Effective Communication and Collaboration: My journey

Effective Communication and Collaboration: My journey

When I woke up this morning I could not wait to work on my homework assignments and complete yet another course in my journey. Reflection is probably the most effective tool that I have when it comes to implementing what I have learned; the second most effective tool in my tool box that I use frequently is collaboration. The colleagues I have met on my journey make up a resource that cannot be replaced with any book or google.

A skill that I had hoped I would take away from this course is being an effective facilitator when working within groups of colleagues, with parents, and community members. I have gained insights into establishing positive group climates in order to ensure effective communication and collaboration.  As well as how group climate influences group communication (O’Hair et al., 2015).

During this course I have learned a lot of useful strategies for being a good listener and resolving conflict utilizing the 3R’s and the platinum rule. The information that I have learned will not only aid me in my professional relationships but in my personal ones as well. My communication confidence has grown but more importantly, my ability to communicate and collaborate independently and within groups will aid me in being a change agent for the early childhood field. My passion and motivation will be more evident and present when I communicate and reflect on effective communications using the skills I have added to my “professional” tool box thanks to this course.

 References

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

The adjourning phase of a group

During the adjourning phase sometimes you are excited about moving on and sometimes it is like you are mourning. For several years of my career I worked with other early childhood professionals on fund raising efforts to aide in prevention of child abuse and neglect and to help raise awareness. This group was very fulfilling emotionally but it was also very time consuming. During the adjourning phase each year we celebrated our fundraising efforts with a dinner celebration that summarized the achievements for the year and recognized each individual’s contributions. Each year we raised more and more funds making it a personal goal to raise more funds for the cause each year, even though the time commitment grew with the goal. I would say that because this was a high performing group it was more difficult to leave.

On the other hand I have been a part of a group that was easy to leave. I worked really hard on a community needs assessment one summer and part of that assessment included collecting surveys from clientele and other social services group. There were several members of the group but I had the majority of the responsibilities. The adjourning of this group was with the compiling of the data collected. Once the data was in a comprehensive document it would be used throughout the year to distribute funds to programs that showed the highest need. As this group grew to a close I was proud of the document I had helped to compile but I was also relieved the task was done, making this group easier to leave.

I think that when I am finished with my master’s degree program the way that I will adjourn from the group of colleagues I have formed while working on my degree is by making them all part of my professional resource file. Every person brings a skill set to the table so I will attempt to keep each one of them as a future resource.

I think that adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it allows for closure and reflection. You can reflect on what worked and what didn’t work. You can reflect on each individual’s contribution to the group and make a mental note of how their skills would contribute to other groups you may be a part of. 

Using the Principals of Non-Violent Communication

In my previous position within a Head Start agency I had a center manager who was not present 8 hours out of the day, and frequently did not follow her own policies and procedures. The other teachers and staff complained frequently but none of them ever complained directly to her; they only talked about her and complained to each other. They would often times site her work ethic as being related to her ethnicity, I would disagree with this assumption but it continued and made the work environment very tense. I was grateful to accept another position and discontinue my employment with this agency but I felt as if my work was not done but I couldn’t handle the stress any longer. Nonviolent communication states that when used it builds compassionate collaboration and communication among individuals that addresses the needs of individuals involve (The Center for Nonviolent Communication, n.d.).

I believe that when I was presented with this situation I could have defused it a little more by bringing it to my center manager’s attention that we were unhappy with her performance and allowing her an opportunity to enlighten us in regards to her responsibilities. Perhaps we would have seen she was doing work related tasks on her own time or during different hours therefore she was carrying the work load or had an opportunity to empathize with her situation. By not standing up for her and leaving I believe that I may have been part of the problem instead of part of the solution. By using the 3R’s, respect, responsiveness, and building relationships I may have seen things from her perspective; active listening is an important component of effective communication, by utilizing the 3 R’s co-workers feel valued and part of the solution (Cheshire, 2007).

I am curious what my peers would have done with faced with a similar situation.

References:

Cheshire, N. (2007). The 3 R's: Gateway to infant and toddler learning. Dimensions of Early Childhood, 35(3), 36.  Retrieved from the Walden Library database.

The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (n.d.). The center for nonviolent communication. Retrieved from http://www.cnvc.org/

Who Am I as a Communicator

Who Am I as a Communicator?

After completing the communication anxiety inventory, the verbal aggressiveness scale and the listening styles profile I was surprised to learn that I have pretty good communication skills regardless of my apprehensions. I figured my assessment of my communication skills would be very different than the assessments done by my coworker and my daughter but they weren’t and I learned that I am pretty consistent in my personal and professional communications.  

