Last Blog for Evaluation Class

I must say that this course has been very enlightening in my educational journey in early childhood education. Towards the end of the course I had surgery and a very time consuming mishap with my mother in love and her health. This made the last few weeks of the course quite horrendous; but with understanding from my colleagues as well as you professor, I am able to see the light at the end of the tunnel! In spite of these mishaps, I feel that this class and what I have learned will definetely prepare me more for my role in early childhood education. 

As a young child I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher! Even playing the role with family members when we were able to capture a moment of play together. This is what started my passion for my role that I currently serve. As a teacher, in order to keep up with changing times, new procedures, as well as any other aspect of change, we have to be prepared and ready for that change and how to help make that change a success within the realms of the classroom. This class has taught me why this change is so important to the field. Nothing ever stays the same and things are forever evolving; and when a program is able to be evaluated then necessary ideas of change are brought forth to make the program a better atmosphere for learning and connecting with children and the families that are being served. Change is hard, but it's always necessary! Self-evaluation is just as important as program evaluation. Through this class we have learned that evaluation tools such as CLASS are necessary so that teachers can consistently evaluate themselves for a better learning experience for the children that are being served. This class has taught me a lot and am glad to have shared this journey with all of you! 

Program Evaluation

                                                             Program Evaluation


  Program evaluation is a great thing for anyone! Just as people should individually self-evaluate themselves, I feel that programs should be evaluated as well! Early childhood years has been found to have a big impact on how a child develops, performs in school, and even in what type of adult they may become. Because of this, I feel that it is important to ensure that programs are being ran precisely and accurately for the benefit of young learners.

Program evaluation allows workers to take a look at things that are good the way they are, as well as things that could stand some improvement. It's important at times for outsiders to actually conduct these evaluations as they are able to reveal things that normal workers who have been employed for awhile, may not see.

Evaluations should be ongoing, and a system should be set in place for programs to improve upon anything that may have been lacking when being observed. As for myself and how evaluation can be good for me, it would help me in leadership roles, such as program coordinators or even center supervisors. Knowing the importance of evaluations would definitely help me if I were to ever partake in these roles. Program evaluation is key to having a successful early childhood program!

Fostering Classroom Communities

For this second assignment I have been asked to review a dissertation that shares information about the importance of positive environments within early childhood classrooms. After an extended search throughout the Walden Library, I was unable to locate an actual dissertation on the subject; but I was able to find an article which I felt was very relevant to the subject at hand from that particular Walden site. Hopefully with future assignments, or even a bit of help from you, my colleagues (through blog posts), I will be able to locate dissertations in the very near future.

            The title of the article that I found was Temperament, Family Environment and Anxiety in Preschool Children. The body of research used a total of 202 preschool participants to examine the relationship behavioral inhibition, family environment and anxiety. The types of family environments that were focused on were as follows; negative and over-involved parenting styles, parent-child attachment, and parental anxiety. The ages of the participants were between 3-4 and out of 202, 101 were male participants. The methodology used was thorough and included data from many observations, interviews, and questionnaires.  The results showed that children who are exposed to anxiety within the womb and within their environment after birth, are significantly more likely to meet criteria for a range of anxiety diagnoses.

            Three resources used by the author were interviews, questionnaires, and observations. For this study in particular, fathers were asked to complete a single questionnaire, which measured anxiety symptoms. Questionnaires help in analyzing data for an anxiety diagnosis. Hudson, Dodd, & Bovopoulos (2011) shares that “All mothers were interviewed using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSMIV, Parent Version” (p. 4). Interviews were good for this study because it gave researchers the opportunity for open-ended questions. Having open-ended questions allows the researcher to produce an authentic representation of what is actually occurring within the preschoolers’ home environment. Finally, an observation was conducted with this study through speech preparation. Each child had to prepare a 1 minute speech, while the parents had to prepare a 3 minute one. Observing these speeches allowed the researchers to grasp how severe or non-severe anxiety was for each child/parent.

