EDUC 6990 Week 8: Time well spent!

I can’t believe that I have made it to the end and that I have gotten to learn all that I have from all of you.  I think for the three things that I can walk away saying that I have learned is:

1. How to be a more effective leader and listen to my staff.  I have been able to find out a lot about who I am as a leader and who I want to be.  I think that anyone who works or wants to be in management should learn how to be more effective leaders.  It isn’t enough to be in charge but you have to be able to talk to your staff so that they will talk to you.  Bottom line is a leader I am only as good as my team.
2. I don’t have to be afraid to think outside of the box or reach out to people for ideas, support or help.  This class has been an example for that because I was really perplexed about the concept of communities of practice, and I have received great advice from many of you and Dr. Embree you have taken the time through many conversations to help me understand what communities of practices are and what they can do.  I am empowered with more confidence.
3. We truly can make an impact on what parents and members of the community think about us as teachers.  Many of us educators got into this field to make a difference or because we all genuinely have a passion to love children.  We have responsibility to educate ourselves and be the image we are trying to create to parents.  We are early childhood educators, not babysitters, and more than keeping them alive at five.  I am glad that there is the expectation of teachers but we also need to remind parents of their expectations as well and that is that early childhood teachers are teachers, we create, and inspire young minds.

My long term goal is to continue working on my challenge project that I have started in my school and working on teacher retention, support and coaching them, and  improving my incentive program.  I have started and made strides in this challenge and I am very pleased so far with the turn out.  I am also looking for my options for the incentive program and training for the teachers.  I have partnered with one gentleman who works with teachers on classroom management and we have had some very happy teachers that were struggling with behavioral challenges.

But with all that said and done it is time to say good bye to everyone.  I wish you continued success in all your future endeavors.  I know that each and every one of you will go on to be happy, successful, and be an inspiration to others.  Always have faith in yourselves, and remember that success is important but it is also about the way you achieved that success and who helped you along the way.  I again want to thank each and everyone of you for the advice, and resources that you have shared.

Dr. Embree I especially want to thank you for all that you have taught me and taking the time to help me get on the right path.  You took a stressed out grandmother of two, and treated her like she wasn’t out in left field running after a ball that hasn’t fallen yet.  You took time out of your busy schedule and that has meant a lot to me.  I have met many teachers along the way but you took the time out to really pay attention to me.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Some of my favorite quotes or memes about teaching and education:

“If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn” – Ignacio Estrada

“Every child has a different learning style and pace.  Each child is unique, not only capable of learning but also capable of succeeding” – Robert John Meehan

   

 

 

EDUC 6990 Week 6: Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

My first choice for an international community of practice is the organization Save the Children. I have been familiar with organization since starting school at Walden. I have liked what they do to help the children in countries that desperately need it. I have never sponsored any children or sent any donations as of yet but that may be something that I do in the future as there are so many children in this world that desperately need it. They do welcome volunteers that want to help the organization or want help with fundraising.

The organization does have many opportunities within the company such as teachers’ aides, directors, and finance officers. The benefits are nice too in that you have sick and paid vacations, great family package when it comes to taking leave, and full medical benefits. The opportunities are both internal and domestic. I do think that if I were to apply it would be for Specialist-Education in Emergencies which helps children that are displaced with their academics. With all that is happening now I think is what appealed to me with this position? This position requires you to be able to be deployed for 40% of the time and is based out of Washington, D.C.

My second choice was the organization United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This organization appealed to me because they want to have everyone be able to live free from hate and intolerance. (unesco.org) The organization has helped to ensure that historical sites are preserved, helps to ensure that there is access to education to all children, lobbied to stop the brutal killings of journalists among a long list of other accomplishments. Many of its locations are located in the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa with two locations in New York and California. I think what appealed to me was being overseas as I love traveling and working in other countries.

The employment opportunities within this organization is minimal at the moment which leads to me to believe that those employed there like what they do and do not leave until they are ready to retire, but I could be wrong. But I would apply for the Chief Education and Planning Management Programme. You would need a Master’s or higher, ten years’ experience in education and management, experience working with culturally diverse people, and ability to speak French, Spanish, or Arabic or be able to pick it up quickly.

My third choice would be the Global Fund for Children. They help organizations that are invested in helping children all over the world to be happy to have a better life through education, and having access to necessary resources. The organization helps other organizations or people looking to help children and wants to help make a global impact. They help to build partnerships within the organization and are located in over 127 domestic locations and in over 30 countries. They are always looking for donations or volunteers to help.

The job that appealed to me within the organization was Major Gifts Officer. The requirements were that you needed to have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree, and at least three years’ experience in management. You would need to also have had experience in fundraising events, excellent communication skills, and ability to work with all Microsoft programs. I think these appeals to be because as a director you are doing this anyway on a smaller scale of course because you are planning school events, getting outside businesses to offer donations to teachers for teacher appreciation/incentive programs, and working with various programs to ensure that your center is meeting its goals financially.

