Time Well Spent

At the conclusion of this course I learned the importance of voicing my passion in the field of early childhood education.  It was sometimes hard to formulate exactly what I wanted to say, however, with the help of Dr. Embree and my colleagues it came to pass.  I learned about resources that are available to early childhood professionals in the state, national and international level.  I was amazed to learn how there are so many difference is the field from state to state.  Including my current state of residency.  I left the state of North Carolina where there has been a big push on early childhood development utilizing the initiatives.  Virginia is slowly making the same strides.  

Secondly, I learned how my current positon as a training and curriculum specialists serves as a vehicle for change.  I can communicate with teachers, parents, support staff and individuals in the community who visit our facility.  I values what I have learned about collaboration with others in the field and the importance of sharing our knowledge with others in order to advocate for needed changes and developing strategies that will help others.

Lastly, I learned a lot about leadership and how that leadership can affect the cause.  I learned about the importance of sticking to my values by working to support others and continue to look towards how to make changes through my examples provided through leadership and actions.  My long term goal is to continue to work on professional development by started my Doctoral program in early childhood education.  As a trainer I continue to share the importance of learning as much as possible.  It is important for me to work as a professional in this career while always working to improve and share how what we do as educators is beneficial to others especially children and families. 

I would like to truly wish everyone well on their next journey in life.  I am proud of the commitment we have made to education and early childhood education.  Thank you Dr. Embree for all of your support.  You helped me calm down to stay on task for the last eight weeks.  I appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with you and my colleagues to continue to grow as an early childhood professional.  Remember how much we can do when we continue to advocate for change. 

 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

During my search online for three international organizations or communities of practice, I found three that stood out to me.  The first organization was ICF International at www.icfi.com.  This institution works to support the field of early childhood education programs by providing assistance with meeting mandates by building upon skills that are essential through trainings and technical support.  The goal is to produce programs that are high quality and effective.  The institute has consultants who can work where their clients are and provide hands-on support as needed.  The institution also works with programs to stay competitive and current with requirements at the federal level (ICF International, 2015).

ICF International’s mission is to support business, people and government by having a large impact in areas that are important.  They work to support partners by providing solutions to issues through innovations, providing advice, and execution. The vision of the institution is to work without boundaries with clients, individuals, and shareholders in order to find success in the world with continuous change.  The institute values maintaining focus on their clients, committing to their passion to complete work that needs to be done.  They provide rewards to encourage continuation of growth in performance.  They strive for excellence through providing rigor in areas of applied experiences creativity and intellect.  Lastly, three components support following the way of ICF.  They work with the passion to help clients meet their goals.  Providing expertise through providing experiences in areas of technical support, analytics, and knowledge in the industry and program.  They also work with programs from the beginning to the end in order to achieve results that are compelling (ICF International, 2015).

I selected this institution because of their work in early childhood education to provide trainings and hand-on support.  In 2007 India launched services from ICF International Early Education to assist with addressing education challenges in early childhood.  ICF provides programs technical assistance and training using research and evaluations supporting plans and projects (ICF International, 2015).

When I searched ICF International’s website for careers in early childhood education I selected one that stood out to me.  The positon is Education Technical Assistance Specialists-Office of Child Care (Nationwide).  When I reviewed the qualifications, I realized that I am qualified.  Those qualifications are that I must have a Bachelor’s degree in or related to the field of early childhood education.  I have to have twelve years of experiences that is relevant to the field.  I need to be able to provide training as well as technical support in the field.  I saw one area that I would need to gain more experience in and that was with using TA tools.  Also I am proficient with MS Office Suite, Adobe and webinar tools and E-learning (ICF International, 2015).

The second organization was SRI International at https://www.sri.com.  This is a research organization that works as a non-profit providing services to industries and government.  The organization address problems faced by the word by working collaboratively in order to great new solutions and ideas.  This organization was started by Stanford University in 1946 and in 1970 independently separated from the university and changed their name to SRI International in 1977.  The organization works to promote safety, productivity and health (SRI International, 2015).

SRI International has a center for education and human services that work collaboratively with practitioners, policymakers and founders to make improvements of effectiveness and implementation of the programs and the policies using researching early childhood education through the products and services.  I chose this organization because of their work to collaborate to find ways to make change in the field. There were not only early childhood education positons in my job search, however I saw a position titled education researcher assessment in California.  I do not meet the qualifications, but I thought it was an interesting position supporting the use of assessments which I have used in the field.  I need to have a PhD in measurement, statistics and social research methods, psychology and related areas along with three years of experience (SRI International, 2015).

