Final Thoughts and Thanks

This is the final blog for my course in communications. I have learned so many new things to help me in my career as a professional in the field of early childhood education. I have learned how to be more empathetic with the individuals I interact with. I have learned how to improve my verbal and non-verbal communication skills with my fellow colleagues, families, and others. I have learned the importance of eliminating non-violent communication and incorporating the 3 R’s in my communication skills. Respect (R 1), will positively impact communication, because it allows one to show respect towards another, by actively listening, being attentive, and engaging in conversation. Responsiveness (R 2), allows the speaker and the listener to respond to each other when necessary; this will eliminate disruption between the two parties while communicating. Reciprocal (R 3), allows one to give information while the other takes in and vice versa. With these in mind, I now know how to be a better communicator and leader. Several of my colleagues gave quality insight into my post; they gave valuable feedback and encouraged me to be better. I would personally like to thank Mirla and Deon for always being insightful and encouraging. To all of those who view my blog, I wish that each of you would take the time to look at your life and career to see if it is rewarding for you. I strive to support each of you by encouraging you to think critically about your life and how you can improve the lives of others. Thanks for a great term.

Lah-Lah Devine

Adjourning: The Fifth Stage of Team Development

At some point in our lives, we will all become a part of a group; whether it is in a school, church, or work environment. Most of us have pride in ourselves when we are able to be a part of a successful team. Developing a group that will be effective and successful involves five stages including forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. For this blog, I will focus my attention on the adjourning phase of the five stages.

According to Abudi (2010), the adjourning stage is used to evaluate the success of a project, evaluate failures if necessary, and to say goodbye to the members of the team. I feel that the hardest aspects of leaving a group are if each of its members were able to form a bond through collaboration and participation. Sometimes, it will be hard to say goodbye to a great leader; it will also be hard to realize that a successful part of one’s life has ended. I feel that high-performing and clearly established groups are the hardest to leave, because through hard work, they strived to reach and accomplish a common goal. According to O’Hair and Wiemann (2012), during adjourning, individuals can make amends if necessary; and often, long lasting friendships occur during high- performing projects.

Over the years, I have been in many groups and I have served in many teams. The group that I feel was the hardest to leave, was a sisterhood group at church. All of us worked hard to accomplish many goals; we were successful in communicating, and we built long lasting relationships. Each of us is still close friends and family today. In all of my years of working with groups or teams, I do not recall a time where we used the adjourning stage. I wish we had, because it would have allowed us to resolve issues we had during the project. Looking forward, to the end of my Walden experience, I imagine that my colleagues and I will adjourn through meaningful interactions, through blogs and discussion. For those who will attend graduation, we will adjourn in person, by officially introducing ourselves and exchanging information.

Adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork, because it allows individuals to resolve any issues between each other. It allows the team to discuss failures and success and what they liked or disliked about the process or project (O’Hair & Weimann, 2012). Being able to resolve issues and amend relationships in a professional manner is essential to one’s personal and professional growth. “The team leader should ensure that there is time for the team to celebrate the success of the project and capture best practices for future use;” this is necessary, if one wants to counter act any related issues in the future (Abudi, 2010, p. 1). Through the resources, I have learned how important incorporating the five stages of team development is for the success of my collegiate and professional career.

References

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

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

Conflict Resolution

A couple of months ago, I quit my job, because the administrators and two other staff member were not effective in communication or the running of a high quality facility. I worked for a child development center in Hattiesburg. Over the past two years, I enjoyed my job as a teacher. I strived to keep my children and families happy. About a year and a half after I began permanently working for this center, a female co-worker began to harass me any way she could. The former program manager made her feel as if she were the best educator in the world; remind you, that she did not have an education in the field of early childhood. She did not even have an associate degree. This is where administration failed; all employees who were in a lead teacher’s position must possess at least a Bachelor’s degree. It was apparent that the program manager favored this individual and this caused major division in the work environment. Please understand, that this female watched my every move; hoping I would do something for her to report. She often told lies to the executive director and others, regarding my competence. Many people did not believe her, because they knew me. I was well liked by the children, parents, and other workers. I realized that this female was jealous of my achievements and my status at the center. She approached me several times, in a negative manner. One strategy I used, was listening to her, to see if there was something I could do to improve myself; when those efforts were not successful, I tried another strategy. I tried to do my part as a team player, with efforts to create a less stressful environment; but it was not enough for her. She believed that she could do anything she wanted, because she had favor with the program manager. I communicated to her several times, that I was not happy with the way she treated me; finally, I told administration about this employee. After the program manager resigned, things got worse; nothing was being done to make the situation better. I told administration that I was not happy with the center and the way it was being conducted. Finally, they offered me a better position; I smiled and declined it. A few weeks later, I resigned my position as a lead teacher. I know that my children, the parents, and my co-workers, did not want me to leave. I was beginning to hate coming to work each day, because of the harassment. My strategies of listening, responding empathetically, reciprocating and being supportive, did not prove to be productive in this situation. Since this incident, a job found me; now, I am my own boss, I work with a private family who adores me and support my efforts as an educator. I am happy I left; sometimes, certain things are not meant for us. We must read the signs and make a move that has our best interest at heart. How would you have handled this situation of jealously?

