Summer 2015 – PDF - Southern Early Childhood Association
Transcription
Summer 2015 – PDF - Southern Early Childhood Association
The The SECA SECA Reporter Summer 2015 The Next 20 Years: Technology Leads the Way! Join us in Tulsa in 2016 for the 67th Annual SECA Conference! Kathleen C. Gallagher, Ph.D. Meet Our Keynoters! The Whole Child in Harmony: What It Means & What It Takes Kathleen (Kate) Gallagher, Ph.D. is an educational psychologist and early childhood professional, with over 30 years of experience teaching and leading early childhood programs. She is a Scientist at Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Gallagher designs and evaluates approaches that promote the development and wellbeing of young children, families, and early childhood professionals – particularly in the contexts of poverty, disability and cultural diversity. Dr. Gallagher’s passion and ability to communicate and elevate the importance of high quality early care and education are manifest in her talk at TEDxUNC 2015, “The Healthy Child: Assembly Required”. Patrick Mitchell “The Down To Earth Dad” How to Talk to Dads So They’ll Listen ...Getting (and Keeping) Good Men Involved! Patrick Mitchell, known nationally as “The Down To Earth Dad,” shows preschool, kindergarten, and primary school educators, child-and-family advocates, policy makers and practitioners how to get good men optimally involved for the sake of children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Patrick is a columnist for Children’s Voice magazine published by the Child Welfare League of America in Washington, DC, directs the National Dads Matter!™ Project, and he’s the founding editor of The Down To Earth Dad monthly newsletter. The Down To Earth Dad provides school readiness and parent and family engagement “Family Storytelling Night” events, and staff trainings, for programs and schools across America. Patrick lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and is the father of three children. Stephen Fite The Magic of Music & Movement As long as Stephen can remember, he has always loved music. At the young age of five he had big dreams of being the fifth Beatle. That whole British band thing never panned out, but, he has found something just as cool, if not cooler. He has realized his dream of playing before crowds of screaming fans - the very young variety. The bonus is that through his play he is able to touch their lives by aiding in their education. Stephen Fite is an award-winning children’s musician/writer whose albums have received eighteen nationally recognized honors. Suitable for the classroom, car or living room, his upbeat brand of children’s music has been delighting students, teachers and parents around the nation for three decades. His Concert Tour draws over 70,000 teachers and children to theaters throughout the Southeast and Midwest while his trainings infuse educators with the passion he holds for music as a dynamic tool for teaching. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kathy Attaway President Kentucky Carol Montealegre President-Elect Florida AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVES Alabama Richard Hardison Arkansas Deniece Honeycutt Florida Sister Roberta Bailey Georgia Anita Dailey Kentucky Maureen O’Brien Louisiana Jo Carroll Mississippi Kathy Young Oklahoma Marti Nicholson South Carolina Deni Titcomb Tennessee Lisa Maddox-Vinson Texas Cille D’Ascenzo Virginia Susan Barnes West Virginia Suzi Brodof A Message from SECA The SECA Reporter Becomes a BLOG! This issue of the SECA Reporter will be the last in the form of a newsletter. With the advance of technology, there are new ways to provide information that enhance the member experience and provide for interactive communication among our members throughout the SECA states. We’ll continue to produce our e-newsletters such as The Leadership Letter and Public Policy Notes, but we think that changing The SECA Reporter to another information format will allow us to keep you updated more frequently and provide another avenue for you to participate professionally. The SECA Reporter will now come to you in the form of a BLOG post with a new post at least once a month. During the last couple of years, we’ve moved from “print and mail” to 24 hour on-line access and in the process have increased the resources and content that we can provide. You can now go on-line and access your copy of Dimensions of Early Childhood, the e-mail archives, public policy information and other resources anytime it fits your schedule. You no longer have to wait for these resources to appear in your mailbox. We’re looking for innovative and creative ways to serve you better and to provide member value. You’ve probably noticed the change in the way the monthly member e-mail looks. That’s just one of the changes that we’ve initiated to make our member resources more relevant and useful. You’ll receive notification when the posts are made and we hope you’ll share your thoughts and ideas with your colleagues. Let us know what you think about this new adventure at SECA! The Board and Staff of the Southern Early Childhood Association MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Jeff Leffler Mississippi Joan S. Smith Virginia STAFF Glenda Bean Executive Director Maurena Farr Executive Assistant Southern Early Childhood Association 1123 S. University, Suite 255 Little Rock, AR 72204 (800) 305-7322 [email