My name is Debi LaVine and this is my first blog entry! I am currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education specializing in early childhood education. I received my Masters in Education in 2005. I own and operate an NAEYC accredited, five star early childhood program serving children pre-kindergarten thru first grade in Garner, North Carolina. My hope is to connect with colleagues and other early childhood professionals regarding topics that are important to our field. Is there a topic you are passionate about in child development or early childhood education? I would love to share in conversation with you!
I grew up in northern New Jersey. As the oldest child of three brothers, I have many fond memories of early play experiences. Although, I never had the opportunity to attend an organized preschool program, I did benefit from hours of play with my siblings. Recently, I came across a picture of the four of us children taken in the early 1970’s. I thought it might be a fun addition to start with a childhood memory.
Young children’s social-emotional competency and its linkage to academic success has recently become an important passion for me. I feel both the conceptual and empirical finding in research strongly supported the linkage between social-emotional skill development and future academic readiness. I strongly support the understanding that cognitive achievement cannot proceed separate from social-emotional attainment and that a child’s state of social-emotional development impacts all domains of development.
I believe strong early childhood leaders must juggle diverse philosophies, differing attitudes, and assorted methodologies to find common understanding, approaches, and solutions in our field. I understand the importance of examining professional beliefs and practices. It is our professional responsibility to connect theory to understanding and use it to inform our practice.
Congratulations on your NAEYC accredited preschool program! That is a marvelous achievement. How long has it been in operation? It is wonderful that you can apply most of the things that we are learning in our classes to your daycare facility. Have you found that most of your children at at your facility perform better and are more advanced socially, academically and emotionally when they enter grade school due to being in an NAEYC accredited program?
Debi, You stated that you never attended an organized preschool program. It seems that many of us in the class did not attend organized preschools. However, what I have noticed is that we were all outside playing all day. We were not influenced by video games and television like children are today. My sisters and I played outside as much as we could and this provided a well rounded set of development skills. When asked about the change and why it is so different for children today most people respond that it is because of the media exposure. I agree with this statement but also wonder if there are other factors involved. Do you think we can place the entire blame on media exposure or do you think there are other factors involved?
Welcome Melissa, It is wonderful to meet you! Our early childhood program has been in existence since 1994. The answer to your question is a big, “YES!” We have seen a large positive relationship between NAEYC accreditation standards and positive child outcomes in all developmental domains. The NAEYC accreditation system has also contributed to the competency of our staff; our curriculum development; and the health and safety of our program. For anyone further interested in the NAEYC accreditation standards, I have provided the following link: www.naeyc.org/academy/primary/standardsintro Please visit again! Debi LaVine
Debi, That is marvelous! I'm looking forward to hearing all your insights and opinions in our class. It will be wonderful to hear your point of view from a business owner perspective.
Thanks Darla for your comment. I believe children are spending less time outdoors and more time on digital media such as television, computers, Ipads, and other electronic gaming devices. I believe digital media can offer beneficial educational opportunities to children, but not in place of the time children should be outside. Children’s opportunity to spend unstructured play time outside while interacting with other children is so important for a child’s healthy development.
I believe another important factor in children spending more time outdoors is a strong parental role model. Parents who model a love for the outdoors can have a great impact on a child’s choice, and opportunity, to enjoy outdoor play. I encourage parents to think about fun outdoor opportunities they can model for their own children! Thanks, Debi LaVine
Debi, I agree with Melissa congratulation on your NAEYC accredited early childhood program. During the first course for the EdD program, I wrote up a goal of developing a school as you currently run. A school that's focus is preK, kindergarten and first grade. This age group is unique. Sharon Lloyd
Debi, The program you have developed and run sounds outstanding! I wish we had such a program in our area. I like the question Melissa asked, Do you find the students in your program more prepared academically and socially for grade school? I know many children that come to my kindergarten class in a public school are not prepared to be there. We just started offering a Pre-K program in my school last year and I think it will make a huge difference. We were getting many children almost 50% actually that had NEVER been in any type of school, head start, or preschool setting before. As you can imagine that makes the first few weeks of school very challenging! -Sarah
Sarah, Are the students you are getting that are not prepared for kindergarten coming from private learning centers? I have found that in my area there are not very many NAEYC affiliated schools. I did not realize this until I was preparing for my class observation. I finlly found an early learning center that was 10 miles away from where I live. The next closest was nealy 20 miles away. There are a number of early learning centers in the area, but they are not NAEYC affiliated. Because of gaps in early learning, I feel it would improve the quality of the programs and the quality of teachers if early learning environments were required to be NAEYC affiliated. What are you thoughts on this?
Obtaining NAEYC accreditation is such an honor, and shows your committment to high quality care and education. In your opinion, what was the biggest challenge with becoming accredited? How do you think holding NAEYC accreditation sets you apart from centers that are not accredited?
The answer to your question is a big, “YES!” We have seen a large positive relationship between NAEYC accreditation standards and positive child outcomes in all developmental domains. The NAEYC accreditation system has also contributed to the competency of our staff; our curriculum development; and the health and safety of our program.
The NAEYC accreditation of our Kindergarten program offers young children a strong developmentally appropriate learning environment as well. This is sometimes not the case in public school classrooms. I hear that comment often.
The biggest challenge in the accreditation process is the cost can be prohibiting to some early childhood centers and the time commitment for the self-study is a yearlong. With that said, its every bit worth the accreditation outcomes for children, families, staff and community!
Debi LaVine Blog Post The normal attachment process of infants and toddlers with their primary caregivers is a vital developmental factor in the healthy development of all children. But what happens if something goes wrong with this vital bonding? It may be a physical loss of a parent, maternal depression, abuse or neglect, frequent changes in caregivers, separation due to illness, or a host of other life events that separate an infant or young toddle from important early attachments to a child’s significant caregivers. Resulting separation can cause attachment disorders in children that can often be seen on a spectrum. A severe example of an attachment disorder is Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in preschool children. Reactive Attachment Disorder is the inability of a young child to develop appropriate social relatedness in most contexts, beginning before the age of 5 years (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011). I have recently spoken to a colleague that has uncovered research that connects lack of attachment in early life with childhood obesity. Attachment disorders effect every domain of a child’s development and can have lifelong effects on a child’s adult life. We would be interested in hearing from professionals, educators, or parents who have a child suffering from an attachment disorder.
References
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, (2011). Reactive Attachment Disorder. (85), 1. Retrieved from http://.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/reactive_attachment_disorder Anderson, S. & Whitaker, R. (2011). Attachment security and obesity in US preschool-aged children. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 16(3), 235-242. Retrieved from http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=384360
I went to the website for your school. We have similar schools. It is an awesome task we have to education children, but one that I do with such great pleasure.
I feel high teacher turn-over negatively impacts all young children. When a teacher leaves it interrupts the child-caregiver attachment process that is so important to the healthy development of young children. This is true of children with RAD. More research needs to be done on teacher turn-over and children with RAD.
As early childhood educators, we often have opportunities to share real-life examples of motivating approaches to nurture children’s early learning. It is largely recognized by child psychologists and early childhood professionals that a child’s emotional health is an essential foundation to his or her future development and learning. A child’s strong emotional attachment with their primary caregiver in infancy and toddlerhood is key to the neuroscience of learning.
I have had a number of personal experiences serving young children who have struggled with profound social-emotional and behavioral issues due to a disturbance in the natural parent-child attachment process. These children’s behavioral reactions were based in early trauma experiences, complicated adoptions, and loss of a parent at an early age. When children are preoccupied with anxiety, fear, and behavioral struggles, they are unable to fully focus on the tasks of learning. These children are at a much greater risk of developing serious attachment disorders.
Children with attachment disorders can benefit from a nurturing early childhood classroom experience. Early childhood educators serving children with behavioral-related attachment disorders must become educated in these disorders and offer techniques in the classroom that promote and support attachment. An important contribution to a classroom serving children with attachment disorders is the presence of a classroom pet.