Lah-Lah

My Communication Evaluation

This week, I learned a few new things about how I communicate with others. I have been told, from time to time, I am mean and sometimes I say things that are hurtful to others. I know when speaking to others regarding things that are foolish, I tend to be more insensitive. In my experience, I try to take what others say about me and apply it to the overall change of myself. I have been told several times that I need to watch how I say things to others; sometimes I do not know how cruel I am until I stop and listen to what I have said. I do not intentionally set out to hurt anyone; however, sometimes it occurs. Over the last few years, I have tried to approach communication from a different angle; now, I try to actively listen to others to see what they will contribute to the conversation.

During the self-evaluation test for communication, I learned a few things about how others view me as a communicator. A personal male friend of mine, and my sister gave me a little insight on who I am as a communicator. They said, sometimes I can be harsh; but they realize that I do not say or do things to intentionally hurt others. The test he took regarding my communication in public surprised me. He revealed that he did not notice any tension, stress, or discomfort in me while communicating in public; he also thought that I enjoyed speaking to groups. This shows that body language can differ from a person’s mental perspective. I enjoy talking with others I am familiar with; however, I am slightly uneasy when speaking to large groups of individuals, whether I am familiar with them or not. I was surprised, because I thought everyone knew how nervous I am when speaking to a group; this shows that he does not really know my feelings regarding communication in public places. Maybe I hide my fear well. Nothing else about the test surprised me. I know how aggressive I am and how aggressive others think I am regarding communication.

This week, I learned many important things regarding communication. I learned how important it is to actively listen to others in all communication settings. Listening helps the listener gain vital information regarding a topic or situation. I also learned the importance of self-monitoring; according to O’Hair and Wiemann (2012), it is important for one to have an ability to watch their environment and others for cues as to how to present one’s self in situations. This is important as a professional in the field of early childhood, because I will encounter many people in different situations, and self-monitoring will help me succeed in my endeavors. Considering the importance of listening and self-monitoring, professionally, I will become a better communicator when dealing with child and family issues. Personally, it is important for me to possess these two characteristics because it allows me to be more understanding and empathetic of my colleagues, family, and friends.

Lah-Lah

References

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

Cultural Diversity and Communication

Cultural diversity is all around us; sometimes we see it at home, on our jobs, at school, in church, and even in the communities to which we belong. Over the years, America has become more diverse in age, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. In my experience, I have seen many types of diverse individuals including abilities, gender, religion, and status. Getting to know the children and families I serve has allowed me to improve my communication skills to become a more effective communicator.

When communicating with others from diverse backgrounds, usually I remain open and outgoing; however, if an individual is from another race, one who has a different social status, and an alternative sexual lifestyle, I usually communicate differently with these individuals. One might say that I am bias for choosing to communicate differently; I say, I am communicating this way because each of these situations calls for a different approach. According to Beebe, Beebe, and Redmond (2011), “Each of our differences have an effect on how we perceive others and interact with them” (p. 87); for example, I would not communicate with a politician, judge, or a wealthy person the same way I communicate with my family and friends. Sometimes I speak slang, or I may say something that is not so nice; this is where it is important to vary one’s communication skills. Usually when I interact with individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, or groups, I am talkative and engaged; because I know there is something I can learn from them and I know it is something they can learn from me.

Some ways my communication varies is, I remove slang from my speech, I a more aware not to say inappropriate words, and I tailor my conversations to the intended audience. If I am talking to children, I place myself in their shoes, if I am speaking to an elderly person, I watch my tone of voice, and if I am speaking with a high ranking official, I use my educational speech. This is known as accommodating, when I use different approaches to serve each individual (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2012).

I have learned so many things to help me to become a better communicator, below I will share three strategies I could use to help me communicate more effectively with people or groups.

Based on what I have learned this week, I have defined three strategies I will use to help me communicate more effectively with others; first, I will always be respectful of others, their culture, and beliefs. Respect goes a long way and people feel comfortable when they are respected. Secondly, I will be open to what someone has to say; they could very well be teaching me something. Third, I will try to be more empathetic towards others; it is hard to be empathetic when you know someone is sabotaging him or herself. If I work at all three of these strategies, I will become more effective in my interpersonal communication with others.

References

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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

Non-Verbal Communication

For this blog, I was assigned to observe verbal and nonverbal communication, while watching an unfamiliar TV show. I first observed the interactions with the sound off, and then I observed the interactions and communication with the sound on. I chose to view Scandal; everyone I know thinks this is the greatest show on earth. I have never had the time to watch it; I may have seen bits and pieces of the show, one or two times. In this episode (season 3 episode 2), a female was sitting at the table, talking to a male, rubbing her legs, and she appeared nervous. Throughout the conversation, she avoided eye contact with the speaker. The male moved his mouth intently as if he was saying something important.  He appeared upset; he was moving a lot with hand gestures, shaking his head, and starring at the female with a furious look. The female did not seem to enjoy what he was saying; she was rolling her eyes, shaking her head, half smiling, and blowing as if she was not interested in what he had to say. The male continued to talk, as the female listened and talked back to him.

