Time Well Spent

Lifelong learning is truly time well spent.

I have become so much more alert to issues that not only affect young children, but those that inform about adult learning. I have had a deep interest in early childhood since I became a mother twenty five years ago, and then as I learned about child care as an owner and director of a center.  With a business background, I had experience supervising and mentoring adult staff, but learning about the characteristics of adult learners was new and very inspiring to me.  I am now a trainer of adults, and will continue to be as I collaborate with colleagues, fellow citizens, and my communities of practice. I will continue to work on behalf of the children in my community, wherever I may be, by gaining the trust and cooperation of other adults.  I am very happy to have studied the elements of successful collaboration, especially listening to the wisdom of colleagues in our discussions and in blogs.

In addition to listening, and acknowledging and learning from the wisdom of others, I have developed a deeper realization of the impact of my personal social identity on all that I do, and on how I relate to diverse people. I have a new awareness for the need to include more diverse people in both my personal and professional lives. 

I must remember that adults learn best when the materials are presented in a pleasing manner, evoking positive emotions that make the information memorable. Just like children, we learn and remember information when it is meaningful to us, when we feel safe in our learning environment, and have trust in the leadership. During my coursework at Walden, I practiced these with my colleagues and the staff.

A long-term goal I have is to become a fearless advocate for early care and education, not simply an armchair cheerleader. The Interconnections (Laureate Education, Inc. 2012) multimedia presentation reminds us to become members of professional organizations, but I wish to go further and commit to being active in my local AEYC chapter, of which I am currently a passive member.  I wish for my advocacy efforts to make positive changes in child care and preschool education in the State of Ohio. I will start by working in my local school district, where early childhood is surely under stress, and in my city, where children must have a safe place for learning, on the playground.

I wish to thank you, Dr. Morgan, and fellow students for providing a safe place for learning and discussion that was intellectually stimulating. It has stretched my vision of my career in Early Childhood.

My contact information is:

blindedbyscience@sbcglobal.net

Facebook page: Terri Weekley (Garfield Heights, OH)

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer).(2012). Interconnections [Webcast]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

The International ECE Community

     In the international community of the early childhood profession, I am drawn to agencies that work with orphaned children, or those with disabilities, perhaps because I desire to serve children who have the fewest resources. Save the Children initially appealed to me because it was founded and is based in The United States. An Early Childhood Professional does not have to travel outside of home borders to find children who struggle with poverty, lack of health care resources, protection from family and environmental threats, or lack of appropriate developmental stimulation. Save the Children was started in Appalachia, during the Great Depression, and stretched overseas to help children in war-torn, post-WWII Europe. Today, they work world-wide in disaster relief as well as in long-term restoration of basic children's rights to survival, protection, development, and participation. Positions posted at Save the Children are of limited duration, an appealing option to anyone who is looking for a variety of experiences. Information about Save the Children can be found at http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

     In Budapest, Hungary, The Pickler Institute, at

http://pikler.org/AboutUs.html 

serves orphaned infants and toddlers, and educates caregivers about their methods of providing tender attention within an institutional environment. The Institute has conducted long-term research about the success of the chidlren who have been cared for in the Pickler methods, and is a model for all institutional care, including child day care in the United States. The Institute is interesting, however I believe that job opportunities are limited by its small size and budget.

      Whole Child International, at

http://www.wholechild.org/vision/ also serves children living in group homes by providing training in developmentally appropriate early childhood practice. The three corners of their vision are attachments for children, continuity of caregiving, and small groups. The description of Whole Child International's efforts in Nicauragua include director and caregiver training, creating appropriate environments for children with limited resources, and creating meaningful histories for children without guardianship. The website indicated that recruiting for positions is a slow process.

     Working for any of these agencies would require me to be fluent in Spanish or French. Immersion may force fluency of my street and classroom Spanish, and so working in a Spanish-speaking country might be a possible option for me. My lack of foreign language ability, however, limits the flexibility I have and may compromise my personal safety serving outside of English-speaking nations. In addition, social skills and personal habits that accept modest living will be needed traits to live where infrastructure many not always provide electricity, transportation, water or plumbing, or comfortable housing. As poor as some of our American communities seem, many areas in the global early childhood envionment are without even basic, survival resources. American early childhood professionals must be gracious guests in foreign homes.

