Week 8: Sarah Holtz

Blog: Time Well Spent

(PHOTO: My reasons for wanting to become involved in making a positive difference in education! Noah, Owen, and Ella…)

I began my Master’s journey with a mission to learn about helping parents learn about their child’s education and their own parent rights. As a former special education teacher, I felt that knowing the rights and process was so helpful. As a parent, I belong to an organization called About Special Kids for parents of children with special needs. (I am blessed to have a wonderful, kind-hearted six year old, Noah. Ella is a sweet “girly-girl”. Owen is a hilarious “smile-maker”. Owen and Ella just turned four years old.) At our meetings, I continue to hear personal stories about parent frustrations with special education services or the process of receiving services.

My goals are to become a developmental therapist for First Steps in Indiana as well as continue to be an active member of About Special Kids. I hope to help parents learn about the laws by asking parents during their child’s therapy sessions about what they know regarding the transition process. This can be completed by asking them after the session is complete. I also hope to encourage parents to learn about the laws and parent rights. I believe that this helps them make an informed decision in their child’s education.

I wish you all the best in your professional and personal endeavors as we complete our Master’s journey. Feel free to contact me via Facebook (Sarah Holtz). I may even frequent Facebook more consistently once I am done with school work! Thank you all for the wonderful, helpful feedback. Throughout my Master’s courses, I have learned new ideas, new terminology, and have become more open to the ideas of others. Thank you all for helping me on my educational journey!!!!!!!

BEST WISHES!

International Organizations: Week 6

In researching international organizations or communities of practice, many of the websites appealed to me.

UNICEF is an organization that I had heard of and was somewhat familiar with. This organization does a lot with education on an international level. One program focused on literacy. I love the program of Libraries without Borders that sends mobile libraries to areas that may not have the ability to attend a library. My son is just learning to read and I see daily the importance of reading to your child and letting them read to you. UNICEF has positions in the form of volunteers that take the books to international areas. However, there are also positions in finance, education, advertisement, and other areas. I loved that this organization valued literacy. I believe in the benefits of reading and literacy, so I feel that I would like to become a part of promoting this valuable organization. The skills needed for this role would be flexibility and I also think that it would be important to be able to read in different languages.

The Academy for Educational Development is an organization that works to try to improve the living conditions for people living in Asia, Africa, Middle East, Latin America, Caribbean, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. The areas that this organization concentrates on are trying to improve the acceptance of diversity and equality, communication, education, environment (trying to help with disease management and avoidance), gender equality, health, nutrition, and introducing technology to these areas. There are careers in the nursing field that work with patients with AIDS and educate farmers to try to decipher the early signs of disease. One job that I was interested in was that of an early childhood specialist. This position teaches about diversity and works with children to try to help them gain skills. I chose this organization because I did find it interesting that this organization uses only evidence-based methods and material. Since they only use evidence-based materials, I would think that there would be a need for educators who know how to utilize the materials.

The Save the Children organization helps children in the United States and in many other areas of the world. It is an organization that assists families and communities when a disaster occurs. It provides food, medical care, and education. It is staffed with individuals from a variety of professional backgrounds (such as medical, education, finance, construction, etc.). There is a current need for volunteers in all the areas. One area that I was interested in learning more about was literacy. This program is very interesting and I would love to become a volunteer in the future. When I was teaching, we mailed gently used books to the Save the Children organization stationed out of the District of Columbia. It is important to remember that people are in need all over the world and it is nice that an organization, such as Save the Children, provides assistance to those in need. In order to volunteer, one would need to have a flexible schedule. However, it is important to remember that one can help over the course of a weekend by helping clean up an area or by reading to children to try to distract them from the disaster. I think that this organization is very interesting.

I chose these organizations because I had heard of them and liked that they involved literacy. I believe in the benefits of literacy.

References

Academy for Educational Development. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.aed.org/en/index.htm

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved fromhttp://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

Voices for American Children (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.voices.org/ UNICEF (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/index.php

Week 4: Organizations

My professional goal is to become a developmental therapist for Central Indiana First Steps. I enjoyed this assignment because it made me look at various organizations that could relate to my field or be a possible job opportunity in the future.

Ounce of Prevention (www.ounceofprevention.org) The first organization that I looked into was the Ounce of Prevention organization (www.ounceofprevention.org). This website is organized to help parents, student groups, practitioners, and other advocates get involved in the public policy-making process by educating key audiences about, and developing support for, early childhood initiatives. This organization addresses issues in Illinois and nationally. The website discusses how to become an advocate and how to volunteer. Being an advocate is a position that is always open and needs volunteers. The skills needed are training regarding special education laws and services.

The Division of Early Childhood (DEC) (www.dec-sped.org) The Division of Early Childhood (DEC) is one of seventeen divisions of the Council for Exceptional Children (the largest professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted and talented (www.dec-sped.org). This site has a discussion forum for parents and professionals, recommended practices, section for parents discussing available resources, and policy/advocacy section. This organization promotes policies and advances evidence-based practices that support families and enhance the education of children who exhibit developmental delays or disabilities. This organization discussed being elected as a public servant or public official. These positions must be elected.

IN*SOURCE (www.insource.org) This organization is an Indiana resource for families with children with special needs (infants through young adults). It is a parent organization, has many volunteers, an elected board, and many other staff. “IN*SOURCE celebrates the accomplishments of individuals with disabilities and their families and we affirm our ongoing commitment to them” (www.insource.org). This organization discusses available resources for families pertaining to education and local agencies that support individuals with disabilities. This organization is also available to provide support and information to parents and help them resolve school or early intervention agency-related problems. This organization was hiring for a public resource. This position is available to attend I.F.S.P. or I.E.P. meetings at the request of the parent. The skills needed are a knowledge base of laws and available services. You would also be able to form a good rapport with families. This is a position that I might be interested in in the future.

