Thank You

Wow!! 8 weeks already this class went by very fast. During the last couple of weeks we have accomplished so much and learned a lot. I want to thank all of my colleagues for their support they have given me during this class. Thank you for your awesome feed backs and your wonderful post. Many of us have been in classes together prior so I look forward to continuing my experience at Walden with you guys. Good Luck to you all with you future courses continue to strive for the best!!!!

Communication

Before I excepted a perminate position at my center I was a Director in Training. Whith this position I had to float to different centers very often. My longest position was at a center for 6 months. I had a great group of employees, children, and parents. I formed such a tight bond with everyone very fast. When I received the notice after 1 year the director was coming back and I was going to another center. It changed the atmospher very fast. Everyone was very sad and some even cried. They felt that I listened to them, and helped them the best way I could. A lot of them wanted to leave their center to join me. It was the hardes seperation for me because we all grew close. Til this day I go and visit them as often as I can, and the love and vibe is always the same. Working on my Masters Degree at Walden I really feel I have connected well with my colleagues because we all have the same mission. All of us are attending Walden to better ourself in our careers and within ourself. There is always so many positive thoughts and comments from one another. It is very interesting to see how much we all have in common. Someone I have never meet I can relate so much too. It's an amazing thing and I enjoy doing my weekly blogs and discussions so I can collaborate with everyone. It's always hard to say good-bye to someone weather it's expected or not. Adjourning allows you to take a break and resume at a later time. It's a better way to get some type of closer knowing it's not the end

Disagreement Communication

Being a childcare director there are a lot of responsibilities that come with it. I am in charge of 26 staff members and 102 children and their families. After doing this weeks assignments I knew I had something to blog about. Before I got my current position I was a teacher in the classroom. The director I had at the time was very negative towards us and never had anything positive to say. This really hindered our performance as teachers because we felt there was nothing that we could do to satisfy her. When I became the director I knew I always wanted to communicate with my staff in a way that will be positive and stern. I always let them know when they are not doing things the right way, but I always follow up with something positive. This gives them the courage to continue to do better, but work on whatever needs adjustments. I have always found that having great communication is the key. You get more respect and your product that is given to the parents and the child works. My staff will always tell me they enjoy my thoughts, ideas, and concerns because it helps them mature and grow as teachers.

Self Evaluation

For this week’s assignment I asked for my husband and my coworker to evaluate me the best way they could. I choose these two because they are who I spend majority of my time with. I am a good commuincator with people oriented listening style

This week I have learned something new about myself after doing this week readings

Self- actualization- the feeling and thoughts you get when you know that you have negotiated a communication situation as well as you possibly could. For me I have to do this daily with parents and my cooperate office. Because I am in charge of running a business I often have to use my own views and thoughts to manage the daycare successfully. So I often have to persuade others my ideas if I am feeling strong about something.

Self- denigration- is criticizing or attacking yourself. I am very guilty of this because if something goes wrong that I did not intend to go a certain way I immediately start thinking of what I could have done differently to make things better. Even if it is out of my control I still tend to be very hard on myself.

Culture Diversity Communication

Being an educator we take on so many roles other than just teaching. We are the face and the voice for the parents and the children. Often times we encounter families that are from a different culture than what we are familiar with. Children will start to ask questions if they have friends that are different from them. We have to provide them with the resources to understand who they are and their peers. 1.) Dramatic Play Area- The dramatic play center provides you with one of the greatest opportunities to integrate multicultural props in natural ways. 2.) Music and books- Select those that showcase people from all walks of life and cultures living their lives. Make sure that you have books that feature children of many cultures, in non-stereotypical ways. Play music from different styles, genres, and cultures that you can use for movement and music experiences. 3.) Relationships- As with all aspects of early childhood, the most important learning comes in the relationships we build with children and their families.

