Using Communication Skills to Enact Change

Effective communication skills can have a significant impact on a person's life, the way they carry out job responsibilities, and how they interact with the people around them and their environment.  As defined by Helpguide.org, "Effective communication combines a set of skills including nonverbal communication, attentive listening, the ability to manage stress in the moment, and the capacity to recognize your own emotions..." (Helpguide.org, n.d.). The two skills most salient to policy change are the ability to listen attentively and emotional awareness.

Attentive listening opens the lines of communication between people. In an attempt to share one's own thoughts, it is equally important that the people that you are communicating with feel that they have been heard and understood. "Successful listening means...understanding how the speaker feels about what they are communicating," (Helpguide.org, n.d.). When you give a person the opportunity to express their thoughts, fears, or concerns, you open the lines of communication by showing that you respect and value what they have to say, even if you don't agree with their viewpoint. In relation to policy change, it is crucial to know about other's viewpoints in order to make the most informed decisions regarding all sides of an issue.

Emotional awareness is another key skill to have when communicating. Emotional awareness refers to the ability the recognize your own emotions and the emotions of others in order to manage them accordingly (Helpguide.org, n.d.). This awareness helps a person to separate how they are feeling with the situation at hand. People are less likely to be persuaded on an issue when there is too much emotion involved. Being able to manage your feelings allows you to present your agenda with a clear and concise message, without letting your emotions take over.

As a scholar-practitioner eager to promote social change, I feel comfortable in most public-speaking situations. I am able to carry myself with poise and confidence and deliver information to people in various settings and situations. As an area of improvement, I recognize that I need to listen more attentively to others and consider their viewpoints in order to come to a compromise on certain topics. Managing stress in one-on-one and small group settings is also an area of improvement. If I listen more attentively to others in smaller settings, I could better understand varying viewpoints, which would encourage colleagues to trust in me and my agenda efforts.


References

Helpguide.org. (n.d.). Effective communication. Retrieved June 4,2014, from http://www.helpguide.org/mental/effective_communication_skills.htm

Social Media's Influence on Policy Issues

Early learning standards are a key component in any comprehensive early childhood program. As stated by Copple and Bredekamp (2009), "High-quality, developmentally appropriate standards are important guides in curriculum development and in teaching," (p. 42). Standards are an important part of planning and assessment for teachers. Knowing what children are expected to learn can also inform parents about the progress their child is making in relation to what is being taught in the classroom. Building partnerships with parents is one of the most effective ways to support the learning of young children. For this reason, it is important to provide parents with resources and information about what children are learning their school programs. Disseminating this information through the use of social media is a fast and effective way to keep stakeholders in the community informed about the standards and curriculum. Two possible types of social media that would be appropriate for my current setting would be through Wiki page (or web page) and a blog.

The Wiki would contain all of the latest information regarding the curriculum. This information would include the current projects being taught, standards and objectives of the projects, vocabulary, and tips for parents on ways to support learning at home. Keeping the Wiki up-to-date with the latest events will help facilitate communication between teachers and parents and support children's learning.

It would also be helpful to publish a blog that is open to teachers and parents about the latest trends and research in early childhood education. This type of social media would give parents and teachers a forum in which to express their views on certain topics in early childhood. It would encourage open communication about important issues among all stakeholders. As stated by June, Hong, and Sung-Min (2011), "Social media users...are now learning to express their opinions carefully and avoid posting content that they do not want to be held accountable for," (p.127). Since you can be held accountable for your opinions, it would be important to monitor the interactions and opinions expressed in the blog entries. The primary goal of a blog would be to open communication among stakeholders in order to shift conversations towards compromise and understanding with respect to best practice.

References

Copple, C., & S. Bredekamp, eds. 2009. Developmentally Appropraite Practice in Ealry Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

June, P., Hong, C., & Sung-Min, P. (2011). Social media's impact on policy making. SERI Quarterly,4(4), 125–129.  

