Sally's Early Childhood Development Panorama

Time Well Spent

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Where do I begin? I have learned so much that it seems difficult to choose only three deeply felt learnings. I would say that the most important message that I learned is how important it is to respect other’s culture and diversity. I had always been taught to respect others and have enjoyed experiencing diverse cultures, but never to the level of seeing how they add to our own “tapestry of life”. Joseph (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011) inspired me with this, “Diversity is not about how we differ. It is about embracing one another’s uniqueness”. Embracing the uniqueness of others allows endearing relationships to form.

Secondly, I have learned how to make deeper and more meaningful connections to those issues in the early childhood field for which I feel passion. Through researching those topics, writing about them, citing scholars who understand the issues, and discussing such topics openly with our peers I have gleamed knowledge that has added depth to my enthusiasm about important issues. Our passion is the driving force that helps us become the voice for others and to advocate for worthwhile change.

My third deeply felt learning is that I am more aware of whom I am and that I can accomplish much as I connect to others with the same passions. Coming together with others makes our quest stronger and more meaningful. I love what Eleanor Roosevelt (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011) said, “We must do things we think we cannot do. The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” I believe in myself and can therefore believe in others.

My long term goal is to awake each day with more passion, added desire to inspire others, and the fortitude to be someone that changes the world one step at a time. I know that I can be the example that others look to for guidance as they work with children. I can be a leader of change as I live my beliefs.

Just in case you were not able to view what I posted on the "Good-bye Wall", I have added it below.

These are pictures of “Balance Rock” near where I live in Idaho. It reminds me of how important it is to maintain balance in my life. Sometimes taking risks keeps our balance in check, like getting a master’s degree.

It takes many forces to keep that rock in balance as it has taken many forces to help me maintain balance as I pursued a long held dream. I owe many thanks to my husband for his support, my sister for her encouragement, my students for loving me, to all of you for imparting your knowledge, wisdom, and advice, and to our dear instructor, Dr. Teri, for her unrelenting patience, genuine common sense, and for knowing how to keep us on track. I wish you all well and hope that we may cross paths again.

Some other quotes that resonate from my heart:

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” Nelson Mandela (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011)

“No one has yet fully realized the wealth of sympathy, kindness, and generosity hidden in the soul of a child. The effort of every true education should unlock that treasure.” Emma Goldman (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011)

Reference:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Merging vision, passion, and practice [Multimedia]. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/EDUC/6990/01/mm/ec_pres/index.html

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 23:10:00 +0000

This week’s assignment opened my eye to how blessed we are to live in a global world where we can be connected from a small rural community in Idaho to international countries. I am in awe of how much I still have to learn about the planet I live on.

UNICEF
The first international organization that I would like to talk about is UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund. I have always been in awe of this organization for advocating in almost every part of the world with focus for the betterment of children. Their areas of expertise include child survival and development, basic education, children HIV/AIDS, child protection, and policy advocacy and partnerships. They serve 191 countries ranging alphabetically from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. Their employment board lists forty-three job opportunities. Of those forty-three openings, three were in the field of education. They require advanced degrees in education or related degrees and ask that you speak English along with another UNICEF language related to the country the position is dedicated to.

ISSA
ISSA (International Step by Step Association) was founded in 1999 in the Netherlands. They provide networking which links professionals and groups who are associated with early childhood development and education. They are affiliated with countries from Central and Eastern Europe to Asia, Asia, and Americas. They help programs who advocate for policy reform that affects children and families. ISSA offers resources and support to professionals in the early childhood field. Such organizations are import for spreading the word that children are important. There are currently four new employment postings. None of which I was interested in, and none of which I qualified for. They ask for extensive knowledge of the culture you would be working with along with knowledge of education practice at an international level. None of my searches led me to other positions within the organization.

UNESCO
I loved reading UNESCO’s mission. “UNESCO’s mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.” They are specialized as a part of the United Nations. Although they do not advertise for employment opportunities at this time, they hire individuals based on their background knowledge of global trends. Professional ranking for employment with UNESCO includes junior, middle, and management. Junior professionals implement programs and projects, middle ranking employees oversee small teams, and management professionals direct particular divisions. It all sounds complicated, but exciting. This is probably one organization that I will keep my eye on.

ACEI
Association for Childhood Education International’s “mission is to promote and support the optimal education, development, and well-being of children worldwide, and to influence the professional growth of educators and the efforts of others who are committed to the needs of children in a changing society” (ACEI, n.d.). I found this organization by chance as I was working on the blog project this week. I felt appreciative of their support for educators as well as children and families. Educators of young children have a grave responsibility to advocate for children and they need encouragement and inspiration. It is important that there are organizations who advocate for their professional growth. In searching for available employment, I ran across their advertisement for internships. This would be such a great opportunity for a young student who is serious about the field of early childhood education and who is enrolled in a graduate program. This is something I wish I could have done when I was younger.

There are so many organizations locally, nationally, and internationally that influence the lives of children and families. We live in such a wonderful time that offers so many opportunities. As I think about this, I am concerned as to why we cannot seem to have bright futures for all children and their families. Alas, we must never give up trying to create the best environments for children right where we are.