            This study has definitely taught me a different avenue of why positive class environments are good for young children. Through past lessons, I have been taught that a classroom should always be welcoming and inviting for young children and their families. For example, colors are always an important component of promoting positivity within a center as well as classroom. Freeman, Decker, & Decker (2013) states that preschoolers aged 3-5 have distinct preferences for colors throughout centers. “They prefer cool colors such as blue, green, and light purple over warm colors such as orange, red, and yellow” (p. 137). Today, I was able to see one of the many reasons why an environment should be inviting for the young children that we serve on a daily basis.

 For children with anxiety issues, building communication skills may present a problem.  Teachers should always show warmth and understanding to any child that may display anxiety issues.  For personal interaction to blossom, the day must be planned and paced so that there are many opportunities for person-to-person encounters, for listening, and for conversing.  Teachers should also make a conscious effort to reach out to every individual child.

Creating an encouraging classroom involves many details that must be followed in order to create a positive learning environment. Teachers could ensure a positive climate for those that suffer with anxiety by developing a schedule that should be followed daily and assurance that a routine is developed.  Schedules and routines are a must in a preschool classroom.  When children are on a routine, they feel more comfortable, safe, and secure because they know what to expect next.  Schedules represent the big picture or the main activities to be completed daily.  Whereas, routines represents the steps done to complete the schedule.  Teachers should also ensure that lines of communication are open for parents and their children. When it comes to communication, children often identify very strongly with their families.  When teachers make family members feel welcome, the child will feel the same, in return. Finally, when speaking of the environment literally, as I did with color schemes above; I feel that lighting is another important issue for those children with issues such as anxiety. Natural sunlight is great for many things, and promoting happiness is one of the most important things for families who suffer with anxiety. Freeman, Decker, & Decker (2013) states “Natural light from large windows, balconies, and porches improves children’s and adults moods, reduces fatigue and eyestrain, helps the body maintain circadian rhythms, destroys bacteria and mold, and is a source of vitamin D” (p. 134). Including natural light within the classroom would be another excellent way to promote positivity naturally within the classroom. As long as these steps are followed, preschoolers as well as their anxious parents should feel comfortable in trusting their atmosphere as well as the people in it.

 References

Freeman, N. K., Decker, C. A., & Decker, J. R. (2013). Planning and administering early

            childhood programs (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Prentice Hall

Hudson, J. L., Dodd, H. F., & Bovopoulos, N. (2011). Temperament, Family Environment and

            Anxiety in Preschool Children. Journal Of Abnormal Child Psychology, 39(7), 939-951.

Healthy Prenatal Development

To start, I apologize for my lateness with this blog assignment! I had no idea there was Assignment 4 as I looked all over it, and just found it as I was preparing to complete Assignment 3 for this week! So sincerest apologies for my tardiness! For this blog assignment I have chosen to focus on healthy prenatal development and my advocacy message is entailed below;

Prenatal visits scheduled by a medical doctor should be a 'must' on an expectant mother's to-do list. There are many important and pivotal moments during an unborn child's duration inside of an expectant mother. Research shows that the largest change that any human will ever face, happens during the time when we were still 'cooking in the oven'! Berger (2014) states that "The most dramatic and extensive transformation of the entire life span occurs before birth" (p. 94).  This statement alone leads me to believe that this transformation is definitely a time in life that should be guided as well as checked on consistently by a trained professional. Another important reason why I stand behind prenatal visits is that brain growth is heightened during prenatal stages of development. Brain development is essential to a newborns survival rate. When the brain of a fetus is not functioning properly, then other organs of the body lose hope of working in harmony. Berger (2014) states that "The reason brain growth is critical at this point is that the entire central nervous system becomes responsive during mid-pregnancy, beginning to regulate basic body functions such as breathing and sucking" (p. 97). Because of these findings, I feel that performing prenatal tests as well as getting regular ultrasound type checkups definitely benefits both the mother and the unborn child. The only way these types of tests are administered is through monthly prenatal check-ups. Not only are these checkups great for fetuses, but for the expectant mother as well. Sometimes mothers who are expecting experience high blood pressure or even gestational diabetes. How can these things be determined if a expectant mother fails to attend prenatal visits. Lack of these type visits can cause detrimental effects to the unborn fetus as well as the woman carrying.

