Goodbye and God Bless!

Adieu….

It has been a pleasure working with all of you, my colleagues. I have learned to appreciate the diversity within this cohort group as together we have forged paths towards our various goals. We may not have always agreed or seen eye to eye on the parts, but then come together in agreement on the sum of the matter. It is also rewarding to see us all come one course closer to our goals. I have enjoyed reading the different perspectives that come out in our discussion, perspectives that I perhaps never would have employed and I have especially enjoyed the laughs that many of your blog posts have engendered.

With the skills that we have learned and hopefully developed, it is my prayer that we will all continue making a positive impact on the children and the families that we serve and perhaps the world.

Success to us all!!!!

On the Adjournment!

The hardest group that I had to adjourn from was the one where there was a great sense of cohesion and unity. It consisted of a group of educators in the early learning field who were given the task to demonstrate practical uses of play for the benefit of the students.  The group was well organized with effective leadership, excellent communication, and clear goals. Friendships were formed as we had common individual goals and beliefs as well. As we adjourned we exchanged contact information and promises to keep in touch. To date, this was the best professional group that I have had the privilege of being a part of.

As I anticipate the adjournment stage of this master’s degree group of colleagues I believe it will be bitter-sweet. While I have not met any of my colleagues physically, we have bonded over our common goals of love for children and the desire to better ourselves and therefore it will be a little sad to come to the end. It will also be a joy to say goodbye, however, as it will mean that I am one step closer to the goals I have given myself. Adjourning is an essential stage in teamwork as it is during this stage that the team members can reflect on the successes and failures of the group. Reflection provides an opportunity to see what could have been done better, as well as which methods worked well and could be repeated. So although adjourning could be difficult sometimes it is essential to effective teamwork. 

Conflict Resolution

I am not any conflicts and have not had any in recent times that may be relevant to this discussion. I will, therefore, share one that I have witnessed between two of my colleagues. I have seen them give each other the ‘silent treatment’ for five days because of a disagreement over the balancing of their workloads. One strategy that could have helped to resolve the conflict more productively would have been honest communication. As they confided in me separately I realized that they were not aware of some things that were being experienced and felt among them. I could see that one individual was using the “Escapist strategy” and was simply avoiding the issue. This may help to resolve the conflict eventually as time passes and they go about their activities the workloads may be forgotten. This may not be long lasting, however, as when they have to work together again this same old may again be an issue.

One conflict resolution strategy that I feel could be effective in this situation would be for them to consider the importance of the outcome (O’Hair & Weimann, 2015). They could look at the long-range goal of getting the job done, and divide the workload fairly between the two individuals confirming that everyone is aware of their responsibilities. With this agreement, everyone would know what is expected of them.  A second strategy could be to debate and argue (O’Hair & Weimann, 2015). In the situation, neither of the two parties knew how the other was feeling. If they had argued openly about it hurt feelings would have been aired. As questions were asked they would have to be answered and again information would be passed on so both persons would know how much the other had to do and the scale could be balanced.

Reference

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

Who Am I as a Communicator

I have always excelled at public communication so it was no surprise when the communication anxiety inventory showed a low score. This score stayed in the same range with everyone that I surveyed. I chose to survey my husband who I felt knew me very well, and a close colleague from work. I was surprised, however, to see the differences in the scores for the verbal aggressiveness scale.

When I took the verbal aggressiveness inventory, I achieved a low score. This indicated according to the results that I am “respectful of the viewpoints and intelligence of others” (Rubin, Palmgreen, & Sypher, 2009). Both of the other surveys indicated that my level of aggressiveness was moderate rather than low. This indicated that I maintain a balance between respect for others and arguing fairly with them. I was also surprised to realize how I am perceived by others and my lack of patience that is evident by the way I react to other adults that I may not agree with.

Taking this inventory as convinced me that I need to be more respectful of the viewpoints of others. I also need to be able to appreciate that just as people are all uniquely different, our communication styles will also be different. It was encouraging to note that even though you may disagree with an individual’s position on an issue, you may attack the position that they hold, while still being respectful and cordial to the individual who is holding that position. This knowledge will be a critical factor as I seek to develop positive relations not only with my parents in the early childhood field but also with the persons that I will work with.

