Time Well Spent

As I look back on my journey through this program, I remember thinking and saying to my family that I did not think that I would finish. There was too much work, it was too hard, and I would never be able to keep up the pace. I began to take one assignment at a time, one week at a time, and then one class at a time. Before I knew it, I was nearing the end. There are some life changing concepts that I have adopted into my thinking that I never had before this program.

1.Poverty - before I started this program, I was apt to believe that poverty was just a culture. I now understand that poverty belongs to the whole community. We are all responsible for the poverty in our neighborhoods, and are called to help.

2. Diversity - I do not think anyone can graduate from Walden and not have a respect for diversity. I have learned so much about diversity and how we as educators can become culturally responsible in our classrooms. An eye opening concept around cultural diversity is that we cannot just teach it for the holidays or for a theme one week. Cultural diversity must be implemented into our daily lessons as well as our daily lives.

3. Advocacy - Previous to my education at Walden, I believed advocacy was something that large organizations performed in front of Congress or other bodies of legislation. I never thought about advocacy beginning with one person. I have learned from Louise Derman-Sparks that passion drives advocacy, and that we as early childhood professionals are responsible for taking a stand for children and be their voices.

Goal
I will join an advocacy group and formally begin to be a voice for children in their early childhood years.

I would truly like to thank Dr. Dartt and all of my colleagues from my classes for supporting me and being a sounding board for me to talk about my issues. Some of the classes we took,
asked us to look deep inside our ourselves and discuss our biases, issues, insecurities, and weaknesses. Those are not easy things to talk about. But with trust and compassion, I was able to talk about some uncomfortable issues in my life. I think it takes a special kind of Professor to teach online courses, and I have had some excellent ones here at Walden. Congratulations everyone!!

 

The future which we hold in trust for our own children will be shaped by our fairness to other people's children.

Marian Wright Edelman 

 

This poem can be seen many places and is read many times. However, I feel like the words are never taken seriously enough. If parents and educators truly followed these words, we would have happier children with high self-esteems.

Children Learn What They LiveBy Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte

 

 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community - Internationally

My family keeps me pretty much grounded here in the United States. I do no think I would want to work outside of my country.  I did some research on websites and found some employment opportunities. Although I had the education required for some of the jobs, I did not have any experience working on the national or international level. Almost all the jobs I reviewed had experience in international work as a requirement.

UNICEF: There were temporary job opportunities and one of them was for a Child Protection Specialist. However, being able to speak two languages was required and I would need at least eight years experience in humanitarian work. Another position with UNICEF was a Consultancy Assignment. I would be able to work in Geneva Switzerland. The job involved supporting early childhood development. I would work with developing quality programs and policies around early childhood. The requirements were an advanced degree in a relevant field and three to five years experience at the national or international level.

Save the Children:  There was a position with this organization in London England. The Director of Program Quality would work to raise quality of early childhood by increasing child protection, children's rights, and working with the health and education of early childhood. I would also ensure that the Save the Children's objectives were being met. A Master's degree in early childhood or social sciences field is required. As with the job with UNICEF, experience on the national or international level is required also.

Academy for Educational Development:  On this website I came across the Fullbright Teacher Exchange Program. This would involve a direct exchange of teaching positions with teachers in other countries. We would share knowledge, and build networks. There were seven countries taking part in this program. I would love to be able to teach in Switzerland. A Master's degree is required and five years teaching experience. This job was the only one I would be qualified to even apply for.

Through this search, I realized that working on the international level involved so much more than just a degree. I would need to have experience working with other cultures and learn another language. I was very interested in the work that is out there in the field of early childhood.

Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Community - National level

Over the past few years, my work in state government has drawn me into the world of policy and legislation. I spent about eighteen years of my adult life operating a child care center and loved my hands-on work with children. I am now interested by the policies that drive that work, and how funding can determine those policies.

The first organization I read about is the Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP). This non-profit organization works to improve the lives of low income families through policies. They are seeking a Policy Analyst in their Child Care and Early Education department. This person would work with others on the team to improve access to high quality care for low income children. What a perfect match. That is exactly what my capstone project is about. This job would involve researching policies on child care subsidies and analyzing data. It requires a Master's degree in public policy, or early childhood education. I would meet those qualifications and have a passion for the content of the job. However, the job is in Washington DC which I am not willing to leave my home state.

NAEYC has a job opening for a Communication & Information Education Team Specialist. This job involves working with programs and providing technical assistance in becoming NAEYC accredited. A Bachelor's degree in Communications is preferred but having early childhood education experience is a plus. Again this job is in Washington DC.

I also looked on the Zero to Three website and found a job opening as a Senior Program Associate. This job is also around technical assistance with Early Head Start programs. The job requirements are a Bachelors degree so I would have that but the location of the job is in Washington DC. I would also have to do a lot of work with technology so that may be a drawback.