By the way, the male and the female were communicating, he could have been her dad, boss, or a colleague of hers. Based on the non-verbal behavior, the male showed feelings of anger and sometimes happiness. The female showed feelings of anger, disgust, and disappointment; she smiled occasionally.

Based on the non-verbal communication I observed, I was partially correct in my assumptions; I said that the interaction and communication could have been between father and daughter. I was incorrect in thinking they were arguing; in actuality, the father was expressing to his daughter how sorry he was for sending her away, after her mom died. He was trying to be a part of her life and he wanted her to try as well. The female was not angry with her dad, she was partially sad and hurt because her father missed parts of her life. Before the conversation ended, both father and daughter were smiling and she was willing to give him another chance. If I were watching, a show I was familiar with, my assumptions would have been a little more accurate. I believe, if someone is familiar with a person or a situation that decreases the assumptions regarding non-verbal communication.

Through this experience, I have learned that we cannot always believe what we think our eyes are seeing. Non-verbal communication is misconceived all of the time; that is why it is important to look and listen to interactions, communication, and behavior. I have new insight from viewing this show, without listening to the sound; it revealed that I must always be aware of my non-verbal communication while interacting with children, families, my colleagues, and the community. I challenge each person to improve his or her communication skills with others.

Lah-Lah

What is Communication

When I think about communication, I think about poise, gestures, and speaking with intent. As I began to exam the people in my circle, one name comes to mind, Sarah Garrison. She is one of my former professors from The University of Southern Mississippi. She taught me how to listen, engage, and respond to others while conducting interactions. Some typical behaviors one would see while conversing with Mrs. Garrison is, she looks directly in one’s eyes while she is speaking. She also maintains a positive attitude, she keeps her voice at a low tone, and she always allows one to finish his or her thoughts. When I first met her, she was hard for me to read; I thought, why is she nodding so much and not responding. Later, I realized she was the perfect conversationalist; she was responding with non-verbal cues. She nodded when necessary, leaned in when she spoke, she kept her hands in her lap, she never interrupted while someone else was speaking, and her facial expressions were always positive. If I could model my communication skills after anyone, it would be Mrs. Garrison. All of her behaviors, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills make her an effective communicator. I would want to model the positive facial expressions she displays, and I would like to have her calm demeanor, and low tone of voice. She always had a way about her, which allowed me to calm myself when I was in her presence. The reason why I would choose to model her communication skills is that she allows a person to feel open; her willingness to listen makes one want to communicate with her. Although she is a Marriage and Family Therapist, I believe many of her skills come from her temperament. I do not think one could teach another how to be so calm, patient, and respectful of others.

Lah-Lah Devine

Professional Hopes and Goals and a Word of Thanks

When I think about children from diverse backgrounds, my hope for working with them is too always remember that we are all different; yet similar, in so many ways. I say this because; sometimes educators forget that we were once children. Sometimes we expect each child to learn the same as another. We assume since one child understands, that all of the children should understand. We have to remember that we learned differently from others, as a child, and even now. My hope is to continue to encourage each child regardless of race, religion, or culture. My hope is to be culturally aware and sensitivity to each child’s needs. I want to educate others in a fair manner, according to his or her abilities, age, gender, and culture.

In the field of early childhood, there are many goals I would like to achieve; however, for the purpose of this assignment, I will choose one. One goal related to this field regarding diversity, equity, and social justice is, we need to advocate for the rights of all children and families. Advocacy is very important; sometimes, we are caught up in our own lives and we forget about the children and families we are suppose to help. If educators as a whole advocate for social justice and equity within the field of early childhood, then each child, regardless of his or her culture or level of diversity, will have an opportunity to attend a quality program; with educated teachers, appropriate learning materials, and an anti-bias environment for learning. If we all strive for this goal, all children can and will be successful in early childhood programs and in life.

When I began this course, I did not know what to expect. I did not realize that I would learn so much about diversity, equity, and social justice. I would like to thank Dr. Parrish for her words of wisdom and encouragement throughout this course. I have learned to look at many things from a different perspective. I would like to thank each of my colleagues for being supportive of my learning efforts. Many of you responded to my posts, giving me new insight into many topics. I hope each of you have learned as much from me, as I have learned from each of you. I know many of you are striving for the same goals as I have. Thank you for your continued support. I hope to see all of you again in another course.

Be Blessed,

Lah-Lah Devine

Welcoming Families From Around the World

If I were to host a family from around the world, my family would be from Asia. I know this is a continent, but there are places that are interesting in Asia including Israel, Jordan, and Thailand. I chose these three areas because I know of individuals from this part of the world. My family’s country of origin would be Jordan. I use to work for a man and his family; they are from Jordan and they have some very interesting ways, habits, and religious beliefs.

In order for me to become culturally responsive towards this family, I would have to research their culture to find out how they dress, what foods they like to eat, what is their native language, and what are their abilities. I need to know, how and when they worship, some cultural traits that differ for my area, how they parent their children, what their family roles are, and what is acceptable or not acceptable in their family and or culture. I chose to learn more about these aspects of their culture because clothes, food, religion, child rearing, roles, and acceptance are a major part of becoming culturally aware. What if they do not believe women should have a voice; what if they pray five times a day? What if they do not eat certain types of food; all of this is important if one wants to truly understand another’s culture. There are several ways I would prepare myself to receive my new family; first, I would search the internet for information, interview professionals, and or local families from that area, and phone ahead to find out what they would need when they arrive. I would read a few books about the culture and the people; and then I would locate and incorporate some of their music, foods, and art within their new home environment.

