When I Reflect About My Collegial, Professional Learning Community

Being a part of a professional learning community has contributed to my professional growth and accomplishments by creating an environment for me that allowed me learn and develop along with others who share the same passion for educating young children as I do.  It has also allowed me opportunities to share in the experiences of my colleagues and learn new things that have provided me with valuable insight into various aspects of the early childhood field.  I've had the chance to learn more about changes and challenge that occurring in the early childhood field by collaborative efforts of my professional learning community and their dedication and commitment to becoming better advocates of early education.

It has also been a rewarding experience being able to relate to others who understand how important early education is and how important our roles as educators and advocates are to ensuring that young children are given a fair opportunity to grow and learn in a healthy, creative environment that will have a lasting impact on them.
One goal I hope to accomplish is to expand my knowledge of the different types of special needs presented by my colleagues, as well as, other special needs that affect the lives of young children and families daily.  I also want to increase my knowledge of the current services that are available to these families and what additional services are needed.

My Hypothetical Family Situation

I am a married woman about to adopt a child with my husband of six years. Quincy is a five year old little boy and has been diagnosed with shaken baby syndrome. The Mayo Clinic defines shaken baby syndrome is a serious brain injury resulting from forcefully shaking an infant or toddler (Mayo Clinic). As a result of this brain injury, Quincy has cerebral palsy , frequent seizures and developmental delays. He has had several surgeries and numerous procedures to correct the damages to his brain. He also takes several different medications, receives speech and language therapy, physical therapy and occupational therapy.

My husband and I both have very good jobs, and I am currently enrolled in graduate school. Quincy came to us as a foster child at five months old, and although we have tried to adopt him before, the parental rights of the biological mother prevented us from doing so.

My husband and I both speak English as our first language. We have a have large family, but no one that can help with child care needs on an ongoing basis. Quincy attends a child development center during the day, and we are in the process of hiring a caregiver to transport him from school and address his personal needs for a few hours in the afternoon until we arrive home.

Health services will benefit Quincy now and in the future due to the extensive procedures, medications, and therapies he requires. Also, early learning and development is needed to help him grow and learn since is currently at a nine month old developmental level. We also need supportive services to help us learn to help him and to be able to understand as much as possible about his diagnosis, treatments and other ongoing care.

http://www.mayoclinic.com

Have I given a complete picture of my family, or are there details missing that I should include in order to complete the assignment successfully? If so, what are your suggestions?

Are there any specific websites I should be reviewing with regard to learning about quality services and programs for my child and family in this hypothetical family situation?

Parent, Family and Community Engagement

The stories touch me personally and professional because they provided insight into the great experiences many children and families have encountered through the Head Start program.  The parents spoke of the educational opportunities that were provided to their children and how they where enriched and empowered by being a part of the program.  Head start helped them to acquire knowledge and services that were important to developing relationships with their children and with staff members.  It also helped many parents build their self esteem by being a part of the program and the positive experiences that the program instills. 
These stories help childcare professional realize the value and the reward of what they do and it allows them to continue to advocate for young children in order to make sure their needs are being met.  It renews the strength of educators and helps them to keep fighting to make sure policy makers and the government understands how essential early education is to children and families.

Involvement opportunities for parents and families in the early childhood program are essential for meeting the needs of children, both at home and at school.  Effective communication is key in setting goals for children and families and for meeting and addressing the needs that will allow the child and the parents to develop successful relationships that will continue throughout their lifetime.  I believe parent/family involvement is an essential system element for all strands of service in the early childhood field because it shows parents how important their role is in educating their children and helping to set goals for what they want to see them accomplish.  It's also essential to make sure the needs of children are being met on all levels possible and that adjustments are made to make sure children grow develop appropriately.


Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC), part of the Office of Head Start.http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/about/stories/pfs

What Resonates With You About Early Childhood Public Policy and Advocacy

"In the field of early childhood education, advocacy is the willingness to take a stand on behalf of children and families that goes beyond common decency or expectations" (Kieff, J, 2009). As an educator and an advocate children, it is important for me to continuously increase my knowledge of the issues and concerns that that regularly affect children and families.  It's also important for me to recognize and understand the different concepts of advocacy and the characteristics that will make me a more effective advocate.

