This is not Good Bye, instead it's Farewell...

Hello,

         This is to the members of the class "Communication and Collaboration in Early Childhood Education."  I am so blessed to have spent this short period of time getting to know you and learning your stories.  I wish you all well in the future. I hope that you are able to make all of your dreams come true, just believe in yourself and it will happen.  Thanks for reading my posts and sharing your comments.  Good Luck! This is not Good Bye, instead it's Farewell!

Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field (EDUC - 6165 - 2) Saying Goodbye...

               This week we have been discussing what it feels like to be a part of a group.  Furthermore, it was requested that we mention what group we have been a part of that we found it difficult to separate from the group upon completion of the assignment.  I carefully considered this assignment, and I have come up with only one group of people in my life that have been consistently there for me through thick and thin….my family.  My family is made up of a group of people that God has blessed me with abundantly.  My father has taught me what a “real man” should be like.  My mother has taught me how to conduct myself as a lady.  My brothers have instilled friendship like no other, ensuring that I will always know that they have my back.  My family is the one group of people that would be hard to leave. 

            High performing are very hard to leave.  My family has very clear, established norms.  Also, everyone in the family cares and are concerned about the wellbeing of the others.  It’s not just a thing where we are there for each other for five years and then we want nothing else to do with the others.  We are all in it together forever.  Yes, we have disagreements, but we choose to not hold onto silly things that could damage our relationship. 

            When I separated from my family to head off to college in Greenville, I was heartbroken.  I still remember crying myself to sleep when my parents dropped me off that night.  I imagined that it would be hard to life without them.  However, with time it got better.  Even from a small child, my parents taught me to pray my way through the difficulties of life.  Praying is gotten me far today.  Life has a way of throwing things at you that you are not always ready for, but what helps me is remembering that some things are only in your life for a season, even some people.  Life is like a tree.  The leaves are those people that tend to come around when everything is going well, but they never intend to stay when things get hard.  The leaves change colors, and often times fade away.  The branches are a little stronger that the leaves, but if they are handled the wrong way they will brake as well.  However, the roots of the tree is the foundation.  The foundation is where it all started, and my family is my foundation.  No matter what time of day, no matter how difficult the problem and no matter who it involves there is a strong foundation in my family that will always be there for me.  It was also taught to me to always so “I love you” to my loved ones.  We never knew when it would be one of our lasts days, therefore it was important to say these words upon adjourning to ensure that we knew it if one of us were to go.  Every moment that we spent together was a special moment. 

            I thank God for the four other people that he blessed me with.  I could not have been blessed with a more loving and consist set of people.  My only wish is that one day, when I have a family of my own, I am able to create some of the same qualities and characteristics within my children as my parents created within me.  I want my husband’s love for me to be so strong that NOTHING can ever come between us.  I want my son to know that when things get tough, you stick with it and not give up.  I want my daughter to realize that she does not have to settle for anything less than the best.  More importantly, I want my future family to realize that no one is perfect and that everyone makes mistakes because it is a part of the growth process. But, the thing about making mistakes is owning up to it and then dusting off and moving on.  So many people hide from their mistakes because they are afraid that someone will find out and judge them, but only God can judge you.  Therefore, be grateful of the life that you have lived and learn from your mistakes and love everyone.

Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field (EDUC - 6165 - 2) Effective Ways to Argue

            For this assignment I was asked to think on an argument that I had with someone and create two new resolutions of how I could have handled the issue.  I will first admit that I have learned so much about communicating effectively sense I have been in this class.

            Typically, I try not to argue with people, I just walk away.  However, there is an argument that stands out in my mind that I don’t mind sharing.  I have a friend, that for the sake of writing this paper I will just call her Charity.  Charity and I were friends since as long as I could remember which means we practically grew up together.  One day I found out some information that was being said about Charity.  Being her best friend, immediately I wanted to share it with her, but I was not sure if that was a wise move.  Therefore, I did not share it right away, instead I took a couple of days and prayed over it.  One day we were hanging out and having a good time.  I figured this is a great time to tell her the news because she is in good spirits, and I decided to tell her the news. She became so angered with me yelling and using profanity at me.  Naturally, I tried to walk away and she followed me.  After the escape route did not work, I began yelling and using some choice words myself.  I knew right away that telling her was the wrong thing to do but it was too late to regret and too early to apologize.  We both needed to take a minute and calm down first.  Moving forward, maybe about six months later we ran into each other at the store and somehow we just picked right back up where we left off.  It was as if we had been talking all along, and no one ever apologized for the issue. 

