Time Well Spent (EDUC 6990 J Erno)

     We have been asked to post three things we have learned over the course of this program. I have learned a lot about myself, my passions and my biases. Education has always been important to me. Encouraging children to learn became my passion. I started my career as an elementary school music teacher and was thrown into early childhood 10 years ago. I wasn't at all sure how to go about it and I made a lot of mistakes. This program has allowed me to acquire the knowledge to back up my instincts that shaped the way I teach.

     Learning about anti-bias education was an exciting aspect for me. I had always thought that my class was open and welcoming to all children. Through this program I learned ways to make sure of this welcoming environment. I have recently started using persona dolls in my classroom and they are a huge success. My students are invested in the stories and they have been the catalysts for some very interesting discussions that engage most of my students, even my beginning EALers.

     I have learned there is a huge amount of information and research available to me. Researching bullying and anti-bullying programs led me in some different directions. Reading one study led to several more that were related. It was the first time I've actually been excited about research because I was so interested in the topic.

     One long term goal that I still have is to share my new-found knowledge of anti-bias education with my colleagues. I would like to help develop strategies that can be used at all levels of our school.

     Thank you to all my classmates and to Dr. Dartt for your comments and support throughout this process. I have enjoyed reading about your own passions and have found that they often align with my own. We often say in my school that teaching is not a job, it's a disease. A teacher needs dedication to be able to provide the best for the children she serves. It's an illness I'm glad I caught.

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally (EDUC 6990 J Erno)

       One organisation that caught my attention is the International Bullying Prevention Association (www. ibpaworld.org, n.d.). Membership in this group gives you access to a large amount of research on bullying and its prevention as well as a community of experts to give advice. There are annual conferences as well as webinars that provide information and training. The website offers specific resources for educators of all ages. 

     UNICEF supports anti-bullying programs and research into their effectiveness in many countries such as Jordan, South Africa and Malaysia (www.unicef.org, n.d.). The main goal of UNICEF is to "work for a world in which every child has a fair chance in life" (www.unicef.org, n.d., Who we are). UNICEF is active in many parts of the world with a specific focus on developing nations. This organisation is universally known for working for the rights of children.

     NoBullying.com is an online forum where parents, children, educators and professionals can share experiences and advice about bullying prevention and online safety. This website provides information about types of bullying, health and well-being and resources for parents, teens and teachers. There is a blog that allows people to share their thoughts and ideas as well as expert advice from professionals in the field.

     I would like to work with UNICEF in one of its many programs in the developing world. I could work with the children directly or help to train teachers to provide a safe learning environment for everyone. For this position I would need to have excellent communication skills as well as an ability to pick up languages. I might need to be able to live without the comforts to which I am accustomed. I would need to be able to work with a range of people and learn the local culture in order to tailor a program to the needs of the community.

References

NoBullying.com. (2016). Retrieved from http://nobullying.com

International Bullying  Prevention Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ibpaworld.org

UNICEF. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/about/

Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level (J Erno EDUC 6990)

      The last blog post was about organisations, agencies and communities of practice that worked at a local or state level. This week is organisations, agencies, and communities of practice that are national or federal. The Netherlands is about the size of a small state in the US so last weeks groups were usually active nationally. This week to expand I am looking at groups and programs that operate throughout Europe.

       The first community of practice that I would like to share is the European Anti-bullying Network (http://www.antibullying.eu). This is a project that attempts to coordinate anti-bullying programs and initiatives across the European Union. Members are encouraged to share best practices and raise awareness. One important goal of this group is to campaign and advocate for a European strategy to prevent bullying. "“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor” Desmond Tutu stated and this is why it is of paramount importance for each and every one of us to take an action now against bullying" ("The Campaign", n.d.).

     The next website I found is an anti-bullying program called KiVa (http://www.kivaprogram. net). The program was developed in Finland and has been subjected to intensive research to determine its effectiveness in several countries. The focus of the program is prevention but there is also a protocol included to deal with bullying events. Even with the best prevention bullying still occurs and needs to be addressed in a proactive manner (Welcome to KiVa school, 2014).

