Time Well Spent

One of the deeply felt learning that I gained from this program is that we have to know who we are and listen to the critique and suggestions of others. Janice Keyer states that we have to grow and learn who we are (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011). I believe in order to be truly honest, we have to dig deep into our own minds and hearts. We have to acknowledge our strengths and weakness. Sparks-Derman and Edwards (2010) stated that “we all need the diverse perspectives and honest feedback of peers to expand our understanding of ourselves” (p.21). We live in a diverse world and we have to be knowledgeable of the bias and discriminations that are in this world. Our knowledge will help us to be better anti-bias educators.

 

The second deeply felt learning that I gained from this program is that you have to be passionate and you have to be a leader. The knowledge that I have learned from the courses in this program will serve as guidance for me through my professional career.

 

The third deeply felt learning that I gained from this program is that respect is the key to success. You have to be respectful toward yourself, colleagues, parents, and most of the children that you serve. Throughout this program each course placed emphasis on respect.

 

Goals

 

At least one long-term goal is to continue to work on my challenge and achieve the goals that I have listed within my response toward my identified challenge of helping children within my community. I want my challenge to be successful because I know that it will benefit the developmental outcome for young children.

 

My long term goal is to implement the actions that I have designed toward my goal and work effectively with my Ideal Community of Practice to be successful.

 

Goodbyes

 Dr. Darragh it was an honor to have taken this final course under your guidance.   I will greatly miss your critique and suggestions, as well as your compliments and encouragement to do better. You were not just a great instructor, but you are a great role model. As I pursue, my career I hope that my students can admire, respect me, the way that I look up to you. To my colleagues, thank each of you for your support and assistance. I learned a lot from each of you from your blogs and discussion posts and it is one of the reasons why I will miss each of you. We all had a vision about this field and I hope that you all accomplish that vision. You all were very professional and kind in your comments. I know that you all are passionate about the early childhood field; therefore I know each of you will make a remarkable impression in this field.   I wish you all great success as you journey into your new career paths or excel in your previous jobs.

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Working internationally would be a dream.  I have never wanted to work in a large city, but I would love to work in a different country and be immersed within a foreign culture. 

The three international organizations that appealed to me were:

 

Save the Children:

Save the Children is an independent organization that works to enrich and better the lives of children in the United States and around the world. 

This organization did not have any positions currently available aboard although, I would love to work as a Coordinator Early Steps to School Success in another country. 

The Early Steps to School Success program works with families from prenatal through 5 years old.  The program ensures that children are ready for school success and their families are equipped to help them succeed. 

I would possess the appropriate educational requirements however, I have no experience in home visits, nor am I fluent in a second language. 

 

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):

UNICEF is a wonderful organization that provides wonderful humanitarian aid to all children, they also provide and advocates for educational and gender equality as well as policy changes nation wide. 

Currently there is an opening for Chief of Education in Fiji.  This position requires the over seeing of support and professional staff in the education program. 

The job requirement knowledge of a second UN language and Joint sector work.  These are two requirements that I would have to obtain. 

 

United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):

“UNESCO strives to build networks among nations that enable this kind of solidarity, by: Mobilizing for education, Building intercultural understanding, Pursuing scientific cooperation such as early warning systems for tsunamis, Protecting freedom of expression”(United Nations).

A current position is Education Programme Director located in Bangkok.  The position requires overseeing all the education staff and programs in the region.  The job requires fund raising experiences, as well as experience working with United Nations Relations. 

There is common theme among these positions is simply that I would like to work as relations between a large organization and the United Nations.  Being a voice to for children and change as well as educating adults that they have such a huge impact on our children is what I aspire to accomplish in my professional life. 

 

References:

 

United Nations. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.unesco.org/about-us/introducing-unesco

 

UNICEF(n.d.). Retrieved from website: http://www.unicef.org/index.php

 

Crump, P. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

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

Working for a national or federal agency is not something I have ever thought about.  I have always lived in rural communities and have never had the desire to live in a large community.  Generally most national or federal organizations are based out of large cities. 

 

WestEd –

  The organization that works with many different disciplines to create well balanced outcome for children, teens and adults.  This organization appeals to me simply because, they focus not on just one part of our lives, instead they focus one individual subject.  A broad range change is very important. 