            From this communications class I have discovered different methods that I could have used.  Here are just a few that I will share with you.  A healthy debate will allow each person to share their opinion without yelling and arguing.  Have specifics and limitations about the relationship so each person knows how far to go, and what not to say.  Consider the various communication channels.  Sometimes you can just send a text and never have to see the person but you got the message out.  Corporation and compromise to resolve the issue.  Focus on specific issues and stay on the subject.  Sometimes preparing yourself is a good way to review the facts.  Consider the alternatives. It does not have to be your way or my way, but let’s create a new way.  In the future my plan is to try one of these methods.

Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field (EDUC - 6165 - 2) Three Assessments and Two Others...

         For this week’s assignment, we were asked to take three different assessments: communication anxiety, verbal aggressiveness and listening style.  Then, I was required to ask two additional people to take the test and compare the difference between my results and theirs.    Therefore I choose my Assistant Teacher in my classroom.  Although, we just met in August of this year, she has experience the way I interact with the children as well as the parents of the children.  The other candidate is a new friend that I spend a lot of time with.  He gets to see how I react in the public, when I am shopping, eating or simply just relaxing around family.  The results were simply amazing.

            From the communication assessment inventory the results surprised me the most.  It was the most scattered results of the three tests.  My results ranked me at a low score, and I just keep thinking that I am my worst critic.  The comments for low says that I feel comfortable and confident with my communication.  My assistant’s results said that I was a mild communicator.  It states that I might feel uneasy in some situations, and somewhat confident in others but I have no real worries.  Finally, my friend rated me at a moderate score.  His thoughts stated that I am concerned about a number of contents.  When I think about it, I can see how all three might apply to my communication aspects, but the closets one to me is my assistant’s score.

            According to the verbal aggressiveness test all three of us obtained the same result which made me feel good.  I am a moderate communicator which means that I have a good balance between respect and consideration for other viewpoints.  Also, when I argue I do it fairly by attacking only the facts.  This is very true for my situation.  I am very respectful, and when I argue I try to have all of my ducks in a row. 

            Finally, the listening styles test is another were all three of our answers matched.  We all placed me to be in the group one which states that I am people oriented.  Some of the characteristic for this is that I am empathetic, I build relationships easily and I am very trusting.  However, it says that I allow my trust for people to interfere with me making proper judgments.  I agree with this category for myself as well.

            For this assignment I gained knowledge of how others view me, and even how it compares to exactly what I think of myself.  I feel like I am a great communicator but just as others there are some improvements that I could make.  On a professional level, my goal achievement is to ensure that the message that I am sending matches my verbal and nonverbal body movements.  I want to ensure that I never have a cultural myopia moment, but when I meet others who do I am aware of how to handle it.  Also, I want to be sure that I am using my abstraction ladder.  I want to think tings through before I say anything to ensure not to send the wrong message.  On a personal level, I plan to be more patient with others.  I want to make sure that people read my first impression experiences correctly, and also that I am not too hard on others when I am making the first impression.

Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field (EDUC - 6165 - 2) Communicating with others of different cultures

As I learned previously in the week, the Platinum Rule states that we should do unto others as they themselves would like to be treated (O'Hair 2012).  Furthermore, a more familiar rule is the Golden Rule that states we should treat others the way that we would like to be treated.  I have already mentioned earlier in the week but I will state it again, I really don’t care for either of these rules because if a person does not fully understand how they should be treated than they will never know how to treat you.  In other words if you don’t love yourself first, how can you ever really love someone else?  At this point in my life I feel that I deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless to how you feel about yourself.  I only associate myself with people that realize respect, kindness and love should be provided freely and not earned.  Our world would be so much better if it were surrounded by people who knew how to love one another rather than “put on shows in front of others.”

