Week 8 Final Reflection and Thanks

Thanks to all of you who have made the journey through this class so meaningful.  I learned so much from each of you.  Each of you brought a unique perspective to the topic of communication and collaboration.  I appreciate the honest and sincere discussions and responses that everyone shared.  I hope that I will have the chance to continue to work with some of you as we move to the next class and our specializations.  I wish each of you the best of luck.

I can be contacted at geralyn.sosinski@waldenu.edu or

tsosinski@sbcglobal.net

WEEK 6 -Adjourning

According to Abudi (2010), Adjourning is the final stage of team development that includes the opportunity to celebrate success, say goodbye, and wish each other luck.  Some of the groups that I have been part of meet for a few weeks or months to plan a specific event. This type of group is not difficult to leave because you depart with the understanding that you will be working with this group again within a few months.  Some of the more difficult departures from groups that I have been part of are those that have been more long-term.  Several years ago, I was a member of a cohort that was part of a pilot project that offered an online Infant-Toddler Certification program.  The cohort included 5 people who worked at the same agency that I did.  The group included people from various departments within the agency and people at various levels. While this was an on-line program, we met each week over lunch to discuss and share ideas.  There were many interesting and stimulating discussions. Each of us was very passionate about our jobs and about the field of early education.  While we were all relieved when the classes ended, it was difficult to see this group end. Despite several attempts, we found it impossible to continue our lunchtime meetings once the classes were done.  Despite the fact that there was much discord and animosity, it was also difficult to see the Early Reading First group end.  Like the study group, there were many opportunities for exciting discussions that fueled my passion.  This group also offered many opportunities for exploration, discovery and growth.

My experience has been that it is more difficult to leave high-performing groups and those with clearly established norms. Abudi (2010) states that norming occurs when members “respect each other’s opinions and value their differences” (para 8).  I have also found that it is difficult to leave a group in which I felt that I was given many opportunities to grow, learn and take on new responsibilities.  I have also found that the departure from a group leaving a group is sometimes related to the purpose of the group.  Some of the informal groups that tended to be more social are sometimes harder to leave than professional groups.  The relationships formed in the informal/social groups are sometimes stronger and more meaningful than professional relationships.  For most of the groups that I have been part of, there has been no special process for adjourning.  Lack of time and other commitments always seemed to prevent any celebration from taking place.  In retrospect, it would have been nice to have found a way to celebrate even if it was something very simple. 

I know that adjourning from the group of people who I have gotten to know as part of this program will be difficult.  I took 5 classes but then lost my job and had to quit for almost a year.  Saying goodbye to those I started this program with was difficult.  I do think, however that since this has been a virtual community, it will be easier than if we were working together in person.  Adjourning is an essential part of the team development process.  A team that has worked well together has developed strong and meaningful relationships that will make parting difficult. 

Abudi, G. (2010). The five stages of team development: A case study. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/the-five-stages-of-team-development-a-case-study.html

WEEK 5-Conflict Resolution

Fortunately, I am not currently experiencing any conflicts or disagreements with anyone. While it is not yet to that point, I think it is possible that there could be a conflict brewing.  I have recently taken a position as a director at a preschool program.  While the assistant director and I work well together and she has been very helpful with assisting me in learning the ropes, it is obvious that she is used to working independently rather than as a team.  I am often left out of the decision making process and important information often does not get communicated to me. So far, I have just dismissed these concerns as part of the process of transitioning into a new agency and program. If the situation continues, I could see the need to use “I” statements to express my concerns. It would be important for me to not make assumptions about her motives because true communication occurs when we focus on “clarifying what is being observed, felt, needed, and wanted, rather than on diagnosing and judging” (Center for Nonviolent Communication, 2013, para 5).  The 3Rs would also be an effective strategy for developing a meaningful and respectful relationship with the assistant director.  As O’Hair & Wiemann (2012) also remind us  “relationships depend on good communication to thrive” (p. 167). Good relationships also prevent conflict which can have a negative impact on communication. NVC also suggests that compassion and cooperation are important factors that act to facilitate meaningful and satisfying relationships. I am hopeful that developing a relationship with the assistant director and giving the situation some time will help me avoid any conflict.

