iLEARN, iDO, iTEACH...

The first deeply felt learning I experienced in this course is that we are all passionate about something different, but even though we have different passions, we are all still passionate about the health and welfare of children and families. We are all advocates and want to make a positive difference in children's lives. That is encouraging to me. 

The second deeply felt learning I experienced in this course is that hard work pays off. Even though I was prepared for the hard work it was still difficult to get through at times. But with the help of colleagues and our instructor, I was able to complete this course with a tremendous sense of accomplishment. 

The third deeply felt learning I experienced in this course is that I could actually become a leader of a Community of Practice. I truly believed by the end of the course that this was an attainable goal. I feel that not only have I been taught who to pick, but I have a confidence now about actually going about creating one. 

That is why I am making that my long term goal, to create a Community of Practice that will advocate for children and families within my community. 

I want to wish all of my colleagues and Dr. Teri a joyous farewell. It has been a rough year and a half and we made it! We were able to complete something that took hard work, determination, sacrifice, diligence, time management skills, and passion. I am proud of all of us and I wish us all the best of luck! Please feel free to keep in touch with me :) I would love to hear how you are making a difference in the lives of children and families every year!!

Take care,
Cortnee :)

The first international organization that appealed to me is fhi360. They are "a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions" (FHI360, 2013). They want to help all people around the globe and that is what interests me. I think organizations like this are invaluable to the world we live in. They are truly doing what is important and making a huge impact. 

The second international organization that appealed to me is Save the Children. This organization is geared to children as opposed to all people like fhi360. They reach out nationally and internationally. What I like most is that they "work with other organizations, governments, non-profits and a variety of local partners while maintaining our own independence without political agenda or religious orientation" (Save the Children, 2013).

I was able to find a job that interested me as well with Save the Children. It is a Specialist in Early Childhood Development. The job requirements include: Masters in early childhood development, education, or related field; Three to five years prior early childhood development program design/implementation experience; Experience in developing countries preferred; Experience in materials development to support ECD programming; Excellent communication skills; and Willingness to travel 30-40% time. (Save the Children, 2013). 

The third international organization that appealed to me is United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF. UNICEF is probably one of the most recognized internationally known organizations that help people all over the world. "UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.  That makes us unique among world organizations, and unique among those working with the young." (UNICEF, 2012). 

I was able to find a job with UNICEF I was interested in as well. It is the Early Childhood Development Specialist in Kenya. The job requirements include: Advanced university degree in any of the following:  Social Sciences, Public Health, Education, or other fields related to the work of UNICEF; Eight years of relevant work experience at the national and international levels in social development, management, monitoring and evaluation, including specific experience in ECD; and Fluency in English and another UN working language. (UNICEF, 2012). 

A national organization that appeals to me is Zero to Three. This particular organization has been the one I have been most influenced by throughout my educational journey. I have enjoyed everything I have read from them with regard to the early childhood education field. They seem to understand the needs of children and families and advocate for them. The job opportunity that I am interested in is Development Manager, Proposals and Grants. The skills and experience I would need to competently fulfill this job include: research and cultivation; proposal development; demonstrated knowledge of Foundation and government application processes and contracts management and government funding streams and cycles; from 5 to 7 years of documented development experience/accomplishments focusing on identification and attraction of both public and private funds; Knowledge of early childhood issues a plus; experience in proposal writing and development for private and government grants and contracts; excellent communication skills, both written and verbal; proficient with Microsoft Word; ability to learn ZTT’s content issues quickly and as needed; ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented office; ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision; ability to build relationships with a variety of people, from Program and Policy staff to representative from foundations and government agencies; strong organizational skills; must be creative and a self-starter; and Bachelor's degree in related field. (Zero to Three, 2012). 

Another organization that appeals to me is MDRC. "Created in 1974 by the Ford Foundation and a group of federal agencies, MDRC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan education and social policy research organization dedicated to learning what works to improve programs and policies that affect the poor" (MDRC, 2013). I chose this organization because they are about research. I thought it would be interesting to work for a company that digs into the why's of the real issues. I believe research is one of the best foundations we have for knowledge in our field. The job opportunity that I am interested in is Research Assistant. The skills and experience I would need to competently fulfill this job include: BA/BS in developmental psychology, economics, public policy, sociology, or related social science field; demonstrated interest in social policy issues affecting low-income children/families; basic understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods; excellent attention to detail and ability to multi-task; comfortable working independently and as part of a team to accomplish goals in a fast-paced environment; strong writing and communication skills; proficiency in written and oral Spanish a plus; previous experience working in a nonprofit or as a research assistant is a plus. (MDRC, 2013). 

