6990 Week 8. Time Well Spent

I can hardly believe this is the end of this professional journey, which has taught me the importance of relating myself with people who also share my professional concerns and goals, through associations or communities of practice. I also learned the fundamental role my personal experiences play in my professional life, because I was able to develop my Capstone Project based on the experiences I personally had, as well as the ones I saw children and families going through. Another learning I got from the whole program is that following my passion would always help me to face and overcome my challenges and fears. Today, I know that my fears would not let me enroll into this program degree, but my idea –which now I know is my passion for the early childhood field- that I needed to learn more about how to better work with children and families, was greater than my fears; even greater than my fear to enroll into a program that is not in my primary language.

My long term goal is to be a culturally responsive teacher, in the school district of my diverse local community.

Because I would not be able to meet the professional goal of getting my master’s degree on my own, I want to thank to each one of my colleagues and instructors, especially Dr. Teri, for all your support and encouragement. All the interactions I was pleasured to have with instructors and colleagues has contributed to my personal and professional growth.

Thank you all for helping me become a better and more conscious early childhood professional!!!

¡De todo corazón GRACIAS!   :)

6990 Week 6. Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

This week I have chosen three organizations that are totally new to me, and I have chosen them because each one has its own way to attain about the same goal: the improvement of people’s live.

- International Organizations or Communities of Practice

The Open Society Foundations supports diverse programs around the world, through the promotion of education, the improvement of public health programs, and the development of businesses, among other ways. This worldwide society is aimed to implement initiatives that safeguard the people’s rights, working on diverse issues that place people on marginalized situations. In the Open Society Foundations they believe every person is free to participate in civic, economic, and cultural life; thus it is important to address inequalities related to race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and citizenship.  With regard to the early childhood, the Open Society Foundations recognizes that the healthy development of young children depends not only on the parent and community engagement, but also the professional development, and government accountability (Open Society Foundations, 2013).

 

Creating Hope International (CHI) is a non-profit organization that works with silent victims of world strife, devastating natural disasters, crumbling economies, and political systems which suppress natural human rights (Creating Hope International, n.d.). CHI invests in local, community action building education and health resources, training people in the skills they need to continue the work on their own in the future, like teachers and nurses. Through the training provided CHI helps people to restore self-confidence and gives them hope and constructive help, in order to rebuild their lives and communities.

Global Giving is a charity fundraising web site that gives social entrepreneurs and non-profits from anywhere in the world a chance to raise the money they need to improve their communities (Global Giving, 2013). Global Giving has projects and organizations working to educate children, feed the hungry, build houses, train women and men with job skills, among other philanthropic solutions. Global Giving supports organizations with a unique set of online tools and training, as well as with innovative ways to support programs, like with the purchase of gift cards. An interesting fact about Global Giving is that they help anybody who has a project to find organizations that match their mission, through rigorous reviews of project organizations, process donations, disburse funds, and facilitate reporting. It is important to mention Dell, Gap, Pepsi, Nike, and Neutrogena as some of the Global Giving corporate partners (Global Giving, 2013). The Global Giving webpage has organized the diverse projects they partner with by topic and when clicking on any topic, all the projects related to this specific topic are displayed, with the possibility to make a donation, as well as see how much money each project has raised.

-Job opportunities, skills, and experience

Early years teachers x 2 July 2013 Indonesia

Teachers should have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of experience. There is an induction program at the beginning of the year but teachers and administration are all extremely supportive of one another. There is a strong sense of collegiality at the school.

I think this job opportunity is amazing, because it would let me learn from different teaching and working styles, as well as it would be interesting to place myself in an environment that I consider is totally different from the ones I have been into. I found also amazing all the benefits this position offers: Children of teachers receive free tuition. Monthly salary from US$2,732 tax free plus accommodation, annual flights, allowances, annual return airfares are provided in addition to global medical insurance. Teachers are housed in apartments a five minute walk from the school. Single teachers typically share a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment although the school does have a few apartments available for single teachers. Married couples have their own apartment. Apartments are all fully furnished including linen etc. and a welcome pack. The school provides transport to school if required.