The message that I am trying to convey about prenatal visits is that lack of them can cause great damage to an unborn fetus as well as the mother in many cases. Of course each case will not be as serious as life or death, but it's better to be safe than sorry when dealing with prenatal issues. Children can't speak for themselves, we as adults have to speak for them. Expectant mothers can take a silent stand and advocate for their unborn child by simply attending scheduled prenatal visits. The life of their unborn child is in their hands, so why not do the right thing and seek a obstetrician or another type of trained professional. Berger (2014) states that medical entities aim to "protect every developing fetus and every newborn" (p. 93). Mother's should most definitely fight for the health of their unborn child, as the child cannot do it on their own.

I have given birth to two boys. Both were blessed with good health because I listened to medical professionals during both pregnancies. I was considered high risk as I had high blood pressure with each pregnancy. This is disease that could have affected my children had I not sought medical attention. The blood pressure pill that I was taking before pregnancy was a danger to an unborn fetus. If I never attended prenatal visits, this is something that I would not have known and I could have seriously caused harm to my children when they were in the womb. My own experience taught me of the high importance that prenatal visits truly have! 

Classmates/Colleagues, if any of you have shared positive experiences because of prenatal care such as I have, please chime in and share your experience! 

Berger, K.S. (2014). The Developing Person Through Childhood, 6th edition. Worth Publishers. New York, NY 

Final Blog

Three things I have learned:
This course has taught me so much! Most importantly, it has taught me the needed steps to become an advocate for the early childhood childhood field of which I wholeheartedly represent! I now know the hardships of reaching a goal within a field; and I feel that this class has equipped,me the armor needed to complete my mission successfully. The second thing that I have learned is leadership styles. My goal is to become an adult educator within the field, and knowing or learning my own leadership style can prove as very successful as making or breaking my career as an early childhood adult educator! It also opened my eyes as to what kind of leader various people are in my life! This was a true eye opener! Finally, learning that the dream time can help in my mission of advocacy was a true eye opener! In all honesty, I felt that if I was the one with the dream then I should be the one to accomplish it! This class has truly changed my belief in my prior thinking and has helped me realize that a team is needed....but its all about having the right team behind you!! Picking the right people can definitely make or break my advocacy efforts! This is something I would have never known and I thank this class for my awakening!
The goal that I have set for myself is to always stay educated! My own mission and challenge for,this class has taught me just how important it is to remain educated about what's going on within the field! This is not only a good act for me to follow for the children that I serve, but for my own professional growth as well!
To my colleagues and professor, a sincere THANK YOU is definitely in order on helping me to accomplish my goal of earning my Masters degree in Early Childhood Education. With papers turned in, you professor offered a guiding light as to whether I was traveling the right road or you would reveal whether I needed to take a detour. I truly thank you for that! At times, I wondered why I needed to change my challenge from one thing to another, but after deep consideration and pondering, I realized your thoughts were very valid and I appreciate your efforts on producing a better version of me! To my colleagues, I thank you for sharing your views and thoughts on things I have published through discussion. Many of your ideas were enough to change my mind when making different application decisions and I thank you for that! We have all definitely grown and become a huge family over the course of a few months! We have learned more, envisioned more, and are definitely better prepped at handling any future early educator endeavors that may be ahead! I have truly enjoyed the ride with you all and I wish you nothing but continued success in the future! Pray daily and remember to STAY EDUCATED!!!!

Wk 6

UNICEF- This is a group that I have heard of numerous times since being a student here at Walden. This is an organization that helps disadvantaged children in different regions of the world such as Europe, Asia, Africa, Caribbean, just to name a few. UNICEF works to give disadvantaged children a fair chance. Some areas that they push for is for inclusion and protection of young children, as well as promoting gender equality among these young children. When looking under the job opportunity section, I learned that the team actually promotes internships. They also have a section on their job opportunity link for the role of Child Protection Specialist. The job is located in the Republic of Cameroon. Main responsibilities for this job include justice for children, civil registration, and policy development. A couple of tasks that this job requires includes; developing and preparing child protection projects and advocating with the government.  