"Advocacy is a proactive stance taken by individuals in response to particular issues that concern them" (Kieff, J., 2009).  Becoming a skill and confident advocate is crucial for early childhood professionals and the field because it puts professionals in a better position to work for children and families on local and national levels.  It allows professionals to make sure that others know the importance of what children need to grow and development, as well as, protect their individual rights and needs.

I hope to learn how advocacy and public policy impacts children and families in both positive and negative ways.  I also hope to learn how to become a more effective advocate for children and families by learning from others and by learning how I can increase my advocacy efforts for children and families.  Also, I hope to develop ongoing resources and support that will allow me to become a more effective advocate for the early childhood field.

Kieff, J. (2009). Informed advocacy in early childhood care and education: Making a difference for young children and families. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc

Time Well Spent

I am extremely happy about finally completing this program at Walden.  It has been a long, but successful journey,  and I have learned a lot of new things that will benefit as I continue on life's journey.  I've learned about diversity which allows me to understand the differences in other cultures, lifestyles, and background.  Diversity has also taught me to self-evaluate in order to eliminate personal biases I have about others and to recognize the individual differences that make us all unique.  I've also learned about building communities of practice in order to help me identify the problems and concerns that exist in the early childhood field.  The more people I involve in my community of practice will help me to broaden my thinking and develop solutions that will benefit children and families.  Also, I've learned that early childhood field consists of a lot of dedicated and passionate educators who work hard to ensure that all children receive appropriate educational opportunities.  These educators continually strive to increase equality in education in order to promote growth and development in all children.

One of my long term goals is to continue my education in order to stay informed of the constant changes in the early childhood field and become a stronger advocate for children and families. 

Dr. Shephard, you have made this last semester a true learning experience.  I thank you for all of your feedback, suggestions and additional resources which were all very helpful through the course.  I have been inspired by your dedication to helping us complete our journey.  Again, thank you and God bless.

Colleagues/friends, it has been an amazing journey!  I have learned so much from all of you through your stories and experiences, and it made learning so much easier knowing that we were all in it together.  I wish all of you much success in the future, and hopefully I will see some of you in future courses.  Stay positive, remain passionate, and continue to work for our children, as well as inspire others.  Good Luck and Thanks for Sharing!!!  
(Email: angel2angelx3@yahoo.com)


"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
                                                                                 Dolly Parton
"Be who you are, and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter
  don't mind"
                                                                                        Dr. Seuss

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

National Children's Advocacy Center - works to respond to and prevent child abuse through education, service and leadership.  It works to get the agencies, law enforcement and the courts to respond in a timely matter to child abuse issue, as well as, train others to deal with the problem of child abuse.  I chose this organization because it encourages organizations to work together to protect children from abuse
National Head Start Association - works to provide low income children and families with early childhood educational opportunities.  It also participates with community outreach in order to place families with needed services and information. I chose Head Start because I am a big supporter of the program and how they make a difference in the lives of children and families. All children need to receive an appropriate education regardless of financial abilities, and Head Start works to make sure that they have the opportunity
National Association for the Education of Young Children - works on behalf of young children to set standards of excellence for programs and teachers in early childhood education.  I chose this organization because it  makes sure that the ece programs and teachers are providing quality education and service to children and families.


Job opportunities:  Early Childhood Instructor, Child Life Specialist, Parent Educator
Along with the current skills and experience I have, I would need to become familiar with the specific regulations related to each of these jobs including curriculum development and identifying developmental objectives for children and families.


www.nationalcac.org
www.nhsa.org
www.naeyc.org

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Child Care Resources, Inc - Provides resource and referral services for children and families, supports high quality learning and helps programs start, improve and sustain high quality services.
I chose this program because it helps families locate and afford child care services within the community.  Many families have trouble finding quality child care, especially when they are new to an area, and this agency helps with referrals and with the cost of child care.
Smart Start - A private organization that provides health, family support and early care and education for children ages birth to five and their families.  I chose this program because it focus on meeting the needs of children from birth, it supports health and education, and  it also provides early childhood educators with incentives for working with children and families.
Thompson Child and Family Focus - Provides developmental and preventive services to children and their families through educational and therapeutic resources.  I choose this agencies because it provides family support services to children and families facing a variety of needs and concerns in order to promote future development and learning.

Job opportunities:  Inclusion specialist, Child Development Specialist, Education Coordinator, Child Care Director.
Along with the current education and experience that I already have, I would need to become more familiar with the NC licensing guidelines and the 5 star rating system.  Also for the Child Care Director position I will need to complete Administration I & II.