Time Well Spent

I believe what I have learned the most form this program and was the most profound for me is that are silence can be are biases.  I never thought in my years of teaching that because the culture was not present in my classroom that I was teaching a prejudice by not speaking about it.  Anti-bias education is about awareness and for me that silence was my awareness and it seems everywhere I go I am aware of my silence. 

I believe the next thing I learned from this program is the meaning behind Martin Luther King Jr. quote “Intelligence plus character is the true goal of education” (King). My capstone project was based on raising awareness and training professionals on anti-bias education so that children will have social confidence.  What I learned was without anti-bias education children will never have character because they will continue to judge based on misinformation rather than education. 

The last deeply heartfelt learning I gained from this program is the passion we all have for early childhood education and our jobs as professionals.  In the beginning we often told stories of how we had to advocate that we are not babysitters.  However, today are stories have change to advocates in early childhood and how we are going to change the world. 

My long term goal after receiving my master’s degree is to focus on getting a director’s position in early childhood education and going back to get my doctoral and just maybe when all my kids are grown I would love to be part of the Teaching for Change team and become a full-time advocate in anti-bias education.

To everyone thank you so much for the encouragement I could not have done it without you.  Although, I never saw your faces your words were often the strength I needed when I felt like giving up.  You all are remarkable educators and should be proud of completing this journey of receiving your master’s degree.  I wish you much success and happiness in your future endeavors and may God continue to shine on your passion.  I love you all!!!!!!!!!

 

King, M. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/character.html

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

The first organization that appealed to me was United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/ I chose this organization because of their global involvement in helping underprivileged children and their families.  There work with educating mothers with AIDS and the prevention of spreading the disease is phenomenal in place that have over an 80% AIDS rate.  The organization does other services such as child protection, advocacy, and equality but, the AIDS work they do is very passionate to my work with children. 

The job I found was an early childhood education specialist in Kenya. However, when you click the site for more information on the job there is an error and there is an error for every job looked into.

The second organization I chose was Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

This organization appealed to me because like UNICEF they advocated for the rights of children and their families.  There organization is in educating the families to break the cycle of poverty for children in America.  They have a literacy program called Early Steps to School Success in which children age birth to 5 are provided home visits and books while the parents are provided ways in which to promote their children’s development. 

I did find a job that appealed to me another early childhood development specialist which required the following:

• Masters in early childhood development, education, or related field
• Three to five years prior early childhood development program design/implementation experience.  
• Experience in developing countries preferred.
• Experience in materials development to support ECD programming.
• Excellent communication skills
• Willingness to travel 30-40% time

It is located in Washington, D.C. however the only aspect I do not qualify for is experience in developing countries and working in programs that support ECD programming.  Not a negative though because I believe if I can portray my passion someone will believe enough to hire me because of my dreams.

The last organization I looked at was Academy for Educational Development. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.aed.org/en/index.htm

This organization appealed to me because of their science and technology innovations is improving the lives of young children.  For instance, they have a position for an administrative assistant in AIDS research, not exactly what I went to school for but, I do have all the qualifications in assisting the director. I think what really appealed to me was again their literacy program in early childhood and giving children the tools to close the gap on achievement.

Here is the qualifications need for the Administrative assistant for AIDS research

• High School Diploma with 1-3 years’ experience. 
• Microsoft Office Suites, preferred.
• Ability to gather, recommend and summarize data for reports.
• Finds solutions to various administrative problems, and prioritizes work.
• Work requires attention to detail in composing, typing and proofing materials, establishing priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Strong MS Office skills (i.e. Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Excellent written and communication skills

 

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

There were three organizations that appealed to me in the community of practice beginning with OMEP a nonprofit advocacy program that works locally, nationally, and internationally to promote the health, development, and education of the world’s children and families.  The OMEP is known for its advocacy for high quality early childhood education for children everywhere and also the education of professionals and others relating to children, families and early education.  This organization is currently working with children who were displaced in New Orleans, children from Haiti and the floods, and making caps for children with cancer in the USA.  This organization is an excellent example of community action and making a difference in children and family’s lives.