The third organization I selected was International Step by Step Association.  In 1999 this organization was founded in the Netherlands.  Members are at almost 40 countries around the world primarily in Europe and Central Asia.  This organization brings together non-profits and professionals who work in education and provide quality care available to children birth to age ten.  There is an alliance called Early Years Regional Alliance where various organizations share common goals.  The mission is to ensure programs have high quality, equal access to education by all children and professionalism.  The organization works on providing empowerment to families and the community supporting learning and the development of children.  Support is also provided for continued professional development.  Works to create an effective partnership with individuals working with children and families form Roma (International Step By Step Association, n.d.).

I chose this organization because of their work to improve quality care through continued professional development and provide education access to children.  After browsing the website there was no search engine to see if there were any job vacancies.

 

References

 ICF International. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.icfi.com

 International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.issa.nl

SRI International. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.sri.com

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

While searching online for three national and federal agencies or communities of practice or organizations I selected three that were appealing.  The first organization I selected was National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators at www.naecte.org.  I selected this group due to their purpose.  This organization supports professionals by advocating improvements and development of professionals working in the field of early childhood education.  The organization also provides a network where communication can occur between other professionals in the field ("National Association Of Early Childhood Teacher Educators", n.d.).

The second organization I selected is Association for Childhood Education (ACEI) at www.acei.org.  I selected this organization due to the collaboration of diverse professional sharing information in order to support education that provides quality for all children.  Done of the professionals in this organization that stood out to me was Dr. Graham who focuses on developing the workforce.  I also selected this organization due to the shared focus of developing teacher’s education by Jesus Paiz-Albo ("Association For Childhood Education International", 2015).

The third organization that was appealing was National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education (NAECS-SDE) at www.naecs-sde.org.  I selected this organization based on the ability to make contact with professionals who have a big influence in the field of early childhood.  The organization focuses on providing high quality by making improvements in instruction, curriculum used and how programs are operated.  There is also a collaboration of members with professionals in the field, organizations, agencies and, state departments to strategize on shared challenges ("National Association Of Early Childhood Specialists In State Departments Of Education", n.d.).

After completing my search of communities of practice on the national and federal level, I looked on the organizations websites and the internet for job positions that I found required continued professional development and learning.  One position that I found was an adjunct early childhood education in Suffolk, Virginia.  To qualify for this positon a Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or elementary education was required.  The individual would also need to have teaching experiences, oral and good writing skills.  There is a preference for a Master’s degree with a minimum of 18 semester hours of graduate teaching discipline.  Also there is a preference for previous teaching experience in a community college and using technology ("Monster Jobs", 2015).  Currently, I am qualified for this position and would like to gain additional experience teaching adults while working in a college setting.  I would eventually like to teach in the university and this is great start to my journey.

While browsing National Association of Early Childhood Teacher Educators, I found a job announcement.  The position is Director-Henderson-Hopkins School.  The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Early Childhood Center in Baltimore, Maryland.  To qualify for this position, the individual must have knowledge of best practices in early childhood and pre-k leadership skills working in early childhood center based settings.  Experience working with stakeholders is also needed.  Knowledge with assessing development in holistic areas.  There is a preference for experience in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.  The applicant must also have five years of experience as an administrator and a preferences of a Master’s degree in early childhood or related field ("National Association Of Early Childhood Teacher Educators", n.d.).   This position appealed to me because I meet the qualification and I have past experience of working with public school programs in pre-k and working as a trainer focusing on the holistic areas of children.

The last positon a Center Director at Right Start Early Childhood Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.  The applicant must be 21 years or older with a minimum of an Associates or Bachelor’s degree in early childhood education.  The applicant must also have two years of experience working as a director with good leadership skills relating to children and adults.  Lastly the applicant must have CPR & First Aid/ MAT certification and Food Handlers ("Indeed Job Search", n.d.).   This job appealed to me due to my past experience of working as an assistant director.  I feel that I am qualified for this positon based on my continued professional development and experience over the years to manage a program.

