About My Reflections

Author's Note

     The following reflections are those about my core classes, extra curricular classes and praxis while attending Pacific Oaks College. Using, both, Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) and Program Learning Outcomes (PLO), I reflect upon the education I gained and how it has been translated into my everyday outlook in my personal and professional life.

     Every class I have taken while at Pacific Oaks College has reinforced my passion for working with children and families, and I have tried to convey this through my reflections. I didn't just learn from my professors, but I learned from my classmates and we all learned together. Every class has been an amazing experience, and has enhanced the way I work with children and families.

Documentation of Core Classes

Documentation of Core Classes

     “All you can do is what you can manage to do, secure in the knowledge that you're making it easier for other people - now and in the future – to see and do what they can do.” (p.152, Johnson, 2006) This quote from Allan G. Johnson's text, Privilege, Power, and Difference, is the essence of what I brought with me from my experience in my core class Social and Political Contexts of Human Development. This class helped me see that my responsibility doesn't stop at being there for the children I work with, while I'm actually at work, but all the time. If you've ever read Dr. Seuss's classic, Horton Hears A Who, you know the line “a person's a person, no matter how small”, and while reading Johnson's text this quote popped in my head so very often. In Horton Hears A Who, Horton is the only one to stand up for the people in the spec of dust on the clover, and many he met along the way thought he was crazy for doing it, because they didn't believe in it. That never stopped Horton from doing what is right, and Johnson reminds us, often, to “take risks” and that when we openly change how we participate and behave then we can change the way the system works. He also reminds us that what we start today may not end while we are around to see it, but it will never change if someone doesn't take that first step.

     We were asked to create a social action project as part of the class, Social and Political Contexts of Human Development and I decided that I wanted to tackle the way the local teachers and schools “other” children labeled with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Herbert Kohl reminds us in his book, I Won't Learn From You and Other Thoughts on Creative Maladjustment, that “to identify children as'at risk' is to pick them out for special treatment not for what they have done bur for what they might do.”(p.152, 1994) This is something that, I feel, happens too often in our local schools. I havewitnessed early childhood educators roll their eyes and grumble about how they are not trained to deal with “those sort of children”, and most of “those children” do not act any different than any other child in the classroom except for the fact that the teacher does not want to interact with them, leaving them with little choice but to try and figure things out on their own, which often leads to getting into trouble for something they would not have attempted if the classroom teacher was giving them any attention. Seeing this scenario time and time again, I decided that this was what I wanted to change, the interaction between a teacher and a child labeled with ASD.

     I began to talk to some of the preschool teachers I knew and asked them questions about what their school had in place for children labeled with ASD or children who may show challenging behaviors. I also asked if their schools offered training to work with atypical children or if they were interested in getting training. My plan began as one to create training for preschool teachers to become more comfortable with atypical children (children labeled with ASD or any special needs child), and to show them that it doesn't have to be overwhelming or a daily battle in the classroom. I began consulting Behavior Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech Therapists about advice for preschool teachers, and for tips and ideas. Basically I was asking them how they would go about educating an early education professional about working with atypically developing children, things they would recommend parents to do with children in their homes to reinforce ideas and activities they would see in typical therapy sessions. The therapists were all excited about the idea of giving tips and suggestions to teachers to use in the classroom, but the teachers were not as eager.

     I found that teachers, while wanting to help, were more afraid of the expectations that would be placed on their shoulders and the lack of support they would get from the rest of the schools they work in. Kohl tells us “that one power way for educators to creatively maladjust is to repudiate all categories and assume responsibility for changing their practice until it works for the children they have previously been unable to serve.” (p.152, 1994) I know that I cannot force teachers to change or to become brave, because I do not have to walk in their shoes on a daily basis, but I can offer them support. In the class, Reflective Teaching, we talked about the importance of support as early childhood educators. “Claim your responsibility to live fully and teach well.” (p.203, 2008) is what Deb Curtis and Margie Carter tell us in the text, Learning Together with Young Children. I decided that creating a support group for early childhood educators would be the best way for me to fulfill this message. I talked about it, and thought about it, and even created a group for it on Facebook, but I have been too chicken to actually take the plunge. What if nobody wants to be supported?! I know that my classmates are interested in a forum for teachers (and students) to vent, to question, to soapbox, to offer and to learn together so I decided to put a survey together for others. The thought is to create an online group, that will service, both, novices and masters to the world of early childhood education. A place that will allow students and professionals ask questions, get ideas, learn and share without being worried about not being welcome or blocked out. A lot of the local teachers aren't interested in growing as an educator, because they aren't passionate about the career, but there are so many more who are and don't have the support from fellow staff to do it. I did not get a lot of feedback from my survey, but enough to take the plunge and open a group for teachers, both locally and everywhere. We can learn so much from each other, and it's our responsibility to do it.

 References

Carter, M &Curtis, D (2008). Learning Together with Young Children.

St. Paul, MN. Redleaf Press

Johnson, Allan G (2006). Privilege, Power, and Difference.