Some other insights that I gained in regards to communication this week were that first impressions are lasting impressions and listening is just as important, if not more important, than speaking with confidence; especially when building relationships.

The way these insights might inform my professional work is that they remind me to always look professional and put my best foot forward when at work, in the community and at home; you never know when you will make a useful professional connection and you want to honestly convey who you are. This message is also relevant when it comes to your personal life. You never know when your personal life will reflect on your professional life and vice versa. 

Communicating in culturally diverse groups

Communicating more effectively in a culturally diverse group

Casual communication seems to me to be self-centered; meaning, we usually see things from our own perspective. By utilizing the “platinum rule” when communicating with people from different groups and cultures I think that we show we value their way of communicating.

I do find that I communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures on some levels. When communicating with children I use the same vocabulary terms that I would with adults but I offer a definition so they understand what I say. I think this would be offensive to some adults. When communicating with families from different educational and income backgrounds I find that I change the terms that I use based on their knowledge base.

When I communicate with colleagues I spend a lot of time observing them and watching their interactions. This helps me to “see” their communication style so I can adapt my communication style to meet their needs. I find this helps when building relationships and helping people feel valued. I use this approach with families and students regardless of their cultural difference, because this strategy helps me learn to appreciate their difference and embrace the way they would like to communicate.  

Language is always a barrier when it comes to effective communication so if a translator is available I use them, but I still maintain eye contact, I am conscious of my body language, and I attempt to learn key terms in a person’s home language. This all comes down to valuing the relationship and wanting the person you are communicating with to feel valued and their culture honored.  

A television show "communication" experiment

I chose a television show that my daughter enjoys watching that I don’t usually watch. The name of the show is “Jessie”. Jessie is a young girl who wants to be a movie star and takes a job as a nanny for a wealthy family to have an income, just until she can break into show business.

When the sound was turned off on the show I thought that Jessie was angry and resentful and did not like her job, therefore she had a poor relationship with the children, the butler and the family. Jessie made faces that indicated that she was angry and talked with her hands a lot. I began to question why I would even let my daughter watch this show. All of the character relationships seemed strained and communication was sarcastic at best.

So, I turned on the sound and wow! The nonverbal communication did not match the verbal communication much at all. Although, there was a lot of sarcasm and innuendos throughout the show; the relationships were much more caring than I first believed. Jessie seemed to care for all of the children and helped them through their daily struggles, as their nanny.

I think that had I been watching a show that I know well I would have known the character’s personalities better and my assumptions would have been based on what I know about the characters. With this experiment all I could base my assumptions on were the interactions I was observing without sound. This is an interesting experiment and gives you some insight into how important body language and non-verbal cues are. 

Demonstrating Competent Communication Skills

“We strive to understand and respect others communications before evaluating and responding to their messages,” (O’Hair, Wiemann, Mullin, & Teven, 2015).”

My boss and founder of Creative Kids Seattle is someone who demonstrates competent communication skills when it comes to listening before evaluating and responding to other people’s messages. I have seen her in public speaking situations and meeting one on one with parents and staff; and she always listens and responds thoughtfully. More importantly is her interactions when it comes to communicating with children. When she is communicating with children she gets down on their level, she listened to them and even if she disagrees she is very thoughtful about her responses. In return the children are learning communication skills and they honor and respect her, through their interactions with others.

When she is speaking, Grace makes eye contact and her facial expressions say she is listening. Because her first language is not English I think she listens even more intently and even though her responses take more time they are more thoughtful. I would want to model some of my own communication behaviors after her because when she speaks people listen, they value her opinion, and they feel respected in her presence. 

Professional Hopes and Goals

Professional Hopes and Goals

A hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is best conveyed with this acrostic poem.  

D – DEMOCRACY

I – INDIGENOUS AND IMMIGRANT

V- VOX

E – EQUAL RIGHTS

R – REALITY

S – SOCIETAL NORMS

E – EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES  

I would hope that every child and family I am working with would experience democracy when they are part of my classroom family. By democracy I mean equality for everyone; indigenous and immigrant families alike. Equal rights does not always mean the same; because equality looks different for everyone. It is a reality that every individual has experienced something different in their lives when it comes to diversity so my desire would be that each individual child and family could share that reality with me, so that I can not only understand but support them on their journey. Societal Norms define appropriate behaviors for every social group. It would be my goal that when interacting with families and children from diverse backgrounds I could seamlessly introduce different aspects of every family’s culture into the classroom environment; so that instead of conforming to societal norms we would be blending our cultures to create a classroom environment that is inclusive. In conclusion, I would like to set a goal for the early childhood field that is related to diversity, equity, and social justice: That every child and family that comes from diverse backgrounds would have equitable access to education, social services, and decision making as it pertains to equality.