The next organization I chose was of course NAEYC and I chose this because of their extensive knowledge and goals in early childhood and their professional development.  NAEYC is known for its vibrant networks locally, state, and regional affiliates.  I am a proud member of NAEYC and I love their magazine. 

http://www.naeyc.org/membership

The last organization I chose was the National Education Association.  I chose this particular organization because of their work in advocating high quality early childhood education.  They believe the principle in which early childhood was founded on that it is common sense to invest in your children the early years.  The National Education Association is known for the Abecedarian Project which shows results of children attending quality preschool program and how they are less likely to repeat grades, need special education, or get into trouble with the law in the future.  This organization is an excellent resource for early childhood professionals and the advocacy for all children.

http://www.nea.org/home/18163.htm

I looked for two jobs this week and have applied for on but will apply for the other one this weekend.  The first job I applied for over three weeks ago and it for the training and curriculum specialist at my job.  This position only requires a bachelor’s degree in ece.  This job is one of my goals when I graduate. However, I have been told it was already filled by someone but, they had to open the job for legal reasons.

The next job is being on the accreditation team for Headquarters of Marine Corp.  It only requires a bachelor’s degree but also wants three years of experience working in DOD child development centers.  I believe I have a very good shot at this job.  However, it is in Quantico, VA and about 4 hours from my present home.  I am going to apply and see what they say and then let God lead me from there. 

 

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

There are three organizations that appeal to me in my community and state and it begins with my local Onslow County Partnership for Children.  This organization is a resource and referral for professionals in early childhood and a referral center for both parents and professionals. This organization appeals to me because it works hand-in-hand with local family and child care centers in star ratings, trainings, and resources in the community.  It is a great place to send parents who are looking for local events or resources in the community involving children.

The next two organizations are state organizations and the first one is T.E.A.C.H. Early childhood National Technical Assistance & Quality Assurance Center and this organization are about giving individuals who are interested in early childhood as a career a scholarship to pay for their tuition.  I like this organization because it is trying to maintain quality and equity in early childhood and alleviate the high turnover rate of early childhood workers, which is such an issue because of the low pay.  The last organization that I am found appealing is North Carolina Early Childhood Association and it is basically a resource for early childhood professionals in attending trainings and conferences in early childhood and also maintaining quality programs.  The advocates on this organization work towards the quality and maintained of early childhood programs in North Carolina.

In essence, jobs that would currently appeal to me would be director positions over a preschool program such as Head Start or NC Pre-K or the current training and curriculum specialist at my job.  As of right now, I have the qualifications for the Training and Curriculum Specialist as I will be receiving my Masters in Teaching and Diversity and it only requires a bachelors degree in early childhood.  The director position for Head Start and NC Pre-K requires more of a supervisory experience so I lack in that position as far as management material but, I do supervise four caregivers in my pod so I know the drama that comes with working with a variety of individuals.  However, it seems that even where I work you don’t need supervisory experience you need knowledge which I have in early childhood.  The job only requires a bachelor degree but prefers a person with a master’s degree.  I am on the hunt for a higher position as we speak and I am hoping between my education and 8 years of teaching experience that I will land a job that satisfies my passion and makes a difference in early childhood. 

 

 

My hopes......

My hope for early childhood education is universal preschool in giving every child an opportunity to attend preschool and not continue to the cycle of classism.  I believe equality amongst us all will close the gap of prejudices and stereotypes.  This week homosexual couples won the war on equality and further define the word for thousands of children living in same ex marriages.  It is not about being biblical but understanding social justice that we are all created equal.  I hope in promoting and advocating for universal preschool that I can stop the increasing gap of classism and all the negativity that surrounds differences.  Early childhood education is about creating possibilities and I want to be on the team that creates those possibilities for every family and their child. 

On that note, I want to thank everyone for your support, comments, motivation, and passion.  Although, we never saw each other face to face you were all inspirations in me continuing to strive to stay in school and pursue my dreams.  God Bless each and every one of you and may you all find happiness and success in all your future endeavors!

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

I chose to explore Djibouti Africa because I have a friend who recently came back from that region assisting in Aid as a U.S. Marine and he told me of all the hardship that the small communities endure compare to the luxuries we have as Americans. 

The challenges that young children and the people face in Djibouti are the high risk of contracting the AIDS virus.  Nearly 16,000 people out of the 850,000 population have HIV and 9,000 of them are women and 1,000 are children.  The fact that Djibouti is a poor community and that drugs such as Katz are the main resource for money is a poor indication of the influences that confront these children on a daily basis. 

The fact that children are exposed to prostitution and sickness amongst their family as well as, their community is scarring the lives of these young children.  They are facing adult problems in a time in which they should be discovering life not being exposed to the dark side of it. 

