International ECE Communities 

UNICEF 

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY FUND

"UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to save children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help then fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence" 

(https://www.unicef.org/what-we-do). 

The ideals espoused by UNICEF create an overarching system of world-wide support for children concerning a wide variety issues for children and families. Whereas some organizations are concerned with specific issues, UNICEF is concerned with all issues related to children's well-being including child protection, child survival, education, emergencies, gender, innovation, supplies for children, and research. 

UNESCO

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC, AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONAL

"[UNESCO] seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education,the Science, and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly" " UNESCO's mission is to contribute to the building of peace the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information. The Organization focuses, in particular, on two global priorities" 

(http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/introducing-unesco/). 

UNESCO focuses of the alleviating poverty and war through education at an international level. UNESCO believes that education and awareness of other's cultures is the foundation for creating a peaceful world. Created after World War II which was steeped in anti-Semitic sentiment cultivated in a world that lacked education and cultural awareness, UNESCO seeks to prevent this type of future occurrence by ending the attacks on cultural diversity. 

SAVE THE CHILDREN 

"In the U.S. and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We do whatever it take to save children, transforming their lives and the future we share. 

Save the Children works to meet the needs of children in crisis. These issues pertain to educational opportunities, child mortality, and children escaping violence and conflict. Save the Children specializes in responding to the needs of the most vulnerable children that have suffered the devastating effects of natural disaster such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods by providing medical supplies, food, and child friendly spaces for safety and recovery. 

WHY? 

I chose UNESCO and UNICEF as examples of organizations that respond the the global needs of children for the purpose of preventative services, effort, and initiatives in order to create a better current and future world. As wonderful and successful as their efforts may be, natural disasters and conflict are an inevitable reality in today's world. Save the Children is there to respond in these events in a thorough and efficient manner. 

Potential Jobs

As my role in Head Start increases, I am becoming more interested in Head Start director's positions. Throughout the United States, Head Start directors have a variety of responsibility over programs of all sizes from hundreds of children to thousands. Some are employed by Community Action Agencies and others by school systems or various non-profit grant holders. On the whole, and Masters in ECE is preferred and extensive knowledge of grants and grant writing is necessary. This is where I am lacking. However, I hope to gain this knowledge in my current position. 

References

Save the Children (2018). Retrieved from https://www.savethechildren.org/

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (2018). Retrieved from https://en.unesco.org/. 

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/

Additional Community of Practice Members

Association for Early Learning Leaders

The first addition to my community of practice is the Association for Early Learning Leaders (AELL). They provide professional development in webinar or face-to-face formats for leaders, directors, and administrators.They also assist private for-profit, Head Start, and non-profit centers with accreditation through the National Accreditation Association. Their mission is the following: "The Association for Early Learning Leaders is committed to excellence in the field of Early Care and Education by promoting leadership development and enhancing program quality" (https://www.earlylearningleaders.org/page/About_ELL). AELL brings a different view of professional development in early childhood as they rely heavily on web-based training. AELL could potentially offer input on the use of technology and web-based learning for professional development. 

Website URL: https://www.earlylearningleaders.org              

Design Impact

The second group I would invite to the table is Design Impact. This group. although not necessarily early childhood focused, promotes and facilitates design thinking for organizations working for social change. They assist groups with thinking "outside the box" in order to change and improve the world around them. Design Impact's mission is the following: "We use design to address pressing community issues, equip leaders, and inspire communities" (https://d-impact.org/aboutus/). Design impact will provide insight on the aesthetic of professional development. They focus on color, physical design, comfort, spacing, and grouping to maximize participant learning.  

Website URL: https://d-impact.org/                         

HighScope

The third group I would invite into my community of practice is HighScope. I taught using HighScope methods for many years. I learned so much from their trainings and it truly changed the way I teach. Their view of professional development is the following: "We know that adults respond when trainers are sensitive to their needs and learning styles. The result is a broad range of learning opportunities that span small-group conversations, large-group dialogue, personal reflection, observation, and feedback, all following our active participatory learning philosophy modeled in our curriculum" (https://highscope.org/professional-learning/in-person). Their training style incorporates many of the elements that I want to bring into my workshops. 

Wesite URL: https://highscope.org/                                 

Job Opportunities

Executive Director for Discover Zone: Discover Zone is a 175 child, 35 staff member full-service childcare organization in Kentucky. The Executive Director's position calls for business administration and financial management skills. I currently do not possess the skills necessary for non-profit budgeting for a large organization. 

Another job that interests me is adjunct teaching at the local community college in their early childhood education department. First, I need to complete my masters degree. Then I need to gain additional skills in working with adult learners through training and workshops. 

