Capstone Completion

Three deeply felt learnings from this program:

1.  Dreams are not frivolous.
I have revisited the same dream over and over throughout my career- usually at times of transition (or a need for transition).  When contemplating a topic for my capstone project, I was hesitant to choose this dream because it felt foolish to apply all of this thought and energy toward something that may never happen. 

2.  Dreams come true.
However, just as I was choosing my topic, the opportunity to bring this dream to reality presented itself.  I realized for the first time that dreams are not frivolous when they are built on passion and service to others.  In fact, I had been mistake- I was not dreaming, I planning a solution!

3.  We are all in this together.
My community is a living, breathing force that has taught me so much about what it means to have a home.  We are a small town of under 10,000 people in a rural setting.  We don't have a Target, a Starbucks, or a mall.  What we do have (in addition to clean, sandy beaches, stunning sunsets and a charming downtown) is a wealth of smart, generous people who know what it means to work together to do our best.  I am so honored to serve in the role of early childhood professional in this community and feel lucky to support and be supported by my neighbors.  It takes a village, and I love mine.

A long-term goal:

I intend to continue to learn how to best collaborate with others.  My leadership vision is one that does not include competition or solitude; as I gain and practice the skills and perspectives necessary I hope to facilitate growth and progress in every interaction I have with my community.

Farewell message:

Thank you for being members of my community during the past eight weeks.  The interactions and guidance I've enjoyed throughout this course have both informed and inspired me!

Heartfelt best wishes to you all as we go forth from here!

Early Educaion Careers on the International Scale

The first organization that caught my eye is Fhi360.  This organization is hard at work affecting change for children through locally-driven projects.  One current job opening that I find interesting is the Early Childhood Education Specialist.  This role includes providing Technical Assistance and training to Head Start grantees.  This role also includes assisting grantees in program planning and staff selection.  Requirements include a BA or Masters in Early Childhood Education, experience in the field, knowledge of early childhood theory, experience work with/in AIAN Head Start, experience providing TA and working with teachers.  This position interests me because I enjoy program development, working with adults in the field, and travel.

A second organization that interests me is Save the Children.  This organization has multiple initiatives all over the world to create positive, permanent change for children.  I am reading about the Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy, Early Childhood Development.  This role includes working with the Director and other partners to impact policy efforts. This position requires a degree in Early Childhood or policy, experience and knowledge of policy and legislature, and experience, relationships, and navigation skills in upper-level Washington political circles.  This position interests me because of its role in impacting educational policy at the federal/national level.

 

Thirdly, I explored the website for Plan International, an organization that works all over the globe to empower children and improve their ability to be self sufficient and successful.  Plan currently has Education in Emergency positions open.  In order to fill these positions one must have education, crisis intervention, humanitarian, and emergency preparedness expertise.  I find this position interesting because of the opportunity to assist children in continuing to benefit from the security of the routine of school during crises. 

The National Community: Organizations and Employment Opportunities

The following national organizations represent my professional interests and aspirations.



www.childrenandnature.org

The Children & Nature Network's mission is to support children's growth and development through a connection with the earth.  As a resource, the Children & Nature Network provides information for families, educators, and community leaders in the form of publications, research, news. programming, and more. 





http://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Kids-and-Nature.aspx


Similarly, the National Wildlife Federation champions active, outdoor lifestyles that respect and restore natural habitats.  NWF is another source of information for families, children, educators, and program administrators.  Their website offers resources such as lesson plans and curriculum, activities around growing a schoolyard habitat or garden, webinar series for educators, and links to movements such as the Be Out There campaign and the Great American Backyard Campout annual event.   There are publications for adults and children, funding opportunities, service learning projects, and news and guidance from a national perspective. 

These national organizations support my philosophies around the importance of play in nature in early childhood.  There are no jobs listed with the organizations at this time, however, there are opportunities to join the work they are doing by participating in initiatives to increase children's access to nature in my own community.  This is a goal I will be incorporating into the response I create for my capstone challenge!  The skills and experience I will need to incorporate the missions of these organizations into my work include an understanding of the role nature plays in child development, the negative impact a lack of nature has on growth and learning, an ability to design indoor and outdoor environments that provide access to natural elements and nature-based experiences, and an understanding and respect for the need for open-ended loose-part materials, the ability to get dirty and wet, and the lengths of time required for children to reap the benefits of play in nature.  I will also need to utilize skills around communication and partnerships with parents and other early childhood professionals as I act as an advocate on behalf of children and the importance of this kind of play.

