1)      Great Start- powered by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation

Greatstartforkids.org                                  

The Early Childhood Investment Corporation was created to be the state’s focal point for information and investment in early childhood in Michigan so that children can arrive at the kindergarten door, safe, healthy and eager for learning and life (Great Start, 2009).

The reason I chose this organization is because we offer this program in the school that I teach in. I have been able to go in and observe, and see firsthand how these young learners are being prepared for the pivotal years of formal education. These teachers go on multiple home visits throughout the year, bringing the importance of education with them to their student’s families. This program also puts power into the parent’s hands by providing them with access to community-based, family centered, culturally competent, high quality early childhood programs, services and supports.

Job opportunities with Great Start that I would be interested in are being a consultant/facilitator. The consultant/facilitator will lead an interactive process of assessing current assets, challenges, desired goals, and existing and needed partnerships. It is expected that persons applying for this position will have experience and knowledge of best and innovative practice as it relates to establishing a strategic vision upon which both work and fund development plans can be built (Great Start, 2014). 

1)      Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (MiAEYC)

Miaeyc.org

            

            The Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children is committed to improving the education and welfare of children from birth through age eight.  MiAEYC works for young children, their families, and early childhood professionals. MiAEYC supports the professional development of its members through quality training, materials and services (MiAEYC, 2014).

            The reason I chose this organization is because it is one I belonged to during my undergrad studies at Central Michigan University. It is close to my heart, because it is the first organization I had ever belonged to and also taught me so much about the world of education I was joining.

            A lot of the job opportunities that MiAEYC posts are teaching positions or center director positions in early childhood schools and facilities. Qualifications for these jobs range from having an associates degree to a masters degree. Years of experience also vary depending on the job you are applying for.

                                   

1)      Michigan Headstart Association (MHSA)

Michheadstart.org

MHSA is the unified voice providing advocacy and leadership linking the Head Start community of parents, programs, and partners. The Michigan Head Start Association is a private, nonprofit corporation organized in 1967 and incorporated in 1988 as the only state organization dedicated exclusively to the concerns of Head Start. The association provides services and support to the Michigan Head Start community, representing more than 38,000 children and their families, 39 Early Head Start, 67 Head Start, and 2 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start grantees statewide (MHSA, 2014).

This is also an organization that we have at our school and one that I have been able to go in and spend time observing in. I have seen the good that this program can do for our families and children in the community.

Job opportunities I would enjoy would be being an executive director for the Head Start Association. Skills needed to be qualified for this position are:

·         Must be an expert in the area of Early Childhood Education and an effective advocate for the Head Start and Early Head Start mission and values

·         Demonstrated “forward thinking” ability to develop solutions in a rapidly changing environment that is influenced by changing government oversight, breakthroughs in early childhood education and a need for increased collaboration with community organizations and schools

·         Bachelors degree required (Masters degree preferred) in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, Family Services, Early Childhood Education or related degree

·         Five to seven years successful experience in a management position, including experience administering a comprehensive early childhood/family services program involving general oversight, budgeting, facilities and staff management

·         Three to five years successful experience in the supervision of management level staff and managing teams of at least ten people

·         Must have experience with multi-cultural, ethnically diverse, at-risk, low-income population

·         Must be an effective advocate for the Head Start and Early Head Start mission and values

·         Intermediate level computer skills, knowledgeable of Microsoft Office

·         Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills required working with diverse populations in the community and in the supervision of staff

·         Excellent organizational, analytical and planning skills

·         Grant writing experience preferred

·         Bi-Lingual (Spanish speaking) preferred

·         Willing to travel throughout designated service area on regular basis (MHSA, 2014)

Hello and welcome to my blog!

I am so excited to get started on this last class and to FINALLY earn my Master's degree. :) I also see some familiar names and faces! Good luck these next 8 weeks and I look forward to working with you all!

-Melanie

 

For this weeks assignment, I chose to create a collage of pictures depicting what I have learned so far. This proved to be a difficult task! I found some great pictures that really spoke to me about childhood trauma, resilience, and growth. I put them into a beautiful collage, and then it would not attach to my blog. Even though it isn't formatted to the way I wanted, I still believe that the pictures themselves speak volumes. As an educator, it is important to me to recognize children who may be experiencing a trauma, and to help them through it as best I can. Resilience is a powerful word and something that everyone can learn from, not just children. I have really enjoyed learning about this topic, and appreciate how it will help me with my students in the future.

