Week Four

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

Council for Exceptional Children
Its Core Values are what attracted me to this site:

• Dignity and worth of all individuals.
• Diversity and inclusiveness.
• Advocacy and social justice.
• Professional excellence, integrity, and accountability.
• Full participation in society.
• Effective individualized education.
• Family engagement.
• Collaboration and community.
• Responsibility to members. 

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is an International membership organization for special education professionals. 
The available position that interests me is Professional Development Manager. The Professional Development Manager develops, coordinates, and conducts customized trainings and also participates in needs assessment activities.

Requirements include:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of  four years experience in the areas of special education (preferred), product development, and professional development or equivalent background;
• Demonstrated knowledge in professional development and experience in developing, execution and evaluation of training;
• Demonstrated knowledge of special education teaching methods and learning strategies;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in database management, including report development and production;
• Strong oral and written communication skills and effective interpersonal skills with a keen ability to collaborate across the organization;
• Demonstrated excellence in customer service skills;
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task and respond positively to changes in activities and priorities;
• Demonstrated ability to maintain accurate and detailed records and materials in an organized manner;
• Computer proficiency in applicable software applications, including Microsoft Office Suite;
• Ability and willingness to travel within the DC Metro area and out of town periodically for meetings as assigned and the CEC annual convention and expo.

The website for CEC is:http://www.cec.sped.org/


Zero to Three
Zero to Three promotes the health and development of infants and toddlers. This organization provides up to date information and resources for parents, professionals, and policymakers. I chose this organization because I have used Zero to Three as a resource for training information and to learn more about infants and toddlers. I have also found their resources regarding child abuse to be very helpful in my work.

The available position that interests me is the Senior Writer/Training Specialist.

Requirements include:

Support efforts to deepen understanding of the needs of the EHS community and develop innovative approaches through the following:

• Lead the development of up to 3 EHSNRC deliverables (i.e. webcasts, webinars, podcasts) 
• Lead the development of at least one written product (i.e. TA papers, tip sheets) and contribute content to other written products
• Serve as content lead on AIAN specific issues; infusing cultural content specific to AIAN programs into all aspects of EHS NRC work; 
• Ensure presence of infant-toddler materials and resources specific to AIAN program staff and family needs on ECLKC and EHS NRC websites; 
• Provide training for federal staff, TA providers and EHS/MSHS programs (including specialized trainings focused on content pertinent to American Indian and Alaskan Native programs) as requested; 
• Ensuring there is a robust session offering with a cultural perspective for content that is relevant to AIAN programs, for the annual Birth To Three Institute; 
• Serve as a liaison between EHSNRC and other technical assistance providers and National Centers.

The website for Zero to Three is: http://www.zerotothree.org/

National Head Start Association

The National Head Start Association (NHSA) works to empower all at-risk children to succeed in life. I have always been attracted to its advocacy for at-risk children and their families and its strong vision:

• All children should reach their full potential,

• Every child can succeed,

• We can impact the success of at-risk children, and

• Quality early education fundamentally transforms children and families

The available position that interests me is the Policy, Data, and Research Fellowship. Although this position is only a year long position, I thought it was a great opportunity to learn research and data analysis.

Requirements include:

• Familiarity with and commitment to Head Start and the diverse communities Head Start programs serve.
• Strong academic success, including a bachelor’s degree at a minimum and coursework in statistics and/or quantitative research methodology.
• Demonstrated analytical abilities for synthesis of information and identifying themes and relationships.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to be comfortable and assertive working with large and small groups. 
• Strong attention to detail, superior organizational skills, and computer literacy. 
• A high level of energy, ability to multi-task, and sense of humor. 
• One to three years relevant work experience. 

The website for NHSA is: http://www.nhsa.org/

Communities of Practice

Maryland Association for the Education of Young Children (MDAEYC)
The first organization that appealed to me is my local affiliation chapter of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), MDAEYC. The reason why I chose this organization is because I feel they do exceptional work for and with the early childhood professionals in my state. There are always opportunities to work with other professionals in my area and discuss common problems that are sometimes relative only to the state of Maryland or my specific county.  The mission statement of this organization is very inspirational to me as an adult educator: "To empower those who care for and educate young children." It is also a good source for what is happening in the field and in the community. They are very hands-on when it comes to advocacy and public policy. There are always opportunities to get involved with public officials and fight for children and families.

Working at MDAEYC is mostly voluntary, which would be a great way for me to explore advocacy and public policy.

Family Services, Inc.
I chose Family Services, Inc. because of the services they offer the community, schools, children, and families. Family Services is committed to supporting the needs of families in Montgomery County, Md. through early childhood, educational, clinical, and behavioral health programs. They support children and teenagers struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues. They support teachers in the classroom and build relationships between home and school. They also provide training and workshops for early childhood teachers.
This organization provides valuable social services to residents who otherwise would not have access to  counseling and therapy. The therapists and trainers have been very beneficial to my work in supporting teachers and children in the classroom with behavioral and learning issues.