Reference

O'Hair, D. & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York, New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

The Center for Nonviolent Communication. (2013). Foundations of NVC.  Retrieved from http://www.cnvc.org/learn/nvc-foundations

Week 4 Blog: Who Am I as a Communicator

Surprises

 There were few surprises about the similarities and differences between how I evaluated myself as a communicator and how my husband and a friend evaluated me.  The results of all of the assessments done by my friend were also the same as mine. The fact that my score for the Listening Styles Profile was the same despite who completed the survey seemed to indicate that I am a People-Oriented listener, however, I thought the definition of the Action-Oriented listener was a better fit. I think that the thing that surprised me the most was that the results were so similar despite who completed the inventory.  I really expected that my own perspective of my communication skills would have been different from the perspective of that of my husband and friend. 

Insights

One insight about communication that I gained this week is that while the inventory assigned a specific score based on how others and I answered the questions, I feel that I could see myself across the entire range of possibilities depending on the situation.  A second insight is that I have made progress in becoming a better communicator by improving my listening skills.   This is something that I have made a concerted effort to do.  O’Hair & Wiemann (2012) tell us that an empathetic listening style is associated with showing care and avoiding judgment.  The results of the Listening Styles Profile validate that I have made progress in this area.  Had I completed these scales several years ago, I think the results would have been very different.

Professional & Personal

As a result of the Application assignment, I have a better insight into and deeper awareness of my own communication strengths and weaknesses in both professional and personal settings.  I discovered that I need to make the same kind effort in personal communications that I do when I am in a professional setting.

Reference

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Week 3 Blog

I do find that I communicate differently with people from different groups and cultures.  If is someone that I know well I am more comfortable and am more likely to use slang and tease and joke more.  Professionally, I communicate differently based on the audience.  In a large group of other early childhood professionals, I am more likely to use acronyms and jargon that I know others in the group will be familiar with.   I work at a bilingual preschool program. Several of the teachers and many of the parents speak Spanish.  I speak more slowly, use simpler words and listen very carefully.  We have a Spanish-speaking cook at the program where I work.  My Spanish is very limited and so I find that I must rely on lots of gestures to communicate effectively with her. 

The first strategy that I could use to help me communicate more effectively is to improve my listening skills.   When talking with Spanish speaking parents, I tend to be nervous about my limited ability to speak Spanish and so it is sometimes difficult to stay focused on listening.  I also tend to be very businesslike and so I have found that I need to stop, listen carefully and give all of my attention to the person who is speaking. 

The second strategy that I could use would be becoming more other-oriented.  As Bebee, Bebee & Redmond (2011) point out, “focusing on others rather than yourself… is an important way to enhance your interpersonal competence” (p. 111).  According to Bebee, et al. (2011), becoming other-oriented involves taking into account “the other person’s thoughts, values, background, and overall perspective” and to “put yourself into someone else’s place emotionally and consider what that person is feeling” (p. 112).  As Gonzalez-Mena (2010) reminds us, “it’s uncomfortable to begin questioning what we already know, but it’s important to do so when working in an early childhood setting that includes diverse families you don’t see eye to eye with” (p. 36). 

The third strategy that I can use is related to body language. Since taking this class, I have become much more aware of my body language.  I am careful to ensure that my body language is communicating my interest in what the other person is saying.  I turn towards the other person, am careful not cross my arms, nod, smile and watch carefully to use the amount of direct eye contact that the speaker is comfortable with. 

Reference:

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2011). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Chapter 4, "Interpersonal Communication and Diversity: Adapting to Others" (pp. 85–114)


Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201420_02/MS_MECS/EDUC_6165/Week%203/Resources/Resources/embedded/beebe_ch4.pdf

Gonzalez-Mena, J. (2010). 50 strategies for communicating and working with diverse families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

"Understanding and Appreciating Cultural Differences" (pp. 36–38)

Watching Days of Our Lives

I had to watch several shows before finding one that would work for this class.  I tried watching a show Nickelodeon, which seemed to be geared toward preteens, but found that it was just too predictable.  I also tried That 70s Show, but also found it to be very predictable.  It was very easy to tell what was going even without listening to the sound.  I decided to try watching a soap opera Days of Our Lives.  When watching the show without listening to the sound, it seemed that a priest was having an affair with a woman.  It also seemed that a young woman was either plotting with an older man or that the older man was counseling her.  Most of the other relationships were par for the course for soap operas.  There were 2 girls who were plotting against another girl over a boy.  There was also an estranged mother and son.  There were a wide variety of emotions and feeling displayed by the characters that were easy to read even without the sound.  Emotions and feelings the characters displayed included:  happiness, sadness, anger, disappointment, sympathy, and concern.

When watching the show with the sound, I found that for the most part, I had correctly interpreted the relationships and emotions. There were 2 relationships that I had misinterpreted.   The first was the relationship between the priest and the woman.  As it turned out, the woman was the mother of the priest and that was why they were kissing and hugging.  The other relationship that I had misunderstood was the one between the young woman and the older man.  The man was the woman’s father who was helping her with a problem she was having. 

