The Competent Communicator

As the day approaches to commemorate and celebrate what would have been his 83rd birthday, I have chosen Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as The Competent Communicator.



Dr. King was a highly educated man.  A man who was esteemed throughout the world and he could communicate clearly and concisely to the masses.


                                                     


He was thoughtful, appropriate and effective in his communication.  He had behavioral flexibility and was process oriented.  Dr. King could talk to celebrities, the President of the United States, Congressional committees and the average man on the street. 

                                                 

  

Dr. King displayed a commitment to the National Communication Associations Credo for Ethical Communication however; the one credo we all know he embraced most was the one that states, "We are committed to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice."   

                                                        

  

He not only communicated competently through oration he communicated competently through his writings.  I encourage everyone to read "Letter from a Birmingham Jail".  He elicits power and emotion, many will never be able to do, through this form of communication.




Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Competent Communicator

References

O'Hair, D. & Wiemann, M. (2009).  Real Communication An Introduction Boston, MA:  Bedford?St. Martin's

King, M.L. (1963).  Letter from a Birmingham (2011, November 13). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23:12, January 7, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Letter_from_Birmingham_Jail&oldid=460389735







                                                    

Professional Hopes and Goals: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Early Childhood Settings

We should enjoy every tree in the forest.

Every tree is valuable.
Have you heard the saying “Can't see the trees for the forest”?  That is how many people look at Early Childhood programs.  The “forest” is the total program but the “trees” are the families and children.  The forest/program may be beautiful but the trees/families and children make it beautiful.

lEach tree has it's own qualities and traits.  Some do well with a little help and some need more attention to grow to their full potential.

Unlike trees,all children need our help and some children need more attention to develop to their full potential. 

l

Volunteer "Grandpa" has time to talk

Hispanic family in program

                                  

     

What kind of trees are in the forest?   Translation – what children, families and volunteers are in your program?

  

lThe families entering Early Childhood programs come from diverse cultures.  They may speak a language other than English as their first language.

lThey may come from various socio-economic backgrounds. They may enroll a child with different abilities.

l

 

The challenge for early childhood educators is to become more knowledgeable about how to relate to children and families whose linguistic or cultural background is different from their own (NAEYC 1995).

  I further add that the early childhood educators can not shy away from reaching out to those families whose children may have differing abilities, not just special needs but also children who are gifted and talented.

 

  For the optimal development and learning of all children, educators must accept…respect…value…promote and encourage the active involvement and support of all families, including extended and nontraditional family units (NAEYC 1995).  These are the elements for a strength-based program.

                        

   

Acknowledge and Support Nontraditional Families

 

Support of children with Special needs

Children learn about each other through play

Acknowledge that children can demonstrate their knowledge and capabilities in many ways

     

Support All Children and Families

 

A Strong Forest is filled with different trees.  A strong and clear path will lead to success.

My hopes are that children and families feel respected, comfortable and included in programs designed to serve them.

My goal is to work with Early Childhood professionals who will be responsible for creating and implementing the programs that are anti-biased, inclusive, diverse, and stand for social justice.

To my colleagues, this course has allowed us to take a good hard look at ourselves and see the good and not so good parts of our social identities.  I have enjoyed our discussions, and I have learned about myself through reading them.

I wish you all the best as we continue our educational quests.  Please have a safe and Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice and a Happy New Year.

                                                              References

Dearman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J.O. (2010) Anti-Bias Education for Children and
     Ourselves Washington , DC:  National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

National Association for the Education of Young Children. (1995) Responding to Linguistic and
     Cultural Diversity Recommendations for Effective Early Childhood Education A position
     statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children Retrieved from

    http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSDIV98.PDF

Welcoming Families From Around the World - Our Family from Sri Lanka

 Our child development center just recieved word that a family from Sri Lanka will be starting next week.  We have enough time to prepare for their arrival.
First, I contact the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington, DC to find out family hierarchy.  I want to show respect to the leader of the family.
I ask where the nearest consulate is located and/or if there are Sri Lankan communities in our city.
Second, I contact the community leaders to ask about the availability of translators of the official language, Sinhala.  I ask how children show respect to their elders.  I ask about customs.  I ask them to tell me something they think I should know.
Third, I consult with the translator to learn essential words the teachers and I will need for the children.  Words for  welcome, hello, good-bye, bathroom, rest and eat, and Mommy will be back to pick you up are vital to know.
Fourth, I meet with the teachers to give them information about the family, where they are from, the different religions in the country, the family hierarchy and all other information the community leaders shared with me.  I would also require them to research the Sri Lankan culture and where it is located in the world.

 

The fifth step before their arrival, I would have the teachers make a welcome sign for the children and family entering their classroom, written in their first language and in English with a picture of their country's map.

I feel these preparations would benefit me by learning more about a country and culture I know nothing about.  This would increase my knowledge base and help me feel comfortable with the new family.

I feel these preparations benefit the family because they would see the thought that went into their arrival.  They would feel truly welcomed.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression- I didn't know I felt like that!

When my niece "came out", I felt disappointment.  I didn't know I felt like that.



When my brother married a white woman, I felt he was a "lost brother".  I didn't know I felt like that.





When my daughter weighed over 250lbs., I felt disgusted.  I didn't know I felt like that.




When another niece had 3 babies in 2 years, by the time she turned 21, I thought she was stupid.  I didn't know I felt like that.





When my aged mother-in-law moved in with us and needed constant attention.  I felt her old age was a nuisance.  I didn't know felt like that.





