Final Research Paper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final Research Paper

Mayra De la Riva

Fresno State

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will be conducting field work and I will be conducting some participant observation. I will be observing for three hours on two different occasions. My research will occur at multiple preschool program sites. I want to find out how the staff members act when they are interacting with parents and with each other. I also want to find more about the reason why they teach, if it's simply because they are used to it or is there a bigger purpose behind it. I want to find out if they actually have a passion for the subject or are, they just doing it to get paid. I want to find out how they prepare themselves to teach their class and to begin their day. I want to learn more about the pre-school program and their purpose.

For my research I will be interviewing individuals that have a tie with the group that I am observing. Some of these individuals are members of the groups and one of them is a parent who is also a member of the group. This individual has her child enrolled in the program and she volunteers and spends certain days at the school and also with some staff members from the organization. I collected a total of 30 sources that include information and data about my specific group. My sources were gathered from different websites, including my group's agency's website and documents from the employee handbook. These sources were related to specific nodes that I will use to code my data.

Literature Review

The looking glass self was described by Cooley as how the individuals look at themselves (Dillon). Symbolic interaction is the everyday social interaction with individuals and the analysis of how people use symbols to construct meaning (Dillon). Socialization teaches us how to socialize with other individuals. Erving Goffman explained how social roles are the expected behavior of ourselves for whatever role we are playing. Some  examples of that are daughter, mother, or student these roles have been pre-established by society (Dillon).

Erving Goffman believed that us, members of society live in a daily play where all individuals are living their lives playing a specific role. Individuals are playing the role that society is expecting from them. Goffman explained that we believe in the presentation of self; we are the performers in our daily lives. We pay attention to our self-identity in the role that we play, and we are always acting (Dillon).  According to what Goffman believed is that individuals are always performing their specific role and we are always acting. Individuals face day-to-day interactions and we conduct our own performances based on what is expected from us (Dillon). There are even some specific rituals such as waving and handshaking that are expected from us on almost daily interactions. We always have an audience when we are performing our roles, our audience are the other members of society. We all have a back-stage performance, which is when we are being ourselves when we know no one is observing us. We also have the term front stage, which is when we act or perform a certain way because we know there is an audience witnessing our performance.

                 According to Jonathan H. Turner, symbolic interaction theory has been divided  into two basic issues: face to face interactions between individuals and interaction in social structures. Role taking has to do with situational norms such as: labeling a person and situations as well as the way the person speaks and their body language (Turner). The other norms are usually keying frames, the form of interaction, and the emotions being felt or expressed (Turner). The setting of  where the meeting is taking place can differentiate how the individual talks or acts. The individual's behavior or mood can change depending on who is around. For example, I can be at a soccer game and act like a sports fan based on the current situation and location, compared to being in class and being quiet and focused.  

                 Society is always expecting a way for the individual to perform and it is part of our daily norms. According to Turner, there are four levels of identity in the interaction process. The levels include role identities, group identity, social identity, and core identity. Role identity is when an individual is playing a specific role depending on the setting. For example, a person will be playing the role of an employee when he or she is at work. We try so hard to play our role and meet other persons expectations, we try so hard to create a good first impression. Group identity is the way you associate yourself with a particular group, social identity is the sense of self, and core identity is the essence of who you are as a person.

                  The term symbolic interactionism was first known by Blumer in 1937 (Stryker). Symbolic interaction theory was created born upon the idea of the term symbolic interactionism, but it is different based on the relationship between human interactions and behaviors between themselves and society . The environment shapes and triggers the person's behavior. Symbolic interactionist framework is how we observe ourselves from the viewpoint of others. Role taking is the way we are supposed to act in a specific situation depending on the people present and depending on the setting (Stryker). Role making is altering the way we act based on the way that society expects us to act. Symbolic interactionism welfares from the validity in the attention given to its ideas compared to social psychology whom relies on the social understanding (Stryker).

