Profile of a Volunteer

  I have been very fortunate to have had extremely helpful volunteers.  Having a volunteer makes working with children a little stressful.  One volunteer that sticks out in my mind is a parent I had my third year of teaching.  This parent was well known around the school, was always volunteering for the school and was a board member on the PTA.  She not only helped in her children's classrooms, but did various events and worked with other teachers as well.  This parent supported all of the children and the children felt comfortable enough to work with her and talk to her.  

 

 Since this parent was able to work with the school staff, children, and families so well she did man things.  Children would run up to her and giver her hugs and show excitement, staff would be relieved when they saw this parent in charge of certain activities knowing it would be well ran.  Families would bring concerns to her because they knew she was understanding and had a good relationship with the school.  The school was a better place because of this parent.  It was because of this parent that teachers wanted to go above and beyond to help the children in the school.  This parent did not make teaching feel like work, but rather a service you did for the betterment of the children and families.

  After several experiences similar to this one, I have realized that partnering with volunteers is a crucial part of working in advocacy.  Volunteers are just as dedicated to the work in advocacy as I am, but may not be able to make it a full time career.  Volunteers are also not limited to certain rules and can sometimes form bonds that advocates cannot.  Volunteers can also spend the time building relationships than worrying about the politics of the issues.  Volunteers are part of the glue that holds relationships together to form strong bonds.  

Using Social Media to Get Connected

Social media can be a blessing and a curse.  Issues that may have not seen the eyes of many people (i.e. dog abuse. child abuse) are able to be seen in  a close and personal way.  On the other hand social media also gives people ways to attack others and become bullies saying things that they would not normally say because they are behind the safety of their computers.  If used positively social media can reach thousands of people in hours.  It is a great tool to have on your side and to utilize if done so positively.  

  Personally I have had both positive and negative experiences with social media.  I work in dog rescue which has shed some light on the true nature of some people including my friends.  Many of my friends like to share and see the positive things in life, real or not.  I could share something stupid or funny and my friends will all like it or comment.  However as I share the needs and realistic issues in dog rescue and children, I seldom get likes or comments.  To them ignorance is bliss.  

  Another negative experience I had more recently was on Facebook.  I am part of several animal rescue pages and I had take in two stray pit bull mixes that were found on my school campus one morning.  I have worked a lot with pit bulls and know what will happen to them if they make their way to county.  I took these two dogs to my house and kept them there until a foster or rescue could be found.  Long story short I had been posting about the male dog on several pages because an organization took the female.  I already have 7 dogs and not a ton of space.  Well I had had this dog for about two weeks and he was playing with my girls and he got too rough with one of mine and she ended needing stitches (it is a pack thing).  She is totally fine but I was unable to keep this boy dog any more.  I then posted on a page if he didn't find a place he would have to go to the shelter because I could not jeopardize the safety of my dogs.  Some lady started ripping me apart on fb about how terrible I was and constantly bashed me.  I spoke to her through private messaging and she proceeded to be disgusting and negative.  I would almost guarantee that she would not have said a fraction of those things.  All that the post was for was to find this dog a home.  In the end the dog got adopted by a great family :)  

  I do not know a lot about all the social media avenues.  I utilize facebook, but that is about it.  I feel that other social media can be beneficial to advocacy efforts.  Facebook can be used to share articles and pictures of children in the early childcare realm.  Instagram may also be a helpful tool to get messages across through pictures.  Pictures are worth a thousand words and sharing pictures can gather attention quickly. 

  I would definitely use both of these social media tools to help share messages of early childhood.  I would be able to show the world how important the need for change is.  I would use these social media tools to increase my knowledge and understanding of areas affected by poverty.  I already follow several organizations and pages on facebook.  These have already greatly impacted why I chose the path of advocacy.  

  

Since  I don't know a lot about social media, I am open to suggestions of other positive networking ideas. 