References:

Association for Childhood Education International. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.acei.org/

International Step By Step Association. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.issa.nl/index.html

United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (2011). Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

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

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 20:56:00 +0000

I chose to learn about the following four national organizations. They include the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE), Family Friendly Schools, Families and Schools Together (FAST), and Hispanic Policy Development Project. All four projects are partners working to bring together families and schools in an effort to effect a positive educational outcome for children.

The first three organizations had websites which explained their role in assisting families, children, and communities. However, I am still researching more about Hispanic Policy Development Project as they did not have a website that provided additional information.
These organizations appealed to me because they are connected in their efforts as partners that contribute to families, children, communities, and to each other. They also listed many other organizations that they work with as they advocate for better relationships between families and schools.

There were no job opportunities listed at the time I reviewed their information. However, I am interested in any assistance they might be able to offer my CoP. I would imagine that skills for being affiliated with these organizations would include experience in working with families and/or in the school systems. They would need to be familiar with child development, relationship building, be organized, and be excited about bringing families and schools together as partners.

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of groups who work in the arena of supporting parent involvement in schools. I am looking forward to learning more about each entity and how they may be able to assist my challenge of lack of parent involvement with schools in my local community.

References:
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE). (n.d.). About NCPIE. Retrieved from http://www.ncpie.org/AboutNCPIE/
Family Friendly Schools. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from http://www.familyfriendlyschools.com/about/index.htm
Families and Schools Together (FAST). (n.d.). Welcome. Retrieved from http://www.familiesandschools.org/

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Organizations that appealed to me are Parents as Teachers, the local PTA (Parent –Teacher Association), Idaho Head Start Association, and Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. All four organizations support the parent-teacher relationship, cater to parents and children, and are ones that I have never belonged to before.

The organization of Parents as Teachers profiles examples of home visiting and working with parents and children in preparing young children for school by promoting “healthy development.” Years ago a program that I worked for used their curriculum. I found the curriculum helpful as I visited families. The closest PAT I can find is located in Boise, Idaho. This makes me wonder if it would be beneficial to begin such an organization locally in Twin Falls, Idaho. This organization would be helpful in promoting parenting and relationship skills for parents and children.

Joining the local and national PTA as a representative from the schools would give me to opportunity to meet parents that are already associated with being a vital partner in their child’s education. The purpose of the PTA “is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children” (Parents as Teachers, n.d.).

The Idaho Head Start Association’s mission is “to advocate for the children and families of Idaho by promoting and strengthening early care and learning.” I worked for Head Start in Idaho many years ago. I was never a member of their association, but wished our supervisor would have promoted membership. The core values of this organization embody many ideas in which I believe. Those principles include, “respect, trust, compassion, collaboration, communication, accountability, diversity, integrity, quality, recognition and celebration” (Idaho Head Start Association, n.d.).

From my past experience with Head Start, I know that they strive to build trusting relationships between parents, children, and Head Start staff. This would be a positive environment for working with parents and children in establishing developmentally appropriate skills important to being parents that advocate for children.

Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs is another organization I find interesting. The Hispanic population represents the largest ethnic group in Idaho (ICHA, 2011). ICHA provides serviced to the Hispanic population and acts as a liaison between community and government groups. They are important in providing advice to the governor about issues that the state of Idaho Hispanic population fact. For instance; studies show that there is a significant gap between Latino students and reaching current academic standards

I have a special place in my heart for the Hispanic population as I have built relationships with Hispanic children I have taught and with their families. They are an asset to our community and offer diversity that is complementary to building strong family units. For the betterment of their children, I would like to join forces in connecting this population in developing better relationships between them and the schools their children attend.

Currently there are no employment opportunities advertised by the said agencies within the community where I live (Twin Falls County). The ICHA lists employment opportunities from partnering agencies, but none were within the early childhood field. Head Start which is affiliated with the College of Southern Idaho (CSI) listed a home visitor opening. However, at this time, I am most interested in taking my challenge of parenting parents before they become parents to CSI.

The skills I foresee needing in doing this are planning and organization, leadership, public speaking, knowledge of both adult and child development, knowledge of parenting skills and how to link those skills to younger adults and children, ability to advocate and get others to advocate for parenting before parenting. Becoming a member of agencies that promote parenting and building relationships between schools/teachers and families are those that I seek to support my passion.

References:
Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs (ICHA). (2011). Idaho commission on hispanic affairs: Working toward economic, social, and political equality for hispanics in idaho. Retrieved from http://icha.idaho.gov/default.asp

Idaho Head Start Association. (n.d.). Investing in idaho’s future. Retrieved from http://idahoheadstartassoc.net/

National PTA. (n.d.). National pta: Every child. one voice. Retrieved from http://www.pta.org/index.cfm

Parents as Teachers. (n.d.). Parents as teachers. Retrieved from http://www.parentsasteachers.org/

First Post in the Last Course

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:45:00 +0000

Hello Everyone!