The assignment for this week is simply to explain how I communicate with those outside of my culture.  Personally, it has always been easier to communicate with those who are similar to my culture.  However, professionally, I find myself going out on a limb for the people who are different from me.  For example, in my classroom this year I have several students that are not fluent in English.  Whereas, English is the only language that I know.  I want every child to get the most out of the program so I find myself doing a little more to ensure that we are able to understand each other.  When I schedule parent teacher conferences, I try to have a translator present so if there are any questions on either side they can be answered.  I had found a website where I can type a letter and click one button and it will change my entire letter from English to the language that I need it to be.  I invited the families into the classroom to review the basic numbers, letters and objects in their language with the children.  This allows the children to learn and have fun at the same time.  I have purchased a dictionary to help me brush up on my language as well. Because these children and I somehow ended up together I have pushed to allow them to reach their highest level of potential and I plan to do anything and everything that I can to ensure that they do. 

Reference

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field (EDUC - 6165 - 2)

For this assignment I was instructed to watch an unknown show with no sound.  I choose to what “The Have and the Have Not’s” by Tyler Perry.  I picked this particular show because I have been meaning to watch it and never actually got around to doing so.  I watch two clips on YouTube. The first clip was titled, “Candice turns the table on Jim.”  The other clip was called, “Veronica fends for herself.”  I was very curious to know if this show was as good as so many people say it is.

In the first scene there was a woman, Candice, who was on the phone with a man.  She was smiling and laughing and seemed very happy to speak with him.  Later, he handed the phone to another gentlemen.  This is when she looked to become angry and became yelling.  Her face looked as though she was up to know well.  Also, without knowing any of the characters I thought the first man was her boyfriend and the other man was someone who she had kidnapped.

In the second scenario, Veronica looked as though she had enough.  She wanted her boyfriend out of her house but he would not go.  Her facial expressions looked very serious and she seemed to not being playing around this time.  Also, the man looked very fearful.  The way this clip ended it really draws you in and makes you wonder what happens next.

After watching both the scenes again with sound I found out some very useful information.  In the first scene, I seemed to have been right. The lady on the phone and the first man that she was talking to were in on it together for the kidnapping of the other man.  However, it did not go into details about their relationship.  In the second clip, turns out that she did in fact want him out.  As well, Veronica had threatened to kill his entire family if he did not leave.  Finally, through speaking with someone who actually watches the show on a regular basis I learned some additional information.  Candice and the man that was kidnapped was actually having an affair.  In the second scene Veronica was tired of her boyfriend coming around drunk which is why she wanted him out.  I think if I were watching the show more I would have known more, however my assumptions were pretty accurate.

EDUC-6165-2,Comm & Collab Early Childhood 1st Blog Assignment

For my blog assignment, I was tasked to think of someone who has competent communication skills.  There is one person that comes to my mind right away…my mom.  My mother is one of the best communicators that I know.  She has always been more concerned about what is right and less concerned about who is right.  She is completely honest and all times, regardless to who it offends.  There is a reason for what she believes, and her tone of voice never changes.  She knows how to listen and not over talk, but how to respond on the topic at hand when it is her turn to speak.  She does not use a lot of body contact, but maintains great eye contact.  She never gets tired of communicating until the conversation has ended.  The one thing that she does that I do not like is that she expresses affiliation for others which often times lead to her own tears.  I absolutely hate to see my mother cry, she has a huge heart and I don’t want anyone to take advantage of that.

Competent communication is more process than outcome-focused.  When in school I always remind my students that I really don’t care about the product they have created, I am more concerned with the process it took to get there.  There are so many relationships that have been tarnished because people simply are unaware of how to communicate effectively.  If a person is yelling at you that is not such a bad sign, when they walk away from you is when you should be worried.  Only cowards really walk away, a person that really cares about you will stay to the end to communicate the issue at hand.  If the person walks away, you were much better off without them anyway.  Ethics is the study of morals.  Believe it or not, not everyone has developed the morals needed to communicate effectively.  These are things that children must be taught.  I can honestly say that I have never seen my parents agree, because they have always done it behind closed doors.  When a child is aware of adult issues it allows them the opportunity to take sides of something that they have absolutely nothing to do with anyway.  Behavioral flexibility allows knowing and using a number of different behaviors to achieve the desired goal.  Teach children that it is ok to disagree but there is an appropriate way to do so. 

