Leslie Moran- Future Educator

Watch me grow as a learner! Empowering all the dedicated individuals who contribute to children's voices & their futures!

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

changing routines is a battle just by itself, what do you really say to yourself to make these routine changes? I know its not easy to change something you are so used to doing, but how do you really commit to making that change? Is it just "shut up and just do it approach?" as I always tell myself or you have your successful ways of doing this? I'm a workaholic and a perfectionist so I'm very curious to your reply. Thanks for the share!

Making a commitment to change especially to one's routine will take work. I feel like it will feel frustrating at first but once we commit to change, it may not work out perfectly the first time around but we can find ways to modify it so that it fits our needs. For me to change my routine is not easy because I like to know ahead of time what my day or week is looking like. But it can be emotionally draining, waking up and doing it over and over again. So change is good, to be able to experiment on what we can improve on can give us insight into what we may be missing out on & how we can focus on balancing work, student & parent obligations & most importantly ourselves.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

issue. In numerous ways, you and I are very similar and the way we think. I guess that is why we are both in the same class, reaching for the same goals. Its very encouraging to hear your personal experiences and the things you managed to balance your life. My questions to you are: (1) from your personal experiences, and how your mother always taught you to use your time wisely, how will you implement these past teachings and relate it to your child or to your students? (2) as far as changing...

Hey Dan, thanks for your feedback. Implementing time wisely would be a difficult process reason being that life/factors can change one's routine. Relating this to my son or my past teachings, I would need to connect & be able to relate to them through my experiences so we can find ways on using time wisely or time management.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

Hello Leslie. Thank you very much for sharing this touching, yet personal vlog of yours. I know the same feeling, especially with the very first video. Stage fright, anxiety, nervousness, everything comes in play especially thinking that millions of people out there are looking at you, hearing what you are saying, and the most frightening, trying to comment on your personal thoughts. The overwhelming factor of time management is something I would like to learn more from you as I also have this..

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

Hello Leslie, Thanks for sharing your post on Family Assessment Portfolio's. It's always a pleasure to examine your insights on these topics coming from a parent and future educator. My question to you is: 1) What are the benefits for families and the school organizations to create and use these portfolios? 2) For families that don't speak English, what methods are you planning to use to reach out to these families? 3) Do you rely only on FAP or take other measures to examine the child? Thanks.

Hey Dan! Thank you for sharing your feedback. It is always great to hear from you. To answer your questions, 1) the benefits of the portfolios is to hear the voice of the child. As a parent, I have spoken on behalf of my son instead of letting him express himself but with these portfolios, we can see the child as they are and listen to their thoughts, ideas, and the way they communicate. 2) Although I am bilingual (Spanish) for families that do not speak English or Spanish, I am willing to look for resources to help me better communicate with families when it comes to translations. These resources can be from other family systems who are familiar with the language. 3) These portfolios are some examples that future educators can use in their classrooms. Every child is unique & I would need to find or use different types of portfolios that would best fit their needs such as art or music.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise so I am changing myself.”- Rumi

Part IV- Curated Blog:

When thinking and reflecting on System Theory, I am using the system tenet of how did my system evolved and will continue to evolve over time. I am putting this curated blog together in such a way, to shine a light on the growth I did as a student & future educator in the field of family, school & community partnerships, and who I am as an individual. Through critical analysis, feedback, collecting data, and exchanging information on concepts we learned, I want the professors and other systems viewing my blog to be able to see the importance of these concepts and how they can be implemented in a variety of systems such as oneself, homes, neighborhoods, & classrooms. For these 5 assignments, I was able to engage in them first before implementing them onto others. 

1. Family Treasure set:

The first assignment that spoke to me as a changing and more informed system was the family treasure assignment. After completing this assignment my way of thinking had evolved out of the scope of how I define family & treasure. By examining & I was able to explain who I consider my family & what I cherish. After completing this assignment my system evolved by creating my own family system and what I consider my treasure. This assignment represents the growth and introspect I did before implementing this activity onto family systems. Via this assignment, I analyze how the terminology of both these words can be interpreted differently and modification is necessary for family, school, community partnerships. Through systems theory thinking there were perturbations that occurred in different systems when conducting outreach. These perturbations were based on how they viewed their family & treasure. According to Zera (2002), “System perturbations (occurrences that promote change) may dramatically change the entire operating system (Kelso 1995): in essence, change creates change, and even small changes can have dramatic effects…an important facilitator for system growth and essential for self” (p. 19). In other words, because there was a perturbation in the family systems, in order to maintain homeostasis, they felt like they couldn’t participate due to their family status. By offering a change into their perspectives, via my own family treasure set and by informing them on alternate ways in how they could participate. Through the exchange of information, some systems took it into consideration while others changed their outlook on the activity& shared their set with me. 

