When I Reflect About My Collegial, Professional Learning Community

1. one consequence of my experience being a part of a caring, collaborative learning community was I a was able to listen to and get suggestions.

2. The second consequence was the collaborative learning community was resourceful. They were resourceful in different ways, such as being able to express frustrations of our profession, and knowing that someone actually understood where you were coming from.

3. The third consequence was encouragement. Encouragement happened at the time I needed it most, our 7th week. Most times I am my own worst critic, and another classmate gave encouraging comments to our assignment we shared that week.

The one goal for using this collegial experience to enhance my advocacy etc. is to remember that everyone has their own personal opinion. I have a hard time accepting something different than what I am used to. This collaborative learning community has showed me that we all are unique in what we have to bring to the table.

My Hypothetical Family Situation

Our family is made up of two parents. We are not married and we have just moved to this country from Mexico to make a better living. I don't know any English. I am about to have my second child and my ultra-sound has revealed that my baby has cleft lip and palate. My partner has just found work and will be making $8.00 per hour at the local palate company. I cannot work because he will be upset. In our culture it means you are not a man if you can't take care of you family by yourself. Our child that is about to be born will be eligible for Medicaid Insurance but myself and my oldest daughter do not have any insurance. I go to the state hospital for care for me and my baby. I do not have much education. I had to leave school in 3rd grade in Mexico. My partner went to 5th grade and we don't understand much. All of my family lives in Mexico so I have no one to rely on for care of my children. I cannot get a drivers license to drive. I do not understand the test and I have no birth certificate. My husband has to take off work to drive me and my first child to appointments. We have no car but a neighbor lets us use his little truck for appointments. Its very small and we don't have much space. I wish for more help in understanding English. I want to learn more to be able to help my child with her learning but I don't know much myself. I wan to be able to understand the papers that come home from school with my first child, but they are in English. Even if they were in Spanish, I still can't read too good.

The Political Will to Improve Early Childhood Systems

The thing that I found this week that could really be used as a strategy to improve the strand of service I was researching this week-(Early Care and Education) was a campaign ticket. There were new school board members chosen in the county. These members unseated current members who had served more than 10 years. The newly elected members ran on a ticket together for district seats and at-large positions. They felt that if they banded together and ran on the same ticket it would help get them elected. Not only would they get elected but they could help each other in the fight to improve service to children and families in the area. This is one strategy and it appealed to me because I think it is important to have people on your school board who are interested in seeing the best done for children and families. I would want to be one of these people. I was thinking of someday running for a school board position so this was especially important to me.