protected] www.southernearlychildhood.org Copyright ©2015, Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA). Permission is not required to excerpt or make copies of materials in the SECA Reporter if they are distributed at no cost. For information about joining SECA, contact the executive offices at P.O. Box 55930, Little Rock, AR 72215-5930, (800) 305-7322 or on the web at www.southernearlychildhood.org SECA serves the interests of early childhood educators concerned with child development, including university researchers and teacher educators; early childhood, kindergarten and primary-grade teachers; and early childhood program administrators and proprietors. The association has affiliates in 13 Southern states. Non-affiliate memberships are available to anyone living outside the 13 affiliate states. Members receive a variety of publications throughout the year, discounts in the SECA Store and conference registration fees. The SECA Reporter is produced by Glenda Bean, Executive Director. Design by RB Fine Art (www.rbfineart.com) The SECA BLOG A New Platform for The SECA Reporter What’s a BLOG? A BLOG is a Web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences. Many blogs provide commentary on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries; others function more as online brand advertising of a particular individual or company. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. In our case, the BLOG will be available at www. southernearlychildhood.org. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important contribution to the popularity of many blogs. Sources: Merriam Webster On-line, Wikipedia. The SECA Reporter newsletter was designed to provide up-to-date information on the latest trends in early childhood education and it’s provided a timely and effective vehicle to do just that. We’ve worked to make sure that you knew what was happening in the field and pointed you in the direction of resources (data, reports, projects, highlights from the states, etc.) that would be useful to you in your work. We’ve also provided a platform for your colleagues to share their thoughts and ideas with you in written form. That will continue to be the purpose of The SECA Reporter, but it will now come to you in the form of a BLOG post that will be available once a month and provide an avenue for you to share your thoughts and perspectives on the issue that we highlight that month. The BLOG post will contain: • a brief summary of the issue. • links to resource documents. • an interactive platform that will allow you post comments, initiate a dialogue about the issue with your colleagues and share your experiences from the field. The post will be short and easily readable but will provide connections to resources from both SECA and other organizations that will allow you to explore the issue more in-depth. At that point, we hope you’ll take the time to post a comment and share the wealth of experience that has come your way through the day-to-day operations of your program. We will also invite submissions for the original blog post, so if you wish to submit a brief article (like the ones we’ve printed in previous issues of The SECA Reporter), we’ll consider those as well. You’ll still be able to retrieve the archived newsletter versions of The SECA Reporter, so you’ll find the best of both worlds on the SECA website: an on-line interactive forum with updated information of interest to professionals and those colorful, attractive on-line newsletters that have come to you the last few years. The Seca Reporter 2 Summer 2015 OUR NEW WORLD What a Difference Technology Makes! With the growth of technology and Internet use, there are a variety of sources that provide information on different platforms. Some are BLOGs, others are E-newsletters and some are e-mail lists. Center for Law & Social Policy (CLASP) The Center promotes policies that support both child development and the needs of low-income working parents. The website includes a variety of policy resources on child care and early education such as the blog post by Dr. Joan Lombardi, The Highs and Lows of Early Education and Child Care. If you’d like to receive e-updates from CLASP on issues in early childhood education, click here to sign up. The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) The Center’s electronic newsletter, eNotes, shares news items related to early intervention and early childhood special education gathered from a variety of reliable sources. It is mailed weekly to subscribers of their Part C and Section 619 discussion lists and others who choose to subscribe. eNotes subscribers also receive announcements of their products and activities. To subscribe, contact Sue Goode at [email protected]. Education Commission of the States (ECS) This organization covers a variety of education issues including early childhood education. They produce eClips, a daily summary of the leading education stories published in newspapers across the country. To subscribe, to eClips, send your name, title, organization and e-mail address to [email protected] with the words “subscribe” in the subject line. is a monthly e-newsletter of research and policy updates about developments in the Pre-K–3 field. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter. The Seca Reporter 3 Summer 2015 Futurity Today Futurity Today “features the latest discoveries by scientists at top research universities in the US, UK, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The nonprofit site, which launched in 2009, is supported solely by its university partners in an effort to share research news directly with the public.” A list of those partners is included on the site and early childhood information can be found here. If you would like to subscribe, you can fill out the subscription form. (Remember, it’s a daily e-mail, so if your in-box is already full enough, you may just want to check on the site periodically to see what’s new.) New America Ed Central Voted the Best Blog in 2013 by the Education Writers Association, New America Ed Central covers a variety of education issues. Two sections of the website are devoted to early education and Prek-12. Examples of blog posts of interest include the June 17, 2015 post, Five Big Changes in the New Head Start Performance Standards. These posts are all easy reads (even telling you about how long it will take!) and include a summary of the most important points on the issue. The Ounce of Prevention Fund “Since 1982, the Ounce of Prevention Fund has persistently pursued a single goal: that all American children—particularly those born into poverty—have quality early childhood experiences in the crucial first five years of life.” They produce a bi-monthly e-newsletter on topics of interest to early childhood educators. Email Ashanti Huey, Policy Associate, at [email protected] to subscribe. You’ll also find a wealth of advocacy resources on their site, including an Advocacy Tool Kit. We Heard You! Professional publications too expensive? Portfolio and Its Use: Second Edition is now available as an E-book for 1/2 the price of the print copy! Purchase it now through the SECA website for only $10 and download to your computer, tablet or mobile device. http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/online_store.php Watch for announcements in the coming months about new e-books available through SECA. The Seca Reporter 4 Summer 2015 The Joan Ganz Cooney Center Blog Digital learning…it’s here to stay! Very young children are quickly learning how to manipulate technology devices and we, as early childhood professionals, need to stay abreast of the latest research in the field to ensure we’re approaching the issue appropriately. The Joan Ganz Cooney Center is the foremost research center in the country focusing on the use of technology and digital learning and they provide a wealth of resources on early learning. They are embracing the digital age but have a rich history in the use of technology with Sesame Street, the first real attempt to utilize technology to support education for young children. If you’d like to see what a BLOG post looks like and the type of information that’s available from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Street, just click here! You’ll find posts such as these on early education: • Reading with Preschoolers: Just Do It! by Jennifer A. Perry • May 2015 • I Was Read To: I Was One of the Lucky Ones by Teri Rousseau • March 2015 • Kids Need Truly Interactive Experiences by Jason Boog • July 2014 • Reading with Young Children: Something Old and Something New? by Michael H. Levine, Ph.D. • September 2012 You’ll find that when you read one post, you’ll be directed to another on a similar topic. Easy reading and easy research…what could be better? Connecting to Learn For more in-depth information on issues concerning technology and digital learning, you’ll find reports on a variety of issues, including a recent report, Connecting to Learn: Promoting Digital Equity for America’s Hispanic Families. “This brief combines original research and policy analysis to examine a key issue that is often overlooked in debates about the proliferation of new technologies, education, and equity: the potential for digital media investments to support a promising learning pathway for children in our nation’s increasingly diverse, low-income families. A growing body of evidence confirms that accelerated technological innovation and adoption rates have roiled family routines across the economic spectrum—and also, that the opportunities associated with these technologies have not been evenly distributed across the population. New technologies have contributed to new equity and “opportunity to learn” gaps between higher- and lower- income families, and their meaningful participation in a knowledge-based economy is further constrained by limited local efforts to support parents, educators and other community stakeholders in taking advantage of them.” SECA is already providing e-newsletters and e-mail resources but we’ll soon enter the new frontier of BLOG posts! Hope you’ll join us. The Seca Reporter 5 Summer 2015 Reprinted from Volume 39, #3, Dimensions of Early Childhood E-Professionalism for Early Care and Education Providers Wondering how to use technology in a more professional manner? Follow these recommendations to make wise choices with electronic media use. Teachers of young children work hard to be professional and to be viewed by others as professionals. These efforts to maintain professionalism must include e-professionalism. E-professionalism involves behavior related to professional standards and ethics when using electronic communication (Evans & Gerwitz, 2008). Cellular telephones, social networking sites, videosharing sites, online forums, electronic mail (email), wikis, blogs, and a range of Web 