Completing the Masters of Early Childhood Degree Concentrating in Teach Adults

In this last 8 weeks my passion toward the early childhood (EC) field has deepened. This capstone course has allowed me to reflect upon all of the courses completed in the program.  One sure thing that I did learn is that an advocate of change must understand her own limitations. Before I can be effective helping others I must be self-reflective in every aspect of my life. This includes any biases I may have working with families. Further two more concepts that were reiterated in the capstone that deepened my learning for my career is that caring for children one must consider who each child is at the time of care and children are a direct ‘product’ of their environment of surrounding the care givers (Laureate Education, INC., 2012). Politics, biases, fatigue will all be a part of the movement. However, EC professionals cannot lose site why we are in this field, the children.

One long-term goal is to use my capstone assignment and MSEC’s learning and put them into action in the Will County area. That is to develop and launch a campaign to connect families of poverty to programs that will assist them in caring for their young children.

I want to thank my classmates for your comments, words of encouragement, and sharing your work while in the program. Many times my questions were answered just following your posts. Words cannot express the panic eased because of you. THANKS. J

Dr. Teri, thanks so much for your leadership and guidance in the course, your words of encouragement, and your quick responses to our questions in the message boards and through emails. I really felt your love of teaching through this course. 

Laureate Education, INC. (Producer). (2012). Merging Vision, Passion, and Practice. Baltimore,

MD: Author. Walden University M.S. in Early Childhood Studies.

Week 4 Blog Assignment

Three agencies I would like to play a role in assisting young children.

1.    The Administration for Children & Families (ACF)  - “A division of the Department of Health & Human Services. ACF promotes the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals and communities” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2013). The organization attempts to assist the entire family. Working with this organization would require an in-depth understanding of diversity.

There were no positions listed as open on the site. However, I would love to work in management that supervises training for family assistance.

2.    National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – This organization presents information on every aspect of teaching and administration as it pertains to early childhood across the United States. It allows the EC professional to go to one place for a plethora of resources (National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2013). The organization also advocates for children and families by supporting causes associated with children and families.

There was no employment information given on the site. However, I would love to work with NAEYC as an adult presenter for EC professionals. Skills needed for such a positioning are the techniques I learned for teaching adults as well as staying abreast on the development of children.

3.    Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families – “a national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Our mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers (Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, 2012). I was drawn to this organization because of one of the captions that ‘early experiences matter (Zero to three: national center for infants, toddlers, and families, 2012)’. I was not familiar with this organization before this assignment. There were no positions available on the site.

References

National Association for the Education of Young Children (2013). Retrieved from

http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements.  

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2013). Administration for Children and Families.

Retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/.

Zero to three: national center for infants, toddlers, and families (2012). Retrieved from

http://www.zerotothree.org/.

Week 2 Assignment

When I first entered the MSEC at Walden my desire was to work with adults in the EC field through teaching students, consulting, social work, or teaching parents in seminars or courses. 

Here are three agencies I would love to be a part of in an employment or volunteer status that appeals to me and the reasons I chose them:

• Christian Family Ministries: Center for Women and Children – “Lamb’s Fold Center for Women and Children serves homeless and abused women and children by providing them with community-based supportive   housing, personalized recovery  services, and assisting them to  achieve self-sufficiency” (Christian Family Ministries, 2012). 

• Will County Health Department and Community Health Center – “The Youth Services Program offers a comprehensive array of services that includes psychiatry, individual, family and group therapy, crisis intervention, outreach, case management, parenting classes, respite services, substance abuse assessment and treatment, and referral and linkage services to other needed resources and programs. The program concentrates its efforts on underserved individuals including public aid recipients and low income families” (Will County Health Department and Community Health Center, 2006).

• Joliet Junior College (JUCO) – The college specializes in serving students of all ages, backgrounds, and economic status. I graduated from JUCO after leaving the military and appreciate the schools diligence in working with the community. The school is well known and has accomplished many awards in the culinary arts and nursing disciplines. However, the early childhood courses have tremendously grown from four classes since I attended in the late 1980s. 

In order to work in each of these positions (as volunteer or employed), I would have to put to use all of the information learned in the MSEC. I would further need to continue to join or create communities of practice in order to stay abreast of organizational, community, and educational concerns in the field. A personal skill that I need to work on is nonviolent communications. I don’t want to be offensive in any form to those who I want to serve. 

References

Christian Family Ministries: Center for Women and Children, 2012. Retrieved from http://www.lambsfold.org/. 

Will County Health Department and Community Health Center, 2006. Retrieved from http://www.willcountyhealth.org/en/do.jsp?id=73.

Stay the Course

Happy New Year!!!!
This post is the first post for the Capstone course in the MSEC. I had taken a long break due to travels (especially Israel - AWESOME)  and a stubborn kidney stone. However, I'm back on the road to graduation this year. Hallelujah! 

I'm excited about learning more from our facilitator Dr. Teri and my new classmates.
Let's change the world together.

Love to all :-)

Communication

Someone asked me why was I taking a communication course in an Masters EC program. It made me reflect on how much I have learned in the last 8 weeks. Without positive, meaningful communications in our field, our efforts to work with families are futile.

I would love to keep in touch with my classmates. We learn from each others experiences.
I wish all well in the efforts to serve young children and thier families.

PERSONAL TEAM ADJOURNMENTS

Army teams, Caterpillar teams, state youth team – The hardest ‘good-bye’ from my Army teams was that we were most likely not to see each other again. The work good-bye was as personal over the financial aspects. I don’t think I miss anyone from work. Being forced out of the state youth team made me more aware of my own mortality. I left office at 44 and could not be re-elected due to my age.  I have been in other teams. But the teams that were hardest to leave were the high performing teams. The twist to this is that it was the teams where we built personal relationships outside of the team goals. Abudi (2009) stated that team leader should allow time to celebrate at the end of a project.  On the state team we received ‘love-offerings’. On all my teams, when there was a major project completed we had a close out meeting which included FOOD. I had not considered how I would adjourn from my collegues at the end of the program. However, we do congratulate and thank each other after most classes in the program.

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

CONFLICT RESOLUTION

The worse thing to have is negative conflict at home, your safe haven. My roommate and I have lived together for more than 10 years due to divorce and personal hardships. We had a pact – no children. Well, in December 4 granddaughters out of her 12 grandchildren have come to live with us. I don’t remember being this loud and fussy. Teenage girls are something to reckon with when you are approaching middle age. Every one was stressed out. I did not want to come home after work. We decided to separate. However, we were both stressed looking for separate apartments and preparing to move. That was one option. However, in this economy it takes 2 or 3 salaries to survive with basic needs let alone luxuries. I decided to try and talk it out calmly with my friend and roommate. We listened to each other. She apologized for the inconveniences. We decided not to move. We set rules and there was no yelling. This was the beginning of us using nonviolent communication skills on purpose.