First blog post

 

Time Well Spent

Three things I learned from this program are:

• Be mindful of issues and trends in the field. Staying current with information as it relates to early childhood is imperative as an early childhood professional because information is ever changing.
• It is important as an early childhood professional to constantly do self-evaluations to make sure we are free of bias because in the field we will work with a variety of individuals from different backgrounds.
• Even when you are a leader, it can be beneficial to include those you are leading when making certain decisions. Input from others can be useful.

At least one long-term goal I have is to assist in making policies in the United States that help regulate the field of early childhood.

To my Instructor and colleagues in EDUC 6990, although this course challenged me and made me really think about the information I received, this course was so beneficial and helped me realize that I too can make in impact in the field of early childhood by not just working directly with children. I appreciate the discussions and feedback from you and I am very appreciative of the insight I received in this course. Thank you all!

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Three international organizations that appeal to me:

• Save the Children
• The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
• United Nations Children’s Fund

I chose Save the Children because Save the Children gives children in the U.S. and around the world a healthy start in life and protection from harm. I chose the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development because the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development works to build better policies for better lives and to shape policies that foster equality for all. I chose the United Nations Children’s Fund because the United Nations Children’s Fund works to save children’s lives and defend their rights. The United Nations Children’s Fund promotes policies and expand access to services that protect all children.

Job opportunities that interest me:

Early Childhood Specialist: Required Qualifications- High School Diploma or equivalent required. Minimum 3-5 years relevant experience in the area of infant/toddler development and home visiting. Experience working in communities with limited resources. Professional level of specialized knowledge to manage complex tasks, programs or projects. Ability to use MS Word, Excel, PPT and on-line technologies proficiently. Willingness to travel at least 70% to assigned sites throughout the state in personal and state assigned vehicles.

Policy Analyst – Social Economy and Entrepreneurship: Ideal Candidate Profile- An advanced university degree in economics, social sciences or a related field. Minimum of three to five years of professional experience in the field of social economy and social entrepreneurship, or inclusive entrepreneurship, acquired in a policy environment or academic/research institution. Experience in research and analytical activities, excellent drafting skills, ability to organize and summarize complex material clearly. Proven ability to organize and manage projects within strict deadlines and budget with a minimum level of supervision. Fluency in one of the two OECD official languages (English and French) and knowledge of the other, with a commitment to reach a good working level. Knowledge of other languages would be an asset. For this role, the following competencies would be particularly important: Achievement focus, Analytical thinking, Drafting skills, Managing resources, Teamwork.

Education Officer: Recruitment Qualifications- A university degree in one of the following fields is required: education, psychology, sociology, or another relevant technical field. A minimum of one year of professional experience in program planning, management, and/or research in education is required.

 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

Three national organizations that appealed to me:

• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
• National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI)
• National Head Start Association (NHSA)

I chose the NAEYC because this organization tries to advance high-quality early learning for children birth through age 8, by associating early childhood practice, strategy, and research.

I chose the NBCDI because this organization conveys socially important assets that react to the interesting qualities and necessities of African American children around issues including early childhood education, children’s well-being, and family commitment.

I chose the NHSA because this organization feels that each child, no matter what they had to endure during or after childbirth, can prevail throughout everyday life.

Job opportunities that interest me:

NHSA’s Internship Program– NHSA’s internship program is designed to introduce college students to the daily workings of a nonprofit advocacy organization, including national and grassroots advocacy, research and communications.

Requirements: The internship program is 15 weeks long, with a Fall, Spring, and Summer cohort. NHSA internships are open year-round to currently-enrolled qualified college students, including work-study students and students seeking academic credit.

 

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Three local or state organizations that appeal to me:

1. Child Care Resources Inc.
2. Smart Start of Mecklenburg County
3. NC Department of Health and Human Services

Why I chose them: I chose all three of these organizations because these organizations have to do with bettering  early childhood environments and educators throughout Mecklenburg county, Charlotte NC and the state of North Carolina.

Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest me:

Pre-K Success Coach- Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development or a related field, five years of direct lead teaching experience with preschool age children using the Creative Curriculum, Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) and CLASS, and three years of increasingly responsible professional experience in early education, including direct experience with young children

Regional Healthy Social Behavior Specialist- Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Child Psychology, or related field, EEC Level 11 + PDA and/or TAE strongly recommended and at least three (3) years of experience in working with preschool children and their families or the programs that serve them

Child Care Licensing Consultant

 

Adjourning

Considering the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which I have been involved in, the aspects of the groups that made for the hardest good-bye was having a team to come up with ideas and share information with when you get somewhat of a brain freeze or get stuck when researching. I personally do not feel that just because a group I was in was high-performing it made it hard to leave. Each time I participated in a group assignment over the years I was honestly ready to depart when the assignment was over. I just would rather work alone and complete tasks my way, as selfish as that may sound. One of the groups that I participated in that was the hardest to leave was during undergrad. There were only three of us in a group and we each worked really hard, was serious about our work, and took our time to make sure we were turning in quality. Some of the closing rituals I wish I experienced was thanking group members properly for their contributions and getting people’s contact information to stay in touch or be able to reach out when necessary. I imagine I will adjourn from the group of colleagues I formed while working on my master’s degree program by getting some contact information to stay in touch because we are interested in the same field, early childhood education.