I would like to thank my colleagues for sharing their individual experiences with isms, diversity, and inequalities. Your personal experiences help to relate information I have learned to real life situations. I wish you all the best of luck in your studies and commend you for your continued commitment to early childhood education. 

Welcoming Families from Around The World

“One does not worship, display or teach culture; one acknowledges it as a whole way of life grounded in the past, and one necessarily lives a culture.” Houston Baker, Jr. (1990, p.1)

The name of my family’s country of origin is Syria. Five ways in which I can prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family are:

·         By being aware of my own cultural background. By knowing my own culture, beliefs, and values I will be more responsive to theirs because this will be the foundation from which I interact with them.

·         I will contact them in person prior to their child starting school; regardless of culture everyone wants to be valued as an individual not just a number.

·         I will learn greetings in their home language and practice them so I pronounce them correctly. This will help them to see I want to value a part of their culture by getting to know them better through verbal communication.

·         I will attempt to accommodate the child’s personal needs; schedule, dietary, etc.

·         In Syrian culture it is inappropriate to speak to the wife before you speak to the husband. I will address the head of household for my initial contact.

I would hope that by taking these steps to prepare myself for accepting a new student and their family from an immigrating country, that I know nothing about, I will start a positive relationship with the family that will help them to feel welcomed, comfortable and help them to feel more at home. It will help me as an early childhood educator because I will know more about where the child has come from and where they have been so that I can teach them individually and honor their culture within the classroom.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

·         What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

I would like to answer this question by referencing a movie. The movie that I watched where there were several incidences of prejudice and oppression was The Help. In the movie the black maid tells of her experience and the experiences of other women of color who are treated poorly because of the color of their skin. This movie made me angry but mostly it made me sad. The fact that people of color were considered “dirty” and the white characters in the movie could not even use the same restrooms because they may catch something outraged me.

This movie also illustrated ageism. The small child in the movie was deemed unlovable because she was not pretty enough for her mother and was abused and treated as insignificant, causing her to have internalized oppression.

·         In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

Equity was diminished in the movie because the child was dependent on others for her care; therefore she was subjected to their cruelty. Equity was diminished for the women of color because they did not get paid fair wages, they did not have access to using the restroom when they needed to, and if a white person was caught sympathizing with them they were treated poorly or even criminally.

·         What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

These sort of things are still happening today all over the world even though we are a more educated society.  I am sad that any human being was ever treated so poorly and that other human beings can be so ignorant. It makes me feel angry but also hopeful. So much has changed since that time but so much change still needs to be done. Race is part of a person’s heritage and needs to be something that illicit feelings of pride, not shame or fear.   

·         What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

All of society would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. Children need to be taught that we are all equal from an early age. Children learn what we teach them; meaning they are not born racist.

Here is an experiment that has been conducted over generations that shows the effects of racism on impressionable children.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkpUyB2xgTM

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

Describe at least one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from another time. A microagression that I detected this week did not happen to me but to a friend of mine. He was out to dinner at an Indian restaurant with his partner and when it was time to pay he paid with his credit card. When the waitress returned to the table she gave him the wrong credit card. The name on the card was an Indian name and my friend, although he looked Indian is a Mexican American. When he told her she gave him the wrong card she said “are you sure?” insinuating that he looked Indian so that must be his card. 

In what context did the microaggression happen? I feel like her microaggression was a racial microaggression and had perceived minimal harm. 

What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggression? I wasn’t the target of the microaggression but my friend reported that he felt insignificant and the fact that he said the card wasn’t his was not proof enough so it made an awkward situation even more so.

In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people? It reiterated the importance of being aware of our own prejudices and biases. It also reminded me to think before I speak and don’t judge a book by its cover. Even if we have the best of intentions sometimes what we say can have negative effects on the recipient of the comment.

Perspectives of Diversity and Culture

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Yesterday I was fortunate to attend the 2016 Spring Institute in Seattle on Children, Race, and Racism. During this training I asked three colleagues for their definition of culture. The first definition that I received came from someone who has over 20 years of experience working with culturally diverse populations and she herself is bi-racial. The second definition that I received came from a Native American colleague who is a story teller. The third definition that I received came from a Japanese colleague who teaches others about Peacemaking circles and has a passion for racial healing and social justice leadership.