A pet in the classroom offers an innovative opportunity for children with attachment disorders to build on desired attachment relationships. The idea is borrowed from animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in which a pet in the classroom becomes an integral part of the treatment practice (Zilcha-Mano, Mikulincer, & Shaffer, 2011). The theory is that the child forms a human-pet attachment to the animal. In the early childhood classroom, a pet can then become a safe haven and secure base when a child needs emotional-support.
The importance of a pet in the classroom for children with attachment disorders has greatly influenced my thoughts on effective social-emotional classroom learning experiences for all young children. Although our early childhood program offers pets in each classroom environment, the educational value was previously focused on the cognitive domain. Our teachers now have a deeper understanding of the importance of a pet in the classroom within the social-emotional domain of learning.
Early childhood professionals have a unique opportunity in the classroom environment to support the social-emotional and cognitive needs of young children who suffer from attachment disorders. A pet in the early childhood classroom is just one of a number of opportunities for early childhood educators to provide a strong attachment environment for young children. Do you have an innovative or inspiring approach to fostering social-emotional development and early learning? Please feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, or resources.
Zilcha-Mano, S. (2010). Pet in the therapy room: An attachment perspective on animal-assisted therapy. Attachment and Human Development, 36(6), 541-161. doi:10.1080/146116734.2011.608987
John Dewey (1907), an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer once wrote, “What the best and wisest parents want for his own child that must the community want for all its children.” (p.19).
This is one of my favorite quotes and sums up my vision for all young children in our state, our nation, and our world. My hope for the future is that every child in every nation will have an opportunity to attend a high quality early childhood program that prepares him or her to become a responsible global citizen and prepared for a life in an ever changing world. It is my belief that all young children have the right to a safe and healthy learning environment that provides them with high quality learning opportunities that are developmentally appropriate and individualize to each child. All children should have access to services that are required to support their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. Early childhood programs must continuously honor their families as valued partners and to celebrate the richness of their cultural diversity. Each child desires to be raised in a world that wants the best for all its children.
Reference Dewey, J. (1907). The School and Society. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago.
Debi I love the quote! I like to post quotes around my classroom and this one of Dewey's is a keeper!! I am sure there are not very many people in the world that would not say they want what is best for all children. I completely agree with you when you say all children should have the opportunity to learn and have a a quality early childhood program. Though some naive people still look at pre-k and k as a babysitting service, what we really are is the building blocks to a child's academic future. People wouldn't use mud and sticks to build a foundation for a house they would use strong sturdy block or cement. We should be providing the block and cement for our students to build their future's on. Thanks for the new quote! Sarah O'Neal
Hi Sarah, I absolutely agree! I believe that if every stakeholder and political leader spent one day in a high quality every childhood program, they would understand the important work being done by children and educators. Thanks for you post, Debi
I, like Sarah, also love the quote. It says it all! Stakeholders need to realize the impact we could have on the future (not just children's, but everyone's) if we invested in the earlier years. We are doing an injustice to children when we are overlooking their needs to develop properly across all domains; this can only be done if we give children what they need in the youngest years.
Thanks Dixie for your post! Yes! It is my belief that one day each state and each nation will rise to a higher understanding of the importance of early childhood education and its imperative value to all societies. Debi
As a second year doctoral student at Walden University, I have selected a focus of study on English Language Learners (ELL) and math acquisition skills. I have selected this challenge because mathematics performance of ELL students is frequently poor (Chang, 2008). Early childhood teachers are often not prepared for the duel support of ELL students in second language acquisition and the achievement of basic math skills (Perry, 2011). The need for effective teaching approaches as a way to increase the academic math skill achievement of at-risk ELL learners is imperative. I am interested in hearing from early childhood educators who have faced these challenges and from those who would be willing to share important resources on the topic. Furthermore, how could families of ELL students best partner with educators in the mutual goal of math skills acquisition of young children? Debi
References Chang, M. (2008). Teacher instructional practices and language minority students: A longitudinal model. The Journal of Educational Research, 102(2), 83-97. Perry, G. (2011). Young English language learners: Current research and emerging directions for practice and policy. Young Children, 66(3), 96.
I am currently engaged in interviewing both professionals and non-professionals who are impacted by the challenge of effectively teaching young English Language Learners (ELL) math skill acquisition. As part of my doctoral Course Project, I interviewed two individuals with specific knowledge of the needs of young children who are both acquiring a second language and learning basic math skills. The first interviewee, Ms. Doanne Ward-Williams, is a bilingual speech pathologist who works with prekindergarten ELL at my early childhood program. The second interviewee is both an early childhood educator and a mother of a second language learner. Both women shared their real-life perspectives of the challenges, the triumphs, and the resiliency of teaching young ELL math skills.
The interview process with both women was positive. The biggest challenge was accommodating mutual time frames for initial questions and follow-up questions. Nevertheless, I found the process successful in gathering key information for my Course Project. An emergent theme in both interviews was the importance of cultural sensitivity when teaching second language learners math skills. According to Speech Pathologist, Ms. Ward-Williams, children acquire math skills best when math activities are presented using familiar cultural terms.
I found Ms. Ward-Williams example of a culturally sensitive math problem, noteworthy, to my Course Project. Ms. Ward-Williams offered the following example, “If Carlos had 3 tortillas and his grandmother ate one, how many would he have left?” In this example a shared Hispanic name, a common Hispanic food, and prominent Hispanic family member were all used to illustrate this math problem. Ms. Ward-William’s offered an example of how to offer a young Hispanic ELL meaningful cultural terms and images that he or she could best understand.
I am currently completing the literature review portion of my Course Project. As I coded my journal articles, a few common themes began to emerge. Some of my preliminary research showed the importance of teacher instructional practices, parent involvement, and cultural sensitivity when effectively exposing prekindergarten ELL to math concepts (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010; Gopnik & Walker, 2013; Paula, Rude, & Phillips, 2006; Steinberg, 2013). The need for teacher collaboration when planning for second language learners was another significant finding (Anhalt, Farias, Farias, Olivas, & Ulliman, 2009). If a colleague is knowledgeable of a staff development game, activity, or training that promotes teacher awareness of how it feels to be a second language learner, please share your ideas.
References Anhalt, C., Farias, L., Farias, S., Olivas, J., & Ulliman, M. (2009). Teaching math to ELL students. Leadership, 38(5), 34-36. 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. Gopnik, A., & Walker, C. M. (2013). Considering counterfactuals: The relationship between causal learning and pretend play. American Journal of Play, 6(1), 15-28. Paula, W. C., Rude, H., & Phillips, J. S. (2006). Rural challenges to educating english language learners with visual impairments. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 25(4), 16-24. Perry, G. (2011). Young English language learners: Current research and emerging directions for practice and policy. Young Children, 66(3), 96. Steinberg, R. (2013). A mathematically creative four-year-old-what do we learn from him? Creative Education, 4(7), 23-32.
You stated that one of your interviewees indicated "children acquire math skills best when math activities are presented using familiar cultural terms." This action makes so much sense, yet schools are not utilizing such techniques. We all know that children understand more deeply and can make more connections when they have background knowledge. When we adapt instruction using familiar culture terms for children, it makes sense that the children would learn more from it. However, simple techniques seem to take many years to get implemented in school systems.
Dixie, I agree. The technique of using culturally-sensitive images when exposing young English Language Learners (ELL) to math concepts is significant. I hope my final research will encourage educators to consider implementing these simple techniques when teaching pre-kindergarten and kindergarten ELL. Debi
Debi, I agree with the professional statement that ELL students will acquire math skills best when presented using familiar cultural terms. How do non ELL students fair if math problems are completed with familiar cultural terms? Sharon Lloyd
Hi Sharon, Thank you for contribution to my blog post. You asked, how do non ELL students fair if math problems are completed with familiar cultural terms? Research has shown that both English Language Learners (ELL) and First Language Learners (FLL) both benefit from instruction that is culturally relevant and responsive. Thank you for your excellent question, Debi
Influences of Family, Culture, and Society in Early Childhood Course Reflections
As I completed the Walden University doctorate course, Influences of Family, Culture, and Society in Early Childhood, I reflected back on my many rich experiences during this course. I came to understand how our life experiences define us. Moreover, our experiences uniquely shape who we are and how we view ourselves and our relationships with others. These experiences are so influential that they define our character, our aspirations, and our relationships. I returned back to the various experiences with my colleagues, other professionals, and current literature during this Course. Each of these experiences contributed to my development as an early childhood professional.
