Thank you...

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for accepting me and making this class very interesting. I attempted to take a communication class in my undergrad...let's just say that this class was a lot better. I learned a lot from all of you. Some of you I have had classes with before, such as Arica and Greg. Thank you both for accepting me as your colleague once again. I hope to see all of you in my future courses. Please feel free to email me at: bpierce6383@gmail.com if you wish to give me your contact information. Or you can give me your email and I will send you my information. We're all on this journey together so we must stick together!

Special thanks to Dr. Walker for being an awesome professor. Thank you for your insights and allowing us to express our own. I gained much knowledge on a lot of things while taking this course. May Yahweh bless you all! See you at the top!

The Fifth Stage of Team Development

Adjourning (as well as the other stages) is a very essential stage in team development. It's like the conclusion to a research paper. I believe it brings “everything together”: ties up most (if not all) of the loose ends. When I think about the groups I have been a part of in my lifetime, the ones I liked the most were those that had the best “endings”. We were one on accord with what we were trying to do; we had the same vision. By the time the meetings came to an end, it was already established that we were on the same page. And that felt really good.

I would say that the high-performing groups and those with the clearest established norms were the hardest to leave. When I think about the groups that may have had both of these “qualities”, I think about my church choir and band. We had the same vision in mind: to win souls. Music is a tool to bring people on one accord anyway so I believe that played a huge part in our unity. We would always pray before and after practice. So even if we did veer off and lose focus, I believe the prayer put us back on track. 

I imagine that the adjourning from my colleagues will be somewhat similar to the adjourning from the choir/band. Although I may not communicate with some of them outside of this program, I believe that we all have the same vision in mind. We all have a passion for children (at least I hope we all do). We all want to make a difference. We all want to make a change in society. With that being said, I will always feel connected to my colleagues for these reasons. I will always know in my heart that we are serving our purpose. I do not believe we would be in this degree program if we were planning to do otherwise.

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

Nonviolent Communication is the Key!

I just started a new job working in sales. I like the job a lot; there is so much to learn about selling home security systems. I had my training about three weeks ago and it was pretty intense. There was a lady in the class who apparently had more sales experience than me. We had to do a "role play" and needless to say, I still needed more training (lol). But everyone in the class made mistakes when they did the role playing. So it was no big deal...so I thought.

After I was done, my trainer asked did anyone have any feedback on how I did. The lady with all the "sales experience" had something to say, which was not applicable to what I had done. I am not going to lie, at first, I was offended. "Who are you telling me anything? You are in this training class just like I am". But instead, I "stopped, looked (at her), and listened to what she had to say. And I am so glad I did because that could have turned into a mess! Nonviolent communication is always the best way to go when trying to resolve a conflict. So, I took a deep breath and told her what was really true and my trainer backed me on what I said. He turned around and came down on me but he can do those things...HE'S THE TRAINER! And what he said was right. So I took the correction for what it was.

With that being said, the "stop, look and listen" strategy was something that I was reminded of this week. But learned it more in depth. And I believe that the "stop" part is the most important part: "Stop. Take time to prepare. Take a time out. Count to 10. Take a deep breath. Remember, 'everything starts by stopping'". This is so true; and working through this conflict proved it. 

Another strategy I learned is called "alternative dispute resolution" or "ADR". ADR refers to any process or collection of processes established to resolve disputes without trial or violence. As I mentioned in my application assignment, there is no set way to resolve conflicts in a nonviolent way. But there are many ways to resolve conflicts peacefully. I believe that was proven true working through this conflict as well. What do you all think? Feel free to give feedback. Thanks in advance!

http://www.acrnet.org/Page.aspx?id=691

http://www.thirdside.org/SKILLS_01.cfm

Who Am I as a Communicator?

As I think about the similarities and differences between how I evaluate myself as a communicator and how others evaluate me, one thing that surprised me the most is how my mom and good friend evaluated me as a communicator. They evaluated me to be a better communicator than I evaluated myself. That motivated me a great deal because it showed me that some people view me better than I view myself. I gained quite a few insights this week. I will share two:

1) "Always continue to follow the 'Platinum Rule'"; "Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you". Although this rule was brought to our attention last week, I do not believe we can be reminded of it too much. 

2) "We must (continue to) be unbiased and open to receive different people and their ideas". This ties in to the first insight I shared. We want people to be open to receive who we are and what we have to offer. So we must give that same respect to other people and receive them as well.

I truly believe that these two insights inform my professional work and personal life because they can be applied to people of all ages and all backgrounds (everyone)! 

Communicating With My "Peoples"

As I begin to reflect on how I communicate with people overall, I have come to realize that I do communicate with different people in different ways. When I communicate with my colleagues, I try to be as respectful as I can because we are "dwelling" in an educational environment, where we can learn not only from our instructors, but from each other as well. Versus when I communication with people in my neighborhood, I have to give a "tough yet soft" image when communicating with them, but I am still respectful. I'm nice to people but also let them know that I can protect myself in case they want to try some "slick stuff". In this case, I would say that my non-verbal cues "speak" louder than my verbal cues. 