It is interesting that all of individuals I spoke with had similar definitions of culture. Culture is everything that shapes and defines an individual. Beyond the visual aspects of culture; food, clothing, housing, etc. we must look at the values and beliefs and philosophies that carry and shape who we are. During this course so far the definitions that I have received from others and the definition in the text are similar. We all have a generic definition of culture but I have learned so far through this course that culture is many things to many people and it is always evolving. I think the example in our text that attempts to define culture is the best one that I have found.
The phenomena we call ‘culture’ arise as people pool and accumulate their discoveries and as they institute conventions to coordinate their labors and adjudicate their conflicts. When groups of people separated by time and geography accumulate different discoveries and conventions we use the plural and call them cultures” (Smidt, S. p.85 2012).

When it comes to diversity the same holds true. These educated individuals of multiple races look at diversity as different elements or qualities of individuals (like race, ethnicity, language, etc.) that make them who they are, when they are with others in a group or organization looking at all of their different attributes makes the group more diverse.

By listening to others definitions of culture and diversity and thinking back on the learning resources I have broadened my thinking whe it comes to culture and diversity. At the beginning of this course I thought of myself as not very diverse and I could not exaclty pinpoint my cluture; these definitions have helped me to identify with who I am. They have also helped me to realize that culturally I need to know myself in order to help children understand race, culture and diversity. I have just began a journey to understanding race, culture and diversity so that I can help children to make meaning of society's messages and help to support development of a healthy racial and ethnic identity in them. 

My: Family Culture

If there was a catastrophic event and my immediate family and I had to be relocated and I could only take three items, the three items I would take are: A photo album, my bible and jenga. My family is the most important thing in my life so therefore the photos of them when they were babies, and young children are invaluable to me. No matter what I have been through in my life the words in my bible have always brought me comfort and helped lead me in the right direction, so that is why I would include my bible. The third item is a pleasure item that my children and I enjoy together; our jenga game. Jenga is a strategy game, it is simply wooden pieces you stack and try to re-stack without knocking the block tower over.

I do not place much value on material items especially if my immediate family and I were all safe. If upon arrival I was told that I could only keep one personal item I would select my bible. My bible offers words of wisdom passed down from generation to generation and is also a comfort item for me.

I have realized as a result of this exercise that there are very few items in my life that represent my family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences that I can identify. I value relationships and family as well as religion but these are not material items that I could carry with me. Most of what I value is intrinsic. These are my children and they mean the world to me :)  

When I Think of Research...........

Research Journey

As a beginning researcher I have learned the importance of being prepared and making a plan. Sometimes when I am not studying or doing an assignment I will stop to reflect and think about my research simulation. I think of questions that I would like answers too, and if the questions can be used to form a hypothesis; because of this class I have learned the importance of research and the importance of the research process. I use to think that research was easy and all you had to do was look up statistics and articles and reflect on what you have read. I now know that good research requires so much more; you must know about ethics in research, analyzing research and designing your research so it can be used to advocate for change and/or answer unanswered questions.

In this learning process my colleagues and professor have been invaluable resources. They have helped me re-formulate my questions and asked questions that have required me to use higher level thinking skills; for that I am grateful.

Challenges that I have encountered in the research process are; formatting my research and getting to know the research terms. Some way’s that I have overcome these challenges are to read and re-read the professors comments on my papers and follow her suggestions, as well as writing the terms and their definitions on index cards and in my research journal. This has helped me to categorize the terms and recall their meanings, so I can use them appropriately.

My perceptions of an early childhood professional have always been that it was one of the hardest professions to become an expert in. The multi-faceted aspect of being an early childhood professional are often overlooked and we are considered child care providers. An early childhood professional has a huge responsibility in a field that gets very little gratitude and very little compensation for the variety of job duties performed. This research class just solidifies these facts and my determination to become a skilled professional in the early childhood field

Research Around the World

For this week’s blog assignment we were tasked with doing some research of our own on current international research topics. I explored the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) web page to ascertain what current topics in ECE were being researched on an international level. The research journals I was able to locate on the web page that contained current research were: Diversity in early childhood education from a parent and child perspective, promoting play for a better future, and Children’s perspective and participation in research.  

One surprising fact that I found was in order to be a partner or linked to the EECERA web page you must be a non-profit. I believe it is beneficial for research and collaboration purposes to include all ECE programs regardless of their profit status. An insight that I gained about early childhood on a national level in European countries is that they have gone to great lengths to ensure that morals, and ethic obligations are clearly defined in their ethical code. Their ethical code is much longer than the NAEYC code of ethics and goes into greater detail. http://www.eecera.org/documents/pdf/organisation/EECERA-Ethical-Code.pdf

Something else that I found noteworthy was the position statement that the EECERA posted on children that are refugees from war. This position statement show’s the commitment this agency has to not only European children but to children on a global level.