2. Ecological Map:

The ecological map assignment spoke to me as a changing and informed system by exploring & comprehending how I navigate & exist through different systems. By breaking down these systems & through self-reflection, I was able to map out how I existed differently in my neighborhood- Bushwick, school(elementary up to high school), & through job opportunities/positions. This represents the growth and more informed system by taking into consideration how the input of different factors affect the output on a microsystem like my childhood experience into the meso/macrosystem such as the culture surrounding school & work. I selected this assignment because through system theory we are able to see how systems are interdependent with one another. The ecological map assignment can be used as a way to observe & assess how others exist in a classroom, at home, or in their community. For instance, Bronfenbrenner (1976) states “It is from this perspective that the primary purpose of the ecological experiment becomes not hypothesis testing but discovery-the identification of those systems-properties and processes that affect, and are affected by, the behavior and development of the learner.” (p. 6) Therefore, as a future educator in order to perceive & get to know a child I would need to discover & identify how their systems interrelate on different levels & analyze the processes that influence the child’s output. Because systems can be complex, this assignment made me reflect on the importance of building trusting partnerships & connections with the children and their family members. 

3. Assumption Assignment:

The assumption assignment spoke to me as a changing and more informed system because we had to identify our own assumptions, how it manifests itself through my system language and thoughts & ways we can decimate or dismantle them. This was an essential assignment because assumptions surfacing in my system can affect school, family, community partnerships due to how we perceive others or the prejudgments we already have. This informed my system language and thinking by revising my dialogue when communicating with other systems. As a future educator, I have to question my role, am I a target, perpetrator, ally, or bystander? Through these concepts, I can prevent miscommunication when forming relationships whether at home or in a classroom. After revision, my assumptions were that boys are not allowed to wear nail polish or pink clothing. Using system theory thinking, the perturbation impacting my systems was due to the hetero gender roles implemented into me. Due to the negative stigma that surrounds what is considered appropriate for boys in the Hispanic community, I became uneasy as a parent because I was preventing quality time and denying the interests my son had. Moreover Darling (2007) states “First, the central force in development is the active person: shaping environments, evoking responses from them, and reacting to them” (p. 204). As a result, my assumptions shaped my son’s environment by denying him a chance to bond with me when painting my nails or why he like the color pink, and consequently, he reacted to it by no longer being interested in it. By selecting this assignment, it is fundamental to not let our own assumptions get in the way of the needs of a child we tend to make assumptions on the spot without realizing it. 

4. Family Assessment Portfolio: 

The family assessment portfolio spoke to me as a changing and more informed system by providing me with materials that I can use as a future educator when establishing partnerships with families, schools, and communities. Family Assessment Portfolio also known as FAP is a resource available to children, families & teachers as a way of getting to know the child via their own pov. FAP changed my system through the concept of modification and the emphasis on the portfolio being child-centered, their pov & voice. Examples of family assessment portfolios are DVD- The Movie, scrapbook, and the WEB-based profile. Modification is a must when it comes to FAP because one size does not fit all. This assignment represents the importance of being able to observe, get to know the strengths of the child & their development not only in school but as a member of society. After completing this assignment, I selected the FAP activity because I felt it would be a great resource along with home visits for other educators in helping establish trusting partnerships. Because systems are complex and nonlinear, using system theory thinking we need to tend to the complexities within the system. Through introspect & my personal experience, assumptions were made on the level of comfortability family members had on the use of technology for FAP’s to be created. By acknowledging the complexities such as their background, culture, customs, & language I want to ensure that I’m not targeting families who aren’t tech-savvy or assume what families may or may not know. Establishing trusting partnership with family, school and community begin by understanding a child’s cultural background, beliefs & customs. Using FAP along with home visits can make an educator more culturally responsive to the needs of the child. As illustrated by Lin & Bates (2010) “...identify home visits as a means for teachers to create an initial positive impression and gain support from parents…understand families’ circumstances is essential as teachers need to create a collaborative relationship with families…”( p. 180) In essence this further supports the significance for teachers to establish opportunities and help create strength-based models to better understand the child’s needs for success. 