The Walden discussion boards gave me the opportunity to learn from my colleagues and to offer them professional advice. For example, I had the opportunity to expand on each colleague’s discussion post, as well as share my own experiences on the subject area. I felt a sense of comradeship throughout the entire course. Pursuing a doctorate degree is grueling work. To know that others share your goal to contribute to social change is powerful.
I found all the Course required materials valuable. I thought the most enjoyable readings were the three required text books. These books included, Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves; Understanding Families: Approaches to Diversity, Disability and Risk; and The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Culture. I found each of these books current, informative, and insightful. My favorite was Anne Fadiman’s (2012) nonfiction work; The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Culture was a powerful lesson in cultural dissonance.
Fadiman (2012) wrote about the clash of two cultures that resulted in devastating outcomes for a young Hmong girl, her family, and the doctors who cared for her. The author delved into the cultural beliefs, the societal biases, and the cultural dissonance that was created by the lack of healthcare cross-cultural competency. The experience of reading and analyzing the book brought me a deeper understanding of my own Western biases, cultural dissonance, and the importance of cross-cultural competency in my field.
In closing, the Course underscored the significance of discussing best practices with professional colleagues. Furthermore I was able to define who I was as an educator and the importance of ongoing research. Furthermore, I have a gained knowledge of cultural biases and how these beliefs impede understanding between others of differing cultures. I have been able to apply what I have learned in this Course to my professional practice. Furthermore, my experiences in this Course have allowed me to confidently work toward social change in my work with ELLs and their families. References 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. Fadiman, A. (2012). The spirit catches you and you fall down: A Hmong child, her American doctors, and the collision of two cultures. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Hanson, M. J., & Lynch, E. W. (2013). Understanding families: Approaches to diversity, disability, and risk. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co. Walden University. (n.d.). Module 8 Blog: Final thoughts. Retrieved from Walden Course Resources.
Debi, You stated that our life experiences define us and this statement is so true. We are who we are due to the influences of those around us. I am pleased to share the Walden journey with you as I have learned from your professional post. Thank you. Sharon Lloyd
Thank you for your kind words. We truly are a sum of our experiences. Additionally, I have enjoyed our journey together throughout the doctorate program. I look forward to future courses together.
You stated that "I felt a sense of comradeship throughout the entire course. Pursuing a doctorate degree is grueling work. To know that others share your goal to contribute to social change is powerful." I think this is one of the aspects of our courses that I like best. It is definitely challenging and highly frustrating at times, but when I think of the other wonderful people that share the same goals as myself persevering through the assignments, it helps me to move forward. I love the conversations that we are able to have with one another, helping to deepen our understanding of topics and assisting in our professional growth.
It takes a village to raise a doctorate student. Often times, doctorate students may feel they are doing this all alone. For example, the endless years of research, the immeasurable amount of time spent on the computer, and the many countless months of writing. Nonetheless, we are often not doing it alone. We have the support of professors, colleagues, and family. For those of us lucky enough, we also have the support of friends, co-workers, and employers. Furthermore, I am glad I am able to share this journey with exemplary colleagues like you.
I so agree with everything you said, and I am grateful that we crossed paths. Your friendship means the world to me, and I appreciate the fact that we are able to bounce ideas off one another, as well as lean on each other for support. It is still a long journey ahead of us, but we can get through it together.
As I contemplated writing this post, I watched Matthew McConaughey win the 2014 Academy Award for best actor in his role as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyer’s. In his acceptance speech, McConaughey stated he needed someone to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase (McConaughey, 2014). Moreover, McConaughey described how each of these three ideas related to his professional goals. I was compelled. I decided to use the guidance of McConaughey’s three prompts to frame my own professional goals as an educator in my pursuit to impact public policy in my community.
The early childhood education field is in need of solid leaders who can enact positive social change in their immediate environments. First, my I can look up to goal is to seek out those leaders who are active in my own community. I want to seek interdisciplinary stakeholders to collaborate on important issues that affect young children and their families. Second, the something to look forward to goal is to work effectively with early childhood professionals and stakeholders to collaborate on advocacy efforts that affect the early childhood field. Third, my someone to chase goal is to seek policy-oriented communicators to address important issues and learn how to take these issues to the forefront of policy agendas. My three goals represent each step in my journey to impact public policies that affect young children and their families.
References
McConaughey, Matthew D. (2014). “Oscar Acceptance Speech.” 86th Academy Awards. Los Angeles, California. 2 March. 2014.
I had not been able to find your blog until I went back to Doc Sharing to check if I had the correct link. I am glad you commented the second time so I could find you. Your post made me smile. I did not watch the Academy Awards, but for some reason I turned the television on just at the time McConaughey was giving his speech. I listened to what he said and like you, was compelled. Your goals are aligned for accomplishment and are important ones to follow. We are currently developing ourselves further in the leadership of early childhood education. We obviously want to be and do more or we would not be working toward our Ed.D. As we are looking for someone to look up to, we also must remember that we already are in the position that others will look up to us. I let that thought be my guide as I move forward in my personal and professional daily actions. As we set our goals, we have something to look forward to as we meet the short and long term goals we set. Do not forget to celebrate them all, but keep moving forward. As we keep learning, researching, and advocating for children we will continue to chase that goal of making early childhood education available to all so that every single child will have the opportunity to succeed in life.
Thank you for your excellent response. I think each of us has a something to look up to, a something to look forward to, and a something to chase. The wonderful observation about the thought is that it works for all of us. Whether in our personal life or our professional life, we seek self-direction. Our goals are the road map to our future. Our future is the road map back to our past.
I absolutely love the way you have come up with your goals. First of all, it is definitely important to find leaders who have already been active in the community; collaborating with these key people can heighten your own ambitions to create positive social change. Plus, these individuals can be key to assisting you in the right directions in your own efforts. Second, looking forward to working with other professionals with similiar goals and interests can only make our voices louder so that they will be heard. Third, knowing who to "chase" is essential, as actions cannot be taken if the right individuals are not involved. Finally, who can resist Matthew McConaughey! He is nice to look at, has proven he has major talent, and based on his speech, is an intelligent individual that knows how to set goals and accomplish them.
Thank you for your kind words. I always look forward to working with other professionals with similar goals and interests. Professional collaboration does make early childhood educators voices louder so that they can be heard. I have met a number of amazing individuals at the forefront of early childhood policy doing great things in North Carolina. When voices join together, people tend to listen.
Hi Debi, I did not see the Academy Awards or the movie, Dallas Buyer's but do enjoy Matthew McConaughey movies. What an in genius way to identify goals related to early childhood. Someone to look up to provides guidance of what has come before, individuals or communities that have established policies. These policies can be used to develop more effective policies. I enjoy your something to look forward to, collaborating with other early childhood professionals. Teaching can be a lonely vocation unless one is willing to step out of their shell and collaborate with teachers in the room next door, across the hall, across the town and across the nation with the age of internet. Your last goal, someone to chase - policy oriented communicators will be important for the completion of this course. Thank you for sharing your goals in a unusual manner. Sharon Lloyd
Thank you so much for your comment! You stated, teaching can be a lonely vocation unless one is willing to step out of their shell and collaborate with teachers in the room next door, across the hall, across the town and across the nation with the age of internet. I agree. Often times, I believe I am so focus on the children that I forfeit more opportunities to connect with other stakeholders and policy makers.
