On to the Next (Week 8 EDUC 6990)

After writing more than a thousand words and doing various observations on many classrooms, we are finally done. At the end of 2014, our masters program in Early Childhood Studies is now concluding. I have learned a lot within these past few months. First, I have learned it is important to get regular training with important concepts on education, child development, and family studies to become successful in the field of early childhood education. Second, I have learned that it is important that as a leader in this industry, I must learn to value my team members and their skills. By doing so, I am motivating them to become better at their jobs and also this will help them move up to the next level in their professional career. Third important thing I learned is that to be successful in this field education is not enough, you must have the right attitude in dealing with the challenges that comes along the way.

By finishing my master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies, I feel that I am better prepared to move forward in my career. To be honest, I find this moment very scary considering I do not really know where this will take me. I do have a few long term goals that I would like to accomplish within the next few years. First, I wanted to become a college instructor. Second to work as a curriculum specialist or education coordinator for an early childhood education program. Third is to work in the Child Care Licensing Division of the state of California. I truly believe that the skills I learned from Walden will be beneficial for me in accomplishing my long term goals.

As my journey here at Walden University comes to an end, I would like to express my gratitude to all my professors who have guided me along the way. I would also like to thank my classmates who have been there with me throughout the grueling eighteen months. Besides acquiring the necessary education, I am thankful to Walden because it helped me develop the necessary attitude when it comes to being an early childhood educator. American Author, John C. Maxwell once said, “Your attitude is the eye of your soul. If your attitude is negative, then you see things negatively. If it’s positive, then you see things positively.” Not only did I learn so much from the past eighteen months, but I also learned to view things differently and in a more positive light. Thank you everyone!

ECE Jobs and Roles (Week 6 EDUC 6990)

1. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): This internationally agency had emerged after World War II. It started to help many European Countries in implementing peace and cooperation among its members. Later on many other countries have joined their group including United States, Japan, Brazil, China, and India. According to their website they currently have 40 member countries. Their organization collects, use, and analyze data in creating feasible economic plans and strategies for their member countries. Their main office is located in Paris, France. They also publish recent news and data they gathered. For instance, they recently studied corruption and its relationship with the many bribes upper and middle management groups have been taking (OECD, 2014). This organization also focuses on other useful and relevant topics such as agriculture, finance, and Internet.

One of the job positions that interest me in this organization is the Communications Assistant. This position is necessary in providing the public up to date information about relevant topics and helping improve policies and communications inside and outside OECD. I believe that the important skills needed for this job would be the following: commitment, flexibility, and organized. As a communication assistant for OECD you must be committed in getting your tasks done. This definitely requires you to be more flexible and be able to work independently or with others. Also you must pay close attention to details and have the ability to organize data and facts presented to you.

2. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): This organization aims to provide intercultural awareness between nations to promote peace, education, and economic stability. It was started in 1945 as an “intellectual agency” of the United Nations (UNESCO, 2012). This organization has developed a lot of relevant educational programs for many countries. They also host conventions across the globes that are pertinent to educational development, human services, and other relevant topics. What I found interesting is that they have an online database that are also written in various languages that I believe is very useful for many early childhood programs across the globe. There are also useful multimedia presentations that many educators and program administrators can take advantage of. I believed these resources are good especially for early childhood professionals who work with policymaking and grant writing.

UNESCO also offers temporary and short-term employment with their partner countries. Currently I did not see any openings for temporary assignments. I believed that by working on a temporary general staff assignment in one of their partner countries allows me to gain a new perspective in education and human services. Being in another country can help me learn a new culture, lifestyle, values, and language. I believe that to be successful in working on a temporary assignment for UNESCO, you must be flexible, dedicated, and willing to learn. This would be a great way for early childhood professionals to learn a new culture, values, and language.

3. Save the Children: is a very well known organization across the globe. During my trip to Asia last month, many people recognized the works this organization had made. When I visited the Philippines, many of my friends mentioned that they are working in helping rebuild typhoon-stricken provinces in the south. Many of the young children they work with in the province of Tacloban has lost family members due to the horrible storm that struck them last year. These children needed more than food, clothing, and health supplies. Save the Children provide them emotional, educational, and health support that they need to bounce back from that tragic disaster. They also do other humanitarian projects, child protection services, health, advocacy, and educational programs to 120 countries. They also have links in their website for people who wish to donate to their worthy causes.