5. Breaking Down Barriers Vlog:

When participating in the Breaking Down Barriers vlog, it spoke to me as a changing and informed system by pushing me out of my comfort zone. It changed me in a way where I had to follow & understand the vlog genre, create a script, appeal to my audience, and record myself in front of a camera. This informed my system through my emotions of being self-conscious, nervousness & perturbation of talking to a camera & posting it online for others to see. But it also showed me the importance of my voice & the dialogue I create with others. Voice & dialogue is momentous when establishing relationships through personal experience and clear communication between systems whether it’s on camera or video. The Breaking Down Barriers assignment was based on how I maintain barriers in my life in relation to family, school, community partnerships and how I planned on dismantling those barriers. My barrier was finding balance & time management in my obligations while living in NYC. I engaged in rearranging my schedule and assessing how it contributed to dismantling the restrictive routine I had. This assignment represents some emotions & connections other systems can relate to such as our roles or as a member of society. For example, Richards, Brown & Forde (2007) state “Teachers must recognize and acknowledge their affiliation with various groups in society, and the advantages and disadvantages of belonging to each group” (p. 65). In other words, it’s fundamental in recognizing the different positions family members are a part of and how it affects partnerships with other systems, their ecosystem & time. Using system theory thinking tenet on what are the relationship between the part and the whole system, we can acknowledge if family systems are short or rigid on time due to their positionality as either a caregiver, student, employee, immigrant, etc…This assignment represents the extent of being able to take a step back and acknowledge how diverse factors contribute in maintaining barriers & insight into how others planned on dismantling them. 

Every assignment has taught me that all systems are complex & nonlinear & that I have to continue using the conceptual schema and systems theory thinking in scaffolding the success of children in my classroom. As a future educator, I want to be able to contribute & be culturally responsive to different situations I may encounter and further my knowledge on how can I continue scaffolding the needs of the children while building trusting & lasting partnerships with families, schools, and communities. 

References:

BRONFENBRENNER, U. (1976). The Experimental Ecology of Education.        Educational Researcher, 5(9), 5–15.https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189x005009005

Darling, N. (2007). Ecological Systems Theory: The Person in the Center of the  Circles. Research in Human Development, 4(3–4), 203–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427600701663023

Lin, M., & Bates, A. B. (2010). Home Visits: How Do They Affect Teachers’ Beliefs about Teaching and Diversity? Early Childhood Education Journal, 38(3), 179–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-010-0393-1

Richards, H. V., Brown, A. F., & Forde, T. B. (2007). Addressing Diversity in Schools: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 39(3), 64–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990703900310

Zera, D. A. (2002). What Is a System and a System Perspective? Educational Horizons, 18–20.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

Feeling snowed in? You are not alone!

My first vlog post ever! Take a look at my Breaking Down Barriers activity. Copy this link to meet me via video! 

References:

Adler, P. A., & Adler, P. (2003). The Promise and Pitfalls of Going into the Field. Contexts, 2(2), 41–47. https://doi.org/10.1525/ctx.2003.2.2.41

Lin, M., & Bates, A. B. (2010). Home Visits: How Do They Affect Teachers’ Beliefs about Teaching and Diversity? Early Childhood Education Journal, 38(3), 179–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-010-0393-1

Richards, H. V., Brown, A. F., & Forde, T. B. (2007). Addressing Diversity in Schools: Culturally Responsive Pedagogy. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 39(3), 64–68. https://doi.org/10.1177/004005990703900310

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

How might you share this resource with other educators?

I would share this resource with other educators by asking them how do they create their children's portfolios in their classroom setting. Once I get their feedback, I would share the article and ask them to analyze it, and cross-examine. See if it was helpful or if they have any modifications to the suggested FAP's. If it was helpful, I would ask how do they intend or plan to use it. Although I do not have experience in a classroom setting yet, I can share or we can exchange ideas on different FAP's and test them out to fit the needs of the children.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

How might you use this assessment as a parent?