Lastly, an organization closer to myself in California is Children's Council of San Francisco. "Children’s Council of San Francisco is at the heart of the child care community — connecting families to care that meets their needs, while working with child care providers and community partners to make quality child care and early education a reality for all children in our city" (Children's Council of San Francisco, 2013). The reason I chose this organization is because I thought the job opportunity sounded like something I would enjoy. The job opportunity that I am interested in is Family Child Care Quality Network Manager. The skills and experience I would need to competently fulfill this job include: Master’s Degree in Child Development or related field; in‐depth training and experience in administering FCCERS, BAS, CLASS, ASQ, and other child care assessment scales; experience in providing strength‐based,reflective case management and/or coaching; experience developing and administering child care related programs and projects; direct experience as a Family Child Care provider and/or coach; knowledge of San Francisco communities; bilingual in Spanish or Cantonese a plus. (Children's Council of San Francisco, 2013). 

Thank you,

Cortnee :)

References: 

Children's Council of San Francisco. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.childrenscouncil.org/?q=about

MDRC. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.mdrc.org/about/about-mdrc-overview-0

Zero to Three. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/

I just wanted to say how wonderful it was to work with each and every one of you in this course. It has been an honor getting to know you and I am amazed at what wonderful people you are and how invested you are to children and their families. 

Good luck on your journey and I hope to run into you again some day!

Take care,

Cortnee :)

This is something I have been thinking about a lot lately. As you know I am getting married so my "group" and "project" are wrapped in family, friends, and a lot of emotions. I have been a part of wonderful groups before where it was such a positive experience I wanted to tackle more projects together. I have also been a part of groups where I just wanted the project to be over as well. The best feeling is being appreciated and that is what I hope to accomplish with my group. 

I truly want my group (family and friends) to understand how their help putting my wedding together has meant to me. I have no idea how to portray this. I have thought about a speech at the rehearsal dinner and at the wedding. I have thought about getting some perfect sentimental gift for all involved (but can't since I am now broke ;) or just simply saying thank you to everyone. Nothing seems good enough for the sacrifices all have made to be away from family and to support me and my fiance in our plans. 

I feel that adjourning has to happen because all projects come to an end eventually. Of course, the wedding will be the adjournment, and hopefully part of the present for my friends and family to see what they have accomplished in such a short amount of time. I just pray they all understand how special they are to me and my fiance and how much we do appreciate their tenacity, their commitment  and their passion for helping us in this time. 

One of the problems we are having in our program right now is having leads that are getting different information and giving different information to each of us. We are also having a problem with them simply not answering our questions or getting frustrated with us asking them. We are a fairly new program and we are trying to set a precedent but without support that is almost impossible. 

One of the things we decided to do was have a meeting and ask questions anonymously to our leads boss. This seemed like a good idea and most of us were trying to use the three R's, even though we didn't know they were the three R's. I could tell most of us were trying to respect the conversation, reciprocate and respond in a positive manner. The unfortunate part was a few of the women were not acting the same way. They were getting defensive over things the rest of us did not even understand. I think if we had all been coming from a place of respect we would have had a truly wonderful meeting. Unfortunately not all of us understand what it means to respect, reciprocate, and respond. 

Has anyone else had this happen in their staff meetings? How can we change this? The only thing I can think of is to model the correct behavior because confronting it may only make it worse?

Thanks,

Cortnee :)

I do find myself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures. It is easier to talk to people at work about work things because their frame of reference is the same as mine. Whereas when I go to church I have different things in common with the people there, so I communicate differently with them. I also tend to use a lot more slang when talking to my friends and family, especially because we have been around each other for so long it seems like we have our own language at times. 