“Position Declaration The 1000 strong delegation of the 25th European Early Childhood Education Research Association conference in Barcelona, compelled by the horrendous refugee crisis and the lack of humanitarian response by international leaders declare that: As an organization we are committed to deep respect for human rights, the rights of children specifically and more vulnerable members of the community to have the right to live in safety and peace; to be cared for and to be protected and treated fairly, with dignity and without prejudice (paying due regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child). The European Early Childhood Research Association extends its support to the Syrian families’ presently seeking asylum in Europe. We demand the world's leader’s act according to the International Declaration of Human Rights and protect the lives of Syrian families. There is no more urgent matter for world leaders today than to unite to solve the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East and to respond with compassion to refugees globally. Further, we extend a plea for humankind and politicians to join efforts to solve this crisis. This is a global humanitarian emergency that requires the efforts of nations to respond unreservedly to provide rapid and comprehensive measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those seeking asylum regardless of race or religion. This includes urgent provision for safe, humane and unhindered passage to places of asylum. NO CHILD should die as a consequence of seeking refuge from a war. As an organisation we have agreed to collectively donate to the emergency response of International Aid Agencies and we intend to further support refugee families through our significant international efforts in early childhood education and research.”  

The development of this statement has been a joint collaboration involving the contributions of the following members: Libby Lee-Hammond (Australia) Sofia Avgitidou (Greece) Eleni Loizou (Cyprus) Michela Schenetti (Italy) Ingrid Engdahl (Sweden) Eva Ärlemalm-Hagsér (Sweden) Elly Singer (The Netherlands) Alison Clark (England)

References:

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

Research That Benefits Children and Families

For this week’s blog post we are to share a positive example of the effects of research on children and/or families, the piece of research I chose to share about is the research done on the Perry Preschool Project.

This piece of research was conducted over 40 years. Participants were identified between 1962-1967 when they were 3-4 years old some of the research participants received a high scope preschool, participatory learning approach and the comparison group received no preschool. The research showed that of the adults still living (97%) the 40 year old that received the high scope preschool education had higher earnings, were more likely to hold a job, committed fewer crimes and were more likely to graduate from High School.

The cost of this research was right around $15,000 the return on investment through public benefit was over $195,000. What a return on investment!! These children, now adults are more likely to be functioning and contributing members of our society.

The men from the group that received preschool are raising their own children and have a lower divorce rate than the men from the group that did not receive preschool. Fewer of the participants that received preschool through High Scope have been incarcerated and they are earning more money to support their families.

The impact this research has had for children and their families is reflected in the research itself. It has illustrated the importance of early childhood education that is child-initiated and how our public schools should move away from education that is narrowly focused and requires externally imposed curriculum. This research can be used to advocate for ECE programs that are high quality by being presented to policy makers and economists who have the power to implement funding to support Universal Preschool.  

References:

Schweinhart, L. J., Montie, J., Xiang, Z., Barnett, W. S., Belfield, C. R., & Nores, M. (2005). Lifetime effects: The HighScope Perry Preschool study through age 40. (Monographs of the HighScope Educational Research Foundation, 14). Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope Press.

Barnett, W. S. (1996). Lives in the balance: Age-27 benefit-cost analysis of the HighScope Perry Preschool Program (Monographs of the HighScope Educational Research Foundation, 11). Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope Press.

Schweinhart, L. J., Barnes, H. V., & Weikart, D. P. (1993). Significant benefits: The HighScope Perry Preschool study through age 27 (Monographs of the HighScope Educational Research Foundation, 10). Ypsilanti: HighScope Press.

My chosen research topic for my building research competencies simulation is: Eliminating inequities of accessibility to high quality preschool programs. So far my personal experience with the simulation process has been a positive one. Constructing a research chart has been helpful with organizing information and I have learned a lot about finding credible on line resources and what makes a credible resource.

From previous classes and research I have learned what a valuable resource professional connections can be. I am compiling a list of professional resources that I can access to assist me with this particular subject. Having access to other early childhood professionals with knowledge and experience is an invaluable resource.

The three related subtopics I would like to explore further are; 1. What does high quality early childhood education look like. 2.  Who currently has access to affordable high quality early childhood education. 3. How do we make high quality early childhood education affordable for all?  Any input or experience you have with these three sub topics would be greatly appreciated.

I chose this subject because it is very personal for me. As a child coming from a middle class working family I did not receive early childhood education. When my children were old enough for preschool they did not qualify for preschool because we made too much money but we couldn’t afford to pay, so they couldn’t go. That is when I decided as a parent to educate myself so that I could teach my children and give them the head start every child deserves; not just the wealthy children or the low income children but every child.

I looked at the free programs like head start and saw that they offered a well-rounded program that encompassed early learning, social emotional skills, family services and health and nutrition. I also looked at programs through private entities like churches and for profit child care. I found that the highest quality programs that offered the most comprehensive services were crafted for low-income children to level the playing field. In the process of leveling the playing field the powers to be were creating an unacceptable inequity of accessibility for working families who did not qualify for welfare.