I would use this assessment as a parent to communicate with my son. By assessing, I would be able to obs what he finds enjoyable and isn't invasive to his space like a helicopter mom. Because he is not as verbal and clear in his sentences yet, I can use a variety of strategies that are comfortable to him. In doing so, he would be able to convey his ideas or emotions. I can try out the methods suggested but so far, he does not feel comfortable being recorded or having his picture taken without his consent. He tells me this by putting his hand up to cover his face or he turns his body around. He is very independent and would let me know what he finds enjoyable through the activities we do together such as dancing (he loves music and tries to sing along or play along with his toy piano), going to the playground, library, target or (in the summer) swimming in the pool.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

How might we trace where our assumptions come from so we can see how they have been infused into our systems?

We can trace where our assumptions come from when its infused into our systems through observation. When we speak or interact with others, there are cues such as body language and tone. An individual who feels uncomfortable or has a change in their tone or shows defensive body language such as them folding their arms can be a sign that we said or implied an assumption without considering how it might offend others. Once we observe ourselves and how it affects others, we need to contemplate why we think about those assumptions and what other assumptions drive our outlook into the world. We can question ourselves and those who implemented those assumptions on us and seek answers as to why we & they think that way.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

How are your assumptions stopping you from partnering with yourself?

These assumptions are stopping me from partnering with myself because I am limiting myself from growth, I am not being open-minded. I am stuck with this mindset of how I perceive others or how things are done that I am not giving myself a chance to explore different point of views or perspectives. I am not allowing myself to understand or listen to why and how these assumptions affect individuals or groups. These assumptions have set a prejudgment of others without me actually getting to know them first. By dismantling these assumptions, I give myself and others opportunities to learn from about them, their experiences or their stories. 

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

Family Assessment Portfolio aka FAP

This week’s activity is focused on family assessment portfolio also known as FAP; is a type of method used to build teacher-to-family partnerships. This method aids my pedagogy through ideas/resources by modifying & scaffolding the right portfolio for student systems. Modification is emphasized in this activity as we see that not one shoe fits all. This is a child-centered assignment, where we find ways to see, hear and understand the whole child and get to obs. what the child knows. 

The importance of this assignment is hearing the child’s voice & pov and supporting their development as they progress not only through the school system but as an individual to society. This is important because we get to observe firsthand who the child is and their capabilities while involving their family members in giving their feedback on what they know about the child. Another important factor when participating in this activity was critiquing the article that was assigned to us & recognizing its contributions to us as future educators and ways we could modify it. Several materials that Thompson, Meadan, Fansler, Alber, & Balogh (2007) suggested were 

1. DVD- The Movie 

2. Scrapbook 

3.The WEB-based profile

Reflecting back after participating in this assignment is the importance of thinking outside your teacher role. We have to put ourselves in the position of the parents/family members and think about how would one of these FAP benefit the needs of the child. The article further supported the importance of the child’s perspective being heard whether on paper (print, drawings),  audio, or video, or through photographs. Although the article presents several materials that can be used for a family assessment portfolio, their suggestions can be MODIFY to fit the necessities of our children, in our classroom. My thinking had changed because I use to be a “by the books” individual. If an administrator requested to have an assignment done one way, I would do it. But after complementing this assignment, I realized that it would be impossible to keep one style of FAP in my pedagogy.  I need to make sure that I find and implement more creative ways in keeping the child & their family members involved.

I will be using this assignment in my ecosystems through modification to the needs & wants of the family. By building & establishing trust with the child & family members. I want to make sure that my system doesn’t feel intrusive or is seen as an authoritative figure within their home & are able to share intimate information. 

System theory thinking in the family assignment portfolio further strengthened the value of all parts in a system in this case resources at home, family members & friends, and their relationships & their input-output (feedback) into the whole system, in this case, school system & society (vice-versa). Stefaniak (2019) state the following

Systems often include a set of interrelated components working together toward a goal, can be open or closed, receive inputs, and generates output (Churchman 1964; Miller 1978; von Bertalanffy 1972). Some systems may be closed or standalone where they are isolated from the environment and produce little interaction or open where interactivity exists between the system, additional systems, and the environment. (p.203)

A part of my assignment was to suggest push furthers for the creator: 

Creator and fix or attend to the gap on the use of technology, we cannot assume that everyone is tech-savvy (we got to acknowledge their background, culture, & education). They can revise a way to be culturally or language responsive, so families don’t feel targeted.