For this position I do have the bachelor’s degree, but not the 5 years of experience.

Early Years-KG Teacher-Egypt-August 2013

Cairo is seeking a number of early years teachers for the next academic year. The school will offer an adapted version of the National Curriculum of England and Wales to their first cohort of 120 students of a range of nationalities. Please note that this is a new school and will need teachers who are willing to work together as a close knit team, to be independent, patient, creative and have a great sense of humor. This is a great opportunity to be part of an exciting school project.

Teachers must offer at least two years of experience teaching the National Curriculum and have an excellent command of the English language. Candidates must be willing to work in a multi-cultural environment where English is not always the first language.

Some of the benefits this position offers are: Two year contracts extendable by mutual agreement. Tax free salary based on UK scales paid in pounds sterling and 25% local currency - GBP1450 per month for two years of experience - GBP1850 for 5-10 years of experience.

Generous accommodation allowance or school provided apartment - the accommodation is single and furnished located near the school - the housing allowance is usually offered for returners. End of service gratuity, annual flight allowance, baggage allowance, high quality health insurance in Egypt, membership of the local Sport and Leisure Club (Tennis, Pools, Gym, Sauna, etc.), free transport to Cairo destinations weekly, free education at the school for up to 3 dependent children, opportunities for Continuing Professional Development each year Service starting bonus and completion bonus of GBP200 each. The currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound or EGP, and currently 1.00 EGP = 0.14 USD.

The reason why I have chosen this job opportunity is because Egypt is a country I am interested about, because of their history. For this position I do not have experience teaching the National Curriculum of England and Wales, but I am passionate about multicultural environments, despite the challenge of speaking a language that is not English, either Spanish.

References

Creating Hope International (CHI). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.creatinghope.org/index.html

Global Giving. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.globalgiving.org/

Open Society Foundations. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/

6990. Week 4. Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

-Organizations or Communities of Practice at National/Federal Level 

Voices for America’s Children

One of the organizations I have chosen is Voices for America’s Children, because it is a network of multi-issue child advocacy organizations. This nationwide network advocates for the improvements in the lives of all children and their families, paying more attention to the most vulnerable. Voices for America’s Children focus on six policy goals: equity and diversity, health, school readiness, school success, safety, and economic stability (Voices for America’s Children, n.d.). Voices for America’s Children ensure that children and their families have access to health care programs; they also helped the Head Start programs by ensuring additional money through the 2009 economic stimulus package. This organization works with nutrition programs legislation in order to provide meals for needy children and families (Voices for America’s Children, n.d.).

 



National Institute for Early Education Research

The National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) conducts and communicates research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children (National Institute for Early Education Research, 2013). The institute offers research not only to researchers and policy makers, but also to journalist and educators. Working with other organizations the institute looks for the improvement of the quality of early education practices, as well as to stimulate national and state discussions of early education policy, based on current, coherent, and vital information about the field.  

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute

The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) is one of the nation's oldest and largest multidisciplinary centers devoted to the study of young children and their families (FPG Child Development Institute, 2013 ). This institute has influenced, with its research, how the programs have been taking care of and educated young. The researchers have focused their investigations on projects related to racial, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity, as well as developmental disabilities; early care and education; physical and social health; professional development, technical assistance, and implementation science; and public policy and evaluation. Besides the research projects, the institute has a nationally accredited childcare center that serves 80 families with young children (FPG Child Development Institute, 2013).

 

-Job opportunities, skills, and experience

Data Collectors

The National Institute for Early Education Research is seeking Data Collectors year-round. 

Applicants should be graduate students, have a BA or be upperclassman undergraduate students with a focus on child development, early childhood, psychology or related field. Knowledgeable about child development and developmentally appropriate early childhood teaching practices (e.g. Teacher) preferred. Experience in classroom settings and/or working with children highly preferred. Must be available to work 2-3x per week during data collection period; days are flexible and must be available to attend intensive trainings that vary between 2 days and a full week. The successful candidate is expected to demonstrate an excellent academic record (GPA should be 3.0 or better).