Reference

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

Communication

I have never given it any thought before, but I realize that I communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures. As I seek to be understood I utilize different methods of communication based on the group that I am speaking with. People from different cultures view the world differently. This can result in conflicts and misunderstandings as they interact across cultures (O’Hair & Weimann, 2015).

As an educator in the classroom, I am careful to speak correctly as I model proper grammar for my children. I also choose my words carefully, giving definitions and examples of usage when I think it may be necessary. When I speak to the parents of my students, I am careful to be positive and optimistic. Again, I make sure to speak properly as a professional. I recently attended a convention for teachers of mathematics. As I interacted with other professionals at the convention I was unsure about their varied cultures. As a result, I asked and answered questions but kept other unnecessary conversation to a minimum.  When I am at home, I feel free to speak the colloquial jargon of my country with no effort to correct my grammar. I know I will be accepted regardless at home so I basically let my hair down.

One strategy that is used for communication between diverse cultures is the use of uncertainty avoidance which involves adjusting your behavior to avoid or reduce conflict and risk (O’Hair & Weimann, 2015). Another overlooked strategy is listening.  Finally, behavioral flexibility, which describes the willingness to use different forms of communication in different situations is a strategy that the successful communicator will be sure to employ (O’Hair & Weimann, 2015). As the setting or participants change, then the type of communication will also change.  

Reference

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

VERBAL VS NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

To compare verbal versus non-verbal communication I watched an episode of the Good Times comedy show. I first watched the episode on mute and noted what I believed was happening based on the non-verbal communication between the characters. The episode began with one character, a young woman who is cooking and reading a magazine at the same time. She is more absorbed in the magazine than the cooking. She is distracted by something and looks to her left with a concerned look on her face. At this moment a young boy around 8 to 10 years old walks into the apartment, shouts some seemingly angry words out the door, then proceeds to slam it shut. He then marches over to the woman and begins talking animatedly to her. They talk back and forth and she walks away from the stove and puts the magazine down on the counter behind her.

The boy begins to stir the pot, lifting up the spoon with an expression on his face that shows disgust for what is in the pot. He says something to the woman who takes the spoon from him. She goes over to the table and she begins setting it with a few bowls. As she sets the table she is speaking angrily to the boy. At this time a young man enters the apartment and addresses the woman. He begins to sniff around with a confused look on his face. He heads over to the stove and point to the pot that is still cooking, picks it up and says something about the pot to the woman. She stamps away from him, says what seem to be angry words, from her body language, and goes over to the refrigerator.

The young man calls the little boy over and gives him some mail reading them out one at a time. He takes another envelope and reads what is on it. The young woman rushes over and tries to get the envelope which he holds up high. They argue back and forth and the little boy runs over in the middle of them. The argument seems to turn to the little boy who spins left to right from one character to another.

At this time an older woman enters into the living area of the apartment from one of the other rooms. She says something to the three young people which they all ignore. She then shouts something out loud at them and they all stop what they were doing and spins around to face her.

As I watched the episode the second time with the volume one I realized in some instances the facial expressions and body language of the characters helped me to realize just what was happening. At other times I was totally off the mark. The little boy entered the apartment and was arguing with a friend with whom he was angry. This was clear from his actions. As the food in the pot is discussed, it is obvious that the young woman does not know how to cook, and so the smell of the food which begins to burn is not inviting.

I thought the two young adults were arguing with the little boy as he spun from one of them toward the other. As I listen, I realize that he was actually defending each of them from the other and they were really arguing with each other. It was obvious with both viewing, that the older woman was in charge and that the young people all respected her. 

Competent Communication

Competent Communication  

            I have a co-worker, Mrs. Nadia Rodriquez, who I think consistently demonstrates competent communication.  Mrs. Rodriquez is able to convert her thoughts into words in a very clear and concise manner. She is known to use everyday applications that clearly outline her ideas to her audience with clarity so even young persons are able to understand, while at the same time not seeming too childish for adults present. She is a very animated speaker, who understands the importance of the use of volume and tempo to keep her listeners hanging on to her words. She also uses her hands as she speaks, but not too much to distract her listening audience.