The creator can fill in the silences of showing the perspectives of the teachers. By providing feedback we can see the effectiveness of these portfolios in creating family school-community partnerships and the success in the development of the child.

The creator can attend to the gap on the use of a web profile. They can show alternative ways to make parents or families feel comfortable when using the internet and the reassurances that their child’s information will stay confidential.

Questions:

1. What family assessment portfolio suggestion was the least & most culturally responsive to you (which one resonated & did not resonate with you) & why?

2. How do you see yourself using FAP with your family members?

[morethanwhatyousee]

Family Comic

Comics are a great way to introduce topics that are important to society today. For this assignment the goal was to create two comic that showed a positive and negative assumption within my system. The topic I chose was immigration. The first comic I create was a negative assumption people have about my own family who migrated to America for a better life. In the comic I was able to include elements like drawings, word bubbles, and caption to explain the story. My family came from El Salvador and Ecuador to find better jobs and provide a home for their children. The negative assumption I described is other individual don’t see immigrants as capable to do the job. They are put to work hard jobs and had to learn a new language to communicate. The other comic showed a positive view of my family. This comic showed how my family was able to contribute to the community and provide their children with the best education. My family worked hard to be where they are today.

After doing this assignment, I was able to see the assumptions of families are not the best because they are not always right. This leads to how I should not assume things as a teacher when it comes to children and their families. It has helped me to change my mindset and approach as a teacher. I would use this assignment to remind myself that families who migrated to America came for a reason. There are many reasons why they came and having assumptions about them should not be thought about.

In the article “The Bad Parent Assumption: How Gender Stereotypes Affect Reactions to Working Mothers” written by Tyler G. Okimoto and Madeline E. Heilman describe how mothers are seen as women who are not capable of working as men are. It states, “These beliefs about job ineffectiveness are a consequence of cultural stereotypes depicting women as relationship-oriented or, as termed in the literature, “communal”, characteristics that are thought to be inconsistent with the attributes necessary for job success, resulting in a perceived “lack of fit”” (pg. 705). In other words, this explains that mothers are judged my others that they are not capable for jobs. This relates to how my family was seen as people who could communicate because of language barrier or were not working hard enough. Why do individuals make assumptions about others? What makes them assume these things? How can assumptions be prevented in systems?

*Original Comic Above

Reference

Okimoto, Tyler G. & Heilman, Madeline E. “The Bad Parent Assumption: How Gender Stereotypes Affect Reactions to Working Mothers.” Journal of Social Issues. Pg. 704-724.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

My questions to you are: 1) After now gaining valuable knowledge about assumptions on family values, what would you do differently to overcome the values and beliefs that your family assumed when it came down to gender roles? 2) What are your plans and how would you guide your son when teaching this assignment to him? 3) How can you help and teach a person who is pregnant seeking a job but is afraid to show it through assumptions that employers might have on that person?

Hey Dan! Your questions made me have an A-HA moment on my assumptions! I appreciate your feedback. To answer question 1. To be able to overcome their assumptions on gender roles, I wish I could lay the law down sooner and speak up for what I believe in. If I was able to go back in time and remove my fear of authority (respecting your elders) I would have told them " If they have a right to speak on what they believe in why can't I?" Motherhood made me overcome those assumptions and demand respect for my beliefs.

2. My plans in teaching him and guiding him through this activity would be through observing him first. Through observation, I can analyze how he speaks & behaves towards others. I motivate him to see how his assumptions can affect his friendships and how people may view him.

3. Although employers run a legal risk in asking women about their pregnancy, I would inspire them to be prepared in answering questions if it gets bought up during the interview so they don't feel clueless, by being confident in their handshake and voice. During their job interviews, I can persuade expectant mothers to refer back on their skills and why they would be a great fit for the job.

There is so much negative stigma for working family members, that I feel like there should be a policy change on questioning expectant mothers and their childcare for employment opportunities.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

Hello Leslie, It's Dan and thank you very much for sharing your personal experiences through this assumption assignment. I get it, assuming things are so powerful that it sometimes over take your thought process and can mask in different ways where values, beliefs and religion can set you back in certain ways. Our connection of having a first time son provides us the opportunity to share our ideas and thoughts so that our sons can thrive in this tough society we live in now.

