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/