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning is a national organization that demonstrates and supports my interests in supporting the social and emotional development of young children.  CSEFEL provides me with research resources, publications, and training curriculum that allows me to gain skills and knowledge around social/emotional development and share what I learn with others.  CSEFEL is important to my philosophies because understanding social/emotional development is key while implementing curriculum and building programming around healthy and successful adult/child interactions and experiences. 

I cannot locate any open positions at the national level with CSEFEL at this time.  However, I see that positions within CSEFEL include Key Investigator at the Department of Education, Vanderbilt University, and Project Coordinators at both Vanderbilt University and University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana.  Work at the national level does not interest me as much as work that directly impacts children, families, and professionals in my own community.  I am much more interested in participating in CSEFEL work by facilitating and instructing trainings in my area.  I have done both several times over the past few years and have found that this work requires strong skills in teaching adults and facilitating group discussions, an understanding of both typical and more challenging social and emotional behaviors in infants and toddlers, knowledge of national and state resources as well as local services that support the social/emotional development of young children, and a keen awareness of current research and best practice.

My Communities of Practice

I live in a rural area where our early childhood population is underserved.  We have no association, no MiAEYC chapter, no local resource and referral office.  Many of the organizations who do support young children and their families are regional entities that "cover" our counties from distant urban offices.

However, I am pleased to say that I am very active in the organizations and communities of practice that do exist.  And when I say active, I mean active!

One organization that has appealed to me and has also welcomed me in to join their work is our local Education Services District (ESD, ISD in many communities).  Michigan's tuition-free preschool, Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is coordinated in our three counties by the ESD.  There is one full time supervisor, and two part time Early Childhood Specialists.  I am one of those specialists, and on a contract basis. 

Note- this is very little staff to support three counties worth of preschool classrooms!

I have chosen the ESD as an organization that I am interested in working with because they are our only somewhat central source of resources and support, professional development, and leadership.  Their services often only extend to the classrooms they oversee, but it is better than nothing.  The contract work I am doing is the only work I am interested in at the ESD, but it helps connect me to what teaching teams are doing and what they need.

The other Community of Practice in our community is our Great Start Collaborative, a systems-building entity that helps set common goals across organizations who serve families with young children.  I have been a member since its inception around 2008.  This COP appeals to me because it is the one place that brings us all together under one umbrella and allows for incredibly effective personal connections to be made.  Amazing work has happened at the collaborative level and I am pleased to serve a key role.

I have to stretch to include a third CoP in order to meet the requirements of this blog assignment.  The sad fact is- that's about all we've got in the early childhood field in my area.  The third I might mentions is the Great Start to Quality Western Resource Center, serving our counties as part of a nine-county region.  Unfortunately, however, the Resource Center is one of those entities that fails to reach rural communities in authentic ways.  The main office is 90 miles away in a much more urban area where those resources are concentrated and more applicable to their own demographics.  While I would say I technically do participate in the CoP at the Resource Center, it is not an effective CoP for making things happen here at home.  I am involved in an exciting (brand new!) project that will replace the Resource Center as our *only* hope for resources and quality consultation.

I am interested in contract coaching and consultation at this time.  I am only looking for those types of opportunities because (sadly) of the lack of child care options for my very own children!  We do not have available quality child care and transportation that would meet our needs as a family if I were to work full time.

However, if I were to, say, direct a child care center- that wouldn't be an issue anymore, would it?

The only career opportunities that exist at this time for early childhood professionals in my area are home child care, center child care (one lead teacher opening at each of two centers), preschool teachers or aids (no openings at this time), early childhood special education services, contractual coaching and consultation (doing it!), and the Early Childhood Supervisor position at the ESD.  As opportunity arises to open a new child care center in town, I LEAP at the opportunity to build the project and direct the center.