Yes! I love your last statement. As a first-time parent, I view the world/society differently.

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

Identifying & Analyzing our OWN assumptions:

This activity was done as a way to self-reflect and contemplate our own assumptions. We all have assumptions that affect our daily lives and how we perceive others. This can be manifested through our language and thoughts.

When completing this assignment, I had to examine carefully how 2 assumptions impacted and integrated with not only my system BUT with other family systems. How did these assumptions contribute as obstacles to my ability to create family school community partnerships? Most importantly how can one eliminate or decrease these assumptions?

The importance of taking these assumptions into consideration is identifying my role for each assumption. Was I an Ally, Bystander, Target, Perpetrator? These roles can be fluid.

MY ASSUMPTIONS: through self-observation:

Keeping your bag/purse or belongings close to you when you’re around a POC (especially a man) so they don’t try to rob you.

An uninvolved parent (those that don’t come to school often) does not care about their child or their child’s progress in education.

REFLECTION: 

It’s impossible to say or think that I did not have any assumptions but, by delving deeper, I realized that I do have assumptions. Little assumptions come off through my body language (eye contact, body stiffness), and tone towards these suppositions. Reflecting back on my upbringing and living in a religious household, I realized that my own mother & her friend’s heterosexist assumptions and homophobic views were enforced onto me. This was an example of how their systems were affected by a larger (society, culture, & religious) systems. The input of religion and traditions of a man and women being a couple or together affected their output (their beliefs) onto me. For example, if I wanted to cut my hair or wear boy clothes (because they were more comfortable), I would get scolded and be questioned about my own sexuality. They impose their ideas that lesbians cut their hair & that boys do not like women with short hair. The power of this one system- religion specifically- plays out within another system- school. According to Ryan and Martin’s (2000) study “1. One significant obstacle will come from the homophobic prejudices or religious beliefs of individual school professionals and administrators (Ryan, 1998). Those schools personnel who believe that same-gender relationships are sinful or repugnant may not provide the atmosphere of acceptance that these families need” (p. 209). The complexities of educating parents and students on sexual minority families in the school system can be met with protest, denial, & unethical thoughts. But as a future educator learning, acknowledging different both parents’ and students’ subsystems and their effect on the larger system can help us understand how to deal with the unknown or their fears.

Overcoming these obstacles won’t be easy but having an open-door policy and supporting through educational opportunities to learn more about the LGTBQ community is essential. Letting parents ask questions can help educators get an insight into their own assumptions or beliefs.

THINKING: 

Looking back I was an ally, bystander, target, and perpetrator in different situations. What I would change is my entire outlook on what I thought were my assumptions and how I could revise the definition of what is an assumption to me or what is my REAL assumptions. My thinking changed after reading the assumption package, the importance of gender roles/stereotypes in today’s society, and when I analyzed myself in different roles. The reading that stood out to me the most was the assumptions on working mothers; according to Okimoto & Helman (2012) “Although balancing work and family commitments is a significant source of strain for working parents, working mothers in traditionally male positions face additional anxiety due to unfounded assumptions about their competence as employees, assumptions rooted in gender stereotypes. However, stereotype-based assumptions can also bias competence impressions of these working mothers in family domains, depicting them as bad parents” (p.704)

MODIFYING MY ECOSYSTEM:

I would use and modify my assumptions in my ecosystem by interrelating my experiences as a first-time mom and the gender stereotypes I face when seeking employment while pregnant. I can also relate to the fear I had of getting rejected and having to hide my pregnancy so more opportunities were available to me. I can also use my ecosystem to empower other mothers that success can happen. And that although it is not easy, if we push ourselves and not focus on the negative, we can do it! Going through the struggle at first, motivated me to strive for more not only for myself but for my son’s future. I would also modify my system to be receptive to the LGBTQ community, accepting their feedback, input & recommendations in making my classroom a safe space for them and their children.

In a conversation, we use a strength-based model, especially with families. We want to focus on what they are capable of doing (their gems) and not create assumptions or use deficit model thinking.

Questions:

What are your assumptions? 

When identifying your assumptions, were you an ally, perpetrator, target, or bystander?

How has an assumption prevented you from networking or building new relationships with others? 