This assignment gave me the opportunity to see how well I could interpret communication without actually hearing the words that people were using.  It was much easier to correctly interpret the emotions displayed than it was to accurately “read” the relationships between the characters.  Based on this experience, I have a better understanding of the limitations of only using nonverbal communication to make assumptions.  As O’Hair & Wiemann (2012) pointed out, “nonverbal communication is often ambiguous (p. 129) and so advise us to “regard nonverbal behavior as cues to be checked out rather than as facts” (p. 130). 

Reference

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Communication & Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field -WEEK 1

For me, the person who comes to mind as someone who demonstrates competent communication is a former supervisor and the specific context is when we met for supervision meetings.   According to O’Hair & Wiemann (2012), competent communication “ is more concerned with process, which measures the success of communication by considering the methods by which an outcome is accomplished” (p. 14). My former supervisor exemplified that ability to focus on the process.  One of the most effective behaviors that this person exhibited during these meetings was the ability to really listen to what I said.  She was truly present and it was obvious that I had her full attention.  Her body language, reflective questions and thoughtful answers all created an environment that made me feel safe, valued and heard. As O’Hair & Wiemann (2012) point out, “From the process perspective, it is better to optimize outcomes for both partners than to fulfill the specific goals of either one:  mutual satisfaction is used as the gauge of success” (p. 16).   My former supervisor was careful about the pacing of the conversation.   She was able to sense when to move on to another topic. She was gifted at asking questions and was careful about how and when she offered information or opinions.  She also did a good job of following the National Communication Association Credo for Ethical Communication principle that states “we strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages” (p.  15).  This principle is closely related to the statement made by O’Hair  & Wiemann (2012) “Successful communicators usually have a high degree of cognitive complexity.   This refers to the ability to consider multiple scenarios, formulate multiple theories, and make multiple interpretations when encoding and decoding messages” (p. 24).  This person could easily be considered a successful communicator using the information from O’Hair & Wiemann and the principles outlined in the National Communication Association Credo for Ethical Communication.

The behavior that I would most like to emulate is her ability to truly listen.  This ability has many positive outcomes.  This ability to truly listening builds trust by conveying the message that what is being said is valued and understood.  It also offers the chance to show respect for the speaker and the opportunity to develop the high degree of cognitive complexity both of which are traits of an effective communicator.  So often, I find that I am thinking about what I am going to say rather than being truly present in the moment and really listening to the other person.  

Reference:

O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s

Week 8-Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice

When I think about working with children and families from diverse backgrounds, one hope that I have is that I can always welcome and respect the differences that they bring.  As Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) pointed out, “In a society as diverse as ours, maneuvering through its multiple cultures can be complex and confusing, as well as rich and delightful” (p. 55).  

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to the issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is that all early childhood professionals be exposed to the anti-bias curriculum.  Exposure to the anti-bias curriculum would ensure that professionals have the opportunity to learn about others and about themselves with regards to diversity, equity, and culture.

I would like to thank each of you for your honest and candid personal stories that you shared.  While information from the resources and videos can be very moving and pertinent to the topic, it is the personal stories of classmates that give a face to the theories, data, facts and research.   

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Welcoming Families from Around the World

The country that I chose for this assignment is the Central African Republic.  To prepare for this family’s arrival, I would learn as much as I could about the country.  Below are some basic facts about the Central African Republic

According to Wikipedia (Wikipedia, 2013), in the Central African Republic, there are over 80 ethnic groups.   I found that in this country, the main language is French with a dialect called Central African French as well as lots of indigenous languages. The language spoken by most is Sango. While French is the official language few people speak French and almost no one speaks English. There is great civil unrest in the Central African Republic, there are major human rights violations and the rates of HIV are high.  The per capita income is $300.00/year. More than 50% of the population is affiliated with a Christian religion.  Exporting food is the major source of revenue in the country.  The life expectancy for both men and women is under 50 years old.    

In order to prepare myself to be culturally responsive to the family I would take the following steps.

1.  The first thing that I would do is find out what language or languages the family might speak.  I would also try to learn something about the literacy rates in the country.  Once I had information about the language and literacy rates, I would learn a few basic words and phrases that I could use to greet the family.  I would also contact agencies that offer translation/interpretation services so that I could have someone available to assist with communicating with the family. 

2.  The second thing that I would do in order to be culturally responsive would be to learn what I could about traditions and customs in the Central African Republic.