As my professional career has advanced this inequity has not disappeared but there are strides being made. By researching this subject I think that I can bring this topic to the forefront of discussions that are already being had about accessibility of early childhood education, my research can be used by politicians and change agents in the early childhood field to express the importance of high quality early childhood education for all and I can use my research to give my career direction  so that I can continue in my efforts to bring affordable universal preschool to every 4-5 year old’s family that wants it.

I have found a few valuable resources besides professional connections that can help me with my research. The High Scope web page has a research link that has a lot of resources that can assist researchers. www.highscope.org Also, the NAEYC is a great resource for researchers. www.naeyc.org

I wouldn’t suggest using personal blogs or social media unless you can validate credentials and authenticity. 

Strengthening Bonds of Collaboration

Three consequences of learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development are:

1) I have realized that inequities in the early childhood field are universal regardless where in the world you are. The inequities are varied but they are still present. Here in the U.S. an inequity that is currently being addressed is the fact that Early Childhood Educators are under paid and under educated. French teachers are paid accordingly and receive the education needed to be highly qualified. New Zealand only have 50% of their teachers that are fully trained and registered. So it appears that France has had huge gains in the early childhood field, where other countries are lacking, but on the flip side they are giving the rest of the world a working model of what teacher education should look like.

2) Personally I have learned that professional connections are invaluable when it comes to developing professionally. The insights I have gained from speaking to other early childhood professionals locally and internationally cannot be found in any text books. I have learned that many opportunities exist for Professional learning in other countries as well as our own. By talking to other professionals I have learned that I can grow professionally by listening and learning from my colleagues, reading books, seminars, overseas speakers, center visits, downloading articles to read and sharing at staff meetings, annual self-reviews and unpacking aspects of my practice, both individually and as a team of teachers.

3) I am a lifelong learner. It is important to keep abreast of trends, inequities, and research that helps to advance the way early childhood professionals are viewed in the professional community.

A goal that I am setting for myself as it pertains to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations is to personally visit learning communities in New Zealand and France. I think discussing differences and similarities in issues and trends is different than viewing them first hand. I think it would be invaluable for me to make international connections personally and advance my career and teaching abilities by learning from and observing other professional’s in action. 

In cultivating mutually professional relationships I have decided to explore my second professional connection. In order to learn more about France’s model of Universal education for all and their clear expectations for curriculum that should be taught, as well as professional development and training for their teachers I spoke with Jackie Raiola.

What issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals are being discussed where you live and work?

 Jackie Raiola is an educator in a école maternelle classroom, the ‘ecoles maternelles are sometimes referred to as the “crown jewels” of France because they believe that preschool is where everything starts, and this is an important part of their society.

Some important issues regarding quality and early childhood professionals that are being discussed in France right now are; how can there youngest citizens contribute to society and the national universal curriculum that is always evolving and changing.

France has a national curriculum; unlike the U.S. which has a state curriculum, therefore all educators have clear expectations for teaching children from the age of 2 all the way up to secondary school. The overall goal of the universal curriculum is to individualize and bring out the best in every child, therefore teachers have the ability to decide how they want to teach the curriculum.

What opportunities and/or requirements for professional development exist?

In France every teacher has to have a Bachelor’s Degree in some other field before they study education. A teacher’s test scores on the teacher exam determine where their teaching assignment will be. If accepted into the teaching program, perspective teachers will be assigned to teacher training, after completing their first years of study and they are payed by the government during this time. The teaching field is very competitive in France. Early Childhood teachers complete all the same assessments as all other levels of teaching and besides an oral exam they must complete a physical fitness exam. Jackie took an exam in English language (her first language), French language, swimming and biology.

What are some of your professional goals?

French teachers are every bit considered professionals. Every French teachers receive a very high salary and recognition for their contribution to the field. Every French teacher, no matter what level they teach receives a total of 36 weeks paid professional development if they make teaching their career choice. My professional goals are to continue staying abreast on current trends in early childhood and to continue mentoring younger teaching professionals.

What are some of your professional hopes, dreams, and challenges?

Being from the U.S. I would love to return and teach some of what I have learned about Universal Education to politicians, educators, and economist. An important thing to remember when comparing educational systems is the size of a country and hurtles and challenges they have to overcome. Even though the French model works well for France it may not work for the U.S. There are several similarities when it comes to outcomes and expectations but delivery and teacher preparation is very different. 