After researching the culture, interviewing others, and locating some custom items, I hope these preparations will make the family feel welcomed. These preparations will benefit me because I will have a better understanding of how to meet the needs of each of the members in the family. I will know what food items to pick up prior to their arrival, and I will create a safe space for their living area. These preparations will benefit the family because they will feel relaxed and comfortable in their new environment, if they see some familiar pictures, art, and music. They will also feel welcomed if I went the extra mile to learn about their way of life. I know if I were to visit another part of the world, I hope my host family would have some idea of what I needed; pertaining to my religion and customs. I would feel more comfortable if I saw some of my favorite foods, music, art, and books. Knowing I cared enough to learn about their culture would benefit my family and me as well.

Lah-Lah

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

The other day, I was watching a movie; it was based on a true story, Blood Done Signed my Name. It focused on a black Vietnam vet’s murder, after returning home from war. It showed how some of the white people in North Carolina oppressed black people; because of ignorance and a lack of respect for the black race, a man was murdered in cold blood. The specific prejudice I witnessed was, a black male walked over to two black females and told them how good they looked. The white male and his wife were working on a boat; the white female saw the black male talking to the girls. Although the white male did not see the black females, he assumed that the black male was talking to his wife. He did not ask any questions; he attempted to hit the black male with a 2x4. The black male tried to tell the white male that he was not making any comments towards his wife. When the black male continued to evade the white male, other white males entered the altercation; all four of them beat, shot, and killed this black male (war vet).

This is a classic case of prejudice, oppression, and racism; no one asked any questions; the wife did not stand up for the black male, even though she knew he was innocent. The black females could have walked out from behind the building to attest that he was talking to them; instead, they ran away. Because of hate, racism, pride, and fear, a good man lost his life. Although this was a movie, it was based on actual events in history. This incident diminished equity in several ways; the white male assumed he had the right to fight for his wife without finding out the truth surrounding the event. The white males assumed that the life of the black male was unimportant. White people in general thought that they were superior over all individuals. If the roles were reversed, and the white male said something to a black female; the black male, would not have been able to say anything to the white male. This is a double standard; often, white males would take the black males wife, beat her, love her, and have sex with her, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Imagine how helpless the black males and females were, during a time where they had no say in their lives. Although integration occurred, I continue to feel that many individuals forget about the rights of others, and impede on their feelings through microaggression and other prejudices.  If there were true equity during the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, or even now, the black male would have had a chance to talk and defend himself without repercussions. Even though the black race has made many strides against inequities, we still face similar situations such as this, all over the world. An individual,  need to understand that, many black people are no longer afraid to stand up for their rights; we are moving in a direction that demands respect, equity, and equality.

This incident brought up feelings of hatred and sadness; how could a person be so jealous and fearful that they need to kill another to prove that he or she is superior. No one is superior over anyone else, one may have a different opinion, but that is only an opinion. We are all human, and no one has the right to kill another, unless it is self-defense. I felt hatred towards the individuals in this movie, and others who are like them in this world. I will not tolerate anyone who thinks or acts like the individuals in this movie. This movie and others like it teaches me never to forget how others have wronged my family or me. History teaches me never to return to those days to become a victim of these inequities. This does not only teach black people, but any race or class of people, not to give in to inequities; we must advocate for what is right for all.

The way the world operates would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. The individuals who think or behave in this manner would have to change also, to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. Our thoughts and actions towards another is the reason why we all fall short of equity and equality. If all of us would place ourselves in the shoes of another, then maybe, we could understand how our biases and prejudices affect another. If we continue to act and think superior, we will continue to oppress others with our bias ways and actions.

Lah-Lah

Practicing Awareness of Microaggression

For many of you, you may not have a full understanding of the meaning of microaggression. According to Laureate (2011), microaggression is the intended or unintended remarks or behaviors people say or do to others to make the individual feel uncertain, inferior, marginalized or cause unsettling emotions. After reading this definition, I begin to search my memory to see if I was a person who impedes microaggression upon others. We are all guilty of this at some point in our lives; now that you and I have a better understanding, we should become aware of the ways we talk and act towards others. There are many categories of microaggression including racial (racism), religion (religion-ism), sexual orientation (classism), and ability (ableism) (2011). Take a moment to recall the last time you were a victim or witnessed someone else being a victim of microaggression; did the comments pertain to race, religion, sexual orientation, or the abilities of you or the individual? After becoming aware of the part I played in this topic, I began to explore ways I could change my circumstances.