I would like to be a child advocate or even work as a general team member who collaborates with other members to help create change. 

 

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute –

  I have always loved science.  The Frank Porter Graham child development institute focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to early childhood development, education and even supporting families.  I would enjoy a position as an implementation or technical assistance specialists, which would work directly with the people; the institute is trying to help. 

 

Voices for American Children –

  Every child needs a voice.  This organization works on six policy goals.  Those goals are based on equality and diversity, health, school readiness, school success, safety and economic success.  I would like to work for this organization, as an advocate.  I believe that by, working with adults and people who have the ability to make changes, ability to make changes which in turns make us the ones, ability to make changes.  I would like to work as a program officer. 

 

All three positions would require knowledge of grants, child development, as well as some financial backgrounds.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

This blog assignment this week is one that I found quite fun.  To think about the possibility to work in any environment I choose is somewhat of a dream.  Lets face it we all have chosen this profession early childhood education for the love of children.  Most of us took the job that was available at the time, and then we work up from there.  To step back and think, the three areas that I would like to work I came up with the following:

 

Community College/University:

I would truly like to work at a smaller community college or university.  Working as an instructor in an early childhood program or even a human development would be an ideal profession.  I would need to have teaching background, computer skills, as well public speaking and interaction skills.

 

State of Mississippi Child Care Division:

Working for the state of Mississippi as a childcare provider coach.  These personal actually go to daycare, and childcare facilities to coach the staff on skills and techniques to improve or enhance their facility.  This is a relatively new program but state providers are now grades and held to a standard making it another way for the state and parents to hold their providers accountable.  I would need public interaction skills, computer skills as well as an in-depth understanding of childcare and their challenges providers face. 

 

Local Hospital:

Our local hospital is a partner in a larger corporation, which is very large in community outreach programs.  The program works with multiple children’s organizations and foundations to provide programs, and actives for children and families.  The program works with children and their families.  I would like to work as a community outreach coordinator.  I would need to have great public skills, advertising skills, and as basis in child development.

Reflecting on Learning

As an early childhood professional I hope to create an anti-bias environment for the children and families that I work with.  I hope to create an environment for families and children so that they know that they all are important.  I want to implement their social identities within the curriculum and planning.  As an early childhood professional, I want to create an environment that is respectful and responsive to the needs of the children and the families. I want to be an advocate for the social rights of children and families, so that they will all be treated the same.  Regardless, of their race, gender, abilities, or cultures all children deserve and should have the same equal rights.  The information and knowledge that I have learned from this course and the previous courses have taught me the value of understanding and promoting diversity within the educational setting.

 

 

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for the support that they have given through suggestions and advice as I journey through my professional career.  I would like to thank them for the positive feedback and interaction during blogs and discussion board posts.  I would like to wish all of you good luck as you begin to end your journey at Walden in the next few months.  I wish you all success in your personal and professional goals.  I hope that we all continue to implement the education and knowledge that we have obtained and become effective anti-bias educators.

Impacts of Early Emotional Development

The area of the world that I chose is Eastern and Southern Africa.  I chose this area because I wanted to learn more about the conditions and well-being of the children that live in this area.  I wanted to learn more about their environment was affecting their developmental domains.  I wanted to gain more insights how children in this area thrived or faced challenges when it comes to their emotional development.

 

The challenges that the children in this region of the world are confronted with are measles, poverty, starvation, disabilities, polio, lack of Vitamin A supplements, and worms.  On the Day of the African Child 2012, UNICEF calls on families, communities and governments throughout the continent to protect children with disabilities from discrimination, violence and neglect, and to provide them with access to all the services they need to grow up healthy and live up to their potential (UNICEF, 2012).  In this area of Africa, children with disabilities are the most excluded group. With the lack of proper medicine and antibiotics, children die because of pneumonia.  Pneumonia claimed 1.3 million lives in 2011 alone, and was responsible for nearly one in five global child deaths (USA, November 13, 2012).  If the medicines and antibiotics were supplied then maybe lesser children would have died.

