Special Thanks!!!

I want to send a special thanks to each and every one of my colleagues. We have grown so much as a collaborative team working towards the same goal “To accomplish learn how to effectively communicate and listen to families, friends, colleagues, and professionals in the field of Early Education.” I am so very proud of each of you. We have made it this far and we are almost towards our ultimate goal, our “Masters in Early Education.” Please continue to grow and support one another the way that you have been. I am pretty sure that we will cross paths again during our continued journey here at Walden. I am eager to see who my colleagues are in the next session. Every one stay encouraged and if you need me you definitely can find me here on my blog. Thanks for the comments, questions, and kind words throughout this session. Continue to inspire one another. –Stay Blessed.

Week 6 - Adjourning

Robin C. Miller                                                                                         EDUC – 6165

Blog Assignment

The group that I worked in that was the hardest for me to say good-bye was my ECE (Early Childhood Education) colleagues and friends at Community College of Philadelphia. I attended there for three years and over that time I have gained many friends and partners in the early childhood field. We worked in groups, presented assignments, community service hours, practicum, went on ece class trips, studied, laughed, cried, celebrated, and graduated together. I loved my team and was proud to be in the early education field. We had our difficult times going through the stages of building a great team. Learning about each other, our similarities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses wasn't always easy. Sometimes, we never made it past the first 3 stages (forming, storming, and norming) but, we pulled through and made it to the last stage together, adjourning. Before our graduation day, we all got together for our last class and had one big good-bye party. We exchanged numbers, email, addresses, and best of luck wishes for the future.

            I do not imagine the same ritual for my colleagues here at Walden to be the same, only because it’s an online school. But, I do believe that everyone will continue to keep in touch through our blogs, Google accounts, and emails to continue our professional relationships while encouraging one another for a prosperous and successful future in the world of early education.  I think adjourning is a critical aspect of team work because it helps people to understand that the job is done, the goal has been accomplished, and the vision was a success. Team members learn that their input was a valuable, which added to the success of the finalization of overall goal and mission of the team. 

Conflict Resolution - Week 5

Robin C. Miller                                                                                           EDUC-6165

Blog Assignment Week 5

            I’ve recently had a bad argument with a good friend of mine over finances. The argument was so intense that we both lost our cool and it caused us to no longer be friends. I know that money shouldn’t ever come between friendships. So, I took it upon myself to be the first to admit my wrongs in the situation. Looking back on all that I have learned this week I see a few strategies that I could have used to make the argument turn into a better conversation. I would use some of the strategies from the Conflict Resolution Network kit. For example, instead of getting defensive early on about the situation I should of used empathetic listening with creative responses to counteract the negative that was being thrown at me. I should have also used to co-operative strategy that clarifies, redirects, finds options, and goes back to the legitimate needs and concerns of the situation. Lastly, I should of managed my emotions differently which would have opened the door for me to begin to negotiate and try and resolve the issue. The most important aspect that I learned about conflict resolution and what to do in any situation is being able respect and value difference.

Just as we are unique and special, so are other people. We all have distinctive viewpoints that may be equally valid from where we stand. Each person's viewpoint makes a contribution to the whole and requires consideration and respect in order to form a complete solution. This wider view can open our eyes to many more possibilities. It may require us to change the mind chatter that says: "For me to be right, others must be wrong" (Conflict Resolution Network., n.d.).

 

References:

Conflict Resolution Network. (n.d.). CR kit. Retrieved from http://www.crnhq.org/pages.phppID=12#skill_3