2.0 technologies allow for sharing of personal and professional information in a variety of ways with an extended audience. With any of these forms of communication, it is important to consider professionalism and what it entails. Unprofessional incidents dealing with social media have influenced the public perception of certain professions, including educators, lawyers, and doctors (Greysen, Kind, & Chretien, 2010). While social media, such as Facebook, may be the focus of some less-than-professional episodes, simple daily communications through electronic mail must also be handled with the utmost professionalism (see sidebar for an example). Email allows for nearly instantaneous sharing of information and documents. It has enhanced and expanded opportunities for efficient and immediate communication. Both personal and professional emails can easily be forwarded to people other than the intended recipient and can go viral almost instantly. After the information is out there, it cannot be retrieved (Carter, Foulger, & Ewbank, 2008). Double check before sending every email message to ensure it is • professional, One Click Undoes Years of Professionalism Miss Christine arrived home after an exhausting day of teaching. She had several challenges in her classroom, including Kevin. After a recent meeting with his mother and learning more about socialemotional development and challenging behaviors, things seemed to be going better. Today she had many positive interactions with Kevin. He did not hit, spit, bite, swear, or run in the classroom. Miss Christine read books about emotions with the class, used music and finger plays to smooth transitions, and built on Kevin’s interest in animals to keep him engaged. Before circle time, she read a story about the expectations for behavior in circle time, and Kevin participated actively. Later, when Kevin drew on the window with a marker, the logical consequence was to have him to clean it off. She then redirected him to the easel and sat with him as he filled the paper. Happy and tired, Miss Christine sat down at her computer to check her email. She thought about contacting Kevin’s mom to let her know about how hard he worked. Instead, she found an email from Kevin’s mom. She complained that her son told her he cleaned the windows in the classroom. She felt that was inappropriate because he is not a custodian, but this task had reflected the teacher’s expectations of her son. Kevin’s mom then accused Miss Christine of mistreating her son. Miss Christine was devastated. She thought the day had gone so well. She also noticed that her director was copied on the email. Frustrated, she forwarded the email to several friends and coworkers, including an introduction in which she insulted Kevin’s mother. She then logged on to Facebook and updated her status: “Parents of children at Cheery Child Care are awful and ungrateful. They drive me crazy!” After a couple of hours, Miss Christine calmed down and thought about contacting Kevin’s mother to explain what happened at school. Unfortunately, the forwarded email already made its way back to several parents of children in her class. Her center director was not happy about the Facebook posting. While Miss Christine had worked so hard to be a reflective practitioner, furthering her professional development, and collaborating with families, in her anger she had unintentionally undone much of what she had worked so hard to do. Years of professionalism were erased by a few moments of unprofessionalism. • free of errors, and • is going only to the intended recipient(s). The Seca Reporter Helene Arbouet Harte 6 Summer 2015 These simple steps may also prevent mistakes such as hitting “reply to all,” especially when it is not desired (Evans & Gerwitz, 2008). Professionals are urged to be very conscious of what they send and to whom. In addition to communication via email, there are a variety of ways to communicate and connect online, all of which must be handled with professionalism by early childhood educators. Double check before sending an email message to ensure it is • professional, • free of errors, and • is going only to the intended recipient(s). establish privacy settings, resulting in access by unintended audiences outside of their peer group, such as future employers. These unanticipated viewers may well have different norms and expectations and may misinterpret the content posted (Cain, 2008). Balance the benefits of social networking with its disadvantages. The benefits of social networking must be balanced with its disadvantages. Negative consequences can result when inappropriate postings are identified, such as denial of a degree for students, disciplinary actions, or job loss, and convey a negative reflection on a profession overall (Carter, Foulger & Ewbank, 2008; Foulger, Ewbank, Kay, Popp, & Carter, 2009; Manning, 2010). Sometimes even more than a lapse in professionalism in person, a lack of professionalism displayed online can result in negative consequences for the individual and the profession over time, because each posting leaves behind a “digital footprint” visible to a wide audience (Greysen, Kind, & Chretien, 2010). Social networking sites can serve as a mirror, reflecting both the best and the worst for all to see (Greysen, Kind, & Chretien, 2010). Benefits and Challenges of Technology Teachers sometimes use Web sites to enhance school programs, share information, provide