Roles in the National ECE Community

Bethe Almeras, MS
Center DirectorI can sum up what I do in two words: Play Evangelist. I love to work with "grown-ups" (educators, parents, policy makers – you name it!) to promote the importance of play, time in nature and the role of joy in childhood. I share this passion through presentations and trainings, educational resources, blogging and social media outlets, eLearning experiences – and any other way I can think of! I have worked with individuals from "cradle to grave," and also specialize in inclusive education for children with disabilities. I truly believe that play and time in nature is the best way to reach and teach everyone, regardless of age or ability. You can follow my pro-play platform at The Body Smart Blog, The Grass Stain Guru and on Twitter @HSBS_Play. See ya outside!


         On a national level, I have found a number of organizations that attest to the critical value of play in early childhood, and beyond. The Boards of Directors boast high ranking academics, physicians, and a large number of psychologists. What has been discovered and published about play screams to the public of the need for a return to this vanishing value to save our societies from ruin. The National Institute for Play was founded by Dr. Stuart Brown, and is committed to gathering research about play and bringing it into public life. Dr Stuart discovered a pattern of play's absence in a study of homicidal young males. I can identify with this method of discovering the value of a thing only in its absence in my work with children with special needs. He is also a member of The Alliance for Childhood, an organization that "promotes policies and practices that support children's healthy development, love of learning, and joy in living." (Alliance for Childhood, n.d.). In The Crisis in Early Education (Almon & Miller, 2011) the Alliance speaks out to educators and parents that lack of play in education is counterproductive, and offers the science behind the claim. These organizations offer credible support to my recommendations and strategies to child care providers I serve in my work, and to school board and city officials to whom I appeal. They will become a part of my community of practice as I prepare my plan of action to improve play opportunities in my home community. The role I discovered in my research for national organizations to which I feel most connected is that which Center Director Bethe Almeras names "Play Evangelist". Bethe has a job that I have done, that I am qualified to do, and which I had enjoyed immensely. Her bio appears on the website for Head Start Body Start, a program of the National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play. She is the adult educator of the center, a role that I intend to continue to grow into. Another job at this center is Education and Outreach Coordinator, held by an individual who majored in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism. This Center resonated with me because it is research in action, and manned by people of many backgrounds, not specifically Early Childhood Education. As Bronfenbrenner's model illustrates, the greatest influences in the life of a child are family, school personnel, and a myriad of adults in the immediate neighborhood that create opportunities for joy (Lepuschitz, 2011).
The job opportunities that interest me are those that allow me to be a Play Evangelist, and teach children, parents and family, and all community members that play is necessary for a happy life. It is not an "extra". All may access the science of play in carrying out the mission of supporting playful childhoods.


References:
Almon, J. & Miller, E. (2011). The crisis in early education: A research-based case for more play and less pressure. Retrieved from http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/

Lepuschitz, J. K. (2011). Brofenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Laureate Education Inc., Baltimore, MD.


Resources:

http://www.aahperd.org/headstartbodystart/about/staff.cfm

http://www.allianceforchildhood.org/founding

http://nifplay.org/

Exploring Roles in the Local Early Childhood Community

      In our careers and education, the image of an Early Childhood Professional seems to jump to preschool education or child care. There is so much more that must occur in the lives of children long before learning to read and count.  The quality of family life is at the very heart of early childhood. Support for the family is a community’s first mission: If life is good for families, it is good for everyone. In my local area in Cleveland Ohio, I am drawn to a few organizations that are committed to the well-being of families.  There are two models for local Family Rooms that invite families of very young children to socialize, learn parenting skills and discuss child-related issues, serve as a resource for basic and personal needs, and generally validate Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory by building a strong and positive influential microsystem.  The Lakewood Family Room is an extension of the city’s Department of Health and Human Services. The Shaker Family Room provides the same early childhood and family support, but collaborates more with school officials in an effort to prepare families for school, and the school for local families. Both are smart moves to build strong families in thriving communities. The Ohio Department of Education also assists communities in building Early Childhood PTA programs.  The Cuyahoga County Family Justice Center is a now-forming family service program, intending to pull together under one roof all needed services for families who have experienced domestic violence. The site below shows some shocking photos of moms in trouble. So many little children have witnessed or experienced such abuse, and are forever changed by it. Strong early childhood programs can work to create places free from fear so that children can grow and learn with fewer developmental obstacles.