References 

Association for Early Learning Leaders. (2018). Retrieved from  https://www.earlylearning leaders.org 

Design Impact (2018). Retrieved from https://d-impact.org/  

HighScope. (2018). Retrieved from https://highscope.org/   

Communities of Practice

The state of Kentucky, where I live, labels communities of practice as PLC's or professional learning communities. The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) defines these as is "an organizational structure by design that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students" (https://education.ky.gov /school /stratclsgap/Pages/plc.aspx). The state has even developed a protocol for conducting effective PLC's so as to avoid the group becoming a support or social group. As student's complete their undergraduate degrees for any education program from early childhood to high school, they must log a certain number of hours observing the PLC process in action. As a result, PLC's are fairly common in our area although many are less formal and may not follow the protocol. 

As I mentioned in my discussion post, I am a member of two PLC's in Northern Kentucky. One is the Early Childhood Community Collaborative and the other is the Trainer's PLC with 4C for Children. The E3C strives to improve the practice of childcare administrators in order to develop early childhood leaders in Northern Kentucky. The Trainer's PLC strives to improve the practices of credentialed trainers that provide early childhood development training hours to licensed childcare staff.  



A PLC that I am considering joining is Developing Early Childhood Leaders (DECL) also sponsored by 4C for Children. This PLC is also for administrators but rather than focus on best practice for day-to-day operations, it expands its reach to advocacy and mentoring. As I am no longer a center director in charge of daily operations, this PLC is appealing as it views the field from a larger perspective. A second PLC that interests me is Leadership Northern Kentucky sponsored by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. This group explores topics related to community economics and inclusive leadership. Unfortunately, it requires a significant monthly commitment of 8 hours per month. The third PLC I would be interested in rejoining is Supporting Latino Families of Northern Kentucky. I was a part of this group in their formative stages and would like to return. This PLC is comprised of professionals from all types of service industries including education, nursing, social work, and public health. They meet monthly to discuss issues related to the Latino population in Northern Kentucky and how they can improve services for Latino families. Our Head Start agency serves a large number of Latino families and I would be interested in learning more about the needs of the Latino population in our area. 

Job Positions 

I am currently looking into a job position with ICF. They are a consulting firm that employs experts is multiple fields including education. ICF contracts with the Office of Head Start to provide Early Childhood Development Specialists in various regions throughout the United States. These specialists provide guidance and support to assigned Head Start grantees in a given region to ensure compliance with performance standards and the expectations of the office Head Start. This position requires travel and knowledge of performance standards. In order to become a consultant for ICF, I would have to be CLASS reliable and gain a few more years experience in overall program administration in Head Start. 

I am also researching positions as quality specialists with 4C for Children. These positions require coaching experience and the ability to guide teachers and administrators in community childcare. The current position is in Cincinnati Ohio and requires knowledge of Ohio standards and regulations. Although I am well-versed in Kentucky regulations, I need experience in Ohio. 

References

Kentucky Department of Education. (2018). Professional learning communities. Retrieved from 

https://education.ky.gov/school/stratclsgap/Pages/plc.aspx  

Thank You!

This has been a tough few weeks for me professionally and personally. A lot of the information we shared has hit home and caused me to enact some major changes both at work and at home. Thank you for your support and wealth of knowledge. 

Group and Project Work at CD 1

     I have not had the opportunity to participate in any team or group projects in my professional setting. I have certainly participated in overall program improvements but never any projects with a specific goal or timeline.  I have, however, had the opportunity to participate in a training group this past summer at a Conscious Discipline training. At the beginning of the Conscious Disciple CD 1 training, a week-long 43 hour CD training, we were seated randomly. I was seated with a group of people I had never met. There were teachers from all over the nation at our table of eight. None of us knew one another but by the end of the week we were all friends!

     The week began with introductions and required interactive activities. These were conducted in the normal, tentative manner typical of people that do not know one another and have not built trust. By days two and three, we began to work together, talk, and learn about each other's professional lives.  By day four, we were opening up about our personal lives. By day five, we were a little disappointed at having to do activities with other groups. 

     My colleagues were in different groups that were not getting along as well. As a result, their learning experience was greatly affected, and they expressed concern at dinner each evening with their group leader's ability to conduct inclusive conversations and interactions. The leader of my group was quite adept at including everyone and making each of us feel as though we were valuable contributors to the conversation. 

