Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Florida's Local and State Levels

While I am aware of many of the local and state early childhood organizations, agencies, and communities of practice, I never took the time to visit their webpages or get to know their inner-workings.  It was mind-boggling to come to the realization that there are so many organizations that ultimately work to better the lives for Florida’s children.

I looked deep into the Palm Beach County (PBC) Early Childhood Registry’s webpage (http://www.pbcregistry.org )  I live in PBC and am a Registry trainer, and yet, I have never spent time reviewing their web page.  My knowledge about the goals of the Registry are extremely limited.  My contact has been primarily submitting and re-submitting paperwork and workshops in order to get them approved for presentation.  I learned a huge amount of professional information.  The Registry’s goal is to support practitioners and trainers who work in early childhood in PBC.  The Registry has a strict program that must be completed prior to offering a trainer membership in this group. 
My purpose for becoming a Registry trainer was to elevate my capacity to present trainings in PBC.  After completing my training, I do receive recognition based upon my trainings, and the state will pay a fee for many of my trainings.   Was it worth the time to become a Registry trainer?  Yes, in many ways.  However, the amount of paperwork per training and the approval process is extensive, time consuming, and often, expensive.  So, in the long run, the recognition comes with a cost.  On the flip side, if I was a director and looking for local training, the Registry is a wonderful place to start, because I would be assured that the trainer and training has met specific qualifications.  In addition, there was a calendar of local trainings on their web page, which is extremely beneficial for early childhood educators.  The job openings listed were for lead and assistant teacher position.  For me, I am not currently interested in teaching a particular early childhood class, so it was not beneficial.  However, especially for those individuals directly out of school, these openings are worthwhile to pursue, certainly a starting point. 

Then, I went outside of my comfort zone, searching for an organization that I had not heard of.  As a result of my studies at Walden, I have become overwhelmed by the amount of children in South Florida who are hungry and/or homeless; it is almost like a bad dream.  I located the web page www.homelessvoice.org  Often, I see individuals collecting money at traffic lights for this organization (their vests have the name, Homeless Voice, imprinted on them).  As the name suggests, their mission is to provide shelter, food, and possible employment opportunities.  Their ultimate goal is to offer homeless individuals access to social services to enable their return to being self-reliant.    While employment opportunities as such were not listed, there were opportunities for individuals to volunteer and a listing of items that were always in need.  Several organizations and fundraising opportunities were listed as an opportunity to raise funds for their shelter.   I was taken aback and touched by their mission at ending discrimination against the homeless population.  Without a doubt, I was one of those people who had biases against homeless individuals; I referred to them as lazy.  My learning has eliminated these stereotypes, as I understand the reasons for homelessness.  I want to get involved.

Finally, I reviewed the Florida Head Start webpage (http://www.fl-hsa.org/).  My preschool was not a Head Start preschool, so as a director, I never had a need to review its mission.   Now, as an educator, I present workshops for many Head Start teachers, in addition to reading weekly at a Head Start school.  I have developed a newly found respect for the organization.  This assignment gave me an opportunity to learn more about Head Start.  I found the information to be up-to-date and the web page to be easy to navigate.  I copied and pasted several articles and/or information.   It was interesting to read their philosophy in reference to the importance of collaboration within the Head Start community; they stressed that such collaboration would enable various Head Start schools to share resources.

I had to search a bit to find where their job opportunities were listed.  Most of them can be found on the Palm Beach County School Board web page.  As expected, various Head Start schools posted jobs for teachers; each one, surprisingly, requested for ‘certified’ teachers.  I do not know what specifically was meant by ‘certified.’  There was an interesting job for a Curriculum Specialist in a Head Start Early Childhood Center.  Again, I do not know if I want to return to a particular school or classroom, but the ability to design a curriculum based on the needs of the students did interest me.  I actually called the school and hope to meet the director at a conference this up-coming weekend in Orlando.  It seems like a dream job, but I do not want it to alienate me as a presenter by associating myself with one particular school.  Several other jobs directly at the Head Start office were available, which would require ratings of schools.  Most of them require experience in the field of early childhood, and other than classroom teacher positions, a director’s credential is a necessity.  The jobs at Head Start require a college degree, but none of the availabilities specifically refereed to a degree in education or early childhood.  Since I am a huge supporter of the importance of a degree specifically in early childhood, the lack of such a requirement disturbed me. 

My Wordle

Reflecting on Learning

When I changed from adult education to diversity, I did so because of a new-found passion.  Our last 2 classes have intensified this passion, changing my thought-process forever.  I understand that stereotypes that were a part of my childhood; this realization is the backbone for my growth.  I wish that I could sprinkle some pixie dust and change the world into one that is accepting of all… a world where our differences are valued and celebrated.  While I cannot alter what occurred in my preschool, I can work to change future classrooms.  I can share (and will share) my new-found knowledge with early childhood professionals during every workshop and class that I teach. 