 

 

 

These experiences may have an effect on children’s emotional well-being and development because it will cause them to be delayed in certain areas, have healthy relationships, and become productive citizens as they become older. Living in these conditions will also have an impact on them having the inability to form their own identity and gain self-concept and self-esteem about themselves.  Most likely they will continue to live in poverty and face the same challenges if there are funds and support provided to this country.

 

The insights that I gained from reading and exploring the regional area of the living conditions of children gave me a better understanding of the challenges that children face.  From reading this website I was influenced to think about my own career path. In life we should not take the simple things for granted.  I know that children all over the world suffer.  However, there are career paths to take that make me want to be an advocate for children globally.  Children should be able to enjoy life and not be stereotyped or be ignored because of who they are.  Globally children deserve to have proper health care, live in clean and sanitize environments, eat healthy foods, have proper shelter, and be able to thrive in all developmental domains.  I knew that certain areas of the world and the conditions for children were severe, but when you read articles it makes you want to be a part of a change of the lives of young children. Personally, my heart goes out to young children who struggle and have to deal with childhood illness and malnutrition.  Professionally, I know that I can take the steps to help make the lives of these children a lot less stressful.

 

References

 

UNICEF. (2012). Day of the African Child: UNICEF calls for the social inclusion of children with disabilities.

 

USA. (November 13, 2012). Pnemonia still number one killer.

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

     My reaction is that sexualization in early childhood is that is has definitely surfaced in the appearance and vocabulary of young children.

 
Children are more technology evolved and they see young children with makeup and sexy clothes on.  They see models and teenagers acting provocatively and they want to become a part of this culture.  Sexualization is a growing trend in the early childhood field and amongst young children.  In my opinion, they want to be grown to fast and by wearing the sexy clothes, makeup and big girl earrings they feel a sense of worth.  Children these ages will go through normal sexual development as they develop into teens, but the modern technology has exposed sexualization to a new level. Sexualization can have a negative impact on a child’s social and emotional development.  Children tend to react to children who dress a sexy way.  This can later affect the child’s self-esteem.

  Three years ago, I had a little girl in my class whose mom would let her wear revealing clothes.  Her mom also made the notion that she did not want her daughter to plat because she did not want her clothes to get dirty.

     The second example is a little girl in class would always wear skirts and would get mad when we told her to sit appropriately, sit with her legs clothes.  She would not play with the little girls but enjoyed bossing the boys around in class.

    Recently, I had a relative to call me and tell her that another parent had confronted her about her child.  The girls are seven and the parent told my relative that her little girl was bringing makeup to school and they were changing their appearances by the time they made it to school.  My relative told the parent that she would handle the situation and that both girls were makeup would not be an issue again.

      As a early childhood professional, it is valued to be aware of sexualization.  As professionals we need to find the appropriate strategies to deal with this topic.  I believe that is important to have dress codes in classrooms that will help omit sexulaization in the classroom.

EVALUATING IMPACTS ON PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

As adults we play a major role in a child’s social interactions with other.  It is critical for us to be aware of own actions, so that we will not have a negative impact on a child’s social’, emotional, and cognitive growth.  We also play a significant role in helping young children form their own social identities. I believe that if I was experiencing racism from others who were being prejudice toward me then it would hurt.  I believe that if I took these personal problems to work then my problems will definitely impact the child’s well -being. For example, if a parent was being prejudice toward me, and I had to deal with a classroom of children, I am pretty sure the children would sense my mood. My behavior and attitude could have an impact on how the children treat each other and how they would respond to me.   “Ism” can have a negative impact on a child’s development.  By me being their teacher and their role model, then they would begin to struggle with their own social skills with other races and cultures.  They would struggle with their cognitive development because they would begin to question why people are mean to each other, because they are different.  They would show emotional conflicts if they see I am upset because of someone being prejudice toward me. I am hoping that I do not have to encounter an “ism” or prejudice or a stereotype within my own personal life, because I do not want to have a negative influence on a child’s developmental outcome or a relationship with a parent.  Therefore, by being prepared to be anti-bias teacher and create an anti-bias educational setting, I am hoping that I can deal with bias issues in an educational setting, furthermore be able to keep my personal insights and feelings of how others feel toward me out of the classroom.  My goal is to maintain a professional attitude at all times.  If I am positive, then a child a child will thrive.  If I am negative, then a child may struggle in one of their developmental domains.