Positions within this organization that interest me:

Early Childhood Trainers-Master's Degree in Early Childhood; Completed the Train the Trainers Course and Orientation; experience working with children 0-8 years old; knowledge of child development and best practices.

Available position:
Residential Advocate-provides support at facility serving women and children who are fleeing domestic violence. Duties include assistance with intake and orientation to shelter life, recreational activities, food service, transportation and facility upkeep. 
Qualifications: High school graduation or equivalency and two years experience in relevant program area. Oral fluency in Spanish language preferred, Must have valid driver’s license and availability for evening and weekend shifts. Must be able to lift 30 pounds, stand, sit, stoop, bend at the waist and knees and possess overall body flexibility. 

Maryland Family Network

The mission of this organization is to ensure that young children and their families have resources to learn and succeed. They provide programs to promote high quality child care, family support and services. They have taken initiative to develop a statewide, comprehensive system of support for pregnant women, children (birth-5yrs), their families and caregivers. This is my go to organization for early childhood resources.

They are currently looking for a Director, Baltimore City Child Care Resource Center, which I find very interesting.
The requirements for this job include:
• Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education or related field; Master's preferred;
• Minimum of 10 years progressively more responsible experience in early childhood education, program management, and supervision;
• Strong communication and marketing skills in one-on-one settings, in large, diverse group settings of public and private entities, and in all situations in between;
• Knowledge of child development and the profession of child care;
• Proven ability to recruit, train, and supervise staff;

For more information, please visit:

http://www.mdaeyc.org/

http://marylandfamilynetwork.org/

http://www.familyservicesagency.org/index.html

From Passion to Action

I am hoping this Wordle will remain on my page. My Wordle communicates my passion for equitable inclusion for ALL children and families and the actions needed to provide high-quality care for ALL children.

Wk 8-Thank You!See You At Graduation!

Wow, we're almost there! Here we are in our last class as a group before branching off into our individual specializations. Some of us will continue this journey together, but some will be saying,"so long".

I hope to "see" many of you in my next course. My specialization is Teaching Adults. I have been training preschool teachers for many years now and I have facilitated or taught all of the courses we have had up to this point, but the Communications course was new to me. I have learned and grown in so many ways thanks to this course. I thought I was a great communicator, but I have really examined my communication skills and changed how I communicate with others and how I listen to others. I am also learning to talk to my children in a more collaborative, respectful way. My cultural background taught me that the parent has all of the power and commands respect ("That's why I'm the parent and you're the child" "Do as I say and don't question me"). How's that working? Not great. I am working to build trustful, open, respectful relationships with my children. It's never too late.


I am very grateful for all of the words of encouragement and support that I have received from everyone. We are all different ages and from different backgrounds with different experiences, yet we have been able to support each other and form relationships through cyberspace. I have been inspired by each and every one of you to keep pushing and moving forward. We have all had to deal with the stress and realities of real life while trying to be successful students and keep up with our studies. At times, it has been difficult, but having your words and thoughts have helped support me in many ways. You should see me every Sunday when I open up the new week's assignments. I am at a loss each and every time. "THEY WANT ME TO WRITE ABOUT WHAT? I DON'T HAVE A CLUE HOW TO START THIS PAPER! OH, NO, I'M NEVER GOING TO FIGURE THIS OUT!"I am a hot mess! And my daughter just rolls her eyes. "Mom, you say this every week. Month after month. And you still manage to do it. Oh, please!" LOL

I am looking forward to our final project-GRADUATION!
I wish you all good luck and opportunity and I thank you for our time together.
Thank you to Dr. Hampshire for your patience with my questions and anxieties.

Please stay in touch, I'm just an email away-michelle.bronson@waldenu.edu

Good Luck,
Mimi

Week 6-Adjourning

The last team of teachers that I had to leave were very special to me. We knew each other's strengths and weaknesses. We knew how to fill in when one was down and anticipate each other's needs. We didn't take long to make decisions because we were not in competition with one another. Whatever needed to be done, we could come up with ways to get it done. They protected me and I protected them. It is a special kinship when you belong to a high-performing group. The trust and commitment that is established takes time to build. It was a learning process that wasn't perfect, but one that taught us about each other and how to work together as a team.

It is always very hard for me to leave a high-performing group. We become so in sync with each other like pieces to a puzzle. It is especially difficult for me to leave a group of teachers that I have formed trusting relationships with.

The rituals I typically experience in adjourning are usually informal gatherings centered around a meal and gifts; or just warm hugs and well wishes; or team building exercises such as trusting your team to catch you when you fall backwards; and sometimes tears because we know we will not be together again. There is almost always the promise of staying in touch or reconnecting, not wanting that bond to end.