References

Association for childhood education international. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.acei.org/

Indeed job search. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.indeed.com

Monster jobs. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.monster.com/

National association of early childhood specialists in state departments of education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.naecs-sde.org/

National association of early childhood teacher educators. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.naecte.org/

 

 

 

Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Education Community: Local and State Levels

Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Community: Local and State Levels

After looking online for three local or state communities of practice or organizations I have chosen three that were appealing.  The first organization is Virginia Cross-Sector Professional Development Team  at www.vcpd.net.  I chose this organization due to their mission to promote coordination in professional development for programs working with young children in Virginia.  The mission is to also evaluate professional development through implementation development and planning.  The program looks at characteristic in early childhood such as fair wages for high standards of credentials and licensure.  Providing access early childhood educators to gain understanding of what they do in the area of development and knowledge that supports using practices based on evidence ("Virginia Cross-Sector Professional Development Team", 2013). It is important to help new and seasoned teachers understand the importance of what they do including the importance of continued education. 

The second organization I chose was Virginia Association for Early Childhood Education at www.vaece.org.  This organization seeks to support programs or groups working with young children in Virginia.  The program works to promote professional development to support the growth of educators through resources and ways to improve the quality of education for children.  The program also advocates for decisions in public policies to and get information out that support children and families ("Virginia Association For Early Childhood Education", n.d.). I chose this organization because they work to promote the need for early childhood educators to seek professional development in order to increase quality in their programs.

The last program I selected was Tidewater Association for Early Childhood Education at www.taece.org.  This is a local organization that works to get early childhood professionals on the goal of providing development that is ideal for children living in the Tidewater area.  The program also provides training to early childhood educators to support improvements in quality care ("Tidewater Association For Early Childhood Education", n.d.).  I selected this program because it is local and works to provide information to early childhood educators on the need for continued professionals development in order to ensure high quality and standards of practice in the field.  I can use all of these programs to share information with teachers in my child care program.

After learning about some communities of practice and organizations that support the need for professional development I browsed the internet for job positions available to early childhood professionals that support what I would like to do in the field.  I selected a position that is no longer available on line for an adjunct professor at Norfolk State University ("Indeed Job Search", n.d.). I chose to complete my master’s degree in adult education and training so that I could teach adults interested in working in the field of early childhood education.  I quickly realized that I must continue to work on my professional development by striving for my PhD in education.  I have not yet found any positions available for someone with a master’s degree, but I will keep looking.

I also found a positon for a child care licensing specialists.  After reading over the minimum qualifications, I learned that I am qualified for this position by having my bachelor’s degree in child development.  I have had the required minimum of working for two years as an administrator ("Indeed Job Search", n.d.).  I currently work as a trainers of adults and one of the duties of this job is to provide trainings for technical assistance for providers of child care.  I would also have to travel by completing on-site visits.  This would be very similar to what I am doing now minus the traveling.

The last position I would like to apply to is similar to my time as a teacher working for the public school.  The job is early head start home based family consultant.  This positions minimum requirement is to have a bachelor’s degree with a preference for a master’s degree ("Indeed Job Search", n.d.).  I have to have skills in home visits for a minimum of a year.  This is something that I used to do when I worked for a program called Bright Beginnings.  We were required to complete one home visit a year.  This position is appealing because I would get to work with families by providing playgroups for their children and parent education.  I need to continue to work on becoming bilingual as a form of professional development to meet the needs of child and families I may come in contact with. 

  

References

Indeed job search. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.indeed.com

Tidewater association for early childhood education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.taece.org

Virginia association for early childhood education. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.vaec.org

Virginia cross-sector professional development team. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.vcpd.net

Welcome to my blog page

Welcome to my page EDUC 6990-7

Professional Thanks

I have enjoyed learning about my colleagues this semester.  I have learned more about several classmates in their blog posts.  I hope to continue to communicate and learn more while I continue my education at Walden.  I have been using strategies I have learned throughout this class and will continue in my early childhood journey and personal life.  I would like to thank my colleagues for your support this semester by responding to my posts and sharing insights in your posts.  I wish you all well in your professional and educational journey and enjoy the rest of your summer.