With this being said, I believe I have come up with three strategies that I could use to help me communicate more effectively my colleagues and those in my neighborhood. Although I communicate with them differently, I believe these three strategies will work across the board. 

NUMBER ONE: "Follow the Platinum Rule"; 'Do unto other as you would want them to do unto you'. Simple yet complicated. We as humans can be selfish when we speak to others, not considering what we are saying to the others or what they want to say to us. But we want everyone to listen to us. It doesn't work that way. We must respect one another in order to receive respect from one another...

#2: "Be careful of what my non-verbal cues maybe given off or 'saying'": Sometimes, the words that come out of our mouths are "silenced" by our non-verbal cues. Or sometimes we may say (or write) something that has a "subliminal" message attached to it that can be taken out of context. Along with that, we may not say one word but our body language/facial expressions have the potential to speak volumes.

3) Constantly be aware of "cultural myopia": a form of nearsightedness grounded in the belief that one's own culture is appropriate and relevant in all situations and to all people" (O'H air & Wiemann, p. 45, 2012). Everyone is different, period. Regardless of how many similarities we may have, we are still individuals. So we have to open-minded when communicating with each other. Everyone has their own unique way of thinking and expressing themselves. As along as we can respect each other while these actions take place, we should be ok! I truly believe that....

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

Verbal/Nonverbal Communication

I watched a show for the first time called "State of Georgia". Raven Symone is the star! Let me first say that this show is hilarious and it is available on Netflix. :-)

But as I watched the show with the sound turned off, I thought that the relationship between her and a Venezuelan girl (Majandra Delfino) was just a business/co-worker relationship. They worked in a perfume store together. But as the show went on, I saw that they were more than just co-workers. They were like "partners in crime". Then there were scenes with Raven Symone, her friend and an older lady, Loretta Divine. I assumed that Loretta Divine played Raven Symone's mother. But I later found out that she was actually her aunt who was "very popular" among the "male celebrities" lol.

At times, I would see Raven Symone and Majandra Delfino make certain faces, as if they were not happy about something or thought trouble was on the way. However, Loretta Divine smiled a lot and had her share of cocktails lol. So she seemed happy most of the time. Raven and Majandra did a lot of fast moving together, as if they were always on a mission. In different scenarios, Raven smiled a lot and used her arms in some way to emphasize excitement: whether it would be lifting them up, and/or wave them around rapidly

After watching the show with the sound on, my assumptions were pretty close but not exact. The friendship between Raven and Majandra was deeper than I thought it was. Yeah, they are "partners in crime" but come to find out, they moved to New York together from Georgia in order to pursue their dreams. So that displayed a strong bond to me. It was one particular scene where Raven auditioned for an acting role and the guy who was doing the auditions rejected her. But later in the show, she goes back and entices him with her "curves" and fatty food. At first when I watched it in silence, I do not know what was going on. I thought they were having a dinner date and he did something that she did not like at that time. But come to find out, he rejected her previously because he felt she was "too big" to play the role she tried out for; not to mention, he used to be "big" himself. But he lost a lot of weight over time and it went to his head. So when she went back to his place, she was on a mission to show him that "thick girls" can play sexy roles too, and that he still had an undercover love for fatty food. :-)

I believe my assumptions would have probably been more correct if I had been watching a show that I knew well. Just for the simple facts that I would have already known who each character was and what they are capable of doing; versus with this show, I had to put everything together while watching for the first time. However, you can never be too sure what is going on when you watch something in silence. We still need sound and words (language) to tell us what is going on for real. That's why I wish (sometimes) that children came out of the womb talking because it would make it easier to find out if something is wrong with them or if something happened to them. Babies are coming out of the womb advance these days so for all we know, that just may happen lol. But I must admit, it was fun analyzing this show without the sound. It was funny to me then. But watching it with the sound really brought it home. This proves once again that language and nonverbal cues should always work together in order for effective communication to take place (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 98). 

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

Blog 1: Competent Communication

When I think about those in my life who demonstrate competent communication, a few people come to mind. But the person who sticks out the most is my mother. Let me tell you that this woman knows how to get her point across to someone, and I'm her child so...I have taken on some of her characteristics of course. I believe that her communication is effective because once she is done expressing herself, everything is clear and there is no confusion or unanswered questions. However, as her child, I have not always "appreciated" how she would communicate to my sisters and I. But now that I am older, I understand why she did what she did and how she did what she did. She was looking out for us because she had our best interest at heart. Sometimes, she would hold things in before saying telling us what is going on but when she did, all the cards were laid on the table. I am the same way at times and I believe that is something that we both need to work on. However, we tend to not say things because we feel that no one else but God would understand us. So we would keep it to ourselves. With that being said, I do model communication behaviors from her because..she's my mom! And she has taught me what she knows. I may not always agree with how she communicates but at the end of the day, as long as we know what it going on and our questions are answered, we really cannot complain! I have made some improvements in my communication over the years but there is still room for improvement. And I am mature enough to admit that....

