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

Initial Blog #4

While reading about coaching vs. managing in chapter 4 I came up with this question. Many times there are teachers be it that they are new or have many years of experience that are fixed to their teaching styles and may not want change. As a director I would find this challenging.

What I got out of this chapter is that as a director you have to know how to handle a situation. This chapter has many strategies on how to make a connection with your staff. I like that many strategies help to encourage the staff to improve their abilities and their children’s abilities. It is also about respecting your staff. The director may have the dominant position over the staff in the “hire or fire” situation but when working in a school setting the director and staff are all professionals and there should be a mutual respect between both sides.

At my site we go to many workshops, trainings, and meetings. I may have to take time out of my day to attend these, but I do feel that they are necessary for professional growth. I’ll admit I didn’t find all very interesting, but I did learn something new from all those events. I recently went to two workshops and the first one I went to was very professional. This person read from a power point and asked questions as the staff sat in front of the stage and listened. The second workshop was in a little room very individualized and personable. The staff sat around a table with the instructor and not only listened to the instructor but participated in the discussions about the topics that were covered. I learned many great things from both workshops. I enjoyed the second one more because the instructor made not only the staff but our bosses come together and communicate and generate ideas in a way that we haven’t done so before. 

Specific Blog #7

What am I?

 As an Architect I would use their designing skills to build my indoor and outdoor area. Being able to visualize something and making it real. As a weaver I would make be very creative and good with my hands. As a sculptor I would also have to visualize what I’m modeling. As a mediator I would take their patience and knowledge. As a horticulturist I would take their skills to take something small and help it grow to its full potential. I choose each skill to help me as a director. As a director we must take on different roles and aquire different skills. Being able to design my environment to its maximum potential as a architect builds a building. Creating new works of art as the weaver and sculptor will do with their art. It’ll take patience and a clear mind as a meditator to teach others. A horticulturist using their ability to care for something as flower (child) and help them reach their full potential.

Specific Blog #6

Do we look at daily routines as a teaching strategy?

Getting ready in the morning is as stressful to the parents as it is to a child. Parents have to get themselves and their child(ren) ready for the day. To have a center that allows parents to come in and help their children transition into school will work out well for those who need the extra help. I like the idea of turning daily routines into a transition from home to school. It puts less stress on both the parent and child. Using “transition times as opportunities for connection and community” is a great idea. Teachers tend to limit transitions in the classroom because the stress it causes on children. By using dally routines as transitions we can make transitions as a teaching strategy.

Specific Blog #5

What is seen first: the child or the problem?

In Michael's case working with a special needs child the "professionals" were having a staff meeting. Where they looking at the problem or the child? I don't know. When I look into my professional life as a teacher when I'm faced with a child that needs extra help do look at the child or the problem first. Many times teachers will focus on the problem and not the strengths of a child. Teachers feel that they must focus on the problem and find a solution. In Michael's case his family is "honoring" the child. The child comes first. 

I recently attended a workshop on challenging behaviors. The first exercise we had to look at a picture of a child smiling with a birthday crown on and were asked a few questions. One question was very basic “What do we see?” I answered a happy child who looks as if he’s celebrating his birthday. The next question was, “What is his challenging behavior?” From a picture we couldn’t answer that question. This child had autism. By looking at the picture we were able to see the child first. When watching a video with a child showing his challenging behavior we all focused on what the problem was. This workshop helped me to realize that in order to help the child with a challenging behavior we must focus on the child first and then work on the problem. In Michael’s case he learned to “honor” the child because of the boy’s family.

Why is it  so hard to bring our community in the classroom?

While reading this chapter I thought to myself we living in a community, yet there is no sense of the community in the program that I work for. Why not bring our part of our daily lives into the classroom to make it more meaningful to the children.  I thought about my own center and thought why not open up the classes and let them mingle and see what happens. I’m an extended day teacher and work with three year olds. The site I work at has two three year old classes and two four year old classes. The three and four year olds have separate buildings. In each building there are two classes (same age group) which are separated by a sliding door. I would like to see it opened now that I have read this chapter.

I was captivated by the scenes in the beginning of this chapter. All scenes made even the reader feel welcomed because I could feel how the characters would’ve felt knowing that they are welcomed in their children’s school. I wished that would be the feeling when the parents picked up the their children are the end of the day. It made me start thinking of what I do to welcome the parents when they pick up their children. I noticed that the parents are more willing to talk in the afternoons because most have to rush out in the mornings to get the work or drop off other siblings. My partner and I try to talk with the parents and most times they want to know if their child had a good day in school. I find myself distracted because we do have to supervise the rest of the children in the classroom. This also made me think about our rules in my preschool and we have a strict policy which allows the parents a 10 minute window to pick up their children from extended day and leave. If we wanted to make a time for parents to connect with their children and the teachers I don’t know how that would be possible at my particular site. It is something that I’m going to look into.