     Through the website for EAN mentioned above, I found the website for CESIE (http://cesie.org). This organisation is described as a European centre for studies and initiatives. Their mission is "[t]o promote growth through innovative and participative educational approaches" (CESIE, n.d.). One of the projects that they support is called BODI. The aim of this project is the development of diversity education and inclusion to ensure that families and their children would not face exclusion (BODI, n.d.). 

     Another organisation I found through EAN is the YES forum (http://www.yes-forum.eu). YES stands for Youth and European Social Work and has children at the centre of everything they do. It is a forum for NGOs working with young people with fewer opportunities because of socio-economic background, gender, ethnicity, education or region. While the forum is not specifically focussing on bullying, they do address some of the underlying problems that can lead to bullying behaviour or becoming a victim of bullying.

      All of these groups require people who are committed to working for children and families. These organisations advocate for European policy that will address problems of bullying and exclusion. The people who work for them need to have experience with children and families as well as an awareness of the issues. You would need determination and perseverance to follow through without immediate results. I would be interested in working with KiVa as a trainer in their program. I think every school should have an anti-bullying program in place whether or not there is a perceived problem. 

References

CESIE. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://cesie.org

European Anti-bullying Network. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.antibullying.eu

KiVa International. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.kivaprogram.net

YES Forum. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.yes-forum.eu

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels (J Erno EDUC 6990)

       The issue that I chose to focus on during this capstone project is diversity in schools. Diversity means differences and differences can lead to disrespectful and bullying behaviour. I am looking at early intervention strategies to help prevent bullying and to encourage acceptance and tolerance of differences. I live in the Netherlands so for this assignment I have searched for groups in my area that are working to prevent bullying especially in primary school.

       The first organisation that I found is called "School en Veiligheid Stichting" (http://www.schoolenveiligheid.nl) which roughly translates to "School and Safety Foundation". Their main goal is to support schools in the creation of a safe, social climate. They do this through workshops, conferences, information on their website and a live help desk. The foundation is supported by the Dutch government and is targeting education leaders, teachers, parents, and other trusted adults as well as students. They promote social behaviour through the creation of rules and strategies to combat unacceptable behaviour in the areas of bullying, violence, aggression, discrimination, racism, intimidation and extremism. I chose this group because their mission fits in with what I think of when I think about anti-bias education. I also like the way they give concrete advise to schools and parents both on their website and through the help desk.

        "Stichting Aandacht voor Pesten" (http://www.aandachtvoorpesten.nl) is the second group that I looked at. This group tries to bring attention to bullying and give people correct information about it. Their target group is, in their own words, "iedereen die anders is" (Stichting Aandacht door Pesten, 2012) or everyone who is different. This foundation works on getting everyone, not just those who have been bullied, involved in stopping this kind of behaviour in all areas, schools, work places, and care homes among them. Their goal is to promote a social discussion around bullying and what we, as a society, can do to stop it. I liked the way this group tries to involve everyone, to make bullying visible in the community and therefore encourage victims to seek help. The website states as a part of their mission the connecting of people seeking help with those who provide it.

       The third is called "Kanjertraininging" (http://www.kanjertraining.nl) which literally translates to "Whopper training". This organisation works with schools, teachers, parents, students and other interested parties to maintain a good atmosphere in the class, prevention, or to help fix the atmosphere in the class, curative. Teachers can get a license and there are follow up sessions if needed. I chose this organisation because of the name to start with. While kanjer translates as whopper it is used to show that you are a champion. I like the positivity of this and the idea that there are things you can do to create and maintain a safe learning environment.

       I love my job and can not envision a time when I would give it up. If circumstances required me to look for something else, I would try to find a position where I could train others and share experiences. I could do this by joining a team as a workshop leader or being a content manager for a website. In order to do these types of jobs, experience with many cultures and problem solving skills would be a must. I would need to be a very effective communicator and know how to inspire people. I would need to work with many different ages and I would have to be able to modify and tailor my message to the group in front of me.