EC Policies and Systems: Course Goals

When I first realized that the next course in my doctoral journey dealt with policies and systems, I was excited and apprehensive. Not having very much experience or understanding on how policies and systems work in education, I am especially interested in how it impacts early childhood. By the end of this course, I would like to have a deep understanding of the how systems work, how current trends and hot topics impact decisions made regarding policies, and understand ways to evaluate systems and make improvements in policies. The goals listed below are specific areas that I would like to learn more about in order to grow as a professional early childhood educator.

Goal 1: To gain a better understanding of Quality Rating and Improvement Systems.

While reading the course text written by Kagan and Kauerz (2012), I have some understanding of the different types of analyses (e.g. functional, institutional, and complex adaptive systems). I am not clear as to when or how you would implement QRIS. I would like to rad more about specific cases where an early childhood system has used QRIS. What were the outcomes? How was it implemented? How did QRIS impact teaching and student learning? My understanding of this subsystem is limited. In addition, the authors wrote that, "Also clear, however, are the multiple challenges of making the vision of a system into the reality on the ground," (Kagan and Kauerz, 2012, pg. 83). How does the idea of QRIS become a reality that promotes positive outcomes for early learners?

Goal 2: To understand all of the components of a comprehensive early childhood system that supports linguistic and cultural diversity.

This goal is directly related to my current work in an international school setting. Our ECC has undergone significant changes in educational philosophy in the past five years. Ensuring that we are providing developmentally appropriate practice has been in the forefront in all conversations regarding instructional practices and curricular decisions. However, we are torn between what research tells us about dual language learners and the population that we serve. A bilingual program is not realistic for our population given the number of children that speak languages other than English and Spanish. However, we are not an English immersion program either. We deliver an English curriculum in a culture that speaks Spanish so the exposure our children have to English is limited only to class time. (Children revert to their native language during non-instructional times, which we respect as a culturally responsive school. This also impacts English proficiency for some students.) If I have a better understanding of the components that make up a comprehensive early childhood system that serves our unique population, I may be better prepared to support staff in which direction to grow. I would be able to articulate what we are doing well and identify areas of growth so that we can be confident that we know how to provide best practice for our young language learners.

Goal 3: To learn the information and tools to help promote professional development for early childhood staff.

Professional development is almost nonexistent in my current setting. Because of the policies and systems put in place, the teachers in our early childhood program are not afforded opportunities for growth. The system does not allow for it the way it is currently set up. I see this as one of the main obstacles we have when trying to make changes and improvements to our program. Where do you start? How can you implement a professional development system in a program that does not have sufficient professional development opportunities due to funding and geographic location?

One promising fact that Kagan and Kauerz (2012) included in the chapter on professional development talked about technical assistance offered to teachers that were embedded into their jobs have been shown to be effective. (pg. 108) However, there should be a variety of opportunities offered to teachers. If we invest in teachers' continuing growth and education, the children will reap the benefits. I would like to have the knowledge to propose a plan that would help provide teachers with opportunities to grow.

Reference

Kagan, S. L., & Kauerz, K. (Eds.). (2012). Early childhood systems: Transforming early learning. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Final Thoughts: Course Reflection

The most significant learning for me during this course has been the ideas and concepts presented in Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks & Julie Olsen Edwards. Most importantly, the idea that we, as professionals, must continuously self-reflect on our own beliefs and biases before we can accept others. Reflecting on who you are and where you came from gives you a perspective and an understanding of why you may act or react to situations in everyday life.

Another powerful learning for me was identity development in young children. I had never thought about how my family and the community around me impacted my own identity to shape the person I have become. It is eye-opening to realize how influential my family's rituals, values, and beliefs have been on the decisions I make today. Considering the significant role of family on identity development, the most effective way an educator can support a child is to support the family.  Early childhood educators should provide an environment for children where they can feel safe to be who they are, no matter their ethnic or cultural background.

Family plays such an important role in a child's life. Family life impacts a child's cognitive, social-emotional and physical development. For future studies, I would like to explore ways in which early childhood centers can effectively support and educate parents, while empowering them to advocate for their children. What types of programs have been the most effective in helping parents? What areas do parents feel they need or want the most support for? How can you measure the effectiveness of these programs? Through my research on dual language learners, the importance of providing support to family was a reoccurring theme. What do we know about what works best for families? Lastly, how can we use that information to promote positive relationships between a child's home and school?