 

Lately, I have been interested on the work the researchers do, maybe because I am more aware of the fundamental role their information plays in the improvement of the education field. I consider I have all the qualifications for this position :)

 

Learning Curriculum Manager

The Learning Curriculum Manager at VTech will be responsible for the educational quality of content and pedagogy across all products including toys, platforms, and online content. This position will set and recommend strategic content direction and curriculum guidelines for all product categories, working closely with both the US and Hong Kong product development teams to ensure the alignment with the product line’s content goals.

Our ideal candidate will have the following experience:

-Formal training and experience in product development/product design as it relates to the development of consumer product goods with an emphasis on infant/preschool learning.

-Familiar with traditional and innovative strategies for teaching, learning, and assessment in both formal and informal settings.

-7+ years of experience teaching with, or designing, technology-enhanced learning materials in informal learning environments (homes, museums, after-school programs) or early childhood classrooms.

-Strong writing and grammar skills a must.

-Very organized, attention to detail, and self-motivated.

-Bachelors Degree in Child Development, Education, the Learning Sciences, or related fields is required.

-Limited travel to Hong Kong to meet with development teams for content direction review.

I decided to share this position because I think it is an interesting and different way to influence the education field, despite the fact that I do not meet all the requirements, like the 7 years of teaching experience, or the formal training and experience in product development/product design. In case anybody is interested in this position, this is the link with the information http://vtechkids.iapplicants.com/ViewJob-414419.html

References

FPG Child Development Institute. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.fpg.unc.edu/about-fpg  

National Institute for Early Education Research. (2013). Retrieved from http://nieer.org/

Voices for America’s Children. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.voices.org/

P.S. I apologize in advance for the white background appearing in some parts of my post.

 

 

 

6990. Week 2. Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

-Organizations or communities of practice in Illinois

 

The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning

One of the communities of practice in Illinois that got my attention, because of its focus on enhancing the work with diverse populations, is The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning (The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning, 2013). This organization addresses various aspects of high-quality education, like students of all ages from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds; English-language learners, including adults; young children at risk of failure because of poverty, family issues, disabilities or other circumstances; refugee and immigrant populations and others (The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning, 2013). As an effective community of practice, all members from different programs work with one another looking to produce better results.

 

 

Illinois Resource Center

Another community of practice that I chose because of its focus on linguistic and cultural diverse population is the Illinois Resource Center (Illinois Resource Center, 2002), which provides assistant and professional development to bilingual parents and professionals who work with linguistically and culturally diverse students in Illinois. By offering courses and workshops, the Illinois Resource Center helps statewide parents and educators to develop effective learning environments for English language learners. While reading about its events, I found that the Illinois Resource Center just held on May 11^th, their Eighth Annual Statewide Summit for Bilingual Parents, in which not only parents, but educators too, got tools and resources for their children/students to succeed academically in Pre-K through high school, and beyond in college and careers (Illinois Resource Center, 2002).

 The Illinois Association for Multilingual Multicultural Education

The Illinois Association for Multilingual Multicultural Education (Illinois Association for Multilingual Multicultural Education [IAMME], 2013) appealed to me because of the attention they pay to the promotion of quality education, based on the cultural and linguistic diversity of our global society. Through seminars, conferences, and trainings, the IAMME promotes and develops professional competence in educational services for linguistically and culturally diverse students. The IAMME advices its members about employment opportunities and also advocates for a linguistically and culturally diverse school for diverse students (IAMME, 2013).

 

-Job opportunities, skills, and experience

Preschool Master Teacher in a program that partnerships between the private and public sectors, in order to create a high quality, birth-to-five program that achieves higher levels of quality. Applicants MUST have a Master's degree in education and at least 5 years of successful teaching as well as a minimum of three years of supervisory experience either in Education or another field.

A few weeks ago, I already applied and sent my resume for this position, despite the fact that I have the 3 years of supervisory experience, I have only 4 years of teaching experience, and I do not have the Master’s degree, yet.

Kindergarten Training Coordinator in a nonprofit research, development, and service agency that works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults.

Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, or related field.