As a person it kills me to see young children struggle or feel as if they have no opportunities because eof the tragedy that they face.  I believe, HIV/AIDS is not a diagnosis for death but, a certificate to live and make a difference in the world.  As anti-bias educator, I must be aware of the issues surrounding young children and know that I need to provide them with a classroom of support and security.  Challenges build integrity and I need to remember that I should never judge a book by its cover but, encourage that child to be the best that they can be. 

Unicef. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/djibouti_54193.html

 

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

My reaction to this shared reading is it is absolutely true every bit of it and very alarming for our young children.   Unfortunately, we live in a much sexualized society in which we think teen thongs and American Pie are cute and funny.  However, what it is doing to our society and young children is not letting them be children and saying this is who society accepts and your self-image should reflect that.  I currently have a student in my class she is 5 and getting ready to go kindergarten and on numerous occasions she has displayed sexual behaviors or comments.  She dances very provocative to kids music, she always ask the boys if she is pretty and often gets very jealous when a boy she likes plays with another girl.  I caught her yesterday licking and sucking her arm at nap and when I asked her what she was doing she stated she was kissing a boy.  I have addressed this issue several times with the parents and each time they state they do not know where she is getting this from because they do not watch those types of media but, the abundance of knowledge she displays about sex tells me otherwise. 

The examples of sexualization I see in messages impacting children are in Cartoons such as Johnny Bravo, SpongeBob, and the innuendo of children’s movies such as Creedo or ParaNorman.  The fact that Nickelodeon has two separate channels one for the children ages birth to 5 and then for 6 and up is a very good indication of the media portrayed in such shows as Sam & Cat and Big Time Rush.  I recently went on their website also and videos of Justin Bebier and Selena Gomez were up.  I mean heck Justin is on the acne commercial what boy does not want to look like him and what girl doesn't want him!

Unintentionally or not the message displayed in cartoons and different types of media is giving young children a perception in their mind of what is socially acceptable to be or look like.   Self-image is such a critical development for children and can be until adulthood.  Influencing them to be a certain type can be life changing to their development and overall self-esteem.  We see younger and younger and younger children even boys dealing with being bulimic or anexoric even though there is an obesity crisis.  We are killing children and their innocents and the sad part is we don’t even know it.  We just think it is cute that John or Jane wants to be like their mom or dad or a pop star.  

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

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

The specific ism that I experience in my daily life is that my family is of mixed culture meaning my husband is black and I am white and our children are three children are biracial.  Although, this normally does not come into play in the classroom, I recently added some of my family pictures and got some interesting silent reactions from a few of my parents.  However, those silent moments did not last for long as some of my children pointed out that my husband was black loudly.  For the most part I do not experience direct isms from the children.  Instead, they see me as Ms. Michele there teacher and that I love and take care of them.  However, I have had one parent make some off the wall remarks which her child has express in conversation about my family stating that her house is bigger and that my kids cannot afford the same big swing set she has because her mom knows where I live and it’s in a poor neighborhood.  When the child expresses moments of those indiscretions and stereotypes I take a deep breath and then discuss different houses people live in and look at books with all the children and discuss how different families can live in the same or different houses as others.  I discuss classism on the children’s level at President Obama and African American living in the big White House.  The consequences I use in stereotypes and prejudices for my families and parents is by turning their misinformation into correct information and making it a teachable moment to take home.  Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010), states that being silent is a prejudice when you don’t discuss isms or bias in the classroom.  The best empowerment you can give a child is to teach their parent that their bias is an ism.  I can say as a teacher I have learned more from my children than I was ever taught in the classroom about life and perspective.  So instead of trying talk that child out of her belief.  I gave her some new information along with books and pictures and waited her out her perception of classism and biracial families.  Proud to say she still loves and draws pictures of my house next to hers which we hang in the classroom. 

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2012). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Effective communication in the classroom

The observation I observed was in a preschool classroom between the teacher and the child and it was really quite interesting.  The children were writing in their journals about strawberries and drawing pictures to go along with their writings and one particular child was describing her strawberry in details with the colors she was using stating the yellow was the seed, and the green was the grass and the red is the actual strawberry and I thought it was interesting that the teacher would repeat what the child would say but put in into a question as to further scaffold her knowledge on strawberries they were studying that week.  According to Stephenson (2009), just being interested in what a child is saying can make all the difference in their world.  Communication with children is not always necessarily getting them interested into your ideas but you as the adult being interested in what they are saying.  Just the simple fact that the teacher took time to interact with the child for a few minutes and really understand her perspective made that child feel special, and though you cannot always put emotions on an observation it was clear to see by her laugh and smile she was enjoying the conversation and taking and giving the lesson she was teaching and learning at the same time. 