For this week’s blog entry we were tasked with following up on our research of the agency we chose to follow for up-to-date early childhood education research, facts, and trends. I had chosen www.highscope.org . The reason I chose High Scope is because they demonstrate sound practices and back it up with solid research.

Upon following some of the outside links on the High Scope page I have realized that there are press releases, extensions, video clips, and podcasts that are all relevant to this week’s study topic of Excellence and Equity of Care and Education for Children and Families: more specifically Availability, Accessibility, and Affordability of early childhood education. The most useful tool was being able to sort information by topic.

The current issue of the High Scope Newsletter http://www.highscope.org/file/NewsandInformation/ReSourceReprints/Winter2016/HSReSourceWinter2016_web-productlinks2.pdf

In regards to breaking down barriers and inequities in early childhood education this what High Scope President, Dr. Cheryl Polk had to say in this quarter’s newsletter:

“We’re going to figure it out together. In this movement to maximize our children’s development, we’re all in this together,” said HighScope President, Dr. Cheryl Polk. “This is a lifelong commitment.” This commitment asks us to think differently about our children and our responsibilities to one another; it’s a change in “the way we do things around here” — what Beale Spencer calls a “revolution of conscience” — and it’s not just a personal change, or a structural change, but a cultural and collective one.

This quarters issue also contained research and information in regards to; Continuity of Practice, Kindergarten Readiness and Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, Professional Development and Classroom Resources. 

Current issues of excellence and equity in New Zealand as it pertains to the Early Childhood Environment

Current issues of excellence and equity in New Zealand as it pertains to the Early Childhood Environment

Unfortunately my international connection is proving to be much too busy to answer questions that require a lot of thought. Instead of getting discouraged I have found another resource within the same country that could help point me in the right direction for answers.

In regards to the question what issues in early childhood excellence and equity are at the forefront of professional discussions in New Zealand I found that the issue of Interculturalism: sharing and learning across cultures that promotes understanding, equality, harmony and justice in a diverse society, is the main topic in regards to program excellence and equity. (Banks & Banks 2004)

We have discussed many topics this week among them are school readiness, curriculum, assessment, and achievement gaps; I did not expect that in New Zealand the most talked about issue in regards to excellence and equity would be cultural. Maori are native to New Zealand and over the years have suffered a lot of prejudice and inequalities. Current early childhood research shows that children develop prejudices as early as the age of 3 and this solidifies by the age of 6. (Doyle & Aboud, 1995).The early childhood classroom is a powerful conduit of values.

In a high quality Early Childhood Classroom in New Zealand teachers are expected to know and be sensitive to different religions and cultures, family structures, and languages, become more aware of their explicit and implicit biases, and avoid generalizing children into cultural groups. Early Childhood advocates propose that the professionals in the field reach a consensus about teacher training addressing diversity. Addressing cultural issues is necessary for creating a more equitable educational system and starting with early childhood is necessary to assist our youngest citizens with learning acceptance and understanding of others to create a more just society. (Interview with Miriam Zmiewski-Angelova)

References:

Banks, J.A., & Banks, C.A.M. (Eds.). (2004). Handbook of research on multicultural education

Doyle, A.B., & Aboud, F.E. (1995). A longitudinal study of white children’s racial prejudice as a social cognitive development. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 41(4), 210–229.

Interview with Miriam Zmiewki-Angelova, Seattle Preschool Program Educational Coach, February 5, 2016. 

The web site I chose to explore further was the High Scope page. The section that seemed relevant to my current professional development was the section on the six curriculum content areas and the 42 key developmental indicators (KDI’s). I have been an early childhood teacher for almost 20 years but this is my first year using the High Scope Curriculum. I believe that early childhood education should be a federally mandated and funded opportunity for every child and a universal curriculum should be used to teach all children 0-5. High scope provides a curriculum that is high quality, culturally responsive, and encompasses everything an early childhood experience that is rich in experience and developmentally appropriate should provide.  

On the High Scope page there is a resource that provides you with information on how high scope aligns with each states early childhood standards. If universal standards were in place you would not have a need to have all of this cumbersome information. One set of standards would not only be easier to assess but easier to apply. This resource did not seem controversial to me but it did make me think how can something seem so simple to me but be so cumbersome to politicians and law makers?

Politicians support is necessary for universal standards to be set and early childhood education to be a reality for every American child. Economists must explain how a universally designed program will meet federal standards and give the most human capitol returns. A lot of work went into designing a universal program (social security) for our oldest citizens and I believe with a little elbow grease and tax payer support we can design a universal program for our youngest citizens that will not only give us a leg up in education but it will set American children apart from other children globally.