As for myself, I feel like I am a work in progress.  One day I would love to be able to communicate as well as my mother, but I am not there yet. There are times when I get frustrated if I am misunderstood or even judged.  I do raise my tone, and might even take a deep breathe.  But, the point that I am trying desperately to make is that I am human, and that we all have fall short at one time or another.  However, one thing that I will never do is walk away from a person that I love.  I feel that is the most cowardly thing a person can do.  You really see who your loved ones are when they “show their true colors.”  Communication is a skill that must be learned in all fields of professionalism.  How well do you communicate?

Perspectives on Diversity and Equity (EDUC - 6164 - 6) Professional Hopes and Goals

            When I think about my work with children that originate from diverse places and ethnicities, my hope is that I will be able to teach them something that they can hold onto for their lifetime.  Teachers often times feel unprepared and therefore they need the appropriate trainings to help prepare for the diverse children that will enter their classroom.  Also, teachers should perform a certain level of research to prepare their lesson plans.  Putting thought into the lesson plan allows the children to know that they were important enough to be included.  My hope is that teachers are more open minded and aware of the changes that are taking place within the early We don't want the world to pass us by, so let's start by empowering our children today. 

            One goal that I have for the field of early childhood is that we always stay committed to performing the task that is in the best interest for the child.  Also, we should stay determined to follow the vision allowing our passion to lead us.  I am fully committed to giving the children that I will serve all of me, because I realize that they deserve the best.  I am serving tomorrow's leaders and I will them to be well prepared for the world when they leave my classroom.  Some many people don't realize how important the first five years are, but once you do you will see how effective the first five years are.

            I would like to thank my fellow classmates from the perspectives on diversity and equity class.  It has been a pleasure working with all of you.  I have enjoyed reading your posts and really appreciate you taking the time to read mine.  I really wish all of you the best in your future endeavors.

Perspectives on Diversity and Equity (EDUC - 6164 - 6) Welcoming Families From Around the World

            The challenge this week is to pretend to work in a social service agency with a child that originates from a different country.  I am suppose to list at least five different ways that I can prepare for this new child.  Also, I am asked to list the benefits for the child as well as myself.  So, let's get started...

            The child's name is going to be Maria and she comes to us from Spain.  To prepare for this child entering the program, as her case worker I will find all of the available resources that will offer assistance in any way with classroom curriculum and other skills.  I plan to brush up on the basic level of Spanish.  I need to know the basic colors, the calendar numbers, the greetings and departure phrases, and maybe a few other things.  I want to know enough that the other children can learn the basics in the classroom.  Also, I will ask the teacher to allow me to look over the lesson plan.  I want to ensure that the curriculum will include not only that child's culture but the cultures of all of the children within the classroom.  I plan to meet the parents before the child enters the program to be able to learn more about their family culture and see how the child interacts with her family.  It is important to know if the child is entering the program with a certain level of manners and respect or will they need to be taught more structure.  Finally, upon entering the classroom on the first day, I will be there.  I want to overview the classroom, but I also want the child to see at least one familiar face upon entering the classroom.

            Being adequately prepared for this child will benefit me in so many ways.  I will become knowledgeable of her family culture through simply talking with her parents.  I am therefore able to incorporate the basics into the classroom and the lesson plan.  I am able to ensure that from my standpoint that the transition for the child is as soon as possible into the program.  The children are able to benefit because they can obtain the highest level of knowledge available to ensure they receive their highest level of potential.

Perspectives on Diversity and Equity (EDUC - 6164 - 6) The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

            In this week's assignment, my task at hand is to talk about an incident where I experienced some form of biased, prejudice or form of oppression.  Honestly, I took the time to think long and hard about the answer to this question and I could not come up with anything.  Finally, I remembered how hard it was for me to go back to school -online.  I thought about the fear of being an online student and how nervous it made me.  I actually started Walden twice and dropped twice, and the third time I said I am going to do this no matter how nervous I was.  Fortunately, I had an advisor that was determined to not give up on me.  He seemed to know that I could do this, even when I had my doubts.  My worries were that I would not be able to reach my teacher when I needed her or him, I would not know how to submit my work assignments and I was just completely biased about online programs. 