When identifying your role, is it possible for you to change or eliminate your assumption?

References

Okimoto, T. G., & Heilman, M. E. (2012). The “Bad Parent” Assumption: How Gender Stereotypes Affect Reactions to Working Mothers. Journal of Social Issues, 68(4), 704–724. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2012.01772.x

Ryan, D., & Martin, A. (2000). Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Parents in the School Systems. School Psychology Review, 29(2), 207–216. https://doi.org/10.1080/02796015.2000.12086009

[valiantlyleftwonderland]

Hello Leslie. Hoping you and Family be ok. The moments that you spent with your child watching Pokémon are significant for both, nice memory. What coincidence, my son’s favorite movie was Pokémon too. I can visualize the changes that you will bring to your environment as an Educator. It is respectful to celebrate cultural holidays. What will be your holiday activity choice for your classroom? How will you manage cultural customs in your classroom, or an inclusive class?

Hey! Thank you for reaching out! I would love to celebrate different holidays in my classroom, by being culturally responsive as an educator. I am willing to learn and teach others on different holidays celebrated around the world. A specific holiday, that I would like to be a part of would be Holi! The colors, music and joy is beautiful! I think the kids in the classroom would have so much fun. I would manage cultural customs in my classrooms by seeking out guidance to their parents. I want to make sure that I am being culturally responsive to their traditions, values and beliefs while teaching it to others.

[letshaveachat]

What comes to mind when you see the word Entry?

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1976). The experimental ecology of education. Educational Researcher, 5(9), 5. https://doi.org/10.2307/1174755

Task: Discuss what we think about the word Entry and elaborate on it using the conceptual conversation schema. Share your ideas with the class.

This assignment is important to me because it challenged my way of thinking. Just like how we discussed in class, the point of the assignment was to broaden our way of thinking instead of having surface level conversations. Normally through conversations, people have close-ended questions and conversations don’t get very deep, depending on who we are talking to. This assignment helped me be a little more open-minded about conversations and challenged my way of approaching conversations. Everyone shared different thoughts about the word entry which I found very interesting. Initially, I was very confused with the activity, but there’s no right or wrong answer, we are just having a conversation and expanding on our ideas.

Before participating I was thinking about the word entry and thought about its definition. I thought about it as one entering through a doorway and it leading to a path. With the conceptual conversation schema, I decided to choose, Discussion of the abstract meaning of the ideas. I started to expand what I initially thought and elaborated on the word entry. I now started to think of it being an obstacle, an opportunity for others, and an act of going and coming in, the beginning of something.

My thinking has changed because my initial thought was more so surface level and not me expanding my knowledge to what I already know. I decided to challenge myself and work on one conceptual schema that I chose which is, musing related to the concept and its relation to your life. I knew this would be a challenge for me because I do not like talking about personal things unless I’m comfortable with the person I share them with. But it doesn’t have to be too personal, I can talk about the things I see in my community, family and culture.

With my ecosystems, this activity has helped me look at my systems differently. I did struggle with elaborating more about my systems and it’s input and output. Once I figured out how to go about explaining my systems by using conceptual schema, it helped me have a better understanding of how other systems such as family, school, community, and cultural systems can interact with one another and work together. This helped me also raise a question, how are systems changing and evolving? Which made me look at it through the lenses of the system.

This assignment reminded me of (Bronfenbrenner, 1976) stating, “The defining core of an ecological approach to education, namely, it’s focus upon the dynamic relations between learners and their surrounds, with both the person and the environment engaged in reciprocal tensions and activities, and undergoing progressive changes over time.” (p. 8) My approach to the conceptual schema has undergone progressive changes over time during my education, especially because of this class. When I think of concepts I look at them through other systems and how they interact with one another. My surroundings have many systems and they relate to each other one way or another.

Another very important thing mentioned in (Bronfenbrenner, 1976) is “The relation between person and environment has the properties of a system with a momentum of its own; the only way to discover the nature of this inertia, and its interdependencies, is to try to disturb the existing balance.” (p. 6) The relation a person has with their environment and its properties are very important. Just with me thinking about the word entry I think about, opportunities, it being the beginning of something, a decision one is making, this expands to so much. My interpretation of disturbing the existing balance is combining my systems and purposely interjecting them with one another.