All of these organizations do such great work in support of children and families. Unfortunately the types of positions I am interested in deal with legislation and policies. These jobs seem to be located in Washington DC.
http://www.clasp.org/about/jobs/policy-analyst
http://www.naeyc.org/about/jobs
http://www.zerotothree.org/about-us/careers/jobs/

Exploring Roles in the Early Childhood Community

There are so many organizations involved in early childhood that it is hard to choose which one I would want to work for. However, I was able to narrow down the list to the top three organizations that I would like to work for.

On the state level, Partnerships for Children and Families is an advocacy group that follows legislation around early childhood issues. They also travel the state speaking to early childhood professionals about advocating for themselves. I think the work around policy research would be the most interesting to me. There is always something new happening, and many changes taking place. I believe that my Master's degree would meet educational qualifications for a job in this organization. However, experience is something that I would need to earn. I would probably begin working with someone else in the organization before doing any work independently. The research work would be best for me because I do not like public speaking.

I have two dream jobs. Those would be working for Children's Defense Fund and NAEYC. I may be able to get entry level jobs working in these organizations but I am sure jobs are rarely open up. In the Children's Defense Fun, I would love to work with some of their freedom schools program. In the NAEYC organization, I would take any job that did not involve public speaking. There is a Policy and Public Affairs department that I think I would like.

All three of these organizations work with legislation and policies around early childhood education. I would be interested in those areas of work. I may have adequate education for the jobs but would need to gain more experience in public speaking.

Week 1 - Wordle

Above is my wordle with terms that describe my issues and challenges in early childhood.

Profile of a Volunteer

There is a lady, I'll call Mrs. Doe,  at my church who volunteers her time to teaching catechism, reading at mass, and coordinating an entire bereavement committee. My church parish has many elderly families, and Mrs. Doe decided that something needed to be done for families upon the death of a loved one. Although family and friends usually prepare food for funerals, Mrs. Doe felt that this was one less thing that a family needed to worry about. She organized a committee consisting of groups of ladies that prepare food for families in our church parish for the day of the funeral. I am in one of the groups where I am in charge of a vegetable. Other ladies in my group are in charge of desserts, salads, etc. The church stepped in and now donates a ham to each family.

Mrs. Doe's work has directly impacted families in our church parish at difficult times in their lives. Although organizing this committee was not mandatory, she saw a need in families lives and acted on what she observed. She also called on others to give of themselves which is a rewarding experience.

What touches me most about Mrs. Doe's work is that she herself is an elderly person. Her work proved to me that you are never to old to start something new. She had a vision, and she went to our pastor and presented the idea to him. Not only did she advocate for an issue, but she also took it upon herself to coordinate the committee and do the work. I admire her for stepping up and not feeling as though her ideas were not valid. Her work has taught me that if I have an idea, I need to act on it.

So many times over the years, I have thought about a parenting education class within my church parish. Parents may be reluctant to attend a public class, but may feel more comfortable within their church community. As I type this profile of Mrs. Doe, I am beginning to think I may need to follow her lead, and talk to my pastor about this type of class.

Using Social Media to Get Connected

The first time I heard about Facebook was when my oldest son entered college in 2007.  The intent was for college students to stay connected or to make connections. Soon after he began complaining that "old" people were beginning to take over Facebook. Of course, now the rest is history. I never started a Facebook page out of respect for having 3 college students. I feel like I don't need to know everything my children are doing. They need to have their own lives. I consider myself pretty computer savvy but have never been interested in social media.

Recently I connected to LinkedIn. I am still trying to get comfortable with setting up profiles, etc. which my son has taken over. I thought maybe I could post some downloads from Children's Defense Fund but I do not think I can. If anyone knows how to do that please let me know. Those of you on LinkedIn, please be patient with me while I learn.

Facebook is such an effective tool to use in spreading messages. Unfortunately, some of the messages are negative, but there are also some very inspiring messages that others tell me they have read. I would like to start a Facebook page just for advocacy work. I think what makes social media so effective is that people do not feel pressured into something when they can read it on their own time. When someone confronts you face to face about working on a cause, you are put on the spot. Letting people read about early childhood issues, and presenting them with the problems and solutions, empowers people to come to their own conclusions.

One of the issues my children dislike about Facebook, is that people feel the need to comment too much on an issue. However, in advocacy work, this could work as a positive aspect. The more we can get people talking about early childhood issues, the more attention these issues are receiving.

I will take any suggestions from anyone about how to set up a Facebook page on early childhood advocacy issues, and any help you can give involving LinkedIn. Thanks!

Advocacy Messages

My job involves a lot of driving and so the radio is how I learn about the happenings in the world. At least twice a day I hear the ad for adoption. "You don't have to be perfect to be a perfect parent". The ad goes on to say that there are many children who would love you and your faults. I think this ad is effective because it eliminates the fear that people have of adopting. Many adults may not feel worthy of adopting a child.  The ad is trying to promote adoption of young teens making the point that they need a parent, not a parent that is perfect. I also think the phrase is catchy because the ad is short but is played repeatedly throughout the day. People listening to radios in their cars or at work will hear the message a few times a day, everyday.

