Ending of class

 First I want to say thank you to all  my classmates. This has been a great learning expereince for me. I believe that all of our  insights have lead to some great discussion post.

 A goal I would like to sit for the  Early Childhood field about diversity would be to help children understand that being different is a great attribute.  I think that teachers not meaning sometime   show favor to one student over others.

 A hope I have for  helping families and children.  would that they help pass the knowledge of a peaceful community and nation on for generations to come. I as an educator  I need to help parents  understand varing cultures  which will allow them to  correctly answer questions that their children may have about other cultures and races.

Art

 I Joy Douglas have learned from this class that to have a nation of peace, I must start with my own family. The picture of the earth to me represents how every person within the world could work hand in hand for peace, respect, and understanding of others. The pictures of my children remind me that to help teach others about peace, respect, and understanding, I first must teach them.

Children and others who are different

 As a pre-k teacher who taught inclusion, I have had  some children who have never been around any  other children with a disability. Two years ago I had the previlage to have a little girl who had brittal bone syndrome and could not walk. She scooted around on the floor . I had children at the beginning  of school who called her a baby. At first it made me mad and i told the children not to call her a baby.
 I think by doing these I hinder the childs understnding that  some people are different in different ways.
 As an educator, I begain to think  that these children have never been around others with disabilities so the next day I read books about being different. I also read a book a bout a child with brittal bone syndrome.  Then I let the child with the disability show the others what all se could do. After this all the children began looking after her.They would make sure there was nothing on the floor that would hurt her.

Gender and Sexuality

 I believe I would respond to a person who stated that they felt that gay or lesbians should not teach or children, that a person sexuality has nothing to do with the persons ability to teach.  According to one of the classes I have taken at Walden , there are people within communities who are gay , however,  their sexuality is not broadcasted to the community.

I al believe that  an issue we need to discuss with  students is the fact that boys and girls can be whatever they want to be. Last year when I thought pre-k a little girl wanted to be a firefighter. The boys said thst she could not because she was a girl. I  found books which had girl fighters and luckily our fire department had a woman firefighter who came  during fire prevention week. I think as a society especially in the South, we send the message that girls have to be teachers or nurses or stay at home. This issue needs great attention to ensure that the women of the future can be anything and can support themself.

To my classmates

 I want to thank all of you for a wonderful class expereince.  I learned a lot from each of you thorugh our class discussions. I wish all of you the best of luck in completing your Masters degree. God Luck in all that you  are involved in and may God be with you all.

Adjourning

 The adjourning phase is when a team completes a project and then decides if they want to  take on another project.  I believe the high performing groups are the hardest to leace due to the fact they seem to accomplish  their goals. They all are working together as a team to make sure every detail is considered for the task.  A team I was sadden when I had to leave was my Pre-k team. We worked hard as a team to make sure that all studnents were learning and that our program was a success. Was their times that we stepped on each others toes ? Yes ,but I think this only helped our team to become stronger. 
 I believe that when you have team members who can work for the common goal and not for   acknowledgment  then that is a great team. I think adjourning is an essential part of a team . This is when the team can look at its accomplishments as well as its failures. I believe this will allow team members to see if the team should continue or to find other teams.

Conflict

 I guess this would be a conflict, the other person had an issue with what was said. It was at church with a lady who has handled the youth group funds. We had asked her to get togeter we the church secatary to open an account at a bank. This totally upset her eventhough she did not yell or anything, you could tell by her body language, she was not happy.  I think one  strategy I could of used would have been.to clearly state the reason why. I could have added reasons why this was a good request. Another strategy would have been to ask or her input or her feelings about this request. Since this  has happened I wish I could go back and discuss this issue with her again.

Communication Survey

 This exercise has taught me  alot. I got my husband and Mrs, clark who I co-taught  with to complete the surveys. I was surprised that that got basically the  scores as I did. In  all of the surveys done I was elevated in the communication Anxiety inventory,moderate in verbal aggressiveness scal and in group 1 for the listening style profile. I was surprised that Mrs. Clark knew me so well but then again we worked together for 4 years.
 I think that our discussion this week taught me a lot. As humans, we sometimes judge on appearance . (That is sad to say but true.)  As I read many of the discussions, I noticed where many mentioned that they would like to communicate with the lady in the photo to find out  more about her.  ?This just proves the strenght of conversation.
 I also think the communication surveys  I did taught me a lot about my  communication skills. It is hard to believe that I am scared to death to talk infront of a crowd now. When I was little I used to sing in front of a crowd at church and  other places.   things change within our lives. I can talk to children all day but adults is something totally different. I feel that adults judge me more that children.

Effective communication

 I do believe I talk differently with family and friends than I do with my colleagues and parents of my students. With family and friends the conversation is more laid back and  relaxed. When I conversate with my colleagues( especially  this year being I am new on the hall) and with parents  I am more professional and I think a better  listener.
 I think that when having an effective conversation, I need to make sure that I do not exhibit any microagression. This is where someone may  find a hidden  message in what I am saying. I also try not to exhibit any cultural myopia, which is where I may say  something that would make someone feel inferor to me. Thirdly, I want to remeber that there are two sides to every situation and  that my actions and words may hinder the finding of a solution to a problem.