One of the positions in their organization is that interests me is the Child and Family Center Director. This position leads the early childhood programs Save the Children have set up in their partner countries. This position supervises early learning centers and family support programs. To be effective in this position, you must have a background in early childhood education programs and have worked with non-profit agencies in the past. The person must have excellent communication skills, mentoring skills, and time-management skills. This person will be working closely with early childhood educators and parents in many developing countries so it is important that he or she is sensitive and supportive of their needs.

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community (Week 4 EDUC 6990)

At least three national/federal organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you and why you chose them.

1. California Head Start Association: This organization had always appealed to me especially when I was working as a Head Start teacher. Not only do they provide good networking for head start employees here in California but they also provide training opportunities for many early childhood professionals. Their website also provides current job postings for many head start agencies in the state of California.
2. Community Care Licensing: This department is managed by the State of California to handle regulations regarding child and adult care facilities in the state. I find this agency interesting because it provides up to date licensing information. It also provides training for childcare administrators and staff to keep them updated about safety, health, and important licensing news.
3. United Nations Children’s Fund: This international organization always had been appealing to me because it serves many children across the globe. They provide many volunteer and work opportunities for professionals who would like to serve needy children and families all over the world. They are also been known to help many disaster stricken areas all over the world.

Job Opportunities that Interest Me:

1. Professional Parents: Family Life Center is a non-profit agency based in Petaluma, California. They are currently looking for Professional Parents who would be providing educational support and positive experiences for youth in transition. For this job, I must have background in behavior management, human development, and records keeping. I also believe that a successful professional parent needs to be flexible and have great time-management skills in order to provide a nurturing and supportive environment for these children.
2. Substitute Coordinator: The Children’s Institute Inc. of Los Angeles is looking for a Substitute Coordinator for their agency. To be successful in this position, you must be knowledgeable of early childhood education curriculum and performance standards. You must also have excellent communication skills since you would be in-charge of communicating to the teaching staff and hiring new ones. Time-management skills are also highly needed to meet the demands of turning in required documentation and conducting meetings for the teaching staff.
3. Program Director: The Catholic Charities of Los Angeles is currently seeking for a program director to manage their Immigration and Refugee Department. To be successful in this position, you must have experience working with diverse communities. You must have excellent planning and time-management skills to accommodate the deadlines and demands of this position. A successful program director must also have knowledge of budget planning and compliance monitoring. Excellent communication skills are also needed in order to be effective during meetings and contract negotiations.

Week 2 EDUC 6990 (Organizations & Job Openings)

• At least three local or state organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you, and explain why you chose them

The three local or state organizations that appeal to me are the following: Los Angeles Universal Preschool, California Association for the Education of Young Children, and ChildFund International. I choose these three organizations because they represent the ideals of quality preschool program. It is related to my chosen issue of focus, which is universal preschool for United States of America. The Los Angeles Universal Preschool is a non-profit agency based in Southern California, which provides affordable, accessible, and quality preschool education to four-year old children in Los Angeles County. I believe that they share the same ideals with my community of practice. I consider this organization as a perfect example on how beneficial universal preschool programs are to the community. The California Association for the Education of Young Children is an organization, which caters to the needs of early childhood programs and early childhood educators. I feel that these organizations are the key players in addressing the recent issues and trends in early childhood programs today. Childfund International is proven to address the vast issues many children face across the globe. I feel that their knowledge and experience in dealing with many issues related to young children can provide a different perspective to universal preschool.

• Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you
• Skills and experience that you would need to competently fulfill each of these roles

The first job the interest me is the Center Director position from Orange County Head Start. I used to work for this agency and during my employment with them one of my professional goals was to become a center director. In order to be considered for this position I needed the following skills: time-management, organizational and management skills. Another job opportunity that interests me is the Quality Review Assessor from Los Angeles Universal Preschool. This job entails to monitor assessments in preschool programs across Los Angeles County. To be effective in this position I must be detail-oriented and be knowledgeable of environment assessment tools and licensing regulations. The other job opportunity I came across with is the Early Childhood Development Specialist position at Childfund International. This position operates in the Philippines serving the children who were affected from last year’s super typhoon. To be considered for this position, I must have strong communication skills, flexibility, and collaboration skills.