After learning about the traditions, I would try to learn more about the beliefs and values that underlie the traditions.

3.  The third thing that I would do would be to learn something about the food that is traditionally eaten.  After learning about traditional foods, I would try to find out if there are local stores that stock the ingredients the family might need.

4.  The fourth thing that I would do is learn about the political, economic and social climate in the country.  This would help me be sensitive to possible fears or trauma that the family might have experienced.  This would also help as I gather information about resources that the families may need.

5.  The fifth thing that I would do is gather some pictures or artifacts from the Central African Republic.   I would make a small book to place in the library area, or display the photos in various places in the classroom. 

I think these steps would beneficial for the family and myself.  Gathering information about all aspects of the Central African Republic would help me be knowledgeable and would give me a deeper sense of what the family might have experienced.  Following these steps would also help me gather resources that I could share with the family about local resources, and social and religious groups that might help the family get established.  Being able to say a few words/phrases would let the family know that I was making an effort to connect with them.  It would also be necessary for me to reflect on any stereotypes or preconceived ideas that I might have about people living in very poor African countries.  As Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) point out “ongoing learning about yourself and well as about the children and families you serve, makes it possible to effectively decide what to say, what to do, when to wait, ad when to act in many different kinds of settings” (p. 21). 

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and

ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Wikipedia. (2013, August 14).  Central African Republic.  Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic

Blog Week 6-The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

A director of a bilingual preschool shared the story of her first experiences with school with me.  Her story illustrates bias and prejudice.  She was about 8 years old when she and her family moved from Mexico to the United States.  She and her family only spoke Spanish.   She was placed in a classroom with children of the same age, where she was the only person of color.  She was placed in a desk that was at the back of the room and apart from the other children.  She was given a coloring book to keep her busy.  There were no attempts by the teacher or the other children to interact with her.  Once a day for an hour, the ESL teacher came to work with her. 

This scenario demonstrates how, as a child, this woman was marginalized.  Her place in the classroom and the lack of interaction with the other children and teacher were based on stereotypes and the perceptions of the teacher and children.  She was not given the same attention or opportunity to learn that the other children.  She was made to feel invisible because she of her ethnicity, language, appearance and culture.   I would guess that this child had feelings much like Taylor (2011) who states “And so I remember that there were pieces of feeling sort of left out or different through circumstances that weren’t my own or things that I hadn’t caused anyway”. 

This situation made me feel angry with the teacher for treating this child in such an unjust manner and with the school for letting this kind of thing occur. It also made me feel sad for the child who had to endure a year of this kind of treatment.  The most obvious changes that could have turned this incident into an opportunity would have been the use of strategies for working with English Language Learners and cultural sensitivity training for the staff. Even without these changes, there are a number of steps that could have turned this situation into one with greater equity.  Just allowing the child to sit with rather than away from the class would have been a way to help the child be an equal partner in the classroom.  Attempts by the teacher to interact with the child would have also made her visible rather than invisible and would have served as a model for the children in the classroom.  Giving the child access to the same learning materials as the other children would have also resulted in greater equity between the child and the other students on the classroom. 

Reference

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer), (2011). In her own voice:  Nadiyah Taylor.  [Video

            program]. Baltimore, MD.

Micriaggresssion

I do not recall experiencing or observing any instances of microaggression this week, but I can share an example that my daughter told me about.  

Many of the clubs in the Kansas City metro area that are popular with those in their twenties have dress codes.  My daughter has observed that entry into the clubs for males is often based on the person’s race rather than what they are wearing.  A white man may be allowed entry to the club while a person of color, who is wearing the same type of clothing, will be denied entry.  My daughter told me that some of her friends, who are men of color, keep extra clothes in their car so that if they have been denied entry, they can change clothes to see if that will make a difference.  This is an example of how decisions are made based on a person’s color.  This is an example of what Margles & Margles (2010) refer to as “the attribution of characteristics and capabilities, limitations and propensities to entire groups based  on the colour of their skin and other physical features” (p.138).   

The resources, readings, and discussions as well as the results of the online tests that I took have all helped me gain a deeper understanding of how pervasive discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping are and how far reaching their affects are.  It has also given me the chance to reflect further on my own journey towards being more accepting of all types of differences.   

Reference

Margles, S. & Margles, M., (2010).  Inverting racism’s distortions. Our Schools/Our    

           Selves, 19(3), 137-149.  Retrieved from

http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=51372248&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Week 3 Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

Defining Culture and Diversity-Three Perspectives

I asked 3 very different people to share their definition of culture and diversity.  Following are their definitions.