REFERENCES

Ounce of Prevention, (n.d.). Ounce of Prevention. Retrieved November 23, 2012 at www.ounceofprevention.org

Division of Early Childhood, (n.d.). Division of Early Childhood. Retrieved November 23, 2012 at www.dec-sped.org

IN*SOURCE, (n.d.). IN*SOURCE. Retrieved November 23, 2012 at http://insource.org

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community

Blog Assignment: Exploring Roles in the ECE Community

As a developmental therapist, I will be working with children from birth to age three who exhibit developmental delay. My son received early intervention services (OT, PT, DT, and speech). Personally, I know that there was very little support for families to learn the laws regarding special education or transition from early intervention services to a preschool (developmental or general) setting. As my capstone project, I hope to develop a way to help ease the transition for families who are transitioning from early intervention services to a preschool setting. I strongly believe that knowing the laws that pertain to this transition is imperative. In this role, I will need to effectively communicate with families (in order to gain their knowledge about laws and their child’s needs), early intervention agencies (in order to learn what supports are available for families to learn the laws regarding their child’s services), and preschool coordinators (in order to inform families of available programs). Most importantly, the child is impacted by this challenge. Parents can make an informed decision regarding the placement and services for their child.

1. ASK: Parents who have experienced their child’s transition from early intervention services to a preschool setting can provide first-hand feedback. Early intervention agencies, early intervention therapists, and preschool coordinators can also provide information regarding placement and available services. In Indianapolis, agencies such as ASK (About Special Kids) provide support for parents of children with special needs (www.aboutspecialkids.com). Therapists and local support agencies (such as ASK) can also provide resources (such as a list of available related events or services) for the parents. I believe this organization will be a wonderful resource in my role as a developmental therapist. I am a part of a local program for families of children with special needs. I contacted ASK about providing information at our next meeting.

2. Marion County Early Intervention Planning Council: It would also be important to include Marion County Early Intervention Planning Council (M.C.E.I.P.C.) and get their ideas about improving early intervention services. “Early Intervention Planning Council’s goals include: expanding access to and improve the quality, coordination, and range of early intervention programs available in local neighborhoods, communities, and faith-based organizations; providing in-depth training to primary care medical providers, childcare workers, preschool teachers, and public and private school teachers in the assessment of childhood and adolescent risk factors and to help them develop procedures to refer identified children, adolescents, and families to the appropriate community services; expanding access to mental health services for children and families in need; and improving coordination of information and resources for children and adolescents entering the “system” (e.g., first contact with special education, child welfare, mental health, or juvenile justice)” (M.C.E.I.P.C., 2008). The Early Intervention Planning Council is a local organization that focuses on improving services in Indiana, mainly the Marion County area. Indianapolis is located in Marion County. I will be a developmental therapist for First Steps and practice in Marion County. This organization appealed to me because they promote acceptance and diversity. This organization is in the process of promoting minorities to enter the field of early childhood and youth programs.

3. First Steps: I will be working as a developmental therapist for Central Indiana First Steps (www.firststeps.org). First Steps provides therapies (OT, PT, DT, speech, and nutritional support). It serves children from birth to age three. All therapists are placed by an agency. I spoke with an agency this week and they submitted my resume to First Steps to become a developmental therapist. As a developmental therapist, I needed teaching degree with an early childhood focus. I am completing this requirement by obtaining my Master’s in Early Childhood: Teaching and Diversity.

References

ASK, (n.d.). About Special Kids. Retrieved from www.aboutspecialkids.org.

First Steps, (n.d.). First Steps Indiana. Retrieved from www.firststeps.org.

M.C.E.I.P.C. (2008). Plan for Improving Early Intervention Services for Children and Youth and their Families in Marion County.

WEEK 8 Passion

My Passion: Helping children learn in a way that helps them be (and feel) successful, Help empower parents and help them know their rights (in regards to their child’s education), advocate for children and their families, and teach children how to advocate for themselves.

I feel that my personal experience of my son’s transition out of early intervention services into a developmental preschool setting puts me at an advantage for what problems could arise. For example, I do not believe that the early intervention coordinators or the developmental preschool representatives did a good job informing me about my rights as Owen’s mother, the options for Owen, or even the special education laws. These issues are why I am passionate about helping ease the transition for parents and their child.

Thank you so much for all of the feedback throughout this course. I must say that I am constantly learning new strategies to teach and reinforce anti-bias education. I often try them out on my own children and hope that I continue to learn and want to learn about helping children (and people in general) feel accepted and valued.

THANK YOU!!!

UNICEF Week 7

WEEK 7: PHILIPPINES

Share with your colleagues the area of the world you chose and why. I chose to look at the Philippines because as a child I sponsored a child who lived in the Philippines. His name was Manuel and I recently told the story to my children about sponsoring him and what that means. For this assignment, I took the opportunity to show my children photographs from the UNICEF website about the Philippines. It was very interesting to them to see children around their ages and what those children had to do each day.

Describe in detail some of the challenges that children in this region of the world are confronting. The children in this country are facing recovery from tropical storms. This recovery includes rebuilding homes and farming areas. This area is also plagued with sicknesses. Children’s curriculum is now including daily teeth brushing and hand washing to try to reduce the transfer of these illnesses that can be fatal such as diarrhea and malnutrition.

Explain how these experiences might have an effect on children’s emotional wellbeing and development. Many schools were destroyed during the tropical storms and many children miss school because of sickness (such as diarrhea or malnutrition). The UNICEF website did not specify what illnesses (that have diarrhea as a symptom) are a chronic problem. However, they did state that hand washing in clean water was helping. The UNICEF website also stated that many children did not have enough food and suffered the many complications from malnutrition. “UNICEF expressed great concern over the growing number of children and families affected by storm Ondoy, which dumped a months worth of rain in 12 hours, flooding 25 per cent of Metro Manila and affecting more than 24 provinces around the country” (UNICEF, n.d.). Many families are now living in some of the only buildings that survived the storms. In this area, I can see how education is not really the main issue right now. Instead, families are worried about survival. I must say that prior to reading this UNICEF information, I did not know much about the storm that is causing such devastation in the Philippines. (I believe that my children learned a lot from this website. My son, Noah, prayed for the families this morning and I hope that they learned a valuable lesson.)