Advocacy Messages

https://allourkin.wordpress.com/

  Investing in children is the greatest investment that can be made; yet no one will take a chance on this for sure investment.



http://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels2/posters/index.html

Not only is it important to create investments in education for young children, but for their health as well.  Health is a key factor in dictating long term medical issues for children and special needs situations.



http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/blog/morning-edition/2012/07/advocate-launches-1-million-ad.html

Along with health and education, homelessness has a tremendous impact on children and families.  No child should have to suffer or feel this feeling.  Children are impacted greatly by factors like homelessness.

Considering Your Capacity

  When it comes to watching children suffer there is no tolerance.  A large part of why I decided to start advocating was because of poverty and the effects it has on children and the family.  Therefore I want to make poverty the main focus of my advocacy efforts.  It drives me insane that there are so many programs and efforts being done to help these families, yet there are children and families suffering.  Also, the fact that there is not enough funding for these programs is another issue.  

  Another issue impacting young children is the lack of wages and benefits for professionals in the early childhood field.  The lack of wages and benefits the longevity of staff and the high turnover rate.  This provides a unstable environment for children and their families.  This unstable situation does not show the children and families the care that they deserve.  

I hope to become more knowledgeable with issues and policies that affect low income families directly.  I want to show families that I am in advocating for them.  I want to become more aware of what is happening in the communities around me, but also the world.  I also want to research other countries that have implemented better working environments for their staff and their children.  

Luckily I have many professional connections to help me begin and continue my advocacy efforts.  I have enlisted the help of many friends who are already advocates, teachers, or work in the early childhood field.  There are many people who know people that can help spread knowledge of the children and issues as they arise. 

My Role as an Advocate

  When I reflect on what motivated me to become an advocate it was during my early childhood courses before this program.  I am not sure what class it was exactly, but at some point I realized how much change is needed before children enter school or pre school.  There is not enough help, programs, or funding to support the adequate growth and development of children and families.  It was then my thoughts started gravitating towards how I can affect more children and families and advocating is a way.  I have been teaching for seven years and I have often wondered what lives would be like for some of the children had they had different opportunities.  I did not know there were so many programs and opportunities available for children and families.  I want to make a difference so more children are not going through the hardships that I see daily with some of the children I teach.  

Acknowledging and fostering advocacy efforts at the micro and macro level is important because there many details and efforts that go into a larger picture.  There are many professionals that can focus on different aspects of an advocacy issue and come together to help fight for the children.  

  

  To become a leader on early childhood issues is to have a relationship with the community and its members.  Once the community trusts its leader, the more followers and support the leader will gain.  Having strong communication skills, being optimistic, and relationship skills that help to maintain trust.

  To become a state leader on early childhood issues takes the same characteristics as a community leader, but also being aware of what state laws and regulations are necessary for all programs and centers.  As a state leader it is also necessary to be able to communicate and have relationships with other state and national organizations and law makers.  Knowing what works in other states and being well versed with different programs will help make influenced decisions in the state. Also, I feel that being knowledgeable of the issues in the state are essential because as a leader I would have to know what I am advocating for and how I propose to solve the issues.  There needs to be goals in place and solutions proposed.  

  Being personable and well liked and trusted are key character traits to building a successful following of people who will support the leader.  Building key relationships within the community and then networking for ideas and resources are essential.  Rallying other advocates for similar reasons will help network your voice and create a cohesive group of supporters. 
  Being confident, personable, well spoken, goal orientated, and aware create a strong leader that many people will follow and support.  Raising awareness starts by getting supporters to support the programs and regulations that are being advocated for.  