            While speaking to her students, I have seen her engaging them in the conversation, and actively listen to them when they are speaking. When giving presentations to her co-worker, she demonstrates good eye contact with the audience and involves them as well to keep their interest. She is a keen listener, who responds to questions respectfully without putting others down. Mrs. Rodriquez demonstrates an excellent command of the ‘Queen’s English’ the official tongue of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, while also be quite capable of the local dialect when interacting informally with friends.

            I would gladly model some of my own communication behaviors after Mrs. Rodriquez’s. When she speaks, she is able to command the attention of her listeners. She has the ability to put her words together in a manner to make her point in a way that is witty and interesting. As I seek to advocate for my children and their families, there will be times when I will have to speak concerning issues to a group of persons. At these times I would want to be able to grab my audience’s attention, and to keep them focused on the issues at hand, and to influence them to make specific changes. This is one example where competent communication is vital. 

Profession Hopes and Dreams

As I think about working with children and families that come from diverse

backgrounds I hope to have a level of awareness and skills to successfully relate

to the different cultures that are represented. With this awareness, I will also be able to

help the children to grow and thrive as we synchronize the home and school cultures.

                                               

My goal as it relates to the issues related to diversity, equity, and social justice in the

early childhood field is to be the change I want to see. Children are great imitators of

what they see and hear, especially from the significant adults in their lives. As I learned

about microaggressions, I realized that I was guilty of using them against others. So, as I

seek to help my students develop, I intend to model thoughtful respect for the cultures and differences in others. This must be evident in words and actions. As I demonstrate positive acceptance, my students will be more likely to do so as well, and together we will produce

the first ripple that results in a bias-free school and community.

At this time I would like to say thank you to all of my colleagues. Thank you for your words of encouragement, and your thoughtful post on my blog entries. You have also given me much food for thought during our weekly discussions, and for that I must also say thank you. I would like to single out Laura, Taylor, and Jessica for their posts that really challenged me to think before speaking.

Dr. Davenna, I must say that I have enjoyed this course and have learned a lot in it. Your posts during our discussion have added to my understanding of the concepts being reviewed, especially when I had to go back to reread or listen to the weekly resources for a better grasp. Thank you for your hands-on approach during this course.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

I am the teacher of 4-year-olds in a preschool. I have just been informed that I will be adding a little girl to my classroom. Her family has recently emigrated from Curacao. As I prepare to be culturally responsive towards this family here are some of the things that I would need to do:

 I do not know anything about this country so right away I have to do some research as I prepare for the little girl.  Curacao is a small country in South America.  Knowing where the family is coming from is important in understanding the culture they would belong to.

As I seek to make the child feel welcome in my classroom, I would find out the colors of her country, and pictures of significant places that she may be familiar with. I would make a display of the national symbols of her country.

I would have to find out the language spoken in the country.  If I cannot speak this language then I would have to find someone on my staff, or a resource person if possible who speaks the language. If possible, I would have this person available for when the child and her family comes to school, to welcome them in their own language. I would also endeavor to learn some basic words in the language in order to communicate with the little girl.

I would also try to find out how they greet each other in this culture. For example, do they shake hands or kiss cheeks, do they make eye contact or bow their heads, or do they speak firmly or with a whisper? This is important as I would not want to offend, or to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

I would also try to learn about religious customs and practices that they may ascribe to. I would want to know if there are any holy days that they adhere to or customs that are celebrated in my country that they would not be comfortable taking part in.

Finally, I would need to learn which of the parents or family members I should communicate with if possible, in relation to the little girl.  In some cultures, the mother would be responsible for everything concerning the children, while in others the fathers speak to persons outside the family. It would be important to know which parent I should be addressing. 

As I seek to prepare myself and my classroom, it is in an effort to be welcoming to the new family. I hope to help them realize that they would be accepted just as they are. I would not want to do anything that the family would find offensive as they join our school family. I hope the displays from their country of origin would help them to feel a little bit at home although they may be far away. They should be able to see that their country will be one of many different countries and cultures represented and respected in my class. Also, I believe that my attempts to use their language will help them to see that they are welcomed.  

