Essay on "Curricula, Notices to Parents, Interview Guidelines)"

Essay 6 pages (1825 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

curricula, notices to parents, interview guidelines) that would reflect your unique abilities/or intentions to work with different families in a classroom/instructional setting in early childhood education.

You can also list and explain any documentation (that you could include in your professional portfolio) that would reflect your ability to work effectively with children reflecting culturally and linguistically diverse family systems.

Perhaps one of the most persuasive examples of my ability to excel in the field of early childhood education in the service of diverse families is my projected curricula for my facility. If parents see and believe that children will be challenged and experience an enriching and multicultural environment day after day, they are more likely to entrust their children to my care. Explaining the rationale behind the curriculum and having a clearly articulated philosophy in my promotional literature that can be distilled into a slogan or a motto for the school will demonstrate why my day care facility is unique. Reinforcing the importance of diversity, tolerance, and inclusiveness through regular newsletters and direct contact with parents will show families that what we do in school is not simply fun, but will prepare their children to become good citizens and students in the America of tomorrow. And it goes without saying that direct communications with parents and students, verbally and in print, should be conducted in a culturally sensitive manner in keeping with the multicultural approach of the school. For example, special care must be taken not to address form letters to the mother and father of the child, given that some children may live in single-parent households, households headed by two individuals of the same gender, or grandparents.

When parents and students enter the center they should be greeted with the sight of a visually pleasing and welcoming atmosphere that portrays a diverse community. Posters should show students of different ages and backgrounds, and also students who are blind, in a wheelchair, or otherwise physically challenged. Having posters in different languages, with sign language alphabet on the wall, depicting children of various ages, and having dolls and books in the room that are not limited to a singular culture likewise convey the message that the curriculum is diverse and encompassing. The menu of snacks or meals should have accommodations for students who are kosher, vegetarian, halal, or have other dietary needs, and should not be standard American comfort fare alone (like chicken nuggets and French fries, for example) so as to please the palate of a variety of children. Allowing parents to make, bring, or demonstrate how to cook simple snacks of their culture might be one way to negotiate any mealtime issues. Simply asking parents, and discussing potential issues before they arise during the interview process and before the child's first day at school can work to circumvent any cultural conflicts that may arise. Having a school letterhead with a wide range of cultural symbols, including a letter about how accommodations for different holidays and religious restrictions regarding food and dress can be accommodated will show my commitment to diversity and my knowledge of issues of concern to parents and students of a wide range of backgrounds.

Upon request, my own previous academic coursework, resume, and degree should be available, as evidence of my qualifications, including any notations about my or other teacher's certification in teaching ESL students. Providing such information openly is designed to reflect my unique abilities as well as my staff's unique abilities and intentions to work with different families in a classroom and instructional setting in early childhood education and will be integral to creating an atmosphere of comfort and trust.

When staffing the center, the philosophy of inclusiveness should be built into the interview process and ideally letters of reference should be requested from individuals to reflect their experiences in teaching students of diverse backgrounds. When it is relevant for the child in question, parents should have some assurance that the staff has experience teaching English as a second language to young children, as parents often want daycare to be a first step for their children to become more comfortable with English and to feel integrated into their future formal academic environment. For those parents, there should be special promotional literature detailing my and my staff's previous experience and coursework in this area, explaining the specific methodology of the center's approach (either bilingual or immersion) and the material should be worded so parents without a fluent grasp of English can understand the text.

Section 2: List and explain any documentation that would reflect your unique abilities/or intentions to work effectively over time with children of diverse ages and with children with diverse abilities that you would include in your portfolio.

Showing detailed and diverse curriculum offerings for students of different ages and children with different learning needs requires a syllabus that is sufficiently broad so that modifications can be made to accommodate children's different educational needs. Individualized instruction, small work groups, assigning different staff members to specific age groups and giving personalized attention to students with special needs or who are simply of a different age group to the majority of the students in the room must be included in the curriculum and structure of the school day.

Examples of the staff's certification and experience with working with students with special needs can be included on the staff 'biographies' of company literature. This shows that the site is equipped to deal with students who are gifted and challenged alike, and that the developmental needs of children of different ages will be addressed by experienced professionals. Examples of activities or modifications that treat special needs' students can also be included or even simply a description of different developmental learning stages and milestones for parents' information could be given to the parents. These examples, if effective, would show parents that the school understands and respects their children's unique educational demands (for example, the need to switch from activities fairly quickly so as not to tax ADHD's students concentration or positioning the classroom to make it easier for deaf or hard of hearing students to read lips or to see the instructor). Also, including letters of recommendation from parents and schools that detail how students were helped -- for example, how the facility provided resource room support for an ADHD child in a way that had a positive effect upon his personal development -- might be persuasive.

In terms of the ability of the school to transition students through the educational process, listing examples of how children have 'grown up' through the program, passing from different types of activities to others, and the skills they have learned over time shows how the site can cope with different ages and learning needs. Listing contrasting examples of schedules for students of different ages is another possible listing in the company literature, as might a list of the recent accomplishments of 'graduates' of the center. All of this would show that children are not all treated 'the same,' and that differences are acknowledged, but no child is valued above another child, and different treatment does not mean a lack of equality within the classroom. All children should be seen as having the potential to excel.

Section 3: Membership in professional organizations with stated ethical codes of conduct, evidence of attending seminars in the field, in this section you need to identify any documentation (such as letters of recommendation, memberships of professional organizations) that would indicate your personal commitment to the profession's code of ethical conduct, any documentation that indicate your ability to establish and maintain positive, collaborative relationships with colleagues, other professionals and families, and work effectively as a member of a professional team. You can also identify any activities that would indicate that you actively seek out opportunities to grow professionally by locating and using appropriate professional literature, organizations and other resources to inform and improve your practice

Listing my membership in local and national educational organizations that have high standards and put forth ethical codes of conduct demonstrates a willingness to be an active participant in the educational profession as well as shows a commitment to high standards and professional conduct. Including copies of the ethical codes in my portfolio, ideally with a resume of how I have upheld those standards, is one way to show my commitment to positive values and practices. Going to conferences sponsored by these professional organizations about issues related professional development and using ideas and contacts gained at such conferences is a great way to take advantage of organizational resources. Continuing one's education by seeking advanced graduate degrees or certification in subfield specialties like ESL shows a willingness to stretch one's self and to continually learn about the profession. Of course, it also adds to the resources offered by the center.

Maintaining subscriptions to professional journals, contributing to them if possible, or even maintaining a professional blog devoted to educational resources and issues, as well as accessing online content such as… READ MORE

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