Personal Advocacy Story

Growing up there was never anything that I wanted to do more than to become a teacher.  Even at a young age, I never looked at teaching as a job; instead I was teaching, educating the future lives and minds of America.  It was fun and interesting because each day would be different. I never truly looked at it as advocating until I started my reflection in these courses.  I always looked at the advocating aspect as being part of my duties as a teacher.
  One story that stands out to me comes from my fiance.  Growing up, he was not a typical child.  He had a lot of anger issues and problems coping with anger in school.  He was awkward in the sense that he was big; mostly because he was tall, but he did have some weight on him.  He would vent his frustrations in negative ways and part of that was due to his parenting.  Sadly the school felt the end of his anger.  Needless to say by the time he entered middle school he was placed into an alternative school where there were adults who could help him.  He always tells me the story of how the teachers at the alternative school were his best teachers.  Those teachers there genuinely cared for him and worked with him in developing ways to handle his anger and deal with it in a positive manner.  This was not an easy task, but over the years these teachers did not give up.  They did not give up when he threw chairs, shoved or cursed at them.  They resisted the urge to take it personally and kept saying it was my fiance who they were there for.  Over the course of four years these teachers were able to provide a stable foundation in his schooling to put him on the right track.  He developed appropriate coping strategies that he still uses today.  Personally, I am grateful for these teachers because they gave me the man I have today.  His face still lights up when he talks about these teachers.  I want to be the teacher or advocate that puts that smile on those children's faces.

Reflection on my Collegial, Professional Learning Community

After completing this course it has reinforced:

1)  There are many professionals and adults going to school to become advocates for children.  It is great to see that there are so many adults that genuinely care about the future of so many children.  I appreciate all of the insightful feedback as I continue my journey along with them.  

2) I have gained new insight and perspective to the EC community.  I have always taken education classes, so it was nice to gain perspective from professionals who have been in the EC field.  I did not realize how much goes into the programs and facilities that help support families and children.

3) Being a part of the EC community is a rewarding experience.  Teaching has been extremely rewarding, but there seems to be a different level of reward and joy when working with families and infants.  I cannot imagine the joy that I will see and feel when working with families and watching their children get opportunities so they don't go through the hardships that I see children facing today.

One goal that I have for working with children and families going forward is that I prevent as many children from ending up in abusive homes or poor situations and are given every opportunity possible to become the best they can be. I sadly see many kids in horrible situations that cannot be changed.  I am sad for these children because they don't know any different and don't care to know any different.  

Who Am I: Family Situation

  In this situation I am portraying a mother who has been married for 8 years.  I am 35 years old and have been trying to have a family for 3 years.  Due to unforeseen events, I have not been able to conceive a child.  My husband and I have decided to adopt.  We would like to have a baby, but the wait list for a baby is extremely long and we have already been trying for a family for years.  Therefore we have decided to adopt a child who is a little older.
  My husband and I are working adults who live in a nice upper middle class area.  We have both worked hard to get where we are today.  We have some money saved, but not enough to where I do not have to work or we go on extravagant vacations to Europe or the Bahamas. I have been a teacher for 15 years working primarily in early childhood education and have earned two Masters degrees.  I have part of my doctorate completed but had to discontinue working on it because of funds.  Therefore I am currently not in school.  My husband is a full time Diesel Mechanic and has been for 17 years.  He works hard and wants to provide a stable life for our family.
  We instantly fell in love with a special boy named Finn.  Finn is a sweet boy who is approximately 4 1/2 years old who was recently diagnosed with Autism.  Finn exhibited some Autistic traits as a toddler, but was not officially diagnosed till his fourth birthday.  As far as doctors and other caregivers are able to tell Finn is a high functioning autistic who does have some issues when it comes to physical contact.  He is extremely bright but at times can have difficulties expressing his thoughts or feelings and empathizing with others.  Finn has had challenges when interacting with other children because he does not always understand the rules, or will question the rules.  Other children do not understand that Finn has difficulties relating to them, posing issues with the children.  Finn is preschool, but it does not offer extra services that Finn will need to become a successful member of society.  Finn's current foster mother does not have the time to work with him as much as he needs because of her full house.  Also, the state has not started providing services to Finn either.
  In our home Finn will be supported by my husband and me, and both of our families are close by to provide support and help with Finn's adjustment.  Luckily the school that I work for has a great special education department for children starting with a special needs preschool.  Through my school Finn will receive occupational therapy, speech therapy, and have a case manager that will monitor his progress.  There is also a behavior specialist who will work with Finn at school 3 times per week and will work with him at home 6 days a week.  The behavior specialist is going to set goals and assist my family in making the transition a positive situation for Finn.  The behavior specialist will be with Finn for as long as needed and specializes in children with Autism.  The specialist will work with Finn and our family to create the optimal environment for him.  The goal is that providing Finn with these services now, in the future he will be successful enough to be independent in life and productive in society.