The author suggests that Mead's ideas can be traced in a traditional philosophical thought. He  suggests that Meads ideas also overlap with those of other sociologists. Stryker also mentions how there is no single version of symbolic interaction theory that actually pleases the core ideas of it. There are three main cores premises; the first requires that the participants interaction must be incorporated and not just the perspective of the observer. Second requires the self or persons reflexive responses to themselves be a part of the construction of the social interaction of those individuals. Third asks that the social interaction must derive from both the social organization and the self (Stryker).

 

Methods

When starting an ethnographic research, you must be prepared with a location and ready to interact with people. The researcher is usually encouraged to begin this process with a group and setting that they are familiar with or that they are already part of. Another important aspect in searching for a good setting is to make sure that it can be affordable, some places can be expensive. Public spaces are usually recommended (Warren and Karner 2015:58). First impressions are always important so make sure that you dress to impress and that you act and talk professional. Present yourself in a nice way that will create a first good impression in your group (Warren and Karner 2015:61). Make sure to demeanor in whatever the setting is suitable to (Warren and Karner 2015:63).

            There are specific persons that you should be mindful of in your group. One person that you might discover is what would be called a gatekeeper, that is the person that gives you access to the group (Warren and Karner 2015:69). This person will be the one to help you in that setting while conducting your research so you will want to have a good relationship with this individual. Another member of the group might be recognized as the key informant, this is the person from the group that you usually go back and check in with (Warren and Karner 2015:71).  Once you are in your desired setting you will begin to shadow someone from your group and start observing and taking notes(Warren and Karner 2015:73). Always make sure to write your notes thoroughly, if possible, maybe record to get some more detail. After taking notes you must go back and read your notes and add in depth detail of what you observed (Warren and Karner 2015 :73).

            You want to gain trust and be accepted by the group that you are observing. People incorporate different into groups depending on how you see yourself in that setting and also based on race, gender, religion, and appearance (Warren and Karner 2015:77). Always be precautious, always be aware of your surroundings and stay in public places. Try to meet with your interviewees in public places and if you feel uncomfortable then don't go or meet with that person. Once you are done with your observations be sure to leave the field in good terms, with good notes. Writing field notes is  very important asset to create a successful research (Warren and Karner 2015:103) Notes must be precise and in think detail description. Thick description is the detailed notes in your field experience  so that includes statuses, people, their behavior, and role accents, etc.

Interviewing in qualitative research is more than just an interview , you are actually creating a conversation with the individual (Warren and Karner 2015:119). There are different types of qualitative interviews: oral history and in depth/intensive interviews (Warren and Karner 2015:120). There are different ways to interview, phone, face-to-face, electronically, usually it is best to do face-to-face interviews, so you get to interact in a more profound way with the interviewee. Also, if  you are doing the interview in person you get to make eye contact with the interviewee, and you get to see the person's face expressions. When beginning the interview make sure you have adequate time and you are prepared (Warren and Karner 2015:137). Be sure to have you recording device ready and with enough storage. If you are taking notes on paper, be prepared with your materials. There are tips to have a good interview. Make sure to have empathy with your interviewee, build a trust and understand the interviewees emotions (Warren and Karner 2015:157). Probe for more answers and if needed also probe for theories. Make your interviewee feel like you actually validate them and have strong emotions (Warren and Karner 2015:159).

The analysis process is to think back and remember what your purpose of your research was and what you hope to accomplish by the end of the process (Warren and Karner 2015:210).  There are two steps to begin writing your analysis, one is to organize your data and the second one is to choose your technology method. To become familiar with your data, you must begin coding. First maintain a master copy, and organize data by chronological order, and make sure to save all your work step-by-step (Warren and Karner 2015:215).