#1  Culture- the traditions and customs of a people.  The language and characteristics of a group will also help define a people’s culture.  A group’s shared beliefs, art, literature and shared customs.

      Diversity- The differences within a culture or group of people.  Describes a place where there is a melting pot of race, color, religion, and educational backgrounds.  Yet with all this diversity the group as a whole feels like one.

#2  Culture- the general way that a group of people live

      Diversity- a wide range of things 

#3  Culture- the mores, attitudes and traditions that define people and distinguishes them from another group of people.

      Diversity- the willingness to accept and validate the cultures of individuals in the context of a homogeneous culture.

I was very impressed by the definitions that were shared.  They tended to be comprehensive and insightful.  Each combined aspects of culture and diversity that we have studied in this course.  The first definition of culture includes several of the characteristics, such as language, art and literature, that Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010)  include when defining deep culture.  The second definition of culture reinforces the inclusive and comprehensive nature of culture, which is described by Derman-Sparks & Edwards (2010) as the “way we eat, sleep, talk, play, care for the sick, relate to one another, think about work, arrange our kitchens, and remember our dead” (p. 55).  

The definitions of diversity also support aspects that I have learned in this course.  The first definition is especially insightful and reflects on the differences among us but also that which unites us.  The third definition also offers a theme of acceptance and respect, which are both critical aspects of the process of understanding diversity.  The second definition explains the vast range of possible variations among individuals or groups. 

Overall, I think these definitions, when combined, are comprehensive.  While the definitions of culture are general in nature, the generality can be seen as encompassing all possible characteristics of culture.  The definitions of diversity probably do not include some of the deeper aspects of diversity such as differences within and across individuals and groups.

Reflecting on these definitions has caused me to have a greater appreciation for the various ways that people think about this topic.  It has also made me thing about  how I would have defined these words had someone asked me to do this for them.  It has also been interesting to think about how the personal experiences, education and cultural identity of each of the people I asked to help with this assignment might have influenced their definitions. 

Reference

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young

children and 

ourselves. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Perspectives on Diversity and Equity

Blog Assignment Week 2

My Family Culture

The three things that I would take with me are

• ·      a small family photo album- contains photos of my children when they were young  and photos of other family members taken on significant occasions such as wedding photos.
• ·      a cross and chain –very simple silver chain with small, ornate silver and gold cross
• ·      wedding ring- gold, antique-look wedding band and a solitaire diamond that was my grandmother’s diamond.

The reason that I chose the photo album seems self-explanatory.  It would be important for me to have images of those to whom I am most connected or who played some important role in my family’s history.  I chose the cross and chain because this is a symbol of my Catholic faith.  It is something that reminds me of how I should behave, what my worldview should be and provides me with hope and comfort when I wear it.  I chose the wedding ring because for me, it symbolizes the bond that I have with my husband and my own adult family.  It also reminds me of my grandmother for whom I have fond memories and great respect, since it contains the diamond from her wedding ring.  It is also something that I could pass down to my own children.  

Choosing only one of these items would prove very difficult since they are all very precious to me.  I think that I could somehow fashion a small cross that could take the place of the cross and chain.  If I found that I could only keep one item, I would most likely be the photo album.  Having family photos would be important especially if this scenario involved being separated from family members.  This is also an item that I would be very interested in passing on to my own children.

This exercise gave me the chance to reflect on what I value and the connection between what I value and my family culture.  As Harris (2008) explains religious beliefs are a social factor that shape families.  The choice of the cross and chain is related to my Catholic upbringing and my own choice of religion as an adult.  The choice of the wedding ring and the photo album seem related to the concept of boundaries described by Christian (2006) who explains that in an enmeshed family,  “the individual’s identity is very much tied to the family” (p. 14).  I think my choices also reflect the family-oriented, traditional and conservative aspects of my family culture.  It will be interesting to read other postings to see what items others chose.  I would assume that most people would chose family photos, but I also realize that this assumption is based on my own experience and family culture.   

I think that I will learn as much about myself, my family culture and diversity from reading the other blogs as I did from doing this assignment. 

Reference:

Christian, L. G. (2006). Understanding families: applying family systems theory to early childhood practices theory. Young Children, 61(1), 12-20.  Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/197591231

Harris, S. R. (2008). What is family diversity? Objective and interpretive approaches. Journal of Family Issues, 29(11), 1407–1417.
  Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu/bbcswebdav/institution/USW1/201360_04/MS_MECS/EDUC_6164/Week%202/Resources/Resources/embedded/Harris2008.pdf