Professional Hopes and Goals

When I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds, I hope that it turns out to be an "easy challenge". Somewhat of an oximoron, I know. But on the surface, I work very well with people. That is easy for me. However, for the most part, I have been around people who have a similiar background as I do. But the "challenge" comes in when I start dealing with people with different backgrounds who have different points-of-views. Although I have quite a bit of experience with working/learning/interacting in diverse settings, there is still that "slight feeling of being uncomfortable" that causes me to doubt that I am able to do it in my own business. My facility will be available to "everyone". My concern is when they walk into the facility and see that it is ran mostly by my family and friends (not because I'm being prejudice or anything, they are just very supportive). Or when they hear that it is "black owned", I hope that I am not judged for that. I understand that I cannot control anyone else's actions or thoughts. But I want a fair chance just as the children do. Let me prove to you that me "having brown skin" has nothing to do how I run my business and how I care for these children. I was born with this passion. Therefore, the passion was in me before I even developed a "color".

"Mandatory Diverse Outreach", would be one goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity and social justice. What that would consist of is reaching out to different people from different backgrounds in different ways.For example, with a child care facility, we could have a "street team" who goes out to different communities, especially diverse communities and tell them about the facility and what services we offer. But the "underlying main purpose" would be to search for people from different backgrounds who we don't service in the center, or who haven't had a chance to get into my facility for whatever reason (didn't know about it, no transportation, not confident in English, etc.). We should make it our business to try to service every ethnic background possible, ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. Not just when we feel like it or when we're feeling all "diverse" and everything. It should be an on-going basis.

With that being said, I would like to thank my colleagues for embracing me as a classmate. I believe we displayed a wonderful example of diversity, We all had similarities and differences and that made the course very interesting. We got along just fine and that shows that people from different backgrounds can get interact with each other and learn together. I wish you all the best as we continue our EC journey. It keeps getting better and better!

Special thanks to Dr. Darragh for instructing the class and participating in our discussions. Best wishes to you as well. :-)




God bless you all!

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The name of my family's country of origin is "Timbuktu". 

Five ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family:

1. Do some research on the country; look on the internet and find out certain things about the country.

2. Since I would be the owner/director of a child care center, I would inform my staff about the information I found so that they can be more knowledgeable as well.

3. Then I would inform them to let the children know that we're getting a new student who is new to the country; Be nice!

4. Along with that, I would meet with the staff and come up with a "welcoming party" or something like that to make the child and the family feel more comfortable. I would have them to have the country's flag displayed in the classroom and I would attempt to have some food from their country or have them wear some clothing from that country. I would want them to feel at home away from home, especially on the first day of school. First impressions last...

5. Thereafter, I would personally meet with the parents and let them know that we are happy to have their child in our facility and that we are happy that they decided to give us a try. I would also inform the family that we will do our best to make sure that their child, as well as every other child, is treated fairly with love while receiving a quality education.

I believe that these preparations will be good for myself and the family because they would allow me to learn more about the country, which I knew nothing about, and ensure the family that my facility welcomes diversity, instead of rejects it. I say this all the time; we all need each other and we can all learn from each other as well. No man knows everything. So we should be open to learn something new everyday!

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

There is small city outside of Detroit, MI called Warren and it was known to be very prejudice against minorities, especially "black" people. However, by me attending Michigan State University, I figured I conquered the "racial barrier" that exist between some black and white people. I had been learning and interacting with white people and people from all over the world so how can anyone be prejudice towards me now? I'm too well rounded! So I thought...

My friend, her boyfriend at the time and I decided to get something to eat out there one day. I can't remember what took us out there exactly but all I know is, we were hungry and wanted food fast. So we found a diner that looked faily decent. But when we walked in, there were nothing but white people in there, both eating and working. And I mean that. No black people or "people of color" anywhere, not even a few of them. My friend's boyfriend and I instantly started feeling uncomfortable however my friend didn't see anything wrong at the time. She just wanted to eat lol.

We're standing in line, behind some white people and the hostess is treating them with the upmost respect. However, when it came our turn to be seated, she instantly says, "there's going to be a 20 minute wait", with a rude tone and then she walked away from us. And when my friend's boyfriend tried to ask her a question, she walked away while he was talking. Needless to say, we did not continue our stay there...

This event diminished equity because the hostess implied that black people were not as worthy to eat in a timely fashion, or at the same time as white people I believe. That event still boils my blook because we were really hungry and we did not have a car. So we were on foot/catching the bus and taxis and stuff. That works up an appetite in itself! I believe this event took place in 2002. I would have thought the segregated eating places would have been played out by now. I felt like I was in a time warp, because I couldn't believe that we were dealing with something like this in the 2000s!

That event showed me that we still have a long way to go. Granted, it is better than what it was. But if that level of segregation usually only exist in the south, yet, right outside of Detroit, we experienced the same thing, then that means that segregation and prejudices exists EVERYWHERE!

The hostess and the practice of restaurant would have had to change in order for this incident to be changed into an opportunity for greater equity. People of all colors should be able to eat wherever they want to eat. I must admit that Warren has improved a lot over the years. My cousin (who's black) lives out there now and she loves it. So there is hope for society to change as well. It may happen taking baby steps but as long as steps are being taken, we should be ok. A change is coming!

