Time Well Spent

    The last two and a half years in this program have been a busy and challenging time for me. At times it has been a real struggle to juggle all that life threw at me with my career, my young children, and this master's program. If I'm being honest, there were many times that I didn't know that I would make it through it. However, now that I'm almost done (yay!) with this program, I think back on all of the classes I've taken, ideas learned, discussions had, and assignments completed and I know that I walk away from this a stronger professional, better leader, and more diverse learner. The biggest takeaways that are really resonating with me right now from this program are the following:

1. Communication is everything. Literally everything. But beyond communication, it's about being an effective communicator which entails so much more than I ever imagined. 

2. Equity and equality are two very different things. I always knew what the words meant, but I guess I never really stopped to think about what that looks like in an educational setting and how this plays into my role as a leader and educator. Equity acknowledges that each person has a different set of circumstances and allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Equality means each individual is given the same resources and/or opportunities. This is so important in the daily work that we are doing for our children, families, and staff. 

3. A leader will make a break a program. Leaders have such a huge responsibility to lead their team and it is crucial that they have the right character traits, intention, goals, and leadership style to lead effectively. Leaders have to find the balance of giving directives but not micromanaging. They have to set high goals, expectations, and accountability of their staff, without causing a negative and toxic environment. They have to allow teachers to feel like they have buy in and a voice without losing the vision and mission of the program. It is a daily and constant balancing act. 

Some long terms goals that I have for myself:

• I want to advocate more for the field overall. I want to become active on boards and begin the work to make a positive difference in the field and in the lives of the children, staff, and families that I serve. 
• I'd like to teach college courses in early childhood. I have a diverse background in the field and I think that I could offer valuable insight to others going into this field. I love leading others, and I'd love the opportunity to teach adults wanting to learning more in this field. 
• Big goal... I want to be involved in bringing big change to this field. I want to work to bridge the pay and funding gap between early childhood and elementary education. I want to work to bring cohesiveness to early childhood goals and objectives to Kindergarten skills. I want to be a part of that, so so bad. 

A few of my favorite quotes relating to early childhood...

“If you’re going to equalize the academic playing field, you’ve got to get the kids in early childhood programs.”

– Paul Vallas

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”

– Margaret Meade

“This state has put a lot of concentration on reforming the K-12 system, but we’ve done very little with early childhood education. We can’t wait until they get to kindergarten because then we’re just playing catch-up.”

– Evelyn Keating

I want to take a minute and say thank you to each peer and professor that I have interacted with in this program over the last two and a half years. I have learned so much from each and everyone of you and you've all inspired me in ways I could never imagine. Each of you bring so much experience, perspective, and passion into this field and I can honestly say that THAT has been the best part of this program for me. It has renewed my faith in the future of early childhood and many days it has been what has kept me going on the days that were hard and tiring and I questioned everything I was doing. Best of luck to each and every one of you. On the good days, always remember to encourage others... they likely need it. On the hard days, remember WHY we do this and hold onto that until the days get a little easier. Thank you all, you've impacted my journey in so many positive ways for me and for that I am so grateful. 

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

UNICEF-

The first thing that I noticed on this website was this very simple but SO meaning statement..."UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child". Honestly, as I read that sentence, I got chills. This company is working throughout the world to protect the rights of every child. That work is so important and something that inspires me more than words can say. I decided to dig a bit deeper to truly learn how they complete this work in the day to day. According to their website they go to work in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents. They do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. They are also the world's largest provider of vaccines to children and help to support health and nutrition by providing safe water, education, skill building, and work to protect children from violence and exploitation.  https://www.unicef.org/

Save the Children-

Save the Children is an organization that works in 100 countries to help provide children what they need. Their website says, "As the world's leading expert on childhood, we believe that every child deserves a future. This belief is at the heart of everything we do".  The website goes onto say the following...

"We are global leaders in child  health, education and protection.

We have a proven track record of using donations efficiently and effectively to change children's lives. 

We’re transforming the way emergency care is delivered, putting world-class health professionals to work for children in crisis anywhere in the world within 72 hours. 

We champion gender equality, recently earning the first nonprofit Gender Fair certification. 

We work in the United States, helping more children get ready for kindergarten than any other nonprofit and as the national leader in protecting children in emergencies".