In the end, I believe what I have learned about children and communication is that it is better to be receptive and not put words in their mouth and let myself be surprised by their ideas and interest.  Communication with young children is about respecting and accepting them for who they are as a person (Laureate Education, Inc. 2011).  I am an advocate for developing the whole child however, I am guilty that I often initiate more than I should just watch and grow.  I need to learn that it is okay to sit back and learn from their perspective and not necessarily push curriculum based goals on their learning.  Words are empowering and communication will make all the difference in the world!

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011a). EDUC 6357-6 Diversity, Development, and Learning [Webcast]. Communicating with Young Children. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819834_1%26url%3D

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

 

Creating a Multicultural Environment

In my mind of opening a family child care I imagine a place where all families and children feel welcome and I would begin with the idea of a greeting room in my foyer where families and children can sign-in filled with the daily schedule and greetings the children can choose from in their native language or another country (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011).  I believe it is important to greet each family and child in the morning because it gives them a sense of belonging as well as sets the tone for the day with children.  It also allows ma and the parent time to exchange information as far as how they slept the night before etc…

In the next part of my house I would have a safe place which is design for children to go if they are feeling sad or mad and it will be lined with bean bags and pillow where children can go to give themselves the needed moment privately in order to transition or calm down it will also have pictures of children and their families in which they made at home like the family culture shelves Arianna had in her home.  It is important to incorporate families into a program because all too often children feel invisible in an environment in which there is do depiction of themselves or their culture in the environment (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  Positive social identities begin with the environment.

The rest of the house would be divided up into centers consisting of dramatic play which includes multicultural props and cookbooks. In other words, half of all the materials especially in dramatic play should reflect specifically the children you serve in the program.  Like Arianna, I believe dramatic play is a great asset in conflict resolution because it truly is a place in which children act out roles that have influenced them in some way (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). 

The other centers that would be incorporated into the other areas of the house would be sensory and science, writing, listening center, art in which it would also incorporate multicultural collage material so that we could discuss culture while being creative.  Other centers would be blocks in which we could incorporate multicultural families and different box houses.  Books would be in every center as well as, multicultural pictures of children and their families doing some of those activities.  According to Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010), an environment rich in anti-bias materials invites exploration and discovery and supports children’s play.  I want my family child care to be an environment that is culturally consistent with the families that I am serving.  Early childhood is about the development of the whole child and in order to partner with families we must make their environment of care and extension of their family home life. 

 

Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J. (2012). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). EDUC 6357-6 Diversity, Development, and Learning [Webcast]. Welcome to an Anti-Bias Learning Community. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2819834_1%26url%3D

 

What I have Learned

The one hope I have for working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that their differences are embraced and are used as a learning tools in the classroom instead of conforming to the dominant culture.  I understand the difficult task of incorporating multiculturalism in the classroom, but losing one’s cultural identity is far more tragic.  Our job is to provide children with learning that is an extension of their home and I hope that every early childhood teacher remembers that critical key when using silence.

I believe the one goal I have for the field of early childhood is to mandate that culture and diversity be an annual training.  Since, I have started my masters I have seen many personal biases and silence prejudice in the classroom.  Often is not that the teacher does not know about cultural differences but that he or she does not know how to embrace their differences from the dominant culture.

In the end, I would like to say thank you to all who have continue to share this journey with me.  I am grateful for all the advice, feedback, and knowledge you have shared with me it has been inspiring and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors and graduation!

Art in Culture And Diversity

We Are One

We are many who differ, yet still we are one
We are formed uniquely, living under one sun.
The colors of our skin may not all be the same
Our cultures they vary…we have different names.
We come some from far, and others from near

Yet we share our uniqueness with all who are here.
Some of us red, yellow, black and some are white
But we each shine as bright as the stars in the night.
Let’s now come together in celebration of each other
And honor our diverseness as sisters and as brothers.

We Don't Say Those Words!

I remember just last summer I had picked out one of those strapless summer maxi dresses for a family reunion fish fry and why we were there one of my nephews who was 6 at the time said “are you having a baby, cause it looks like it”. Embarrassed by his question I responded “sorry no baby in here” and walked off.  I think with me being very matter of fact with my nephew that he was okay with my response to his question/statement.  However, I do not believe he understood how embarrassed I was about his comment.  In the end, it was one of those moments that you wish never happened.  I never did wear that dress again…..

