Time Well Spent

I wanted extend my gratitude to all my professors, and classmates in providing me with the support throughout the 18 month journey.

LIFELONG LEARNING MATTERS

I always wanted to continue my education but was not finanically able and was afraid of job security, but the desire to overtook the fears. At first, it was a struggle working fourty hours a week with schoolwork. It was tough to keep the work-life, school-life, home-life , and personal-life all balanced. I was extremely anxious when I began this journey. I did not know what to expect. I did not know if I could do it, however with the support from teachers, classmates, family, friends, and keeping the faith that in God all things are possible, I was able to complete my program and graduate. I could not have done this without the support of everyone involved. Not only have I grown professionally, but I have grown personally as well. Taking part in the Masters in Early Childhood Diversity program has made a better person, giving me a completely different vision of what diversity means, skills that I can use both in the classroom as well as interpersonal skill that will help we throughout my lifetime. Completing the program allows me a sense of personal satisfaction as well as the knowledge that allows me to be a better educator. The cliché, “knowledge is power” applies in my case.

The course, EDUC 6163/EDUC 5163: Building Research Competencies has help me to developed the ability to do advance research. I have found that research provides the essential knowledge that values and promotes children's development and reduces issues occurring with children. I have found more ease in the process of teacher reseach and I can now find valuable and creditable information.

EDUC 6165 Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field, taught me that their many resources at my fingertips through collaboration with colleagues and organizations that support and foster early childhood learning, and that communication is important in all aspects of life, but especially in early childhood.

Most of all EDUC 6164 Perspectives on Diversity and Equity (Walden University, 2021) help me with understanding and respecting the diversity and individuality of every child and family and understanding of the intricacies of diversity, scrutinizing my own biases so that I am able to effectively work with and advocate for all children and families (Derman-Sparks & Olsen Edwards, 2010). This course was most benefitical to me because it defined, analyzed forms of microaggressions, biases, prejudices, oppressions and isms, and I was able to discover and evaluate ways to overcome them and stand up for children and their families in relation to discrimination.

I plan on sharing and introducing my gained knowledge with colleagues during our PLC meetings, wh families at the beginning of the year at our open house, and continue to incorporate anti-bias education into my daily curriculcum.

I would love staying in contact with everyone on your sucessful careers and sharing our resources here is my contact information. Cynthia Hunt email: ooxx@ec.rr.com

"Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." Lou Holtz

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).