They are doing so much good work for children across the world. I love the diverse range of work that they do for the lives of children worldwide. https://www.savethechildren.org/

Children International-

Children International is a wonderful nonprofit organization that helps children worldwide. Their website states, "they are a humanitarian organization that works to help children in poverty. To overcome living in poverty, Children International focuses on early intervention for kids. It provides health services, nutritional needs, counseling, and other avenues of care. The organization also offers training programs so that children and youths can learn skills to earn employment". What I really like about them, is that in additional to helping give young children what they need to be healthy and happy, they focus on early intervention as well as providing them the skills needed to be successful later in life to get a job. They are giving real like skills needed that I think we so often take for granted. Without those skills, they have a very limited future. With those skills the potential is endless and really gives them a chance to get on their feet and have a happy future. https://www.children.org/

As I read through these difference websites, I had an overwhelming urge to want to be a part of their work internationally. I have a passion for helping young children and families and love the opportunities that I am given each day to do that. But I hope that at some point in my life and career that I'll be able to do some work overseas with young children in great need. I want to be there to love and support and help them. I want to be given that perspective, and I think that opportunity would strengthen me as a professional but also as a human. Being able to help those in such great need, is a privilege and it's such important work. Work that I know would break my heart in many ways, but would also fill it in ways I've yet to experience... and that excites me and gives me a new passion. 

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

Below are a few national and/or federal organizations/communities of practice that sparked my interested are below.

NAECTE- This is an organization from across the US to around the globe. It is a group of people who come together with the same single passion, they are all early childhood teachers and educators. I have never heard of this organization, but I am so glad that I stumbled upon it this week for this assignment. They provide conferences, journal articles, quarterly publications, ideas on grants, job announcements, and a community of likeminded individuals to grow and learn from. This is something that you have to pay for to join, but the cost seemed worth what you get from it. More information can be found here: https://naecte.org 

 U.S. Department's Early Learning Web Site- This is a sub-group of the US Department of Educations main page. This page is dedicated to early learning and providing information and resources that would be helpful in the field. I also was able to subscribe to a newsletter that provides information and updates right to your inbox that are relevant to new information and changes. On the website itself, they offer many different videos and articles with helpful information. This is a free organization/ resource and I am so glad that I found out about it as I think it will be helpful to receive weekly updates to my email on relevant topics. More information can be found here: https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/earlylearning/index.html 

Association of Early Learning Leaders- Their  goal is to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and abilities of early care directors, owners, emerging leaders, and other early learning pro­fessionals to ensure quality child care programs for young children. This organization was exciting to stumble upon because I often feel like there isn't a whole lot of support specifically in place for early childhood administrators. There are many resources specifically for teachers in the field, and then organizations for K-12 administrators, but I haven't found much specifically for us leading this THIS field. More info can be found here: https://www.earlylearningleaders.org/

In my searching, I found a landing page for a local university, that provides a ton of organizations that provide relevant support and resources for early childhood educators/administrators. I am going to share that landing page below, because I think it might be valuable for many other peers in this course and in the field: https://guides.emich.edu/early/orgs 

Job opportunities that interest me on the federal/national level. Though I didn't find any specifically, I think it would be awesome some day to sit on a board or in a role that works with the US Department of Education. I want to be able to be a part of the bigger picture that sets the expectations of early childhood from the national level. I want to be a voice advocating for the change that we need to see as a country in early childhood, because we need people who have been hands on in the field who really know where the disconnect is, and have the early childhood background and experience to know how to do it right and with DAP in mind. This is a lofty goal, but what an incredible position this would be for me down the road. 

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Below are a few local organizations/communities of practice that sparked my interested are below.

Oakland Family Services: This is an organization run by the next county over from me. Oakland county is a very diverse area. They have some of the poorest areas in the area but also some of the most affluent communities in the metro-Detroit area. This is what interests me most about the programs and communities that they offer. They offer wide ranges of resources for families. From finding safe childcare, to helping parents find ways to pay for it, to parenting classes. For early childhood professionals they offer wonderful training opportunities as well as quarterly meetings where they invite people to come together and just connect, share, and brainstorm together. 