            Having pointing out all of the bad things about the program, I was not able to see any of the good that was available all along.  I am currently able to work full time, not leaving early or coming in late.  I only have to study for one class at a time, not becoming overwhelmed with learning multiple subjects at one time.  My teacher normally contacts me within forty eight hours of me contacting her.  I have not only learned my way around my classroom, but have discovered how to get around the campus as well...all on my own. 

            At this point in my education I am only five classes away from receiving my degree.  I would recommend Walden University to anyone and everyone.  As a matter of fact, I have already talked to some people about how much they should attend this school.  Today, Walden has empowered me to feel independent, confident and an over comer.  I am so proud of where I am in life and where I am headed.  Unfortunately, some of the people that were so helpful in the beginning have not stuck around to see me hit the finish line, but I know deep down inside that they are happy for my accomplishments.  Walden proves with hard work and determination you can make your dreams come true.

Perspectives on Diversity and Equity (EDUC - 6164 - 6) Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

            Last year, around Christmas time, my niece got a baby doll as one of her Christmas gifts.  The baby doll was what she wanted, so you would think that she would have been excited.  However, all day she never touched the baby doll, never took it out of the box and did not even look at the doll.  By the end of the day she had played with all of her other toys, except the baby doll.  As her parents asked her to place of her new gifts in her room, she took everything but the baby doll.  When her father (my brother) handed her the baby doll she shook her shoulders and said, "no!"  "What's wrong," he asked her.  She implied that the baby doll was a black baby doll and she wanted the white baby doll.  This statement shocked everyone in the room.  He asked her, "why do you want the white baby doll so badly?"  She responded with the fact that she thought the white one was prettier.  One by one each family member asked her what made the white baby doll prettier, and each time she said the skin and her hair.  That Christmas we spent time telling all the children about how God made them all unique, different and special.  He made everyone just the way that they were supposed to be.  We explained you can't not like someone because of their skin color because she would be not liking a lot of her own family members.  It is very important to love everyone.  By the end of the day, I am pretty sure that she got the message and she still plays with the doll today.

            For me, this was an example of Dr. Sue's "Catch-22."  I wondered in my mind, did this really happen?  As an educator, I knew that I needed to spend time talking to my niece without asking her too many questions to discover where this behavior came from.  I explored the subject and found out that she goes to a school where there are not many kids that look like her.  Most of the little Caucasian children are very warm and welcoming to her and she wanted her doll baby to look like her friends.  I explained to her that it is ok to like people of all races, but we must remember where we come from.  Therefore, I reminded her parents it is important to schedule play dates with friends that look like her as well.  Maybe, friends in the neighborhood or the church but she needs to know and accept her culture.  I also asked my sister in law to visit the school and see if there are books, toys, puppets or anything that would represent our culture within the classroom.  If she did not see anything, I told her to ask the teacher.  This is important that each child's culture is represented within the classroom.  Today, she is coming into her own little identity and she has friends of all races.  Also, we now buy her dolls that explore all cultures.

Perspectives on Diversity and Equity (EDUC - 6164 - 6) Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

            This week's assignment was to interview three people and ask them what the terms culture and diversity meant to them.  I interviewed four people and I will tell you what there responses were.  The first person was my mother, who plays a very important part within my knowledge of what I believe.  She defined culture as many different forms of color, style, creed, communities, nationalities and religions.  Diversity is the beliefs that a person has obtained from the religious aspect that they are a part of, also it is a way of life and how others conduct themselves within the public arena.  Next, I interviewed my aunt.  Her philosophy was similar.  Culture, to her, is a person's background or way of life.  The mere fact she has to have greens and rice every new years is simply a part of her culture.  Also, she included the what a person does things and the beliefs they have is a part of their culture.  Diversity is being able to appreciate others beliefs.  She used, "when in Rome do as the Romans" as her example.  Then, I spoke with a younger cousin.  He views culture as a way of life, way of thinking, tradition, foods and language.  Diversity was the different ways that people think, and the different methods that people have for handling events that occur in life.  Finally, I spoke with a family friend.  He said that his culture will always include ministry, church and the workplace.  He also views culture as allowing others to be stressful.  Diversity is being able to understand people, knowing that everyone is different, accepting others beliefs and acknowledging the different races.  I thanked them all for their input.