Decide on the software that you will be using such as NVivo and transcribe your documents (Warren and Karner 2015:216). Use correct grammar and organize data. Prepare all your materials whether you copy and paste or whether you need the physical copies (Warren and Karner 2015:241). Don't expect perfection, be aware of the body of your paper and that it begins with an abstract then an introduction followed by literature review which is where you present your work to the reader. The methods section is next, you will explain how you completed your research, what did you use such as settings, images. Most importantly to always state where was your data collected and any special tribulations that occurred during the research (Warren and Karner 2015:261). The analysis is the most important thing in your paper, this is where you list your findings and results. You are to interpret all your findings in this section (Warren and Karner 2015:264). Include a strong conclusion with an overview of all the research (266) At the end make sure to edit and revise your research paper (Warren and Karner 2015:268).

 

Methods: Ethnography

My first observation was at a pre-school site in Fresno that consisted of four staff members and serves a total of 37 children. This first observation was an hour long and it occurred in the morning before the teacher began teaching her class. My second observation occurred at another pre-school with four staff members and it was over two hours long. The second observation was conducted with the teacher director and also occurred during a parent meeting. I focused on five different theories status, roles, front stage, backstage, and thick description. I used the software NVivo to help me organize and code my data. This software also helped me create different word queries. I will use the software NVivo to code my data into five different main nodes: front stage, back stage, status, role, and thick description.

Methods: Interviews

I interviewed four different people, three of them are employees or staff members of the group that I observed. One of the interviewees is a teacher director of a center/school and she is also teaches a class at that specific school. The other person that I interviewed is a teacher for the afternoon class, she explained how she has other duties assigned aside from being a teacher. The  following person is a health assistant, this person assists the nurse in helping the children and families. The fourth person I interviewed is a parent that has a child enrolled in the program. I used the software NVivo to help me organize and code my data. This software also helped me create different word queries. I will use the software NVivo to code my data into five different main nodes: thick description, status, roles, meaningful actions, and front stage and back stage.

Methods: Content Analysis

I used sources like EBSCOhost and the agency's national website (nha) to gather my data. I gathered a copy of the employee's manual and handbook and gathered relevant information for my research. I also included one flyer which is what the agency uses to invite parents to the Local Parent Committee (LPC) meetings. I used the software NVivo to help me organize and code my data. This software also helped me create different word queries. I will use the software NVivo to code my data into five different main nodes: agency frame, identity frame, injustice, prognosis, and ruling text.

 

            Status

 I asked her how long she has been employed in this program and she mentioned that she has been employed for over 30 years. This surprised because 30 years is a long time and to be doing the same thing for that long made me realize that she has a passion for teaching.

She loves what she does. She explained that she has a passion for teaching, and she enjoys getting up every day to go to work. She loves children and loves to see how much they learn every day. She shared that this has become a daily routine and just to know how much of a difference she makes in these children lives keeps her motivated.

 

She also said that she in charge of the center, so she oversees the site and supervises the staff. It can be stressful because even though it is a small site, she still has to teach a class, so it is like she is  a principal and a teacher.

…it can be overwhelming to be a director because you have to do work orders as well, so if something messes up (like plumbing issues or anything) she has to contact her supervisor who has her office in downtown where the headquarters of the organization is located. She also mentioned that she has to do orders like supplies for the center such as paper towels, toilet paper, and hand soap. She also said that she in charge of the center, so she oversees the site and supervises the staff.

Trisha must always maintain a positive attitude and act professional no matter what.

It can be a little challenging to deal with certain parents, parents sometimes are in a bad mood and don't even say hello or a simple good morning. Some parents bring their children late to school and you can't make a comment because they get upset at you.

Role

There were different roles being played at the Local Parent Committee Meeting.

Some parents played a specific role in the meeting, whom were the LPC officers. There was a parent who was a chairperson, another parent was a delegate, there was a parent who was the  treasurer, another parent was the secretary, and lastly there was a parent who was the vice-chairperson.

Mary was playing her role and preparing the breakfast for the children.

Mary goes to the kitchen and she begins serving six jars of milk, puts two on each table.  Prepares breakfast (opens bags of cereals) Cheerios and puts them in three big bowls and places one bowl in each table. She then places a total of six bowls, six napkins, and six spoons on each of the tables.