Great Start Collaborative- Macomb: This organization's vision is to provide a great start for every child in Macomb County: safe, healthy and eager to succeed in school and in life. They do this by offering resources for parents and families, as well as partnering with the community and businesses to work together to provide a strong and collaborative community to help support these families. They provide many resources and trainings for teacher, staff, and leaders in the early childhood field. Additionally, they have trainings and meetings regularly to bring professionals and the community together to share and collaborate on ways to help fulfill their organizations vision. 

MiNAEYC: They offer so many different opportunities and resources to early childhood professionals. I belong to the Southeastern MI chapter and am trying to get more involved in all that they offer. They have different advocacy groups that people can join based on what you're most passionate about. Also, they have director meetings every other month which are a great time to share and collaborate with other leaders in the field on important topics and decisions. 

MISD: Our intermediate school district for our county offers meetings for people to together and collaborate. They have times specifically for teachers, times for parents, times for the administrators, and then times when all parties are welcome to come together to work through current issues, concerns, etc. 

Job Opportunities of Interest: I have had many great opportunities to grow in my roles in this field over the last 18 years. I started my career as an assistant teacher, then lead teacher, director, and now multi-site administrator. Every step of my career has taught me so much, and really helped me to see the bigger picture of each role which I think helps me in my current role. I love that in my current role, I oversee my own program/school with almost 300 preschoolers while also getting to oversee 5 other latchkey sites held in our districts elementary schools. It provides me so many different opportunities to help families, students, and staff and quite honestly keeps me busy. 

As I thought about job opportunities that are of interest to me, only a few came to mind. All of which would require years of experience in the field and in different roles and capacities to provide diverse knowledge in all things early childhood. I've always wanted to teach college courses in Early Childhood. Once I complete this degree, I believe it'll open up some options at the community college level or allow me to teach CDA level programs.  I'd also love to be an a role at some point that works at the state level to advocate for all things Early Childhood. I want to use my passion and experience to help further this field for many years to come. 

A Note of Thanks...

 As we wrap up this course, I want to take a minute and thank each of you for coming along with me on this learning process together these past 8 weeks. It has been such a joy to learn alongside and through each of you in blog posts, discussions, etc. I wish all of you the best professionally and as you work to complete your degree. I'm sure my path with cross with many of you again in these courses, and I look forward to it!

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!! :) 

The adjourning stage...

The adjourning stage of team development is the final stage. It is the final wrap up, the time for evaluation, recognition, and sometimes the celebration... it's kind of the final goodbye. As with any goodbye it is important because you need closure before you can move on. 

When I think about groups that I've worked in, whether it was personally, professionally, or academically, some have been harder to see end than others. When I think about why that is I think there are two factors that affect this for me:

1. How close was I to the group. In the groups that I made connections and developed trusting relationships, this was hard. In groups that I performed well in either as a group or even just personally, they are harder to see come to an end. 

2. Do I feel like there was more that I could of done either personally or overall? I struggle with the "what ifs", I like to know the plan, the options, really all the things that could happen or should've happened. So for me personally, I think these are harder to let go of, if I think there was work or ideas that we missed perusing. 

When I think about closing rituals for these groups, I think it's just important that you get closure. I want to have time to share with the group my thoughts as well as give and receive constructive (and hopefully) positive feedback so that I can learn from the experience to grow in the future. I am a pretty emotional person, so I get attached to others pretty easily when I am given the time and opportunity to know them, so goodbyes are usually pretty hard for me regardless of the setting. It's also nice to find ways to connect with others even after the group is complete. Sometimes they are people that you will encounter in your day to day without any thought or planning. Sometimes they are people that you connect with to network and grow through. And sometimes they are people that are now your friends who you will stay connected with moving forward. 

Conflict...

Conflict, unfortunately, is a part of our everyday lives. Even with our best of intentions, there will come a day, time, and or situation that will cause us conflict in our lives. Sometimes it may be professionally, sometimes personally, and sometime even an internal conflict. Though we can try to navigate around conflict and avoid it whenever possible, we still need to be prepared to handle and resolve it in the best ways possible when the situation presents itself. 

If i'm being honest, the biggest conflict lately in my life is on a personal level with my husband. There is a constant push and pull between us, and we are having times of conflict almost daily. I know that there are a lot of contributing factors that have us in this current spot, none of them being huge or terrible, but mostly revolving around both of us being busy, over-worked, stressed, and feeling under appreciated by the other person. 

This weeks learning, regarding conflict resolution has given me some pretty good insight into some of the disconnect between us, that is causing some of this conflict to occur. The first thing that I'm seeing is the need for mutual respect between us. Let me break it down a bit more though, because the term "respect" is pretty vague. There's respect between us, however there is NOT respect between us for how the other person is feeling. If i'm being honest with myself (and now anyone reading this) I don't respect how he's feeling, because I think that he should be doing and giving more. I'm not respecting his thoughts, feelings, and as a result it's causing conflict. And on the flip side (in my opinion anyways) he isn't respecting my thoughts or feelings either. 

If neither of us can acknowledge respect for the others person thoughts and/or feelings, how can we ever truly resolve this conflict? We cannot. As I shared in my discussion post this week, I am a firm believer that I don't to agree with someone else thoughts, beliefs, and/or opinions. However, I do have to show them respect for having strong feelings/opinions on different things. And this is something that he and I both need to work on. 

I also think that we need to work harder to come to compromises on many of our conflicts. We both passionately believe that we are "right" and the other person is "wrong". And that is our roadblock. However, generally speaking there is a bit of truth in both sides, and if we can come together, meet on middle ground and compromise in our resolution not only will the conflict go away but it'll show both of us that we respect each other enough to work through it in a positive way. 

It's interesting and maybe a bit "funny" how easy it is for me to come to this realization when I look at it in this way. Obviously when feelings and emotions are involved it isn't always so black and white and certainly isn't so "easy". I feel like the more you care and are emotionally invested in something/someone the harder it is to resolve conflict. Our passion and care makes resolution harder to reach... Anyone else feel this way? 

Me as a Communicator...

 This weeks assignment was eye opening and though provoking for me. It's interesting the differences between how you perceive yourself from how those around you perceive you. I always thought that I was a good communicator. I thought that professionally speaking, I was a clear, effective, and efficient communicator. I was surprised to hear from one of my staff that i've worked with for a while, that sometimes I am not as clear as I think I am with my directives and/or expectations. She did say that one-on-one she thinks I am clearer but that in larger groups, sometimes I change the expectation as I go based on the response of the group. My initial thought when she said that, was to get defensive and try and justify myself but instead I stopped and listened. And the more she tried to explain (very calmly and kindly) her rationale, the more I understood where she was coming from and appreciated the feedback so that I could learn and do better in this regard moving forward. 

I realized that in trying to be personable, and listening to the employees thoughts and opnions ( in my mind to validate and "hear" them) I would sometimes change my directive, making it hard to follow what I was expecting of them. My good intentions in being a good communicator/listener, actually was where the disconnect happened for me. Interesting.... 

I also realized through the assessments this week, that I don't always come across to others how I mean too. In my job, in life, in my home, really in all of the areas of life... I am constantly on the go and trying to get a lot of things done in a short amount of time (like many people). I learned that sometimes when I feel rushed/stressed/ and even anxious others can feel and sense that and I come across as rushing them and not caring about what they have to say. This feedback came from my close friend, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I absolutely do this in my personal life, especially with those that I am the closest too and most comfortable with, because my guard is down more than with others. 

Communicating and Cultural Diversity...

Think about the cultural diversity you see in your colleagues at school, in your neighborhood, in your workplace, and also, possibly, within your family. Consider all the aspects that make up culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on.

• Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?
• If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

Based on what you have learned this week, share at least three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified.

I found this weeks topic to be specifically interesting, mostly because it was something I hadn't really thought much about prior to reading. However, the more that I thought about it the more that I realized how important of a topic it was to really learn and grow through especially when working with children and families in an educational setting. Where I live, there is quite a bit of diversity. People from different places, different cultures, values, religions, and beliefs coming together... it's honestly something that I have always found to be interesting and beautiful. However, because I am from the dominant culture for this area, I don't think I really realized how all of these factors play into communication until this week. 

When I think about cultural diversity under the context of communication, I think that the following strategies will help me be a better communicator, stronger leader, and more open and welcoming human:

1. Remember that non-verbal communication can be just as strong (if not stronger) than the words that I say. I need to aware of what my eyes, face, hands, body, etc are saying to ensure people of any culture feel comfortable and respected when communicating with me. 

2. Take the other peoples lead. Open up the conversation in a warm way, but follow what the other party does to ensure that I'm respecting the differences in or cultures and beliefs.

3. Use helpful tools when possible. Would pictures or other items help our communication be more effective? If so, use them so that both parties are on the same page and there isn't any communication gaps between us due to culture, language, etc. 

It all just comes back to being intentional with my words and actions to make sure that people I'm communicating with feel heard, valued, understood, and respected. I think if you can keep those factors in mind, even when you're in disagreement with someone about something, a peaceful resolution can be found because your foundation is a positive one. 

TV Show Communication...

For this blog assignment, I turned on Netflix, and found a show that I have never seen or honestly even heard of. The show I chose was "Friends from College" and I picked the first episode to watch. 

As I watched it with the sound off, it was honestly a bit hard to really know what was going on and was hard to follow. Honestly, I almost turned it off a couple of times. But then I really started to focus on the characters NON verbal communication. Their facial expressions, hand movements while they talked, and body language. I began to feel like I was able to follow along a bit more on the show and what was happening. 

The non-verbal communication that I was observing between the characters and their relationships with each other, seemed a bit awkward and tense. The body language between them was a bit confusing to navigate without the help conversation and communication between them. When I look at the non-verbal behavior between the main characters and look at their feelings and expressions, it seems like there is a lot of yelling. Lots of hand movements, over the top facial expressions, and what appears to be whispering.

When I re-watched the same episode, this time with sound on, the pieces of the characters and the plotline certainly came together a bit more clearly. Looking back, it probably wasn't my best plan to choose the pilot episode of this show for this activity, as I think that often the first episode of a show hops around a bit more than a "normal" episode, because they're trying to get you hooked on the show by showing you lots of different plots and stories. None of which I really was able to pick up on with the sound off, because there was too much happening to retain it all. 

Additionally, if I had watched a show that I had seen prior, or even better one that I knew well, my assumptions about what was happening would have been much more clear, because i'd have a frame of reference on the characters an some idea of the plotlines.

My biggest "AHA" moment from this activity is that we need to be intentional with both our verbal and nonverbal communication in life but specifically professionally. It is so easy for what we say and do, when interacting with children and families to be taken the wrong way, and the results of that could be negative for all involved. It is important that we choose our words clearly, and are aware of our body language, facial expressions, and even responses so that our communication is helpful and not hurtful. 

A Competent Communicator...

 For your blog this week, think of someone (e.g., family member, celebrity, politician, friend, or professor) who demonstrates competent communication within a particular context. What behaviors does this person exhibit that make him or her effective? Would you want to model some of your own communication behaviors after this person? Why or why not?

When I think about someone who demonstrates competent communication with a particular context, my mind immediately went to my sister. My sister is a principal of an elementary school, but before her current role she taught high school English for many years. When she is speaking about anything in regards to education, children, even English and Literature, she comes across as an expert in what she's communicating about.

When she speaks, people listen. She is passionate, she in confident, she is well informed, and she leads the conversation. I would go so far to say, that even when she isn't completely confident in what she is communicating, she does a heck of a job "faking it" using basic knowledge and common sense to get her point across. She keeps her head held high, makes eye contact, and keeps her body language open but confident.

Something that she does when she is communicating, is she is thoughtful in her responses. She always delivers her thoughts eloquently, and calmly, but in a way that leaves the other person feeling pretty confident in what she is saying. She also (even when she is delivering less than wonderful news) tries to approach the conversation with as much positivity and compassion as humanly possible, without seeming fake. All of these skills and attributes are what the reason that I feel she has been so successful professionally as well as what makes her a competent communicator in her field. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression...

I hope that as I continue to work with children and their families in this field that they will always knows that I am there to accept, support, and love them for who they are and for the differences between us. I hope that I will not only acknowledge any personal bias' I may have, but then also make the necessary changes to overcome those biases so that they never negatively impact anyone else. 

For the field of early childhood overall, I want to see a greater focus on diversity, equity, and social justice. I want their to be time, money, and training invested into educating teachers and professionals on the importance of this as well as how to implement it in our classrooms, centers, heck even in our day to day lives. We need to make this our focus. We are raising the next generation of humans, we have to make this our focus, so that it impacts our kiddos in so many positive and meaningful ways. 