            So far in this class we have already had some very intriguing topics.  Within the first week we discussed our social identities and it forced me to think "who am I?"  Having to create ten I am....was a challenge all within itself.  But, it allowed me to really consider who I am and acknowledge that I need to carry myself in a manner where others can see that this is what I think of myself.  Next, we discussed our individual family dynamics.  What specifics about your families culture stands out and how does outsiders feel about these differences.  I realized three are the top three things that stands out with my family: religion, discipline (respect), and togetherness.  Others can view my family and see that when times are hard we rely on each other and our religion to get us through.  It has worked this far.  We have tapped into valuing culture and recognizing deep culture, discontinuity and invisibility.  However, when have not covered some of the different things that can be used in the classroom, but hopefully that is coming.  I am excitedly waiting for the discussion on biased and the "isms."  I peeked and that is coming up and I can't wait to get into that conversation.  Bias always comes without even realizing it is there.  Through talking with others I realized that they were all pretty much saying the same thing, just in different vocabulary.  I also feel the same way that they do.  Before taking this class I didn't realize that they take to different definitions.  But, now I am interested in tearing these two words apart to see what I can discover about both.  I will definitely keep you posted with my findings.

My Family Culture Perspectives on Diversity and Equity (EDUC - 6164 - 6)

            A major catastrophe has occurred within my country and I am only allowed to retrieve three of my prized possessions.  I have carefully considered the details of this assignment.  The three things that I am going to take are as follows: my purse, my laptop and my bible.   I choose my purse because my entire life is in my purse.  Ask any female what's inside their purse and you will get some of these answers: my driver's license, my ss card, my birth certificate, a mirror, a comb, calendar of events, cards, lip gloss, fan, mail and even candy, deodorant etc.  I choose to get my laptop because then I can still do my homework and the fulfill my duties for my job.  Finally, I thought over and over of exactly what I wanted my last item to be and the only thing that I could think of is the bible.  My religion is very important to me and I need to be able to read it under any circumstance. 

            Now, that I have discovered three items, I am asked to reduce it to the most important one item.  I can always buy another bible and a laptop.  However, my purse is the item that I would keep.  Actually, it is not even the actual purse, but more of the items that is within the purse. 

            This assignment was tough because it took forever for me to narrow down which items were more important than others and why.  I did consider other items like family photos and my vehicle.  It forced me to be unselfish and really consider what is important to me.  I discovered that I am very concerned about my success and prosperity within the Lord.  After doing this assignment, I am very excited about what my future holds.   

When I Think of Research...Building Research Competencies (EDUC - 6163 - 1)

                Over the past eight weeks I have obtained so much knowledge through taking the course Building Research Competencies.  My study started off learning the principles of high-quality research: ethical, purposeful, well designed, transparent, contextualized, credible, careful, imaginative and equitable.  It goes on to explain the different types of triangulation.  The book also talks about the importance of validity, being confidential, gaining parental consent and using deception while taking risks.  It discussed the difference between direct observation and using interviews.  It listed the different steps in each category.  Some of the information was a review, but a lot of it was very much new.

            It has opened my mind to being more careful while performing my research tasks.  I must be extra careful to follow ethical rules, but also I have found that I prefer to use direct observation over interviews.  It has taught me to be sure that I plan ahead, so that I am in no danger of ever asking a child a question that will bring about stress for them.  The child should always be at ease.   

            While in this class, my main challenge was developing a research question.  I had to change my question several times to get to the right thing I wanted to say.  But, in the end I feel like I created the right question for the task at hand.  Upon completing this course I know feel like I am more efficient in my research skills which I am applying to my new found knowledge.

