A Word of Thanks

Dear colleagues,

I would like to first say that I have enjoyed all of your information and shared resources you have shared over the past eight weeks. I have come to know most of you on a more professional online level through us replying to each other’s discussions on the discussion board and, our blogs. I have also enjoyed the positive feedback that has helped me view others information in a positive way understanding that it is okay to agree to disagree while still working together toward a common goal with positive results.

Therefore as you all continue to pursue your professional, and personal goals I wish you all the best in everything you do in order that you may be able to help others in which ever professional field you choose.  

Thank you all

Edith Flinn

Adjourning

One of the hardest groups to say good-bye to was doing the time of receiving my associate’s degree. Doing this time the age group within the classes that we attended consist of mixed ages of women and a few men. We all became very close understanding that some had just graduated from high school and some of us had changed our profession into the field of early childhood education. During this time we became very close by helping each other in different areas of learning. Furthermore, I never notice anyone looking down on each other as though they knew more or was superior over another. As a result we all had a clear understanding that we were there for the same thing and that was not just to receive our associate degree but to help those around us succeed as well. Therefore the adjourning stage was a sad time for most of us because some were going to different colleges to continue their education and I was relocating to another state. For this reason I could say that high-performing groups are the hardest to leave if there has been a positive bond made, which in our case it was.

As time came near the end we all thought about how we could say good-bye in a way that would not make us as sad when separating. So we decided to have something like a family reunion after our graduation ceremony. It was wonderful we all invited our families and a couple of our instructors even attended with their families. Here we could share memories and share our views of our future in what we planned on continuing with what we had learned thus far.

However in thinking of adjourning from my online colleagues and not being able to see them face-to-face I thought it would not be difficult. Nonetheless I find that it will be just as hard as it was with my face-to-face colleagues. Therefore I feel when it is that time to adjourn I will be glad for our blog’s we have made. I feel I can directly contact each colleague and thank them personally for sharing in this wonderful experience while working on my master’s degree. For this reason alone I feel adjourning is an essential stage of teamwork because it shows others that their being a part of the group/team was appreciated, and valued.   

 

Strategies to manage and resolve conflict more productively

I recently had a small disagreement with the director of our center on what task are appropriate for members in the prek program to be doing that in other wise is not considered a part of their job description. Normally we do not have a problem in helping out when other parts of the center is shorthanded but we were told specifically not to be doing these things because we work in prek division.  However such task that we are being asked to do, we should not be doing them, and would not be doing them if state or any other higher authority were present.  Even though I do like helping out whenever possible, but I do not like putting my job in jeopardy if something was to happen.

Furthermore I explained my feelings, and situation to the director and asked if there was some way that they could get more help. But she said she would be responsible if something went wrong. But hearing this only made me more aware that she was not taking my feelings or any of the other staff feelings into consideration or hearing what I was saying about being truthful, and honest in what we are doing.

Therefore I feel nothing was solved and I would likely have to look into the CNVC training which states “Nonviolent Communication skills will assist you in dealing with major blocks to communication such as demands, diagnoses and blaming. In CNVC trainings you will learn to express yourself honestly without attacking. This will help minimize the likelihood of facing defensive reactions in others. The skills will help you make clear requests. They will help you receive critical and hostile messages without taking them personally, giving in, or losing self-esteem. These skills are useful with family, friends, students, subordinates, supervisors, co-workers and clients, as well as with your own internal dialogues”.

Reference

https://www.cnvc.org/Training/NVC-Concepts