References

Kanjertraining. (n.d.). Welkom bij de Kanjertraining. Retrieved from http://www.kanjertraining.nl

School en Veiligheid Stichting. (n.d.). Over ons. Retrieved from http://www.schoolenveiligheid.nl/over-ons/

Stichting Aandacht voor Pesten. (2012, December).  De missie en uitdagingen van de Stichting Aandacht voor Pesten. Retrieved from http://www.aandachtvoorpesten.nl/ organisatie/de_missie_en_uitdagingen_van_de_stichting_aandacht_voor_pesten/index.html

From Passion to Action (J Erno 6990)

This is the wordle that I posted in my blog. I like the balance in this one.

This is another wordle that I made with the same words. I like this one because of the way everyone can learn jumps out at you.

Reflecting on Learning (EDUC 6358 J Erno)

       My most passionate hope for my future as an early childhood educator is that I will make a positive difference in the lives of the children who pass through my class. I hope that after they have learned with me they will be more accepting of differences. I hope they will know that we share commonalities as well as differences. The children who learn with me should be able to recognise injustice and work to make it more just. Even small steps will eventually lead to big change. In the media segment this week Olsen Edwards (2011) says that we all made a choice to become an anti-bias teacher. The journey will bring joys and frustrations but ultimately the challenges faced will bring rewards to us and to the children and families we serve.

       As this is the end of this course I want to say thank you to all of you who have shared this part of the journey with you. The discussions we've had have helped me to clarify and refine my thinking and ideas. Your support has been welcome. I hope that your journey continues and that you reach your goals.

References

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children: Your commitment to anti-bias work. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Impacts on Early Emotional Development (EDUC 6358 J Erno)

     The region that I chose was East Asia and Pacific. I chose this region for many reasons. I have a friend who recently moved to Myanmar and I'd like to know what conditions she might encounter there. I have another couple of friends who adopted a child from Viet Nam after living there for 4 years. I had the opportunity to visit the orphanage where there child lived for the first 2 years of his life while I was on vacation. It was very interesting to see and I want to get more information about it. I also have children in my class who come from this area. For the most part they are not children who suffer from the conditions that may impact development but I'd like to know more about the general situation in their countries.

     The main problems faced by children in the region are extreme poverty and lack of infrastructure. In some areas violent conflict also has a role to play. Many children are unable to go to school because the family does not have the money to pay for it. This is especially true for girls because many of the societies in the area don't value girls as much as boys. In Myanmar, the high poverty level in Rakhine State was made worse by an outbreak of violent conflict between the majority Buddhist communities and the minority Muslim communities (Brown, 2015). This resulted in many Muslim communities being displaced from their homes and placed in protected camps. Many families lost their livelihood and had to rely on food aid. The situation was worsened again by flooding this past summer. Poverty also results in undernourishment and a struggle for resources particularly during or after a disaster. Children in the region also face discrimination and marginalisation based on language or religion or social rank. They may have limited access to services. Children in the area face the danger of being sold in to the sex trade. There are many obstacles to a healthy development.

     These obstacles have a noticeable effect on the emotional development of children in the area. Children need to feel safe. Being displaced from their homes does not allow this feeling. Struggling to get enough to eat or being forced to work to help support the family also eats into a child's feeling of safety. Children should be able to play and learn. "The human dignity of children and their families is often the first casualty of a crisis" (UNICEF, 2003). Children need to have love and care. Families who are in crisis often struggle to meet emotional as well as physical needs of children.

    This insight is important for me. While this kind of extreme poverty will not affect the children that I work with here, reading about what other children are facing reminds me of the importance of understanding the individual situations of the children in my class. Reading about the obstacles faced in this region allows me to view the obstacles faced here in a different light. Ensuring that a child's basic needs for a healthy emotional development is a priority in early childhood education. What we do or don't do can impact children for the rest of their lives.

References

Brown, A. (2015, September 8) In Myanmar, the power of education to build a joint future. Retrieved from https://blogs.unicef.org/east-asia-pacific/in-myanmar-the-power-of-education-to-build-a-joint-future/

UNICEF. (2003, September 26). UNICEF's work in conflict. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/media/media_14803.html