Adjourning Group

            In college I had the opportunity to participate in several group projects.  One of the groups that stands out the most was in my teaching licensure program. I was paired in a group with one other member.  We were both enrolled in the program in order to attain our teaching license in birth through kindergarten.  In this group I learned that Ms. Rhonda was a hard worker like myself and wanted to ensure we completed our task on time.  In this group I was the group leader.  My partner Ms. Rhonda was easy to reach and stayed on task with the completion of her portion of the project. She worked hard to find creative ways to meet our challenge of getting video taped segments for our group project.  We e-mailed the segments back and forth and then met to put the assignment together.  After our presentation we earned received an A.

            I enjoyed working with Ms. Rhonda and I felt that our group was a high performing group.  We both completing tasks in a timely manner while working closely with good communication.  We learned about each other during our group project.  We both worked in early childhood.  She worked in a child development home and wanted to work in the public school after she got her teaching license.  I had just started working in a pre-k program where I came in under lateral entry with the understanding that I had to complete my licensure program within three years.  After communicating with Rhonda I realized we were both were goal oriented and enjoyed working in our field.  At the end of the group project I maintained contact with Rhonda by phone and via social media.   I no longer live near Ms. Rhonda but we both stay up to date with one another and our journey in the early childhood profession.

                While completing my master’s program in my current group I imagine that I will try to maintain contact.  According to O’Hair, Wiemann, Mullin and Teven (2015) “cohesion is the degree to which group members bond, like each other, and consider themselves to be one entity” (p. 262).   I had the opportunity to get to know Rhonda while working with her in our group.  We were able to have weekly interactions in person and by phone.  In my current master’s program I have not had the opportunity to get to know my colleagues like I did with Ms. Rhonda.  I think this is because we only have contact via e-mail.   By reading their e-mails on our blog posts and class assignments I have gained a glimpse of who my group members are.  This has been a little challenging to build a relationship with my colleagues because I am used to working with group members in person.  According to Abudi (2010) “The adjourning stage is when the team is completing the current project. They will be joining other teams and moving on to other work in the near future” (para, 1).   My hope is to continue to try to build a relationship with my colleagues on our journey in the early childhood profession while using what I have learned from past group experiences and work toward making improvements in order to be a valuable and productive group member.

 

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., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J.  (2015). Real communication (3rd. ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's

Conflict Resolution

A conflict that occurred in the workplace was about the graduation for preschool.  There was a concern with the song choices.  One teacher ended up planning the graduation independently as directed by a manager.  The conflict arouse when the management team met to discuss graduation and the song choices.  The teacher who had primarily planned the graduation discussed that the program was created by the teachers in each class including the song choices.  She discussed that she believed the program was acceptable due to the feedback she received from her manager.  At the end of the group discussion the teacher no longer wanted to be a part of the ceremony due to too many opinions of suggested last minute changes. 

                        Communication that was delegated to the teacher from the manager was essential in the implementation of the graduation program.  According to Billikopf (2009) “shared decision making can lead to better communication with employees, bolster worker motivation, and increase acceptance of difficult decisions” (p. 182).  From this conflict I have learned the importance of communicating what is to be completed.  The challenge arose in the communication of what was to be added in the graduation in order to ensure activities and songs were appropriate in representing the facility. The challenge in this situation was also in the delegation of the responsibility solely placed on the teacher causing no support from the management team in completing the task until the review of the end results. 

Going forward using strategies provided from third side (3s) such as finding understanding of what is the ultimate need of the individuals implementing the program is helpful.  It is important to look at each person’s perspective in the conflict.  Listening to what is being communicated by the teacher who no longer wanted to participate in the program and the management team who wants appropriate material used.  Lastly, speaking to each individual reflecting understanding of what was heard and working with everyone to gain a resolution to the conflict (The Third Side, n.d.).  Working to avoid placing blame on individuals due to the conflict is essential.  Using strategies provided from nonviolent communication such as observing and having each individual share their needs clearly rather than focusing on what has not been met supports everyone involved (The Center for Nonviolent Communication, n.d.)

                        After discussing with my co-workers what the challenge was in the conflict we all agreed it was communication between all parties involved.  Thankfully there was a resolution which included replacing songs with teachers input and uplifting the teacher who felt discouraged.   Everyone pulled together to create a successful graduation program.  Going forward using strategies provided by the third side and nonviolent communication can assist the team in preventing conflicts due to communication and delegating responsibilities.   

