Blog Assignment #6

Rethink daily routines, this is a strategy that I think everyone can benefit from. It is import for us to remember that as teachers we also have he responsibility to learn about our students and base curriculum and routines accordingly. In this instance they are talking about using these routine changes to incorporate families into daily routine and also help ease transition for children. The book gives an example with the child coming in still dressed in pajamas, the book then goes on to give a suggestion on how the adding of a room for parents to change children or brush their hair would be good. A simple thing like that incorporates families into programs and also helps develop a positive line of communication between teachers ad parents. Are you open to change?

How important is having a positive relationships with parents?

How important is having a positive relationships with parents? To what extent would you go to make a family feel welcomed and respected? While reading through the scene I could not help but feel like this is the kind of program that I would like to work for. The amount of respect for the students culture was impressive. When reading through the part where the teachers were told to wait while the family elders served themselves first, I kept waiting for the part were one of the teachers would do something that offended the family. This was a perfect example of the way that teachers learn and respect others cultures in order to get a positive community feel going in the classroom. I ask one question though, Another part that I really liked was the stress and importance that was put on respecting the child and remembering that it is for this child we have gathered together. Is this a realistic scenario that you see yourself participating in? Is this something you could implement into your own program.

How do you integrate community into your classroom?

Is my classroom welcoming not only to the children of the center but also the adults? Does my curriculum allow for parent participation? What are some things that I could change to having my classroom more like the programs from the scenarios presented in the book? This chapter really opened my eyes to how much more I could do to create an environment that supports the aspect of community. When reflecting upon the center that I am currently in I can honestly say that not to much of the making parents feel welcome through larger furniture in specific areas. There are some things that I can see in my center that follows along the lines of what we read in the last chapter such as parents coming in and helping upkeep the play area, seminars for parents, and open invitations for parents to get involve through a kind of PTA thing. All in all there is always room for improvement and I plan on advocating for a change in making our classroom have more of a welcoming community feel to it. How do you integrate community into your classroom?

Assignment #4

While analyzing the two scenarios presented in the previous exercise I feel that I was more comfortable with generating responses for building and supporting community because I personally haven't been in a situation were I was able to gain experiences in mentoring people under your lead. How do you gain that sort of experience before entering the classroom? Who is it you see for mentoring when facing crossroads at work? My goals is to observe the directors in my work setting and learn from the strategies they use to implement the three sides of the triangle.

Assignment #3

Scenario #1

	Managing and Overseeing	Coaching and Mentoring	Building and Supporting Community
Issues	·         Effective communications not established ·         Clarify expectations	·         Not much of a mentoring relationship has been established ·         Learn your staff	·         Develop a shared vision ·         learn and understand staff did not take place ·         create opportunity for shared experience
Strategies	·         Staff meeting needs to be held to make clear the vision for the program	·         Build a report with the staff	·         Clearly state vision ·         Set up opportunity for staff to interact other than during work

Scenario #2

	Managing and Overseeing	Coaching and Mentoring	Building and Supporting Community
Issues	·         Expectations not clear ·         Training that help teachers learn and grow	·         After facing rejection by teacher director gave up	·         Environment is not designed to promote sense of belonging
Stratagies	·         Set clear expectations on how the program views the importance of organization	·         You must fin affective ways to reach all staff members ·         Assign staff members research on whether the environment affects learning ·         Appropriately provide feedback to the teacher about the mess	·         Develop a shared vision between teachers and students ·         Clean the room and hall

The many roles of a program director

While reading through chapter to of the second chapter of " the visionary director" my eyes where really opened my eyes to all the work that directors of programs have to do. I never stopped to think about the extent of the work done by directors. Their job not only requires them to interact and direct every aspect of the program from hiring to curriculum. Reading through this chapter has shed a new light on the way I see administration and I now realize the heavy load that they carry.

Are You a Risk Taker?

When it comes to being a risk taker I think I can say that is kinda what I like to do whether its in the classroom or at home during my daily life I can say I am a risk taker. As far as my program goes I am satisfied and have no problems with it but as far as teaching as a profession goes I would say that I am far from pleased. For one the support and funding we receive is mediocre at best and two is we are definitely not paid a wage worthy of the service we provide. I think that it is time that society wakes up and realizes the importance of early childhood education. I would say that I fall under the category of willing to challenge the status quo for something that I truly believe needs changing. I am willing to advocate and stick my necks out if I feel that it will help children receive everything that they could possibly need to make their educational experiences here in the program meaningful.