Three strategies that I could use to communicate more effectively with the people  mentioned above would be to use the Platinum Rule, to listen, and to use a fresh perspective. The Platinum Rule is to do unto others as they would want to be treated. This means to put their wishes ahead of my own. I would also try to listen and truly hear what people are saying, especially in my work environment  I think with family and friends, when the need arises, I would try to hear them from a fresh perspective. I would try not to assume how the conversation is going based on how it went before. 

Thanks,

Cortnee :)

I watched a show on Nickelodeon. While watching the show with the volume off I  kept thinking everyone was upset or frustrated. There were some moments where I could tell they were happy but it wasn't until I watched it again with the volume on that I realized they were really excited and happy when I thought they were upset or frustrated. I was surprised at how differently I interpreted their feelings with the volume off. 

Thanks,

Cortnee :)

When I think of a competent communicator I think of the Pastor of my church. The behavior that my Pastor exhibits that makes him effective is the approach he uses. My Pastor uses a very informal approach to his preaching style. He is open about himself and his home life, helping the audience to see that he is vulnerable and real. He also uses a lot of props when he is preaching. He tries to engage his audience with relate-able items and stories from his life that people can relate to. In this way he is able to connect with the audience and therefore relay his message in a real and understanding way. 

I would definitely model my own communication behaviors after my Pastor because they are very effective at getting the point across. They are also important in how he connects and that is something I feel is very important when communicating with someone. Being able to relate to another person on a personal level will always bring common ground between both parties and help unite them in at least one way. 

Thank you,

Cortnee :)

One hope I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that I would be patient, understanding, gracious, and not to judge. I feel the best way to appreciate another family is to get to know them. By doing this I can be understanding and sympathetic to their wants and needs. I hope that this is something I can continue to practice on a daily basis with each and every family. I want to always see myself in their shoes in order to understand their life from their perspective. 

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to make it a priority to understand these issues and help others to understand them as well. A colleague mentioned in her reply to my discussion post that she had not heard of these issues until starting her degree at Walden. I too hadn't heard a lot of these issues until starting school with Walden as well. It would be nice if these issues were addressed as early in our degree journey as possible. It would also be nice to have local classes that talk about these issues as well. Especially since there seems to be more and more diverse groups moving into non-diverse neighborhoods. 

I would like to thank my colleagues for their input and wonderful discussions  throughout this course. It has been a pleasure and an honor to work with all of you! I believe you all have a wonderful place in this field and am grateful to have had the pleasure of getting to know you better :)

1. To do as much research as possible on Moldova. 

2. To possibly email or call someone in a government agency that might be able to tell me a little bit more about Moldova and it's people. 

3. To possibly get in contact with several early childhood business within the country in order to see what early childhood consists of in Moldova.

4. To contact the family about their culture and their home they just moved from. 

5. To contact other early childhood agencies within my own country to see if anyone knows anything about Moldova. 

The ways I hope that these preparations will benefit both me and the family is that we will be able to understand a little more about one another. That there will be a comfortability in our conversation because of the familiarity with their culture and background. I hope that we will begin with a mutual respect for one another and understand that it may be difficult at first to communicate and understand each other but that we can work together in order to make their child's transition as easy as possible. 

A memory I have of an incident when I experienced oppression is with my ex-boyfriend, the father of my son. For some reason since my son was born I have had nothing but problems with my ex. He seems to try to bully and control me and everyone around him. Over the years this has cause such an oppressive lifestyle that I don't even like to fight under it anymore because it just makes things worse. 

The way this incident diminishes equity is in the fact that I am not able to stand up against his oppression. It is not a fair fight because he is always on the offensive ready to pounce. I am unable to talk to him like a normal human being. I am constantly having to hide, refrain, or just ignore him.

The feelings this incident brings up for me are frustration, anger, hopelessness  inferiority, sadness, and being overwhelmed. 

I feel that my ex would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity. I feel as though he does not know how to relate to people, especially me. I feel that he needs help. With help I do feel that he could turn his life around. 

I am sorry to have brought up such a sore subject but it is ever-present in my daily life and I felt it was the most relevant to this assignment. 

One example of a microaggression that I detected this week was at work. I work in child care and we have a Fall Camp we run during the week that everyone is off of school for Thanksgiving. During this camp we have a lot of different kids that we do not normally look after.

One of the teachers was talking about one of the children and made a comment about how the parent did not even know how to speak English. That every time he comes to pick up he barely looks at her and she is unable to talk to him about his child. 

