Final Blog (week 15)

How can we help to improve Early Childhood Education in Hawaii?

                While reading the afterword there are many “projects” that were created to help Early Childhood Education. How can we help ECE in Hawaii? The main concept that I learned from this book is balance. To balance the three sides of the triangle will take time and practice. This will be something that I will work on throughout my career as an early childhood educator. I’m inspired by this text to make my visions a reality and make the needed changes in myself and my classroom. I thought to myself how can I make a difference? I bet most of you choose this job to make a difference in children’s lives.  These children that we are teaching are our future. I can make a difference by standing up for what I believe is best for my children just as the directors in this text did. They didn’t conform to the norms, they made their vision a reality and I hope to create my own vision one day. 

Specific blog assignment #12 (week 13 &14)

What happens if a director goes against the norms?

            Roberto inspired me to be a stronger leader and feel self – empowerment by showing me that we don’t have to follow the norms. Directors are pushed to get so much paperwork done and keep the staff, board members, and families happy. Roberto did what her thought was best for the school and the children. He went against the board and pushed his vision forward. He saw what needed to be changed to instill his vision. He worked on his professional development as well as his staff and families to get everyone on board. When becoming the director he stood up for what he believed in to improve his school and bring forth his vision.

            I would adopt a few of his practices. His practices are different, but they work. I would form work teams for different accreditation focus areas and also curriculum areas. I would use un – timing the curriculum.

            My next steps would be to put these practices into play. I have used the un – timing the curriculum practice with my children before. I have a daily routine but many times I’m flexible with the times because I go by the feel of the children. If they are engaged indoors then we’ll stay in longer. If they are restless and full of energy I would take them out sooner. Many times I gauge my daily routine by the children’s behaviors. I would like to form work teams. My site is a larger site and I feel that I would be able to get other staff involved with this and see where it goes from there. 

Specific blog assignment #11 (week 13 & 14)

How do we get children interested in nature?

            We are lucky that we live in Hawaii one of the most beautiful places in the world. We have the ocean, volcanoes, forestry, and even snow at times.  Living in Hawaii we are connected to the island and that connection is passed down to the next generation.

            In my program the children make a connection with nature because my site is so close to the ocean. The children constantly talk about their experiences at the beach and about the animals that they see. In our playground we have plastic climbing structures but we have plants such as ti leaf, papayas, and flowers. We have two gardens one located close to the playground and another in the front of the school entrance.

            I would use some of the practices that Sarah used such as creating a field guide for the center as a way to get the families and children interested in nature. I would set – up field trips to the beach, or botanical gardens, or the volcano. I would take the children to learn about farms and garden in the community to build a bond with nature and the community. 

Specific Blog Assignment #10

What dispositions do you see Michelle bringing to leadership?

Michelle was all about high standards for her site. She wanted teachers that made good impressions during the interview. She found out later that the turn over rate was too high and needed to change her tactics. She looked at a more mentoring and coaching disposition to see how individuals would work with the staff and if they fit into her vision of her site. She really focused on group development and professional growth.

How are your dispositions similar to or different from Michelle’s?

          

  My disposition is similar to Michelle’s when it comes to professional growth. I believe that no matter how experiences a person maybe they still have something to learn. I like working with my group at my site and working together and learn from one another. I’m also like her in mentoring other. I want a site where we all get along and have a great relationship.

What aspects of her vision appeal to you?

            

“Develop teachers as thinkers, not technicians.” I like this practice because teachers are professionals and I feel the directors forget that at times. There is so much to learn from the professionals in your staff. By having group discussions or asking other co – workers about a problem at the site teachers will learn from each other and build a relationship and also self – esteem.

What could you imagine yourself doing that is inspired by this story of Michelle’s work?

          

  I could imagine myself creating “clear accountability systems.” When I started at my site I was blind – sided with all the work expected of me. I was thrown into a new classroom with a new teacher and hadn’t a clue of my responsibilities. My partner is really helpful but I feel that if I went in knowing what was expected I wouldn’t have felt so unsecure at my new site. I would put into action a plan to help new hires and also experiences workers so that they would know exactly what was expected by having staff meetings and also individual conferences with teachers. 

Specific Blog Assignment #9 (week 13&14)

How is it possible to make your vision a reality?

How did Lettie integrate her leadership work from each side of the triangle?