Now I work as a nanny, and I am able to witness many forms of microaggression. The other day, the four-year-old that I was caring for told me that his little brother could not do something (whether cleaning-up, listening, etc.), because he was too little and he does not understand what I am saying. I feel that this is a form of ableism because; the boy assumes his two-year-old brother cannot perform duties because of his age. I am sure many of you may say, the boy is only four and he does not know what he is saying, and he does not mean anything negative about the comment he made. You are correct, he does not mean anything negative (this is a form of microaggression) whether he knows it or not. It does not matter if you are four or ninety-four it is still considered microaggression. This week, I was the target of microaggression when I was at a park. I was with the family I work for and I was introduced as the nanny. My family (people I work for) and I are from three different nationalities; you should have witnessed the behaviors of the by standers when I was introduced as the nanny. By the looks on their faces and their hesitation to speak, I am sure they were wondering why they hired a black nanny. After witnessing their behavior, I did not feel comfortable; I simply walked away and continued to do my job. I was thinking, “Wow did they really just stare at me and look at me as if I were incapable of performing my duty as a nanny? I bet I am more qualified than all three of those women put together. Anyway, I am the one being paid well for my skills and abilities. Thank God for unbiased people.”

Through my observations this week, my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and stereotypes on people have improved greatly. I realized that words and actions could hinder, harm, and hurt those who are victims of microaggression. Although some individuals pretend that they are unaware of their actions, microaggression continues to have an emotional, physical, and psychological effect on those who are victims. Microaggression not only leaves lasting scars on their victims, but also, individuals do not receive adequate employment, health insurance, or health care because of these biases (Laureate, 2011).

Lah-Lah

Reference

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

What is Culture and Diversity

I asked a question to the three individuals below; what is culture and diversity, here are their responses:

Male Friend

A set of important traditions and customs that is imbedded in a group of people is culture and diversity is a range of different views on life.

Co-worker

The things a person does to represent who they are and what they believe is culture and diversity describes the person, their beliefs and their culture.

Female Relative

The traditions or beliefs one is born into or embraces over time are culture and diversity is anything and everything one does.

I have learned so many things about culture and diversity. Culture is all around us; each person I encounter has somewhat of a different culture than I have. Some of us worship on Saturday, some of you go to church on Sunday, some people eat pork, and some do not. These are all aspects of our culture. In my responses to what is culture, all three of them answered the question according to what I have learned in this course, although their responses were worded differently from the words in the articles. They all had an understanding of what culture means. One of my participants answered, “The things a person does to represent who they are and what they believe is culture;” this is an example of culture and how it relates to all individuals. In a later discussion, this participant told me that believing in God, how she acts, and the things she does is all a part of her culture.

While discussing culture and diversity, two of my participants did not go beyond the surface of their understanding of culture and diversity. Their understanding of deep culture was not as present as it should have been. My female relative who answered both of the questions did go into deep culture. She expressed here concerns for education and how individuals from other cultures viewed education. This is an excerpt of part of the text message she sent to me

“The influence of culture on beliefs about education, the value of education, and participation styles cannot be overestimated. Many Asian students, for example, tend to be quiet in class, and making eye contact with teachers is considered inappropriate for many of these children (Bennett, 2003). In contrast, most European American children are taught to value active classroom discussion and to look teachers directly in the eye to show respect; while their teachers view students' participation as a sign of engagement and competence.”

This excerpt shows her understanding of culture and diversity and how it differs between cultures. This is a perfect example of deep culture and she has a great understanding of what it means.

Thinking about other people’s definitions of culture and diversity has influenced my own thinking about these topics because; it has challenged me to think critically about what these topics mean to me. Culture is something we all have and diversity is inevitable; if we learn about the deep cultures of others, then we will be able to educate others. We are all diverse and it is our duty to respect the diversity of others. Together we can all make a difference in the lives of others.

Lah-Lah

My Family Culture

There is no way I could have ever been prepared to answer anything about leaving my home and going to an unfamiliar place to live permanently. The thought of this happening is slightly uncomfortable. I do not know what I will take; I do not know where to begin. If I was the victim of a catastrophic event and my immediate family and I were blessed to survive, I have everything I need to go to a foreign place. Family to me is the most important thing in the world; with them, I have the support needed to function in life. If I had to choose three things to take with me on this journey, I would take a Bible, one necklace with two pendants (the Star of David and the Claude pendant), and a notebook. At first, I thought about taking a photo album; since my immediate family is going with me, I do not need a photo album. I chose to take the Bible with me because, I could not think of a greater book to have on a long journey. I chose the necklace with the two pendants because; both of them are special to me. The Star of David belonged to my mother; she bought it from New York, and she was wearing it when she died. The Claude pendant was given to me from someone I love dearly; he told me how it represented love, loyalty, and friendship; all of those things are very important to my survival. The final thing I would take is a notebook; I need it to write down my thoughts and any songs I will think of along the way.

The only way to explain to others what these items mean to me is to tell them straight forward. The Bible represents my family’s history from the past, present, and future. The necklace and pendants represents the love and connection I have among my family and friends. The notebook represents me, once empty, but continuously filled as time goes on. All of these items represent my safety and support.

My thoughts and reaction after I was told to give up two items:

“I arrived at this foreign place, now I am told that I must give up two of my items. I am feeling upset, sad, and confused. I feel so betrayed; why are they asking me to give up anything, do they not realize I have lost most of the things in life I love. These are the only items I have to sustain me emotionally. I am glad I have my family here with me because if I did not, I am not sure what I would do right now. Maybe I will sneak in the necklace and pendants, and hold the notebook in my hand. Maybe I can relinquish the Bible, because my dad is here, he is a Rabbi and he knows the Bible backwards and forward. Oh well let me see what is going to happen.”