a forum for students, or improve their own professional development (Carter, Foulger & Ewbank, 2008). Professional organizations often provide online opportunities for members to engage in discussions or network with other members. Social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, allow participants to connect, maintain contact, and communicate with others (Cain, 2008). Members can share comments, videos, and photographs. Unfortunately, some users do not Subjects & Predicates Teachers of young children may also use professional online networking sites such as LinkedIn, which allow individuals to post resumes and connect with others in their field to extend a job search or obtain information, for example. Email allows for nearly instantaneous sharing of information and documents. It has enhanced and expanded opportunities for efficient and immediate communication. The Seca Reporter 7 Summer 2015 Subjects & Predicates participation (Kist, 2008). The lines between personal and professional lives can easily be blurred. Teachers must constantly make informed decisions about what to share and how, weighing the benefits and risks, with an awareness of professional responsibilities (Carter, Foulger & Ewbank, 2008; Manning, 2010). Professionalism is a lifelong process that involves enhancing knowledge and skills while managing ethical responsibilities to children, families, colleagues, employers, and society. Whether the forum is a professional networking site or a social networking site, users are urged to carefully consider what information and photographs are available to others. Teachers of young children should reflect on their responsibilities as professionals before posting anything. Professional Responsibilities Professional responsibilities apply to every online persona (Cain, 2008). Posting careless comments and questionable images online can magnify less-than-professional behavior. While individuals in the United States have freedom of expression, this may sometimes conflict with another person’s right to privacy and can breach confidentiality. For example, if a message contains the name of a school, it may imply the school condones the opinions or images presented (Farnan et al., 2009). The rules that apply to face-to-face professional relationships also apply online. These rules are grounded in trust and respect (Farnan et al., 2009). Teachers may find it helpful to be proactive, engaging in a dialogue with colleagues about the risks of posting online and exploring ethical dilemmas specific to social networking (Foulger et al., 2009). Considering the challenges that are inherent in participation in social networking, some teachers choose not to participate at all. Lack of participation online may not be the answer for everyone, however. Pre-service teachers who were cautioned against participation struggled with feelings of isolation versus fear of the consequences of The Seca Reporter 8 Make informed decisions about what to share and how. Ethical Responsibilities Early childhood professionals make a commitment to the standards of the profession, its code of ethics, and the profession overall (Castle, 2009). For teachers of young children, this commitment to the practice of professionalism begins with utilizing the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct as a resource for developing professional partnerships with families and colleagues as well as trusting, respectful relationships with young children (NAEYC, 2005). Families, Children, and Colleagues Professionalism is a lifelong process that involves enhancing knowledge and skills while managing ethical responsibilities to children, families, colleagues, employers, and society (Castle, 2009). As professionals, teachers must be diligent in their efforts to be competent practitioners as well as dedicated to adhering to ethical guidelines. In any of early childhood’s diverse roles—child care Summer 2015 providers; family child care providers; public or private preschool teachers; primary school teachers; and students or faculty in higher education—two resources serve as guides in making decisions as professionals: • NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) Guidelines (2009) and According to DAP guidelines, effective teachers are skilled decision makers (NAEYC, 2009). Systematic reflection enables teachers to make informed decisions about a variety of topics and strategies (Castle, 2009). Decisions made about online practices ought to involve the same depth of reflection as other professional topics. These choices are not to be taken lightly. Developmentally appropriate practice guidelines call for teachers to create caring communities of learners in which they model responsibility in communication with colleagues and families (NAEYC, 2009). Connecting families to resources as well as engaging in frequent two-way communication are also important components of developmentally appropriate practice. All of these interactions should involve mutual respect with families as partners (NAEYC, 2009). Electronic resources and communications can be part of facilitating this community of learners. Use of media must be guided by the same standards as other areas of professional practice. Among the core values of the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct are “relationships based on trust and respect” and respect for the “dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual.” Avoid