My hope for the future of early childhood is that EVERY child is able to attend a pre-school program where an anti-bias curriculum is being infused in the school’s every day curriculum.  With today’s changing population, it is no longer an option.  Young children need to understand the importance of accepting, and celebrating, our similarities and differences.  Extending this knowledge to families is the icing on the cake.

At this point, it is almost impossible to comprehend that we are almost at the end of our Master’s journey… 1 more class to go!  It has been an amazing ride, and I would not trade one minute of it.  Thank you to my colleagues for sharing a part of themselves with us each week via our discussions and blogs.  Our honesty has enabled us to grow individually and as a group. 

Here’s to our final step… I wish you a fantastic next class, and I look forward to working with many of you!  I know many of us will keep in touch…

 

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

On the UNICEF website, I researched the region of Latin America and Caribbean.  I chose this area, because I am somewhat familiar with this area, although I have mixed emotions.  I have been to the Caribbean several times via a cruise ship, and without a doubt, I will be back.  While my husband and I have enjoyed the beautiful beaches, amazing shops, and spectacular beach-front homes.  This is what we saw on most of our tours.  Then, this past year, we took a tour through Belize, and after seeing some spectacular homes and beaches, we traveled by bus through some of their poverty-stricken areas.  First of all, I was scared that we would be attacked (really I was).  But, more so, I was in shock… young children were running through the streets, without an adult in view…  children had ripped, dirty clothes… other children were without clothes… children could be seen going to the bathroom on the streets…  children were hitting each other with street branches… houses were boarded up… windows were broken… houses were half together (really).  The different areas on this tour were like night and day; it was hard to believe that one area of extreme wealth led into an area of extreme poverty.

The initial page on the website reiterated my observations.  The web page states that an unequal atmosphere exists among the children in Latin America and the Caribbean.  By unequal, it means while the lives of many children have improved, millions of other children are at risk.  More than half of the children and adolescents in this area are living in areas of poverty.  UNICEF is working in this area to break the cycle of poverty.  Then, as I read further, that many of these children do not have safe water to drink or basic sanitation services.    In addition, UNICEF is working to make certain that children in this area receive important immunizations.

As if I was not in shock enough, I read that an estimated 35 million children in this area never enter school… NEVER!  Obviously, one of the goals of UNICEF is to come up with initiatives that would assure all children received access to school.  Another one of UNICEF’s goals for this area is protecting children from violence.  Nearly 85,000 children die annually as a result of violence in this area.  While my bus trip (that I will never forget, nor will I ever repeat) was only 1 1/2 hours, I viewed life from both sides of a coin.  Without a doubt, the living conditions of these children will affect their emotional development, in addition to their cognitive, social, and physical development.

I cannot help but reflect back to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which I still think has relevance today.  If these children do not have the basics (water, food, clothes), it is basically impossible for them to move further up the ladder and accomplish much else.  Children whose basic needs are not met will never become all that they can be.  When I worked in the preschool classroom, I could instantly tell if a child had a good night’s sleep and a good breakfast; these children were wide awake and ready to conquer the world. 

This blog posting brought back memories that I tried to put away somewhere.  I kept telling my husband, “I don’t believe what I’m seeing.”  I wish that I could grab a handful of these little children and bring them home with me in my suitcase.  These children deserve a chance to make something of themselves… they deserve food and water… they deserve to go outside and play ball… they deserve to be educated in a good, developmentally appropriate school… they deserve a chance to succeed… they deserve life.  UNICEF is making a huge difference, and I trust that they will continue to do so, one child at a time.  I just do not know if that is enough; but I do not have a better alternative.

 

UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/index.html

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

Although I am aware of the changing times, as I read the introduction to “So Sexy So Soon,” my mouth dropped.  I know it is reality, but I do not want to believe it… and yet, it is part of my commitment to young children to accept it as reality.  In my opinion, the media and toy manufacturers are robbing children of their childhood.  Parents are not totally to blame.  Without a doubt, “casting blame on parents diverts attention to where blame belongs – on the purveyors of media and marketing messages, those who exploit our children’s developmental vulnerabilities by using sex to make huge profits (Levine & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 7).  It is scary.  I see it every day, but I try to avoid it, hoping it will go away.  If anything, the sexualization of early childhood is more intense, not better.

I woke up to this reality one day when I was teaching prekindergarten.  One of my students was looking sad and upset; this was totally unlike her bubbly and out-going personality.  I questioned her.  Her response was that she had PMS and was in a bad mood.  To make matters worse, I asked her to repeat her response, and then, without thinking, I asked her what it meant.  She told me (and the entire class) that PMS was something that girls had and it made them be mean to boys.  But, it only lasted a little bit, so she would be happy later.  Admittedly, I do not remember how I answered or how I addressed the rest of the class, but should a 4-year-old use PMS in her vocabulary?  And should a 4-year-old already have an inclination that she would be mean to boys for a bit, but that’s alright; she has PMS. 