This was a critical thinking exercise; I did not know where to begin when I started this assignment. Although I chose three items, those were the only ones I could think of at that moment. All of these items represent who I am and what I want to become. I have gained new insight from this activity because, it has helped me to see who I am right now; it helps me to see how important family is to me and how our culture is important to us as a family. As I think about all of the other people who were displaced in this event, maybe all of the things we chose to bring would show how diverse we are in our culture. Although we are all different, all of us would have shown similar emotions if we were taken to an unfamiliar place. Collectively, our diverse cultures allow others to see how we live, worship, and parent.

Lah-Lah 

When I Think of Research...

During this course, I have learned many things; I have gained new insight on research designs, data methods, and a variety of information to help me succeed in this course. I have learned how to recognize independent and dependent variables. I have never heard of extraneous variables; however, I now know its purpose. I know how it affects the outcome of a research study. My favorite insight I have gained includes learning about triangulation in a research study. Methodological and investigator triangulation is my favorite forms of triangulation. These two components were very important in my research simulation.

My ideas concerning research have changed dramatically. When I first began this course, I felt overwhelmed and inadequate. I did not understand how to conduct a research simulation. As the course continued, I began to realize how to properly conduct a research study. I found new resources to help me along the way and I learned how to collect data. I learned how to properly interview children; I have learned how to meet the ethical needs of all individuals. Now that I am nearing the end of this course, I feel that I am more than capable of conducting a research study. Although I may not possess the skills needed to conduct a research study on my own, I know I could be a great asset to a research team. I have always known that it takes a lot of time and hard work to create a research question, develop a hypothesis, and find participants to volunteer for a research study. I no longer feel overwhelmed or inadequate; now, I am empowered from the things I have learned in this course.

When planning a research study, one must first choose a topic, develop a research question, develop a hypothesis if needed, choose a research design, and become knowledgeable regarding ethics and equity in research. According to Naughton et. al. (2010), “One should consider what is to be researched, how, when, and where the study will take place, who will participate, what data will he or she collect, and how it will be analyzed.” When designing a research study, one must choose an appropriate design for the study, whether one chooses experimental, quasi-experimental, non-experimental, qualitative, quantitative, or a mixed method approach. The design process balances original ideas, thoughts, questions, and broad topics (2010). When conducting research in early childhood, one must always consider what participants to choose, if he or she will use children in the study, and understand their rights. One must decide whether to conduct interviews or direct observations, or use questionnaires to collect data. In each of these areas, one must plan, be organized, be understanding, use good judgment, and always respect ethical concerns.

Some challenges I encountered were timing issues, collecting data, and how to properly select participants. I over came these challenges by rerouting the times in which I would conduct an interview or observation. I asked for help in choosing participants for my research.

As an early childhood professional, I have encountered many things. I know it is my duty to love, care, nurture, and educate children. I was aware of ethics and equity in early childhood programs, but I did not realize there were so many ethical concerns in research. After attending this course, I realize that early professionals have a big job to do. We all must be aware of research and how it affects children and families. We may also have to become a researcher to find ways to teach children and educate parents on things that may affect the family. I have new respect for researchers; it is not an easy task. I have learned so many things in this course that will allow me to become a better educator.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues for supporting my efforts to succeed in this course. All of you have played a vital role in my success and each of you has provided insight to help me to become a better researcher. Thanks, Dr. Todd for fostering my growth as a researcher; you showed me how to think outside of the box. I am very grateful for your knowledge and the useful thoughts you have given me to become better in my critical thinking skills. Once again, I thank each of you and I hope to see all of you in the future.

Lah-Lah Devine

Reference

Naughton, G. M., Rolfe, S. A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Exploring International Research Topics

While exploring the Early Childhood Australia website, I found many research topics that were similar to the ones we are searching in our state. For example, I noticed Australia conducted a study regarding learning and teaching through play, learning positive behaviors through educator-child relationships, and the benefits of active children. All of these topics are familiar to me because, we often discuss these topics at work and at school. Some other important research topics explored in Australia are, managing difficult behaviors, building communication with families, and children as active learners. All of these are important topics to research when dealing with children and families because, it gives educators, parents, and researchers a better understanding of children and how they foster.

Some new ideas I have learned from this site is how to service the social and emotional needs of gifted children. I have also learned from the early childhood news how to fight against e-bullying. Bullying does not only occur at school, home, or other places; it is a horrible situation on social media and through other internet means. Parents and educators should be aware of these issues because they begin early in the lives of children. Parents and educators should read the information in this newsletter to learn why it is important to stop e-bullying before it is out of control. The information on bullying is one of the most important new ideas I have learned from researching this website; for more information, go to http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/early_childhood_news/early_childhood_news/march-media-release-fight-against-e-bullying-needs-to-start-early.html.