Kindergarten teaching credential

Expertise with assessment systems

Minimum of 3 years kindergarten classroom teaching experience

Experience providing training and coaching

Early childhood leadership experience

Extensive familiarity with state and national early childhood initiatives and research

Strong analytical skills and attention to detail

Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities

Ability to work well independently and under direction

Ability to work with state boards/departments of education

Skill in the use of computer and information technology

Strong command of oral and written language

Bilingual-English/Spanish Preferred

For this position I still need the kindergarten teaching credential and the experience providing training and coaching.  

Kindergarten - Bilingual Teacher in a school district.  

Required:  Type 03 Illinois Certificate or Type 29 Transitional Bilingual

Endorsement: Bilingual Education Teacher – Spanish or Foreign Language - Spanish

For this position I do not have the Type 03 Illinois Certificate or Type 29 Transitional Bilingual, either the endorsement.

This assignment let me explore the resources available throughout the Illinois state, which offer endless opportunities to address the various challenges related to the diversity that children, families, and professionals face every day. I also realize that obtaining the master’s degree is only part of my professional development, and it is not enough to get the teaching or any other position I would like to obtain. But now I am aware of some of the next steps I need to take, like working on the certificates or endorsements that my desired position requires me.

 References

Illinois Association for Multilingual Multicultural Education. ( 2013). Retrieved from http://iamme.org/

Illinois Resource Center. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.thecenterweb.org/irc/index.html

The Center: Resources for Teaching and Learning. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.thecenterweb.org/the-organization/

6358. Week 8. Reflecting on Learning

My hope for the early childhood field and the society we all take part of, is that every person can be seen as a contributor for a greater and more diverse community, and not as a barrier or a problem just because of everyone’s uniqueness. As a person who is aware of the importance of identifying my own bias and strengths, I consider I got more strategies that let me help others to feel comfortable for being who they are. I also wish I have the sensitiveness needed to talk to others about the importance of being diverse and unique, because only when addressing differences we all would be able to accept that the common facts among everyone are our differences.

Finally, I want to thank to my colleagues and Dr. Weems for their contributions to my growth. Through your posts and comments I was able to broaden my perspectives, while all of you gave me endless opportunities to consider ideas I did not even realize until reading them from you. Thank you all for being fundamental part of my personal and professional growth!

Wishing you all the best in the last course of this program degree and in future endeavors!

6358. Week 7. Impacts on Early Emotional Development

I chose to explore Afghanistan, a country in South Asia. The reason why I chose this country is because a friend of mine has relatives still living in her native country, and the stories she shares with me about her relatives’ experiences are toughest I have ever heard.

In the Afghanistan’s regional site, found in the UNICEF website, I read about baad, the custom of trading young girls to settle debts or family disputes. This specific article shares Suraiya’s story, a 6-year-old girl who was given by her family to her neighbors in an attempt to buy peace, after Suraiya’s older brother eloped with a neighbor’s daughter. For the following four years she was forced to do heavy household chores, and the family kicked and thrashed her with knives, sticks and iron rods. Suraiya escaped from the family, only to find herself locked behind bars for begging, shortly after. Sadly, there are many other young girls suffering physically and emotionally the same as Suraiya.

UNICEF has placed these children in orphanages or safe homes, in order to ensure their safety, through trained social workers who also contact the children’s families and provide counseling. After many sessions with families and children, the children’s confidence and the family relationships can be rebuilt.

I consider these experiences affect girls in all aspects of their life, because their safety is jeopardize when their family decide to give their girls away. The girls’ needs are not met; their self-esteem is undermined while being treated as only objects of work by the families who take them. When the girls decide to escape, their situation does not get better, because they are homeless, vulnerable and at risk of being exploited further. In the Suraiya’s case, her development did not have the needed foundation for her healthy development, because she there were no caring people around who would support her. Fortunately, Suraiya found on her aunt the supportive person she did not have before, and she was able to establish a healthy relationship with her.  