Some other new insights about issues and trends in the early childhood field that I have gained from exploring the website are: an article on childhood obesity and how being overweight has long lasting affects into adulthood (http://www.highscope.org/file/NewsandInformation/HotTopics/MovementAndObesity.pdf) and a study of how a home literacy environment can improve as a result of parent and child engagement. (http://www.highscope.org/content.asp?contentid=907)

References:

http://www.highscope.org/

http://www.highscope.org/

New insights and information about issues of poverty

My conversation partner for this section of my blog posts is going to be Chris Bayes who is an ECE professional in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Chris teaches four year olds in the Foundation Class at Diocesan School for Girls. She has worked for the Ministry of Education as a Senior Advisor and as a Facilitator for Professional Learning.

We are conversing via email. I emailed Chris my questions about issues of poverty in her country and she thought they would be better answered by one of her colleagues who specializes in the area of poverty and I am still awaiting her response.

In the meantime I will discuss some information and new insights that I have gained about poverty in New Zealand and how it might affect young children and their families. The National Children’s Nutrition Survey said that “1 in 5 families studied said they could only sometimes afford to eat properly and that their food sometimes ran out because of lack of money.” (National Children’s Nutrition Survey, 2002)

One of the major concerns for children and families in poverty in New Zealand is the cost of living is so high that after housing is paid for there is little left for day to day expenses like heat, electricity, food, clothing, and other essential items required to live our day to day lives. The child poverty monitor lists this condition of poverty as material hardship. This led me to explore material hardship a little further in the area where I live and I realized this a real thing here as well. Once people find housing it is very difficult to keep it due to the high cost and the need for other essential living expenses. (Child Poverty Monitor, 2015) (sharinghouse.org)

References:

Internet Site : National Children’s Nutrition Survey (2002) http://www.moh.govt.nz/notebook/nbbooks.nsf/0/658d849a2bac7421cc256dd9006cc7ec/$FILE/nzfoodnzchildren.pdf

Internet Site: Child Poverty Monitor (2015) http://www.nzchildren.co.nz/

The organization I selected was High Scope (Inspiring educators to inspire children). High Scope provides a child directed preschool curriculum as well as assessment tools and up to date research and information in regards to current trends in early childhood education. Below is the link to the High Scope web page: www.highscope.org

I enjoyed watching the preschool comparison study that High Scope conducted on students who were through the age of 23. The study showed that students who participated in High Scope and other nursery schools that were child led were more likely to be successful socially and obtained higher education as well as less occurrences of teenage rebellion and less incarceration.

A current trend that was discussed on the web site that caught my attention was an article about High Scope developing six new key indicators in the area of Social Studies. These six indicators focus on integrating cultures and values into the classroom and honoring diversity. All six of these indicators relate to this week’s learning resources. One of the new indicators was telling stories. Stories relate directly to cultures and diversity and that is how information is passed down from generation to generation; so the ability to tell stories directly relates to our current learning resources. I think back to the story of the family that immigrated to the United States from Mexico. The stories they told their children about religion, their culture growing up, and their families were all stories that preserved their history for future generations.  (http://www.highscope.org/content.asp?contentid=839)

References:

http://www.highscope.org/file/NewsandInformation/ReSourceReprints/Spring2013/ReSourceSpring2013_TeachersCorner.pdf

www.highscope.org

Making Global Professional Connections

I was extremely excited about this assignment to make global professional connections. I have been in the early childhood field for nearly 20 years and I have always been fascinated by early childhood programs in other countries. Globally, there are several universal preschool models and I feel like the United States is antiquated when it comes to early childhood development and the importance of early intervention.

With that said I would like to share the reason I relocated to Seattle to be an early childhood teacher. Seattle recently rolled out a Universal Preschool model that is funded by the city and open to every 4 year old. In becoming a part of uncharted waters in a large city I have the benefit of being part of something from the ground floor up. When you are part of something new it is exciting but sometimes frustrating so it is important to make connections with other professionals who have done what you are doing.

I am blessed to have an education coach with lots of connections and she has so graciously helped me with this assignment by helping to make professional introductions with Chris Bayes. Chris teaches four year olds in the Foundation Class at Diocesan School for Girls in New Zealand. Her background has been working for the Ministry of Education as a Senior Advisor and as a Facilitator for professional learning.

Chris was first introduced to the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia in 1994 when the Hundred Languages Exhibition and conference was held in Melbourne. After visiting Reggio Emilia in 1998, she began an adventure that continues to inspire and challenge her.

For my second connection I am attempting to find a connection in Japan. Japanese culture values education, therefore early childhood education has been a very important educational developmental milestone that is taken very seriously. I have sent several emails and hope to receive a response by the first of the week. I am hoping to hear back from Yoko Shirakawa, a professor of Early Childhood Education, at Konan Women’s University.