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation



One way that I have noticed heterosexism permeating the world of young children is in toys. If you go to any department or toy store, you will see a big difference between toys that are being targeted towards girls, and toys that are targeted towards boys. Most of the girls’ toys are in bright pink or purple packaging with pretty lettering and deal with cooking, make-up, dressing up, or taking care of something else (dolls, babies, animals). The boys’ toys are in dark blue packaging and deal with cars, weapons, soldiers, and being tough. This type of marketing sends a signal saying that there is a definite difference between what boys and girls should be playing with, and it is a line not to be crossed. What happens to the little boy who loves to bake because it’s the only thing he gets to do with his Grandmother? Or what about the little girl who wants to grow up and be in the Army because her favorite Aunt was? They should be allowed to go up and down the toy isle and pick out whichever toy they wish, not the toy that society or packaging tells them is right for their gender.

A personal experience I had where a child used a homophobic term when referring to another child happened last year in my kindergarten classroom. I had a group of boys who loved playing football during every recess, and there was a little girl who wanted to play with them. With any other girl that had asked to play, they said no, but when this girl asked one of the boys said, “you can play because you’re a tomboy, and you’re good at football.” The comment the little boy made wasn’t meant to be hurtful, instead he probably gave it as a compliment, but it could send the wrong message not only to the little girl, but to the other children as well. The little girl could take it in a negative way meaning she is more like a boy than a girl. The other girls could take it to mean that in order to play football, they must act more like a boy than a girl. In the end, I made sure to have a classroom conversation about how we can do anything we put our minds to, regardless of whether we are a boy or a girl.

As we come to the end of this eight weeks, I wanted to say thank you to all of my classmates. You have all been so supportive and really pushed me to think in different ways. I wish you all the very best of luck in your continued education! Keep up the GREAT work!
-Melanie

Five Stages of Team Development

The five stages of team development are; forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. In the adjourning stage, the project is coming to an end and the team members are moving off into different directions (Abudi, G., 2010).

For me, groups in which there is positive interaction, high performance, and honest communication are the hardest groups to leave. These groups become sort of a family unit in which you are all working together to complete a common goal. Groups that are the easiest to leave are the groups in which not every member pulls their own weight, there are negative interactions, and low performance.

Thinking back to groups I have worked in, there have been no clear closing rituals besides presenting our information or project and thanking each other for their work. In groups that are successful and positive, I would like to get together after the fact in a more casual setting and discuss things other than the project.

At the end of the Masters program, I believe that I will thank the colleagues I have worked with for helping me on this important journey. It is harder in this context because everything has been online, and I have not met anyone in person.

Reference

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

Since the start of the school year, I have been experiencing some conflict with my Principal regarding one of my students and how they are handled. To this date, the student has physically hit me four times, thrown scissors, rocks, and other objects at me, ran out the door of the classroom and down the hallway towards an exit door, and many other things. I have gone to my principal on a daily basis asking for help with this student since none of the strategies I have incorporated seem to be helping the negative behavior. When the behavior occurs, very little is done besides having him sit in the office for 15 minutes and then sent back to class. Each time I go to my principal for help, I am met with very little help, no sympathy, and no constructive ideas. This is very frustrating for me, and in turn I have gone to others asking for help.

            Some strategies that I have tried are to play Devil’s advocate and bring up the scenario of this student hurting another student in the classroom. I try to make my principal realize that this is not a chance that can be taken, and even though the physicality has only been limited to me so far, it’s only a matter of time before it’s directed at someone else. I also bring up the fact that because of this negative behavior occurring on a daily basis, he is requiring so much of my focus and attention, that the other students are not getting the attention that they need and deserve, and it’s also only a matter of time before I start getting behind in curriculum because of the constant need to stop lessons and correct behavior. Another strategy I have tried is to be open and cooperative with parents, and try to work together for a positive outcome. This has been a challenge because the parents seem to be in denial about their child’s behavior.

            I ask you, my colleagues, what would you do in this situation? What other strategies could I try? It as been a very stressful and exhausting year already, and I am open to any comments and suggestions. Thank you!