Include a personal and professional reflection. Explain the insights you gained and the influences they may have on you as a person and as an early childhood professional. I think that one important insight that I was reminded of from this lesson is that sometimes families are dealing with issues much, much bigger than school assignments or lessons. It is important to talk with families and learn about them. As a developmental therapist, I will need to be accommodating to their scheduling needs and if they wish to meet outside the home due to issues at home. For example, if a family does not have electricity, they may want to have the developmental therapy session outside. It is important to for a good rapport with the family and become acquainted with local agencies that can support a family’s needs.

References UNICEF (n.d.). Retrieved from www.unicef.com.

Sexualization of Early Childhood

Blog Assignment: Week 6 This week we studied the sexualization of early childhood. I struggle with this topic. It is very frustrating to me when I shop for my daughter. She is three years old and I find many of the clothes to be inappropriate. When my oldest son was in preschool, I volunteered to help. Many of the four year old girls had on jeans and many of them had exposed bottoms when they sat down due to the “lowrider” style. I have noticed this when shopping for my daughter and I even saw “lowrider” underwear in a size 4 for little girls. How inappropriate!!! ************** I do feel that children are exposed to ideas of sexuality at an early age. Shows for children (iCarly, Victorious, etc.) have young girls and boys. While they may not breech the topic of sex, suggestions are very visible. From a dancing bra to couple groping, it is on television and in children’s shows. Even cartoons, such as Phineas and Ferb, have boyfriend/girlfriend issues and often have references to being “hot”. ************** Another problem that I have noticed within the last few weeks (in our local area) that is loosely related to the sexualization of early childhood is the increase in the number of teachers being caught having inappropriate relations with students. This is disturbing to me. Is this related to the sexualization of children? I believe that it probably is, since youth is being viewed as sexual and sexually ready at an early, early age. Some teenage girls are also wearing clothing that is exposing too much and some boys are wearing pants that show their underwear. I do not think that these children are “asking for” these inappropriate actions, but it may make them a target for inappropriate behaviors. ************** The misinterpretation of the ideas of sexuality in early childhood may be due to the fact that preschoolers are not yet clear about what actually makes them a boy or girl and their expected role in society (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). Growing up, my mom talked about being “thin” with her friends. Very young, I wanted to be thin and had a very unrealistic view of how to become thin. As a parent, I try desparately to teach healthy habits and a love of exercise. Since I am a Type 1 diabetic, it is crucial that I exercise and eat right. However, I try not to talk about my frustrations with my own body image. This is one area that I think children do pick up on and if they are too young to process these “good or bad body images” it can lead to unhealthy habits or unrealistic expectations. Growing up, one of my friends was considered “chubby”. She wanted to be desired by the boys and started being sexually active very early because it made her feel wanted and desired. “Both boys and girls are routinely exposed to images of sexual behavior devoid of emotions, attachment, or consequences. They learn that sex is the defining activity in relationships, to the exclusion of love and friendship” (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 3). What is the solution? I think that in many cases, it is important to teach children to respect themselves as individuals. A positive self-esteem is important. ************* By reading the resources this week, I learned that many of the stories are similar. I truly believe that a positive self-image is important. Children must learn to love themselves in order to respect themselves enough to know the facts about sexuality and their own sexual actions. ********************* Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009, p. 2). I think that parents talking to children about sex is important. I wish I knew a solution to this problem, but I think that as an early childhood educator, we must teach children to value themselves and how to respect others. ********************

“The reason I say this is actually very simple: just become an approachable parent on all matters sexual. That's it. If you take it upon yourself to speak honestly, lovingly, and on a regular basis with your child about the sexualized world around her, you will help her make sense of it, help her to put it into an understandable context, and help her to counter any potential negative consequences to all this exposure. As parents we can't hide our children in the closet. The world is sexually complicated for all children but our job is not to run away from it. Rather, we need to make sure we speak, listen, and guide our children every day so they can make sense of their sexualized world. Remember two very important facts: One, your voice as a parent IS more powerful than your child's peers and the media; and two, talking about sex and sexuality with your child will NOT increase their interest in sex; only help them act more responsibly. It really is this simple.” (Kaeser, 2011).

**************These comments represent many of my own ideas on what is important when dealing with sexualization of our youth. It is important to be honest. It is important to be up front and open to questions. We need to work with parents and know that children watch our daily moves. By teaching positive self-worth, answering questions when they arise and not avoiding them, early childhood educators can help promote a world where children respect themselves and make educated choices. **************************References *********Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J.O. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. The National Association for the Education of Young Children. Washington, D.C. **********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 ***********************Kaeser, F. (2011). What Your Child Needs to Know About Sex (And When). Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/what-your-child-needs-know-about-sex-and-when/201109/the-super-sexualization-children-time-take

Ableism

My professional background includes teaching special education. This background puts ableism close to my heart. However, it is my role as a mother of a child with special needs that make ableism one of my priorities. It was Owen’s (and my own role as a parent of a child receiving early intervention services) experience with First Steps (early intervention services) therapies (PT, OT, DT, and speech) that sparked my interest in becoming a developmental therapist. This role makes me want to advocate for young children and their families. I have been through Owen’s transition from early intervention services to a developmental preschool setting. If I did not have a professional background in special education, I know that my transition would have been more difficult. I have discussed this issue with friends of mine (through a local parents with special needs organization) about their experiences and their experiences were also rocky. The parents did not know the laws pertaining to the transition and the parent rights. This is one aspect that I am passionate about and view as a form of ableism. All parents should feel empowered and have the right to know what is happening in their child’s education. As a developmental therapist, I hope to ease this transition by telling parents about the options that are available, informing them about parent rights, and by being an active listener if they wish to discuss their concerns. I know from personal experience that it can be beneficial to participate in activities that include children with special needs. This experience helped me talk to other parents about various topics, learn about resources, and help my children learn about a variety of differences. Just this week, I spoke with one of Owen's doctors about his recovery from surgery on his brain this past July. I guess I thought that a physician would know about early intervention services and essentially his early intervention goals. However, I was surprised that many other fields outside of education do not know the laws or even the terminology. This is one aspect of ableism that I hope to change with people that I work with. Here is my reason for wanting to be a developmental therapist: OWEN!!! (and my other babies (Noah and Ella)! Love my kiddos!!!