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

I was watching the Dave Chappelle's show on DVD and one of the cast started a conversation about Asian people. He said something to the effect of when he may ask an Asian where he/she is from, and his/her reply is "the united states", then his response would be "you know what I mean". Although he was joking, he expressed a racial micoaggression because he was implying that all Asian people are born in Asia somewhere and those who are in the United States came over after they were born. We all know that is not true. However, that reminded me of Dr. Sue (who is Asian) when he told the story about the woman asking him where he was from and where he was born. At first he said that he was from Portland, Oregon then later told her that he was born in the United States. My observations from this week has increased my awareness of how there are so many stereotypes for different ethnic groups. I believe comedians such as Dave Chappelle bring stereotypes to the light but in a joking way in order to keep us from getting upset about them. It makes me sit back and ask myself "who came of with all of these anyway?" Words are powerful and so is unity. You get enough people involved, you can create a mighty force, whether it be good or bad. But I am a firm believer that good things last forever and bad things pass away eventually. I am praying that these stereotypes will disappear one day soon, or at least be identifiable to the point where people will know what they are and not give in to them. 

"Microaggressions in Everyday Life" (approximate length: 27 minutes)

In this program, Dr. Derald Wing Sue presents a lecture about the concept of microaggression in everyday life.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I interviewed aunt (age 64), my best friend (age 31) and my cousin (age 16). I asked them all what their definitions of culture and diversity were and their responses are as follows:

Aunt:

Culture is how we live, think, how we dress, what music we listen to etc.

Diversity is the breakdown of the differences in all of us.

Best Friend:

Culture is our way of life, what we believe and customs we follow.

Diversity is what makes us all different however it also allows us to dwell together in unity.

Cousin:

Culture depends on the person and how they were raised.

Diversity consists of different people of races and who have different beliefs.

I believe all of these answers include what I have learned in this course thus far, as well as what I knew about culture/diversity beforehand. None of them mentioned anything about language but I can see how that was overlooked because we speak English. Their thoughts on culture/diversity has influenced me to want to dig deeper in this topic. This class has allowed me to do that a great deal thus far and I am looking forward to learning more.

My Family Culture

If a catastrophe took place in my country and we had to evacuate, three things I would take would be a Bible, a radio and a cell phone. I was raised Christian and I still practice Christianity as an adult. My grandmother (Bigma) taught us many values and lessons from the Bible and they have helped us all during rough times. I would consider a catastrophe to be a rough time...

I'm a musician, my mom is a musician, and my entire family loves music. So I would have to have radio around so that we can listen to some good tunes. It's only right...

I know that cell phones have not always been around but we looooooooooooove our phones...can't live without them lol. This is how we keep in touch with each other though. My family is scattered across the city of Detroit and the United States. So we need them...

I would be sad if I could only keep one thing but if I had to choose, it would definitely be the Bible. Everything else I can live without, but only for a short while. However, I cannot live without the Word of God.

My insights have been strengthened about my culture and my family culture as a results of this exercise because I did not realize just how strong these items effected our culture until now. I realize that they are important but I do not think I really made the connection to these things and my culture until now.

When I Think of Research...

•What insights have you gained about research from taking this course?

I have gained many insights about research from taking this course. I had a little knowledge about research before, but there was so much that I did not know. For example, the mixed methods approach was an eye opener for me. I had an idea that some research would require using both qualitative and quantitative research but I thought two different research processes would have to take place in order for that to happen. However, with the mixed methods approach, one can conduct a single study yet draw more accurate conclusions.

•In what ways have your ideas about the nature of doing research changed?

My ideas about the nature of research have changed because I always looked at research to be somewhat of a boring subject. But after taking this course, I am more excited about research and I am looking forward to doing my own. I took two research classes in my undergraduate study, yet I feel as though I have learned more taking just this one class.

•What lessons about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood did you learn?

I have learned a lot of lessons about planning, designing and conducting research in this field. But one thing that stuck out to me the most was how to go about getting consent from the children and their parents. That is something that has to be done when conducting research in this field. Otherwise, one will run the risk of encountering some major challenges.

•What were some of the challenges you encountered—and in what ways did you meet them?

Coming up with a research question was probably my biggest challenge. At first it was too broad but after working with Dr. Myers, I was able to come up with the perfect question for my research (Thank you).

•What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

The best way to say that my perceptions of EC professionals have been modified as a result of this course ties in with how they deal with children who participate in research. Truthfully, the way we are supposed to handle children should be the same all across the board. We should not choose to treat children one way then turn around and do something different when research is being done. I know that some professionals deal with children differently when research is being done but I believe that is not fair to the children. With that being said, whether research is being done or not, EC professionals need to make sure that they are staying professional at all times.

Research Around the World

I chose to write about the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) website. They have quite a few research topics listed but the two I chose to elaborate on are as follows: "The Development of an Integrated Early Childhood Development Urban Model Training Program for Informal Minders and Community Volunteers in Ghana" and "The Status of Coordination and Supervision of Early Childhood Education in Ghana".