Save the Children- This is an organization that I have never heard of. Through research, I have learned that their mission is to give children a healthy start when disaster strikes. Saving young lives is the main goal of this organization. Save the Children helps children by providing education, emergency response, health and nutrition, and disaster response when the unthinkable happens such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and fires. The organization has stations in the U.S., Africa, Asia, Latin America/Caribbean and Middle East/Eurasia. When searching for available jobs I was able to search under the U.S. Field Based positions. I searched under the D.C. Home Office and the C.T. Fairfield for Education/Literacy/Child Development.

International Step by Step Association- Aims for quality and equity for all children and families. The organization reaches those in Europe and Central Asia, holding over 60 members. Everyone involved with this community offers insight on best practices for early childhood education. A few goals are to advocate for early childhood systems for all children, increase awareness of early childhood education, and become a leading network for early childhood education. I was unable to find any job listing for this organization.

Week 4

This week will be much like the previous week as I chose the same organizations for community helpers.

3 Local or State Organizations

Bright From the Start- This is a local organization here in my home state of Georgia. It provides various services for many of the childcare facilities here in Georgia. They are responsible for things such as licensing as well as ensuring that daycare centers and early childhood programs meet the safety, educational, and nutritional needs of the young children they serve. This organization definitely sparked my interest because it teams with the government as well as our local Head Start Association that's located in Atlanta. As for jobs Pre-K consultant as well as Pre-K teacher are a couple of job openings that this organization offers. For the consultant job the responsibility of the individual hired is to oversee Pre-K centers in public schools and early childhood centers of which they have been assigned. The requirement in education is a Masters degree along with two years of early childhood experience. The pay rocks as well, anywhere from $36,000-$52,000. As for pre-k teachers, it depends on where they work. Most centers would prefer a bachelors but in some places an Associates will suffice. In public schools the teacher must have a bachelors as well as certification to be a lead pre-k teacher.  

Boys and Girls Club of America-  There are many Boy and Girls Clubs around the world. They all have the same mission, and that's to provide a safe haven for young and older children to get them off the street and focus on the positive aspects of their young lives. I have a love for this organization as it relies on the help of other organizations to stay open and operate. This program has a realm of many collaborations; so I think it's safe to say they must have great communication skills as well as other collaborative skills when trying to get support from others. Mentors director is one of the jobs that I chose for this organization. Many were listed but the one that appealed to me most was the mentor director. Boys and Girls Club America (2016) states the following about the job description, "Under the supervision of the Executive Director of the FCBGC, the Frank Callen Mentoring Program Director is responsible for oversight and ongoing development and implementation of the Frank Callen Mentoring Program. Ideally, the Mentoring Program Director is a Mental Health Professionals who will establish the Program Model by recruiting, training, and matching volunteers, as well as responsible for managing risk. They ensure uniformity of training curriculum, data collection, outcome objectives, and ongoing clinical support. The Mentoring Director serves as the clinical mind for the program and is responsible for messaging, marketing, and brokering linkages to all available resources (e.g., facilities, human resources, risk management, volunteers, etc.)" (p.1). The requirements educationally is a bachelors degree. The pay starts out at 32,000

National Head Start Association- This is an organization that will always remain near and dear to my heart because teaching children and helping families who are less fortunate is a great feeling. This organizations mission is to provide quality care to children of families with low-income. They always stand in support of the program; and they will go head first in their action plans to support the Head Start Program. When Head Start was in trouble a couple of years back they made it their mission to type up letters to members as well as current and prior Head Start parents. These letters were intended for legislative officials who felt that the program didn't work and were tying to reduce funding. Not only did the officials from the organization take the letters, but themselves as well as others who were willing to speak on behalf f the program! This is a company that I would love to have back me up in my efforts to advocate and potentially help in improving some areas of the program that needs improving. Data specialist and Early Childhood Mentor/Coach were the two available jobs closest to my location. Each job was located in Macon, Georgia which is about 30 minutes away from my home. I attempted to find out educational and other requirements for both jobs but I would have to be a member to find that information out, which I'm not! The data specialist deals with more of the "office side" of NHSA, whereas the early childhood mentor/coach deals with the educational side of NHSA. 
                                  References
www.nhsa.org
decal.ga.gov
Boys and Girls Club of America. (2016). Careers. www.bgca.org/Careers/Pages/Careers.aspx

Community Partners

Hello Colleagues! Listed below are the requirements for this first blog assignment.