Fortunately, maturity and life's lessons changed my thoughts and feelings of those emotions. Those bias', prejudices and oppressive behaviors no longer exist for me.

My niece, who happens to be a lesbian, is beautiful and talented.  Who she chooses to love, is her business. This is how I feel.
My brother is open and honest.  Who he chooses to love is his business.  This is how I feel.
My daughter is full figured and a big beautiful woman, the more to love.  This is how I feel.
My niece has 3 healthy, happy sons who bring joy and happiness to our whole family.   She continues taking college courses, takes care of her husband, her children and her house.  She astounds me with all she can do.  This is how I feel.
My mother-in-law raised 3 children who are wonderful, law abiding, God loving and faithful.  She deserves to be cared for. A mother can take care of 3 children and now it's time for those 3 children to take care of their 1 mother.  This is how I feel.

People who harbor the toxicity of bias', prejudices and oppression do a disservice to themselves.  Life is full of diversity and opportunities to live and learn through them.  I'm glad I'm open to the experience.

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions / No I Didn't Just Hear Her Say That!

When microaggressions occur, they take you by surprise.  You think to yourself, how can anyone be so ignorant in 2011.  We have to remember that these mini attacks sometimes render us speechless and at other times start our blood to boiling. We must also realize that many times microaggressions can be intentional or unintentional. Either of these reactions and actions are detrimental to our equilibrium as human beings.

The experience I observed this week of Thanksgiving involved an activity the children were doing in the classroom.  I heard a volunteer singing and teaching this song, "1 Little, 2 little, 3 little Indians....woo, woo, woo, woo go the Indians, woo,woo, woo, woo go the Indians, now sit down like Indians do".  I could not believe my ears.

I asked the volunteer to step out of the classroom and told her we appreciate her giving her time but the song was inappropriate because it stereotypes Native Americans.  She had committed an unintentional microinsult.  She apologized but said she didn't think it was "that bad".  She then committed a microinvalidation with that statement.  I told her we would be having a workshop soon on cultural diversity and sensitivity and I encouraged her to attend.

Resource

Sue, D.W. (2010). Microaggressions in Everyday Life [Video](2010) Laureate Education, Inc.

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I wanted to get responses on the questions of culture and diversity from a range of friends and family members.  To say the least these responses came from a diverse (no pun intended) group of people.

 

Lauren Higgins

Dr. Safisha Hill

       
                                                                                                         

Libba Murphy

       
                                                                      


The first person I asked for their definition of culture and diversity was my friend who is a professor of Black Studies at a local community college, Dr. Safisha Hill, she is 49 years old.  Her responses were, "Culture is how a people live, such as their traditions, religion, family values, even their way of dress.  It is the way they eat, interact with others and their way of life.  I am African-spiritual and it is reflected in how I live, the way I choose to wear my hair, the manner in which I worship, pray, meditate and the way I eat."  "Diversity suggests a mixture of cultures and more importantly, respecting other cultures, even if you don't accept or totally understand their traditions or way of life".






                                                                                                                   

The next person, I asked was my daughter, Lauren Higgins, a Walden University grad student studying Public Administration with a specialization in Non-Profit.  She is 25 years old.  "Culture is the way you live your life.  It includes customs, food, religion and experiences."  "Diversity is differences, mixtures and how they enhance your life."





                                                                   

The last person I posed these questions to was a friend and former co-worker, Libba Murphy, a proud, card carrying Atheist.  She is 65 years old. Culture is your way of life.  It includes traditions, celebrations, how death is mourned, how babies are welcomed into the family, just how things are done.



                                          

Diversity is the acknowledgement of differences.  Embracing diversity and allowing it in your life enhances how you experience the world.  The more you open yourself to diversity the more well rounded you are.






I chose this diverse group to see if their answers would be similar or different from what we have been learning.  I included information about them to demonstrate that diverse groups can have like thinking and be generationally different.  Their educational levels and beliefs are not the same however, their views of both culture and diversity are in line with what we've been studying regarding the subjects.

References

Dearman-Sparks, L. & Edwards, J.O. (2010).  Anti-Bias Education for Young Children

      and Ourselves  (2010) Washington, DC:  National Association for the Education of
      Young Children (NAEYC)

Gonzales-Mena, J.  Culture and Diversity [Video](2010) Laureate Education, Inc. 

My Family Culture - Hurry We've Got to Evacuate

We have just been told to gather only three things from our home, as we are being rushed to a waiting boat to take us to higher ground and then to a different country to get us to safety.









I grab our family photo album

I chose the photo album because the pictures represent moments in time that can never be recaptured.  My children will never be babies again.  I will never hug my Grandmother next to the Christmas tree again.  I will graduate from college again but not with my first degree.  So having that album with those memories is priceless and cannot be replaced.



My medicine



I need my medication because it is important that I can stay healthy on this trip. 



Our important documents





 My documents are important in proving who I am.
 

 We arrive in our new country and we're told that only one of the articles, I have, can be brought into the country.  What a dilemma !  What shall I do, what shall I do?  I remember, I took pictures of all of our important documents and placed them in the photo album and I inserted copies of my prescriptions in the album too!! Whew!  The choice is easy.  I'm keeping the photo album.

The insights I gained as a result of this exercise are that I'm not as prepared as I should be for unforeseen disasters.  My family culture has always been to trust in the Lord and he will take care of you.  I believe that and I know the Lord gives us common sense to know that stuff happens.  I do have my photo album close at hand but when thinking of emergency preparedness, I now will insert copies of birth certificates, marriage license, medical information and social security cards in the album.  Better yet, scan everything to my computer and save it to a zip drive.