     As we adjourned our group after seven days together, we had a photo made with the training instructor, we went to lunch together, and created a Facebook group where we can all still communicate about our CD journey. We also made sure we took plenty of photos and exchanged contact information. The likelihood that we will see one another again is not great as we live in different states. However, we still keep in touch via social media and email. I believe that these types of connections are made for a reason and it is important to maintain them to the best of our ability. 

     As we progress through our journey for our Masters, there are many of you that I hope to meet in person. I genuinely enjoy discussions and blogs with each of you and I look forward to a face-to-face conversation! 

     Conflict Resolution 

     Our Blog assignment this week asks us to reflect on a conflict in our life. I have previously alluded to a conflict with someone that could have a tremendous effect on my life both professionally and personally. My primary strategy for dealing with this conflict has been to wait. This sounds counter-intuitive and for me this is unnatural. My personality lends itself to immediate confrontation. This situation, however, required a more tempered approach as I observed, listened, and empathized with the aggressor. As a result, my second strategy was to examine my own intent. Throughout this process, I have often asked myself why I want to pursue this conflict. What is my intent? At the beginning, my intent was to suppress this person's nature and to prevent a move into a more powerful position. I decided this intent was selfish and inappropriate. My intent then moved more towards trying to stop the behavior in an effort to buffer others from the effects. I still considered this an insufficient justification for approaching this conflict. Only recently, did I shift my intent to approaching this conflict for the best interest of the offender.

     Just as I would with children, I recognize that this person is lacking the skills necessary to communicate in a nonviolent manner. In addition, there are many years of baggage and some trauma factoring in to her communication skills. She is unable to be vulnerable and has consequently developed very aggressive behaviors in an effort to appear powerful and respectable. Instead, the behavior presents as defensive and demeaning to others. When I was finally able to access my own compassion for this person's situation, I was able to move towards a more effective way to confront the issue. I still have not had a direct audience with this individual, and I do not know that I ever will. I have, however, been able to take a step in the right direction to improve the situation. I can no longer allow myself to pass off this individual's behavior as simply just mean or arrogant. After our discussion post on non-violent communication, I must look at this individual with understanding and compassion.

Communication Analysis

My Communication Styles 

     Comparing my analysis of my own communication style to other's analysis of my communication style was quite interesting. It was not, however, interesting in the manner I thought it would be. When I completed the communication anxiety, verbal aggression, and listening profiles, I did so with my professional communication skills in mind which are admittedly better than my communication skills at home. I decided to do them with my home communication skills in mind on the listening and verbal aggression sections. I scored much worse in both of those with my home communication skills in mind. As a result, I asked my family, who very rarely sees me in a professional setting or public speaking engagements, to complete all three. I really thought they would score me higher in verbal aggression than and listening based on my home communication skills. I even assured them that I would only see scores and not answers. I also left the room while they completed it. They were also responsible for printing the sheets and placing them in an envelope to give to me after every one was done. I tried to give them an opportunity to be anonymously honest with me about how I communicate at home. They all told me the scores and who gave them. 

     I truly feel like I am significantly more aggressive because I am more comfortable at home. Apparently, they do not see it that way. They ranked me almost completely in line with my own assessment of my professional communication skills. The following shows their scores and my second scores with my home communication in mind. 

The rankings were as follows: 

My husband: 

Communication Anxiety 22

        Verbal Aggressiveness Scale  68

 Listening Styles Profile  32

My oldest son: 

Communication Anxiety 23

        Verbal Aggressiveness Scale  61

 Listening Styles Profile  56

My youngest son: 

Communication Anxiety 29

       Verbal Aggressiveness Scale  58

 Listening Styles Profile  42

My scores: 

Communication Anxiety 28

        Verbal Aggressiveness Scale  70

Listening Styles Profile  9

     I am not at all surprised that my husband gave me the highest score in verbal aggression because he is often the one that gets to hear my frustrations and uncontrolled thoughts about how other people act. However, he did note that its not directed at him and that he found that filling this out was really difficult. They all ranked me as people-oriented in my listening style while I consider my home listening style to be more time oriented. At work, my job is to listen. At home, I have so much to do that I feel like I do not listen well and I cut them off mid story.

     Although their assessments were much more flattering than I expected, I still see room for improvement. If I view my home communication as aggressive, then I need to change them. I believe that many of the verbal exchanges I have with my family leave me with regret, so regardless of their view, I need to tone it down. My goal would be to communicate more without raising my voice. Another goal would be to listen without a timeline which is going to be difficult. I am always moving, doing, going, and running. Sometimes I realize, even if they do not, that I did not fully comprehend the story my son just told me. I need to be more present, more aware, and more attentive by simply stopping for a few minutes and listening.