A special thanks to each of you in this course with me for the past 8 weeks. We've learned a lot from the course materials, but I've also learned a lot from so many of you. It is nice to have a community of likeminded professionals who are growing alongside of me on this journey. Best of luck to each of you! 

Welcoming Families From Around the World...

 The name of “your” family’s country of origin: Peru

At least five ways in which you will prepare yourself to be culturally responsive towards this family

1. Spend time learning their language. Most Peruvians speak Spanish so I would spend time learning some key words that would be helpful in communicating with both the student and the family. 

2. Spend time learning about the main religions of the country. Most Peruvians are Roman Catholic. This helps me to understand their beliefs as well as what holidays may be meaningful to them. Knowing this will help me build a healthy and respectful relationship with the family and the child.

3. Learn about some of their favorite foods, and find a way to make them dinner. Peruvians use grow lots of varieties of potatoes and corn, so they also use it in a lot of their foods! Finding ways to bring the taste of home, to the US might help them feel more comfortable and at ease. 

4. Learn about how their cultures greets one another. In Peru, when you are meeting someone for the first time it is respectful and expected that you shake hands and look each other in the eye as a form of respect. I would greet the parents like this so they know that I have respect for them. 

5. I'd make sure I knew about their family and household structures so that I don't make any assumptions or bring any unintentional prejudice or bias into our conversations/relationship. For example, Peruvians take gender roles very seriously. They also often are very close to their extended family and see them often. 

Overall, It is important to understand and know what is important to their culture so that they feel supported and accepted. You want them to know that though you don't know them, you want to get to know them. You want to learn what makes you similar and what makes you different. You want them to feel like you respect them and their culture so that a healthy and trusting relationship can be formed for the good of everyone involved. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression...

1. What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression, or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression? Keep in mind that one can encounter such incidents in real contexts, including online environments, as well as in fictional ones, such as movies, books, television shows, and the like.

When I first started out in this profession, I was fresh out of high school working in a church daycare as an assistant teacher. I had grown up attending that church, and it was a very conservative Christian belief church. At the time, I was young, naïve, and didn't really know much but out the outside world and had no real ideas about diversity, equity, inclusion, etc. I remember a friend of mine who was a boy, interview to be an assistant teacher at the center with us. He too had grown up in the church and everyone knew him. He was great with kids, so it only made since to me that he'd work there too. 

I remember we had a staff meeting and he was there and they introduced him to the rest of the staff and shared he'd be joining the team. I remember the director made a big deal about how he would only be working with preschoolers, because it wasn't "smart" for men to change diapers and work with infant and toddlers. Again, at the time, I didn't really question it, but now looking back, it is infuriating to me that this was their through process but also that they spoke such hateful and assuming words about him to a group of people. 

2. In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

In this situation, it was the idea that because he was a man he

1. Shouldn't change diapers

2. Would somehow be inappropriate for him to change diapers

3. Would make parents uncomfortable to change their kids diapers

This incident diminished equity by saying because he is a man, he shouldn't change diapers or be trusted to work with infants and toddlers. 

3. What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

Again, at the time, I remember thinking about how I knew plenty of men who changed diapers, but I really didn't understand all of the implications of this incident at the time. Now, I'm disgusted, mad, and disappointed in the church, in the leadership, and in the fact that not one educated person working there knew enough to speak up and say something. 

4. What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

He would've needed to have been treated like every other staff who was working there. He should've been given proper training on how to care for all children appropriately, as well as give his job expectations and held to the same standard that everyone else was, regardless of his gender. He (and all staff) should be judged on their ability to properly love and care for children and not on their gender. 

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions...

This week as I've learned more about microaggressions, I'm really beginning to see that they are all around us and happen more often than I ever realized. I saw an example this week happen with my sister and a mutual friend. 

My sister struggles with anxiety, and at times it's a bit more manageable, and at other times it's a bigger struggle and a constant battle she is fighting to overcome. My sister is an elementary school principal, and this school year has already been quite a hard one, an emotionally draining one, and even phsyically draining. Her anxiety is through the rough, and she is fighting hard to make it through each day. She is a mom of 3 teen agers, a wife, and then add her stressful job on top of it. 