TV Communication

This week I choose to watch Super Nanny as my communication episode. It started out with a family for 5 Mom, Dad, one sister she looked to be two, and a set of twins who looked like they were three. In the beginning of the show it showed the child at home in their basement playing with each other, but no one was able to get along. Every toy the sister had both boys would come a take it from her. This would make the little girl fall to the floor and cry. Dad intervened and placed both boys into time out, but that did not last long at all. They would run away as soon as dad turned his back and as he placed them back in they who throw the worst temper tantrum every. The parents took them to the grocery store and placed all three of the children into a shopping the children were trying to climb out of the cart fight each other and they were throwing things out of the cart that the parents put in. Just by watching with no sound it showed the parents getting frustrated with the child and not disciplining them because they were getting so frustrated. It is not a lot of positive communication just a lot of crying and yelling towards one and other. Once I did turn the volume on the show that is one of the concerns Supper Nanny brought up. She was telling the parents not to yell at the children, but to get down to their level and let them know you are in charge. With them yelling and you yelling at them just causes everyone screaming at one and other not getting a point across.

My first assumption with the show was the parents were having a hard time getting their point across to the children, and to each other. The children seemed to be angry with one another at all times. With the children being as old as they were none of them had the right words to express themselves. This is where the parents were taught to work diligently with the children to try to get them to use their words when they need something other than to cry and scream.

Communication

I have a young lady who stands out to me to be one of the best communicators I know. She is one of my colleagues, and to me she has it all down packed when it comes to communication. She knows how to be professional and polite when talking with parents, and they really can come to her about anything. If there is something you do not understand she knows how to put things into prospective so before you leave her presents you will know exactly what she meant. We have yearly trainings and everyone always ask if she can be the trainer because she keeps you engaged the whole time she is talking. She keeps her audience focused and uses a lot of interactions and participations. I really look up to her and when I need help with something I know I can always go to her for the answers.

Professional Hopes and Goals

Working with children is a very hard task to do, but it is also rewarding. When dealing with a lot of children you get a mixture of families and their attitude and beliefs. As an educator it is important for us to embrace all children and their families, so no one feels like an outcast. Everyone wants to be understood no matter what their background consist of. Often time’s young children do not even know or understand that their friends are different from them. With me being a center director of a child care, I have to embarrass families with many different backgrounds and cultures. I take all that I have learned in this course and use it to its full advantage because my families are humans just like me at the end of the day regardless if they are different. My goal after completing this course is to incorporate trainings for my staff regarding families and their children, and how to be accepting of what might come their way.

These past 8 weeks have been so much fun for me because I really feel I have learned a lot about myself that I never thought of. I enjoyed reading the post of my colleagues and seeing what life was like for them in a diver’s world. Thank you to everyone for sharing their stories and allowing us to become a part of your lives.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

I know about different families and their cultures, but I have never taken the time to study a family and their actual rituals. I would be sure to use letters, e-mail, and in person events to connect families to their child’s school life. Hopefully this will start a pattern of involvement that will benefit the children for years to come. Upon enrolling a family from a different country let’s say China, I would speak to the parents one on one before they start, and just get them to share some information about their country. One question I love asking is how much of a difference is their country from ours. I would also ask them about the food their child likes to eat, and if any of our food would be similar to what they are used to having at home. I do not think I will try to imitate what they do at home in my center only because I have known real knowledge of what I am doing, and do not want to offend anyone. When you take the time to get to know all of the families in your classroom, you are better able to keep the lines of positive communication open. Family members must see that you enjoy teaching and caring for their children. It’s part of the product that we’re providing to the children in our care.

This week’s topic is a great one, because I have a young girl from Vietnam who just started at my center, and her family was worried about her being at our center since this was her first daycare center in the US. I had a conversation with her mother, and she did not want us to go out of our way to make her feel “at home. She said her reason for sending her to daycare was so she could get adjusted to the American life style. Often times we want to try to help families out with their culture, but sometimes they just want that to stay within their family and homes.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

