I am obsessively checking the results from our survey-I love this tool. I love the way you can click your way to finding the results of each question. I love that in 1 day 43 people have responded! This tool is one that will be used again....
Venue research is up next....it seems that once a place is found all other aspects will follow!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
How many journeys you ask?
Life in itself is a journey. Where I am in my life... there are a lot of journeys all wrapped in to my being. Sounds crazy but so true. I think at 41, I am figuring out finally who I am, what I need, whom I want to spend time with...some things are steady in my world...my own fantastic children, my wonderful husband, my lifelong friends, my extended family.
I have ventured out on some journeys more recently that have had a combination of goals....the goal to be healthy, the goal to be active, the goal to exist without one of my children living under the same roof, the goal to prepare for the other child to fly the coop next year. The goal to become more educated in the field that has brought me so much reward. There are probably a million more....In this process I have met some amazing people that I am sure are now what will be life long friends. I feel like a very wealthy person, not in the way that I have expensive cars-I don't! or that I have fancy clothes-definitely don't! or that my house is perfect-it isn't! I am rich because of the people in my life....in every aspect. Each person touches my world in a way they truly may not know and I am so fortunate.
I often refer to the book "The Three Questions" By Leo Tolstoy. I use it when reaching adults even though it is a child's picture book. It talks about the three questions in which a boy sets out to try and answer...they are:
"What is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?"
"Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."
My journey continues....
Ellen
I have ventured out on some journeys more recently that have had a combination of goals....the goal to be healthy, the goal to be active, the goal to exist without one of my children living under the same roof, the goal to prepare for the other child to fly the coop next year. The goal to become more educated in the field that has brought me so much reward. There are probably a million more....In this process I have met some amazing people that I am sure are now what will be life long friends. I feel like a very wealthy person, not in the way that I have expensive cars-I don't! or that I have fancy clothes-definitely don't! or that my house is perfect-it isn't! I am rich because of the people in my life....in every aspect. Each person touches my world in a way they truly may not know and I am so fortunate.
I often refer to the book "The Three Questions" By Leo Tolstoy. I use it when reaching adults even though it is a child's picture book. It talks about the three questions in which a boy sets out to try and answer...they are:
"What is the best time to do each thing? Who are the most important people to work with? What is the most important thing to do at all times?"
"Remember that there is only one important time and is Now. The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion. The most important person is always the person with whom you are, who is right before you, for who knows if you will have dealings with any other person in the future. The most important pursuit is making that person, the one standing at you side, happy, for that alone is the pursuit of life."
My journey continues....
Ellen
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
surveys and other stuff
Today I learned how to use survery monkey to create a survey in preparation for the planning of our Vermont Family Child Care Conference. My favorite part of that process (my favorite word again) was reading the questions back to my professional cohort and one of my best friends Laura and hearing her say, "You are so good at that!"
Monday, February 21, 2011
beginning stages of planning our state conference
Tonight at a training that my co-facilitator and I did we started to talk about crunch time in planning. There is a lot of work to be done in a short amount of time for our state wide conference. I am learning the values of our world wide web, social media and the ability to have instant contact with people. Trying to figure out what questions we need to ask family child care providers in order to figure out what should be offered for key note speakers and presenters. Trying to appeal to a large group and attract a good number will be the challenge. Venue and food seems almost too easy of a task....it is the other logistics that tend to be the challenge! Am focusing on ways of using the people I know to get what is needed and to draw on past experiences of what people have enjoyed. Wondering how people would feel if we tied it in with quality standards or some other type of core standards???? I guess they would have to really understand why the two would be connected.
Off to sleep on it and come up with a list of survey questions. Dreaming of Hawaii in 8 short weeks!!
Until next time~
Ellen
Off to sleep on it and come up with a list of survey questions. Dreaming of Hawaii in 8 short weeks!!
Until next time~
Ellen
What does the future hold?
I am venturing out on a new journey. A journey that I hope will gain a few followers along the way. I am sure that as with any journey, there will be a lot for me to learn in the process.
Process is a word I like to use often-I use it to describe how I go about teaching young children and even parents of those children. Describing process and the steps that go in to a process says a lot about a person's (children and adults) development. Out of process sometimes comes product-sometimes this is a reward from hard work. What I hope though, is that the process will be a journey of learning to be a humble leader, a strong follower and to use my lessons learned to inspire others.
For me this process is about a \ project that was born out of a little proposal. What has transpired since it was submitted to The National Association For Family Child Care (NAFCC) has been exciting, nerve wracking and is shaping up for what will truly be an adventure like no other . NAFCC made the decision which proposals were forwarded to the World Global Forum for Early Care and Education. I was informed about 2 weeks ago that I would be attending the World Forum in May, 2011...in.....wait for it.....yes, Hawaii. This is exciting news for a native Vermont girl!
The project at this point and time will be to implement a regional conference that will use a Vermont model that is currently being developed. There will be more details to follow about this.
For now though I will focus on the process of preparing for a trip to a new place, for a new adventure. I could not be more excited!
Until next time....
Ellen
Process is a word I like to use often-I use it to describe how I go about teaching young children and even parents of those children. Describing process and the steps that go in to a process says a lot about a person's (children and adults) development. Out of process sometimes comes product-sometimes this is a reward from hard work. What I hope though, is that the process will be a journey of learning to be a humble leader, a strong follower and to use my lessons learned to inspire others.
For me this process is about a \ project that was born out of a little proposal. What has transpired since it was submitted to The National Association For Family Child Care (NAFCC) has been exciting, nerve wracking and is shaping up for what will truly be an adventure like no other . NAFCC made the decision which proposals were forwarded to the World Global Forum for Early Care and Education. I was informed about 2 weeks ago that I would be attending the World Forum in May, 2011...in.....wait for it.....yes, Hawaii. This is exciting news for a native Vermont girl!
The project at this point and time will be to implement a regional conference that will use a Vermont model that is currently being developed. There will be more details to follow about this.
For now though I will focus on the process of preparing for a trip to a new place, for a new adventure. I could not be more excited!
Until next time....
Ellen
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