Week 8 EDUC 6358 Reflecting on Learning

Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states, “By preschool age, children begin to absorb stereotypes and attitudes about other ethnic/cultural groups from their family and the larger society” (p. 59). The past eight weeks I have learned various strategies on how to implement anti-bias education in our classrooms. I have read various challenges many of my colleagues have dealt with in their profession that pertains to diversity and tolerance. To be honest, it is not easy. Implementing anti-bias education comes with many challenges. For instance, some administrators or schools may not be up for it. Some parents have varying beliefs and attitudes towards other people. Going through the course modules for eight weeks is still not enough for me. I believed that this is an on-going process of learning. Some of the strategies we studied may work while some may not. We just need to adapt to the needs of the children and families we come across with. I hope that teachers may learn to be flexible and accommodating whenever they plan their environment and curriculum. I hope that early childhood programs may not give up on implementing an anti-bias education just because of one challenging parent. I hope that we all continue to apply the strategies we learned from this course despite the challenges that comes along with it. I believed that if we continue to implement anti-bias education in our classrooms, many teachers and families would eventually understand the meaning of it. The children will be the perfect example that these strategies do work and that there is a need for anti-bias education in all classrooms.

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. Washington, DC. National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Week 7 EDUC 6358 Impacts on Early Emotional Development

I have always been curious about the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF). They are well known to provide health and educational support to many developing countries around the world. Since I grew up in the Philippines, I am very much interested on the East Asia and Pacific Region. As a child, I have seen UNICEF conduct many of their projects throughout Asia. I have also witnessed how these projects have positively influenced the lives of many young children.

The current focus of UNICEF in the East Asia and Pacific region is to help Myanmar, Philippines, and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. UNICEF plans to provide vaccinations, humanitarian support, and education programs to thousands of families in Myanmar. While in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, they aim to provide nutrition, health, and wellness programs for many needed families and children. The Philippines was hit by a super typhoon last year that have displaced thousands of families out of their homes and communities. UNICEF is helping provide them with the necessities in order to rebuild a better living community after the storm. UNICEF also reports that the East Asia and Pacific regions is typically considered as the most emergency-prone area in the world. This is because it often endures natural calamities and disasters more frequently than other regions of the world. The most common one is typhoons and torrential rains. Because of these natural calamities that struck many areas in the East Asia and Pacific region, many families and young children faced health, nutrition, educational, and behavioral challenges. Just imagine how hard it is for families to see that your whole village or community has been wiped out in a storm and everything that your family has is now all gone. What is worst is that many families have lost their loved ones in these natural disasters.

As an early childhood professional, our goal is to support the needs of children and families. UNICEF also shares the same goal with many of us in this industry. They try to cater to emergencies and urgent needs that many families all throughout the world face today. As I explored this website, I have realized that professionals like myself are badly needed in many of these regions that UNICEF serves. They can greatly utilize our expertise towards handling family and children social, educational, and mental-health issues. I believed that these regions can benefit from early childhood professionals who can ensure that the unique needs of their young children is being handled with appropriately especially during trying times. We can help children understand and cope with natural calamities and provide them the emotional, educational, and mental-health support that they need. I am hoping that someday I could share my expertise to the East Asia and Pacific region so I can help many families and young children.

Website Reference:

United Nations International Children’s Fund: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/eastasia.html

Week 6 EDUC 6358-Sexualization Among Young Children

During outdoor exploration time, I had one girl aged 3 playing with the dollhouse. She was grabbing human figures and telling me, “This is mommy and Daddy and they loving each other in the room”. This is just one of the many incidents that I have personally witnessed how young children go through the process of sexualization today. When I was reading this week’s article on children sexuality today by Diane E. Levin and Jean Kilbourne, I have gained more facts on how young children these days have become so advance when it comes to sexual maturity compared to other generations. To be honest, I am not too surprised. I have seen how many young girls talk, act, and dress up these days. Most of them are trying to imitate their idols from television and movies. The provocative outfits and accessories are all being sold in many retail stores across the country. I have seen many young preschool girls wearing see-through or skimpy clothing to school. Not to mention that it does not matter whether their clothes are appropriate for the weather, they are keener towards sexy fashion than comfort or safety. I mean let’s face it; we see it on magazine spreads, on the Internet, at the mall. Levin & Kilbourne (2009) states, “Children as young as four learning to gyrate to songs in ways that might have stunned grown-ups a few decades ago” (p. 2). The idea of what is attractive for boys and girls have truly evolved. Perhaps this can be attributed to the media influences that surround the lives of these young children 24/7.

