Advocacy Messages

I found the following ads that are effective in communicating their advocacy messages:


http://bcove.me/p9imoggq

This video is short and simple.  A mother is making a teachable moment while at the laudry mat with her infant.  The video shows that learning is not as complicated as most make it out to be. 

http://bcove.me/sb2p8r2i

I am sucker for military home comings, this video shows the importance of a father being involved in their child's life. 

http://bcove.me/53pdh287

And this video is just adorable.  Again a short and sweet PSA about the little moments of being an involved father!

Reference:National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD). (2009). Safe sleep for your baby: Reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Retrieved from http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/safe_sleep_gen.cfm

My Role as an Advocate

• What motivated you to start advocating for very young children?
• My whole life I was more concerned about whether or not things were fair than really finding a solution or answer to why this happened.  After getting involved in early childhood education, I realized the disadvantages that very young children have. 
• Why is it essential to acknowledge and foster advocacy efforts at the micro as well as the macro level?
• It takes more than just a child's immediate environment to give them the best possible opportunities in life.  So, involving the outside environments, including local and federal government bodies, can open up more doors and opportunities for children. 
• What does it take to be a community leader on early childhood issues?
• It takes committment, drive, passion, and the ability to connect with various people. 
• What resources does it take to be a state leader on early childhood issues?
• You have to be able to connect with all people, you must have the financial resources to implement new programs or efforts, and above all be passionate about truly doing what is best for young children. 
• What tactics or strategies do you use to mobilize others?
• You have to get people to see your vision and then follow through with your ideals.  I am a very outgoing and passionate person, I encourage people as I can but also provide constructive criticism with coaching. 
• What advice would you give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocating for young children and their families?
• Read, research, and go for it!  Tomorrow is too late!

Personal Advocacy Reflection

My father grew up in Camden, NJ where the majority of the children are not given the best foundation for success in life.  My grandparents noticed that there was something special about my father and began sending him to Catholic school even though they were not Catholic.  While in this environment, the nuns took my father under their wing, teaching him the value of hard work, being honest, and getting a good education.  The lessons and values they instilled in my father kept him off of the streets and away from the bad influences of the area.  Because of this he has experienced much success in his life. 

It really only takes one person to help you get on the right track in life.  I mentor a young girl and I try to be the best influence as I can for her.  Advocating and mentoring is something I am destined to do.  It gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning and the strength to get through my toughest days. 

When I Reflect About My Collegial, Professional Learning Community

Three consequences of my experience being a part of a caring, collaborative learning community for my professional growth and development are:

• I am more educated and versed in public policy and advocacy avenues for the children and families in my care
• I am more motivated to make a difference in the lives of young children not only at my own center but across the state
• I have found an endless supply of support and resources that will help me in my own educational journey

One goal for using this collegial experience to enhance my advocacy, policy, and/or system development work on behalf of young children, families, and the early childhood community is:

• To eventually work for a early childhood accreditation agency where I can continue to hold professionals in the field to the highest standards, help in their development professional and personally, advocate for our smallest citizens, educate families on the health and development of their children, and hold everyone, including myself, accountable for providing the highest quality care and education. 

My Hypothetical Family Situation

 

**This is not a true story**

 

My husband and I are expecting our first child, a boy.  Spina bifinda runs in my husband’s family so we made sure to get a full panel of testing done to ease our worried minds.  We had our amniocentesis test and it was determined that our child will be born with Down Syndrome.  We are nervous and do not know much about Down Syndrome, so we have begun researching daily, absorbing all of the information we can so we are as prepared as we can be to welcome our baby boy.  According to BabyCenter.com, “DS is a chromosomal anomaly that occurs in about 1 out every 700 births…an inexplicable error in cell development results in 47 chromosomes (rather than the usual 46), and the extra gene material slightly changes the orderly development of the body and brain.”

 

My husband and I both work full time, I as an early childhood Center Director, and he is an electrical engineer.  We are comfortable financially, there’s enough money to pay the bills and extra each month for our varying interests and hobbies.  We own our home in a rural area and have been fortunate to not have been affected by economic downfalls like the rest of country.  As of right now, our growing family has not been impacted by current Sociocultural or politics/policy contexts. 