The Development of an Integrated Early Childhood Development Urban Model Training Program for Informal Minders and Community Volunteers in Ghana is developed based on an integrated approach towards the holistic development of the child. The objectives of the project are to identify and develop appropriate training curricula, methods and materials to be used in the training of informal minders (IMs) and community volunteers (CVs). The integrated approach was used to develop the training modules they use.


The Study of Coordination and Supervision of Early Childhood Education in Ghana was conducted in the Greater Accra and Eastern regions from August to December 2003. The main objective of the study was to identify the factors that have engendered the current problems militating against the successful implementation of early childhood education in Ghana. Specifically, the study examined concepts such as early childhood care and development (ECCD), surveyed types of Early Chilhood Development (ECD) programs in the country and presented a general framework for the subsequent discussion.


I came across some interesting information as I navigated through the website. But one thing that stuck out to me the most was the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) "generative curriculum". The generative curriculum encompasses the following characteristics:

• a learner-focused approach - drawing as much as possible on the learner's experiences in their personal and professional lives;
• an ecological approach - placing individuals, programs and policies into an interactive and dynamic context and seeking to plan activities and interventions to maximize resonating impact throughout the larger ecology;
• a capacity building approach - aiming to strategically strengthen the capacities of participants to effectively fulfill their mandates in their professional position and to be accountable to their constituents and the broader ECD community in their countries. Although most education activities claim this as a general 'purpose', the ECDVU program addresses capacity development in a specific, strategic manner.
• a co-constructive approach - encouraging each learner to draw upon provided curriculum material as well as their own in-country experience and data to derive their own perspectives and applications;
• a multicultural approach - considering ideas, research, and goals pertaining to child care and development from many different cultural sources, including (but not limited to) African and Euro-Western sources;
• a cohort driven approach - encouraging collaboration, reciprocal learning among peers, and consolidation of networks within and between learners representing each participating country.
• an historical approach - exploring 'how we came to be here' vis à vis the evolution of various theories and constructions regarding children and their care and more recent international development activities focusing on children's care and development.

All of these things (meaning the research and generated curriculum) tie in together and they focus on the betterment of children and education. It is interesting to see other countries taking a stand in the early childhood field. I believe that we can all work together for our children. It takes a "village" to raise a child. So I guess it is safe to say that it takes the whole world to raise all of our children.





Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): Developed and maintained by the University of Victoria, Canada, this virtual university is the international gateway for early childhood research worldwide. Through the link below, you can access ECDVU’s Sub-Saharan Africa portal. The second link takes you to a list of current early childhood research conducted by students in Sub-Saharan Africa.http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/index.php
http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/major_reports.php

My Personal Research Journey (extension granted)

The topic I chose to focus on is research in the early childhood field. Seeing as though I am taking a research class, I am open to learning everything I need to know in order to conduct research within this field. I have done research before but not much within this field so I am looking forward to doing some. I have learned a lot thus far, especially about the quality of research. I believe that is something that we all should learn about so we will know what to look for while doing research. I have learned how to analyze research articles and where to find information. Now that I have this knowledge, I know my research experiences are going to be good and informative. I read about the girl name "Genie" in our textbook who was isolated in her family's home for years. Of course researchers wanted to investigate and do research on her to see how she was effected by this. However, it is believe that the research that took place may have cause more harm that good on her behelf. With that being said, I want to make sure that I conduct research that will benefit children, period. I do not want my research to cause any harm on our children in anyway. And that is why I chose this topic for the simulation. Colleagues, feel free to give feedback. I am open to all suggestions at this point. Looking forward to learning more with you all!

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

If I possessed the means and knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in early childhood field, I would choose the topic of autism and finding a cure for it. I can imagine many positive contributions with this research topic. There are many parents who are dealing with children with autism, Toni Braxton is one of them. Although autism seems to get better with age at time, I believe in healthy and complete development when it comes to children. If they do not have to deal with it, then they shouldn't have to, period. I can see the weight of the world being lifted off of many parents' shoulders if we could find a cure for autism, and any other developemental disorders that maybe present for that matter But since I have worked firsthand with a child with autism, that subject really hits home for me. Who knows? This may become a reality in the near future. Only time will tell...

Final Blog Assignment

Three consequences I experienced from learning about the international early childhood field for my professional and personal development are as follows: I became more aware of what is going on within the field all across the world; I became aware of the different international organizations that are involved in improving early child care/education and; I received a stronger passion to not only work harder to improve early child care/education here in the U.S. but I have also gained a strong passion to participate in improving child care/education all across the globe.

One goal related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations is to "inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives" (Save the Children). Therefore, if we all push for this goal, we will be on the same page as far as increasing equity and excellence in this field all across nations. As I have proclaimed before, I will make sure I do my part. I have learned a lot of things while taking this course and I am glad that I have gained more international exposure to this field.


http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 3

I researched the UNESCO’s “Early Childhood Care and Education” webpage and it was a very interesting to find out more about the organization. UNESCO has 195 Members and eight Associate Members. It is governed by the General Conference and the Executive Board. The Secretariat, headed by the Director-General, implements the decisions of these two bodies. The General Conference establishes the Organization's goals and priorities every two years and sets the budget. The Executive Board meets twice a year to follow programme implementation. UNESCO has its headquarters in Paris. It is housed in an outstanding, Modernist building inaugurated in 1958 and recently renovated. The Organization also has more than 50 field offices around the world.