The next example happened this year at Halloween.  Just thinking about it gives me chills.  All of the children, obviously, were dressed, and since I’m an occasional visitor to the entire class, the children were eager to show me their costumes.  One of the girls (4-years-old) was dressed in a gown, high heels, hair in a bun with ribbons, and enough make-up to keep me for a year.  I asked her who she was for Halloween, and she told me that she one of the housewives of Beverly Hills.  I was stunned.  Her teacher commented that she dressed like her mommy, which said a lot.  But the shock was when one of the boys I read with (he was dressed as Nemo) told me that he thought she looked sexy.  I just looked at the children’s teacher in shock.  Do we need a dress code for Halloween?  What in the world did my 3 1/2 year old student know about sexy?  He does not even recognize the letters in his name.

Finally, for the third example, I will share a sad story.   Zaria is one of my students; she is delightful, interested in reading, and an eager participant.  Her vocabulary is above average.  Zaria does, however, have a weight challenge, which I believe is thanks to her parents who are obese.  One day, Zaria told me that she went to Disney World with her parents.  Without hesitation, I asked her if she saw the Princesses and Mickey Mouse.  She responded that she met Mickey, but she doesn’t like the Princesses.  This, in itself, was a shock, because my girls (those that I read with) are infatuated with each Princess.  Zaria said that the Princesses don’t like her because she is fat.  I was crushed, explaining how beautiful she is (she really is!).  Then, she looked at me, with her beautiful brown eyes, and explained that the boys in her class will not play with her because she is fat.  What a realization Zaria made.  She was not super thin like the Disney Princesses and boys don’t like her because of her weight. 

Without a doubt, each instance has affected these young children and probably will continue to for the rest of their life.  Think about Zaria’s self-esteem; she does not have any.  “Children learn at a very young age that their value is determined by how beautiful, thin, hot, and sexy they are” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 2).  Imagine talking about being hot and sexy with a young child.  You might call me old-fashioned, but it just does not seem appropriate.  Without a doubt, “today’s cultural environment bombards children with inappropriate and harmful messages” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 4).  I believe, similar to Levin and Kilbourne (2009), that these message confuse and even frighten young children. 

Again, much of this relates back to parenting skills, although as stated earlier, I do not blame parents; it is not a matter of who is to blame.  It is much more universal that blaming one individual.  “Casting blame on parents diverts attention from where the blame belongs – purveyors of these media and marketing messages” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 7).  I understand that much of these messages are the result of media saturation.  In spite of this, parents can fight this; even a small victory is better than none at all.  Who is responsible for the girl leaving her house dressed like a Beverly Hills housewife?  Who allowed the child to watch the Beverly Hills Housewives on television?  Where did a child hear about PMS?  Who is feeding Zaria cakes, cookies, and candy? 

Early childhood educators have huge responsibilities to young children, and this is just another topic to add to the list.  Levin and Kilbourne (2009) realized “the focus should be on early childhood, when the problems of the new sexualized childhood begin” (p. 6).  As an early childhood educator, these readings have ignited a fire within.  I need to put this topic on the list of future workshops.  Perhaps, if teachers and parents are informed about the effects of advertising and media messages, they will work together to make a difference.  Children need to be children… they will grow up fast enough.

 Reference

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

As an early childhood educator of adults, I am stereotyped a lot for my religion.  At conferences or in the classroom, individuals tell me that I do not look Jewish or talk Jewish.  What does that mean?  Is this something negative?  What does it mean to look Jewish?  Do students look at me differently when they find out that I am Jewish?  While my religious beliefs are, in fact, Jewish, I am still the same person I was before they knew I was Jewish.

Recently, I was presented the Keynote address at a conference for Methodist early childhood educators; it was a wonderful, rewarding experience.  Until… one individual wanted to know if I had converted.  Converted to what?  What did they mean?  Then, she shared that although she loved my Keynote presentation, she was surprised that they chose a Jewish individual to present.  My presentation was universal; it had nothing at all to do with religion.  While the early childhood educators all worked at Methodist preschools, they were early childhood professionals. 

         

Due to my own passion for what I do, I have learned (and am still learning) to move forward.  I do not know how I feel about being Jewish at this point, but my Judaism is a part of who I am as an individual, a wife, a mother, an educator, a friend, and so much more.  In my preschool (which was housed in a synagogue), children of all religions were accepted and welcomed; it just happened.   

I do not think that children or families have been affected by my religion.  At times, parents would question why we are accepting children of other religions into a Jewish preschool, and I was prepared to answer their questions.  In reality, the school was housed in a Temple, but it was not a Jewish preschool.  For the most part, families and most definitely young children accepted me for who I am.