Congratulations to all who have come this far. We only have seven more weeks after this one. I am excited but am also feeling a little stressed. I will be traveling through Europe during week four of this course. It is my hope that I can look to my peers for support and help during that time.

Good luck to all of you. I look forward to hearing from you in our discussion and blog posts.

Sally

Collaboration: Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 27 Oct 2012 18:20:00 +0000

It has been a rewarding and enlightening experience. I want to thank Dr. Hampshire and my colleagues for their expertise, knowledge, and support. I wish you all the best.

Good Luck!

Teamwork: Week Six

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:30:00 +0000

One group in which I felt a sense of satisfaction was also one that was difficult to leave. We worked together for five years. As I reflect back on the happenings, I am able to discern “The Five Stages of Team Development” as described by Gina Abudi (2010).

Throughout that period of time, this group of six women became each other’s advocates and supporters in an important work of assisting child care providers. Sometimes, it felt as if we were sisters in a benevolent cause. We became each other’s backer in personal aspects as well as teamwork aspects.

I have sometimes pondered the idea that if there would have been men in our group; would we have become as close as we did? What does anyone think about that?

When it was time for a few of us to move on, we did celebrate, and wished each other well, but there was a sense of sadness despite the well wishes. It has been a few years since the close of that group, but there are three of us who keep in contact amid living in different states. We always say we are going to get together, but because lives seem hectic with work, family, and other commitments, we have thus far faltered. However, we have not given up on having a reunion. I feel that it will happen some day in the not too far future.

Adjourning is essential to defining success or figuring out what could have been better. Either outcome merits celebration because of effort and I believe even amid any ineffectiveness there has to be some positives. My mother always said, “There is always something good in everything that happens”.

Closing rituals I have engaged in and enjoyed the most include dinner with discussions such as Sandra did in Gina Abudi’s (2010) account of one team’s effort. I have been in groups that did not have closure, and they are those that leave me open to wishing there would have been a more operative conclusion. Being able to have a ceremonial finale gives resolution to each participant and opens the door for better things to come.

I imagine that after we have all completed our work at Walden, we will celebrate our success and wish each other well. It would be awesome if we could meet each other in person. Seeing and giving each other a hug would be the icing on the cake.

Reference:

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

Preparing for Resolution: Week 5 Blog Assignment

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 02:27:00 +0000

I have not had any conflicts or disagreements of late. However, I have been contemplating an upcoming meeting with the parents of one of my students. At this meeting, I will be addressing learning issues this particular student is experiencing. This student is in the fifth grade and this is the first time these issues are being addressed.

I am not anticipating that there will be conflict, but just the same, I want to be prepared because there is a possibility the parents will have difficulty hearing that their son is in need of extra help. No parent wants to hear their child faces issues that warrant special services and I truly wish I did not have to deliver the news.

In preparation for this event, I plan to have the needed documentation to support the child’s need for further testing. Along with the documentation I want the parents to understand I have the student’s best interest at heart and I want him to get the help he needs so he can succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. More than that, I want to know what they as the parent want for their child. I want them to know that I care and want to work with them to give their child what he needs and to support them in their parental responsibilities. I want to make sure I am respectful of the parents and help them understand their rights and their child’s rights. I want to be responsive to the families’ needs and open the door for the respect and responsiveness to be reciprocal.

How am I going to do that? First, I am going to warmly welcome them. Then I am going to ask them what they love about their child and what they want for him. I will then tell them all the positives I feel their son exhibits. I will say, “I am hoping you can help me.” I will then outline the issues their son is facing. Next, I will outline the plan I have developed, and ask them for their support and if there is any additional things we can do together to help their son. By incorporating school/teacher strategies with parental strategies I hope to create a joint effort and plan where the child will be the beneficiary of being supported in his life by those who care for and want the best for him.

Becoming a Competent Communicator

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 18:00:00 +0000

In completing the assignment of comparing my profile scores about myself with those of the participant scores in regard to my communication skills was climatic. I was surprised that there were no surprises. The views of my two contributors were very similar to my own opinions of myself. The two contributors have known me for many years. Longevity of familiarity with some may hold a key in comparing perceptions of who we are.

Two insights about communication that I found helpful for me as a professional and in my personal life are connected with my own self-image. The first being, “The self-concept has incredible power to shape your communication with others. It can shape what you think of other people because your perceptions of others are related to how you view yourself” (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 74). Second, as we interact with others, we assess impressions others may have of us and we include such ideas in our self-concept (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2012).

I believe one’s self-concept is a guiding force in determining potential as a capable communicator. Therefore, this leads me to the conclusion that I need to be acutely aware of how I feel about myself. Including rituals such as self-reflection will be valuable as I endeavor to solidify confidence and knowledge as an effective communicator.

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

Communicating in a Culturally Diverse World

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 02:26:00 +0000

Communication with my immediate family is typically done in a relaxed fashion, with my professional peers depending how well I know them I am usually more formal, and my style varies as I interact with students and/or their families depending on how firm our relationship is. As I engage in relationships with such groups, there is one attribute recommended by O’Hair and Wiemann (2009) that I must nurture which is making sure I am always mindful of who I am talking to and what I am saying.