The Political Will to Improve Early Childhood Systems

Having been in education for over seven years I have become knowledgeable in the field of kindergarten and primary grades.  I still have a lot to learn for the early childhood field.  A strategy that I have become more interested in is the use of campaigns to be used for actions, information and benefit to the public.  Campaigns found on Spark Action encourage children to finish school and attend college, participate in organizations such as youth council, and information on the federal budget and early childhood.  These types of tools can be used to reach more people because of the Internet and various media sources.  Utilizing campaigns can gain awareness and support from the public and eventually could raise awareness in politician with enough support.  Making the politicians aware of where the community stands may lead to positive changes in the field of early childhood.  There is an abundance of information being reported on all of these sites; public awareness for what is best for children, yet little changes are being made.  The largest road block comes from lack of funding, but not much is ever done to support a change in that department.  Sure politicians and public figures can talk till they are blue in the face about more money for education and early childhood organizations, but where are the actions that follow?  More organizations and campaigns seem appear, but all in need of more funds.  Why is it that the United States is a nation that puts so little emphasis and money into education and early childhood.  Compared to other nations where education is ranked number one, the majority of monies go into funding education and teachers.  Providing sufficient programs and quality teachers is not the first issue.  The first and biggest issue is funding.  This is what appeals to me in early childhood; advocating for funds for quality programs.  Often the quality programs and professionals are under paid and under funded so the professionals leave the field and the programs deteriorate.  Today I read an article that identified the top 5 degrees that are not worth the cost of the degree.  I was so disgusted to see they were all public service type programs and Early Childhood was identified specifically.  This is what is wrong with our nation and the youth that is going through the public education system.  We are living in a nation that focuses on materials instead of community and education.  It is more important to "look cool" than be smart or prepared.  

  

Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids Action (SPARK Action). (2010). Retrieved fromhttp://sparkaction.org/

Wells, J (2015) Don't waste your money on these degrees. Retrieved from http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/top-best-most/don-t-waste-your-money-on-these-college-degrees-151436837.html

Parent, Family and Community Engagement

  Watching the excitement and appreciation from families and communities that benefit directly from Head Start was moving.  As a community member and future parent I am glad to hear that there are families in the community that genuinely want a better future for their children.  These parents do not want their children to suffer the same hardships as they had or are currently enduring.  As a professional I am moved and even more motivated to advocate for these children and families.  I know that there are families who will appreciate and take full advantage of programs that are available to them through Head Start.  I also feel that incorporating so much parental involvement is part of what makes Head Start so successful.  As one parent stated "This is the program that is a million times worth every single penny you put into it".
  Involving parents, and family members benefits children, families and the early childhood field because there needs to be a partnership built between the professionals and the families.  Without this partnership or  "buy in" of the Head Start programs, the children and families will not advance as much as they potentially could have.  Without the support of families, early childhood professionals will simply be speaking to the masses, which are listening but not hearing the professionals.
  Hearing these stories are beneficial for professionals so they can see and hear the difference they are making.  I feel that advocacy will be similar to the teaching field in that you do not always see a benefit or outcome of the impact that I had on a child or family.  Being able to see how I made a difference in a life will be the motivating force to keep me advocating for children and families.  The same could go for policy makers and officials who can be skeptical of the work that advocates do and the difference in lives the advocates have made.  Any policy makers who is opposed to the idea of investing in Head Start programs cannot deny the visual stimuli that a video provides.  Hearing first hand from the families and community members makes advocating much more real.
  I am a HUGE proponent of parent and family involvement and is essential for all strands of service in the early childhood field.  There needs to be a team mentality built between the professionals and the community members and families in order to be the most successful programs and peoples for the children.  Without the support of families and communities many programs would not be successful.