3 Local or State Organizations

Bright From the Start- This is a local organization here in my home state of Georgia. It provides various services for many of the childcare facilities here in Georgia. They are responsible for things such as licensing as well as ensuring that daycare centers and early childhood programs meet the safety, educational, and nutritional needs of the young children they serve. This organization definitely sparked my interest because it teams with the government as well as our local Head Start Association that's located in Atlanta.   
Boys and Girls Club of America-  There are many Boy and Girls Clubs around the world. They all have the same mission, and that's to provide a safe haven for young and older children to get them off the street and focus on the positive aspects of their young lives. I have a love for this organization as it relies on the help of other organizations to stay open and operate. This program has a realm of many collaborations; so I think it's safe to say that they must have great communication skills as well as other collaborative skills when trying to get support from others.
National Head Start Association- This is an organization that will always remain near and dear to my heart because teaching children and helping families who are less fortunate is a great feeling. This organizations mission is to provide quality care to children of families with low-income. They always stand in support of the program; and they will go head first in their action plans to support the Head Start Program. When Head Start was in trouble a couple of years back they made it their mission to type up letters to members as well as current and prior Head Start parents. These letters were intended for legislative officials who felt that the program didn't work and were tying to reduce funding. Not only did the officials from the organization take the letters, but themselves as well as others who were willing to speak on behalf f the program! This is a company that I would love to have back me up in my efforts to advocate and potentially help in improving some areas of the program that needs improving.

Potential Jobs for the Future- Of course Teaching Adults is number one as that's my concentration. But here are other jobs that I am interested in as well.

Preschool Teacher in a Public School- This is a job that I have actually been inquiring about. Even though I am a preschool teacher currently for a local Head Start program, I do not have a degree with teacher certification. This prevents me from being an actual teacher (not paraprofessional) within the public school system. This is a position that still serves the age group that I love, but the pay is better. My current issue is my own full-time job. I am unable to conduct a student teaching session because of the timing of the student teaching and the timing of my job. Luckily, if I choose to go down this road, there is a way that I can still be certified. The GA TAPP is a program that was created because of the decline of up and coming teachers being produced. The program allows those in other fields with Bachelors degrees to become a teacher. The first step is to pass a series of test. After these tests are all passed, the next step is to find a job that hires TAPP representatives. If the school chooses to hire the candidate they will then be hired provisionally under a specific salary grade. During their provisional status they must complete a specific number of classes which can last about a year or two depending upon which plan the candidate chooses. The student will also receive a certain amount of monitoring from appropriate sources. This journey is rigorous; but if it's something that I'm serious about I feel that I can get the job done!

Parent Educator/Home Visitor- This is another area that's totally different. This arena of ECE focuses on providing help to parents who are in need of getting their lives back on track in the best interest of their young child.  This type of job is usually found in independent sectors who have received grants from the government for this type of care and service. I already have the necessary education to get a job with this title. But of course, like many jobs, it requires training as well as a few classes before beginning.

Teaching adults and Head Start are my two main passions as this is why I have sought degrees within this field. The jobs listed above are just ones that were of interest to me in case those mentioned disappear or fall through!

Last post

I must that this class has really taught me how to communicate with others on a professional level. Through the ongoing communication we experience in this class I have found out a lot of pertinent information about my colleagues work life as well as personal life! I wish you all the best on your educational journey!! Thanks for the guidance Dr. Parrish!!