Mary has other duties alongside her role as a teacher and teacher director. She must go outside and verify that it is safe outside for the children.

She explains that she must go outside to verify that there is no trash or debris in the playground. She notices that the slide is a little wet, so she grabbed  paper towels and begins to dry it. Marie grabs a solution, which includes half water and half soap and begins to disinfect the tables

Thick Description

My first day of observation began at 7:30 in the morning and the weather was a little cold, it was about 56 degrees according to my phone. The center is located in an elementary school, so it is just one big classroom that includes a small little kitchen, three tables, one big room with two-bathroom stalls for the children, one adult bathroom, and two offices.

My second observation was at a different pre-school site, but the classrooms looked pretty similar. The weather was 68 degrees Fahrenheit and it was 11:30 in the morning. I observed the teacher director during her break and during the parent meeting. There was a total of 16 parents present of different ages and ethnicities. 

The center was fairly small, and I noticed that some of the wallpaper was peeling, so I realized that the center must have been there for a long time. I also noticed that the blind on the window were an off-white color compared to them being their original color white.

Front-Stage

The teacher director was playing her front-stage role by presenting in front of the parents and letting them know about the current things happening at the school.        

The teacher director announced the curriculum which is "Learning through play". She went a little in depth about what the curriculum was, which was about how much social and cognitive skills children develop through play.

She then went on to talk about the curriculum and what the focus will be on.

The Teacher Director explained that the next curriculum will be on focused on "Trees". She asked the parents to please take the time to show their children the different types of trees and if they have time to explain the different parts of the tress, such as the roots, tree trunk, branches, bark texture, and the leaves.

 

Trisha had a specific posture while she was in the front-stage compared to when she is in the backstage, which was when she was on her break.

In front of the parents Trisha was being very nice to her staff and very polite. She always kept a straight body posture, then when we went to the office, she was more relaxed and used more common words. She did a very good job at conducting the meeting and announcing to the parents the curriculum that their children will be focusing on.

 

Backstage

Trisha went to go take her break and she got really comfortable and seemed to relax.

The teacher went to her desk and lowered her chair and went to the refrigerator and got her sparkling water and she explained that she was going to take her break, which is 15 minutes long.

 

In the backstage, Trisha opened up and was explaining of things that she does that other people are not aware of. Parents think she is just a teacher or a director,  but there are more job duties that she needs to do.

She also mentioned that she has to do orders like supplies for the center such as paper towels, toilet paper, and hand soap. She also said that she in charge of the center, so she oversees the site and supervises the staff.

 

Thick Description

The interviewee describes in detail her organization and what type of group setting she is involved in.

Respondent: I appreciate the diversity of this group and we have very positive expectations that unify  the group. The expectations are that we are friendly and kind, we are respectful, we are safe and healthy, and we are responsible. So, I feel that these expectations reflect my own values, so I am, and I feel very positive about that being part of this group.

           

            Trisha explains what her workforce is all about and the types of practices that this group performs.

Interviewer: Okay and how does this organization work or what is going on here?

Respondent: This is a very effective Workforce. We follow the pyramid system. Some of the policies that promote and sustain the use of evidence-based practices. This Workforce is about parent family and Community engagement. It is about School Readiness. It is about research-based curriculum and most of all it's about having open communication between all components within the workforce.

 

This parent is very satisfied with the program and explains in detail how it has beneficial for her family.

Respondent: I think I would say is if people ask me about this program, I would highly recommend it. For them and their kids, I think it's more beneficial like if the parents work, it is easier for them you know their kids are in good hands they are also learning, and they are being fed and for the kids they will become more independent they'll learn more about their numbers, colors, shapes, letters, about sharing and being healthy. I think that's it.

 

Status

            The teacher explained that another one of her job titles is also babysitter because she takes care of children while the parents are at the meeting.

 

Yes, that's also added on if we don't have any babysitters to watch the kids when we have our parent meeting then yes, we are the babysitters. We have to be out there and keep an eye on the kids while the meeting is going on.

 

This interviewee's status in the program is the status of being a parent. 