I believe an anti-bias teacher would respond with almost the matter of fact way, beginning with stating the child’s name and saying Doe that was a very curious question. I would then go into explaining how we are all different and unique and that sometimes the clothes we wear can make us appear to look unique or different or in this instance look like the person was having a baby.  In accordance to Han (2010,) teachers who work with young children can have a profound impact on children's social development.   As early childhood professionals it is imperative that we support young children by teaching them about different cultural perspective and acceptable behaviors, an impact that can contribute to the quality of children's lives throughout their life span.” 

Han, S. H. (2010). Sociocultural influence on children’s social competence: A close look at kindergarten teachers’ beliefs. Journal of Research in Childhood Education, 24, 80–96. 

Sexual and Gender Identity

There are many ways that the world permeates homophobia and heterosexism and it begins with a world in which children cannot get enough of and parents encourage and that is Disney.  My room swarms with conversations of Princesses and Cars, and now the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers.  As a matter of fact this past week a child asked if she could play Ninja Turtles with the boys and they said yes you can be April which is the only girl character in the show, when I asked if she could be Leonardo or another turtle all the boys yelled no because they were boys (characters).  We live in a world still today that emphasizes roles of gender, heterosexism, and homophobia.  Disney family movies consist of nuclear families such as Honey I Shrunk the Kids or even more recent movies Brave.  The fact that the family park is based on a theme of the 20’s is evident still today as they do not speak about homophobia in the forefront but the message is clear in their programs, movies, characters, and toys.  It is our job as teachers to be aware of cultural norms however, it is our duty to instill practices that there is not gender biased or depict personal biases.  The game Stereotype is an excellent and informational way to teach children of the myths and facts surrounding homophobia and heterosexism (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011b). 

 

I found the question of avoiding materials depicting gays or lesbians to be very thought provoking in my recent career.  I work as a preschool teacher on a federal installation surrounded by Marines and Sailors and a swarm of homophobia.  Although, the president deemed that homosexuals could freely be open in the military the stigma of cultural preferences is still prevalent.  It is an unspoken language in which I have been told by some of my parents that it is fine to be homosexual, but I do not want my children being influenced by it.  In other words, they have some personal bias issues.  However, I do not and walk a very thin line on the issue when I discuss families in the classroom.  I believe just like the video Start Seeing Diversity that although families may be against the discussion children still need to be aware and respectful of other families that are different from their cultural norms (Laureate Education, Inc, 2011b).  I have had some backlash for discussing same=sex families by some parents, but I also tell those parents that what is different is not wrong and you would not want someone to stereotype their family.  Families are people who love each other and their not define by blood or any other stereotype based on cultural norms but the feelings of the heart. 

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011b). EDUC 6357-6 Diversity, Development, and Learning [Webcast]. Start Seeing Diversity: Gender. Baltimore, MD: Author. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2651072_1%26url%3D

So Long Farewell, but not goodbye!

My last blog post for at least a week and here I sit recollecting of the many times I have said goodbye.....Oh how it has been an adventure.  The late night emails and funny blogs that make my day after a hard work week or a stressed paper.  I thank everyone for their words of encouragement.  I guess you could say collaboration are the friends you make after the project is over.  I have made many friends here at Walden the last 14 months and especially in this course.  The knowledge everyone has shared has been profound and impacted my life as a teacher positively.  I wish everyone nothing but the best and hope the next few months are painless as most of us will be approaching graduation.  Just llok at it this way with each passing day we are closer to not writing anymore papers!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck and God Bless!! 

Adjourning.....

I believe the hardest groups to leave are the ones that we get the most support from and accomplish our goals.  A little over two years ago I graduated from Mount Olive College in which I was a part of the first cohort.  I met 15 women who impacted my life greatly and 1 great friend who has been my support system through it all.  This cohort meant everything to me.  We were like a family, we fought together, we collaborated together, and we let no one come between our successes.  I cannot imagine another time I was a part of a cohesive group that meant so much to me not form a professional stand point but also a very personal one too.  At the end of our long 18 month journey together  we celebrated by going to what we called the” last supper” and gave a small speech in which we told how each individual impacted our lives and then exchange a small gift.  I know that the experience I had at Mount Olive will not be like the one here at Walden as my relationships are not as intimate and I can only see their faces through pictures.  However, I do wish them the same success as my cohort and hope to see them in Washington D.C. changing the views of early childhood and impacting the world.  In the end, adjourning is critical to the stage process as it closes a chapter of accomplishments in one book in order so that you can move forward in opening a new one if you choose.  Reflection is a great achievement. 