References:
United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2011). Retrieved from http://unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we/are/introducing-unesco/
Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/C.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115847/k.8D6E.Official_Site.htm
Global Fund for Children. Retrieved from https://globalfundforchildren.org

 

EDUC 6990: Week 4 Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

The Council for Professional Recognition looks to recognize early childhood teachers that educate children from birth to five years of age.  The organization helps teachers earn their CDA credentials to teachers to help further their education in early childhood.  There are many teachers that work in family childcare homes, licensed centers or with Head Start that are needing training on how to help educate young children.  I currently have a teacher now that has been in early childhood for over ten years and doesn’t have credentials or any other education, but loves working with children but needs to understand the basics of early childhood.  So she is embarking on the path of earning her early childhood degree.  So having a program/organization like the Council for Professional Recognition would help many teachers that do not know where to start or what program would work for their needs.

They currently do not have a list of job openings but stated that they are always looking for motivated professionals and gave their email address to send resumes too.  They did not mention anything about the skills or education requirements that you need to be employed there.  I would imagine that you would need at least a bachelor degree. But I think that would be a good opportunity down the road especially for someone like me who loves working with teachers and is always looking out for their best interests.

Child Care Services Association helps teachers obtain training in their field to meet center and state requirements.  “Research has demonstrated that young children perform better when their teachers have obtained or are pursing higher education and are well compensated.” (ccsa.org) The organization offers a T.E.A.C.H. program that helps teachers to obtain their degree or training to increase their knowledge in the early childhood field.  They also help teachers to have a voice in the early childhood field to help bring about much needed changes.

They had many employment opportunities which I would be interested in and one in particular was Infant Toddler Program Specialist. The requirements to do this job were at least three years experience working with Infants and Toddlers.  A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree and to be able to have great communication and writing skills.   You also need to be able to work with other organizations to achieve goals of the program.

North Carolina Institute for Child Development Professionals is an organization that partnered with North Carolina Department of Early Education (NCDEE), Child Care Services Association (CCSA) and T.E.A.C.H to address the need of early childhood professionals. (ncicdp.org)  They help teachers earn their certifications and training in early childhood development.  They do not list any specific job positions but do give you a list of organizations that you could inquire about employment within their specific organizations.

References:

The Council for Professional Recognition. Retrieved from https://www.cdacouncil.org/about/the-council

Child Care Services Association. Retrieved from https://www.childcareservices.org

North Carolina Institute for Early Childhood Professionals. https://ncicdp.org/

EDUC 6990 Week 2: Communities of Practice

 

Three communities of practice that appealed to me were:

SAFEchild which stands for Stop Abuse for Every Child is an organization designed to support families and provide them services through partnering with volunteers and trained professionals.  Their beliefs are that every child has a right to feel safe and free from abuse and neglect. They believe that every family no matter how diverse has the right to be respected and that each family needs support in times of stress or crisis.

They currently have two positions open a  SAFEchild Advocacy Center Child Abuse Evaluation Specialist (25-30 hours per week) and a SAFEchild Advocacy Center Child and Family Advocate (30 hours per week).  Each position requires a Bachelor’s Degree and experience with understanding child abuse and neglect.  You have to strong communication skills, be supportive, and dedication to helping families in crisis.

I like this program because I have a few interactions with families where abuse was suspected and custody battles were going on.  I know for those families it was a hard and long process where I had to be involved.  In two out of the three situations the fathers were given custody and help because of the neglect that was involved and in the other the mother.  I am passionate about helping families through support, and advocacy.

My second choice is:

Wake County Smart Start is an organization that supports children educationally to ensure their success in school.  Smart Start is an organization that consists of volunteers, businesses, community workers, and faith organizations that all partner together to support the needs of children.  They also help families pay for childcare, help support teachers by providing training, and other events to celebrate children.

I did not see where you could apply for a job but if I think having Smart Start on your resume would be impressive and a place that I would like to work but definitely be a part of their organization.

My third choice:

Tammy Lynn Center For Developmental Disabilities is an organizations that helps families and children with disabilities cope, learn, and be successful later in life. “Why do we do it? We’re glad you asked. Because these faces are beautiful, strong, full of life and full of love. These faces deserve the right to an abundant life, full of hope and opportunity in their community. These faces bring purpose to our mission; to our jobs, and to our lives. At Tammy Lynn Center, these faces are the motivation behind every single thing that we do. (tammylynncenter.org)  The organization consists of volunteers, and other faith based organizations along with the employees to help families.