Observing Communication

Blog Week 3: Observing Communication This week, I chose to observe my father-in-law interacting with my three year olds (Owen and Ella). Don (my father-in-law) was sitting on the floor with the children. Ella was playing with her babies and feeding them. Don asked her questions about the doll’s name and what she was feeding them. Owen was playing with cars. He was lining them up according to color. Don asked Owen the color names of the cars. Don asked Ella if her baby liked cars. Ella responded “yes”. Don asked Owen if he and Ella could play with him. Together, they set the baby against the wall and placed several cars in front of the doll. Owen matched the colors to the color the baby was wearing (blue). Don commented about the matching colors. **************************************** Effective Communication Strategies Observed: • Don got down to their physical level to interact with them. • Don respected what they were playing and asked if he could join them. • Don asked questions about the activity that extended their language. For example, he talked about the parts of the cars or the body parts of the doll. • Don also engaged Owen in touching the doll (it has hair). Owen has sensory issues and often flinches when touching unfamiliar objects. Don guided him, but let Owen pull away when he was nervous. ******************************* Owen and Ella (as well as my older son, Noah) enjoy interacting with their grandparents. They are very blessed to have grandparents that enjoy spending time with them and helping them gain developmental skills. All of my children have distinct interests and Don encouraged them to play with each other beyond parallel play. He reinforced correct responses (by saying “good job”) and corrected them when needed. ****************************** As a mother, I love to allow my kids to pick what we play together. Of course, I also chose activities that can work on a specific skill (such as sorting, matching, or even manipulating fine motor skills). As a parent, teacher, and even babysitter, I always sit on the ground with the child. I like to look at the environment from their perspective. A plus side, if a toy is lost, this is an excellent way to help find it! ************** I also love asking children questions as we are playing to help gain knowledge about their current skills as well as offer new information about the activity.

Creating Affirming Environments

Creating Affirming Environments Creating an authentic early childhood setting is something that I think is important for the comfort level of the child and their family. If I were to have an early childhood home setting, I would have a sign-in or information area. This area would have a binder for sign-in and a calendar/bulletin board for information for the family. I would also have an area for children to adjust to the environment. For example, if the child were still tired and not ready to play, I would have an area for them to relax. This would also help the child feel more comfortable. It is important that I would be able to see the child, but also attend to the other children who are ready for the day. In my home, the front room would be used for a “quiet” corner and the connecting room would be filled with children. I would also have an area for center time. This area would be big enough for us to gather and learn about our daily skills and discuss our day. This area would have photos and signs on the walls. The photos would be diverse and show varying cultures, photos of the children attending the center, photos of my family, and photos of varying abilities. I believe that this is important to help create a family feel for the environment. I would also have an area that each family could pick items for display that they enjoy doing or they would use to help describe themselves. We would change this every two weeks. This would allow the children and families to have several times throughout the year that they could use items to help other families and staff get to know them better. I think that in the pretend/dramatic play area, I would have a variety of costumes and careers that the children could explore. The dolls would also include a variety of ethnicities and not just “token” examples (dolls that just change the color and not features). I have several dolls from my travels around the world that would be very beneficial in displaying real examples of clothing and features. I would reach out to other countries early childhood professionals to obtain games, dolls, and other examples from their country that they would use to represent their area. Another aspect that I would love to incorporate would be a section with community activities. It is beneficial to include "children and adults from the various racial and ethnic identity groups in your community" (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010, p. 43). I would ask families to post events that they like to attend in the community as well. It forms good rapport with families when you see them outside of the educational setting. I noticed several wonderful examples from the video this week. I liked the sign-in area for transfer of information. I also liked the family of the month area. This would help build and strengthen positive rapport. I also liked the "quiet" transition area that she mentioned. This would be helpful for families to know that if their child is still tired that they could have time to wake-up since some families have to drop their kids off early. I enjoyed the video! References Derman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J.O. (2010). Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. National Association for the Education of Young Children. Laureate Education, (n.d.). Retrieved from www.waldenu.edu

Week 1 (6358)

Hello! We are starting a new class and I am eager to learn new strategies regarding anti-bias education. People can be different a limitless ways. My oldest son this week had to create an anti-bullying poster for their sharing project at school. Noah is in Kindergarten and did not even know what a bully was. I began our conversation with talking about how a bully makes fun of others, what it means to be a good friend, and what to do if he experiences bullying or witnesses it. Noah and I discussed why someone would make fun of others. I told him it was because bullies were making fun of others being different. Noah attends a Catholic school and he decided his poster should say, "Bullies make fun of people because they are different. God made us all different. Be kind." Those were the words of a six year old. Very honest and true. The next day, he asked me if people would make fun of our other son (Owen, age 3)for having a large scar on his head from his recent brain surgery. I told him that some people might. This comment upset him. He asked me why people had to be mean. This is one reason why I hope to become a proactive part of anti-bias education.

(Photo of Noah and Owen in the hospital.)

BLOG: Week 8 (EDUC 6357)

(PHOTO: All children learn differently and are beautiful!) My professional goal is to become a developmental therapist. I will work with children from birth to age three who exhibit developmental delays. These delays can manifest in a variety of ways. The cultural background of the families will also be very different. I hope that as a developmental therapist, I will be respectful and accepting of diversity. It is important to treat each child as an individual and understand that they may learn differently. I am a strong believer that all children can learn at their own pace if given the proper tools and strategies. (PHOTO: My son, Noah, on his first day of school. Kindergarten! The love of school starts so early!!!)