 

With this news, we have some decisions to make.  We currently live several hours from our families and have not established a close connection with other people that we could entrust with our new bundle of joy.  Fortunately, our jobs would allow us to move easily to be closer to friends and family, but at this point in my pregnancy would it be a smart decision to move?  The baby could come to work with me everyday, my teachers are trained to work with children with exceptionalities, but the idea of mixing my work with my personal life leaves me uneasy.  My husband travels weekly and I have a long commute to work everyday, this is another consideration we have to keep in mind. 

 

I am lucky to have a wealth of early childhood services available at my fingertips.  My company has an Inclusion Services team, designed to help families and early childhood providers with accommodating children with special needs in the classroom setting.  There is also support groups available that we can join that would give us a sense of community, understanding, and socialization for our child.  I read a beautiful story, written by a mother whose child has Down Syndrome.  It was raw, honest, had me in tears the whole time I read it, but in the end made me so excited to start this beautiful journey.  Kelle Hampton has an amazing blog with resources to help parents with their own personal journey. 

 

I am sure wherever we go that we will make the right choices for schools to help our baby grow and learn, with caring dedicated individuals that are educated life long learners that want to do what is best for my child day in and day out. 

 

Have I given a complete picture of my family, or are there details missing that I should include in order to complete the assignment successfully? If so, what are your suggestions?

Is this situation realistic?

Are there any specific websites I should be reviewing with regard to learning about quality services and programs for my child and family in this hypothetical family situation?

Does anyone have any thoughts, based on my specific family situation, that will affect the early childhood system I am creating?

Resources

Baby Center.  (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.babycenter.com/0_amniocentesis_327.bc

Kelle Hampton (January 2010).  Enjoying the small things; Nella Cordelia: A birth story.  http://www.kellehampton.com/2010/01/nella-cordelia-birth-story.html

The Political Will to Improve Early Childhood Systems

A strategy that I have discovered as I worked on the assignments in this course, particularly this week, that is currently being used by advocates and organizations to influence the political will toward improving early childhood systems in order to foster the well-being of young children and their families, is the involvement of parents/families in paving the way for policy changes.  Bringing in personal stories and the help of families is the best way to make a lasting impression on policy makers and political figures.  Solid and feasible evidence is the most effective way to make people listen.  Making meaningful and personal connections with families and children is the most appealing aspect of the work to me.  I am an emotional person with a need to connect with others on a deeper level, making these connections with families and sharing their stories is what I live for in my line of work.  To use their experiences as proof as to why early childhood education and care are so crucial is what motivates me everyday. 

Parent, Family, and Community Engagement

I had the opportunity this week to watch some parent stories in relation to Head Start programs and what they did for their families.  The first video I viewed was an interview with father Zachary James, he had eight children go through the Head Start program.  Not only was the program beneficial for his children but it also inspired Zachary to go back to school to get his GED.  Before he had gotten his diploma, he was unable to read a children's book to his own kids.  Mr. James' story was definitely inspirational for me to work harder to improve the family engagement at my center.  Professionals in the field often only focus on the benefits family engagement has on the kids, but we do not realize how wonderful it is for the parents and families also.  This father went on to finish the education he stopped and now as he said, has higher expectations and standards for his own children and values the importance of swallowing one's pride and ask for help if needed. 

Another mom, Eva, expressed how Head Start taught her to make every moment a teachable moment when she is with her son.  They play games like peek-a-boo, but use letters to fuel the game.  Like Mr. James, Head Start helped Eva prepare for her GED and now she is getting ready to start her CDA so she is better prepared to be a "teacher" for her children. 

Involvement opportunities also give parents the chance to see what your program is all about.  Parents can see it is more than just child care, their children are growing, learning, and developing into productive members of society.  Parents may also become motivated to continue their education so that they can be better parents and role models for their children. 

Resource
Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (2010).  National Head Start Association 37th Annual Parent Conference.  Retrieved from http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/hs/about/stories/pfs.