The center currently has several positions available such as nurses, B-K teachers, assistant teachers, recreational care, and occupational care. For me I like the idea of volunteering there because I feel like I am doing something greater and can appreciate what the children and families are going through.  I know when I volunteered for a local community rest home and helped in the Alzheimer wing it was sad but the best feeling seeing them and doing activities with them.

 

 

References:

SAFEchild Organization. Retrieved from https://safechildnc.org/

Wake County Smart Start. Retrieved from https://www.wakesmartstart.org/

Tammy Lynn Center. Retrieved from https://tammylynncenter.org/

EDUC 6165 Week 8 Goodbyes

This class has been a great experience and has taught me a lot about how I communicate with others and to understand how others communicate with me.  I have learned how to be get others to talk to me by having positive approaches in my conversations and words.  I also have to say that my classmates and colleagues have helped me tremendously in this class.  I have learned a lot from you all!!  Thank you Dr. Parrish for your feedback to help me be a better communicator and understand this course.  🙂  You are a great professor!  Quay, Jacqueline, Bri, Marie, Marlene, Monique, Kiara, and anyone else I may have forgotten, thank you for helping along the way in this course!  I wish you all luck and success as you move forward in your endeavors.

Warm regards,

Kimberly

EDUC 6165 Week 6

Are high-performing groups hardest to leave?

I would imagine it would be because you and the group would have put so much time and effort in putting together an idea, working towards goal, and obtaining the outcome you wanted.  As with any group it is always hard, it is almost like a family though you may just be colleagues, or a close knit group of friends.

Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why?

I think for the hardest group that I had to leave was when I was director at a previous company and we would get together to meet about making our staff needs better in terms of trainings, education and opportunities.  We would network with each other about our staffs’ potential so that we could promote within the company, and help the staff achieve their goals even if it wasn’t within the company.  I know as a director then and now I always like to see my staff grow and develop, and the fact that the directors got together because we all cared about our staff and their goals, was hard to leave.

What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced?

When I left the group and the center where I was the director, we went to dinner and we still keep in touch on social media.  Every now and then a former colleague will reach out to me about whether I know of any good teachers for certain age groups or they may recommend a teacher to me.  When you work with a group of directors for a long, it is still good when you can keep in touch and network.

How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master’s degree in this program?

I honestly am not sure.  I would imagine we would all wish each other luck and tell each other how much we have learned from each other over time in the program.  And there may be some that may reach out over social media and others will go on to do other things.

Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?

It provides closure for the members and allows the team to say what they are most proud of, what they learned, would do over again, or allows everyone an opportunity to network afterwards.  As in our reading “allows for celebrating your achievements or termination ritual.” (O’Hair, Weimann, Mullin, & Teven 2015)

Reference:

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

 

EDUC 6165 Week 5 Assignment 2

Think about any disagreements, or conflicts, you have recently experienced or are currently experiencing at work with a supervisor or colleague, or someone in your personal life. Share at least two strategies you have learned about that might help you manage or resolve the conflict more productively, and why these strategies might be effective. For example, could you suggest a compromise? Could you look for a broader range of solutions to your disagreement? Could you use some of the principles of nonviolent communication or the 3 R’s to better help you resolve this conflict?

Just recently I had this employee that was very old school in her thinking about how to educate and care for children.  She felt that getting in their face and being loud, grabbing children, and demanding that other teachers listen to her and do things her way.  When situations would arise because I knew they were teachable moments, I would treat them as such, but she would always nod her head, smile, and say she knows what she is doing and that parents and children love her.   I asked a colleague about how she would handle this particular situation, and she said that she doesn’t go in with guns blazing, but that she makes the situation feel relaxed, so that she can have the outcome of a positive conversation.  This makes me think of this section in the NCV article where they were talking about the valuable skills you can learn by “emphasizing compassion as the motivation for action rather than fear, guilt and shame” (www.cnvc.org)

One day after a particularly stressful day in a classroom where she was helping out, I sat her down, and took a step back.  I knew what I was seeing in the camera and through observations, but I wanted to try and a different approach where we could come together where she felt like she had some kind of say so in the classroom, then maybe her attitude would change.  Which in our chapter 8, is cooperative style, and I think when you are talking with teachers is very helpful in getting the buy in.  “Conflict styles that aim to benefit the relationship, to serve mutual rather than individual goals, and to produce solutions that benefit both parties.” (O’Hair, Weimann, Mullin, & Teven 2015)

“Denise” I felt like had a need to feel like she was right, liked, and if she wasn’t any of those things, I felt like she was often verbally aggressive with her colleagues.  But that day when I took a deep breath, and asked her about how she felt a typical day in the classroom where she was subbing should go, and listened to her, giving her those 3 R’s Respect, Response, and Relationship, we were able to work a schedule where she felt like she could do the job and schedule.  She had some say so.  In the article by Nancy Chesire, if you turn it around to fit adults; then by showing my employee respect and willingness to listen, she gave me the respect back by being open.  My responses to her let her know that I was truly listening, and open for exchange of dialogue, and we were able form a relationship where she could come and talk to me.  “A positive relationship leads to healthy social and emotional development.  This in turn, encourages the child to feel, and be, competent, and capable.”  (Chesire, N. 2007) So if we take this same principle with adults it still works I believe because “Denise” felt like she was hear, validated, and respected.