Adjourning

When speaking on the adjourning level/step, the group that first comes to mind would be my Rasmussen school as well as colleageus and instructors. I loved the fact that I graduated with my Bachelors degree, but I hated the fact that I would no longer be a part of that community. We all formed bonds both personal as well as intellectual/educational. Teachers and colleagues were so willing to help one another through our journey of obtaining a higher degree. When I actually attended graduation, I was able to meet some of these awesome people!
After graduating , I knew that I wanted to obtain a Masters but Rasmussen did not have Masters programs available! I was stuck and scared about attending a new institution. After searching, several friends as well as internet reviews pointed me in the direction of Walden. Upon first entering the Blackboard everything was soooooo different!! I was so accustomed to Rasmussen that this new school had almost intimidated me! After about the first week of class I felt right at home! Instructors were sweet and helpful and so were my colleagues!
Even though the adjourning of my Rasmussen school was hard, Walden made it quite comfortable for me to feel right at home again! I feel this is because trust was set up from the get go. Just like Rasmussen, my financial aid and class selection went well in the very beginning. These measures helped me gain trust in my future with both schools because they seemed to know what they were doing and I was willing to place my educational future in their hands!! Adjourning was sad but my entrance to this new school was awesome!

Respectfulness, Reciprocality, and Responsiveness are the 3 rs that lead to better communication between partners, whether it be professional or personal. I'm the kind that pretty much minds my own business and deal with not too many people besides family and close friends. Because of this I feel that it truly keeps me grounded and out of others "mess". So there have been very few times when I have had arguments with others besides the occasional fall out/argument that my husband and I seldom have!!! During these times I must say that neither one of us took the time to follow the 3rs of communication. We often said things in a not so nice way because of our tempers being hot at that particular moment!! But I'm almost positive that if we had taken the time to actually HEAR and RESPECT what the other was thinking, as well as RESPOND in a non-argumentative way, then the conversation would not have been as heated because both parties would have been respected! This is definitely a method that I have not used but could definitely benefit from professionally as well as personally on a day to day basis!!

This weeks blog relates to the assignment/application for week 4. In this assignment, I had to conduct two surveys on my own as well as get two people to conduct the same surveys. On the first I received a score of 27 and on the second survey I received a score of 60. Both of my testers scored very similar to myself as well as with each other. After looking at things that we differed on opinions of would be feeling disappointed when I spoke publicly, as well as showing others that I dislike them. When I scored myself I felt as if I was always confident before and after public speaking; but after reviewing the feedback from my coworker and husband they informed me that I appear less confident because I am always asking how I did afterwards, as well as consistently asking if my presentation was appropriate beforehand! When I think about it I guess it does seem that I am less confident when speaking publicly! The second issue that differed was showing dislike! I always try to get along with others regardless but its hard sometimes! My coworker and husband informed me that I need to work on my facial expressions/demeanor! When I think about it that's so true! My mouth could be saying one thing but my body language.....which is often very believable.....needs to be in sync!!! I truly enjoyed this assignment and it will definitely help me in my professional and personal life!!

For this weeks blog assignment we are asked if we communicate differently for people that may be on different levels within our daily circle. For me, I must say that I am more comfortable around the people that I deal with on a daily basis! So for them, I may not always use appropriate language, etc. But when it comes to people like those in my area office , who I don't deal with on a daily basis, I find I use language that is more appropriate, my listening skills are better, and my eye contact is better. Not that I don't do these things on a daily level, but I think we are more aware of these things when we are trying to make a impression on someone that we view as important. One thing that I have learned this week is to pay attention to how others communicate. By doing this I can become a better communicator with various people. Number two would be to realize that everyone is not like me, so I can't expect them to communicate as I would! And last, taking the me out of the equation and just focusing on how another person feels in a conversation will get me well on my way to becoming a better communicator! I must say that I learned a lot this week!!