Interviewer: Well thank you for taking time out of your day to meet with me so I'm going to ask you a few questions. What is your role in this program? What role do you play?

Respondent: I am a parent of a child who attends this program.

Interviewer: And what do you think of the program?

Respondent: I see this program is very helpful to not just me but also my kid.

The teacher director described herself as being the leader of the group since oversees the center and the staff.

Interviewer: Do you consider yourself the leader of the group?

Respondent: I think it is important to remember that I set the tone for the environment, so it's important to bring a positive energy to this group.
So, yes, I think I am the leader of the group.

 

Roles

            The teacher director has many duties, which are many roles that she must play throughout her day.

 

Respondent: My main job duties of course are to supervise children their health and safety. Having a research-based curriculum. Following a research-based curriculum and making sure that the center runs smoothly and that we have all the have all the supplies and materials that we need to.

 

The teacher responded that she believes that the teacher director plays the role of the leader for the whole center, but the teacher plays the role of the leader when she is in the classroom.

Respondent: Well we have a small center and we have a teacher director so I see her as the leader of the group and so you know I have to follow policies and procedures and follow her guidance. But as far as in the classroom you know when it's my class then I see myself as being the leader in the class and I lead the class and I lead my team and I lead the children.

           

            The director for the site shared that every individual plays a specific role and has specific job duties, but they are team and help each other out.

 

Respondent: And everybody does play a specific role everybody does have specific job descriptions that they carry out, but we are always there to help each other. If somebody needs to step out or somebody not available that day, we are here to take messages. We give them assistance we all assist each other as well as a full-fill our particular job duties.

Meaningful Actions

           

The interviewee describes in detail that this group is very positive and thanks to this they are unified. This group has and believes in expectations.

 

Respondent: I appreciate the diversity of this group and we have very positive expectations that unify  the group. The expectations are that we are friendly and kind, we are respectful, we are safe and healthy, and we are responsible. So, I feel that these expectations reflect my own values, so I am, and I feel very positive about that being part of this group.

 

The teacher director is proud to be part of this organization because it is doing something positive for the children, they are creating a better future for the children.

 

Respondent: I feel proud to be of service within this organization. We have a high-quality Early Childhood environment that promotes positive outcomes for all children. So, I am very proud to be part of this agency.

 

            Trisha has a very positive attitude and believes that anybody can make a difference in people's lives.

Respondent: That the way you conduct yourself as a human being will make a difference in the environment around you so that it's not just ,it's not about being a role model it's just about being the best that you can be.      

 

Front-Stage / Backstage:

            The health assistant stated that she acts and dresses up a certain way at work compared to when she is at home.

Respondent: Yes, okay because right here I have to act professional and at home I am a mom, more relaxed. Okay and then professional like you have to watch what you say. I dressed up more professional and at home just more relaxed.

 

The teacher described that she feels like she is two different persons. At home, she is a mother and does things that she wouldn't do at work.

 

Interviewer: Do you feel like you act a certain way when you're here at school or here at work compared to when you're at home or out in public?

 

Respondent: When I'm at home I have a mother mode where you know I have to act like a mother teach my kids you know like a mother, and being a minority, I have my roots where I come from. So, I raise my children the way I was brought up and also according to where you know our family comes from where our roots are so there's things that I do at home that I would not do at work. There're things that I would teach my kids at home or discipline them at home that I wouldn't do at school.

 

Ciara shared that she must act professional at work and she must follow guidelines and procedures, and that she must keep how she acts at home over at her home. She feels that she needs to act a certain way, or the parents might get offended or upset.

 

…At school I have to be very professional, I have follow you know the laws and regulations and guidelines and procedures so I wouldn't you know I wouldn't be able to bring what I teach my kids at home to teach them at school because their might be parents that might get offended or you know what I teach my kids at home might not be might not be…I couldn't find that word…might not be appropriate.