Lettie was a director, she was the boss. She oversaw everything from paperwork to her staff. She worked with her staff to create her vision by asking more of her staff and giving them extra time to complete the added assignments and being flexible at times. Lettie was all about building and supporting relationships. She worked to involve staff and families to support the preschool.

If you were to put relationships center stage in your management, coaching, and community – building routines, what routine or system might you want to start revamping?

          

  If I were to put relationships center stage, I would want to revamp arrival and pick – up times. This is the two main times we see the families, but most times I’m so busy in trying to get everything ready for the day or managing other children that it’s a simple “hi” and “bye” conversations. I would like to revamp this very important transitions.

How would you describe Lettie’s disposition?

          

Lettie knew her vision and wanted to make it a reality. She had to rethink her own work ethics and think of new ways to build a connection with children and their families. She focused on the people that she cared for rather than the paperwork that came with the job to make meaningful connections with families.

What disposition do you want to strengthen in yourself to begin your revamping work?

           

I would like to strengthen my work style. I say this because I’m someone that will do as I’m told by my director and at times I feel stuck having to do certain assignments and activities. I want to think outside the box more and that is something that I have to work on for myself in order to have a classroom of my vision. 

Initial Blog week 11 & 12

How is it possible to manage all aspects of a preschool setting?

Reading this chapter the same questions come to mind as previous chapters. How do directors balance their roles. The triangle is a great tool to help keep the directors on track and see their strengths and weaknesses, but to have to balance all these things are such a great task. For directors I feel that its really important to involve all staff, working as a team can make a huge effect in any preschool. Directors should lead and mange but also connect with their co - workers and children. Planning and evaluation is a strategy that stuck to me. I always try to plan things and evaluate how I could do something better. This is something that could be done in any preschool. I'm sure that most preschool directors evaluate their staff annually. Do we evaluate ourselves regularly. This way we can see strengths and weaknesses and know where to improve on.
I really enjoyed reading about the "five ingredients." When reading about the five ingredients as it says we see all these things in children but in adults we have lost these abilities over time.  I personally will start to work these "ingredients," back into my way of thinking.

Specific Blog #8

Becky

What goals do Becky and Yolanda seem to have for their programs (for curriculum, for children and families, for staff development)?

Becky goals seem to be focused on academics and performance standards. She wants the children to succeed and meet the requirements pushed on her and the staff. Becky’s communication strategy is using a newsletter that is sent out to the parents in a timely order.

What strategies and approaches are they each using to reach their goals?

What goals do Becky and Yolanda seem to have for their programs (for curriculum, for children and families, for staff development)?·         Managing and overseeing

How do Becky and Yolanda’s approaches encourage or undermine reflective practice and teacher dispositions needed for a caring, learning community?

Becky praises Juanita on her ideas and many different finger plays which are shown on the paperwork. It seems that Becky wants to keep a dominant position over Juanita. There’s no personal connection in their conversation. There is little response by the teacher and questions to the teacher from the director. Becky undermines Juanita’s abilities by constantly reminding her of the deadlines for assignments that she has yet to complete, such as the individual planning. Becky also undermines Juanita’s decision on the curriculum by having chosen the monthly themes and activities to go with it. Instead of asking Juanita and the children what they would be interested to learn about.

Yolanda

Yolanda’s curriculum focused on adding community and families. She takes into consideration on what interests the children. She talks and communicated with the staff formally and informally.

What strategies and approaches are they each using to reach their goals?

·         Plan for a nurturing environment for adults

·         Provide time and resources

·         Compare your view with their view

·         Practice active listening informally and formally

How do Becky and Yolanda’s approaches encourage or undermine reflective practice and teacher dispositions needed for a caring, learning community?

Yolanda’s approaches encourage reflective practice and teacher dispositions. She allows the staff to collaborate and make a curriculum involving families and communities. Making sure that it also complies with their programs standards. The director went into the classroom and engaged with the children to see how they learn and what they are being taught.

As you spent time examining the approaches Becky and Yolanda take in directing their programs, did you see yourself in one of them?

As I spent time examining these two directors approaches I see myself in both of them. I’m like Becky because I like to be able to see what is going in my classroom on paper. I like to use checklists and also I do tend to look at my own and others weaknesses. I’m like Becky because I like to have children – led activities. I try to find out what interests them and add it into my curriculum.  I like to stay positive and encourage others and the children to help to keep a positive environment