Levin and Kilbourne (2009) states, “Children encounter these issues at a much younger ages than in the past, long before they have the ability to understand or deal with them” (p. 3). Young children may act sexually mature however; they are still far from being mature physically or mentally. I have heard young children candidly talk about physical intimacy among their peers. Kissing and groping seems to be normal for boys and girls regardless of their age. As discussed in Week 6 EDUC 6358 Media Presentation, Eric Hoffman states, “Preschoolers are trying to take the best information they can, and they come up with these judgments about the world that are often incorrect” (Laureate Education, 2011). When they see all these visual images of sex and violence they make think this is the right thing to do. Their young minds and bodies are unable to process these situations yet.

One of the things that I have seen as a result of this young sexualization in our society today is the emergence of young parents who are also not ready to become responsible of caring for others and also themselves. Pretty much it becomes a cycle. This is why we have to be critical and vigilant of the things that we expose our young children to. I saw a video about child abuse and violence in a conference a few years ago. It has a catchy phrase, which states, “Children see, Children do”. This is so true and related with the topic of the sexualization of young children today. I learned how we must always be concern about the environment we expose our children to. This can help filter all the highly sexualized images they see. As early childhood educators, it is also our job to let parents and families understand the negative effects of sexual messages and innuendo that the media and society dictates today. I think the more we inform parents and families about this topic, the more likely they would understand that this is for the benefit and protection of their children.

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for Working with Diverse Children. Learning about fairness: Race and Gender. Retrieved from http://cdnfiles.laureate.net/2dett4d/managed/WAL/EDUC/6358/06/WAL_EDUC6358_06_A_EN.pdf

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids. Retrieved from http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf

Week 5: Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

Sometimes I find myself talking to people who seemed clueless about what child development is. To be honest, I sometimes get frustrated explaining the importance of child development. They seemed to care less about child development but more about the academic learning of children. Based on my previous child development classes and training workshops, I believed that child development involves academic, socio-emotional, and physical development. It is important that we support all these areas to ensure the well-being of each child we come across with in our programs today.

Each person is different and gifted with unique talents and abilities. Sometimes our differences may cause problems between our personal and professional lives. For instance, we may find ourselves in conflict with our colleagues or directors because of differences in educational philosophy. Sometimes we also come across parents whose child development beliefs maybe far off from ours. Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states, “In society as diverse as ours, maneuvering through its multiple cultures can be complex and confusing, as well as rich and delightful” (p. 55). Sometimes I find myself totally confused because these misunderstandings may get the best of me. I sometimes find myself doubting my abilities because my boss does not agree with the way I implement our program’s curriculum. This could impact the way I relate to the families that are in our program. There are times too that a parent judges my teaching abilities because I am not fluent in their home language. All these “isms” that I have experienced sometimes negatively influences the way I relate to my superiors, colleagues, and the parents of the children attending my class.

Despite our claim towards modernization, many US residents still deal with prejudice and discrimination. I have had many families and young children who were involved in unfortunate situations. If this is not properly dealt with, many of these families are unable to move on and become immune to these abuses. Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) states, “Yet, the impact of race and racism continues to powerfully influence the life prospects of America’s children” (p. 77). Our job as early childhood educators is that we find ways to support children and families who undergo these bad experiences. We also must learn to speak up for them and ourselves who often maybe victims of prejudice and discrimination as well. We must learn how to communicate and address such issues in order to teach young children to become more tolerant and accepting of one another despite their differences.

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. Washington, DC. National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Observing Communication Between Adults and Young Children (Week 3 EDUC 6358)

This week I had observed a state preschool program in our district. They were playing in the playground that day. There was one teacher and two teacher assistants, and one parent volunteer. All of the adults were supervising an area at the playground. I was observing Sarah who was supervising the bicycles. There were about 5 children in the bike area. Three of them were riding the bikes while there were 2 that were waiting for their turn. Sarah called Rashiem to return the bike because it is Genesis’ turn. Rashiem continued to use the bike and ignored Sarah. Sarah went to Rashiem and told him to get off the bike because it is not his turn anymore. Rashiem refused to give up the bike and instead started to cry. I noticed Sarah to go down on Rashiem’s eye level. She was telling him that he could use the bike again after Genesis. Rashiem now started to kick Sarah. She continued to tell him that he would get a turn after Genesis is done riding the bike. This continued on until it was time for clean up and another teacher assistant came by to help take Rashiem out of the bike.