One goal that I have for the field of early childhood education is to provide tools for all struggling students. I also think that it is important to integrate Response to Intervention at the preschool level. Many children struggle, but do not qualify for special education services. Providing tools and strategies (and a protocol) to help these students would be helpful. (PHOTO: My kiddos...so different, but all wonderful!)

Thank you to all my colleagues! It has been a pleasure learning more about diversity with you all. Hoping the best in the next (and last) two courses!!!

Exploring My Bias! Photo Collage!

EDUC 6357 Sarah Holtz My PHOTO Collage! • My Professional Background ***My professional background includes teaching special education. In this role, I taught 5th grade inclusion for children with various disabilities (LD, MILD, EH, OHI, etc.). I also taught one year in a self-contained Emotional Disabilities classroom for grades 6-8. I enjoyed both roles very much. I learned that each child learns differently regardless of special education label or even if they have no documented disability. • My Personal Background ***I became a stay-at-home mother when my oldest son, Noah, was one year old. I love this role. After a difficult pregnancy and delivery, we had triplets in December 2008. Owen and Ella joined us at home a few weeks later. Owen has developmental delays, physical disabilities, and several issues with the function and formation of his brain. He received early intervention services (OT, PT, DT, and speech). He is the reason I plan to become a developmental therapist.

• Exploring My Biases ***I am very blessed to have a very diverse family (varying sexes, races, sexual orientation, religions, cultures, ability). These differences are beautiful and I love my family! (PHOTO: Hunting for pumpkins! So much love!)

• Going Deeper… ***My son, Owen, recently had surgery on his brain at a local pediatric hospital. People travel long distances for the premium care that they receive at Riley Children’s Hospital. I had the opportunity to meet people from various cultures. In this experience, culture refers to many different aspects. Culture includes (but is not limited to) many factors such as heritage, race, sexual orientation, religion, financial status, and even medical history.

***While at the hospital, I met several wonderful families. One area that I noticed made me uncomfortable was communicating with children who are non-verbal. My son has limited vocabulary, so this realization was unsettling to me. However, I believe that my discomfort stems from lack of confidence in my skills to effectively communicate with them.

Photos: Owen and his buddy, Jacob. Jacob and Owen are three years old. Owen has Traumatic Brain Injury, Diffuse White Matter Loss, and Erb’s palsy. Jacob has Cerebral Palsy. They love to play together! ***www.thejacksoncenter.org*** • MY PLAN… ***Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit a school (The Jackson Center for Conductive Education). My friend’s son, Jacob, attends the school. Jacob is three and has cerebral palsy. Jacob has a very limited vocabulary. Several of Jacob’s classmates were non-verbal. I was so pleased to learn new skills, watch therapists/teachers show parents new strategies to use with their children, and gain some new strategies to more effectively communicate with children who are non-verbal. I watched my friend, Paula, learn how to utilize a “word button” to allow Jacob to communicate his needs. Jacob used a “yes” and “no” button when asked questions. I look forward to learning so much more through visiting this center and watching Jacob (and his older sister) overnight in September. I believe that by gaining confidence and learning new strategies, I will be a more skilled developmental therapist (my future profession)!

Seeing Diversity Blog: Week 6

Seeing Diversity Blog: “We Don’t Say Those Words in Class!” This is such an interesting blog! I could write volumes!!! I have had this happen so many times. However, I must say that the reaction of the adults in the situation set the tone for the child. For example, while waiting in line at Wal-Mart one day my oldest son asked, “Why does the man behind us have on sunglasses in the store”. The man behind us was blind. I told Noah that God makes everyone special and that the man could not see. Noah just shook his head and said, “like how you don’t make sugar (his reference to my diabetes), his eyes don’t work”. I told him that his statement was true. The man smiled because he had heard our conversation. He asked Noah if he wanted to look at his dog (which was standing on the other side of the cart). Noah was thrilled. The man told Noah that since his eyes did not work, his hearing was extra special. Noah told him that he liked his “extra special power” and because it was snowing outside (and Noah is fixated on Christmas), Noah asked the man if he could hear snow falling. The man told Noah that he never tried, but would when he got outside. This was a very pleasant conversation. However, the interaction could have happened very differently. I think that it is important for the adults to acknowledge the statement and not ignore it. While the adult may not have the exact answer, the adult speak to the child about what they saw. If I would have told Noah to be quiet, he may have thought that he did something wrong or that being blind is something to be ashamed of. The man’s response was also very important. He was very polite and informative. He was very matter-of-fact about being blind. He provided information that helped Noah process the information without bias and promoted acceptance. As an early childhood educator, it is important to acknowledge questions or statements. It is also important to ask questions about the topic (such as why do you think they are different). These questions can start conversations that promote acceptance. I understand that not everyone believes in God and in a public school setting, it is important to remember that. In these instances, one can refer to science as the reasoning for some differences. I think that the misconception about "only teaching white children about diversity" if they are in a group that is diverse is a very important statement (Derman-Sparks & Ramsey, n.d., p.43). What if a child is never in a class with a person who is blind? Should that class not learn about this form of diversity? The fact is diversity is everywhere and teaching children to see the beauty in differences is important.

Update on my family...

We are home from the hospital and Owen is doing "okay". He has chemical meningitis, which is a complicatin from surgery. He is taking massive steroids and they increased his pain medications. He is feeling pretty rotten, but did mention his catch phrase "this is the best day ever" today! That was wonderful to hear. We return to the hospital in the morning for more labs and a CT scan. Praying for normal test results for the genetic test for MLC-1 and all other labs. Love my kids so very much.

My baby boy had surgery on his brain this week. Surgery went well. They repaired the issue but did have to remove some brain tissue. He is not putting pressure on his legs yet but we have not noticed any other loss of skill. Still praying for normal test results.