Social media is an important medium in the advocacy of early childhood issues. Social media has increasingly changed how educators provide and obtain information. According to Wolpert-Gauron (2014), “we each have the power to change our small and greater worlds by using social networking to get our voices heard.” I have considered two social media mediums to communicate my new policy issue on school referral systems for children exhibiting early onset mental health concerns in the classroom. The two social media outlets I am considering to target are my school sponsored facebook and my professional blog. However, social media outlets have both benefits and challenges for communicating new policy issues.
Facebook is the first social media I considered as a medium to present my new policy issue. Because my current school community would best benefit from the new school policy information, I chose facebook. Facebook provides immediate access to my targeted population of users. The advantage of using my school-sponsored facebook page is that the medium is already well-established, easily accessible, and currently targeted to the school audience. However, facebook is not without its challenges. The first challenge is that not all families are reached through facebook. For example, not all families are facebook users. The second challenge is deciphering exactly which families received the information. Facebook does not make available exactly who has seen posted information. The third challenge is that posted messages are time sensitive. As time passes and new information is posted, the original posted policy issue becomes less visible and accessible. Although the use of facebook has it challenges, I believe facebook’s advantages outweigh the disadvantage when presenting my policy issue.
The second social media I would consider using is a professional blog. The ultimate benefit of using a professional blog is that blogs are fast, inexpensive, and interactive. One of the challenges of blogging is that one cannot completely control their message. For example, bloggers can only begin to participate in the "conversation" and cannot expect to achieve a significant influence in that conversation (Rutledge, 2014). However, the benefits of blogging would outweigh the disadvantages when communicating my early childhood policy issue.
What social media outlets have you found to be the most effective? What unforeseen challenges have you experienced? What types of social media have you found best addressed your individual school populations? These are key questions. I encourage those who have successfully used social media to target a specific school audience to share their experiences.
References
Lampe, C., LaRose, R., Steinfield, C., & DeMaagd, K. (2011). Inherent barriers to the use of social media for public policy informatics. Innovation Journal, 16(1), 1–17. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Rutledge, P. (2014). The psychology of social media, transmedia experience, and emerging technologies. The Media Psychology. Retrieved from http://mprcenter.org/blog/2010/08/research-survey-launched-social-media-and-influence-of-photos-on-body-image/
Wolpert-Gauron, H. (2014). Social media in education: The power of facebook. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/social-media-education-examples-facebook
You made an excellent point that I did not consider in regards to Facebook. Although the messages can reach hundreds of individuals, you are correct in indicating that you have no idea how many people you have actually reached. Although a hundred individuals may have read the information, only a few may have responded. If you are attempting to reach all of your parents or community members, this would definitely be a disadvantage. However, I feel that all social media tools would have similarities in this area. I think social media sites have established immediate communication avenues, but there are still improvements to be made. I utilize Facebook on a daily basis but have never used it for advocacy efforts. However, I did create a webpage several years ago on fitness and nutrition that linked to a blog I had also created. I had very few individuals who responded. It was a major challenge publicizing my information and obtaining individuals who would actually view the page. Social media can be a highly valuable tool, but obtaining viewers can be a major challenge.
Thank you for your insightful comment. I too, believe social media is a highly valuable tool. The challenge for us policy changers is always targeting social media to reach our target audience.
You surfaced some excellent points. One of the problems I have with Facebook is that there are so many imposed advertizing ploys woven into everything you do there. I also agree, that there is no way of knowing who exactly has read what has been posted. I think that blogging can avoid some of the difficulties associated with Facebook but there are other challenges with this form of social media as you mentioned. It will be interesting to see what the state of social media will be in five years as new venues are multiplying rapidly.
Thank you, Dr. Callahan, for your continued insight! Social media has soared in the past decade. I believe smart phone technology has taken social networking to an entirely new level. Mobile users of smart phone technology have defined an entirely new itinerant market. The future uses of social networking is exciting!
This week our doctoral professor asked us to describe at least two communication skills that are important when leading policy change. In addition, she asked each of us to describe our strengths and/or opportunities for improvement in relation to these skills. The two communication skills that I believe are important to exemplify when leading a policy change are the skill of persuasive writing and the art of public speaking. Persuasive writing and effective public speaking require a significant amount of linguistic ability. Moreover, moving an audience from agreement on an issue to action on an issue demands an even higher level of semantic skill. Even though I studied public speaking as an undergraduate and have given countless speeches, I find persuasive writing a more natural and powerful way to express my views and opinions. My strength and comfort in the art of persuasion has always been through my skill as a writer.
Writing something allows you to think about it, review, practice speaking (if you have written something to be delivered), and I agree can be effective. Public speaking is, I think, an additional challenge but can bring with it additional effectiveness as there are so many more elements involved. In addition to the persuasive writing and linguistic ability required, are the non-verbal issues, articulation, etc. I am always in awe of those who have effectively mastered both the persuasive written word and persuasive public speaking. You have wonderful writing skills and I suspect your public speaking is likewise excellent.
Thank for your kind words. I often find myself reacting to an audience during public speaking engagements. If I perceive the audience is supporting my issue, I often feel more confident in my presentation. If I feel the audience is hostile, I feel it affects my performance and message.
I think persuasive writing is easier because you do not have to stand before a crowd and feel vulnerable about what you are saying. You can take your time and give much thought to what you want to write. There have been times when I have been in front of a crowd and have the words leave my mouth while at the same time in my head I am thinking “what am I saying?”
I use persuasive communication often when families come and look at the school. Persuading a family to enroll their children in the school or preschool is what I do because I give the initial tour so the families can have total access to the school. It is at that time I just speak from the heart and focus on our strengths. I think parents are some of the hardest people to persuade when it comes to young children. In that persuasive communication there has to be an element of trust otherwise, you have not done a good job of persuading.
I love your comment in regards to public speaking. You mentioned, “I have been in front of a crowd and have the words leave my mouth while at the same time in my head I am thinking “what am I saying?” That is so true! Furthermore, I have looked at an audience and thought “Oh my gosh, they don’t know what I am saying!” That is an equally awkward moment!
It is amazing how the mind works, isn't it? To think that we can actually have two conversations going on at the same time. The one we are speaking and the one in our mind. Wow!
Debi, Persuasive writing is a skill that was worked on for this course and I agree with Dr. Callahan your writing is fluent and persuasive. Public speaking is developed over time in my opinion. As I become more familiar with a topic or the audience, public speaking is easier. Sharon Lloyd
Thank you for your kind words. I agree with your comment. Public speaking is easier when the topic or the audience is familiar. Furthermore, I often wondered if public speakers found written speech notes more of a crutch, support, or hindrance at the podium. What are your thoughts?
My name is Debi LaVine and this is my first blog entry! I am currently pursuing a Doctorate in Education specializing in early childhood education. I received my Masters in Education in 2005. I own and operate an NAEYC accredited, five star early childhood program serving children pre-kindergarten thru first grade in Garner, North Carolina. My hope is to connect with colleagues and other early childhood professionals regarding topics that are important to our field. Is there a topic you are passionate about in child development or early childhood education? I would love to share in conversation with you!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in northern New Jersey. As the oldest child of three brothers, I have many fond memories of early play experiences. Although, I never had the opportunity to attend an organized preschool program, I did benefit from hours of play with my siblings. Recently, I came across a picture of the four of us children taken in the early 1970’s. I thought it might be a fun addition to start with a childhood memory.
Young children’s social-emotional competency and its linkage to academic success has recently become an important passion for me. I feel both the conceptual and empirical finding in research strongly supported the linkage between social-emotional skill development and future academic readiness. I strongly support the understanding that cognitive achievement cannot proceed separate from social-emotional attainment and that a child’s state of social-emotional development impacts all domains of development.
I believe strong early childhood leaders must juggle diverse philosophies, differing attitudes, and assorted methodologies to find common understanding, approaches, and solutions in our field. I understand the importance of examining professional beliefs and practices. It is our professional responsibility to connect theory to understanding and use it to inform our practice.