Communication Skills and Styles

For this assignment I used a Lifetime movie called 'The Perfect Boyfriend' instead of a TV show because I don't have anyway of recording one. So basically I cut the TV on mute when the show came on at 2pm, watched it for a while on mute, and then finished the movie out with regular volume. The important characters in the movie appeared to be one adult male and one child male. The female characters were three main characters; one that seemed to be a teenaged daughter and the other two seemed to be the wife and mistress. Without sound it appears that the adult male is having an affair on his wife. He is very affectionate with both females and this is what lead me to my conclusion, because of his body languages with both (hugs, kisses, etc). The young boy seemed to be the child of the husband and wife, even though he seemed to be more affectionate with the mother. As for the teenager, the mother appears to be pretty young , but its apparent that she must be a child of hers considering she lives in the household. The union seemed more loving between the mistress and husband because when he hugs the wife, his eyes seem a bit suspicious! Now when I'm about to turn the volume up......a mysterious man has entered the picture and he's hugging the young boy and the boy is spending the night with him!!! Ughhhhh!! Lol! 😁 Just when I thought I had it all figured out!!
Volume up: Boy was I wrong!!! Totally different scenario with a little sound!!! The two females were a wife and fake girlfriend. The adult male lived with the fake girlfriend because him and the wife were plotting to get millions from her!!  So this is where the suspicious look came from when I thought he was hugging the "wife" who in actuality was the fake girlfriend! The one whom I thought was the mistress was actually the wife!! Confusing, I know! The little was actually not the son of the boyfriend, so this explains why he wasn't as affectionate as the mother. The teenager was actually the live in babysitter who was basically like a member of the family.
Basically, this assignment has taught me that a lot can be gained from body language, facial expressions, which are all forms of nonverbal communication. Sometimes it tells on you, as in the words you speak may not be the same as the language your body is speaking; and during other times, nonverbal language can be misleading. This is why its important to speak up, and voice your opinion through ongoing communication! This assignment was quite fun and has taught me a lot!

Model Communicators

I fortunately have several people who I can refer to as model communicators, but the first person that comes to mind would be my supervisor of the Head Start center where I am employed here in Georgia! When having meetings she is always sure to make eye contact, her voice is always pleasant not aggressive, and she gives everyone a chance to voice their opinions. If parents or staff members at any given time are irate or unreasonable, she always has what it takes to calm the situation down! She is very respectful of what everyone says, even if our thoughts are different than hers! She stands up for her staff when it comes to higher authority..... If the situation grants being stood up for.... and she does so in a very appropriate manner. Because of these things, she is definitely one that I would look up to as a great communicator or as a communication model.

Hopes in ECE and Diversity

Hopes for the future when working with kids who may be from diverse areas of the world would be for them to feel as welcome as possible. I hope that the atmosphere would be one that's inviting. I pray that all families and children will feel welcomed when entering my classroom. I hope that the activities that I present for my children will be ones that supports and promotes differences in cultures. I hope that I will forever teach children to embrace differences instead of mocking or being intimidated by those differences.
The hope that I have for ECE is that we not forget how important it is To our families or children we serve. I must admit that I had not had a class that went this deep into diversity issues as this class. I think ECE programs in colleges should include a diversity class as in depth as this one!
Finally, I would like to give thanks to all of my colleagues who have supported me along the way in the form of commenting, reading, or just enjoying my blog! Good luck to you all!!

Welcoming Families from Around the World

The country that I have chosen is China. The educational setting that I have chosen is an early childhood classroom setting. The five ways that I would ensure cultural responsiveness for the Chinese family would include;
* Reshaping the curriculum so that it is culturally responsive to the child's background. I would do this by including things that I have learned within the curriculum.
*Build a bridge of connection between home and school. If I know ahead of time that interpretation is needed, I should seek ahead of time to find it.
*Include multicultural cultural information in all areas of development.
*Allow the child and family to share some control within the school environment. For example, parents could volunteer at the school and show myself and the class some Chinese traditions that relates to various areas of development with young children.
*When celebrating various things within the classroom, be sure to include various Chinese themes, holidays, traditions, etc.
These are all things that I would do to ensure a successful transition into my classroom. I feel that constant research as well as a close connection with the child and family will help make the transition here in America even smoother.