making any Subjects & Predicates • the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct (2005). Teachers can create caring communities of learners in which they model responsibility in communication with colleagues and families. Connecting families to resources as well as engaging in frequent two-way communication are also important components of developmentally appropriate practice. statements or postings online that violate those core values. Among educators’ ethical responsibilities to children is the need to avoid any harm, including doing or saying anything that may be disrespectful. Status updates on a social networking site can unwittingly reveal unprofessional attitudes. For example, one educator posted comments stating she was not looking forward to another school year. She referred to her students as “germ bags.” Although she was joking, thought her statements were private, and never intended for students or parents to see her post, they did see them, and she was asked to resign (CBS, 2010). A teacher’s ethical responsibility to families and co-workers is to maintain confidentiality and respect everyone’s privacy. Comments and photographs posted online violate this ethical tenet. For co-workers, one principle is particularly relevant to what is The Seca Reporter 9 posted online: “P-3A.1—We shall recognize the contributions of colleagues to our program and not participate in practices that diminish their reputations or impair their effectiveness in working with children and families” (NAEYC, 2005). Before sharing information or pictures, ask if the content will affect any colleague’s reputation. Much of what teachers do to ensure professionalism online deals with one’s own professional reputations. But the professional reputation of co-workers can also be tarnished by decisions about what to include on a social networking site. A similar guideline exists for teachers’ responsibilities to employers. “I-3B.2—To do nothing that diminishes the reputation of the program in which we work unless it is violating laws and regulations designed to protect children or is violating the provisions of this Code” (NAEYC, 2005). Summer 2015 Table 1. Ethics and E-Professionalism Ethical Guideline Responsibilities to Children “P-1.1—Above all, we shall not harm children. We shall not participate in practices that are emotionally damaging, physically harmful, disrespectful, degrading, dangerous, exploitative, or intimidating to children. This principle has precedence over all others in this Code.” (NAEYC, 2005) Responsibilities to Families “P-2.11—We shall not engage in or support exploitation of families. We shall not use our relationship with a family for private advantage or personal gain, or enter into relationships with family members that might impair our effectiveness working with their children.” (NAEYC, 2005) Responsibilities to Co-workers “P-3A.1—We shall recognize the contributions of colleagues to our program and not participate in practices that diminish their reputations or impair their effectiveness in working with children and families.” (NAEYC, 2005) Responsibilities to Employers “P-3B.1—We shall follow all program policies. When we do not agree with program policies, we shall attempt to effect change through constructive action within the organization.” (NAEYC, 2005) Responsibilities to Community and Society “P-4.2—We shall apply for, accept, and work in positions for which we are personally well-suited and professionally qualified. We shall not offer services that we do not have the competence, qualifications, or resources to provide.” (NAEYC, 2005) Examples of E-Professionalism Kim takes pictures of children in her class on a field trip. She has permission from all parents before taking pictures. She uses the photos for portfolio assessment and documentation panels. She uses a photosharing site that requires a login to share photos with families of children in her class. Any comments included describe children’s learning. Examples of the Absence of E-Professionalism Kim has a page on a social networking site that is open to the public. She posts pictures of children in her class, wearing T-shirts with the name of the school on it, on a field trip. She makes comments under each photo, some of which mock the children. In an effort to communicate with families frequently and in a variety of ways, Taneka asks parents for their preferred methods of communication. For those who choose to provide email addresses, Taneka uses email to send classroom updates and positive messages about children to families. She does not send any confidential information or forward any emails. Taneka asks all families of children in her class for email addresses. She emails solicitations for sales for her other job, selling cosmetics and jewelry. She also uses the email addresses to search for families on social networking sites and asks them to connect with her there as a “friend”. After a fun evening out with a co-worker, Sally waits until the next day to ask before posting ANY pictures on her social networking site. She avoids any photos or comments that could in any way damage her own or her co-worker’s reputation. Sally does not consider her co-worker’s reputations. Immediately after arriving home from a night out with co-workers, Sally posts pictures and comments on her social networking site, “Miss Betty sure knows how to party!” Michelle