Skills in program management, business administration, grant writing and administration, child caregiving, leadership, instruction and interactions, coaching, curriculum development, facilities maintenance, staff coordination, etc. would apply to all of these jobs in differing amounts.  I have filled most of these roles before and am truly gaining some key skills in the next couple of weeks in order to be best qualified to lead a new center.

Best Wishes....

...in your continued learning journey!  

Ajourning a Great Team

I do think that high-performing groups are hardest to leave.  Perhaps not because they have the clearest established norms, but because of the positive relationships and experiences associated with working closely on a project or task.

The group I participated in that was the hardest to leave was the staff on a summer enrichment program I directed.  This program allowed me to develop relationships with the participants and staff and the active nature of the program allowed us to all have fun together.  There was also a lot of growth happening in the program- both on the part of the children and the adults.

Our closing ritual was always a big trip to a nearby waterpark.  We would also give faux awards for fun reasons, such as "Always Late but Never Lame" or "Fastest Reflexes".

I look forward to wishing my Walden colleagues well as we near the end of our work together!  We won't all be walking at graduation, but we will experience a collective sense of accomplishment (and relief) that will help maintain our bond.

In my opinion, marking the adjournment of a group is meaningful when the group is able to reflect on the experiences shared.  Adults learn through reflection, and reflection exercises can be hugely beneficial in order to heal, grow, forgive, align, transition, and say goodbye.

Reflecting on Conflict Resolution Strategies

The most applicable conflict for this exercise is one that occurred in my personal life recently.  Surprise- it was between my 12-year-old daughter and myself.  She tends to be *highly* emotional these days, and it seems like every conversation we have would end in conflict if I am not diligent about maintaining my role as a model and guide for her in gaining relationship skills!

The absolute BEST strategy I have learned to address situations of conflict is to re-focus both (or all) parties on the goal(s).  I usually frame it through these steps:

1.  Lets both (all) take a moment to take a deep breath together (sometimes necessary, sometimes not).
2.  What is the goal of this situation (for you, for me, for US?)
3.  Let's talk about your goal.  What will it look like when you have accomplished this goal?  What might be one or two things you will do to take steps toward that goal?
4.  Let's talk about my goal.  Allow me to share what I think it will look like when I accomplish my goal.  Here's one or two things I plan to do to begin to accomplish that goal.  Do you have any questions or suggestions?
5.  How are our two goals aligned/the same/similar?  (are there any components to our goals or steps/actions that are shared?)
6.  How can we support each other in our goals without detriment to our own?
7.  What might be one or two possible compromises that are necessary in order for us to both be successful?

These steps are variation of those good old conflict resolution steps we've all learned.  However- I have found that by focusing on our "goals" instead of "the problem" we are much more able to stay in the positive mindset.  Here's an example:

Two children are fighting over a magnifying glass.  Instead of asking kid A "what do you see as the problem?" and then kid B "what you YOU see as the problem" and getting the same answer from both of them ("he has that and I want it") I ask them what their goals are.  Kid A says, "I want to see the pinecone up close" and kid B says, "so do I!".  Ah-ha!  We have common ground.  This is not a problem.  This is an opportunity to work together, share, and interact.  Next I ask them, "How can we both reach our goal together?"  and they come up with taking turns all on their own. 

In the case of my 12-year-old daughter, the truth usually comes down to the fact that her goal is to make decisions on her own and be independent, and my goal is to maintain enough control to make sure she is healthy and safe.  This is NOT a problem!  This is exactly what should happen in the healthy relationships we have with our children as they grow.  Now- the important thing for me is to allow my daughter to see that my goal is really the same as hers- only we need to take it step by step in order for her to grow up at just the right speed.  ;)  I also use another strategy- I tend to only ask questions and let her do ALL the telling.  That puts her in the drivers seat but allows me to navigate so that she can get to just the right destination.  (Does this sound a little bit like manipulation?  It definitely is not.  It is coaching.)

This goal-oriented conflict resolution really feels wonderful and usually leaves all members feeling very well taken care of.

Who Am I as a Communicator?