I guess the only ism that actually impacted my work with young children was when I left the classroom to become a reading partner.  In my initial school, I was surrounded by African American or Haitian teachers.  I felt uncomfortable being White; I really did.  I tried to talk to teachers, but I felt like an outsider.  I felt as if teachers resented my coming into their school and working with their children.  They brushed me off, answering my questions with as few words as possible.  It might have been because I was intruding on their territory… or perhaps because I was a reading specialist… I do not know.  For me, I felt it was because I was White.

Looking back to that year, I still, to this day, believe it was a form of racism.  Now, I am another Head Start school where,again, my race is most definitely in the minority.  But I knew many of these teachers from my workshops, and I was welcomed with open-arms.  I adore these teachers; we value our similarities and differences.  Through our interactions, we have shared our cultures.  I have grown in leaps and bounds due to our interaction; it’s this type of learning that I hope is infused into every early childhood classroom.

Observing Communication

I went to the beach to read, and while it was not my intention, it proved to be the perfect setting for this week’s blog.  Since the wind, the sand, and the waves were blowing strongly, I was prepared to have the beach pretty much to myself.  It was in the 60’s, and in Florida, that is cold.  However, to my surprise, there were many people on the beach, including some brave young children in the ocean.  I plopped my chair down far away from the ocean where most people were situated.  I was content to read, highlight information, and breathe the sea air; in close proximity to me, it was quiet.  Then a mom placed her blanket extremely close to me (there were many miles of beach, but she chose a spot almost on top of me!).  Christopher (I heard the name a million times) was with her.  Mom quickly assured me that Christopher would not bother me, but she did not want him near the water; it was too cold (still lots of other alternatives on the beach!).  In spite of her assurance, Christopher and I became fast friends, smiling, and laughing.  My guess is that Christopher (not Chris) was 4 years old… maybe 5.

As I listened to the communication between Christopher and his mom, I am more convinced than ever that parents need to be trained how to listen and hear their children.  In the short time that I observed Christopher and his mother, I had to resist getting involved and offering advice; I wanted to invite mom to one of my parenting workshops.  She was trying.

Christopher and his mom were building in the sand.  There were buckets and shovels (enough for 4 children), but Christopher, obviously, preferred his hands.  Christopher (personal communication, March 20, 2013) told his mom that he was building a road for a car.  Then, Christopher picked up the red shovel and pretended it was a car.  Christopher (personal communication, March 20, 2013) told his mom that his car (shovel) was going really, really fast and was going 100 miles per hour.  I was pretty impressed that he knew the term “miles per hour,” but mom did not share my feelings.  Her frustration with Christopher’s creativity was obvious.  She informed Christopher (personal communication, March 20, 2013) that he was using a shovel and not a car.  (I believe that Christopher probably knew that!) 

In addition, mom (personal communication, March 20, 2013) asked Christopher a zillion (that’s more than a million) times to dig with the shovel instead of his hands.  The conversation continued along the same vein.  I wanted mom to step back and listen to Christopher.  Stephenson (2010) stated “stepping back means to relinquish your own agenda in order to hear other messages that often were not related to the questions that I had been considering” (p. 90).  Christopher’s mom did not hear his creativity or realize the importance of his play; she needed to understand the importance of listening... she was missing so much of her child’s growth.  In the media segment (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010), L. Kolbeck shared that in order for children to learn the art of communication, they have to feel listened to and seen.  I do not think that Christopher felt his creativity was valued. 

Obviously, I feel that Christopher’s mom needed to support his creativity.  It was the perfect opportunity for her to question Christopher about his car.  I was an outsider, and yet, I was fascinated by his play; I wanted to know where his car was traveling to. Christopher would have used his obviously great vocabulary to answer my questions. 

It goes without saying that I do not communicate with young children like this.  I love pretend play; it’s a part of everything that I believe in.  It encourages children to be children; hooray for Christopher!  I really like the creativity of pretend play.  Christopher and his mom, unexpectedly, reinforced the importance of my workshops.  Can you imagine if an early childhood professional insisted that a child use a shovel ONLY as a shovel?  Christopher was creative and inventive all wrapped up in one.  It would have been fun to write a book together about the adventures of his car.  Maybe, I could race him with another shovel (there were 3 others on the beach).  I wanted to be involved. I could have used Christopher’s excitement as a learning adventure.  That’s what early childhood educators must do every day in their classroom.

While I only read a few pages, Christopher and his mom will be a part of my blog forever.  I am glad that they believed the beach around me was the ideal place for a race track.  Looking back, I could not agree with them more.

 

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2010). “Communicating with Young Children” (Video webcast). Retrieved at https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_2652530_1%26url%3D
Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-year-old. YC: Young Children, 64(2), 90-95. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=37131016&site=ehost-live&scope=site