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

It is more than 150 years since the abolition of slavery yet racism and prejudice are still rampant and sometimes it seems to be increasing. The most overt demonstration of racism that I have witnessed was targeted towards some of my family members. My sister and I were vacationing in South Florida some years ago when our children were still very young. We were at a lovely resort and my sister was taking the children to play in one of the kiddie pools while I relaxed on a lounge chair nearby. As they approached the pool, we all noticed a white woman with two children already in the pool. My sister took the baby with her into the water and our other two children followed close behind her. As they entered one side of the pool, the lady called her children over and motioned for them to quickly come out of the pool. I was shocked to hear her tell those children to come out of the pool before it gets dirty. They left the pool area completely and went inside. I have never been so humiliated in my life. My sister and I still laugh about the incident to this day. The only bright side to that story was that our children were too young to understand what was happening.

In the scenario mentioned the women wanted obviously felt as though she and her children were better than we were. We know differently, but it does leave a stain if repeated over and over in an individual’s life. I may be able to laugh now at the ignorance demonstrated by the lady, but at the time I was very angry. This was more so because the children were with my sister and me, and I did not want them tainted with the stains and stench that racism brings. For the incident to be converted into an opportunity for greater equity the mindset of the woman would have to change. She was demonstrating a belief that she was superior to us and I know that all are created equal in the sight of God. The scenario could have been quite different if she had allowed the children, in their innocence to interact with each other as children do. It is only when we as adult interfere, influencing the children with our biases and hidden agendas that we perpetuate racism to the next generation.

Words: Harmless, or Hurtful?

As children, we would chant a little diddle, “Sticks and stones can burst my bones, but words cannot harm me”. I now know that this saying is just a myth. Sometimes words are more hurtful than physical abuse with long-term effects. I can recall one rather humiliating experience of microaggression that I had with a colleague a few years ago. I taught his son and we were discussing some missing work. My colleague implied that I had forgotten the assignments that his son ‘must’ have turned in. He said he forgave me as it was probably that “time” of the month. He was obviously implying that as a woman I must suffer from PMS and had forgotten the assignment during the stressful time. I do not work with this man anymore, but whenever I come in contact with him, I cannot help but think of the conversation, and the way he made me feel. This was a case of gender microaggression, where I being a woman was attacked.

As a result of this week’s readings and my observations, I realize that we live in a world where attacking others based on their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and abilities is rampant. I used to think that I did not have a problem with prejudice and biases, as I lived in a country where I am a part of the majority. I realize now that this is not the case. Sadly, I also realize that there have been times when I have been the aggressor in the situation. I vow to be more cognizant of the words I use, and the way I use them. Even when the microaggression is an unconscious occurrence, the pain is just as real and just as damaging. Whether it comes in the form of a microassault, microinsult or microinvalidation which is described as the most insidious of the three, (Laureate, 2011) they are all very detrimental. So to avoid microaggressions of any form we should seek to be accurately informed about others instead of basing our beliefs on the stereotypes. As we establish intimate contact with persons who are different from us and work together to make our communities more accepting place we inevitably pave the way for a microaggression free tomorrow. 

Reference

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Perspectives on Culture and Diversity

Perspectives on Culture and Diversity  

Culture

·         Shared beliefs and traditions within a particular community

·         Behavior, norms, and beliefs of a particular group

·         A set of beliefs and traditions that a group has that sets them apart. These beliefs and traditions are passed down from generation to generation. It affects all of the different aspects of their lives from the way they eat, speak, to the way they view the world.

·         The behavior characteristics that define a people. It is concerned with how a people talk, eat, dress, what they worship, and when or what they celebrate or mourn.

Diversity

·         An understanding of the uniqueness and differences held by an individual, groups of people or a variety of things which can be tangible or intangible.  

·         Being different

·         The differences between cultures. The ways different cultures prepare their food interact with other, and how they parent their children.

·         A cohesion of multiple and varied cultures, sexes (genders), sexual orientations, religions, political views, tastes, and opinion.