On one hand I can see her frustration with not being able to communicate with the parent, but I was shocked that she was frustrated that he did not speak English. I understand it is not always easy for people who only speak English to communicate with others, but the tone in her voice was upsetting.

My observation experiences this week affected my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people in that I was much more aware of how much it was happening. I was oddly surprised that so many things were happening around me that I felt I had no control over. Sometimes I was able to walk away or change the subject, but there were many things that were said that I was ashamed of. It made me sad to see and hear these things happening and I could only wonder what the other person felt like when they did happen. 

I truly felt like we all need to stop talking more and learn to smile and listen more :) in my opinion. 

Thanks,

Cortnee :)

The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied in this course that are included in the answers I received are two-fold. On one hand I had two friends who understood the true definition of culture and diversity, such as knowing that culture is the behaviors and beliefs of a group. On the other hand I had a friend who defined culture by a person's religion, clothing, food, etc. Two got to the heart of what culture and diversity are and the other talked more about the surface measures of culture and diversity. 

The aspects that were omitted were the deeper cultural behaviors and norms such as parenting skills, communication styles, etc. Some of the diversity aspects that were omitted included race, gender, profession, and other such identities. 

The ways in which thinking about other people's definitions of culture and diversity influenced my own thinking about these topics is that it shed more light on how much I did not know before this course. It also showed me that a lot of people do not understand the true definitions of culture and diversity, especially in relation to children. 

Thanks,

Cortnee :)

If a major catastrophe happened and I was forced to leave my home country and move somewhere else, only being able to take 3 small items with me, I would choose to take my wedding ring, my Bible, and a picture of my family. 

Thanks,
Cortnee :)

The insights I have gained about research from taking this course is that there a many more facets to research than I had originally thought. In recent courses I have had coursework about research but not to this depth. I feel that I have a deeper appreciation for the ins and outs of research. I may not understand it all yet, but I understand that the construct of research is more complicated than it would seem to an outsider. I also learned that that there are specific processes to go through in order to create a research project. 

I learned that planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood is extremely helpful in research. These tools make completing a research project that much easier. These tools break down how to do that and with ease. 

Some of the challenges I encountered dealt with understanding the material, specifically research designs. I feel that doing the weekly charts helped me in this area but I also still feel a little behind as well. It did help to get a lot of feedback from Dr. Davis and fellow classmates, but I wish I would have been able to understand the fundamentals before moving on. 

I don’t feel that my perceptions of an early childhood professional in general has been modified as a result of this course, but I do feel that my perception of people who conduct research studies has changed as a result of this course. I did not understand to what extent research took to complete, and now that I do I have a deeper appreciation for what I read. 

Thank you to all my classmates for making this a great course!!

Take care,

Cortnee :)

The website I chose to use for my research around the world assignment is Early Childhood Australia, (2012). The link to this site is here. Some of the international research topics on this website include: partnerships between childhood settings and home; assessments; respecting diversity; nurturing the spiritual child; bullying; storytelling; engaging families; and so much more. 

There is a section on the website titled: "Early Childhood News" and there you can see a lot of things happening in early childhood in Australia. One of the things I found interesting is a book they are selling entitled: First Year at School. In this book it talks about the transitions that happen from home to school the first year. I thought this resource was very valuable. They even offer a free chapter you can review before buying. 

This website is very informative and has a plethora of information. It is easy to understand and navigate.  I really feel like they understand what the needs are of parents and early childhood professionals. I would definitely utilize this resource if living in Australia. 

I found an article about the positive effects of research on cooperative learning and achievement from an article by R. Slavin (1996). The article discusses how research done on cooperative learning on student achievement became so popular and revolutionary that "a recent national survey found that 79% of elementary teachers and 62% of middle school teachers reported making some sustained use of cooperative learning." The article goes on to say that although the research seems to be complete on the subject, there is still a necessity for further research.

I found this article very interesting even though it was geared toward an older age group. It is still interesting to see that research does have a place in our society, we just need to be careful how it is completed.

Thanks,

Cortnee :)

Reference:

Slavin, R. (1996). Research on cooperative learning and achievement: What we know, what we need to know. Retrieved from       http://www.konferenslund.se/pp/TAPPS_Slavin.pdf