OBSERVING COMMUNICATION

On Wednesday around 3:30pm,  I went to a local daycare center and observed 5 four year students engaging with their teacher. I observed two of the students sitting on the outside table engaging in conversation.  I also observed the other two children throwing the ball to each with the teacher. The other child was sitting on the slide by herself.  I observed a lot of verbal communication with the teacher and all of her students, except one.  The teacher was very encouraging and responsive to four of the students.

I feel that the teacher did not try to communicate with the other child.  I feel that if she was not going to engage in effective communication with the other child, then she should could have least encouraged the other children to communicate with the child.  I listened to how affectionate and playful she was with the other four children.  It actually bothered me that she was ignoring the other child. I feel that the adult-child relationship is very important to the child’s self-worth.  My focus was not on the children that she was communicating with, but the lack of interaction that she had with other child.  I was concerned because was the child sick or what was the reason why the child was not interacting with the other children.  Regardless it is the teacher’s responsibility to communicate with the child.  I cannot make assumptions about the observation but from the child’s facial expression she seemed very sad and lonely.  I believe in always engaging in a healthy relationship with a child.  I love for them to tell me what’s new in their creative world.  I feel that I am a great communicator when it comes to children; and I respect and value what they are saying.  I believe that in the communication process children need to know that they are important.

 

 

Creating Affirming Environment

 

Setting up a Family Child Care Home

To set up my child care home I need to think about what I need that will reflect every family in my care (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2012).  I like the way that Ms. Castillo had a greeting room for parents to come in and spend time helping children transition into her home, therefore I will have a greeting room that has the daily schedule, plans for the day, sign in sheet for the parents and one for the children.  My greeting room will have a pillow area for those children that need a quiet comfortable area before they are ready to start their day.  I will also have favorite books as well as teacher made books that depict what the children have been doing throughout their day.  I will have books that are written in the languages of my families.  I will have a classroom photo album depicting all the families.  It has been my experience that children love exploring everyone’s family. 

            I will have a room that is set up for infants and toddlers exploration.  This room will have materials that are at the levels of each infant and toddler.  It will have soft and cardboard books, I will adapt the teacher made books and cardboard books so that children can manipulate each page.  The books that I choose will encourage critical thinking (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2012).  There will be soft furniture for relaxing and an area that is more sensory orientated that would include climbing, jumping, a crash pad, and a swing.  There will be multicultural manipulatives, props for dramatic play, and block play.  There will be mirror on the lower wall so that children can explore their selves, and pictures of their families.

            The preschool room will be similar to the infant/toddler room; however, it will have higher functioning manipulatives and tools for exploration.  The preschool room will have a sensory area, dramatic play area, block play area, and a discovery area.  There will be a book area in every room.  The walls will have a variety of pictures that depict the families that are in my care. 

            Ms. Castillo has a nap room in her center that I feel is needed (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  Children need a nice calm area that they can wind down and rest.  This room will be a nice calm area that will have soft furniture, blankets, books, and soft toys to cuddle with.  Soft calm music will be playing in the background. 

            My center will have a writing room.  This room will have child size tables and chairs.  It will also have desks for those children that want to write a private note.  This room will have a chalkboard, whiteboard and easels in it.  There will be a variety of writing tools, paper in multiple colors, and paint.  The walls will have multicultural pictures and poems as well as the alphabet on it.  I will have magnetic letters and numbers.  This room will also have a variety of favorite books to read and explore.  The room will also have a mailbox for each family, student, and staff member so that children can deliver letters.  Envelopes will also be available.

            Families will be encouraged to explore the center with their child/children.  They are encouraged to read the stories that the children will be exploring and the teacher made books about what the children have been doing throughout the day.  I will send home a personalized daily journal, a monthly newsletter that will tell about what happened last month and what is planned for the month.  There will be monthly homework assignments that families can choose to participate with their child.  These homework assignments will help me learn more about each family.

            My hopes are that my Family Child Care Home will be open and comfortable for all children and their family.  Through exploration the children will learn about and respect similarities and differences.  There will be pictures that demonstrate different feelings around the center to help children understand and respect their feelings and the feelings of others.