My Supports
In my daily environment I would consider my
hour of quiet and solitude in the morning with a cup of coffee a support to
helping prepare me for the day ahead actually get up and hour earlier than I
need to get ready so I can enjoy this
time before everyone else awakens. At work am lucky enough to have a wonderful
on site center owner and an Assistant Director who are great supports during
challenging times. We bounce ideas and solutions off of each other and though
we do not always agree we never have to be the sole decision maker in tough
questions. They are also great for venting as it would not be appropriate to
share some information with staff. Technology has become quite a support in
many of the day to day aspects of the position, so much so that we tend to feel
a little lost when the internet as down as so much of the business/paperwork
end of the job cannot be done without it. At home I consider my family as the
most meaningful support of all.
As I
get older I notice I am having to reach for reading glasses more and more for
fine print. I imagine how challenging my job and life would be with a
significant loss of sight. I almost feel my position as a director would be
impossible without sight. I would certainly need to take alternate
transportation to the center. Our center is equipped with braille for sign such
as the restrooms but not within the classrooms. The work done of the computer
could be accomplished with the help of voice technology but I would probably need
someone to handle the paperwork, faculty files I have that are not paperless. I
do not feel that I would successfully be able to complete classroom
observations although I could offer suggestions and interpretations based on another
person’s observation. Without such supports I would certainly not be able to
function in the position of Director can
imagine that the condition could be overwhelming and isolating without proper support.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI also have co-workers that I can bounce ideas off of as well as vent to. I found your other supports to be very interesting. I didn't think about those moments in the day that help get you through such as quiet time with coffee. Chocolate or sweets is my downfall. The point you made about technology can be a double edge sword. The technology is a great support when it is up and running but when it has it glitches it makes you have the need to vent to co-workers and can make you have a need to have a drink as well.
I also sometimes need to pick up my reading glasses for fine print.
ReplyDeleteJennifer I too have the support of my staff and the owner at my facility. This support helps me to do my job and come to work everyday with no stresses or worries. Don't feel bad about the reading glasses. It happens to all of us at one time or another. The challenge of losing your sight would make it very difficult for you to do your job as a director. We spend so much time with paperwork and that in itself would be difficult. How would you handle it? This teaches us the importance of how we deal with those who have disabilities. We could find ourselves in their shoes one day.
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteI also have great teachers who are supportive and understanging. A strong team is a successful school. When I went through my divorce I realized my heart was not at my old school anymore. I had to take a few months to just focus on my self and children. When I came back it was never the same. I took a couple of years off from the Early Childhood Industry. Now that am back and at a new school, I really pur my heart and soul in my school and my new family.
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI also notice my decline in sight. On my blog I also discussed how difficult it would be if I were blind. I didnt even think about how blindness would affect my professional career. I know it would be difficult in my personal life but I would assume I would switch fields or work with children with a similar disability.
Kristina Coleman