Congratulations on your NAEYC accredited preschool program! That is a marvelous achievement. How long has it been in operation?
DeleteIt is wonderful that you can apply most of the things that we are learning in our classes to your daycare facility. Have you found that most of your children at at your facility perform better and are more advanced socially, academically and emotionally when they enter grade school due to being in an NAEYC accredited program?
Debi,
DeleteYou stated that you never attended an organized preschool program. It seems that many of us in the class did not attend organized preschools. However, what I have noticed is that we were all outside playing all day. We were not influenced by video games and television like children are today. My sisters and I played outside as much as we could and this provided a well rounded set of development skills. When asked about the change and why it is so different for children today most people respond that it is because of the media exposure. I agree with this statement but also wonder if there are other factors involved. Do you think we can place the entire blame on media exposure or do you think there are other factors involved?
Welcome Melissa,
DeleteIt is wonderful to meet you! Our early childhood program has been in existence since 1994. The answer to your question is a big, “YES!” We have seen a large positive relationship between NAEYC accreditation standards and positive child outcomes in all developmental domains. The NAEYC accreditation system has also contributed to the competency of our staff; our curriculum development; and the health and safety of our program.
For anyone further interested in the NAEYC accreditation standards, I have provided the following link:
www.naeyc.org/academy/primary/standardsintro
Please visit again!
Debi LaVine
Debi,
DeleteThat is marvelous! I'm looking forward to hearing all your insights and opinions in our class. It will be wonderful to hear your point of view from a business owner perspective.
Thanks Darla for your comment. I believe children are spending less time outdoors and more time on digital media such as television, computers, Ipads, and other electronic gaming devices. I believe digital media can offer beneficial educational opportunities to children, but not in place of the time children should be outside. Children’s opportunity to spend unstructured play time outside while interacting with other children is so important for a child’s healthy development.
DeleteI believe another important factor in children spending more time outdoors is a strong parental role model. Parents who model a love for the outdoors can have a great impact on a child’s choice, and opportunity, to enjoy outdoor play. I encourage parents to think about fun outdoor opportunities they can model for their own children!
Thanks,
Debi LaVine
Debi,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Melissa congratulation on your NAEYC accredited early childhood program. During the first course for the EdD program, I wrote up a goal of developing a school as you currently run. A school that's focus is preK, kindergarten and first grade. This age group is unique.
Sharon Lloyd
Hi Sharon!
DeleteI love this age group too! All the children are 4 to 7 years of age. It is a unique period in early childhood development and early education!
Thank you so much for your post,
Debi LaVine
Debi,
ReplyDeleteThe program you have developed and run sounds outstanding! I wish we had such a program in our area. I like the question Melissa asked, Do you find the students in your program more prepared academically and socially for grade school? I know many children that come to my kindergarten class in a public school are not prepared to be there. We just started offering a Pre-K program in my school last year and I think it will make a huge difference. We were getting many children almost 50% actually that had NEVER been in any type of school, head start, or preschool setting before. As you can imagine that makes the first few weeks of school very challenging! -Sarah
Sarah,
DeleteAre the students you are getting that are not prepared for kindergarten coming from private learning centers? I have found that in my area there are not very many NAEYC affiliated schools. I did not realize this until I was preparing for my class observation. I finlly found an early learning center that was 10 miles away from where I live. The next closest was nealy 20 miles away. There are a number of early learning centers in the area, but they are not NAEYC affiliated. Because of gaps in early learning, I feel it would improve the quality of the programs and the quality of teachers if early learning environments were required to be NAEYC affiliated. What are you thoughts on this?
Sarah,
DeletePlease feel free to visit our school website at lolpk.com and and/or join us on our facebook page at Lord of Life Preschool and Kindergarten Academy.
Debi LaVine, MA e.d.
Principal and Director of Early Childhood Programming
Debi,
ReplyDeleteObtaining NAEYC accreditation is such an honor, and shows your committment to high quality care and education. In your opinion, what was the biggest challenge with becoming accredited? How do you think holding NAEYC accreditation sets you apart from centers that are not accredited?
Johanna
Johanna,
DeleteThe answer to your question is a big, “YES!” We have seen a large positive relationship between NAEYC accreditation standards and positive child outcomes in all developmental domains. The NAEYC accreditation system has also contributed to the competency of our staff; our curriculum development; and the health and safety of our program.
The NAEYC accreditation of our Kindergarten program offers young children a strong developmentally appropriate learning environment as well. This is sometimes not the case in public school classrooms. I hear that comment often.
The biggest challenge in the accreditation process is the cost can be prohibiting to some early childhood centers and the time commitment for the self-study is a yearlong. With that said, its every bit worth the accreditation outcomes for children, families, staff and community!
Thanks for your comment!
Debi
Debi LaVine Blog Post
ReplyDeleteThe normal attachment process of infants and toddlers with their primary caregivers is a vital developmental factor in the healthy development of all children. But what happens if something goes wrong with this vital bonding? It may be a physical loss of a parent, maternal depression, abuse or neglect, frequent changes in caregivers, separation due to illness, or a host of other life events that separate an infant or young toddle from important early attachments to a child’s significant caregivers.
Resulting separation can cause attachment disorders in children that can often be seen on a spectrum. A severe example of an attachment disorder is Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) in preschool children. Reactive Attachment Disorder is the inability of a young child to develop appropriate social relatedness in most contexts, beginning before the age of 5 years (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2011).
I have recently spoken to a colleague that has uncovered research that connects lack of attachment in early life with childhood obesity. Attachment disorders effect every domain of a child’s development and can have lifelong effects on a child’s adult life. We would be interested in hearing from professionals, educators, or parents who have a child suffering from an attachment disorder.
References
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, (2011). Reactive Attachment Disorder.
(85), 1. Retrieved from http://.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/reactive_attachment_disorder
Anderson, S. & Whitaker, R. (2011). Attachment security and obesity in US preschool-aged
children. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 16(3), 235-242. Retrieved from http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=384360
Debi,
DeleteDo you feel that high turn over rates in the early childhood field could contribute to RAD?
Johanna
Debi,
ReplyDeleteI went to the website for your school. We have similar schools. It is an awesome task we have to education children, but one that I do with such great pleasure.
Darla
Hi Johanna,
DeleteI feel high teacher turn-over negatively impacts all young children. When a teacher leaves it interrupts the child-caregiver attachment process that is so important to the healthy development of young children. This is true of children with RAD. More research needs to be done on teacher turn-over and children with RAD.
Thanks,
Debi
Hi Darla,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had an opportunity to visit our website! Would you be willing to share your school's website?
Thanks,
Debi
As early childhood educators, we often have opportunities to share real-life examples of motivating approaches to nurture children’s early learning. It is largely recognized by child psychologists and early childhood professionals that a child’s emotional health is an essential foundation to his or her future development and learning. A child’s strong emotional attachment with their primary caregiver in infancy and toddlerhood is key to the neuroscience of learning.
ReplyDeleteI have had a number of personal experiences serving young children who have struggled with profound social-emotional and behavioral issues due to a disturbance in the natural parent-child attachment process. These children’s behavioral reactions were based in early trauma experiences, complicated adoptions, and loss of a parent at an early age. When children are preoccupied with anxiety, fear, and behavioral struggles, they are unable to fully focus on the tasks of learning. These children are at a much greater risk of developing serious attachment disorders.
Children with attachment disorders can benefit from a nurturing early childhood classroom experience. Early childhood educators serving children with behavioral-related attachment disorders must become educated in these disorders and offer techniques in the classroom that promote and support attachment. An important contribution to a classroom serving children with attachment disorders is the presence of a classroom pet.