I kept the link for those who want to know more information about them. Instead of searching for it on the website, I am trying to make this as convenient as possible. I heard of this organization before but I did not know about it in depth. There are so many international organization dedicated to the betterment of early childhood. That is good to know because children are everywhere. Although there is still room for major improvement, it is good to know that some organizations are making it a priority to make a difference for our children.

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources

I chose the Save the Children website. As I explored this site, I did not find many outside links. Maybe because it is an international website and everything ties in with one another. However, I found other links on ways to give. Websites such as Ebay have the option for people to donate to this organization. I did receive an e-newsletter but it was about donating to the org. I guess I can say that does somewhat tie in with the issue I wrote about this week, which was accessibility. If people do not donate, then the program will probably be in trouble and possible eliminated. And there will be no access to it then. I would say in a round-about way that the newsletter adds to my understanding of equity and excellence in early care and education. Because this organization is committed to saving the children across the world, I believe that part of saving children is giving them the life and education they deserve. That was an insight I gained from exploring the website this week. So I plan to save children as much as possibly can.

http://www.savethechildren.org

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 2

I have yet to receive a response from my international contacts so I did the alternative assignment and viewed the "Global Children's Initiative" website. This website is very informative but I took to the "National Scientific Council on the Developing Child" section. In this section, they took about many things but topic that stood out to me the most was the "Toxic Stress Response: The Facts" topic. I have heard that there is "good stress" and "bad stress" but this website has stress broken down into three parts: positive, tolerable and toxic (three new insights for me).

Positive stress response is a normal and essential part of healthy development (I guess this would be considered "good stress"), characterized by brief increases in heart rate and mild elevations in hormone levels. Some situations that might trigger a positive stress response are the first day with a new caregiver or receiving an injected immunization.

Tolerable stress response activates the body’s alert systems to a greater degree as a result of more severe, longer-lasting difficulties, such as the loss of a loved one, a natural disaster, or a frightening injury. If the activation is time-limited and buffered by relationships with adults who help the child adapt, the brain and other organs recover from what might otherwise be damaging effects.

Toxic stress response (bad stress) can occur when a child experiences strong, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity—such as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship—without adequate adult support. This kind of prolonged activation of the stress response systems can disrupt the development of brain architecture and other organ systems, and increase the risk for stress-related disease and cognitive impairment, well into the adult years.

As I read this information, I began to reflect on different times in my life when I experiences positive and tolerable stress. I experienced a little bit of toxic stress but it wasn't for long (Thank God). But this information is good for not only caregivers and educators, but for parents too. We need to be watchful of the amount of stress our children may be experiencing. And we must keep are relationships strong in order to persevere in a healthy manner through trials and tribulations. I will definitely continue to use this website as a resource for important information.

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/initiatives/global_initiative/

Sharing Web Resources

I have been following the “Save the Children” website (www.savethechildren.org) and I must say that it is very informative. The entire website seemed particularly relevant to my current professional development. But I really like the fact that there’s a section called “advocate for children”. I have been talking about being an advocate for children all week so this section stuck out to me. It gives tips on how to become an advocate for children by doing various things such as joining their network of advocates and receiving their monthly eNewsletter, taking action on current critical issues that are affecting children, learning about legislation and their advocacy campaigns and how you can help, etc. With that being said, I know that I am an advocate for children no matter where I am or what I am doing. And the “advocate for children’ section reminded me of that. I joined the network of advocates through Facebook.

I used to hear about people donating to this organization all the time. I was a lot younger and did not understand why totally, but I understood that there were some children in trouble who needed help. Now that I am older, I understand completely, especially with everything going on the way that it is. Children need help all over the world, including the United States. I have been thinking about sponsoring a child for quite some time now, maybe a few years. This year may be my year to make that happen!

I believe the donation information and the volunteering information from the website adds to my understanding of how economists, and I would say politians too, support the early childhood field. Simply because that information falls under “investment” to me, whether it be money or time. Economists and politians support the EC field and see it as a good investment opportunity and I believe that they would encourage people to donate/volunteer as much as they can…

I am still stuck on the killing in Syria due to controversy. Children are being killed as well as adults and that just blows my mind. However, I am glad that I am aware of what is going on because it increased my passion for children and I want to do something to help. So far I have signed a petition. We’ll see where this takes me. It may be a small gesture but it says a lot….

Getting to Know Your International Contacts—Part 1

I have yet to receive a response from my contacts...I was recently informed that one of my contacts has a non-working email so now I must dig deeper. I listened to an older podcast that took place in 2011 on the World Forum Foundation website. Susan Lyon, Director of the Innovative Teacher Project in San Francisco, talks about her experiences as an early childhood professional. I would like to speak with her more but just as I said, I have to find a working email from this website. I learned about the Innovative Teacher Project, which is a project that consists of different schools who support an in-depth approach to children, including those in public schools. This project started in 1994 and a lot of teachers are using this project for their own professional development.