Week 3 EDUC 6357

QUESTION #1 How you would respond to a parent/family member who informed you they did not want anyone who is perceived (or self-reported) homosexual or transgender to be caring for, educating, and/or interacting with their child. I actually had this happen. My husband has a very large Catholic family. Some of his aunts and uncles are very strict in their religious beliefs and frown upon homosexuality. I am also Catholic, but am very liberal in my views. At one Christmas gathering, one of his uncles was talking to several of his siblings and their spouses. Several of Brian's aunts and uncles are in the education field. His uncle knew that I was a teacher and simply stated that he did not want "gays teaching his only child". I simply asked him why he felt that way. He stated that he did not think sexual thoughts should go into a school setting. I told him that just because someone is homosexual it does not mean that they think about sex all the time. I asked him if he would rather have a caring, creative homosexual teacher or a rude, careless heterosexual teacher for his child. He responded that he guesses that he would want the caring one. I know that I did not change his overall views, but maybe he opened his mind for a bit. QUESTION #2 If you have ever used or heard homophobic terms such as "fag," "gay," "homo," "sissy," "tom boy," or "lesbo" as an insult by a child toward another child? Or, by an adult toward a child? Describe what occurred. How might these types of comments influence all children? I taught 5th-8th grade students. When I taught in the junior high school setting, I had all boys in my classroom. I taught in a self-contained Emotional Disabilities classroom. Calling each other "gay" was something that I heard a lot. One day, one of my students, Damien, came to school after a long break. He was in 8th grade and many of the other boys looked up to him. Damien often remarked that the other boys were acting "gay" or an assignment was "gay". The remarks always had a negative connotation and were meant as an insult. Can you imagine if your lifestyle was to root of insults? That would make one become so ashamed of who you are. Damien and I had a good rapport and he trusted me. One day it was his turn to eat lunch in my classroom with my male assistant and myself. Damien told me that his older brother had told him over the weekend that he was homosexual. Damien was having a very hard time with this. He told me that he loved his brother, but thought it was so gross. He did not want the other boys to find out. Later that afternoon, he got into a fight defending another boy (on the bus) that the other students had called "gay". Although I do not condone fighting, I thought it was a good step for Damien in accepting his brother.

Reflection Week 8

This course has provided me with a plethora of new ideas and skills. It was apparent to me this morning when I took my son, Owen, to Riley Children's Hospital. That hospital is filled with families with diverse medical, cultural, educational backgrounds. I sat back and observed families and staff interacting. My son had a MRI again last week and we were referred to a neurosurgeon for brain surgery. Communcation is so important as well as effective collaboration. Skills that I may not have noticed prior to this course. Best wishes to you all and please think of my son over the next few weeks...thanks!

Blog Week 6

Adjourning…What makes it difficult? 

I have been a part of many groups.  Last year I participated in a Christ Renew His Parish group from my church.  After the initial weekend retreat, we met weekly to discuss topics related to our faith journey.  It was a very valuable experience for me.  I cherished it.

The aspect of the group that made it hardest to say good-bye was that I enjoyed learning about my faith from experiences of others.  For our group, we had one assignment.  We had to pray and organize (and put on) a retreat weekend for the next group of women.  We learned a lot about each other during this time.  As our closing ritual, we prayed for our upcoming week.  We prayed for the women in the next group.  It helped me set goals for myself in terms of my faith journey.  I would not necessarily say that the group of 12 women was high-performing in terms of a job; however, I hope that we made an impact on each other and the women that we presented for.  One aspect that did annoy me about our closing time was that it was usually late.  The group could have benefited from a schedule and a person in charge of keeping the group on track.  At the end of the six month faith journey, we presented our weekend and met many new women.  However, it was quite sad because we knew that we would no longer see each other every Monday evening.  We created a group on Facebook (which we all had a site) and kept in touch that way.  We also meet every three months for a social gathering at a Tour the World dinner.  For this social dinner, we pick different restaurants around the city with diverse food (Thai, Japanese, Mexican, Brazilian, Greek, etc).  It is always a very fun night! 

Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork? For some groups, the closeness of the group can make it difficult to adjourn.  However, celebrating our accomplishments by gathering together can lead us in new paths.  For example, I met a lady from my church that also lost an infant child and has a child with special needs.  She cannot drive due to visual impairment, so she asked me if I could drive her to a monthly meeting for mothers of children with special needs.  This is a friendship that I deeply cherish.  I feel that by meeting this wonderful lady at one group, we have a bond and now we are close friends. 

I love meeting new people and communicating with wonderful people!  During my master’s degree program, I have “virtually met” many intelligent people.  I hope that we can continue to stay in contact through our blogs.  This is a personal type of communication that can inform others about our jobs or upcoming events.  It can also share our challenges and triumphs. 

Adjourning is an important part of teamwork because it can show that we cared about the group in which we participated.  It can also make us feel valuable.  By adjourning, we can open up time for other endeavors.       

These are my children's "TEAMWORK" shirts...superheros!  Gotta love them!

Week 5 Conflict Resolution

CONFLICT RESOLUTION:

The conflict that I chose to look into is that with my youngest son’s new physician.  I understand that Owen’s medical history is a lot to understand; however, I feel that as a physician it is initially your job to listen to the medical history.  Last week we met with a new specialist for Owen’s brain issues and abnormalities.  He had the paperwork from Owen’s recent ophthalmology appointment to check the pressure in his brain and the orthopedic surgeon report.  The physician stated that Owen is a “toe walker” based on the report.  However, Owen was not currently walking on his toes.  He has leg braces that we utilize when needed.  However, we do not use them every day to help him strengthen his muscles.  Based on the paperwork and not looking at Owen, he suggested that we put him in leg braces all day and increase aquatic therapy.   I knew that this was wrong for multiple reasons.  One: I AM HIS MOTHER and I SPEND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE MINUTE WITH HIM!  I get so annoyed when some of the specialists try to tell me something that I do not agree with based on a 15 minute appointment.  After he stated that I asked him to watch Owen walk.  Owen is a toe-walker when he is tired; however, he is doing great and was walking steadily without braces and not on his toes.  During this conflict, I had to realize that I needed to also listen.  I needed to let him do his job, ask questions, and listen to his response as long as my child’s needs are being appropriately met.  I needed to realize that I was not really annoyed with the physician directly.  He was reading a recommendation by another physician.  Sometimes I need to listen before shutting down my listening skills because I am so annoyed and planning my response.  I NEED TO BE AN EFFECTIVE LISTENER and this might begin with my initial attitude.  If I enter the discussion annoyed then the climate shifts to defensive or uncertain.  This can impact the success of the conflict resolution. 

