Moving Forward with Gratitude

It has been a while since I posted a blog, so warm greetings and deep appreciations for my dear friends and colleagues. It is a great time to thank those around both near and far. I have attached a link to a song called Thankful - The Juicebox Jukebox. We can all stop, breath and take a moment to reflect on what makes us happy and thankful. What is something small that makes you smile? What's a stressor you're grateful to have put behind you this year?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeSdQmO51Ps

Giving Parents a Voice

Getting families involved in the education of their children appears to be a crucial component for student success. According to Reithmann (2020), family engagement in schools' benefits students in a myriad of ways, such as helping students achieve higher levels of success in reading and math, improvement on standardized tests, positive student attitudes towards education, and improved behavior. However, there is still evidence that a lack of  parental engagement at the early childhood programs exists. How does your school routinely give parents a voice? 

References

Reithman, T., (2020). Family Engagement in a Teacher Preparation Program. Doctoral dissertation. Arizona State University. https://search.proquest.com. 

Using Communication Skills to Enact Change

The role of communication is vital when soliciting policy change. It is important to be straightforward and specific about what needs to change and how that will be achieved. Often the time allotted for delivering your message is short therefore it is important to be concise, know your audience, and the intended outcome of your message.

For example, soliciting change for parental involvement will constitute knowing who to present the information to regarding the importance of the issue and where the biggest impact will take place. When addressing colleagues and parents at an in-service I would present the information using vocabulary that all could understand, explain the urgency of the pressing topic, and solicit ways for change outside of the school community.

Reference

Grant Makers in Health (2007). Communication for Policy Change. Retrieved from,

            www.gih.org/usr_doc/communicating for policy change.

Mind Tools. (n.d.). The 7 Cs of communication: A checklist for clear communication: A

            checklist for clear communication. Retrieved October 15, 2013, from         

            http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCS_85.htm

Social Media's Influence on Policy Issues

The lack of parental involvement in the early childhood sector warrants attention and social networks may be a great way to generate awareness of this problem and influence social change. Utilizing LinkedIn for professional contact expansion will enhance the awareness of the problem and a way to share information on a professional level. Facebook would do essentially the same thing as LinkedIn but it can be broadcasted a bit different.

Both social networks appeal to a vast audience and can give the reader an in-depth picture of the problem seeking attention. According to Business Insider (2014) "LinkedIn has the advantage of being the place for white-collar professional to network, meaning its population is highly desirable since it is a high-income and highly educated user base. They continue to suggest that Facebook's users skew younger" and in turn this may be beneficial when landing a message effectively.

One major challenge both social media avenues may encounter is the targeted population for the problem being explored. Not having the means to access the internet one of the primary issues for some.  Actual parental participation is once again the largest problem.  Therefore is social media the best way to target this specific population and growing global issue?  It is but one tool in the kit.

References

Auer, M.R. (2011). The policy sciences of social media. Policy Studies Journal, 39(4), 709-736.

Smith, C. (2014, July 23). LinkedIn May Not Be the Coolest Social Network, But It's Only Becoming More Valuable To Businesses. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com

Effectiveness in Professional Role

Research by Kagan and Kauerz (2012), introduces the reader to a variety of early childhood systems policies and practices. The reason for their extensive research is to educate and transform early childhood learning (Kagan & Kauerz, 2012). They look at "why systems have emerged, what they hope to accomplish, what some have accomplished, and the challenges they face" (p. 12). Upon reading this book I will have a better understanding of the various early childhood systems and their purpose in early learning.

I am currently an early childhood special education teacher for severely disabled and medically frail students in the Milwaukee Public School district. I work with Pre-K students ranging in age three to six years old. I provide services to children who have disabilities and are eligible for special education services and their families. Therefore, my familiarity is directed towards P.L. 94-142, Wisconsin Early Learning Standards, and Individualized Educational Program (IEP) goals.

Learning more about the role of quality rating and improvement systems (QRIS) and its effectiveness will assist me with making connections between children's early learning and standards. The above  program would not be successful without governance. According to Kagan and Kauerz (2012) "governance is essential to early childhood systems. Government governance approaches will vary. Such variations needs to be framed by state and local context" (p. 102). Familiarizing myself with these policies and systems on different levels will enhance my overall professional role as an educator.

                                                                References
Kagen, S.L., & Kauerz, K (Eds). (2012). Early Childhood Systems. New York, NY: Teacher College Press.  

The Impact of Poverty

Poverty is a challenge that is well-known and affects families and communities on numerous levels. According to Hanson and Lynch (2013) "although many families manage to overcome adverse circumstances, living in poverty unleashes a set of factors and events that pose great risk to the well-being and development of children and their families"(p.130). Duncan, Magnuson, Boyce, and Shonkoff (2011) noted that "poverty constrains parents' ability to provide rich learning opportunities for their children and often parents choose among lower-quality child care, which we know can compromise the relationships children need for healthy development" (p. 1).

I would like to investigate the effects poverty has on families within the school community. I would also like to explore ways in which the school community assists families living in poverty. Programs have been put into place and show positive results, however, the poverty cycle continues and students are still entering school unprepared. How can we change this ongoing situation in order to enhance lives of our nations youngest?

                                                                       References

 

developingchild.Harvard.edu/index.php/download

 

Hanson, M.J. & Lynch, E.W. (2013). Understanding Families: Approaches to Diversity, Disability,

     and Risk. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.









Dilemmas and Responsiblities

Studying and comparing the early care and education system in the United States to the variety of public systems in France, Denmark, Mexico, and Canada to the variety of public system approaches implemented in the United States, I found many of our goals and purposes the same though practices may be different. All countries value educational opportunities for all and see them as an equalizing force and all countries believe in early education for all children.  Then why do we have so many problems with our early childhood programs, educational progress, parental involvement, school health and nutrition? Is it the parents who are lagging in preparing children for school, not valuing education, setting proper examples and routines at home, or is it the schools responsibility for taking care of parental jobs? 

Census Bureau. 2010. The Impact of Rising Poverty in the Nation's Young Families and their
     Children.
Education in Mexico: School the whole family. The Economist. (2011). Retrieved from
     http://www.economist.com
Jameel, A. (2011). Briefcase. Poverty Action Lab. Getting Parents Involved. Retrieved from
     http://www.povertyactionlab.org
McKenna, M. Williams, D., (1998). The challenge facing parent councils in Canada. (Report
     No.6V.74 p.378-82). Retrieved from http://www.thefreelibrary.com
Raven, B., (2009). Parental involvement including ethnic minority parents in Denmark 2009. A
     European Synopsis. Country Report Denmark. Retrieved from
http://www.involved-migrants-improve-ols.eu/fileadmin/userupload/Country_Reports/Denmark.pdf
University of Michigan. Poverty and Education: USA vs. World. Retrieved from:
     http://sitemaker.umich.edu/salas.356/usa_vs._world.