While exploring, I found many research topics that I have not personally seen including meeting the needs of gifted children, storytelling with children, and using digital photography in early childhood settings. The topic regarding photography was especially meaningful to me because, I enjoy taking pictures in general. When I am doing an activity, I love capturing children being creative. I also realized, when working with gifted children, one must understand how to recognize a gifted child, learn how to accommodate his or her learning, and provide meaningful activities to nurture his or her abilities.

Overall, this website provides meaningful information to help parents and educators. I learned many new things to help me as an educator. I hope the information I have provided will spark the readers’ interest. Please explore this website for yourselves to view new and reformed information related to the development of children and research topics of interest.

Lah-Lah D.

Early Childhood Australia: 
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

It is very interesting that we were asked to discuss research that has positively affected or has helped children and or families. About a month ago while I was shopping, I saw a woman who had a tube coming from under her shirt. Little did I know the meaning behind the mysterious tubing. As I continued to shop, the woman began talking with me about the clothing we were looking at. After a few brief words, I asked, “What is that tubing on your side.” She began to explain that it was an insulin pump and how she needed it to supply her with a consistent dose of insulin. As I listened, she told me how research on diabetes has greatly influenced her life. She has had diabetes since she was a child. She explained how juvenile diabetes has affected her life, but she was hopeful because of all of the research being done on diabetes. Research has helped her to find new ways of living without constantly sticking herself with a needle or taking pills. She said the insulin pump was a great device to have, because she seldom has to worry about not receiving the proper dosage. Research on diabetes has had a positive effect on her life and the well-being of her family because; she continues to live as best as she can because of her pump and new research on her disease.

Lah-Lah

Personal Research Journey

When I first began to think about a topic, I chose to research how to prevent abductions; what influences individuals to commit this crime, and to make parents aware of potential harmful situations. After reading the following weeks assignments, I realized that I would not be able to observe this situation; therefore, I chose a new topic. I will research parent involvement in the learning environment. I chose this topic because, many children do not have parents who are involved in the learning process; as a result, many children have a hard time succeeding.

 Although this is only week two, I have had a difficult time figuring out an observable topic to research. While constructing the research chart, I have learned many new things including how to organize my thoughts, how to choose a topic, and how to find articles that relate to my topic. In this course, I will need a lot of patience because, I like to look for something and conclude it within an hour; sadly, this is not how I will be able to operate in this class. I will have to slow down and take my time. I know I will be successful with patience.

Colleagues, I am seeking advice or insight that might help me with this process of research simulation. I am unfamiliar with this topic, and I feel a little lost. If you have any information to help me, please send a message to my blog or email me. I am not a fan of research, but I know I will need your help to succeed with this assignment. If I can help you with anything, please let me know. I will share resources with you as needed and I ask that you do the same.

Thanks,

Lah-Lah

Final Course Blog related to International Consequences of Issues and Trends Abroad

During this course, I have learned many new things regarding the field of early childhood and those who support children and families near and far. Unfortunately, I was not able to establish contact with any of the international early childhood professionals; however, I was able to learn many new things about the lives of individuals abroad through internet research.

One of the consequences of learning about the international early childhood field is, in many of the countries; more pressure is placed on children to achieve. Education is very important to many of these families and children are demanded to succeed and to do well in school; as a result, the children are more stressed and suicidal. Another consequence, in some of the other countries, more pressure is placed on the children to become helpers in the family system. Many of them require their children to work, and/or do house hold chores. There is not a lot of pressure placed on the child’s education because; home, family, and food are the central focus for these families. These children lack education and this decreases their chances of receiving an education and a well paying job. The final consequence I have learned is, many children who live in poverty, have a hard time receiving an education. This is sad because, many of the families want their child to attend school and be successful in life, but the families do not have the resources to send their children to school. In many of these countries, poverty is evident and families struggle to make ends meet.

One goal for the field of early childhood related to international awareness of issues and trends and the spirit of collegial relations; we must remember that we are all diverse in nature, religion, cultures, and education. We must learn about the world around us to help create environments suitable for children and families around the world. Although we live in the U.S., we all have a broken educational system. We must strive to fix how, when, and where children learn. We must advocate to create high-quality learning environments. We cannot improve the situations of our fellow colleagues, children, or families near or far if we are not aware of their needs. We all have something to offer each other. I will continue my efforts in supporting my colleagues, as well as children and families around the world; by establishing and maintaining contact with other childhood professionals. I have enjoyed my journey through this course and I hope all of you have learned something about the trends and issues of all children around the world.

Look for other blogs related to my studies in the future. Thanks for your support!

Lah-Lah Devine

International Contact Continued

We are in the last two weeks of the course and I have not had any contact with any of the three international childhood professionals I attempted to contact. I am saddened by this because I truly, wanted to gain a firsthand experience with discussing children and families across the world. I know that it is easy to search these areas on the internet, but I will not have the same experience if I were to personally speak with or email someone. This has been a hard journey connecting with others, but after this course is completed, I will continue to try communicating with someone internationally. For an alternative to this assignment, I have searched the UNESCO Early Childhood Care and Education website to find three things that relates to my goals as an early childhood professional.