Being aware of my own culture is another item with which I must be familiar. Such mindfulness is an obvious action that will help me become accepting and respectful of others cultures (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009). Developing appropriate and lasting relationships is based on being culturally aware and mindful of ourselves and others (Gonzalez-Mena, 2010).

For me, the pinnacle of communication is being an effective listener. Such a skill needs to be tied into being mindful. I feel that is important to be able to understand that our own perceptions may impede our ability to understand a speaker’s intentions (O’Hair, Friedrich, & Dixon, 2011).

The following expressions about mindfulness helps me to understand how such a quality is essential to being a better communicator. These and other such quotes are contributed by the Guided Meditation Site (n.d.):

The practice of mindfulness begins in the small, remote cave of your unconscious mind and blossoms with the sunlight of your conscious life, reaching far beyond the people and places you can see. (Earon Davis)

Some people do not know the difference between mindfulness and concentration. They concentrate on what they're doing, thinking that is being mindful. . . . We can concentrate on what we are doing, but if we are not mindful at the same time, with the ability to reflect on the moment, then if somebody interferes with our concentration, we may blow up, get carried away by anger at being frustrated. If we are mindful, we are aware of the tendency to first concentrate and then to feel anger when something interferes with that concentration. With mindfulness we can concentrate when it is appropriate to do so and not concentrate when it is appropriate not to do so. (Ajahn Sumedho)

References

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Guided Meditation Site. (n.d.). Retrieved from the Guided Meditation Site @ http://www.the-guided-meditation-site.com/mindful-quotes.html

O'Hair, D., Friedrich, G. W., & Dixon, L. D. (2011). Strategic communication in business and the professions. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

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

Communication in Action

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 01:04:00 +0000

I was looking forward to this assignment, as I never seem to have time to watch TV. I was ready to be entertained by Two and a Half Men. I watched this show one other time over two years ago when Charlie Sheen was part of the cast.

Viewing the show without sound was unusual, but provocative. I paid close attention to the body language, facial expressions, and lip formation of words more so than I would have with sound. Without words I had to assume many things since I have not been following the storyline.

I assumed a strained relationship between the two adult men was taking place caused by a women and her child. I concluded it was Ashton Kutcher who played the character of Walden. I made this conclusion because the child had drawn a picture of a man and labeled him Walden. I presumed that Jon Cryer’s character had been asked to move out of the house which was causing him to experience emotional stress which led to a heart attack.

At the hospital, Jon Cryer was visited by a ghost. I assumed the ghost was the former character of Charlie Sheen (Charlie) because of the attire. The ghost was played by Cathy Bates.

All of my guesses about the story were based on facial expressions (especially the eyes), expressions with hands, body movements, attire worn by the cast, and background settings. I can see how non-verbal cues are taken for granted as we communicate with words. Although non-verbal cues, and surrounding environments are often overlooked they are important to guiding our assessments or outcomes as we engage in communication.

With sound I found out that I was pretty close to the storyline. I have to admit that because there was much in the news about the show due to Charlie Sheen, I may have picked up on some themes of the show. Additional features with sound allowed me to know the names of the characters, and to have an understanding of the elusive innuendos of each character. This was evidenced by learning about Alan’s insecurities and inability to live on his own.

I found the following quote quite applicable:

”The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.”
--Peter F. Drucker

My Communication Mentor

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 03:25:00 +0000

The one person I look to for communication guidance is my husband (LaMar). I admire the way he is able to walk up to someone he does not know and become immediate friends. This can happen in a store, on a bus, at a community function, or wherever he seems to be. He has the ability to make people feel comfortable and can often change their somber or angry moods to pleasant and happy ones.

He teaches at an alternative school, where you need to have much finesse when working with wayward teenagers. He seems to understand each individual, their situation and is able to take the majority of them from low self-esteem to knowing they have the ability in making their lives worthwhile.

I believe the reason he has so much success with people is he accepts them for who they are and where they are at that very moment in their lives. He genuinely likes people and cares about what happens to them.

When he participates in conversations with people, he always makes the conversation about the person he is talking to, not about himself. He has enough confidence and self-esteem that he does not have to “toot his own horn”. People are usually drawn to those who want to know about them. This is especially true for people who need a self-esteem boost.

I am always watching LaMar’s relaxed mannerisms as he engages with people and how he smiles with his mouth and eyes. Body language is such a great magnet in attracting people to enhance relationships.

I am working towards a more relaxed me as I strive to be a positive influence in all my relationships.

Professional Hopes and Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 00:55:00 +0000

Of my many hopes and dreams, one wish that I have for every child and their family is to have their own hopes and dreams and to be supported in their quests by all who associate and work with them. It is through this support for every family that diversity will be an accepted general rule, equity will be an opportunity for everyone, and social justice will prevail.

One goal I envision for the early childhood field in relation to diversity, equity, and social justice, begins with me. I can best support diversity, equity, and social justice, by becoming a voice and advocate for anti-bias education. My first step in the direction of conquering prejudices, isms, and injustices is to put into practice steps that will lead to becoming an anti-bias individual.