Evaluating myself as a communicator

When I compared the similarities and differences between how I evaluated myself as a communicator and how others evaluated me I saw more similarities than differences.  The only thing that really surprised me was that I evaluated myself as significant in verbal aggressiveness.  When reading the results I do not think that I attack a person’s position or make attacks to make someone feel hurtful. (Rubin, Palmgreen & Sypher, 2009).   

I really enjoyed seeing how I am viewed by others as a communicator.  I was glad to see for the most part that I present myself the way I want to be seen by others.  Learning about myself as a communicator is very helpful in my position as a trainer.  I have to communicate with individuals on a daily basis and often wonder how they will receive the information.  I am happy to know that others believe that I am a person who care about others.  This is true to who I am as an individual which carries into my personal life.  In my personal life it is helpful to ensure that I think about others in order to make and keep friends based on how I communicate with them.

 

Reference:

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

Different communications in groups and cultures

Growing up in a military family afforded me the opportunity to experience different groups of people and cultures.  When I am around different groups I realize that I start to adopt certain words and gestures.  For example when I lived in Maryland I used to have my peers say that I was a “valley girl.”  I didn’t realize what this meant until I watched a show that had girls saying certain words such as “like, and really” and the gestures that I used frequently.  I learned these words and gestures when I lived in Washington State.  I quickly realized when I moved to Maryland that everyone did not speak the same way.  It is amazing how individuals are quick to judge someone because they do not seem to display languages or gestures of ones identified culture.    

When I entered college I moved to North Carolina to attend school.  When I went home to visit my friends and family they told me that I did not sound the same.  I had a “Southern accent.”  I didn’t realize that when I talked to people I always said “y’all.”  While in college with my peers I communicated using similar words and gestures that were a more relaxed form of communication including slang.  While in college, I could identify with the group of twenty somethings.  This changed however, when I entered the working community.  I was more aware of how I needed to communicate while in the workplace.  I knew that I had to use formal communication that showed professionalism in the workplace especially with colleagues that I supervised, trained or mentored.  When I am among professionals who are at the same level as myself I can use communication that is less formal   

As I continue to grow older I realize that I know when to switch the way I communicate on and off depending on who is in my company.  Going forward in order to ensure that I am able to use effective communication with others it is important to gain understanding by learning about the group or individual.  For example, when I worked in a school that had children and families who spoke Spanish I tried to learn the language and about the culture in order to gain understanding of the children and families and develop a working relationship.  It is important to remember to not “judge a book by its cover.”  I try to use this in my everyday life when I work and communicate with individuals from a different culture.

Messages communicated while viewing the show Cristela

I chose to watch the show called Cristela.  I had never seen this show before but I was curious to see what it was about.  My first assumption at the beginning with no sound was that I noticed that the storyline included a mother/grandmother, one single female, a married or dating female and two children.  I assumed that one female was a couple with the man because he kissed her on the cheek.  The man also greeted the older woman that I assumed was the mother-in law or grandmother.  The man’s body language showed that he did not get along with the lead character who was single.  He did not greet her and turned away and frowned his face and shrugged his shoulders.  The single female had a man who I assumed was interested in her by the body language.  He tried to lean in towards her to greet her. The single female lead away and frowned up her face.  She made gestures with her hand point to the male while she frowned.   The setting also showed the single female in an office where she seemed to know the individuals in the office.  She smiled at the man sitting at the table with her and they both made eye contact and continued to laugh and smile.  When she went into the office she was talking to an older man who seemed to be her boss.  She smiled at him and reached out like she was going to hug him.  He also smiled back at her. I thought that he was her boss because of her body language.  She sat straight up in the chair with her hands in front of her folded together.  The plot seemed to suggest that it was a single women who stayed with lived with friends and or family and worked in an office where she had some friends.

When I added sound my assumptions of her living with friends or family was close.  The lead character was the sister of the other female who was married with two children.   The two sisters live in the house with their mother.  The husband of the lead character’s sister does not like her because she lives with them.  He wants her to get a real job and move out.  I assumed that the lead character already had a job and was going to work.  The lead character was actually at an interview for an internship.  She did not know the people in the office. The lead character was cracking jokes with her potential boss as he did with her also.  She reached out for a hug welcoming a friend of her potential boss after she had mistakenly insulted him. 