When I read the baad is seen as a custom in Afghanistan, Eric Hoffman’s word came to my mind when he stated that there are always differences in opinions between the families and the school, and as teachers, we need to listen carefully to families in order to figure out a solution (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). After reading Suraiya’s story, and thinking as a sensitive person and as an early childhood professional, I wonder what could be the best way to help her and her family in this situation. I know we have to respect the customs each family has as part of their culture, but in this case, I consider the wellbeing of the girl needs to be placed first than the parents beliefs. I also consider the family involvement within the program would be fundamental, in order to let them see there are other ways to solve the problems. In addition, when families get involve within the program, they all broaden their perspective and learn from other families the different ways to face challenging situations.

This is the link to read the article about Suraiya’s story http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/afghanistan_65844.html

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2011). Partnering with families. In Strategies for Working with Diverse Children. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2652530_1%26url%3D

6358. Week 6. The Sexualization of Early Childhood

The sexualization of early childhood is a situation I was aware of even before getting involved in this educational field. I remember when I realized that children’s clothes were no longer of light colors, decorated with sweet images of flowers, clouds, or animals. Instead, it was more and more usual to see clothes in black or red colors, with images of dolls, which did not look like dolls for children, but for adults due to their physical characteristics –wearing mini-skirts, lipstick and excessive eye makeup. Sadly, the only thing I used to do, was just to thank God for letting me grow up playing with sweet baby dolls, and wearing clothes of light colors. Certainly the messages that media –and maybe myself, may be sending to children about their integrity as persons, have not been the right ones; especially if I have not done anything specific to avoid this sexualization.

As an early childhood teacher, I have been able to see how children act in ways that match the sexualized environment in which they are immersed (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). I remember when assisting in an Early Head Start classroom, having witnessed two three-year old girls singing in front of a mirror in the dramatic area, Justin Bieber’s song Baby. While singing, these two girls were shaking their hips, going up and down, and making other body movements with their mouth wide open when not singing.  I also saw many times how the girl wearing tank tops, with Hannah Montana or iCarly images, and mini-shorts was the leader when playing outdoors, and how the girls with more age-appropriate and plain clothes were excluded of the game. Another experience I had, was when a girl refused to eat breakfast and lunch because she had lipstick on her lips –the girl’s mom allowed her to wear it.

The messages and images that constantly bombard children in a sexualized environment can affect their development by sending them wrong messages about their gender roles, e.g. girls have to look “beautiful, thin, ‘hot’, and sexy” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 2), while a lack of sensitivity is expected on boys besides macho behaviors. Children who are exposed to sexualized media can develop pathological sexual behaviors like sexual abuse, pedophilia, and prostitution (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). When these children grow up, girls may think there are only sex objects, and have eating disorders or depression, while boys can become “men who re unsatisfying and sometimes even dangerous partners for women” ((Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 5). As an early childhood professional, I can build trustable relationships in which children can express their ideas without being judged, while asking them why they are doing or saying those things, thing to find out their feelings and thoughts, but in a conversation that make them feel not embarrassed, either punished (Levin, 2009). Because it is important to create appropriate classrooms circumstances that have positive impact on the ideas children develop about themselves (Lee, 2008), I can also promote activities in which boys and girls play together, and others in which both can express their emotions (Levin, 2009). Reading books in which girls are strong and confident, and boys are sensitive is a good way to reduce negative impacts on children (Levin, 2009). In order to reduce the impact of sexualized environments on children, I can also invite organize parent meetings and explain to families the harm our children are being affected by.

This week’s resources have helped me to change the previous ideas I had about the sexualization of early childhood, instead of just thanking God for the childhood I had, I can give children an environment free of sexualized messages. Now, I know I can talk to children about their misconceptions related to sex and gender, but in a level they can understand, like addressing the similarities girls and boys have –feelings or skills.  I also learn that, because children have their unique home environment and in order to create a link between home and school, talking to families about the sexualization and how it affects children, is fundamental in helping children dispel social assumptions and biases they may have and express, or not express.  

References

Lee, L. (2008). Understanding gender through Disney’s marriages: A study of young Korean immigrant girls. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(1), 11-18.

Levin, D. E. (2009, October 1). Dealing with the impact of today’s sexualized childhood on young children. Teaching Young Children , 3(1), 8-10. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/tyc/file/TYC_V3N1_Levin.pdf

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf