diverse cultures and socio-economic statuses.  In other words, race, culture, poverty and education are standard by which people are judged in other countries and these characteristics determine whether their children have access to the same quality educational opportunities as families from a certain status quo within that country.

The last consequence of learning that I gained from my international research was information I gained from an article about the three most important skills a child should learned that was determined by Asia-Pacific Consultants.  These were: 1) culture; 2) values and respect; and 3) history.  I never thought about how these three skills can impact a child’s sense of self awareness and how they view the world, but after reading the article, I realized that each of these factor into how a child envisions themselves throughout their life and how as an adult these skills teach us how to interact with others on a social and professional level.

One goal I shall work towards is to continue to stay informed of how early education impacts the lives of children on a more global basis.  It is important to be knowledgeable about the education of children here in the U.S. and internationally.   We can use the information gained through research, consultations and conferences to change, improve and develop more resources and growth in how we provide early childhood education to children.  It also gives me an opportunity to develop professional colleagues in other countries that I can interact with and use for personal and professional growth.

Getting to Know Your International Contact - Part 3

           I have not received a response from my email to my ACEI international contact so this week I chose to respond to the website for UNESCO.  The first thing I notice when reading the information is that unlike many educators that have researched learning during preschool age, they surmise that learning takes place from birth through age eight.  Previously it was found that when doing brain research, children’s most formative years were thought to take place from birth through age 5.  Through this program they also look at providing care and early education for children holistically by providing services in health, nutrition, security and learning.  It was stated that countries promote alternative services for poor children and that there is limited or no access to early childhood services and that there is limited resources from the government.  They looked at reducing state support for more privileged families so that there would be a more equitable distribution of resources for those who are more disadvantaged.  This is a program that looks at the inequities among people in this region due to economic status and accessibility to resources.

            I also read a news article about the three most important skills a child should learn according to participants at an Asia-Pacific Regional Consultant Conference which were as follows – 1) they need to learn about culture – culture is a kind of glue, it keeps us together;  2) values and respect. Do we respect our parents and elders enough? Are the gaps here increasing? We need to keep in mind that education comes from home – our families are the first “teachers” in our lives. They are crucial to us so respect and values are important; and 3) history – we should know our past so we can improve our future.”  I feel that each of these areas which they noted is important for children to develop a sense of themselves, what their future will look like and how to develop values and respect for others.  

            I found this website very interesting and informative.  I was able to learn much more about their work to provide early education in countries that many times lack access the resources and quality care.  I would like to learn more about the Moscow Framework, but there will little information available per this site. I plan to further investigate this program.

Reference:

UNESCO (2012). Early childhood care and education.  Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood
 

Sharing Web Resources

Some of the outside links for ACEI led me to the Global Child Development Group webpage.  This site provided information about their mission to promote child development for children under the age of 5 in low to middle income countries.  Their overall goal of gathering evidence to influence policy makers of the links between health, nutrition, risk/protective factors, intervention efficacy trials, and effective programs. 

              The most recent newsletter looked at how the emerging skills for preschool to kindergarten age children can lead to leadership abilities in later years and ways in which teachers can recognize these particular skills.  The website presented an informative article on Child Development in Developing Countries with featured six relevant articles. The introduction describes the conceptual framework, nature of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 3, and general analytic plan of articles in this Special Section. The articles describe the situations of children with successive foci on nutrition, parenting, discipline and violence, and the home environment. They address two questions: How do developing and under researched countries in the world vary with respect to these central indicators of children’s development? How do key indicators of national development relate to child development in each of these substantive areas? The Special Section concludes with policy implications from the international findings. 

           This website presented interesting and informative facts about child development on parenting interventions in the Caribbean and how lower educational attainment, adult income and parenting can perpetuate the cycle of poverty.  The article reinforces the research that deduces that early childhood interventions are a critical strategy in breaking the cycle of poverty and promotes equity.  This information reinforces the fact that families living in impoverished areas whether here in the U.S. or other countries experience the same inequities because of socio-economic conditions.














 References:
 Child Development in Developing Countries.(2012). The Society for Research in Child Development.  83(1).  Retrieved from:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cdev.2012.83.issue-1/issuetoc

Getting to Know Your International Contacts - Part 2

Since I have been unable to obtain information from my international source, this week I chose to respond to the Harvard University's "Global Children's Initiative which was very informative.  Their strategic objectives are to education decision-makers regarding the science of learning, behavior and health, expand global understanding about how healthy development happens and how it can be maintained and finally to build leadership capacity in child development research and policy in low- and middle-income countries to increase diverse perspectives that contribute to the global movement on behalf of young children.

This will be done in three domains: 
1.    Early Childhood Development which focuses on child development outcomes linked to malaria
       in Zambia and improving quality education in Chile;
2.    Child Mental Health in which the Center seeks to address the gaps in knowledge and service  
       delivery by looking at the state of mental health in China, evaluating family-based  strategies to
       prevent mental health problems in children affected by HIV/AIDS in Rwanda; and
3.    Children in Crisis and Conflict Situations which explores comparable approaches regarding
       child status in post-earthquake Haiti and Chile and using the science of child development to
       address acute malnutrition.