 

Disagreement & Conflict Resolution Strategies

A disagreement I had recently was with a coworker regarding items needed for the room attached to our office where we have children and families come for special events. I stated that regardless of how often we use the room and regardless of the items families have at home, we need to update the items in the room because some of the items are “not up to code” in a sense. Some toys that were not considered hazards at the time of purchase (many years ago) are now a hazard. My coworker either didn’t see my point of view or just simply didn’t agree so we got into a little back and forth. A couple strategies I could have used to resolve this disagreement are taken from the 3 R’S, and those strategies include respect and response. I could have shown my coworker respect by treating them with the same respect I would want and not brushing off their ideas and talking over them at different points throughout the discussion. I could have given my coworker a better response by observing their demeanor while they were talking and then softening my facial expressions, possibly even smiling when I gave my point of view on the topic.

Do you have any input or advice regarding how this disagreement could have been handled differently? How have you learned to be more effective communicators as it relates to conflict resolution skills?

 

Communication Assessments

What surprised me the most about the Communication Anxiety Inventory, Verbal Aggressiveness Scale, and Listening Styles Profile that I completed for myself in addition to my mother and sister was that their scores were shockingly close to mine! The way I evaluated myself as a communicator and the way they evaluated me as a communicator let me know that I communicate just how I thought I do, which is not entirely positive. The one thing that surprised me the most was how spot on all of the evaluation tools were! I know I am a little aggressive and I can be a better listener, but for the Aggressiveness Scale and Listening Styles Profile to pick this up was impressive. A couple other insights about communication I gained this week (which I already knew but the evaluation tools just reinforced what I knew), was that I have some anxiety when it comes to communication, though not a lot, and I can be a better listener. The way that taking note of the anxiety I experience when it comes to communication might add essence to my professional work and personal life is by causing me to make changes and figure out ways to be less anxious in both environments. The way that taking note of the fact that I can be a better listener might add essence to my professional work and personal life is by making me aware of the fact that I need to make a conscious effort to actively listen when others are speaking and also convey to individuals that I am actively  listening.

Cultural Diversity

Thinking about the cultural diversity I see in my colleagues at school, in my neighborhood, in my workplace, and also within my family, considering all the aspects that make up culture, I do find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures.

Some of the ways I communicate differently are by being formal or informal in certain situations, by being more serious when speaking to certain individuals and by using simplistic language and/or terms when speaking to certain individuals.

Based on what I have learned this week, three strategies I could use to help me communicate more effectively with the people or groups mentioned are: doing a self-assessment to make sure I do not allow cultural myopia to affect the way I listen and communicate with individuals, make sure I take the time to get to know the individuals I speak with, and making sure I communicate with individuals the way I want individuals to communicate with me.

Communication Skills and Styles

Record an episode of a television show you do not normally watch. Watch the show with the sound turned off. 

1. What do you think the characters’ relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating? The characters’ relationships, based on the ways in which they are communicating in the show, are FBI agents that are somewhat like a family. The two FBI agents who were mainly shown throughout the show I believe were the bosses and/or leaders of the other FBI agents. They appeared to take charge.
2. What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing? The FBI agents in the show were feeling an obligation to find a missing teenage girl. The FBI agents appeared serious as they searched for the teenage girl and appeared to question individuals about the young girl’s whereabouts. The teenage girl’s parents appeared sad over their daughter’s disappearance.

Now, watch the show with the sound turned on.

1. What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed? The assumptions that I made about the characters and plot based on the ways in which I interpreted the communication I observed were 100% correct. The FBI agents in the show were diligently searching for a missing teenage girl and did not stop until they found her. The two agents that I thought were the bosses were in fact the leaders of the team and worked closely together throughout the show.
2. Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well? Because this show was similar to other shows I watch, my assumptions would have been about the same if I had been watching a show I know well.

This experience has taught me that some items can be misinterpreted when judging a situation based solely on nonverbal communication and facial expressions play a big role in this. However, this experience also taught me that I can learn a lot through observation and nonverbal communication and that I need both verbal and nonverbal communication to properly evaluate a situation. An insight that I believe would be helpful to my colleagues is to always ask for clarity and never assume. There may be times we sit back and quietly observe situations but there may be times we need to interject for clarity purposes.

Competent Communication

“Competent communication not only includes feedback, but also it shows communication as an ongoing , transactional process: the individuals (or groups or organizations) are interdependent-their actions affect one another-and they exchange irreversible messages” (O’Hair, Wiemann, Mullin, & Teven, 2015).

Someone who demonstrates competent communication is my mother. The behaviors that she exhibits that make her effective is active listening, respect and turn taking. I have seen my mother interact with coworkers, associates, friends, family, and people she meets while in the community. Each interaction typically includes active listening, respect and turn taking. My mother does not typically cut people off in conversation or talk over individuals. I notice that my mother listens, takes in what the other individual is saying and then responds. I would and have modeled some of my own communication behaviors after my mother and it has proven effective. In my experience individuals open up when you let them speak and when you respond to them, show that you have been actively listening.

References

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