The material on the NVC website was very interesting to me.  When I read the information on the website, I thought about how I could apply the information in my own life. 

NVC skills that I would like to learn more about and apply to my own life are:

·         “Differentiating observation from evaluation, being able to carefully observe what is happening free of evaluation, and to specify behaviors and conditions that are affecting us;

·         Differentiating feeling from thinking, being able to identify and express internal feeling states in a way that does not imply judgment, criticism, or blame/punishment;

·         Connecting with the universal human needs/values (e.g. sustenance, trust, understanding) in us that are being met or not met in relation to what is happening and how we are feeling; and,

·         Requesting what we would like in a way that clearly and specifically states what we do want (rather than what we don’t want), and that is truly a request and not a demand (i.e. attempting to motivate, however subtly, out of fear, guilt, shame, obligation, etc. rather than out of willingness and compassionate giving).” (NVC, n.d.)

I think that one thing that I would like to try to do is create a supportive climate.  I often get defensive when it involves my children and their needs.  I want what is best for them.  However, I need to realize that this is not as productive and will most likely not solve the conflict.  I hope to learn to listen, clarify, and then respond before judging and becoming defensive.  By doing this I can help create a supportive climate in which people work together to meet the needs of my children. 

I chose these photos because ALL OF MY CHILDREN HAVE GOT THE TOILET SEAT STUCK ON THEIR HEAD!!!!  I wish that they would have listened and observed the first time...but they decided to all get it stuck at seperate times.  At least they make cute (and disturbing) photos for me to put on the bathroom wall!

References: The Center for Nonviolent Communication @ http://www.cnvc.org/

Communication Goals

According to the assessments this week, my husband (Brian), my friend (Paula), and I assessed my communication anxiety levels, verbal aggressiveness, and listening styles. 

(My husband, Brian, and I at a soccer game!)

The area of communication anxiety had diverse answers.  My husband grouped me in the low category.  He stated that I was confident and comfortable.  He also said that I act comfortable in a variety of situations.  My friend, Paula, placed me in the mild category.  She stated that I appear as though little rattles me, but she knows from conversations that I get annoyed when interacting with some people that say rude comments about people with special needs or make racial comments.  I placed myself in the moderate category.  This stated that I have situational anxiety.  I would say that this assessment was correct.  I feel comfortable speaking to others in most situations; however, I feel uptight when discussing hot topics for me (such as special education or racial issues).  It annoys me when others make rude comments about people with disabilities or are racist.  I often state that I disagree and tell them why.  However, I have to make an effort to stay in control and not to stoop to their ignorant level by yelling.  My verbal aggressiveness scores were moderate and low.  I have to make an effort to remain calm in these situations. 

My communication goals were: to know my audience, choose the appropriate communication channel, and demonstrate receptive body language. 

Hopefully by improving these skills, I will become an effective communicator. 

Think about the cultural diversity you see in your colleagues at school, in your neighborhood, in your workplace, and also, possibly, within your family. Consider all the aspects that make up culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on.

My family is very diverse.  Within my family we are blessed to have differing religions, races, political affiliations, sexual orientations, and varying abilities.  My family is very honest with each other.  I think that it is important to treat others with respect.  For example, I like to learn about other cultures.  My professional background is in special education.  I also have a child with special needs.  I have noticed that many people treat him very differently.  He has white matter loss in his brain, developmental delay, speech issues, and has a slower processing speed.  However, when some people talk to him they speak very loudly and slowly to him.  His hearing is fine.  However, personally I have noticed that I use more hand gestures with him and we use many signs.  He responds well with multiple forms of communication.  I also used signs and varying forms of communication while teaching special education as well. 

As for other forms of differences, I try to be open-minded and accepting.  I respect the differences in others.  I think that it is important as a teacher, to learn about personal families and not base your judgement on a generalizations.  For example, I have two brother-in-laws.  One is African-American and one is Caucasian.  When people see a photo of Stan (my sister's husband; he is African-American), they ask if we get along.  I love Stan.  He is an awesome brother-in-law, father to my niece and nephews, husband to my sister, and person.  He watched my oldest son while I taught the first year after he was born.  Not many men would do that.  He is great with my kids.  However, I have never been asked if I get along with my husband's brother (who is Caucasian). 

I do think that I communicate differently when I speak to adults versus children.  I am much more quiet when talking with adults.  I tend to not speak as openly with adults.  I enjoy working with kids and like to listen to them, help them gain skills, and gain life experiences.    I also enjoy working with older individuals.  I like to learn from them.  However, I have noticed that I often use signs with them too.  I am not sure why, but I think is is a subconscious gesture. 

I enjoy differences!  My oldest son, Noah, began to like the band KISS from watching Scooby-Doo.  Noah loves music.  My husband and I only knew the populat songs by that band, but Noah wanted to go to a concert.  We took him to the State Fair (a kid friendly venue) to see KISS.  I would say that I misjudged the other concert-goers.  It made me realize that just because you listen to a certain type of music does not mean much about your personality or home life! 

• Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?
• If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

Communication (Week 2) TV Show!

For this assignment, we had to record a television show that we normally do not watch and watch it without the sound.  We had to use other methods to determine the situational context and their expressions to gather information.  Since my kids are little, I normally do not watch any shows except on Nick Jr. or the Disney channel.  We also watch a lot of Disney or superhero themed shows.  When I do a have few minutes to myself I actually prefer to not have any sound to give my ears a break from the constand sound! 