In chapter three of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards outline some key steps that can help us succeed in such a mission:

Stay focused and never stop.
Make a habit of self-reflection and self-correction.
Be aware of a road filled with complexity and disagreement which are necessary for growth.
Learn to recognize and celebrate accomplishments as they will energize our continued path (2010).

To our instructor (Johnna Darragh) and all my diverse friends/colleagues:

I thank you for your stories, expertise, wisdom, and tolerance. I want to thank those who responded to my blog and discussion posts. Your words of wisdom and affirmations made it all worthwhile.

I especially want to thank Johnna Darragh for her patience and planting the seed of knowing that I can be an inspiration to others as she has been throughout this course.

I wish you all a journey filled with diversity, equity, and social justice!

Until we meet again,
Sally Brooks

Reference:

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Welcoming Families From Around the World

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 03:22:00 +0000

My imagined emigrant family comes from Fortaleza, Brazil.

The first thing I would do is make sure I know how to pronounce the names of each individual in the family. Dr. Eugene E. Garcia spoke about the importance of being able to enunciate children’s names when he spoke of how a teacher changed his sister’s name from Ciprianita to Elsie (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). Taking time to articulate someone’s name correctly can make a first meeting less cumbersome, and shows individuals that you care about them. Enlisting help from someone who speaks the native language of Portuguese would be helpful. This could be a staff member or whoever assisted the family in filling out the enrollment form at the child care center where I work.

Secondly, I would review and become well versed in the information on the enrollment form, and then schedule an initial home visit taking someone who could translate if necessary. During the visit, I would strive to lay the foundation for a relationship to form. I would do this by listening to what the family has to say about their journey from Brazil to America, about their hopes, dreams, and fears, and what their expectations are for their children and specifically for the child who will be in my classroom.

Third, I will prepare my current students for welcoming our new friend by displaying a picture of the new student and talking about how wonderful it is that we have someone who has come all the way from Brazil to be with us.

Fourth, I would make sure that there will always be someone present who can speak the child’s native language, and I would take measures to begin learning the language myself. Regardless of the language difference, all teachers and staff will provide interaction that is emotionally and developmentally supportive as they do with all our children.

Fifth, in preparing the environment to reflect some familiarity of Brazil will make the new child feel comfortable and erase many fears. Of course, our physical environment already reflects the rich diversity of all our families. Part of the environment preparation for all families includes an open invitation to join us at any time and to contribute in ways that make them feel most comfortable.
I hope that by establishing an anti-bias community in my classroom and the child care center, the new Brazilian family will find a safe haven as they begin their journey in a new place. When we feel safe, or feel like we have connections with supportive people and organizations, a difficult trek can become much easier. As for myself, I reap the benefit of joy in seeing others succeed and a sense of accomplishment in creating an anti-bias atmosphere where all who enter feel valued and respected.

Reference:
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Microaggressions in everyday life [Webcast]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 02:53:00 +0000

I have a good friend and a former co-worker who is originally from another country. He had his teaching degree from his home country and was a teacher there. Due to political unrest he and his family were forced to flee their home and come to America. Even though he had his teaching degree from his home country, he did not qualify to teach in America.

He had to rebuild his life from near to nothing. It took many years to rise up from his oppression. He began by opening a licensed family day care with his wife. From there, he and his wife became famous in their new community for the high quality of care they offered children and families. They always had a waiting list. The local CCR&R (Child Care Resource and Referral) invited him to teach a child care course. He was an awesome instructor. Every course he taught was always filled to the room’s capacity with providers who were eager to learn from someone who was successful at working with children and who was also one of their own (a child care provider). It took him several years to receive his Bachelor’s degree from an American university and he is currently working on his Master’s degree. My own assessment of him is that he is intelligent, kind, brave, generous, passionate about helping children, desires to lift people to a higher level and forthright in all of his dealings.

The inequity in this situation is that he should have been able to teach from the moment he sat foot upon American soil. His degree should have been recognized as being credible. Also, the local CCR&R took far longer than they should have before recruiting him to teach. Such situations make me feel frustrated, angry, and at times hopeless. I hate prejudices and oppressions as they keep those who have such potential down trodden.

What has to change? The traditional thoughts that many adhere to that create prejudices, stereotypical biases, and desire to keep people down who are seen as less than. As a human race, we must place a much greater value on life and find it in our hearts to respect those whose journey has been on roads less traveled.

As the individual who saw great things in his persona and thus recruited him to teach, I knew that he belonged in a sphere far beyond where he was. Because he was willing to transcend all the prejudices and oppressing situations that surrounded him, he is a far better person than I will ever be. I am glad that we became friends and that he felt comfortable enough to share his life story with me.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:57:00 +0000

This past week I have been cognizant of the many conversations around me and especially my own words. In my discussion post, I mentioned the comment I made to my sister in our exercise class. I never saw myself as one who would participate in a microinsult. It made me realize how vulnerable we are to making inferences that may hurt others and ourselves without really realizing, and do so on a daily basis.

