Temika Mccann

I have come to realize that meaningful relationships are a vital part to one’s life and that each relationship carries a special significance.  I enjoy having different relationships from all walks of life. I enjoy talking about different issues and learning about obstacles people have faced and how those obstacles were overcome.  I also enjoy discussing likes and dislikes amongst a group of friends as well as sharing thought on fears and encouragement. Building close relationships is vital so when you are facing hard times, you can have that friend whom you trust to be there for you. We all need a friend who we can share our problems with. I would like to share a quote that caught my attention.

 A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.  ~Douglas Pagels (2013). I like this quote because it is a give and take quote and I feel that friendships are based on mutual respect.

I have an amazing relationship with my director. She is very knowledgeable in her field and I have learned so much from her. I have great respect for her because she loves what she does and always treats her staff equally and shows love toward each person. I also like the simple fact that she loves to send her staff to trainings in order to help them stay updated on the many changes that are taking place in the field of early childhood development. She is very patient and loves to visit the classrooms often to see how staff is getting along with the children. I am able to be transparent with her and I am so grateful to have her as my director.  She is someone I can learn from as I continue my journey in child development. She makes you want to continue to grow with all of her positive and constructive feedback. With all the different cultures that she has to deal with on a day-to-day basis, she respects each family for who they are regardless of race, religion, gender and she always says, “ families or first.”

I am so grateful to have a loving and caring mom who means so much to me. I am thankful that I can share just about anything with her. For example, I can always talk to her about things that may be bothering me in my personal life and fears I need to overcome. I am grateful that she is not only my mom, she is also my friend. My mom has always supported me and helped me with my children. She is there to help me  go through whatever I may have to face, even though it is out of her control, she is always by my side. I am grateful to have a Christian mom who loves the Lord and brought me up in church.  Just to see her still standing with all the battles she has experienced gives me much hope.  When I am faced with difficult issues, I think of her strength and know I can handle anything. I am grateful that she helped out in my classroom when I was younger. As I was growing up, she helped and supported me in every way she could.  I highly respect my mom and she respects me. Having this type of relationship with my mom, the love and respect we share will not only strengthen me as a person but will help me continue to strive for the best. I realize that no matter what I face in life, she will be there for me. My mom always shares with me how she is so proud of me.  This pride will help me continue along my journey in life.  

                I have a helpful, optimistic connection with my co-worker. She is someone I can share all my problems and work related challenges with. I am grateful to have this relationship because she motivates and empowers me. I feel that you should always have one person at work who can help you through different challenges that you might be facing. Relationships like this help each build mutual respect. A strong relationship with a coworker helps you handle whatever you might be facing on your job or in your personal life. I feel that in order to develop a mutual partnership, both partners must have respect for one another and accept the other person for who they are. Having this type of relationship with a co-worker is an awesome feeling!

I believe that we all experience some type of bias in a relationship. Because we all come from different backgrounds and perspectives, forming relationships can be difficult and challenging. Sometimes I feel that not speaking a particular language can make communication with families difficult, so I have to come up with creative methods to help me communicate effectively in order to keep that open and trusting relationship. One way I can do this is by having an interpreter come and translate for me. I feel that often times parents are always on the go and never have that much time to talk and spend quality time with their children. I have seen this to be a huge challenge as I have worked in the field of child-development.  After offering to send emails, I was told by some of my parents that they didn’t have time to check email.  As for me, I have found that the best way to communicate with my parents is to set up a meeting in advance so parents can plan to spend some time with me to discuss their child. 

I feel when staff members are faced with personal issues that come up unexpectedly, I feel we as educators need to be there to support them. For example, teachers should always step in when given a last minute notice to help out in another classroom. I feel when things need to be done around the school and when we have free time on our hands instead of complaining, lend a helping hand to a fellow co-worker, director or even a family. I believe in respect, trust and integrity.  I despise when educators talk about each other’s families amongst each other. I feel that is so unprofessional.  The old saying says if you don’t have anything good to say about someone don’t say it anything at all. I myself do not like tearing anyone I work with down. I would rather build them up. We have to realize when we are not happy at our work site this can affect the classroom flow and the learning of the children can be effected as well. I am so thankful that I have always been the peacemaker where ever I go. I have always led by example because actions speak louder than words. I believe we need to treat other how we want to be treated and that this will have a huge impact on relationships. 

Overall, I truly believe that the interaction between families, community and parents will have a positive impact in child development. I have discovered that when educators bond with families a better understanding is developed which can help each child excel to his/her full potential. I feel we as educators need to encourage parents and help them by sharing different resources so in difficult times, they have a place to turn.

Have a bless week!

Reference

Pagels, D. (2014).Friends are one of the nicest Retrieved from http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/46504-a-friend-is-one-of-the-nicest-things-you-can