For the assignment, I chose to watch PTI (Pardon the Interruption) with my husband  on ESPN2.  This show had two commentators that were discussing several events that occured in sports that week.  Without the sound, I thought that the two mean were fighting about a specific play involving Blake Griffin.  There were words on the right hand side that stated what the men were apparently supposed to be discussing.  They showed a clip of Blake Griffin being hit in the head while playing.  One of the men used vivid hand gestures and shook his hand in the emblem stating "no".  The other gentleman shook his head in agreement.  I assumed that they were talking about the foul that occured in which Blake Griffin was awarded two shots.  I thought that they were talking about how the foul was bad.  The second man looked annoyed at the clip.  His brows were furrowed. 

However, when I listened to the same conversation with the sound on, I noticiced that they were discussing Blake Griffin's "flopping" habit and how it is not good acting.  The first man stated that he did think that Blake was fouled but he over reacted.  The other man disagreed with the man and sad that Blake is a constant "flopper".  Obviously, I do not watch a ton of professional basketball so I did not know a lot about the situation. 

I think that if I had been watching a show that I knew well like iCarly (since my son loves it), I would have been able to read their expressions better.  I am familiar with thier body movements and facial expressions.  This familiarity makes it easier to read people more accurately.   

 

The reasons why I do not watch television much!  I love it!  They are my entertainment!

I also watched a show that I hear a lot about that I have never watched.  It had two women and a small child.  They were walking in a big city.  They were walking in close proximety.  They seemed to not be communicating.  One of the women was texting on her phone while the other one was talking to her.  They did not appear to interact with the child.  The next scene showed the women talking to a man.  The man appeared to be asking questions.  One of the women had her arms crossed and appeared annoyed.  The other woman began to cry.  The woman who was not crying did not pat the girl on the leg or offer any type of empathetic gesture.  The man continued to talk.  In the next scene, the woman who was crying entered an apartment.  A man was there.  She laid on the bed by him but they did not hug or kiss.  They appeared to argue and she left the room.  She went into a large closet type room and the other woman entered.  She appeared to be asking the crying woman some questions, but again offered no signs of comfort.  Then the show was over!  I have to admit that I was a bit releaved. 

The show was Kourtney and Kim Take New York.  

In the show, they did not really interact with the baby.  Kourtney held him, but they did not really talk to him.  They met with a medium.  He was asking questions and telling them about social interactions and things he "sees".  Kim begins to cry about the loss of her father and her divorce.  Her sister does not really comfort her at all.  When they arrive at the apartment, Kim sees her husband. You can tell that she does not want to be with him at that point.  She had her arms crossed and rolled her eyes.  She left the room and cried in another room.  Kourtney entered and asked her why she was crying.  Kim explained that there were problems with her marriage. 

I have to admit that I do not like reality television.  A lot of times the behavior annoys me.  A lot of my friends watch reality television and enjoy it. However, it is not for me.  My life does not resemble this at all.  Interesting experience! 

Communication 6165

Blog Week 1 6165

For your blog this week, think of someone (e.g., family member, celebrity, politician, friend, or professor) who demonstrates competent communication within a particular context. What behaviors does this person exhibit that make him or her effective? Would you want to model some of your own communication behaviors after this person? Why or why not?

My Dad and my uncle, Roger. 

On Tuesday of this week, we had the funeral visitation for my uncle.  Since he was a loved individual and was very young, the funeral home was packed with people.  The death of a loved one often makes people uncomfortable and they do not know what to say to the grieving family.  During this time, I listened to my father “chat” with people and make comforting remarks to people.  He is very much aware of the feelings of others and can “read” people well.  He makes good eye contact, is an active listener, and is very honest.  My father is very knowledgeable about numerous topics and people often look to him to advice.  I would definitely wish to model my own communication behaviors after my father.  He relates well to people, is comforting, and he makes people feel that what they have to say is interesting and important to him.  I love talking to my Dad! 

*On a side note, my oldest son had a hard time watching my parents and grandpa cry at the funeral.  I talked to him about why they were sad and I thought that he understood.  At the funeral, he gave my Aunt a hug and told her, “I am sorry for your sad times, but I hear Heaven is a beautiful place”.  I also admire the honesty and youthful approach that my son takes when talking to others.  He is a good boy!     

WEEK 8 6164

My goals:
1.       My professional plan is to obtain my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies Teaching and Diversity.  This is my first step in learning more about diversity in a general sense.  I hope that this course helps me realize any unconscious biases and assist me in overcoming them.   
2.      I plan to become a developmental therapist (for a local First Steps program) for children who exhibit developmental delay from birth to age three.  As a developmental therapist for First Steps, I will be providing therapy in the child’s home.  It is important that I learn about working with a diverse population because the families may be culturally, linguistically, or socio-economically diverse.   My goal for this course is to learn how to establish a good rapport with a diverse population of families who exhibit a variety of differences.    
3.      I plan to become involved with the About Special Kids (A.S.K.) support group for parents of children with special needs.  I believe that this role will help me build positive rapport with the families that I work with because I will be able to point the families in the right direction for their specific needs.  My goal for this course is to learn more about cultural responses to having a child with special needs.      

I currently stay at home with my young children.  I hope to teach them to be proud of who they are while respecting differences in others.  However, my role as a developmental therapist will enable me to help children develop skills and learn at their own pace.  I also hope to empower families by teaching them about the laws pertaining to special education.  Hopefully this knowledge will ease the transition from early intervention to preschool.  My role as a developmental therapist will give unique advantages by placing me in their home, letting me see more closely family interactions and dynamics, allowing me to see the setting in which they will be using the interventions, and allowing me to see diversity first hand. 

Thank you all so much for the feedback, experiences, and knowledge that you passed on during this class.  I have learned so much.  I hope that by learning about diversity, I can start by realizing my own biases, teach my own children loving and accepting others, and promote acceptance of differences in others. 

My diverse family...change can start with us!  Loving differences and encouraging loving others!!!

BEST WISHES!!!