Reference:

Chesire, N. (2007). The 3 R’s: Gaeway to Infant Toddler Learning. Dimensions of Early Childhood. Volume 35, No. 3.

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

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

EDUC 6165 Week 4 Assignment 2

What is the one thing that surprised you the most? Why?

I think that the one thing that surprised me was that people saw me as a better speaker than I saw myself.  Like I was saying in assignment 1, that I am not a public speaker.  I know that there are some that thrive off of speaking to large crowd, but not me.  I do however, like talking to people one on one and meeting people.  Sometimes standing in long lines you meet some of the most interesting people.

What other insights about communication did you gain this week? Choose at least two to share with others through your blog and consider how each might inform your professional work and personal life.

Self-efficacy is something that struck a chord with me this week, because it is how you judge yourself.  “Your perceptions of self-efficacy guide your ultimate choice of communication situations, making you much more likely to engage in communication when you believe you will probably be successful and avoid situations where you believe your self-efficacy to be low.” (O’Hair, Weimann, Mullin, & Teven 2015)  Because I tend to judge myself harsher than anyone else.

Self-Disclosure is another insight that I learned about in our chapter this week.  When you tend to think about your self esteem and how to make sure you have a positive one.  Our chapter says that how we positively or negatively reveal ourselves to others affects how we see ourselves and esteem.

I think that the more we learn about ourselves the better we can effectively communicate with each other and families.  But sometimes it can be a challenge when we feel a certain way about ourselves and how others may see us.  But a good thing to remember is that just like you may feel nervous, or not enough; the person talking to you may feel the same.

EDUC 6165: Week 3

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?

I think that I do communicate differently with different groups and cultures.  I think that we all do in some way.  When you are with your friends you have a way of communicating with them and finish each others sentences.  I know with my “person”  I can say a sentence out of no where and she will know what I am talking about or know my frustrations.  My family the same way.  My brother and I have can have a five minute conversation using code.  When I am talking to families that barely speak English I speak slower, and clear, so that they can understand me.  I think that I am more patient with families that are new than with families that are American, because I know they understand me and I can speak quickly.

Share at least three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified.

• I think one thing that would help me communicate more effectively would be to not give away my feelings via my face.  I have this “tell” about my face that everyone says lets them know how I really feel about a situation.  Sometimes that can be a very bad thing.  So working on my non verbal cues is something I should definitely work on more.
• I also have a hearing impairment so sometimes communication is hard for me as I do not always hear the whole conversation, and often times will say what I think I heard, and it isn’t what I heard at all.  That sometimes is frustrating for people.  I try to explain this to people before hand or to have them talk louder or slower to me to cut down on confusion.
• I think learning a few key phrases helps families feel comfortable and it can be an ice breaker.  Many families coming from other countries are nervous about speaking English but learning a few key phrases like “hello”, “how may I help you?”, “thank you”, or “have a great morning/evening.”  Sometimes those things make a big difference in a conversation with with a family.

 

 

EDUC 6165 Assignment 2

I watched a show called Neighborhood on CBS.  I was looking for a show to watch other than my typical shows that I do watch, which isn’t much considering I don’t have to much time to watch television.  It is a half hour show on CBS with a few actors that I recognized.

What do you think the characters’ relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating?  I gathered the Caucasian couple were married and had one child, and the Black American couple either had two older sons or two grown men living with them, which in this day and age wouldn’t surprise me.  The couples are neighbors as they live side by side.

What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing? There is a lot of smiling, there was some arms crossing, and some eye rolling.  The Black neighbor which is Cedric the Entertainer seems to not want to be bothered based on the looks he gives the other guy.  There are some non verbal cues like he isn’t listening what they other guy is saying.  Tichina Arnold which is Cedric’s wife seems to like the neighbor but gives her the look she doesn’t know where is coming from sometimes.

What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed?

I don’t know if I could really make up any assumptions about the characters prior to being able to hear the episode.  After being able to hear the episode I found out that Cedric the Entertainer doesn’t really like the idea that his new neighbors are white and that they are too perky for him.  Tichina wants to give them especially the wife a chance because she is naive about black people and life. In the episode the neighbor invites Cedric to a housewarming party but he didn’t go, but the rest of the neighbors did.

Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well?  I think because you are invested in the characters and you know their back stories.  You would understand their verbal and non verbal cues.  You would know that maybe they are not necessarily rolling their eyes at a person, but maybe a situation.