Wow! how time flies. So we have come to the end of another wonderful and highly beneficial learning experience at Walden University.
I want to say a big thank you to our lecturer for facilitating such an exciting learning experience. I am also grateful to all of you dear colleagues for what you shared and for your love and passion for children as shown in your discussion posts, responses, and blog posts. I have learned a lot through all these.
Thanks so much and best wishes.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sunday, June 10, 2012
WEEK 6 BLOG POST
WEEK 6 BLOG POST
I can remember all those great times we had
There were so many memories, some good some bad
Yes and through it all
Those memories will last Forever
There's peace in where you are
May be all I need to know
And if I listen to my heart
I'll hear your laughter once more
And so I got to say
I'm just glad you came my way
It's not easy to say
Goodbye
Lionel Richie
If I can call it a team or group them I will say I am going to find it hardest to leave the entire children in my present class as we are about to do in the next two weeks. The normal thing to hear is students missing their teachers but I think or the reality is teachers do miss their students as well if not much more. That is the feeling I am getting now and this assignment kind of bring it out the more. My students are unique, their uniqueness lies in their being smart, inquisitive, honest, the unique difference of each of them, and how they connect with me- I am more of their friend than their teacher.
The adjourning stage of any group is as relevant to members of that group as the other four stages though the function is different. While the other four stages are concerned with the task of managing and developing the group, the adjourning stage is concerned with the break up of the group.
To a great extent, I have bonded with colleagues and facilitators in this course despite the fact that it is an on-line course. Saying goodbye will not be easy and as such the adjourning phase will come with some challenges, however, the fact that I would have successfully completed the program, achieved my goals, and fulfilled the purpose of the program will give me a sense of achievement and the impetus to move on to new things.
I can remember all those great times we had
There were so many memories, some good some bad
Yes and through it all
Those memories will last Forever
There's peace in where you are
May be all I need to know
And if I listen to my heart
I'll hear your laughter once more
And so I got to say
I'm just glad you came my way
It's not easy to say
Goodbye
Lionel Richie
If I can call it a team or group them I will say I am going to find it hardest to leave the entire children in my present class as we are about to do in the next two weeks. The normal thing to hear is students missing their teachers but I think or the reality is teachers do miss their students as well if not much more. That is the feeling I am getting now and this assignment kind of bring it out the more. My students are unique, their uniqueness lies in their being smart, inquisitive, honest, the unique difference of each of them, and how they connect with me- I am more of their friend than their teacher.
The adjourning stage of any group is as relevant to members of that group as the other four stages though the function is different. While the other four stages are concerned with the task of managing and developing the group, the adjourning stage is concerned with the break up of the group.
To a great extent, I have bonded with colleagues and facilitators in this course despite the fact that it is an on-line course. Saying goodbye will not be easy and as such the adjourning phase will come with some challenges, however, the fact that I would have successfully completed the program, achieved my goals, and fulfilled the purpose of the program will give me a sense of achievement and the impetus to move on to new things.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
WEEK 5 BLOG POSTING
While conflict is indeed a natural part of every relationship, a great conflict arise through provocation (O'Hair & Wiemann, 2009). The recent conflict I had with my assistant perfectly fit into this description. It all happened that we had agreed on what to do for the week when we had our planning meeting and roles has been assigned. I have always cherish a positive relationship with my colleagues especially those who work directly with me. I strongly believe that the working relationship between a teacher and her assistant holds the key to the success of teaching and learning in any early childhood classroom. So, it has always been that I try to establish understanding between me and my assistant by fully informing her about the intention of the lesson, the way I have planned it, what are the expected outcomes as well as get her inputs and contributions.
The conflict arose because my partner failed to do what was expected of her do and when I gently asked her about it, she could not give me any response. She only left the classroom and come back later to do it. Not only was it belated, she did it in a way that showed that she is either incompetent or outrightly acting provocatively. As O'hair & Wiemann (2009) rightly said, when someone you worked with or depend on performs poorly, the person is in a sense provoking conflict. Needless to say that I was annoyed, I talked to her with annoyance leading to the head of the school's intervention before the issue was resolved.
The non violent communication principle as advocated by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg emphasis the need for empathy in communication. People need to receive empathy before we talk about a particular challenge, problem, criticise them or even talk about an error they have committed. In retrospect now, I think I should have been able to manage the conflict in a more effective way if I had first take care of myself emotionally as this would have enable me to truly empathise with my partner before taking up the issue with her. As someone once said, “if your discussion isn't going well, it is probably because you haven't emotionally connected to the other person and vice versa.”
Another strategy that I have learned this week and that I could have used to better resolve the conflict is to first observe the situation well without evaluating or judging my partner. This would have made my reaction to be based on principle or reason and not on pressure thus I would have been able to state my discussion with her in a more objective way and I would have been able to get a more responsible action or/and answer from her.
Reference
O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.
The conflict arose because my partner failed to do what was expected of her do and when I gently asked her about it, she could not give me any response. She only left the classroom and come back later to do it. Not only was it belated, she did it in a way that showed that she is either incompetent or outrightly acting provocatively. As O'hair & Wiemann (2009) rightly said, when someone you worked with or depend on performs poorly, the person is in a sense provoking conflict. Needless to say that I was annoyed, I talked to her with annoyance leading to the head of the school's intervention before the issue was resolved.
The non violent communication principle as advocated by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg emphasis the need for empathy in communication. People need to receive empathy before we talk about a particular challenge, problem, criticise them or even talk about an error they have committed. In retrospect now, I think I should have been able to manage the conflict in a more effective way if I had first take care of myself emotionally as this would have enable me to truly empathise with my partner before taking up the issue with her. As someone once said, “if your discussion isn't going well, it is probably because you haven't emotionally connected to the other person and vice versa.”
Another strategy that I have learned this week and that I could have used to better resolve the conflict is to first observe the situation well without evaluating or judging my partner. This would have made my reaction to be based on principle or reason and not on pressure thus I would have been able to state my discussion with her in a more objective way and I would have been able to get a more responsible action or/and answer from her.
Reference
O'Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's.
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