New York, NY. McGraw Hill

Kohl, Herbert (1994). I Won't Learn From You and Other Thoughts on Creative Maladjustment.

New York, NY. The New Press

Documentation of Student Learning Outcomes in Curriculum

Documentation of Student Learning Outcomes in Curriculum

     In my very first class at Pacific Oaks, Reflection on Life Experience, I learned to look within and see my life in a new light. In Communication for Empowerment, I learned how to communicate and diffuse a tense situation. I learned how to think about what I need and want and how to ask for it. I learned what my part is in the world, and how to not just stand by and let things happen, but to make the right things happen. These are life changing events, for me, because they affected the type of person I was. I have always considered myself a kindhearted person who put others first, but I never realized that it wasn't enough and I never tried to pass my knowledge off to others. After reading our texts, Nonviolent Communication and The New Peoplemaking, I am communicating what I am learning to my own children and colleagues, and in turn helping them learn to communicate better in their own lives.

     In the class, Social and Political Contexts of Human Development, I learned how to develop a social action plan and it ignited a passion that I hadn't felt since high school. I developed a training program to present to early educators, in my community, about working with children with Autism. I developed it with some other professionals who work with children labeled with ASD and what we want early educators to know about how to work with the autistic population and then we took our plan a step further and started planning on creating free preschool screenings for the community, to help identify developmental delays so that children who need help, get identified earlier and get help that they need. In my community, the majority of people don't consider their young child's needs or delays until the year before they start kindergarten and our screening would identify delays as early as 2 years old. If a child began an intervention program at that age, they could potentially be mainstreamed by kindergarten and maybe not even require further intervention. This idea has been fueled further by the use of the text, Challenging Behavior in Young Children, in the class Working With Children Who Challenge Teachers' Skills. The idea that I am not alone in wanting to get to know the entire child, and how important it really is, has reminded me why I love working with children and families. It's classes such as the above mentioned that make me feel that I have had a unique educational experience through Pacific Oaks and it's use of Program Learning Outcomes and Student Learning Outcomes. I am not just learning about valuable techniques in working with people, but I can see the knowledge reflecting through my personal and professional lives.

 References

Kaiser, B & Rasminsky, J. S. (2012). Challenging Behavior in Young Children.

Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. Pearson

Rosenberg, M.B (2003). Nonviolent Communication-A Language of Life.

Encinitas, CA. Puddle Dancer Press.

Satir, V (1988). The New Peoplemaking.

Mountain View, CA: Science and Behavior Books Inc

Documenting Student Learning Outcomes in Field Work

Documenting Student Learning Outcomes in Field Work

     I have been working with children and families since I was sixteen years old. Approached by my high school Religion teacher, and offered a job to work with the parish's special needs population in preparation of their first sacraments of Reconciliation and Communion. My teacher felt I was the most patient person she knew and that she also felt I had a deep understanding and respect for the Catholic religion and that she believe I was just the person for this position. Little did I know that this would be my first encounter with the special needs population and that I would absolutely fall in love with working with children and families. Twenty four years later I am still in love with working with children and families and love the challenges that every day brings. Currently I work as an “in home” behavior therapist dealing mostly with early intervention. This combines my love of working with preschool aged children and the special needs population and having direct daily contact with parents.   

     When preparing material for a client I like to get to know the child and their family. I want to know what the parents expectations are for the sessions with their child(ren), and what they would like to see improvements in (eating, toileting, handwriting, patience, tone of voice, tolerating company, etc..). I treat each child I see individually and create programs just for them, and present the programs in a way that are tailored to what they will respond to the best. Before each visit I ask the parents about the child's day to that point (did they sleep well, eat breakfast, how was school, etc), and after each session is over I spend some time talking to the parents about what was achieved or worked on during sessions and what we might try differently the next time. I believe that having parents involved in the process makes a difference in the child's progress, and I believe in complete communication so that everyone involved with the child is on the same page when it comes to every day interaction with the child.

     I think that the way I interact with the children and families I work with reflect the Student Learning Outcomes set by Pacific Oaks. I have learned so much about anti-bias education and approaches that it has made working with the diverse group of families, that I do interact with, a completely different experience. I love sharing with my families the new learning I come away with in my classes, and a lot of my research has been aimed at making a better world for the special needs children and families that I work with. The learning I have achieved through my classes and assignments have made me more passionate about my job and it is reflected through my work and actions with the children and families I come into contact with.

Documentation of Electives

Electives Documentation

     I fulfilled my elective requirement for graduation, many years ago while attending Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Missouri, by taking American Sign Language. I chose this class because I felt that my career could benefit from what I would learn through it. The skills gained in this class has helped me communicate, not just with my def and hard of hearing students and families but gave me a platform to communicate with children and families that speak other languages. I use this knowledge on a daily basis to help with verbal acquisition programs with my autistic clients and to teach basic communication skills to typically developing infants and toddlers. I believe that teaching children to use sign language helps language acquisition and prevents stress that occurs when children are unable to communicate their needs.