In remembering my high schools years, physically, I was very thin. Others including my friends would refer to me as “toothpick legs” and other not so endearing terms. They thought it was funny and thought I should think it was funny. However, I did not think it was funny and it made me feel marginable and inferior.

I have not reflected on the past, that far back, for a long time. However, in doing so, I now have a better understanding of how people can take such power on a daily basis and make others feel less than they really are.

My goal from this day forward is to do my best to bring out the best in children and their families, my family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. I may not be able to change others, but I can improve myself. I must begin by being acutely aware of what I am going to say before I say it. If everyone would begin with themselves then conquering oppression would be so much easier.

Definitions of Culture & Diversity

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 00:24:00 +0000

Definitions of culture:
#1: A friend (60 year old male) responded that culture is related to the country of origin, how you are reared, your traditions and your heritage.
#2: A co-worker (40 year old female originally from Bosnia) responded that culture refers to music, customs, art, food and literature.
#3: A family member (65 year old male) responded that culture is all the aspects that make us who and what we are.

Definitions of diversity:
#1: Responded that diversity extends beyond cultures and involves all the differences within our country, different religions, differences in our workforce and other areas.
#2: Responded that diversity is being different in terms of culture, art, beliefs, social status, and age.
#3: Responded that diversity is the elements that make us unique.

Their answers included surface culture items such as traditions, music, customs, art, food, country of origin, etc. Even though some answers were not specific, I felt that they were striving to feel the deeper aspects of culture which entailed ideas that would reach below the “tip of the iceberg” and included how we are raised, and aspects that make us who we are. When talking about diversity, two spoke of “differences” and one seemed to make the term feel positive in using the term “unique”.

None of the explanations included political affiliation, stigmatized identities, nor were they specific when talking about ethnicity or religion, and vocations.

In pondering the explanations of my family and friends, I have recognized that they seem to be connected to surface culture, but are unaware of a deeper connection to their inner self. I realize that before this course, I might have had some of the same inklings, but now I feel a greater sense of myself and who I really am and what I really want from life. This deeper insight will hopefully help me to reach out to others so that they may also have a better understanding and acceptance of their own cultures and the wonderful diversity that surrounds us all.

My Family Culture

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 06:13:00 +0000

The scenario is this: There has been a major catastrophe and I must leave my home and country to live far away within a different culture and I can only take three small but important items that represent my family culture with me. Thinking about this is stressful. I cannot even imagine such an ordeal. However, I am well aware that there are many who have gone through such affliction and only have memories of their culture.

My initial thought is to take my family genealogy book as a continued link to the past that supports my roots and where I came from. Secondly, my journal which has written details of my life thus far and will allow me to write about my journey to this new land. Thirdly, I would take my scriptures which are comprised of stories that teach and explain ideas, values, and beliefs that have guided my family, extended family, and me through the years.

I hold these items dear as they represent parts of my innermost feelings, beliefs, and values. They are my connection to meaningful relationships. They contain stories from ancestors that have helped to motivate and guide me in my life journey.

Mixed feelings of fear, anger, and sadness would fill my soul if I was asked to give up two of the three representations of myself. I hope they would give me a little time to ponder and offer a sincere prayer asking for guidance in this decision.

This assignment has helped me to understand how connected I am to my culture and how I define myself. It has opened the door to a deeper appreciation for those and especially children who have had to give up much in the face of adversity. Most of all it has given me knowledge that culture resides within my being and cannot really be gaged by material possessions. They can take away my genealogy book, my journal, and my scriptures, but they cannnot take away my beliefs, values, or my memories as they are imbeded in my heart and soul.

Culture goes deeper than a person’s hair, eyes, or skin color. It comprises their deepest feelings and intimate beliefs and values. My extended realization is the fact that my culture is imbeded within me and taking away material cultural items cannot take away my what is in my heart and in my soul.

Mahatma Gandhi said it this way, “A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.

When I Think of Research...

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 01:26:00 +0000

First of all, I would like to thank my colleagues for an enlightening eight weeks. I have enjoyed reading your blogs and discussion posts. From them, I have learned to ponder the novel elicited from profound questions, be uplifted by words of encouragement, and gain modern insight from fresh philosophies. Good luck to you all!

This course has taken me above my familiar world as a teacher to a next step of putting my values, beliefs, and philosophies to the test. It feels great to be on the path to formulating my viewpoints into something that can be proven or disproven.

My ideas about doing research have become a little more grounded. At this point, research does not seem so far distance nor unreachable.

The lessons learned are many. Where do I begin? I have learned that there are many decisions to make and that those decisions need to be well thought out and requisite to what we would like to see in the end result of our research. I have become clearer on terms that I have heard but never really understood within their context. I have learned that what I had envisioned for my project in the beginning is not what I now perceive, and I know that those ideas and designs may change as many times as need be to have a meaningful research path. I have learned to be even more flexible than I have ever been.

Beginning challenges were aligned with understanding quantitative, qualitative, mixed method, triangulation, and other important terms and the direction they claim for research. I loved the application part 1 papers, as they supported my understanding and helped me make changes to my simulation study so I could continue on a correct path.