The Interview Process

The interview process has been an eye-opening experience thus far. The topic I am studying is dual language learners beginning with assessment. In my current school, the majority of students are bilingual or multilingual. Our early childhood program has a strong curriculum with experienced teachers who deliver a project-based approach to learning. However, we do not have an assessment in place that helps teachers measure language development. An assessment that can help inform teachers’ instruction in order to facilitate first and second language development is very much needed. 

For the interviews, I chose to speak with two professionals in my school setting who are directly impacted by this issue. The first, Laura Watts-Patrick, is the ECC Vice Principal and responsible for leading teachers and guiding the entire program. Her challenge is ensuring that teachers are meeting the diverse needs of the students. Laura reports back to all stakeholders in the community on programs and progress on an on-going basis. The second, Renea Bartlett, is an ESL specialist and is responsible for meeting the needs of all children coming in to the school who do not speak English.  Renea’s challenge is that she is only able to serve a very narrow range of students when at least 68% of the student population has language learning needs.

I interviewed both of these candidates via Skype. (Our school is currently on summer vacation so a Skype interview was necessary.) Having the ability to speak with them face-to-face was helpful because I was able to ask added questions depending on their response. One of the challenges was having to write everything down that was said. I should have taped the interviews so I could refer to them later. In addition, I would like to possibly interview experts from Teaching Strategies, LLC or the Center for Applied Linguistics, (CAL). 

The challenge I am faced with now is finding more specific assessments as options. The assessments mentioned from both interviewees includes, the WIDA MODEL (Measure of Developing English Language), PALS (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening), and the PPVT  (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test). Does anyone have suggestions for ways to assess language development for preschoolers? Have you used the assessment? What were some advantages/disadvantages with the assessment?

DAP for Dual-Language Learners

Today's classrooms are filled with children with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. In classrooms that were once dominated by English-speaking children, educators are now faced with the challenge of meeting individual needs of the children who speak a variety of other languages. For some teachers, the challenge of language barriers can be especially difficult. Language barriers between teachers, children, and families can have a significant impact on the experiences a child has in a school setting. It is now more than ever that teachers must feel confident to face such challenges and stay informed about best practices for these learners.

In the field of early childhood education, providing developmentally appropriate practice for preschool and kindergarten children is a must. But what does that mean? How should educators go about ensuring DAP and meeting individual learning needs in today's diverse classrooms? How do we know we are providing the kind of support that each child needs in terms of language development?

I would like to explore ways to measure the language development of dual-language learners. (DLLs) In order to know how effective our instruction is in facilitating growth in language, we must find a way to measure it. Understanding the language needs of preschool children can tell us information about the academic success they can have in later years. More specifically, how can this assessment help drive instruction to increase the outcomes of children's early literacy development?

Much of current research on the topic has come out of the United States. There is limited research on appropriate assessments in international school settings. Although there are many similarities in the populations regarding cultural and ethnic diversity, there are also many differences. For example, exposure to speaking English occurs during school hours. The rest of the time, the language of the home country (i.e. where the international school is located) is spoken. The outside environment consists of  a culture unique to that country. For this reason, some of the generalizations made in research from the United States cannot be generalized to an international school population.

When thinking about the influence that the environment has on a child's development, these considerations cannot be ignored. I would like to find an assessment that is developmentally appropriate, that helps guide instruction to meet the needs of each child, and can be used in many international schools where the primary language of instruction is English. 

Defining Quality...

I am most intrigued with the discussions and readings we have had in our course surrounding quality. There are so many professionals in the field arguing about what is best for children. However, we also have to recognize and respect differences in culture and beliefs ingrained in the parents and families we work with. 

Carollee Howes' book, Culture and child development in early childhood programs, has been a thought-provoking resource that looks at defining and evaluating quality in a variety of preschool settings across the United States. It has inspired me to further my research in defining quality in international schools, starting in South America. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking more perspective!