Parent and Family Stories on the website of the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC), part of the Office of Head Start.

http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/about/stories/pfs.

Quality Programs for ALL Children

Having been in teaching for 7 years now, I have become very aware to what the opinion of education and intervention is in my area.  I do not know that all of these opinions apply to all areas,  but for a few cities in Arizona this is what I have discovered.  

There is not much value held in the importance of early intervention and services to families.  This is particularly true in the low income Spanish speaking communities.  Early childhood programs are seen as babysitting services and nothing more.  This attitude holds true for the children as they progress through school.  There is no value in children attending school.  I have students who don't come to school or do homework because they "don't want to" or take days off to go horseback riding.  The parents in the community believe that their children are always right, that their teachers are wrong, the school must be at fault, and it could never be their child who did something wrong.  If the child fails it is the teachers fault.  I have had several parents blame me for their child's failing grade and bad behavior claiming racism or I don't like their children.  All of this stems from the parents and their early years.  Parent behavior and student attitude has greatly influenced my thoughts with regards to this topic.  Also, social media such as Facebook has also influenced my opinion because I read all of the posts from parents that are on swap pages or community pages.  I am disgusted with the fact that parents do not care or hold value in their children or their futures.  Obviously this does not hold true for the entire community but for the majority that I have encountered.  Early programs are not seen as a benefit or a step to a promising future but a way to rid the parents of their children for a few hours.  I also notice that many parents and families want programs and services for free.  They continually expect donations or free items. Many have become dependent on these items and feel that if they do not get them then they get the right to be angry.  

I sincerely hope that parents of all backgrounds and cultures wake up and realize that there is a great need in the programs and services for young children.  Parents also need to realize that there is not only a need to educate parents and children, but also obtain proper medical care and treatment including vaccinations and hygiene care.  As parents and families grow their understanding of the importance of early childhood care and education, this knowledge will spread to future generations and create a ripple effect.  If families start taking advantage of these programs then hopefully more monies will be provided to support more programs.  More children will begin growing up with a head start in life and have an equal opportunity to become successful as those who are at an advantage.  As more of the public becomes aware and utilizes these programs the more aware the public will become and hopefully show support for them.  As soon as the public that is not in education and advocacy becomes aware of the great need for early education programs, more support for these programs will begin.  Often it is said that "ignorance is bliss" and I wonder if this may be the case for early childhood education and programs. 

Why Choose a Path in Advocacy and Public Policy

  Growing up I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher.  Even against the wishes of my family, I was determined to become and teacher and change lives.  Now with 7 years of teaching behind me, two Masters degrees, and countless additional  credits, I am realizing that teaching is no longer as rewarding for me as it once had been.  
  It was during my coursework in my Early Childhood masters that I realized there may be another line of work in which I could still affect the lives of children and families.  As my research continued I decided that I would like to pursue a role in the field of Early Childhood advocacy.  Even as an educator, I was unaware of how many programs and resources there are for parents and families.  I have made it my goal to obtain a position in advocating for the programs and resources available to families become increasingly utilized and for families to understand the need for programs, education, and health in the early years.  
   Advocates are essential to the EC field because there are many families that do not what is available of the general need for programs in the early years.  Babies, infants, toddlers, and children do not know what is needed for themselves.  As advocates and caretakers it is our duty and responsibility to empower families with knowledge to properly care for and prepare their children for school and social interactions.  Advocates must be skilled and knowledgeable in their field to provide the most accurate information.  As an EC professional it is my duty to provide this information to families and children and for the future of our society.  Also, it will take a great amount of finesse and skill to deliver this information to parents because we are helping them understand how to parent, which could be taken as an insult.  
  I hope to learn many things in this class.  I want to learn or at least begin learning how to become more knowledgeable in educating parents and families.  I want to know what resources are the best and how I go about finding them.  I also want to learn how to talk to parents and families and present information regarding programs and research as to why it is important to educate and interact with children in the early years.  A third topic that I would like to learn more about is what educational programs are available to families for their children and how accessible these programs are.