My perceptions about being an early childhood professional have not really changed. I still believe that true professionals are committed to causes that they see as beneficial for children and families. However, I do realize that it takes even more dedication than I ever anticipated; grandiose studying from books, from scholarly articles, and continued listening and pondering from other early childhood professionals.

European Early Childhood Education Reserach Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 16:14:00 +0000

I visited the EECERA (European Early Childhood Education Research Association) site. I was able to easily navigate and find many and varied research topics. Back research articles could be viewed via “Full Text” or “PDF Download”.

A few of the topics I reviewed are listed below:

Balancing between Heritage and Host Languages in Bilingual Kindergarten: Viewpoints of Russian Speaking immigrant parents in Germany and Israel.

Play, Drawing, and Writing: A Case Study of Korean – Canadian children

Chinese and German Teacher’s Conceptions of Play and Learning and Children’s Play Behavior

Playing and Learning in Another Language: Language Revitalisation Programme

Sharing Attention and Activities among Toddlers

All were very interesting. However, I found one article in their 2011 journal that made reference to children participation in research. The article was titled Children’s Perspectives and Participation in Research by Deborah Harcourt and Johanna Einarsdottir. Since this issue deals with a particular area of research I took additional time to fully engage in what it had to say. The article takes into account settings of children in Sweden, Iceland, Italy, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, and Australia and the outcomes of involving and listening to children during research. The conclusions showed that social context and primary caregivers and adults are key factors in the lives of children. Also of importance to the research arena is the fact that children are competent to be part of research projects and that their opinions and understandings are vital to really knowing them as dynamic individuals.

The site outlined some dos and don’ts for getting published, how to get your research read along with other helpful research points. Also listed were current and past conferences, how to become a member, the history, their “Aims”, and a current link to their partnership with, The Korea Institute of Child Care and Education.

References

European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA): This international early childhood organization publishes a well respected journal. All back issues are accessible from this site and are fully searchable without charge.http://www.eecera.org/journal/

Harcourt, D. & Einarsdottir, J. (2011). Special Issue: Children's perspectives and participation in reserach. European Early Childhood Education Reserach Journal, 19(3), 301-307. Retrieved from EECERA website, http://www.eecera.org/journal/

An Uplifting Article about the Benefits of Early Head Start for Children and Families

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:09:00 +0000

I can still remember the many families that I came to know as a home visitor and family educator for Early Head Start (EHS) prior to 2006. Deep down, I always felt that EHS was a wonderful program that provided many avenues of betterment for families with young children.

Not too long ago, I ran across an article explaining the results of a study on the benefits of EHS. This national study was conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., and Columbia University’s Center for Children and Families in conjunction with Early Head Start Research Consortium. The study clearly showed that EHS had a positive influence on children’s (three-year-olds) cognitive, language, and social emotional development. It was also reported that the parents of those EHS children scored higher than the control group in aspects of home environment, parenting behavior, self-sufficiency, and benefits proved better for EHS fathers.

I am not surprised. I watched many single EHS mothers gain in confidence as they took part in their child’s development. I also believe that part of that improvement came from knowing that someone cared about them and their child and I believe that supporting the relationships between the parent and child is primary factor for such improvement.

I will never forget my years with EHS and I will always be thankful for the opportunity to grow as I strived to lift others.

Reference:

Administration for Children and Families. (2006). Early head start benefits children and families: Early head start research and evaluation project. Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/reports/dissemination/research_briefs/research_brief_overall.pdf

My Topic for Simulation: English Language Learners (ELL)

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Fri, 11 May 2012 01:40:00 +0000

I have spent many years working with ELL children and their families. My years in Head Start and Migrant Head Start became the beginning of my association with children and families whose backgrounds extend beyond the backdoor of America. They embody culture, values, and ideas that are critical in assessing who they are.

I have so often seen children from immigrant families feel the urgings from their parents to lose the “old ways” and become American so they can succeed. Immigrant parents often desire their children to trade their first language with their new second language, English. I am of course, speaking of Latino children.

Having another language other than English should be seen as a blessing. However, most families do not usually see it that way. Just today, I encouraged a student to write a poem for their mother in commemoration of Mother’s Day in Spanish instead of English, because the mother speaks, reads, and writes Spanish only. This particular student was adamant that they were not going to do such a thing. In fact, when I initially instituted learning a daily Spanish word for everyone in the class, my Spanish students seemed a little embarrassed even though the rest of the class were excited. The school year is almost at its end and the previous feelings of embarrassment have gone by the way side and the ELL children seem to feel proud to help the other students learn Spanish.

I continue to work at gaining an understanding of the many barriers these children face, developing an environment that will help them through their learning process, and learning how to recognize and support positive self-images for them. I feel that those points are important in helping such students feel worthwhile and included in their new culture.

Constructing the week one research chart, has helped me to understand the correct path for finding out all that I want to learn about my topic. I think I finally realize that I need to search deeper within the research field. Instead of reading articles that have some correct ideas, I need to direct my search to find qualified information. In order to make noted headway with my ELL students, it is essential to require supported evidence of what works best with those children and their families.