Another ad that I have found to be effective is a radio ad on stroke awareness. Two people are together and one of the people keeps saying "I'm having a stroke". However that person is not really saying anything. The other person makes observations such as you are not moving your arm, and your face looks weird. After every observation, you hear the phrase repeated "I'm having a stroke". I think the use of repetition is very effective while at the same time giving the listener examples of how people act when they are having a stroke. Because the ad is short and simple, the listener can remember the basic signs of a stroke.

Ads are very effective if the information is short, to the point, and includes a catchy phrase that people will remember and repeat throughout the day.

My Own Capacity

          I am passionate about getting parents to make more informed choices in regards to their children's early care and education. Many times parents are not aware of the benefits of high-quality care, and other times they are aware, but do not have the funding to send their children to high-quality programs. Research has proven the benefits of high-quality care and education especially for the most vulnerable low-income children. If the government truly wants to increase school readiness of these children, they need to provide more funding to parents so their children can receive better care and education in a center that is licensed and quality rated.

          I am in a good and a bad position in terms of resources. I work for the government so I am involved in the conversations. However, my position in not very high up so I have to be careful in what I say. Because I work with programs in 15 parishes, I am asked for feedback or how I think something should work. I am able to be heard on weekly conference calls, I am also able to keep up with the government's thinking. I am in close contact with the director of an advocacy group that is keeping up with the many changes in early childhood in Louisiana. The director has spoken to me and asked if she could call me for feedback on their ideas. I have the experience of owning a licensed child care center for 18 years. I have experience, knowledge, and now the position to be heard.

          I need to grow in many areas, but mostly I think I need to grow in confidence. Although I have knowledge, and experience, I hold myself back thinking that I do not know enough. There are times when listening to others' perspectives is effective in advocacy, but there are also times when I know I should speak up and I do not. The director of the advocacy group I just made contact with seems to be the kind of person that will pull me out of that place.

My Role as an Advocate

I have spent my entire adult career life in early childhood. However, those were not all years of pride. When I opened my child care center, my parents did not speak to me because I was a college graduate and I was going to "babysit". Most of the parents looked at you as their nanny and you worked for them. Thank goodness over the years, the image of early childhood providers has gotten better but it was not until I started this Master's program with Walden that I felt supported in my passion for early childhood education.

Each element of early childhood (which I am considering micro) is connected to something bigger (macro). Each service or program somehow interacts or overlaps to another program. Getting to know the bigger picture of early childhood systems allows you to figure out what is best for each smaller segment.

To be a leader at the community level you must first have passion and perseverance in the work you are beginning. You must develop relationships and be able to communicate effectively. You must able to address the needs of your community, and include the work of other agencies to meet those needs.

Whenever I think of resources in early childhood I always think of money. In order to educate, inform, or improve the field, we need money. In Louisiana we have tax credits for businesses who donate to early learning programs. However I do not feel that the state has publicized this enough. I do not know of any program in my local area that has received any donations.

Electronic newsletters are a great way to get information to a large group of people. Also meeting face to face is very productive. Many times others in the field need to know their value. So many providers are tired and feel defeated. Motivational speakers that speak to their worth and the worth of their work will get providers joining the movement.

Taking on a leadership role in early childhood advocacy is a large task. You must stay focused on what is happening on the state level while not losing focus of what local communities need. Somehow you must keep the connection between the two to make advocacy work. You can keep that connection by including as many stakeholders as possible. There are many people whose work touches the lives of children and families. Make sure that all perspectives are included.

Personal Advocacy Reflection

I worked with someone named Katie a few years back. She worked for my regional Resource & Referral Agency. She understood my passion for the early childhood years but also understood that I could rarely speak about my opinions. I work in state government and there are strict rules about giving an opinion on a topic because I would be speaking on behalf of state government. When she and I would get together, we could talk for hours about early childhood education, and private child care specifically. I knew how busy she was, but she always took time out to listen to my suggestions. We talked about the latest research and how we wished we could get our communities to understand that research. She was not only advocating for early childhood education, but by giving me her time and attention, she was advocating for me. She was giving me an outlet to talk about issues that I was passionate about. She listened to me talk about all those things that I wished I could talk in public about. Her compassion and time truly impacted my work, and still does today.

Week 1 - EDUC 6766

Well, I would have never thought that I would be this far into the program when I started about a year and a half ago but here I am. These classes move so fast that as soon as you think, I will never keep up, you are finished one class. One class moves into another and before you know it, here we are, almost at the end. I am so happy to share this final stretch of the journey with such knowledgeable, compassionate colleagues as all of you have been to me. I met all of you in the last class for the first time but because of the class size we soon bonded and I feel like I have known all of you for a long time. Everyone take a deep breath because here we go!!!