A pet in the classroom offers an innovative opportunity for children with attachment disorders to build on desired attachment relationships. The idea is borrowed from animal-assisted therapy (AAT) in which a pet in the classroom becomes an integral part of the treatment practice (Zilcha-Mano, Mikulincer, & Shaffer, 2011). The theory is that the child forms a human-pet attachment to the animal. In the early childhood classroom, a pet can then become a safe haven and secure base when a child needs emotional-support.
The importance of a pet in the classroom for children with attachment disorders has greatly influenced my thoughts on effective social-emotional classroom learning experiences for all young children. Although our early childhood program offers pets in each classroom environment, the educational value was previously focused on the cognitive domain. Our teachers now have a deeper understanding of the importance of a pet in the classroom within the social-emotional domain of learning.
Early childhood professionals have a unique opportunity in the classroom environment to support the social-emotional and cognitive needs of young children who suffer from attachment disorders. A pet in the early childhood classroom is just one of a number of opportunities for early childhood educators to provide a strong attachment environment for young children.
Do you have an innovative or inspiring approach to fostering social-emotional development and early learning? Please feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, or resources.
Zilcha-Mano, S. (2010). Pet in the therapy room: An attachment perspective on animal-assisted
therapy. Attachment and Human Development, 36(6), 541-161.
doi:10.1080/146116734.2011.608987
ReplyDeleteHi Blog friends and colleagues,
John Dewey (1907), an American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer once wrote, “What the best and wisest parents want for his own child that must the community want for all its children.” (p.19).
This is one of my favorite quotes and sums up my vision for all young children in our state, our nation, and our world. My hope for the future is that every child in every nation will have an opportunity to attend a high quality early childhood program that prepares him or her to become a responsible global citizen and prepared for a life in an ever changing world. It is my belief that all young children have the right to a safe and healthy learning environment that provides them with high quality learning opportunities that are developmentally appropriate and individualize to each child. All children should have access to services that are required to support their physical, cognitive, social, and emotional well-being. Early childhood programs must continuously honor their families as valued partners and to celebrate the richness of their cultural diversity. Each child desires to be raised in a world that wants the best for all its children.
Reference
Dewey, J. (1907). The School and Society. Chicago, IL:
University of Chicago.
Debi I love the quote! I like to post quotes around my classroom and this one of Dewey's is a keeper!! I am sure there are not very many people in the world that would not say they want what is best for all children. I completely agree with you when you say all children should have the opportunity to learn and have a a quality early childhood program. Though some naive people still look at pre-k and k as a babysitting service, what we really are is the building blocks to a child's academic future. People wouldn't use mud and sticks to build a foundation for a house they would use strong sturdy block or cement. We should be providing the block and cement for our students to build their future's on. Thanks for the new quote!
ReplyDeleteSarah O'Neal
Hi Sarah,
DeleteI absolutely agree! I believe that if every stakeholder and political leader spent one day in a high quality every childhood program, they would understand the important work being done by children and educators.
Thanks for you post,
Debi
I, like Sarah, also love the quote. It says it all! Stakeholders need to realize the impact we could have on the future (not just children's, but everyone's) if we invested in the earlier years. We are doing an injustice to children when we are overlooking their needs to develop properly across all domains; this can only be done if we give children what they need in the youngest years.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dixie for your post!
DeleteYes! It is my belief that one day each state and each nation will rise to a higher understanding of the importance of early childhood education and its imperative value to all societies.
Debi
As a second year doctoral student at Walden University, I have selected a focus of study on English Language Learners (ELL) and math acquisition skills. I have selected this challenge because mathematics performance of ELL students is frequently poor (Chang, 2008). Early childhood teachers are often not prepared for the duel support of ELL students in second language acquisition and the achievement of basic math skills (Perry, 2011). The need for effective teaching approaches as a way to increase the academic math skill achievement of at-risk ELL learners is imperative. I am interested in hearing from early childhood educators who have faced these challenges and from those who would be willing to share important resources on the topic. Furthermore, how could families of ELL students best partner with educators in the mutual goal of math skills acquisition of young children?
ReplyDeleteDebi
References
Chang, M. (2008). Teacher instructional practices and language minority students: A
longitudinal model. The Journal of Educational Research, 102(2), 83-97.
Perry, G. (2011). Young English language learners: Current research and emerging directions for
practice and policy. Young Children, 66(3), 96.
The Interview Process
ReplyDeleteI am currently engaged in interviewing both professionals and non-professionals who are impacted by the challenge of effectively teaching young English Language Learners (ELL) math skill acquisition. As part of my doctoral Course Project, I interviewed two individuals with specific knowledge of the needs of young children who are both acquiring a second language and learning basic math skills. The first interviewee, Ms. Doanne Ward-Williams, is a bilingual speech pathologist who works with prekindergarten ELL at my early childhood program. The second interviewee is both an early childhood educator and a mother of a second language learner. Both women shared their real-life perspectives of the challenges, the triumphs, and the resiliency of teaching young ELL math skills.
The interview process with both women was positive. The biggest challenge was accommodating mutual time frames for initial questions and follow-up questions. Nevertheless, I found the process successful in gathering key information for my Course Project. An emergent theme in both interviews was the importance of cultural sensitivity when teaching second language learners math skills. According to Speech Pathologist, Ms. Ward-Williams, children acquire math skills best when math activities are presented using familiar cultural terms.
I found Ms. Ward-Williams example of a culturally sensitive math problem, noteworthy, to my Course Project. Ms. Ward-Williams offered the following example, “If Carlos had 3 tortillas and his grandmother ate one, how many would he have left?” In this example a shared Hispanic name, a common Hispanic food, and prominent Hispanic family member were all used to illustrate this math problem. Ms. Ward-William’s offered an example of how to offer a young Hispanic ELL meaningful cultural terms and images that he or she could best understand.
I am currently completing the literature review portion of my Course Project. As I coded my journal articles, a few common themes began to emerge. Some of my preliminary research showed the importance of teacher instructional practices, parent involvement, and cultural sensitivity when effectively exposing prekindergarten ELL to math concepts (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010; Gopnik & Walker, 2013; Paula, Rude, & Phillips, 2006; Steinberg, 2013). The need for teacher collaboration when planning for second language learners was another significant finding (Anhalt, Farias, Farias, Olivas, & Ulliman, 2009). If a colleague is knowledgeable of a staff development game, activity, or training that promotes teacher awareness of how it feels to be a second language learner, please share your ideas.
References
Anhalt, C., Farias, L., Farias, S., Olivas, J., & Ulliman, M. (2009). Teaching math
to ELL students. Leadership, 38(5), 34-36.
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.
Gopnik, A., & Walker, C. M. (2013). Considering counterfactuals: The relationship between
causal learning and pretend play. American Journal of Play, 6(1), 15-28.
Paula, W. C., Rude, H., & Phillips, J. S. (2006). Rural challenges to educating english language
learners with visual impairments. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 25(4), 16-24.
Perry, G. (2011). Young English language learners: Current research and emerging directions for
practice and policy. Young Children, 66(3), 96.
Steinberg, R. (2013). A mathematically creative four-year-old-what do we learn from him?
Creative Education, 4(7), 23-32.
Debi,
ReplyDeleteYou stated that one of your interviewees indicated "children acquire math skills best when math activities are presented using familiar cultural terms." This action makes so much sense, yet schools are not utilizing such techniques. We all know that children understand more deeply and can make more connections when they have background knowledge. When we adapt instruction using familiar culture terms for children, it makes sense that the children would learn more from it. However, simple techniques seem to take many years to get implemented in school systems.
Dixie,
DeleteI agree. The technique of using culturally-sensitive images when exposing young English Language Learners (ELL) to math concepts is significant. I hope my final research will encourage educators to consider implementing these simple techniques when teaching pre-kindergarten and kindergarten ELL.
Debi
Debi,
ReplyDeleteI agree with the professional statement that ELL students will acquire math skills best when presented using familiar cultural terms. How do non ELL students fair if math problems are completed with familiar cultural terms?