No Sound

 The show I watched was House. I could tell that the characters worked in a hospital. There was a character I think was a doctor, but he did not have  a doctors coat. Since I could not hear , I watched body language. I could tell that the characters were trying different   things to find out what was wrong with the patient. I could also tell from the body language they at one point in time, they became frustrated because they all went into different directions.
 When I watched the show with sound. I think I am hooked on the show. The character without the doctirs coat was a doctor. His name was House he was very obnoxious and seemed to be boss of the group of doctors. The other doctors like house but were very aware of his string of wierd cooments.  I learned from the sound that House  was a doctor who was addicted to pain medication.   I could see that the sharacters conversations wer very important in solving the patients rear medical conditions.
 I can how  hearing and  speaking can be very benefical for problem solving.

Communication

 I would like to be a communicator like my friend Mrs. Clark. She was a special ed teacher who I  co-teached with for 4 years. She was a person who could communicate with anyone. She was very honest but this honesty was not hurting . She is very compassionate about her work and took communication with all parents very serious.

Hope and Goal

 I would say that a goal I have when working with children and family  of diverse backgrounds would be  to make each child and family feel a part of my classroom. I believe that when the family and child feel  apart of a new classroom and community, all other issues will fall into place.  By helpin the family and children feel a part of the class I could alos help them with issues they may have within the community, such as daycare.
 Agoal I have for the early childhood  field would be to have  better communication for conversations for different languages. All paper work should be in the families native language .

I would like to thank all of you for a great class. I think all of our discussions were very informed and helpful. I also want to thank Mrs.Kien for all the time she put into posting directions for setting up a correct APA paper. ( they helped me a lot because I am not technology savy) Thanks again  I have truly learned a lot. God Bless you all . I hope to have  yall in the next class.

Family from Another country

 My family is from Japan. In order to prepare for this culturally different family i would implement the following .
1. I would do research on the culture of Japan especially on how children are raised.
2.  I would prepare questions in the family's language. Such questions as what are their goals for their child.
3. I would place Japanse words on items within the room. I would learn the Japanes word for people and places within the school. ( such as library and principal)
4. I would gather some Japanese books for the room . I would read these to the  children already in the class to  get them familiar and interested in our new classmate. These books would also help the student.
5. I would plan a day where the parents could come to school and demonstrate a game or a food dish from Japan.
 I  think that by implementing this  5 things, I the child and the family would create a professional and friendly bond.  I also think that these 5 ways would make the studnet and family fell apart of the  classroom family.

Bias Memory

 I can recall  one year when I had a parent state that she did not want her child in my  class with special needs students.  She continue to state that  with students like that i would have to "waterdown" the curriculum because special needs children are slow at learning. These statement made me very upset at first but then  thought she does not understand the great impact this class will have on her child.   This parent had placed all special needs children into one category of children. As we talked I discussed  a benefit of learning that  we all are not the same and do things differently. I also explained to her that I have the same expectations for my special needs children as my regular students. The parent finally came around  and let her child come into my classroom.  Later I saw the parent at the ballfield and she stated that her daughter being in the class was the best thing she had ever done. Her daughter was willing to play with everyone and would tell others that it was okay to be different.

Microaggression

 According to Dr. Sue microaggression is a verbal behavior thar has a hidden message about a culutre. I feel that sometimes people within our own culture show microagression toward peoplewithin thier own culture. An example happened to me. I attend a small country church and many  of the membersa are older who have retired. One Sunday someone drove up in a new car and an older gentleman  and I were outside after church. He saw the new car and asked if that was my new car. I replied no and he said "Oh I thought you might have cuaght up with the rest of us."  I felt like because I  did not have a new car that I was not part of the church or a menber of the culture within the church. I was amazed and shocked that he had said this.
 I think that even within a culutre microaggression goes on and we should be more careful about how we act and what we say.

Define culture and diversity

 I asked Mrs. Clark who is  a special edcuation educator and she defined culture as everything that makes up a person. Diversity  as the difference between the things (characteristics) of  cultures.
Mrs. Fulton who is a  friend defined culture as a persons traditions. Diversity as a person's race.
Toby who is my husband defined culture as race and diversity as different  in people.
 I believe that the three people had varing opions of what culture or diversity means. I believe that Mrs. clark defined the terms that anyone could understand. When Mrs. Clark stated the difference in characteristics, I think she knew that everyone is different in many ways.   I think what has been omitted in Mrs. Fulton's definitions would be the broad attachment that is emcompassed in diversity.
 I think that the three people are on the right track in their defintion . However, I wonder if Toby and Mrs. Fulton understand that there are many characteristics to take into account when discussing culture and diversity?

What I would take to another country

 The three items I would take if I had to go to another country would be my bible, a family photo album and my wedding rings. The bible would allow me to continue reading about God and knowing that he is with me.  The photo album would allow me to look at my family.  My wedding rings would remind me of what all my husband and I have been through so this would give me strength to over come this obstacle.  If when I got there and was told I could only have one item I honstley do not know what I would choose. I could take the photos and place them into the bible.  I think this exercise has  offered me insight into what is important in my life.