When I first began my education at Walden, I had several goals in mind as I continued my profession in the field of early childhood. A few of my aspirations were to become a great advocate, leader, director, or an owner of a high-quality childcare facility; many of these goals remain the same. While exploring the UNESCO website, I found a tab discussing quality in the field of early childhood. I desire most in life to provide quality care for children and families across the world. I desire to promote quality education and early learning experiences for all. One new insight I have gained from exploring this site is, the importance of quality care in early childhood and how many educators abroad strive to create great learning experiences for all children they serve. This section also discussed the importance of educating children from a holistic standpoint; children need to learn through child directed learning versus teacher directed learning. According to UNESCO (2013), “High quality childcare, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, promotes motivation, confidence, good cognitive and linguistic development and school readiness.” This is true because many children from disadvantage homes are more likely than others to have issues getting into early programs because of location, social status, and awareness.

Another insight I have gained from searching this website is how coordination and integration is monitored and carried out from place to place. “Coordination issues include coherent regulation, funding and staffing schemes and a common vision of care and education” (UNESCO); this is because many professionals cannot carry out the cross-sectoral coordination that is needed between national and local, and private and public educational programs. All of these programs desire to help children holistically.

The third and final insight I have gained from researching this website is the importance of access and equity for all children. I found that governments in that area of the world were advised to expand access to quality early childhood services to the poor children (UNESCO). This is important because, children who do not have access to quality education, and those who could not afford it, would receive quality education because of their circumstances.

Overall, this website provided me with so much information that related to my personal and professional goals as an early childhood professional. I enjoyed researching and learning about the strategies and efforts of others who do not live in my area. I have learned so many things to help me in my future endeavors. I hope this information will help the reader learn new things about their goals and aspirations; as a professional, with efforts to help others across the world.

Lah-Lah

References

UNESCO’s early childhood care and education. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/strengthening-education-systems/early-childhood/

Sharing Web Resources and What I have Learned

I am happy that the website (http://www.nbcdi.org/) I chose to research is back up and running again. I have learned so many things to help me in my career in the early childhood field. So many of us do not take the time to become familiar with news, research, and websites that promote diversity and culture in the lives of others; some of us only research sites that we are already familiar with. I am so happy to find a site that caters to young children who are often misunderstood.

While researching, I found an outside site, http://www.nbcdi.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/2011-NBCDI-Policy-Agenda1.pdf  it provided information for those who would like to get involved with the political side of the early childhood field. It provides information on how to protect and sustain investments in early childhood education and care, ways to increase alignment and coordination across early childhood and the early grades, ways to invest in early childhood workforce quality, how to promote meaningful family engagement, and how to reduce childhood obesity and hunger. This helped me to see how important political involvement is in the field.

I also found this site, http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2012/08/22/29002/unequal-education/ it discuss how education equalities differs between black, white, and Hispanic children. It is a great article to view because, educators do not realize that we should advocate for equality between each student we serve.

One area of the NBCDI site I chose to look further into was the news section. One topic that caught my attention was the Smart Start Campaign for Early Learning. It discussed efforts to get the president to acknowledge the early learning of children and how it will benefit them in the future. NBCDI challenged followers to get on twitter and advocate to the president prior to his state of the union address. I enjoyed this section of the website because it provided useful information for parents, educators, and others.

Currently, I am not receiving a newsletter; however, I have signed-up and I look forward to sharing with my followers.

This entire website is centered on the inequities and non-excellence of black children in society. I am black, so I know what these children are going through. Many of them are judged on the color of their skin, the education of their parents, and the history of their heritage. Many of them do not receive fair treatment in school or in society as a whole. Many of these children would far succeed their peers if they had equal opportunities. The inequities in education alone are enough for concern. Please do not misunderstand my view, I know some of these children have the same opportunities as their peers; however, many of them do not because of their economic status and the generational inequities within their family system.

Through my research, I have found that black children are more at risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases. It is sad that some of these children have health issues because of family history and current situations that contribute to their risk factors. I have learned so many new things about the children and issues of children and families around the world. I look forward to researching more within this website.

Lah-Lah 

The Center for the Developing, Harvard

I have tried several times to contact someone abroad. I have not had any luck, but I will continue to reach out to professionals across the world. In the meantime, I chose to research a website from Harvard. Dr. Jack Shonkoff established The Center for the Developing child in 2006; for research and teaching, they work with other professionals across the world.

While reviewing the Harvard website, I learned that the Global Children’s Initiative focuses on helping children who are in crisis or conflict, child development needs, and the mental health of children around the world. All of these are vital areas of need when dealing with children and families. Three focal points under the early child development title are, assessing global childhood programs to see if they are quality and diverse in nature, they find developmentally appropriate assessment tools to measure the development of children in Zambia, and they “organize interventions to improve preschools in Chile” (Developing Child Harvard, 2014).

Another important insight I found is how the scientist and researchers work with the children who are affect by HIV and aids. Often the mental health of these children is at risk because of the severity of the disease. They provide help and hope for the children, increasing the over quality of their lives.

The final thing that intrigued me while researching was how the center strived to improve equity and excellence in the children across the world who were victims of crisis and conflict situations. They helped the children in Haiti and Chile after the earthquake; surveying what was needed to help them after the crisis. The center continues to strive to improve the lives of all families and children.

Lah-Lah Devine

Resources

http://developingchild.harvard.edu/