Anyways, we were together talking about our stresses and anxiety (she and I are in similar spots right now with work stress and anxiety) so we were kind of just commiserating together on how we're struggling. Our friend stopped and looked at my sister and said to her, "if you could just stop worrying and enjoy life a little, your anxiety would go away". I believe that the friend thought that she was offering a viable and helpful solution, but instead she was saying to my sister (and I) that we are the reason our anxiety is so bad and that we need to just stop and be happy. It was belittling, it was offensive, and honestly it was hurtful. The comment was directed at my sister, but because it is something that I too am very really struggling with, it felt very personal and attacking. The message that her words sent to us were that "we were wrong for feeling that way and needed to stop and feel better already". 

This interaction again just reminded me that our words matter. That our actions, bias', responses, and even facial expressions matter. We need to be intentional with our words and actions. We need to look at people and situations with open hearts and not preconceived ideas or opinions, especially on matters that we know nothing about. That isn't offering someone "help", it's offering hurtful judgement that is going to leave that person feeling worse than when they started. 

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

For this weeks blog assignment, I talked with three different people in my life about culture and diversity. I chatted with a close friend who is the same age as me, I chatted with my sister who is 7 years older than me, and lastly I talked with a co-worker who is significantly older than me and also a different race that I am. 

Definitions of Culture that I got from my 3 conversations:

1. Culture is everything that makes you, you. 

2. Culture is someone's traditions, beliefs, race, etc

3. Culture is what makes a person who they are. It is years of family customs and beliefs, traditions, religion, values... it's literally everything. 

Definitions of Diversity that I got from my 3 conversations:

1. Diversity is basically the differences between different people and groups.

2. Diversity is the understanding that everyone has differences ranging from sexual preference to their social class, to their religion. 

3. Diversity is a very broad term that should encompass so many things that can be see as differences between people. Diversity should be not only accepted but also celebrated. 

I think my biggest takeaway from these conversations was from my co-worker who is significantly older than me and also a different race (African American). She was so open and excited to talk to me about what culture was and what it meant to her and her family. I saw her face light up as she spoke about beliefs, traditions, memories, food, etc. She was so excited to share those details about her family and life with me. And then there was a sudden shift when I asked her about diversity. The conversation continued, but it was always like there was a negative word association for her with the word "diversity". She talked about what it SHOULD be and what it SHOULD mean, but then shared that often times in her life, she hasn't always felt like diversity was celebrated or even accepted. I could tell there was more behind her words, and there was some emotion and passion. I saw passion in her eyes again as she started to talk about how she can create a diverse classroom for her students and I see the importance of that for her in her classroom. 

I think it's just important that we remember in this class and in our day to day professional like that everyone comes to us with very different background, experiences, and feelings on many topics including culture and diversity. We need to be open and honest in our conversations but also ensure that we are being sensitive to the feelings and experiences that others may have both good and bad, and proceed appropriately from there! 

My Family Culture...

 If there was a major catastrophe and my family and I had to evacuate to another country, I believe I'd take the following items to help remember and preserve my families culture...

First, I'd bring family pictures and photo albums. This is important because I'd want to be sure that my family and I could have a way to remember the people and places that are important to us and the memories we've made as well as the memories of extended and even passed family members. 

Next, I'd bring our family cookbook. This cookbook has recipes from family members both alive and passed away and shares with me some of my most favorite family recipes that I would want to make sure that I could continue to cook for my family (even in a new place) but would also allow my children years down the road to have as a resource to remember for many years to come. 

The last item I would bring would be my two kiddos "lovey" items. They both have cuddle items that they've had since birth that are important to them and help calm them and comfort them. These items will be with them for a long time, and would be the items that I'd put away in boxes as they get older and pull out for them to show their children someday. These are the beginning items to start their family culture in years to come. 

If when I arrived, I was told that we could only keep one, I would keep the family photos. Though the other ones are important to me and my family, the family photos will now and forever show my family the people, places, things, etc that we loved and enjoyed for years. This would be a very meaningful way to keep our memories, traditions, and cultures alive now and forever. 

An insight that I learned through this assignment, is that for me THINGS don't matter in the end. As I thought about this assignment I just kept thinking as long as I had my family, nothing else would matter, and that is so true and so meaningful. Family is everything. As long as I have the love and support of my family and am able to be with them, I can figure the rest out. 

When I think of Research...

Why is your simulation important to the field of early childhood?