Let’s face it, children may have a hard time understanding the concept of sharing or taking turns. I think this is why early childhood professionals teach this concept from the beginning of the school year till the end. In the case of Rashiem, it is quite obvious that he was not ready to give up his turn with the bike yet. One of the things that I learned this week is the importance of how adults communicate with young children. Giving instructions may need more visual cues or prompting. This week we learned to use personal dolls which is a useful prop to use to help communicate to young children. In the case of Sarah, I feel that she should have given him some visual cues regarding time so Rashiem could understand that there is a time limit on the bike. Perhaps using a puppet or a timer could help children understand the concept of time. She could also use a list or a chart of children who are going to use the bike so that children could have a visual that their friends also would like to use the bike. Another thing is to provide the children ample warning before their time is over. This could help them transition and understand that they need to move on to the next thing.

As an early childhood educator we must realized that each child has a different listening and communication style. I think one of the most important things is to be flexible in order to adapt to these various communication styles children have. Stephenson (2009) states, “I needed to find ways they could communicate that were enjoyable for them” (p. 95). We must not stop when our first plan fails to work when it comes to communicating with children. We must continue to move forward to our next plan until it finally works. Being flexible, patient, and innovative are very important when it comes to communicating with young children.

Reference

Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-Year-Old. YC: Young Children, 64(2), 90-95.

Family Child Care Project-Week 1 EDUC 6358

K5 Child Care Center

Mission Statement

The K5 Child Care Center is dedicated to provide care, support, and educate children. We are here to help them discover themselves and capitalize on their strengths and help them become better citizens of our community. We work cooperatively with families in providing opportunities to learn and thrive.

Five Pillars of K5 Child Care Center

1. Culture: We acknowledge diverse cultures and social groups.
2. Curriculum: We utilize best practices and early childhood curriculum that are based on proven research.
3. Cooperation: We collaborate with families in creating learning opportunities for their children.
4. Communication: We believe that effective and consistent communication between families provides better experiences for children and families in our center.
5. Character: We have an environment that celebrates the children’s character and identity.

Our Philosophy

Our child care center acknowledges all cultures and social groups through the materials and our environment. We choose a variety of books, DVDs, toys, and music that celebrates mankind and humanity. We believe how these things help support our curriculum and our student’s learning experience. We treat families as partners and not just mere clients. We take into consideration the individual needs of each family we serve. We collaborate ideas through family partnerships. We are able to establish through effective communication to all family members. We value each child’s character and identity. We are able to do so by acknowledging their unique traits, family customs, and traditions.

Rationale and Description

            As a parent and an educator, I understand the unique needs of children and families. We strive to find a place that would help nurture, educate, and care for our children when we are at work or at school. Also, I understand that it is important to incorporate and include families in the learning experiences of children. In our receiving area, we have pictures of the families and children in our program. We also have cubbies for the children that are decorated by their family members. The decorations in their personal cubbies depict their family heritage and culture. Next to our receiving area is our play and art area. We post photos of our community, family celebrations, and holidays. We also have pictures of children working together with their peers. We also have their artwork displayed in this room. This is why we supply materials that celebrate the family’s culture, traditions, and values. Our child care center value the input of our families so once a month during our parent meetings we consult with them about upcoming activities and events. We choose to rotate materials in our playroom based on the input of the parents and other family members. Next to our play room and art area is our dining area. Here is the place where we served meals to our children. In this area we have photos of food items from various diverse cultures and ethnic groups. We also have a recipe book that consists of recipes coming from families in our center. Our rest area is next to our dining area. Here we have cozy pillows, and beanbags next to our books. We also have individual cots and small bins next to it. Here children can bring items from home that help them become more comfortable and relaxed. They also can bring their favorite book to read to help them feel cozier. The children’s individual rest area space also have pictures of their families to help comfort them whenever they are having a hard time. Outside we have our play equipment. We also have multi-cultural instruments there that are mostly based from the families in our program. We also have art supplies in our outside area so children can freely express themselves through art.