I do believe that more of my assumptions would have been correct if I had been watching a show that I knew.  However, I feel that I was able to identify some information about the characters based on their interactions with one another.  The characters used a lot of nonverbal communication such as hand gestures and facial expressions.  Adding the sound helped me learn the specifics about relationships and what the characters were doing.  I really enjoyed viewing the show with and without sound to understand the importance of communication whether it is verbal or nonverbal.  My “aha” moment was really watching their body language and gestures communicating language.  In the beginning I was watching their lips and was trying to figure out what they were saying.  Once I just watched what they were doing I realized that I was still learning about the characters.

A person who demonstrates competent communication

The person that came to mind as a competent communicator is my father.  My father has always been big on communication.  He used communication when he served in the US marines and fellow service members.  When my sisters and I would communicate with my father he was big on everyone making eye contact to ensure we were listening.  My dad was good at listening to what we had to say whenever we came to talk to him.  My dad also provided great advice on how to handle challenges that involved communicating with others. 

As I entered adulthood and discussed with my father some challenges I faced as an administrator and teacher working in early childhood he would stress the saying “always remember, silence is consent.”  This stuck with me when I discussed challenges while working with a person who was not pulling their weight.  According to O’Hair, Wiemann, Mullin and Teven (2015) “In communication, an outcome has to do with the product of an interchange” (p. 13).   I was stressing myself out to do the job of two people.  When my dad said “silence is consent” it made me realize that I had communicated that it was ok for me to do all the work.    In my current position as a trainer I have the opportunity to communicate with teachers, children, families, admin and other support staff members.  I follow what I learned growing up about making good eye contact, listening to others and ensuring I communicate at all times instead of remaining quiet whenever there is a challenge.   

 

 

 

Reference

O'Hair, D., Wiemann, M., Mullin, D. I., & Teven, J.  (2015). Real communication (3rd. ed). New York: Bedford/St. Martin's

 

 

 

Professional Hopes and Goals

According to Louise Derman- Sparks from the multimedia segment “Diversity and equity work: Lessons learned”, "the passion comes from the vision" (Laureate, 2011).  My hope is that educators will use this passion needed to help bring about change with issues related to diversity when dealing with children and families from diverse backgrounds.  Having a vision for change I hope will one day provide an opportunity where everyone experiences equality and joy for being themselves. 

My goal for the early childhood field is that information and trainings will be made available related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice in order to implement change in this area.  As a trainer at my early childhood facility, I can assist in providing training to encourage understanding on beliefs, biases, personal experiences or educating in areas of the unknown.

Thank you to my colleagues in this diversity class for sharing insight in this area.  I hope that you have a great summer and I wish you all good luck in the completion of your degree.

 

Reference

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Diversity and equity work: Lessons learned [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Welcoming Families from Around the World

 

Working at a child care center when we receive new children entering our program, it is important to make the child and family feel welcomed.  If we were to receive a new student who was from Korea it would be important to try to learn about the family’s home country.  As the classroom teacher I know nothing about Korea or the culture.  I feel that it would be important to try to gain knowledge in order to ensure the transition into the program was inviting and welcoming.    

To prepare for the family’s arrival I would first try to gather information about Korea such as traditions, climate, food, etc.  For example people in Korea contribute their success to the three types of spirits: gi, heung, and jeong ("Imagine Your Korea Visit Korea", n.d.).   According to "Imagine Your Korea Visit Korea" (n.d.), “These days Korean cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of meat and fish dishes along with wild greens and vegetables” (para 9).  Second it is important to learn about who was the primary care giver of the child.  Korean families used to consist of several generations living together.  However, this has since changed to where more married couples are beginning to leave their extended families to start their own homes ("Imagine Your Korea Visit Korea", n.d.).  It is important to know if the child was taken care of by family members or attended a previous child care.  Third, it is important to find out information about the home language and how to support the child in the classroom.  It is also important to ask the family for some simple phrases that are used at home as well as research Korea’s Native language.  Fourth it is important to ensure the environment is inviting and welcoming to the child and family.  This will be accomplished by bringing in materials that represent Korean culture such as books, pictures, toys and music.  Lastly it will be important to find out if the program has access to an interpreter who speaks Korean.  This will be important for conferences, assisting with paper work, keeping the family informed of events in the program. 