The Center's mission of education and training is at the center of it's overall mission and focus to develop opportunities and building a sustainable infrastructure.  Although it is still in a state of development, the Center's ideology and central premise the to provide information to enhance the education of policy-makers so that children everywhere will have an access to quality education.

Sharing Web Resources

The specific section(s) or information that was particularly relevant to my current profession is the work which ACEI does with children with disabilities.  In my current profession, I work with children with disabilities and oftentimes, they are not given the same opportunities for quality education as many other children, especially globally.  ACEI seeks to provide those opportunities to all children regardless of their abilities. 

Their affiliation with organizations such as The Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities (GPcwd) which through UNICEF is a network of more than 100 organizations, including international NGOs, national/local NGOs, Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs), governments, academia and the private sector, working to advance the rights of children with disabilities at the global, regional and country levels. They promote a rights-based approach that provides a platform for advocacy and collective action to ensure the rights of children with disabilities are included and prioritized by both the Disability and Child Rights Movement.

The inaugural Forum of the Partnership (more than 240 participants) was held from 14-15 September 2012 at UNICEF House in New York, where for the first time the Partners came together to discuss ways to advocate for an inclusive post-2015 agenda; establish four task forces with the aim to influence the mainstreaming of disability rights into global child-focused agendas namely in nutrition, education, humanitarian action and assistive technology; and discuss collaboration at the country level in Haiti, Rwanda, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Malawi, Mozambique, and Bangladesh.

Their statements and resources allowed me to look at the work which is being done with children with disabilities outside of the U.S. in different ways.  I have always been a strong advocate for the rights of people with disabling conditions, but this organization has given me a more worldwide view of the work which happens with children with disabilities.

ACEI through its radio broadcast, newsletters, conferences, events and research journals provides information, proven data and opportunities for advocacy, opportunities to make recommendation for teachers, policymakers and economist on what they can do to ensure that more students have the skills and motivation to succeed in higher education.

ACEI conducts conferences, symposiums and events around the world to give people from all cultural and diverse backgrounds a chance to present research, information and events that are all used to promote quality educational opportunities for children on a global as well as local scale.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts

Although I have still not heard from my conversation partner, the website I chose to follow is that of ACEI (Association of Childhood Education International), which is an organization focused on the education, development and well-being of children worldwide.  They also seek to influence the professional growth of education and the efforts of others who are also committed to the needs of children in an ever changing society.  This programs works closely with the United Nations in making sure children in every nation will have access to quality education which helps them to become responsible citizens.

 I have long been an interest supporter of this organization because of the work which it seeks to do with children throughout the world.  They are a global organization which reaches out to children throughout the world in hopes of providing educational opportunities for all children.  Their "Love Me, Teach Me" campaign is what drew my attention at the beginning.  ACEI's cornerstones are:

1.  See Me:  The Child's Right to Identity
2.  Hear Me:  The Child's Right to Participation
3.  Love Me:  The Child's Right to Security, Stability, and Protection
4.  Teach Me:  The Child's Right to Education.

Their 10 Pillar of a Good Childhood are:

1. Safe and secure places for living, with learning and access to health care, clothing, and nutritious food
2. Strong families and loving, consistent caregivers
3. Social interactions and friendships
4. Creative play and physical activity
5. Appreciation and stewardship of the natural environment
6. Creative expression through music, dance, drama, and the other arts
7. Education that develops the full capacities of the child—cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and ethical
8. Supportive, nurturing, child-friendly communities
9. Growing independence and decision making
10. Children and youth participating in community life.

Sharing Web Resources

             

The names of one of the organizational newsletters which I subscribe to for updates in the Early Childhood Education field is NAEYC ( National Association for the Education of Young Children) which is an organization with a strong commitment to the education of young children. 

It’s overall goal to me is expressed the following statement, “All children have access to a safe and accessible, high quality early childhood education that includes a developmentally appropriate curriculum; knowledgeable and well-trained program staff and educators; and comprehensive services that support their health, nutrition, and social well-being, in an environment that respects and supports diversity”.   The news release I recently received was regarding the future of Early Childhood Education and the cuts of funding provided to programs such as Head Start to provide quality education to preschool children by the President.  

The second organization which I subscribe to is ECKLC Head Start Association which is a program committed to providing comprehensive services to children and their families from ages birth to five that supports children’s cognitive, social, emotional, health, nutrition and social development.  The same article in the NAEYC newsletter was also discussed in the ECKLC newsletter about the cuts to Head Start and how it will affect the program’s ability to provide services to children and families.

The last program with I subscribe to is ACEI,( Association for Childhood Education International), which is a worldwide organization dedicated to educating children around the world and to promoting social and global change by advocating for the rights of children through cultural diversity.  The most recent article which caught my attention was one in the Winter Quarterly regarding homework for preschool children.  This article wanted to determine if homework for preschool children was developmentally appropriate and could it be used as a tool for more family engagement in education in helping to ensure children are school ready.  It is a very controversial subject which has strong arguments on how to shorten the gap between home and school by engaging parents more in the learning process for their children.

References:

NAEYC. Retrieved from:  http://www.naeyc.org/academy/primary/updates.

ECKLC.  Retrieved from:  http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc.

ACEI.  Retrieved from:  http://acei.org.