Overall, my communication skills as assessed by this week's resources did not surprise me.  The one are that was a bit different that  I may have expected was the aggressiveness scale.  I scored higher than I realized I would.  I'm not entirely convinced that I am at all verbally aggressive (actually, even the thought strikes me a completely counter to my entire personality!) but then again, it is not out of the question that I exhibit behaviors that may be described as aggressive.  Specifically, it may be true that, when I disagree with a person, I attack their character instead of their ideas.  While I can't think of a single time when I actually verbalized an attack on their character, my communication style may come off that way.

This is important information for me.  If this is the case, I can now be more intentional about what I say and how I say it.  I can make sure that I am arguing against someone's ideas and not them as a person.

The other insight that struck me as I read the results from my co-worker was that she observed a lower level of anxiety that I self-assessed at.  This makes sense to me in that I may not express any anxiety I feel in an outward manner, even if I am feeling it a bit on the inside.  It also occurred to me that perhaps this particular co-worker is not observing me in those cases where I am more outside of my comfort zone and feeling and demonstrating higher levels of anxiety.

Overall, this week's exercises were very helpful in seeing just where I can grow as a communicator!

Communicating Across Cultures

I do tend to communicate differently in across diverse groups and settings.  There are variations in the circles I belong to that contribute to slightly different cultures.  For example, I maintain a more professional speech pattern, remain focused on work topics, and speak when spoken to or when it is my turn to speak.  However, when with my friends and family, I use more casual speech and venture into personal topics, I speak more quickly and with more slang, and I may even interrupt someone with a response or reaction to what they said.

The culture of my professional settings do not invite the same behavior as the culture shared within my family.  I am myself in both settings, but through a slightly different set of norms.

I have learned to be a better communicator in both settings.  One strategy I try my best to employ is to simple speak less.  I tend to be a talker and would be better off in any communication if I spoke less and listened more. 

A second strategy I try to use in all settings is to be an active listener.  I practice active listening by listening silently and then posing questions that will give me a better understanding of the speaker instead of my go-to habit of sharing my opinion, advice, or experiences.

A third strategy that might help me communicate better in professional settings may be to practice seeing topics, challenges, and possible solutions from others' perspectives.  I may find ways to participate in moving work forward by thinking outside of my own box and looking at the problem for others' positions.

Observing Communication on Screen

I searched Netflix for television series episode that would make a good study of communication both muted and with the sound on.  I settled on an episode of Scrubs, an early 2000's sitcom in which, according to the Netflix summary, young attending physicians "practice mischief and medicine while learning life lessons". 

Without the sound, it appears that the people in the series dislike each other.  They often speak to each other without making eye contact (while walking down halls, standing at a counter, or watching television).  There appears to be a lot of shouting, irritation, and frustration.  Characters wince, run their hands through their hair in apparent exasperation, and leave conversations abruptly.  In other scenes, characters sit side-by-side on a couch and appear to speak but without animation and with no eye contact. 

With the sound on, I find that I was pretty much spot-on with inferring irritation and exasperation from character's body language and facial expressions.  However, when I can hear what they are saying and understand the plot, I can know that beneath their frustration with each other they have strong relationships and care about each other deeply.  I can sense sarcasm along with a lot of their scolding, and find that the animation in their faces and body language seems to be due to the show's style and tone, and is much more comical than I expected. 

This exercise demonstrated how important both spoken and non-verbal elements are to the process of communication.  Without one or the other conclusions can be off, especially when more complex communication is occurring (such as the use of humor or sarcasm to demonstrate how annoyed someone is by someone they love and care about). 

Carolyn McKanders

This is Carolyn McKanders.  Not only does Carolyn exhibits truly inspirational communication skills, she teaches these skills to organizations and schools across the globe.  Carolyn is the Director of Organizational Culture for Thinking Collaborative.  I have participated in Carolyn's Adaptive Schools/Organizations and Cognitive Coaching trainings where I have learned an incredible amount about effective communication.  I continue to work toward implementing the skills I observed and practiced in Carolyn's trainings.

Some specific communication skills Carolyn exhibits include a calm and measured demeanor, listening skills that include body language that mirrors the speaker, and effective pausing, paraphrasing and question-posing that allows her to understand the speaker's meaning.

I do hope to become skilled at using these very same communication techniques.  I am currently mid-way through a training series with Carolyn and am registered for some practice sessions with local colleagues.