When I was in high school we took a field trip to the blacks and wax museum. At this museum it showed you the way African Americans lived during the slavery days. It was a boat that was a replica of how they would transport slaves on a boat. They would lie down on the boat on top of each other, with no room to roll over without someone being there. If you had to use the bathroom you had to just go right where you are. For women who are on their periods have no protection. So you can imagine the smell and the health of theses people. These people went days without eating and were sourced to take care of the whites and homes and farms. There were so many exhibits that had African Americans with scares all across their backs and changed up and being called niggers. They were unable to get a decent meal; after the animals ate the slaves got to eat what was left over. Being in high school, and seeing these exhibits made me feel sick to my stomach, to the point now as an adult I have no desire to go again. It was heart breaking to see that someone could treat another human bean this way and be ok with it. This museum is a real eye opener because it makes you appreciate what you have now and how things have changed. In some cases white people have not all got over racism, and it makes it a little difficult for us as African Americans to set the bar for ourself. I have learned to out my best food forward, and no matter what I know I am somebody and I can make a difference. In my eyes it's not black or white we are humans all trying to survive in today's economy.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

I was surfing the internet looking for a job one day, and I came across an add for a law office. I called them because I sent my resume over. They guy was so nice we talked for over 30 minutes. After such a great conversation I was asked to come I've ASAP to meet everyone else. I was so excited that they were so interested in me I rushed right over. When I arrived and told them who I was the man looked at me kind of strange. He asked me if I was the same person he just talked to. After enough convincing we finally went into the conference room with the others. The mood went from happy to disappointed very fast. Here I was the only black person in the room with 8 white men and women. I felt very uncomfortable because they were all just staring at me and not engaging at all. One of the men turned to me with no greeting and told me unfortunately I am not qualified for the position. Even though my credentials at first was all they were looking for. This was very hard for me to take in because I was so sure I landed a great position. I guess by the seeing my name on my resume was hard for them to tell my ethnic background. Now when you fill out applications they ask for your ethnicity, and often times I am reluctant to answer because of my previous experience.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Since taking this course I have learned that diversity is very broad. It not only deals with culture and race. The week I had a conversation with one of my coworkers who is from Japan, and she was showing me how to write in Japanese. It was so interesting because I learned that their sentences are straight lines going down, and they read from right to left. I would write something in English and she would write the same sentence but in Japanese. It was very interesting, and different. What was confusing to me was natural to her. She said growing up they taught them to do Japanese and English reading and writing. It wasn’t confusing to them at all.

Another one of my coworkers is a seven day Adventist and her day has to end early on Friday. She has to be home early, and have the house cleaned and food cooked before sundown so she can go into worship. With her religion Friday after sunset you have to be with your family not interruptions and fellowship amongst each other. Then on Saturday they go to church appose to Sundays like many. They still worship god and have a bible, but they just believe their Sabbath day is Saturday not Sunday.

I have a sister that lives in Georgia and she is practicing Buddhism. One of her friends started to attend the meeting and shared her information with my sister, and it sounded interesting to her. With Buddhism it teaches you different chants for you to recite to help you change your mood. They feel that praying does not help you its your internal self that will help you get through things. Instead of them praying they chant; chanting helps to calm the spirit and soul.

It is always interesting to me to speak with others to see how they live their lives. It is so many religions and cultures that is what makes us all so different and unique. This week I learned that people I work with day to day we can learn so much from each other, and this will help us to have a better understanding of the world around us. Just having conversation about diverstiy, can give you so much insight on someones life. There was so much more we could have covered realting to diversity.

My Family Culture

If I was told I had to grab three items before moving to the next country I think I would grab pictures of my family, my electronic devises, and my ID. I would choose pictures of my family, because if we are moving and never returning we can always look back on old pictures to reflex on the good times we had. I would have my electronic devises because the internet is always a good tool to have. Being in a new country, I could always use the internet to find my way around the town and even to help with translating words. Last but not least my ID. I never leave the house without having identification on me, because you never know when it is needed. If anything happens you will know who I am and where I came from. If I had to keep one and loose the others, I would want to keep the family photos. All of the other items can be replaced but photos can’t. Unless you have them backed up, but if you don’t those moments are one in a life time.

Truthful all that I just named is not that important to me. I don’t think there is anything that I would need other than my family. Material things are not important to me my family is. So if I was unable to grab anything I would be ok, as long as my family was with me.