Sharon Lloyd
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteThank you for contribution to my blog post. You asked, how do non ELL students fair if math problems are completed with familiar cultural terms? Research has shown that both English Language Learners (ELL) and First Language Learners (FLL) both benefit from instruction that is culturally relevant and responsive.
Thank you for your excellent question,
Debi
Influences of Family, Culture, and Society in Early Childhood Course Reflections
ReplyDeleteAs I completed the Walden University doctorate course, Influences of Family, Culture, and Society in Early Childhood, I reflected back on my many rich experiences during this course. I came to understand how our life experiences define us. Moreover, our experiences uniquely shape who we are and how we view ourselves and our relationships with others. These experiences are so influential that they define our character, our aspirations, and our relationships. I returned back to the various experiences with my colleagues, other professionals, and current literature during this Course. Each of these experiences contributed to my development as an early childhood professional.
The Walden discussion boards gave me the opportunity to learn from my colleagues and to offer them professional advice. For example, I had the opportunity to expand on each colleague’s discussion post, as well as share my own experiences on the subject area. I felt a sense of comradeship throughout the entire course. Pursuing a doctorate degree is grueling work. To know that others share your goal to contribute to social change is powerful.
I found all the Course required materials valuable. I thought the most enjoyable readings were the three required text books. These books included, Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves; Understanding Families: Approaches to Diversity, Disability and Risk; and The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Culture. I found each of these books current, informative, and insightful. My favorite was Anne Fadiman’s (2012) nonfiction work; The Spirit Catches you and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Culture was a powerful lesson in cultural dissonance.
Fadiman (2012) wrote about the clash of two cultures that resulted in devastating outcomes for a young Hmong girl, her family, and the doctors who cared for her. The author delved into the cultural beliefs, the societal biases, and the cultural dissonance that was created by the lack of healthcare cross-cultural competency. The experience of reading and analyzing the book brought me a deeper understanding of my own Western biases, cultural dissonance, and the importance of cross-cultural competency in my field.
In closing, the Course underscored the significance of discussing best practices with professional colleagues. Furthermore I was able to define who I was as an educator and the importance of ongoing research. Furthermore, I have a gained knowledge of cultural biases and how these beliefs impede understanding between others of differing cultures. I have been able to apply what I have learned in this Course to my professional practice. Furthermore, my experiences in this Course have allowed me to confidently work toward social change in my work with ELLs and their families.
References
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.
Fadiman, A. (2012). The spirit catches you and you fall down: A Hmong child, her American
doctors, and the collision of two cultures. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
Hanson, M. J., & Lynch, E. W. (2013). Understanding families: Approaches to diversity,
disability, and risk. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brooks Publishing Co.
Walden University. (n.d.). Module 8 Blog: Final thoughts. Retrieved from Walden
Course Resources.
Debi,
DeleteYou stated that our life experiences define us and this statement is so true. We are who we are due to the influences of those around us. I am pleased to share the Walden journey with you as I have learned from your professional post. Thank you.
Sharon Lloyd
Sharon
DeleteThank you for your kind words. We truly are a sum of our experiences. Additionally, I have enjoyed our journey together throughout the doctorate program. I look forward to future courses together.
With my deepest appreciation,
Debi
Debi,
ReplyDeleteYou stated that "I felt a sense of comradeship throughout the entire course. Pursuing a doctorate degree is grueling work. To know that others share your goal to contribute to social change is powerful." I think this is one of the aspects of our courses that I like best. It is definitely challenging and highly frustrating at times, but when I think of the other wonderful people that share the same goals as myself persevering through the assignments, it helps me to move forward. I love the conversations that we are able to have with one another, helping to deepen our understanding of topics and assisting in our professional growth.
Hi Dixie!
ReplyDeleteIt takes a village to raise a doctorate student. Often times, doctorate students may feel they are doing this all alone. For example, the endless years of research, the immeasurable amount of time spent on the computer, and the many countless months of writing. Nonetheless, we are often not doing it alone. We have the support of professors, colleagues, and family. For those of us lucky enough, we also have the support of friends, co-workers, and employers. Furthermore, I am glad I am able to share this journey with exemplary colleagues like you.
Thank you for all you contribute,
Debi
Debi,
ReplyDeleteI so agree with everything you said, and I am grateful that we crossed paths. Your friendship means the world to me, and I appreciate the fact that we are able to bounce ideas off one another, as well as lean on each other for support. It is still a long journey ahead of us, but we can get through it together.
As I contemplated writing this post, I watched Matthew McConaughey win the 2014 Academy Award for best actor in his role as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyer’s. In his acceptance speech, McConaughey stated he needed someone to look up to, something to look forward to, and someone to chase (McConaughey, 2014). Moreover, McConaughey described how each of these three ideas related to his professional goals. I was compelled. I decided to use the guidance of McConaughey’s three prompts to frame my own professional goals as an educator in my pursuit to impact public policy in my community.
ReplyDeleteThe early childhood education field is in need of solid leaders who can enact positive social change in their immediate environments. First, my I can look up to goal is to seek out those leaders who are active in my own community. I want to seek interdisciplinary stakeholders to collaborate on important issues that affect young children and their families. Second, the something to look forward to goal is to work effectively with early childhood professionals and stakeholders to collaborate on advocacy efforts that affect the early childhood field. Third, my someone to chase goal is to seek policy-oriented communicators to address important issues and learn how to take these issues to the forefront of policy agendas. My three goals represent each step in my journey to impact public policies that affect young children and their families.
References
McConaughey, Matthew D. (2014). “Oscar Acceptance Speech.” 86th Academy
Awards. Los Angeles, California. 2 March. 2014.
Walden University. (n.d.). Module 1 Blog: Course Goals. Retrieved from Walden
Course Resources.
Debi,
DeleteI had not been able to find your blog until I went back to Doc Sharing to check if I had the correct link. I am glad you commented the second time so I could find you.
Your post made me smile. I did not watch the Academy Awards, but for some reason I turned the television on just at the time McConaughey was giving his speech. I listened to what he said and like you, was compelled. Your goals are aligned for accomplishment and are important ones to follow. We are currently developing ourselves further in the leadership of early childhood education. We obviously want to be and do more or we would not be working toward our Ed.D. As we are looking for someone to look up to, we also must remember that we already are in the position that others will look up to us. I let that thought be my guide as I move forward in my personal and professional daily actions. As we set our goals, we have something to look forward to as we meet the short and long term goals we set. Do not forget to celebrate them all, but keep moving forward. As we keep learning, researching, and advocating for children we will continue to chase that goal of making early childhood education available to all so that every single child will have the opportunity to succeed in life.
Darla
Hi Darla
DeleteThank you for your excellent response. I think each of us has a something to look up to, a something to look forward to, and a something to chase. The wonderful observation about the thought is that it works for all of us. Whether in our personal life or our professional life, we seek self-direction. Our goals are the road map to our future. Our future is the road map back to our past.
Blessings,
Debi
Debi,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the way you have come up with your goals. First of all, it is definitely important to find leaders who have already been active in the community; collaborating with these key people can heighten your own ambitions to create positive social change. Plus, these individuals can be key to assisting you in the right directions in your own efforts. Second, looking forward to working with other professionals with similiar goals and interests can only make our voices louder so that they will be heard. Third, knowing who to "chase" is essential, as actions cannot be taken if the right individuals are not involved. Finally, who can resist Matthew McConaughey! He is nice to look at, has proven he has major talent, and based on his speech, is an intelligent individual that knows how to set goals and accomplish them.
Hi Dixie,
DeleteThank you for your kind words. I always look forward to working with other professionals with similar goals and interests. Professional collaboration does make early childhood educators voices louder so that they can be heard. I have met a number of amazing individuals at the forefront of early childhood policy doing great things in North Carolina. When voices join together, people tend to listen.