My simulation is important to the field because all children should be provided an equitable education starting at their youngest formal schooling experience. I believe that the most teachers, want to provide their children with an equitable experience, but they don't always know what that looks like, and what they need to do to help make it happen. This simulation would show the benefits for children as well as point out the most beneficial and meaningful strategies teachers can use in their classroom to make it happen. 

If you were to conduct your simulation proposal, who would benefit?

The children would benefit because they would all be provided an equitable early learning experience. The teachers would also benefit because it would help them learn which strategies are worth while, and which ones are not which would help them better time manage their already limited time. 

What are some of the ways your perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course?

I think my biggest takeaway from this course is that we (as early childhood professionals) use the research process much more than I ever realized in our day to day working with young children and families. I always kind of just assumed that I would never need to know this or the steps/ process. But the more I have learned this course, the more it is clear that we use this daily in our field and that when used correctly, it can make us stronger educators. 

Research Around the World...

Website: www.https://www.eecera.org/ 

I chose to do explore the website, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal (EECERJ) to learn more about international topics relating to early childhood. Some of the most recent topics that this publication has written about are: 

• Embracing Culture in Early Childhood Education
• Literacy in Preschool 
• The Role of Play in Creating a Language-Conducive Context in a Bilingual Preschool
• Dealing with Transition in Formal Meetings with Parents and Staff
• Food and Meal Policies and Guidelines in Kindergartens in Norway and China
• The Influence on Parenting Style
• Preschool Teachers’ Self-efficacy Beliefs and Interaction Quality 

As I explored this website and really dug into what they post, what they do, their mission, and publications it felt very familiar to me. The more that I read, the more I realized that this website is very comparable to our NAEYC website (National Association for the Educating of Young Children). It is a wonderful resource for parents, educators, and even the community to help learn more about young child and how to best support them. EECERJ even offers membership options to its readers, very similar to NAEYC as well. 

Beyond their Journal articles/publications, I really enjoyed reading their blog topics and even dove into reading a few of the blog posts as well. I liked to see what relevant/ trending topics had been posted about to see how it relates to what we are experiencing here. A lot of time in the early childhood field and it was nice to feel a connection internationally knowing that accrossed the world we are all working together to help develop, shape, and grow the littlest people who will have a huge impact on all of our futures!

Research that Benefits Children and Families—Uplifting Stories

Question: Imagine that you possess the means and the knowledge to conduct research studies about any topic in the early childhood field. Imagine further that you are not restricted by the reality of the present. Imagine that your study will make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families. What topic would you choose? What can you imagine the positive contribution(s) would be?

As I think about this weeks blog questions, I thought about what would be a relevant and meaningful topic to my life right now in regards to young children and early childhood. I think about the ongoing pandemic that we are working through. Yes, things seem to have gotten better, but we are not yet through it. And unfortunately, I do not think that we are going to see the full extent and long-term negative social-emotional side effects on everyone (but for the purpose of this, young children) for years to come. If I had the ability, means, resources, etc. to conduct a research study, I would focus on the lasting impacts of a child's social-emotional wellbeing. We know that children are resilient, but how do tough events, stress, trauma etc. affect them in the long term? It's hard to truly answer this question because there are so many variables and factors that would play a huge role in the reliability and outcomes of this study. But with the idea that "there would be no restrictions" I'd love to see how that research plays out. I'd love to have a better understanding on this to be able to help little ones and their families work through this tough time.

This topic is meaningful to me for a few reasons. First, because as a mom of an almost 2 and almost 4 year old, I have concerns with how this pandemic has negatively impacted them in ways I don't even know or understand. But then I think about the children and families in my programs and wonder about them. How will they recover from these last 18 months? Will the mandatory mask wearing negatively impact them down the road? How will their social emotional development be delayed due to less interactions and opportunities to be out in public in larger groups? How will the stress of job loss impact their families overall health? There are just so many unknowns with how a pandemic will affect young children. Sometimes I wonder if because my children specifically were so young when it started, that maybe they won't have any struggles in it? Sometimes I feel incredible amounts of guilt and stress that my son who was only 6 months when this started, is somehow missing key social-emotional experiences will be hard to catch up on later? I'd love to be able to dive in and conduct research to know. So that we can begin to help these little ones work through it.