The information above is a listing of definitions of culture and diversity provided by family members and friends. In this course I have studied that culture affects all aspects of an individual’s life including the way they eat, dress, and the holidays that they celebrate, as mentioned by friends and acquaintances that I questioned.  The deeper and more significant elements of an individual’s culture include their religion and the way they worship, as well as their language, and parenting choices or styles. None of the persons questioned mentioned ideas of education, housing arrangements, extended family relationships, the way emotion is showed, and the migration patterns or history as possible elements of culture.

One of the definitions of diversity that I received has enhanced my understanding and appreciation of the concept. The individual defined diversity as the cohesion of varied cultures. When I think of diversity, I think of division and difference, never cohesion. I think this is a positive, forward thinking, view of diversity. It looks at the way the different cultures, genders, political views and opinions can be fused together to create something powerful. It is a view that would lead to more acceptance, and respect for diversity and cultural differences. 

My Family Culture 

If I was in the middle of a major catastrophe that completely devastated the infrastructure of my country, I would have little trouble choosing three small items to take away with me. My family is not wealthy, with numerous material items to choose from. There are no family jewels to secure or treasure. The wealth that we have is our love for each other. So I ask myself what three small items that would I take with me, knowing that I am never to return to my Bahamas.

The first item I would choose to carry would be my Bible. The reason why I would bring the Bible is because it is the anchor of my faith, and that of my family. It informs me about why I exist and shapes the cultural experience of my family.   Even though I may be in what may seem like an exile from home, the Word of God transcends any physical circumstance or catastrophe and is able to help the believer to overcome cultural variances and issues that may arise. It teaches me in whatever state I may find myself in to be content. God’s word has the ability to provide the reader with a peace that is beyond comprehension.

The second item I would choose to bring would be my Ipad. I chose this gadget because it holds a lot of memories of my family. My Ipad also has stored notes of various subjects and ideas that my family and I have amassed over the years.   The Ipad would also be helpful in providing survival tips that my family would be sure to benefit from in a refugee situation. I feel certain that this device will be quite helpful to give my family encouragement and motivation to keep on striving.

The final item that I would choose to take with me as a refugee into a foreign country would be my hymnal. My family and I love to sing and sometimes we sing together as a group. We have found that singing brings on so many positive effects. It can calm a crying child, and give peace to an angry individual.

 I can set the pace for tiring work that must be done, and can motivate a tired body to continue on a little longer. Many of the songs in my hymnal tell the story of redemption and the plan that God has for those that love and serve Him.   This constant reminder would be vital to give my family hope when the way seems drear.

If upon arrival to the refugee camp, I was told that I could only keep one item, it would have to be the Bible. The Bible provides a guide into the future and would, therefore, be more needed than the Ipad. It is also calming and full of hope to anyone who would seek for it. There are many scriptural songs in God’s Word so the Bible could very easily take the place of the hymnal. I have seen the transforming power of the Bible so I feel confident that it is the only thing that my family and I would need to take with us.

This assignment has proven to be quite an eye-opener for me. As I brainstormed with my husband about the items we would wish to carry, I realized that we are a very spiritual family. Looking around, and thinking about my possessions, I did not come across anything that would be missed or that I longed to take with me. To me, home is where the family is, so wherever we went as long as we were together, and in good health, we would be content.

When I Think of Research...

Building Research Competencies has been a very informative course on this journey towards the Master’s degree in early childhood education. Some of the insights that I have gained from this course include strategies for perusing research articles efficiently to determine whether they include what I am researching or not. I have also learned how to narrow down a research topic to specific related subtopics and incorporating a literature review for a research project. I now realize that there are ethical risks and challenges that must be considered when undergoing research with children. Finally, one insight I received from this course was that based on the topic covered in the research, the design which includes the methods of data collection, participants, location, and method of analysis all must be of such a quality to ensure validity.

As I began this phase of the journey in the quest to build research competencies I believed that research would involve an inordinate amount of reading that included numerous scientific information and vocabulary that would be difficult to understand. The placement of the guide to reading research early on in the course was key to overcoming a fear of the process. Otherwise, I was clueless to the research process, so everything else that I was exposed to was new to me.