I am open to any suggestions that will help me find my way through this course and put me on the correct route in working with ELL children.

Thanks in advanced to anyone who has great ideas they are willing share!

Consequences of Collaborative Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 01:25:00 +0000

I am so excited to share that I finally received an email reply from a professional whom I contacted. It is not an international contact, but an early childhood educator who spoke via radio on “World Forum”. I cannot begin to explain how I felt when I saw the email. Needless to say, I was surprised to hear from someone since it is at the close of the course. None the less, I am overjoyed. I would like to take just a little time to share what this professional had to say before I address our week eight assignment. The professional who took the time out of her busy schedule to write me was Susan Lyon, Ed.D. She is instrumental in bringing and promoting Reggio Emilia, Italy here in the United States. She spoke of high quality care and education for infant, toddler, and preschool children as a critical issue in the field of early childhood. She further commented that all children should be cared for in places that give them opportunities to thrive, and women should have choices that are all of high quality as they look for care and education for their children. She said that there are many ways to advocate for high quality care an education, but the most “powerful” way she has found is to work with schools both public and private in raising the quality of care by investing in the professional development of teachers. She posed that we should ask ourselves, “Why are we doing what we are doing with children?” There was much more that she elaborated on, but I will suffice the above for getting across her main points. Three Consequences I learned: 1. That there are positives happening globally for children. We can learn much from each other no matter where we reside. 2. Never give up. Someone will eventually contact you. I have not given up on establishing an international contact. 3. Reading and researching about happenings around the world can inspire us to continue our work with children in our own communities. My goal as related to international awareness: 1. I will continue to discover and rediscover positives in the international field of early care and education in hopes that I can one day be as Susan Lyons and bring to pass something like Reggio Emilia, Italy to a small rural Idaho community. Good luck to everyone in reaching their goals.

UNESCO and Cultural Diversity

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 04:32:00 +0000

I am continually interested in and try to keep abreast of issues concerning linguistic and cultural diversity in education.

In visiting the UNESCO website, I was immediately drawn to an article under the tab of Latin America and the Caribbean. Once there I found the following linguistic and cultural diversity facts fascinating:

There is a critical issue of losing languages. Out of 6,000 languages and dialects in the world, there is a threat of losing 50%.

Almost every two weeks, a language vanishes. When languages disappear, cultural and intellectual heritages also leave. Languages are our path to knowledge and they are unique making them an important support for human growth and development.

Linguistic diversity is connected to natural diversity. Together, both promise that there will be future generations to carry on progress.

In the country of Peru the Quechua or Aymara are the dominant languages. However, the schools still use Spanish when teaching students. This presents problems for children as they struggle to learn how to read and communicate.

CARE (National humanitarian organization) has stepped in to aid schools in Peru. They work to create classrooms that have essential materials for learning a second language of Spanish.

They also provided training to teachers helping them to understand intercultural and bilingual education requisite by Peru. They also put together and distribute information and organize workshops directed to local authorities, families, and civil society members educating them on the significance of bilingual education.

Efforts like those listed above give hope for preserving mother languages (UNSECO, 2012).

It is interesting to note that educators in such countries as Peru have to contend with linguistic and cultural issues just as we do here in America.

Reference:

UNESCO. (2012, February 20). Education for sustainable development – preserving linguistic and cultural diversity. Retrieved from the UNESCO website at http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/resources/online-materials/single-view/news/education_for_sustainable_development_preserving_linguistic_and_cultural_diversity/

Equity and Excellence for ELL Children

noreply@blogger.com (Sally Brooks) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:19:00 +0000

In spending time on the NIEER website I found information on the current status of ELL learners in California. In an article by Rebecca Plevin on News Media America’s website titled Limited Preschool Access Dims Success for Latino Children-And California’s Future. It can be found on the following URL:

http://newamericamedia.org/2012/02/poor-preschool-access-dims-success-for-latino-childrenand-californias-future.php

I have spent a good part of my life working with Latino families and continue to embrace connections to that culture today as I work with Latino and ELL learners as an elementary teacher. In California, many young Latino children are not receiving a much needed boost for academic success and yet they make up more than half of all children under the age of five. High quality preschools only see fourteen (14) percent as enrollees. Fresno County has more migrant children than any other part of the state, and they are lucky enough to have a migrant education program that strives to alleviate such a gap by providing high quality one- on-one help through a home visiting program.

In Filer, Idaho, we have an ELL program that provides small group extra help for ELL children. The program begins working with children in kindergarten. Having been a part of that program, I know that it is a good program. However, in working with those students, I can see that such help needs to come well before kindergarten. Being a small rural community, the closest Head Start programs are in towns further away, and I am not sure how accessible it is to the children in my town. My next step is to find out if Head Start in Buhl and Twin Falls serve the children in Filer. Also, are there any Head Start home visiting programs in Filer?

I just love how these articles plant ideas and encourage me to search for avenues of support for children and families in my small world.