The Personal Side of Bias

Thankfully, I have never been subjected to any type of personal bias but I have witnessed plenty of episodes from those close to me as well as on the Internet and television.  The experience that I am choosing to focus on will be that of a friend/family member. She was my best friend before I married into her family, so now we're like sisters! In high school, I was the first of many to find out that she was gay. I actually found out by mistake. She, I, and a few of our other closest friends would often share lockers in high school. We both had a notebook that was similar and I accidentally picked up her notebook instead of my own. I realized this once I opened it up and noticed a letter written to a female detailing how she was in love with her. It was a total shock but I was determined to be there for my friend regardless! When people at school found out they treated her SO BAD! Calling her all types of cruel names, etc. Her family wasn't very accepting at first either.  Her mother threw her out of the house and she had to live with her grandmother until her mother realized she had made a huge mistake. Even today,  she still gets a few whispers, stares, and negative comments but our community has grown to love her for who she truly is.....not who she chooses to love!
The fact that she is gay has truly affected her equity. People definitely look at and treat her differently in some situations. For example. She and her girlfriend started to attend my church. A few others who attend my church are gay as well. Not soon after, other people from other churches were saying that our preacher was starting to cater to gay people because we had church full of them. I feel this was sad because we come to church to praise the Lord and not too be judged. Equity is treating others fairly and equally. I feel that others trying to speak negatively of those trying to serve God is definitely not fair or equal. How fair is it too be judged in the house of the Lord?

Microaggression

One example of micro aggression that happened to me back in August was actually from a former parent of mines. Her child (a little boy) was a 3 year old in my Head Start class during last school term. He was a very sweet child but he was never really present at school, of course through no fault of his own! Over the summer I saw the child, his sister, and mother at our local grocery store. I a asked the mom if he was returning for a second year as well as asking her if her little girl would be attending. The mother proceeded to tell me that she had registered her daughter and that her son would be returning as well. She then went on to say that she was contemplating on putting her new four year old son in another program because she "heard" they learn more there than at Head Start😒😳!!! Really!!!! I really felt 'some type of way'! That's an insult to my face and she didn't even realize it?! In that moment I felt disrespected as her child's former teacher, I felt disrespect for the Head Start program as well! I don't think any malice was intended but I certainly felt not so good about her statement! Did she forget that her child rarely came to school??? How would he learn anything considering the fact he was never present! I work hard to ensure that my kids environment is one where learning is ongoing! I work hard on my education to ensure that my children are given the best chance at a successful future! So this was a blow to my efforts! But of course, I will never let that deter my determination in educating young children!! This has definitely taught me to watch what I say to others because words can definitely STING!!! By the way......her little girl is in my class this year😲😱!!! Lol! But I love, support, and teach this child just as I would any other child!!😻😻
This experience made me become more aware of the prejudices that exists when it comes to early childhood programs.....especially Head Start! We are viewed as babysitters instead of professionals who aide in the growth and development of young children! Remaining advocates for our field and kids,will hopefully help us overcome this "stigma" that we currently face!

Views of Culture and Diversity from Others

For this assignment I was required to interview three people from various backgrounds, etc. The three people that I chose were all African Americans but from different generations and backgrounds. The first was my husband who is in his 30's, and of course he's a male. The second person was a woman in her 50's, and the second was a young woman in her 20's. Their responses to culture and diversity (the meanings) are all located below;
My Husband: Culture- people and their race.

Diversity- differences among people; that at times can cause arguments and disagreements.

Female in Her Fifties: 

Culture is the environment that a person live in and diversity is a mix and understanding and respect for one another.

Female in Her Twenties: 

Culture is different characteristics    formed to suit what type of environment and society you are around and diversity is different personality formed to set you or an environment apart.

I feel that all individuals had a good take on what culture and diversity is. Since an environment can consist of various differences, I feel that this can include sexual preferences, race, political stance, socioeconomic placement such as middle class, poor, etc. So since two people used the word 'environmental differences' I think that word goes a long way and I feel that it correlates with what we have been studying so far in this class. 

One part that I think is something to really think about is my husbands definition of diversity. If you think of what was stated in our video for the week, his statement is similar to that of the professional talking in the video. She stated that diversity is like an iceberg. At the tip we have all the fun stuff such as restaurants, food, clothing, music, etc. that is represented by that culture. But in the middle we have confusion, and the arguments that my husband spoke of because of differences of opinions, etc. I thought his partake on the word was quite interesting! I feel that I learned something from all three responses, as well as all responses being similar to at least a portion of what we are learning in this class; mainly a portion because as we all have learned, culture and diversity goes so much more than the 'tip of the iceberg'!!!