I have learned that a researcher needs to be organized in the planning and continually throughout the execution stages of the research process. The design of the research must be driven by the question to be answered. I have also learned that when researching children ethical considerations are crucial. As adults, we sometimes have the tendency to see children as little extensions of ourselves. As a professional researcher, however, we must recognize the unique individuals that children are, and listen intently to hear what they have to say. Traditional research has not considered the power relations with children, but the realizations that “children are capable of making decisions about participating in or withdrawing from research” is slowly being acknowledged in recent research. (Mac Naughton, Rolfe, & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010).

The greatest challenge that I encountered during this course was articulating my research topic and narrowing it down to specifics that could be researched in a reasonable time frame. I was able to overcome this challenge by reading through a number of researches that were related to my own and using them as guides to what I really wanted to learn. Despite having completed a number of courses, I sometimes have a rather narrow perception of the early childhood professional as an educator, advocate, program director, administrator, or even college professor. Somehow I had not given much thought to the research aspect of the field, although it is through research that educators and other professionals in the field have access to the information and finding out what is the best practice currently. It is this information on which much of what goes on in the classroom is based on. I am therefore of the belief that whatever role you play in this great field, that you should be involved in some aspect of research for the benefit of our children.

Before I close out this post, I must say thank you to my peers who are on this journey with me. First, I must say thank you to Dr. Dartt for firstly being accessible, and then also being accommodating, understanding, and helpful. I would also like to acknowledge Debra and Shari for your words of encouragement to my blog posts.  Finally to Altrenia, and Jessica, keep those interesting discussion posts coming I really enjoyed hearing your points of view. I wish for all of you success as we embark upon the final half of this journey. Success to you all!

References

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010).  Doing Early Childhood Research: International Perspectives on Theory and Practice (2^nd ed.).

New York, NY: The McGraw-Hill Companies Open University Press.

RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD

For this week’s assignment, I explored early childhood in Australia through the website www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au . Early Childhood Australia (ECA) has been the voice for children in Australia for more than 75 years. As I read the research topics on the early childhood website I realized that the issues and concerns in early childhood are similar across the global platform. Some of the topics addressing these concerns include, ‘Supporting literacy learning in the early years’, ‘Connecting with babies’, Documenting children’s learning’, ‘Connecting with toddlers’, and ‘Inclusive pedagogy from a child’s perspective’.

One report that I found to be quite interesting was the Start Early program that seeks to bring an end to violence within families. The Start Early modules promote respectful relationships for life a program that they believe can help fight gender stereotypes which in turn can help negate attitudes that support violence. I was also surprised to note that Australia’s national quality standards are promoting sustainability efforts in early childhood, teaching young children about their responsibility to care for the environment. All of their early learning services are required to promote and be involved in sustainability. This is quite rewarding to discover especially seeing the times we live in with all the negative occurrences related to our global environment.

The importance of healthy eating and physical activity established in early childhood was the focus of another interesting article. The article also pointed out the importance of parents and other significant adults modeling these lifestyle habits for young children. Also of note was the encouragement of adults talking to and teaching young children about the importance of healthy nutrition and active lifestyles. A healthy diet and active lifestyle can affect not only the physical but also the mental and social development of young children for the duration of their lives.

My Ultimate Research Project

My Ultimate Research Project

                    

If I had the means and knowledge to conduct a research on any topic in the early childhood field I would research the long-term effect of technology and interactive media as tools in early childhood specifically from birth through age 8.  We are constantly hearing communications on the benefits of technology throughout different aspects of life, but I sometimes wonder if it sometimes is more of a hindrance than a benefit. Are we using too much technology too soon?  

              

I would like to compare the brain activity of children that spend time indoors with technology, versus the children who explore outdoors in nature with its natural wonder, one that is unspoiled by man. I believe my biases may have been a little exposed in that previous statement, but I would ensure that the use of triangulation is employed all processes of the research. I would have to be prepared for the unexpected in this research, allowing the results to go where I may not perceive.

  VS   

  

I believe the results of this research could foster changes in the early childhood field. I do not think the technology should be eliminated, I just feel that time spent exploring the outdoor classroom should be increased with the ideal classroom incorporating a mix of both.