Building Research Competencies (EDUC - 6163 - 1) Research Around the World

          My research around the world was completed through the European Early Childhood Education Research Association website.   As soon as I clicked the link I saw the link for the Pacific Early Childhood Research Association (PECERA).  The mission for this website is to disseminate and support research in early childhood education within the pacific area.  Some of the chapters within the PECERA includes: Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Philippines and USA.  Just a few of its objectives are as follows: to provide the academic forum, facilitate the cooperation and collaboration, promote links between research and raise the visibility and status of the research.  These objectives can be accomplished through the following techniques: attending the annual conferences, subscribing to the research journal that is being published, organizing the professional development of yourself and your staff and engaging in the activities that are existing within your community.  These are some great ways to increase your current center with a higher level of quality as well.

            On March 2, 2014 there was an article that mentioned the appropriate ways to use technology within the classroom.  On March 24, 2014 there was an article that discussed the most important skills for a ECE teacher to develop.  Even within my current profession both of these are very useful topics.  My current research stimulation topic deal with the skills that are being passed on from the teacher to the student.  By skills I mean good manners, respect, integrity, honesty and other qualities that the youth of tomorrow must have.  However, there is still so much that I am unaware of when it comes to using the technology within the classroom.  This is my first year dealing with the "Smart Board."  I declare the kids are teaching me how to use it.  There is so much for them to do on there.  When I was growing up, we used to watch the large overhead projectors.  Now times are changing and we really need to keep up or the technology will pass us by.

            Through the website I did learn that there are not only conferences being held, but also there are journal article and online meetings that can be viewed to provide training sessions for the staff.  There are several things available to provide growth to the staff.  The leader just need to get online and find them.  Most information are going to be the same across the board, it is just the techniques that people use that makes them unique and different. 

Building Research Competencies (EDUC - 6163 - 1) Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

            Recently, I discovered a real life case study on this website http://www.mcri.edu.au/media/62295/cases_q___c.pdf. The title of the article is called "Opt-out consent and the role of parental consent in a study in a child care centre."  It is considered case number four in the article.  The experiment was designed to study the spread of germs within the center.  Researchers spread DNA fragments of a plant virus on the surface of the toys, doorknobs and other surfaces within the classroom.  The purpose was to indicate where exactly the spread of germs would be found in the classroom.  Although, the researchers did consider the health risks, they originally found none that was anticipated. 

            Later on, there arrived a parent whose complaint led to one of the centers closing down.  The parent said there consent for the experiment was never provided, because they were unaware of the research experiment.  A letter did go home with each child in their belongs.  Written on the letter were the details of the experiment and everything that the parents needed to know about the experiment.  However, the problem occurred simply because, anyone who has ever worked in child care or anyone who has children knows that the parents do not check their child's bag daily.  Although, the parent claims to have never received the letter, it was in the child's bag and they just did not know to check.  Whose fault is that? 

            Therefore, when the researchers approached the parents to gain consent for the final portion of the experiment, which is the permission to swab the child's hands to see if the solution was present , the parent became uncooperative.  and said they were never aware of the experiment was even taking place.  Due to this circumstance all parents were provided the opportunity to opt-out of the experiment and not complete it to the end.  Surprisingly, none of them choose these option.

            Here are some pointers to ponder for researchers in the future:

Did the researchers in this experiment try hard enough to gain parental consent?

Was the consent of the child needed in this experiment as well?

Was the opt-out option an acceptable solution for this matter?

What would have been the circumstances if the child would have put the solution into their mouth and became sick? 

Was the research experiment worth it in the end?

Please share your thoughts.  Thanks!