 

 

The ultimate goal of utilizing resources and finding out about the Korean culture is to ensure the child and family has a smooth transition into the program.  These supports will also support the teachers who interact with the child and family by ensuring they fell they can meet the family’s needs.

 

Reference

Imagine your Korea visit Korea. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/AK/AK_EN_1_4_9.jsp

The personal side of bias, prejudice and oppression

When reflecting on a past experience with bias, prejudice and or oppression I think of the time when I was pregnant.  When my husband and I decided to have our first child it was the year of my college graduation.  I was three months pregnant when I graduated college.  Normally this would not be a big deal, however, I did not change my maiden name.  I decided to keep my maiden name after I graduated to ensure that all of my information was correct.  When I went to my doctor’s appointment I remember the doctor asking me if I had a boyfriend and I said no I’m married.  The doctor assumed that I was an unwed soon to be mother.  I had decided before I went to the doctor’s that I would change my name in time for my son’s birth.  After this appointment I was in a hurry to change my name.  I felt that others would think of me as a women with a “baby daddy” I did not want people to think of me this way.  I felt bad that this was a quick assumptions of people when the mother’s name did not match the males. 

After reading about “my social identities portrait” I realized that being married with a traditional family consisting of two parents with their biological children was considered a norm with advantages in the society (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  This was taught to me by my parents growing up.  My parent’s had my sister and me as teenagers and married each other when we were three months old.  The odds were stacked against them but they have been married ever since.    My parent’s stressed the importance of being married when deciding to have children.  This is why I knew that it was important to change my name before my son was born.  I did not want people to think I was a single mother.    

Understanding my own bias with this issue has helped me to change my point of view with married or unmarried women having babies.  I had to change my view of thinking that a family with unmarried parents had less equity than my own.  Admittedly, before I became a mother I would make the same assumptions as my doctor when I taught in the public school if the child and mother did not have the same last names.  Since then I have learned that it is more important to get to know the family based on who is in the family instead of my own personal beliefs.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

This week after learning what microaggression was I started to be more aware about the world around me.  I was watching a movie on how a man could trade places and become the other person.  There was a brief encounter with an African American male who was presented as angry, argumentative, abrasive and forceful.  The Caucasian man who could switch places was scared of the man.  The day when he could replace the other person, he became an African American man and presented himself as angry and forceful to get something from a Caucasian man.  The Caucasian man gave the African American what he wanted.  The man who could switch places was shocked that this worked. 

I was unfortunately not shocked by the portrayal but sadden to see that even on television this is how African American males are viewed.  Often this is the case of how African American males are seen in the world.  Being a mother of two boys that are African Americans has me worrying about how they will be viewed or treated in this world.   As a parent I try to stay optimistic that my children will be viewed as young men who can do great things in this world.  I do not want them to be stereotyped as what the media or others think of African American males.  Watching the multimedia segment Microaggressions in everyday life I learned that according to Dr. Derald Wing Sue, microaggressions are “brief everyday indignities which may be verbal, behaviors or environmental” (Laureate, 2011).  I know that after I viewed the video I am much more aware of what I say and do can affect others.  I hope that more people in the world will also be educated on microaggressions and how they can affect people in life whether it is unintentional or not.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

To find out about others perspectives on diversity and culture I interviewed three people.  I interviewed a seventeen year old African American boy, a 41 year old African American man and a 35 year old African American and Pilipino woman.  I spoke with three people that I thought were a little different than myself.  When I asked all three about what culture meant to them they provided similar definitions. The teenager named Mo, defined culture as “the stuff people did and lived by like traditions” (personal communication, March 20, 2015). The 41 year old man, Dominic defined culture as “the environment or surroundings that your parents grew up with then pass on to their children such as traditions” (personal communication, March 20, 2015).  Lastly, the 35 year old woman, Dariah defined culture as “peoples beliefs or backgrounds such as religion and traditions” (personal communication, March, 20, 2015).  All three had similar definitions of culture which included traditions.  In the multimedia segment, Family cultures: Dynamic interactions, according to Louis Derman-Sparks, “family culture are their beliefs, goals for their children and parenting (Laureate Education, 2011).