I am looking forward to ending this program. There have been aspects of my life that I have sacrificed for this program and I am ready to return to them. But, I will miss this learning environment with my colleagues. Sharing personal and professional experiences with a group of strangers has definitely taken us out of our comfort zones. Yet, we are not really strangers anymore. We have formed a culture that is built on what we have brought to this program and is made up of all of our personalities and identities. It has been inspiring and encouraging. I have learned and perhaps taught. I have trusted and entrusted. I hope to meet as many of my colleagues at graduation as possible and perhaps we will be able to say good-bye in a celebratory way. Let's PARTY ladies!!

(I was so hoping graduation was going to be in Miami, but I think ours is in Minneapolis).

In answering the question, I am not really sure how I am going to adjourn from this group. I think of us as colleagues and so I hope to leave as colleagues who will continue to network and contact each other whenever needed. I think this is a high-performing group and as Abudi (2010) contends it is likely that we will keep in touch!  

The adjourning stage is important because it provides the opportunity to reflect and to acknowledge the accomplishments of the group (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012). This stage also provides the opportunity to open another door into future endeavors, be they work or friendship. It is a way to give closure to the relationships of the group.

Reference

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. (2012). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Week 5-Conflict Resolution

                                                                                                                  

Being a parent of teenagers and young adults can sometimes feel as if I am in a constant power struggle. There are times when I will ask a question or make a comment and the response is completely inaudible or it feels as if I have just disrupted the universe because I dared to ask a question or say something "motherly". The other day my 17 year old (18 today) said something I didn't understand or actually hear. Well, I asked him to repeat it. He did. I still didn't hear what he said. I asked him again and I still didn't understand a word he was saying. We were standing at arm's length apart, so I should have been able to hear every word he said. I asked a third time and his response was, "You know mom, if I have to repeat something for the third time it's no fun. I'm not saying it again." 

Really? (Insert my puzzled face, head cocked to the side, hand on hip here)

(I straightened my body language) I explained to him that if the person he is speaking to can't understand what he is saying, then it doesn't matter whether it is fun for him or not, he's going to have to repeat himself so that he is understood.  I had no idea what he was mumbling and with each response he was mumbling even lower than the previous time and I was becoming frustrated. He left the room mad and then remembered we were going out together, so he came back. Unfortunately, I still needed his answer, so I asked him again to repeat his statement. He repeated it loudly and it was such a simple statement that I couldn't believe how much time was wasted on it. I calmly responded to his statement and then thanked him for speaking up. I thanked him for doing something that should have been natural to him when communicating--speaking clearly, because I felt we needed to have a respectful and pleasant afternoon together. Although I used a challenging strategy by being assertive and having him answer my question, I decided to respond to his statement by being cooperative with a supportive answer to help nurture our relationship and offer a solution that would benefit us both (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2012).

A second strategy that would have helped would have been to use the 3R's by acknowledging that I expected my son to respond to me in a certain way because of how I was raised and the expectations my parents had of their children. Practicing respectful, reciprocal, and responsive interactions with my son will help us to build a solid, trusting relationship that will last a lifetime and hopefully, with his children as well (Corso, 2007).            

                                                                                            

I would love to hear any advice or words of wisdom from my colleagues in relation to how they have learned to effectively resolve conflict (especially with teenagers and young adults ☺).

References

Corso, R. M. (2007). Practices for enhancing children's social-emotional development and preventing challenging behavior. Gifted Child Today,30(3), 51-56.

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Week 4: Communication Assessments

I chose my husband and my co-Director to complete the communication assessments. I was really surprised, but pleased to learn that we all assessed my communication skills similarly. I was surprised because I am always looking for ways to improve my communication style and hoping that others perceive my behaviors positively. I was pleased because both my husband and colleague see me as a positive and competent communicator.

The one thing that surprised me the most was that my colleague perceives me as more "business-like" than I see myself. She feels that I am very organized and I like things to be a certain way. I took that as meaning inflexible and serious. She laughed and said I over think things. I do. But, she disagreed with me and stated that I am a very flexible person. She admires how organized and detailed I am and she feels I am very passionate about my work. She told me to take "business-like" in a good way. Okay.

It was insightful to learn how they both responded to the questions based on how I am with them before, during, and after conversations. For my colleague, she thought about how I am with staff and parents and then my reactions to those conversations when I am alone with her in the office. We do a lot of venting with each other. She felt that even when I vent about uncomfortable or unpleasant situations I am always respectful of others. That was really good to hear. My husband thought about how I am sometimes anxious about dealing with difficult people.

It was also insightful to learn that my husband views me as a confident communicator and his score was almost exactly the same as mine. He missed my score by one point on each assessment! I guess he knows me as well as I know myself.

What I learned from these assessments will help me to continue to be supportive, considerate, and respectful. I think the information I have learned from these assessments will help me to consider how I am perceived by others and whether I need to adjust that perception and improve. I strive to improve everyday. It's always a learning process.