Nonviolent Communication

I believe the two biggest strategies I have learned in my communication with others especially disagreements is to be respectful and receptive to the other person’s differences.  Often times, I have noticed it is not what you say in the disagreement but how you say it with force or not acknowledging the other person’s views.  There is nothing wrong with not agreeing with an individual.  However, how you respond could be a huge factor in being respectful and disrespectful.  Disagreements are often personal biases.  I believe if we were more open to other’s views even when we don’t agree we can still be receptive in trying to understand their opinion or biases.  I know yesterday I asked two of my colleagues their strategies for resolving conflict and they both said compromising and understanding the other person’s reason for their strong opinion.  I believe that the NVC of communication should be a training mandated for educators because it is often the conflicts in ourselves that separate our differences with families. 

 

Assumptions of Communication

I believe the biggest surprise that I gained from my mom, husband, and best friend evaluating me was that all of the scores were very close meaning they all knew me probably better than I did of myself.  I always try to be who I am and never change for anyone and well it seemed very apparent in the questionnaire as the scores were all eerily similar.  I believe what I have learned this week which was very profound for me was the appearance interaction theory.  I know as a young adult I use to pass judgment based on appearances, but as I got older I learned that appearances are not everything.  It is genuinely better to get to know someone and assume based on appearance because what you are really doing is passing on your own securities and sometimes your hidden prejudices.  This has been a very enlightening week on exposing true feelings of ignorance based on prejudices and not meeting a person but judging them based on their appearance. 

Communication

I never noticed until taking this class but I do communicate with others differently.  When I am around my friends and really close coworkers I am loud and animated with no care in the world.  I am biased in my opinion and almost a manipulator of some sorts as I always try to get them to see my point of view.  It is something I am working on though as I try to implement the Platinum Rule with always being open and receptive to other's point of views. Although, I can be overbearing at times in my personal life in my profession as a teacher I am always a professional.  I speak with cultural myopia in mind always considering the needs of the child and their family.   I use proper grammar and never slang and always try my best to be aware of my intercultural communication in regards to how other cultures may interpret my words or actions.  However, I am not always successful as I often still battle with contradicting body language  displaying behaviors opposite of my verbal message.  In essence, I am a work in progress and will continue to strive to be mindful of others and considerate of their thoughts and feelings. 

NonVerbal Television

The show I decided to watch was Probation Diaries, now I had never watched this show before but understanding the relationship was very clear with no sound because the parolee had pictures of their felonies on the screen.  As for the relationships well let’s just say the probation officers relationships vary some were smiling, some were pointing and shaking their head no, and some were using facial expression that showed discontent as the parolees either smiled back, shook their heads no, or begin crying or becoming upset.  The relationships were very tense based on their body language and environment.  I believe the expression and feelings were not mutual in most aspects and that it seemed like a parent chastising a child as they looked as if they are being reprimanded for their actions or verbal expressions.

The assumptions that I made about the plot and characters were that more chose to live by their own rules than follow the rules of the probation officer.  It seemed as if the probation officer was an adult sitter and that the nonverbal and verbal communication that they expressed was one of seriousness with praising when they did do what was expected.  I believe my assumptions would have been more accurate if I watched the show regularly and really knew the demeanor of the officers and the paroles if they were on weekly. 

In essence, watching a show I knew well would have made a huge difference as I knew the character’s personality and the storyline of the show. 

Communication

I will be quite honest I love Hillary Clinton and the way she speaks, she is precise and always to the point and never displays herself as a tap dancer in any line of questioning being asked of her.  She displays confidence and exhibits knowledge that is well-rounded and always on topic of current events.  Hillary Clinton reminds me of a bull dog a prominent figure who only attacks when necessary but always a lady and never a b%^&*.  She is authoritative and knows what she wants but speaks in a demeanor that is politically correct and acceptable to all walks of life.

Hillary Clinton is an excellent role model for all women she exemplifies courage and compassion while always standing up for what she believes is right for the people of America.  I believe what I would want to take away from her communication skills is her passion to reach people and confidence that exudes when she speaks.  People respond to those who communicate well and Hilary Clinton is the gateway to women’s political voices in America.