I checked out the Childhood Poverty Research and Policy Centre’s website. I gained many insights from the website but I will only mention a few....

I viewed the facts about Mongolia and in 1998, a major survey indicated that 36% of the population were living below the income poverty line and that poverty in Mongolia tends to be higher in many urban areas than in rural.  A new poverty survey is currently underway for more recent estimates. Figures available suggest only a slight decrease in the percentage of poor people between 1995 and 1998. In absolute numbers of poor people, this is actually an increase of over 40,000 (WOW). Furthermore, the lives of families beneath the poverty line also appear to have got worse over the 1990s. It is difficult to assess the numbers of children living in poverty in Mongolia, but many of the poor live in female headed households or are children aged 0-16 years.

"A particular concern is that the state is failing to support many of those children and their families who are suffering most. As life for families becomes increasingly difficult, many children have more responsibilities at home, for example with increased domestic workloads and more time looking after younger brothers and sisters. Increasing numbers have been forced by circumstances to work for money outside the home, for example fetching and cutting wood for others and working in factories and markets. As a result, some children never enter school, others drop out of classes. The numbers of street children and families in urban areas increased during the 1990s - in a country where harsh temperatures reach as low as minus 30-40 degrees in winter. Although numbers of street children are now falling, many factors related to poverty still push new children onto the streets."

This is why I want to be apart of the change. Children need advocacy. Although there has been little improvement, my heart still goes out to those in Mongolia. I do not see why the state is failing to support the suffering children and families. But that it why I want to be that voice, and that backbone for those who have been fighting but can't seem to fight anymore. Or speak up for those who have tried or who are too scared to try. Someone spoke up for me and I am very thankful she did...

http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/

Sharing Web Resources

The website I chose was www.savethechildren.org. As I mentioned on my last blog, their focus (strategy) goes as follows: "Grounded in our shared vision of a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation, Save the Children’s new mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Our new global vision, mission, values and strategy are very much a part of Save the Children’s longstanding principles and are consistent with our strategic priorities." They even have a strategic plan called "Getting to Great for Children".

One issue that caught my attention was the "Syrian Children in Crisis". Apparently, there is a huge conflict between the president and the people over there and they are on a brink of a "civil war". The United States and surrounding countries are trying to get involved to stop the crisis. Children and adults have been killed during this crisis. The Save the Children website has a petition that one can sign in order to suppport the stopping the killing in Syria. Mine is on the list, #624...

I didn't see any additional information on the website that is related to this week's topic but I will say that the Save the Children website is a very diverse website period. And they focus on children all across the world, not just one country in particular. But the topic that caught my eye caused me to do more research on what is going on in Syria. So now I am more informed. Here's the link to the article where I found addtional information: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/syria/index.html

Getting Ready—Establishing Professional Contacts and Expanding Resources

I started my process of getting in contact with an early childhood professional by trying to access the World Forum Foundation Website (http://www.worldforumfoundation.org/wf/about.php) and I was successful but I was not able to pull up the radio. So I decided to research the World Foundation Website and the Save the Children (http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm) website since I was not able to pull up the radio (I hope this is ok to do).

I just started a new job so I'm adjusting to my new schedule. But since I work throughout the day, by the time I get a break, it is not only after business hours for me but it was also be after business hours elsewhere. So I sent an email to twebster@savechildren.org since she was under the "contact us" tab on the website.and I sent an email to info@WorldForumFoundation.com to try to get in contact with a childhood professional. I am waiting on a reply from both.

I decided to look more into the "Save the Children" website since it was on the list and I like their strategy:

"Grounded in our shared vision of a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation, Save the Children’s new mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Our new global vision, mission, values and strategy are very much a part of Save the Children’s longstanding principles and are consistent with our strategic priorities."

I believe that their strategy expresses specific ways in which the organization supports the early childhood community and the resources it offers. I can see myself working with them somehow in the near future...I subscribed to the electronic news letters and email updates. This should be a good start...

My Supports

The supports that come to mind when I think about my everyday life are God, money, a roof over my head, my laptop, my family and friends. All of these things work together in my life. God is my everything. He gives me whatever I need. I need money to get through the day. I need a roof over my head for shelter. I need my laptop for school and business purposes. And I need my family and friends because...I just do!

I don't want to know where I would be wiithout God. I could have all the money in the world, all the houses in the world, the "sweetest" laptop ever and all the family and friends that a person could ever want. But without God, I would be nothing. Having God in my life has been a major benefit. And because of Him, I have everything and all the supports I need. If I did not have Him, I would probably still have the things I need, but I wouldn't as happy and as strong as I am today.

Getting through the day is a challenge in itself. So without these supports, I can see myself facing a lot of unnecessary challenges. For example, if I didn't have God, I probably wouldn't pray and would probably lack the strength for getting through the day. Then I probably have a harder time getting money and keeping a roof over my head because I would need knowledge and wisdom from Him in order to come across these things and maintain. I probably wouldn't have the type of laptop I have because I probably just would have getting anything instead of a good computer. And I probably wouldn't realize how much of a blessing it is to have family and friends.