            I also asked for their definition of diversity.  Mo, defined diversity as “being excepting of different cultures, religions, and ethnicity” (personal communication, March, 20, 2015). Dominic, defined diversity as “an accumulation of people and cultures existing in one environment” (personal communication, March, 20, 2015).  Lastly, Dariah defined diversity as “a mixture of different cultures, beliefs, genders and nationalities” (personal communication, March 20, 2015).  All three believed that diversity included many cultures.  Two believed that diversity included different beliefs including nationality or ethnicity.  According to Harris (2008) … “one could identify diverse families via categories of race or ethnicity, region or nationality, class, sexual orientation, or religion” (p. 1411).

            In the multimedia segment, Family cultures: Dynamic interactions, Louise Derman-Sparks defined culture in two categories to include family and dominate culture.  She defined dominate culture as a cultural group where political and economics help determine the way of the world.  Dominate culture decides who has the power based on areas such as class and ethnicity (Laureate Education, 2011).  The individuals I interviewed mentioned family cultures however, dominate culture was omitted from their definition.  When I interviewed Dariah she provided the most diverse examples of growing up in two cultures due to being both African American and Pilipino.  She shared how growing up in Pilipino with a catholic background prevented her to date.  This changed however, when she moved to America at age sixteen.  She was in “culture shock” when she saw boys and girls dancing close to one another at a school dance.  This was not allowed in the Philippines. 

Dariah shared that she was raised by her grandmother in the Philippines following the Pilipino culture.  When she came to America to live with her mother at sixteen she wanted to learn more about African Americans.  Dariah said this was important to her because she felt disconnected from her African American culture.  She chose to go to a predominately black college in order to learn more about African Americans.  Dariah had entered a dominate culture of predominately African American students.  She shared a story about her roommate who had really long hair and one day she saw her remove her hair and was shocked.  Her roommate shared that she was wearing “tracks”, hair extensions.  Dariah stated that she thought her roommate would be offended by her response, however, she entertained Dariah by providing an explanation about African American hair.  Dariah shared that even though she went to a school that was predominately black she felt like she never really fit in (personal conversation, March 20, 2015).  According to Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) “children experience cultural discontinuity, especially if the program considers its way “right” and others’ “wrong” (p. 59).  From my conversation with Dariah I realized that she experienced cultural discontinuity between her African American ethnic group.  She realized she was different because she was half Pilipino and African American, however, longed to also fit in with African Americans.  She was aware that her upbringing in the Philippines was very different than what she was experiencing in American.   

            In conclusion, I learned that everyone has their own definition of what culture and diversity mean to them.  I saw how even thought their definition may have been a little different they still shared some commonalities.  I was reminded how even in our own culture we can sometimes be seen as outsiders.  Sometimes our experiences mold how we feel about what words mean.  The teenager Mo, also reminded me that it is never too early to teach the younger generation about the importance of acceptance of others no matter their beliefs or definition of culture and diversity.

My Family Culture

Blog Assignment: My Family Culture

 

In the event of a devastating catastrophe that would cause my family to relocate I would be grateful for our survival.  Understanding that I am going to a new host country that may be very different than my won makes me excited and nervous at the same time.  My excitement comes from my military background of always being ready to move to a new area or country at a moment’s notice.  Understanding that I would only be allowed to bring on set of clothing and three small items that I hold important would be: family photos, music, and a bible. 

            Family is something that I hold close to my heart.  I love looking at old and new photos with the opportunity to reflect on experiences and how things have changed.  I enjoy having photos of my immediate and extended family.  I enjoy having the opportunity to see them and what they are doing.  Secondly I would bring music either from CD’s or a musical instrument.  Growing up and throughout my marriage I continue to be surrounded by music.  Music often is used to support however I am feeling or the situation.  I would also bring a bible.  My family has always leaned on faith throughout our lives.  I know that even if I end up in a place where I do not understand the language I will have my faith to rely on.  I can have my bible to read scriptures to provide support as well as prayers. 

 

            If I was told upon my arrival that I could only keep one of the three personal items I would be unhappy.  Putting my feelings aside I would chose to keep my family photo album.  As I mentioned earlier family is very important to me.  Having the photo album allows me to stay close with family members who are not with me.  I can remember the time we all spent together.  Upon the completion of this assignment I gained insight of how much I value family.  I also realized that I would be open to experiencing a new country.  I feel that I have had experiences in diversity from being a child and wife of a military personal.  I am a little fearful of not understating the language or ways of the culture.  I would enter with the openness and willingness to learn.