is concerned about practices she observes that seem inconsistent with the program’s stated philosophy. She is overwhelmed by challenging behaviors in her classroom. She avoids airing her frustration online. She meets with the director, expresses her concerns, and asks for opportunities for professional development. Shannon uses online resources for professional development to enhance her knowledge of child development. She is honest about her current level of expertise and continually looks for ways to build her skills and qualifications. Michelle posts complaints on her blog and Twitter feed, alleging that her employer, Sunshine Child Care, does not care about appropriate practices and has driven her to drink. She posts pictures of herself wearing a T-shirt with the school logo while drinking alcohol. Shannon posts a resume on a professional networking site that misrepresents her experience and education in working with young children. The Seca Reporter 10 Summer 2015 Professional Development Pursuit of professional development is part of every teacher’s ethical responsibility to community and society (NAEYC, 2005). Participation in professional organizations, studying professional literature, and collaboration with colleagues are key components of professionalism (Castle, 2009). Online forums, Web sites, and Facebook pages of professional organizations such as the Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA) and NAEYC encourage communication, collaboration, and education that are essential for professional practice. Table 1 includes illustrations of e-professionalism, and the absence of e-professionalism, with regard to ethical guidelines. agree to check with each other before posting any pictures or comments. Directors may find it helps to add a policy about the use of media messages and images. Finally, be PROFESSIONAL. Before accepting a “friend” request from a social networking site, ask if the relationship should be that of Table 2. Strategies for Successfully Maintaining a Professional Image Strategy Example PAUSE Krysia pauses and reads through all emails and potential postings on social networking sites. Before sharing information or photos, she asks herself these questions: Why am I sharing this? What response do I hope for? What might the response be? Who are the intended recipients? Who else might see it? Is there anyone who should not see this? Only after stopping to think about the responses to all of those questions does she share information or images. Cheryl uses the privacy settings on her social networking site, limiting those who can view her page to family and close friends. She is sure to check the privacy settings in each area including applications, her comments or updates, photos she posts, photos others post of her, and comments others make. She checks the settings periodically in case the site has changed the default privacy settings. Being proactive, Anya works to prevent possible issues with professionalism through dialogue. Anya reminds friends, family, and co-workers whenever they take pictures of her to please not post them online without checking with her first. Anya does not post any pictures on her social networking site that she would not want her mother to see. Heather receives a friend request for a social networking site from the parent of a child in her class. She does not accept the request and is sure to communicate to all parents her policy on use of social networking with families in order to maintain a professional relationship. PRIVACY Strategies for Maintaining Professionalism In order to be professionals when using electronic media, the first step is to PAUSE. Stop and think before sending an email or posting any information online. Remember that regardless of disclaimers put on emails or privacy settings on social networking sites, the opinions or photos shared are not private and cannot be taken back. Ask how people might feel, or what the implications might be, if the information or images were broadcast on television. The next step is to use the PRIVACY settings provided on social networking sites. While this does not ensure complete privacy, it does help limit who can access information that is posted. The next step is to be PROACTIVE. Talk to colleagues and friends about professional expectations and the importance of maintaining professional reputations. Colleagues can a friend. Think about the boundaries of the relationship in person. What expectations are there for relationships with parents, students, and colleagues? Be sure to maintain the same guidelines online. See Table 2 for examples of these strategies for success. PROACTIVE PROFESSIONAL Use the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct as a guide. Be aware of the expectations that supervisors, families, or funders may have. Employees, students, faculty members, and others are urged to find out whether their employer or school has written guidelines about social networking, technology use, or e-professionalism. If not, recommend that pertinent policies be developed. The Seca Reporter 11 Early childhood professionals use electronic communication and online resources to build professional knowledge and skills as well as connect with others in the field. The benefits of online interactions come with responsibilities. Part of being a professional is being aware of these responsibilities and making informed decisions in all practices. Summer 2015 References Cain, J. (2008). Online social networking issues within academia and pharmacy education. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 72(1): 1-7. Carter, H.L., Foulger, T.S., & Ewbank, A.D. (2008). Have you Googled your teacher lately? Teachers use of social networking sites. Phi Delta Kappan, 681-685. Castle, K. (2009). What do early childhood professionals do? Dimensions of Early Childhood, 37(3): 4-10. CBS. (2010). Teacher fired for ripping students, blames Facebook. Retrieved from http://newyork. cbslocal.com/2010/08/20/teacher-fired-forripping-students-blames-facebook/ Evans, T., & Gerwitz, A.E. (2008). E-Professionalism dos and don’ts. NALP Bulletin. Retrieved from http://www.tourolaw.edu/cso/docs/ eprofessionalism.pdf Farnan, J.M., Paro, J.A.M., Higa, J.T., Reddy, S.T., Humphrey, H.J., & Arora, V.M. (2009). The relationship status of digital media and professionalism: It’s complicated. Academic Medicine, 84(11), 1479-1481. Foulger, T.S., Ewbank, A.D., Kay, A., Popp, S.O., & Carter, H.L. (2009). Moral spaces in MySpace: Preservice teachers perspectives about ethical issues in social networking. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(1): 1-28. Greysen, S.R., Kind, T., & Chretien, K.C. (2010). Online professionalism and the mirror of social media. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 25(1) 1227-1229. Kist, W. (2008). “I gave up MySpace for lent”: New teachers and social networking sites. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(3): 245-247. Manning, A. (2010). Educators advised to be cautious on Facebook profiles. Education Week, 30(5): 8-8. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). (2005). NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment: A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/ positions/PSETH05.pdf NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8: A position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/ PSDAP.pdf About the Author Helene Arbouet Harte, Ed.D., is Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, College of Education and Human Services, Northern Kentucky University, Highland Heights. She teaches courses in collaborating with families as well as trends in early childhood education. Harte has 9 years of experience teaching online and hybrid courses, and has served as a mentor for the SECA student Facebook page. Are You Our Next SECA President? It’s time again to select our candidates for SECA President for a term beginning in 2017. The winning candidate will assume office as PresidentElect in 2017, serve as President in 2018-2019 and end their tenure on the Board as Immediate Past-President in 2020. Kathy Attaway is completing her term as President in 2015 and will assume the office of Immediate Past-President in 2016. Carol Montealegre, currently our President-Elect, will assume the office of President in 2016. According to SECA Election Policies, nominations may be made in the following ways: • By state or local affiliates. • By individuals who are SECA members. • By individuals who are SECA members and wish to self-nominate. President Kathy Attaway, 2014-15 The SECA Nominating Committee will interview all nominees for the position prior to the 2016 annual conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma on February 11-13, 2016. This year, the SECA Nominating Committee will be composed of representatives of the following states: Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina, State affiliate presidents have been asked by President Attaway to appoint their state’s representative. Persons who wish to submit for consideration by the Nominating Committee should send the following to the SECA office by October 1, 2015. Carol Montealegre-Elect 2015 • A letter of interest stating their qualifications and rationale for submitting for consideration. • A resume or professional vita. For more information about SECA election policies and procedures, click here to access the SECA Policies and Procedures Manual. You’ll find the information about the election policies on pages 37-39 and more information on the Nominating Committee on pages 28-29. The Seca Reporter 12 Summer 2015 Other Resources from SECA Copies of Dimensions of Early Childhood are archived on the “members-only” section of www.southernearlychildhood.org. Use your member number to access these archives. For non-members, contact the SECA office at 1-800-305-7322 to determine availability. Playing with Technology: Is it All Bad? by Slutsky, Slutsky & DeShetler, Dimensions of Early Childhood, Vol.42, #3 (2014), pp. 18-23. Providing a System that Supports Teacher’s Potential Growth with Technology Tools by Walsh, Sanders and Randolph, Dimensions of Early Childhood, Vol. 41, #1 (2013), pp. 36-40. Revisiting the Early Use of Technology by Lentz, Seo & Gruner, Dimensions of Early Childhood, Vol. 42, #1 (2014), pp. 15-23. Bridging the Digital Divide: Early Education Can Play a Role and Educational Media: Using it at Home, The SECA Reporter, Summer 2014 Transforming Teaching for Today’s Tech Savvy Young Children, The SECA Reporter, Winter 2012 The Seca Reporter 13 Summer 2015 Save the Date! Join us in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the 67th Annual Conference of the Southern Early Childhood Association! The Whole Child in Harmony February 11 -13, 2016 Hyatt – Regency Tulsa
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