Building Research Competencies (EDUC - 6163 - 1) Your Personal Research Journey

                Communication is the topic that I choose to work with for this class.  It is a great topic because everyone uses communication in every field that they work in.  Although, good communication skills is relevant in every occupation, I feel it is most relevant in the early childhood field.  Communication can be used differently in early childhood: teacher-teacher, child-teacher, parent-teacher, child-child, parent-child and so on.  Recently, I found a credible source that deals with communication.  The website is http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/earlychildhood/article_view.aspx?ArticleID=145.  The title of the of the source is "Do you communicate clearly? Consider This..."  It is a great source that breaks down the information to allow your mind a chance to wonder do you do any of these things.  It has been my personal experience that many people in the school system are not the best communicators.  Have you ever really sat and listened to two individuals talk?  Did they over talk each other?  Did their tone of voice change to the point where they were yelling?  Did the conversation  have anything to do with the individuals or was it out of their control and none of their business?  A conversation involves a speaker and a listener.  While one person is speaking the other person should be listening so they have a response when the speaker is done.  Then they will switch places.  When both people are talking at the same time it tends to bring about greater frustration.  When you consider young children, many of them bite the other person when they can not seem to get there point across and they don't know exactly what to do.  Also, this appears again in teens.  Many of them resort to fighting their peers when they feel like they're peer has wronged them.  Many children have learned to result to violence when they feel as though they can not communicate.  It is the teachers job to educate the children on better ways to redirect themselves or their feelings when times get a little tough.  If you have any thoughts on communication and how it has effected you please share your thoughts.  Do you feel like you are a good communicator?  What area could you work on better?  What is done within the classroom to ensure that they children are developing their communication skills?  Share your thoughts.

Greetings...

Hello, my fellow classmates in the Building Research class.  I am very excited and nervous about this class, but I am sure we will obtain plenty of new information.  Good Luck to everyone and please let me know if I can assist you with anything.

Final Blog

            It has been very beneficial for me to be able to learn information about my personal person of interest, and discover new insights from classmates research.  I have always been very concerned and curious to know ways that I can grow on a professional level.  Here is just a few consequences from this class that I am able to take with me on a professional level.  This class has allowed me to become aware of the current issues and trends from other countries.  With the knowledge that I have obtained I am able to better prepare my classroom for cultural diversity so that every child not only feels accepted but included as well.  It has made me aware of the policies and procedures in providing effective programs and practices.  Finally, it has allowed me the opportunity to view others ideas of equity and excellency.  These are just a few of the factors that will help me in the world of early childhood education. 

            The other way to view current issues is looking at them on a more personal level.  The materials produced this semester has provided me to become more aware of various different views on the topics discussed.  It has placed ideas in my head that I would have otherwise never thought of.  It has reassured me of the importance of not discriminating on any child for any reason ever.  Finally, it is provided resources for me to become better advocate for children and parents.  Personally, I love what I do, enjoy my job, and plan to do it for many years to come.

            I created some goals that I can live by that I created through the knowledge from this course.  I plan to implement lesson plans in the classroom that includes all children of various ethnicities, cultural and diversities.  I plan to advocate for children in a manner that provides equity and excellence according to the current issues and trends.  I plan to use research policies and procedures to better provide for effective programs and practices.

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

            I asked Elisabeth if there are any new issues are concerns that are occurring in the news dealing with child care.  She said that the major issues in Belgium currently deals with the mistreatment of children in poverty areas.  Unfortunately, there are more children that are mistreated who live in poverty than any other area.  The reason is normally because the parents is stressed with issues of life.  For example, the parents can't figure out how the bills are going to be paid, has death in the family, an older sibling is pregnant at teenage years or so many other issues.  When there are other factors involved it is hard to focus on being nice and loving to your child.  The other issue that she mentioned is that there are so many children that do not report to school on a daily basis.  In Belgium, there is not a mandatory rule that says that children have to go to school.  Therefore, if no one is pushing you in the right direction to obtain an education, then there is no reason to get one.  

            Next, I asked her about the opportunities that exist for children in her area.  She said that her children were involved in sports, music and cooking.  All three of these aspects will allow the children to benefit from learning later on in life.  She also mentioned that most of the parents are able to work jobs late hours because there is entertainment offered at the school for them to participate in.  This is good because it provides the children extra curricula activity while the parents in working more hours to better finance their families.

            I asked what are the requirements for a good teacher in Belgium?    Teachers, in Belgium, should have good teaching skills, be comprehensive, be motivated, open minded, not elitists and someone who gives everyone a chance.  The way she explained everyone being given a chance is equivalent to what he call individualities at Head Start.  She feels like children should be able to appreciate learning through be curios and discovering new things.

            Finally, the last thing that I inquired was the goals that she has for her children.  She wants her children to be happy and always responsible.  They should respect others.  Every time they start never stop until the job is completed.  The last thing that she said, and I agree with, put every effort into what you are doing and where you want to go.  In order to get something new, you must first do something new.