Debi
Hi Debi,
ReplyDeleteI did not see the Academy Awards or the movie, Dallas Buyer's but do enjoy Matthew McConaughey movies. What an in genius way to identify goals related to early childhood. Someone to look up to provides guidance of what has come before, individuals or communities that have established policies. These policies can be used to develop more effective policies. I enjoy your something to look forward to, collaborating with other early childhood professionals. Teaching can be a lonely vocation unless one is willing to step out of their shell and collaborate with teachers in the room next door, across the hall, across the town and across the nation with the age of internet. Your last goal, someone to chase - policy oriented communicators will be important for the completion of this course.
Thank you for sharing your goals in a unusual manner.
Sharon Lloyd
Hi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your comment! You stated, teaching can be a lonely vocation unless one is willing to step out of their shell and collaborate with teachers in the room next door, across the hall, across the town and across the nation with the age of internet. I agree. Often times, I believe I am so focus on the children that I forfeit more opportunities to connect with other stakeholders and policy makers.
Debi
Social Media’s Influence on Policy Issues
ReplyDeleteSocial media is an important medium in the advocacy of early childhood issues. Social media has increasingly changed how educators provide and obtain information. According to Wolpert-Gauron (2014), “we each have the power to change our small and greater worlds by using social networking to get our voices heard.” I have considered two social media mediums to communicate my new policy issue on school referral systems for children exhibiting early onset mental health concerns in the classroom. The two social media outlets I am considering to target are my school sponsored facebook and my professional blog. However, social media outlets have both benefits and challenges for communicating new policy issues.
Facebook is the first social media I considered as a medium to present my new policy issue. Because my current school community would best benefit from the new school policy information, I chose facebook. Facebook provides immediate access to my targeted population of users. The advantage of using my school-sponsored facebook page is that the medium is already well-established, easily accessible, and currently targeted to the school audience. However, facebook is not without its challenges. The first challenge is that not all families are reached through facebook. For example, not all families are facebook users. The second challenge is deciphering exactly which families received the information. Facebook does not make available exactly who has seen posted information. The third challenge is that posted messages are time sensitive. As time passes and new information is posted, the original posted policy issue becomes less visible and accessible. Although the use of facebook has it challenges, I believe facebook’s advantages outweigh the disadvantage when presenting my policy issue.
The second social media I would consider using is a professional blog. The ultimate benefit of using a professional blog is that blogs are fast, inexpensive, and interactive. One of the challenges of blogging is that one cannot completely control their message. For example, bloggers can only begin to participate in the "conversation" and cannot expect to achieve a significant influence in that conversation (Rutledge, 2014). However, the benefits of blogging would outweigh the disadvantages when communicating my early childhood policy issue.
What social media outlets have you found to be the most effective? What unforeseen challenges have you experienced? What types of social media have you found best addressed your individual school populations? These are key questions. I encourage those who have successfully used social media to target a specific school audience to share their experiences.
References
Lampe, C., LaRose, R., Steinfield, C., & DeMaagd, K. (2011). Inherent barriers to the use of social media for public policy informatics. Innovation Journal, 16(1), 1–17.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Rutledge, P. (2014). The psychology of social media, transmedia experience, and emerging technologies. The Media Psychology. Retrieved from http://mprcenter.org/blog/2010/08/research-survey-launched-social-media-and-influence-of-photos-on-body-image/
Wolpert-Gauron, H. (2014). Social media in education: The power of facebook. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/social-media-education-examples-facebook
Debi,
ReplyDeleteYou made an excellent point that I did not consider in regards to Facebook. Although the messages can reach hundreds of individuals, you are correct in indicating that you have no idea how many people you have actually reached. Although a hundred individuals may have read the information, only a few may have responded. If you are attempting to reach all of your parents or community members, this would definitely be a disadvantage. However, I feel that all social media tools would have similarities in this area. I think social media sites have established immediate communication avenues, but there are still improvements to be made. I utilize Facebook on a daily basis but have never used it for advocacy efforts. However, I did create a webpage several years ago on fitness and nutrition that linked to a blog I had also created. I had very few individuals who responded. It was a major challenge publicizing my information and obtaining individuals who would actually view the page. Social media can be a highly valuable tool, but obtaining viewers can be a major challenge.
Hi Dixie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insightful comment. I too, believe social media is a highly valuable tool. The challenge for us policy changers is always targeting social media to reach our target audience.
Hi Debi,
ReplyDeleteYou surfaced some excellent points. One of the problems I have with Facebook is that there are so many imposed advertizing ploys woven into everything you do there. I also agree, that there is no way of knowing who exactly has read what has been posted. I think that blogging can avoid some of the difficulties associated with Facebook but there are other challenges with this form of social media as you mentioned. It will be interesting to see what the state of social media will be in five years as new venues are multiplying rapidly.
Thanks for your ideas about this.
Thank you, Dr. Callahan, for your continued insight! Social media has soared in the past decade. I believe smart phone technology has taken social networking to an entirely new level. Mobile users of smart phone technology have defined an entirely new itinerant market. The future uses of social networking is exciting!
DeleteMoving from Dialogue to Action
ReplyDeleteThis week our doctoral professor asked us to describe at least two communication skills that are important when leading policy change. In addition, she asked each of us to describe our strengths and/or opportunities for improvement in relation to these skills. The two communication skills that I believe are important to exemplify when leading a policy change are the skill of persuasive writing and the art of public speaking. Persuasive writing and effective public speaking require a significant amount of linguistic ability. Moreover, moving an audience from agreement on an issue to action on an issue demands an even higher level of semantic skill. Even though I studied public speaking as an undergraduate and have given countless speeches, I find persuasive writing a more natural and powerful way to express my views and opinions. My strength and comfort in the art of persuasion has always been through my skill as a writer.
Hi Debi,
ReplyDeleteWriting something allows you to think about it, review, practice speaking (if you have written something to be delivered), and I agree can be effective. Public speaking is, I think, an additional challenge but can bring with it additional effectiveness as there are so many more elements involved. In addition to the persuasive writing and linguistic ability required, are the non-verbal issues, articulation, etc. I am always in awe of those who have effectively mastered both the persuasive written word and persuasive public speaking. You have wonderful writing skills and I suspect your public speaking is likewise excellent.
Dr. Callahan,
ReplyDeleteThank for your kind words. I often find myself reacting to an audience during public speaking engagements. If I perceive the audience is supporting my issue, I often feel more confident in my presentation. If I feel the audience is hostile, I feel it affects my performance and message.
Thanks again,
Debi
Debi,
ReplyDeleteI think persuasive writing is easier because you do not have to stand before a crowd and feel vulnerable about what you are saying. You can take your time and give much thought to what you want to write. There have been times when I have been in front of a crowd and have the words leave my mouth while at the same time in my head I am thinking “what am I saying?”
I use persuasive communication often when families come and look at the school. Persuading a family to enroll their children in the school or preschool is what I do because I give the initial tour so the families can have total access to the school. It is at that time I just speak from the heart and focus on our strengths. I think parents are some of the hardest people to persuade when it comes to young children. In that persuasive communication there has to be an element of trust otherwise, you have not done a good job of persuading.
Darla
Darla
DeleteI love your comment in regards to public speaking. You mentioned, “I have been in front of a crowd and have the words leave my mouth while at the same time in my head I am thinking “what am I saying?” That is so true! Furthermore, I have looked at an audience and thought “Oh my gosh, they don’t know what I am saying!” That is an equally awkward moment!
Debi
Debi,
DeleteIt is amazing how the mind works, isn't it? To think that we can actually have two conversations going on at the same time. The one we are speaking and the one in our mind. Wow!
Darla
Debi,
ReplyDeletePersuasive writing is a skill that was worked on for this course and I agree with Dr. Callahan your writing is fluent and persuasive. Public speaking is developed over time in my opinion. As I become more familiar with a topic or the audience, public speaking is easier.
Sharon Lloyd
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words. I agree with your comment. Public speaking is easier when the topic or the audience is familiar. Furthermore, I often wondered if public speakers found written speech notes more of a crutch, support, or hindrance at the podium. What are your thoughts?
Debi