      The employment opportunities in the family room examples are few, as mid to small-sized cities seldom include Health and Human Services with a focus on Early Childhood in their city budgets.  In the case of Lakewood Family Room, there is one such job available, and it has been filled, with a long wait list.  The Shaker Family Room pays a stipend to its Director from a private grant foundation.  I believe there is potential future employment opportunity for the Family Justice Center when implementation is near, though it is likely that most services will be provided by existing agencies, making the employment opportunity for this agency likely to come from the County Department of Children and Family Services. Early Childhood experience and education, especially in mental health, seems to be what is needed, as well as a frugal lifestyle. When working with the Family Justice Center, it will also be necessary for staff to have access to and a plan for managing personal mental health.

Ohio Department of Education

http://education.ohio.gov/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?Page=3&TopicRelationID=1793&Content=117943

Lakewood Family Room

http://www.onelakewood.com/HumanServices/EarlyChildhood/FamilyRoom.aspx

Shaker Heights Family Room

http://www.familyconnections1.org/facilities/shakerplayroom.php

Family Justice Center

http://ja.cuyahogacounty.us/en-US/family-justice-center-new.aspx

Communicating Ahead

Thanks to my course colleagues who had to be trusting enough in this class and in past courses to divulge failures in personal and professional communications along with what worked. It is because we have been supportive of each other that we have been able to speak frankly about our experiences, beliefs, successes, and failures. Such support has been encouraged and nurtured by Dr. Myers. May we continue to be as supportive of friends, family, and colleagues as we continue our careers in the Early Childhood Field.

Team Building and Collaboration- Adjourning

     As I have considered the groups in which I have been involved, I recognize that whether formal or informal, we have had some sort of closing ritual. The Recognition Committee which I recalled for its lack of clear vision did indeed have a most effective closure. The committee met twice more after the training institute to review the session evaluations, and then to make notes for the following year's committee. A less formal family planning committee for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary conducted meetings before the event, but really had no formal adjournment, though the clean up after the guests left was a time of discussion and planning for the future. The event is recounted frequently at family functions.( It was a smashing success, a highlight in our family history.) In both experiences, there certainly was no sadness at separating from the group or meetings. The goals were very clearly reached, successfully, and there was no need to feel anything but positive about moving on to the next adventure. Both our text (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009) and The Five Stages of Team Development: A Case Study (Abudi, 2010) indicate that the stage of adjournment brings sadness at separation. I disagree. If the outcome was successful, and if relationships are strengthened, why wouldn't separation from the project be a natural transition to the next activity? I find that at the end of such a group effort, there is plenty of work and play waiting for me, and I am not sad to move on. I will not be sad to have successfully completed my studies at Walden, and if I continue to build relationships that have begun here, all the better. Mission accomplished.

References:

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html



O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Non-Violent Communication and Conflict Management

I have recently experienced yet another communication conflict with a sibling, the same sibling. Her initial attack was not focused at me, but towards a brother in the audience of the rest of us, via e-mail, the great impersonal channel. The root of the conflict was money. Surprised? The conflict between us was triggered by a combination of unbalanced costs and rewards and incompatible life goals in that money is not as important as strong and loyal sibling relationships. Through brief e-mails, we tried to discuss options and alternatives and also to debate and argue the merits of both sides of the disagreement. A plea for her to consider the outcomes of her actions and communications affecting her and the others was met with verbal combativeness. I, and I believe the other four siblings, have resorted to separation from her until such time as she can become more other-minded in her behavior and communications. I have evaluated this outcome to be lose-lose. No one wins from family estrangement. Perhaps the time of separation will allow healing enough to repair the family relationships. This is the most appealing non-violent strategy that I have been able to comfortably use in such an emotion-filled conflict.