Some people look to earthly things to be their supports, but I look to the "hills" for mine. And from Him, comes the things I need. I could probably name a thousand more supports, but these stick out to me as of right now. He has been very good to me. And I hope you all feel the same way. Thank you for reading my blog. God bless...

My Connections to Play

"Play energizes us and enlivens us. It eases our burdens. It renews our natural sense of optimism and opens us up to new possibilities."Stuart Brown, MD
Contemporary American psychiatrist

"A child loves his play, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard."Benjamin Spock
American pediatrician
1903–1998

When I was a little girl. I wanted to be a doctor. I wasn't sure what type of doctor I wanted to be but I wanted to be one. My grandmother was very suppportive. She used to let me "work on her" with my play doctor tools. I used to love giving her shots! lol Her feet and ankles used to swell so I would "help" her make the swelling go down with my medical expertise!

I loved playing Nintendo too. And since I wanted to be a doctor so bad, I enjoyed playing Dr. Mario, which is a very strategic game. Matching the pills was a fun concept to me! I believe it helped my brain develop in a more creative way.

To me, play is different for children these days due to technology. Granted, smaller children still play amongst each other but it seems that older children are leaning towards more computer games and game systems. When I was growing up, I played outside with my friends and did a lot of physical activities. Granted I had a game system too but I still enjoyed being outside. I have noticed that a lot children rather play indoors, which to me, limits them to only one type of play. Children should have a variety of play. Being versatile comes with being creative in my eyes. We should encourage children to have an open mind and be willing to try new things indoors and outdoors so they can experience play at all levels with no boundaries...

I believe play has benefitted me throughout my childhood because not only was it a chance for me to be creative, but it was a coping strategy as well. I experienced a lot as a child and play helped me to "escape reality". And now as an adult, when I am "going through something" I find myself doing things such as playing games or "acting silly" in order to take my mind off things. I believe play helps because you have to come up with a strategy to "conquer" or "win", whether it's a game on the computer or a game with friends. And I believe that helps us deal with life better because when we run into a problem, we have to come up with a plan of action to solve it. I also believe play helps children to discover what and who they want to do in life. Look at some of the celebrities who sing. Some of them used to put on concerts for their stuffed animals and/or their friends. Now look at them. They are living out their dreams! Therefore, play not only benefits us as children, but it also benefits us as adults...play is a necessity for all!

Quotes retrieved from: http://www.thestrong.org/about-play/play-quotes

Relationship Reflection

Relationships and partnerships are important to me because I do not like travelling life's journey all by myself. Don't get me wrong, I have my moments when I want to be by myself, not bothered by anyone. However, I have learned many lessons and have heard the best life stories from people. I cannot imagine my life without people. They have played a major part in who I am today.

At this present time, the positive relationships I have in my life are with my Aunt Dorothy, my cousins Michael, Damon, Daishawn and D'cari, my best friend Kim and an old co-worker named Demetrius. All of these relationships are positive to me because all of them display a great deal of reciprocity. We all get something from each other and it is amazing. My Aunt is my support, period. And anything that she asks of me, I try to do. Just because she sacrifices so much for me while taking care of her 4 grandchildren (my cousins). As for Michael and I, I am his mentor basically. But I get a lot from that because I receive positive reinforcement for myself as I give it to him. Damon is like the little brother I never had, only because he is in college now and I get to share my knowledge with him. He works at Mcdonald's as well so I get the hookups on BigMacs and stuff (lol joking). But I get a lot from doing that for him because it feels good to give back, even if it is within my family. This brings me to my other cousin, Daishawn. I tutor him in math. And that alone, makes me feel awesome because I am teaching; again, more reciprocity. And D'cari is the baby of the family. I just love him. He gives me a hard time but I love it. We crack on each other all the time, but we get a kick out of it. He makes me feel young...

Kim is my homegirl. She has been there for me in my times of trouble. I actually ran into a situation today at my home and I had to leave for a while; she was able to come get help me. And in other situations I have been in, she was there for me. We had a small break in our friendship at one point in time but we were able to mend it back together. She gives me good advice and I try to do the same for her. As for Demetruis, I truly believe he is a God send. He is going to help me start my daycare. I think that speaks for itself...

All relationships take work. It is a two-way street. In order for them to be good relationships, it takes effort from both people. For example, Michael and I had a little bit of a dispute recently. And we were really mad at each other. But we were able to talk things out and now we are cool again. You have to make compromises at times.

These relationships I believe are preparing me the business world because I am learning to negotiate and communicate as well as teach and forgive. I believe that all of these characteristics will help me form partnerships, especially in the business world and in my personal life. I do plan to be married one day...

I believe that these relationships and experiences will help me a great deal in the early childhood field because they have caused me to be more open-minded and unbiased. Dealing with people period can be a challenge, regardless of age. We have to learn how to compromise and communicate in order to keep the relationships that we consider to be worth something. And that's what we have to do with the relationships we build in the early childhood field. And this is all for the kids. Just like a mother/father relationship, we have to come together for the children. These experiences have also taught me to be more selfless as well. And we all have to be selfless when it comes to dealing with children. All people and all things are supposed to work together for their betterment and the future...