     My work with preschoolers gave my classmates, at the time, a new perspective to think about when learning sign language. Most of my classmates thought only of using it as a service to churches and assemblies and none had thought of the implications of using it with young children. The instructor taught us to thoroughly think through what we wanted to communicate before signing it, so that we weren't using a lot of unnecessary signs that might confuse a def person, and to use our whole body, not just our hands. This class taught me the importance of body language in any conversation, but especially in conversations with those who don't speak the same language as ourselves, or hear it in the case of a def or hard of hearing individual. I feel that, that particular instruction has been very instrumental in the way I communicate with the children and families I work with and in every day life. It causes me to speak concisely without extra words so that I don't confuse families where English is not the first language, as well as when I speak to any person where I need to make my statement understood. While I may not use actual sign language in every day life, I do use the principal of choosing my words carefully. I want to be sure that I make the children and families I work with are comfortable and never feel like they are being talked down to, or spoken at, but being talked with. I achieve this every day because of my elective choice.

Reflections of Lessons Learned from Social and Political Contexts of Human Nature

Reflections of Lessons Learned from Social and Political Contexts of Human Nature

       In the class Social and Political Contexts of Human Development I felt spurred on to take action upon something I felt to be a social injustice. Armed with readings from Bell Hooks', Where We Stand Class Matters, Allan Johnson's, Privilege Power and Difference and Lucy Grealy's, The Autobiography of a Face, among other stories and papers. I learned about “Isms” and being “othered”, the consequences of living blindly, and how to develop a social action plan to challenge what I view as social injustice. I was also asked to observe children in an early childhood classroom.

       Allan Johnson says, “We have to begin by thinking about the trouble and the challenge in a new and more productive ways” (A.Johnson, p.125), in his book Privilege, Power, and Difference. I used this to consider the social inequity I wished to challenge. Working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and having a backgrounds in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Behavior Therapy, like Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), I wanted to focus my strengths in two places that I felt would benefit one another. I decided that I wanted to develop training for early childhood professionals to help them feel more comfortable working with children diagnosed with ASD in their own classrooms. Between my own experiences of working with ASD children in preschool classrooms and observing teachers interaction, or lack of interaction, with ASD children in their classrooms I felt there was a definite social injustice taking place towards these children and their families. I surveyed ECE professionals, and asked if their centers had ever addressed working with special needs children and what their personal opinions were of working with challenged children. Most told me that they didn't feel they had the “training to deal with those sorts of children”, but that they would be interested in training if their centers were to provide appropriate support. As someone who has experience with ECE I believe that ECE professionals have the tools embedded in themselves to handle these special children and have set out to show them that it's not scary and doesn't have to be overwhelming. Allan Johnson says, “Make your support as visible and public as the courageous behavior that you're supporting” (A.Johnson, p149), and that is exactly what I've tried to do.

Resources

Cisneros, S (2009). The House on Mango Street.

New York. Canada. Vintage Contemporaries.

Erikson J (1988). Wisdom and the Senses, The Way of Creativity

New York, NY. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc

Johnson, A (2006). Privilege, Power, and Difference.

New York, NY. McGraw Hill.  

Reflections of Lessons Learned from Early Childhood Themes & Life Cycle Issues

Reflection of Lessons Learned from Early Childhood Themes & Life Cycle Issues

     In the class Early Childhood Themes and Life Cycle Issues I learned how to reflect upon my own journey through the stages of life, and compare my own experiences to Erik Erikson's theory of development. In comparing my experiences to Erikson's theories I was able to put real life reflections into perspective with learning. This class wasn't just about physical or psychological development but it was also about our moral and social development. We explored these themes using books like Joan Erikson's, Wisdom and the Senses, Beverly Tatum's, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?, and Sandra Cisneros', The House on Mango Street.

     The lesson that really stuck out for me was our study on Adolescence and Identity Vs. Role Confusion. We used Sandra Cisneros' book, The House on Mango Street to explore these themes and her book spoke volumes to me. “One day I'll own my own house, but I won't forget who I am or where I came from. Passing bums will ask, Can I come in? I'll offer them the attic, ask them to stay, because I know how it is to be without a house.” These lines spoke to me of the adversity she overcame and her identity and showed her to be at peace with all of herself.
     In her book, Wisdom and the Senses, Joan Erikson used weaving as an analogy to describe the syntonic and dystonic stages of development and argued that the differences were needed for completion of the stages. “That the syntonic without the dystonic is meaningless, and that none of the basic strengths is ever permanently achieved” (J.Erikson. p.113) . These were the ideas I took with me and learned that there is perfection to my imperfection, and it should be embraced.

References

Cisneros, S (2009). The House on Mango Street.

New York. Canada. Vintage Contemporaries.

Erikson J (1988). Wisdom and the Senses, The Way of Creativity

New York, NY. W.W. Norton & Company, Inc