 

CONTENT ANALYSIS PAPER

            Agency Frame

            This quote from the employee handbook for the agency's employees is handed to each employee when they are hired. This quote describes the history of the agency and the purpose of this agency.

In 1965 the agency was created to obtain equality of opportunity in education, employment, health and living conditions. To achieve this goal, nearly 1,000 locally based Community Action Agencies were established throughout the nation. This organization is one of these agencies.

 

This quote describes what the organization is trying to achieve. The goal of this organization is to prepare low income children to develop in a variety of ways.

The purpose of this agency is to promote the school readiness of low-income children by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development in two ways:

1. The learning environment will support children's growth in language, literacy, mathematics, science, creative arts, physical skills, emotional function, and approaches to learning, and:

2.   Each family will be provided with health, educational, nutritional, social, and other services when necessary based on the family's needs assessments. This Preschool currently serves approximately 3,019 children throughout the County in over 34 centers and 18 Home Base areas.

 

This is a quote is a testimony from a parent that participated in the program. This parent describes how helpful the program was not only for her child, but also for herself. The staff provided support and encouraged her to become involved in her child's education.

 "I was a single mother of three and had my first child at fifteen. I had not completed high school. Through the support of my Director, I volunteered at the center and went back to school. I became involved in my children's education and our community. I would not have broken the cycle of poverty and uneducated women in my family if it had not been for this program." Yoli, Parent Pico Rivera, California

 

This passage is the mission and vision of the agency as a whole.

Mission and Vision:

The agency's vision is to lead - to be the untiring voice that will not be quiet until every vulnerable child is served with the agencies model of support for the whole child, the family and the community - and to advocate - to work diligently for policy and institutional changes that ensure all vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed. The organization's mission is to coalesce, inspire, and support the program field as a leader in early childhood development and education.

 

Identity Frame

The identity frame of the agency is included in the Employee Handbook.

In addition to the Employee Handbook, this handbook was also prepared for you to study and keep handy with you in your new position. You are a part of the program and the organization. You represent the program, the agency, our office, and your own local center. In working with the public and the children, and with each other, it is very important to represent the agency well. It is a program which depends on teamwork and public relations. Most of all, we will be judged by what we do for children and their families.

 

The frame of the agency consists of not only promoting education but also emotional, social, health, and nutritional services for all children in the program and their families.

What is this group?

This group provides comprehensive educational, emotion, social, health, and nutritional services for preschool aged children (3-5 yrs.) and their families. Children are provided with a variety of age-appropriate early childhood education/learning experiences. They participate in indoor and outdoor play and are encouraged to express their feelings. Meals are served to every child along with a snack when they arrive. Parent involvement is encouraged by parents volunteering in the classroom, attending local parent meetings at each center and making decisions regarding their child's education. Families are provided with assistance and referrals to various agencies and resources that may be needed.

 

The agency must follow certain guidelines and performance standards in order to continue receiving grants and to continue providing services to families.  

PROGRAM/SCHOOL READINESS GOALS: Each agency receiving a grant (the Grantee) is required to write Program Goals and School Readiness Goals. These goals must meet or exceed the Standards and must be developed by staff and parents and approved by the Council and the Board. They are reviewed each year, along with the refunding application.

 

Injustice

            In 2011, the program had a budget cut of $1.2 trillion dollars.

Congress created the sequester in the Budget Control Act in 2011, which required total budget cuts of $1.2 trillion over nine years, beginning in 2013 and ending in 2021.

 

Some teachers in the program believe that they are not receiving enough support from the agency or their assigned supervisor (director), which causes teachers to look for another job.

 

Preschool teachers in the current study still feel like the quality of their instruction is reduced, because they do not receive support, both in terms of quantity and quality. Previous research has shown that the less support preschool teachers feel they receive, the more likely they are to quit teaching.

 

The teachers get frustrated when they don't get the help that they need to manage children's behavior and they believe that it is unfair that they have to complete so much paperwork.

 

However, rather than emphasizing the children's behavior as the problem, preschool teachers emphasized the lack of support they received for better managing the child's behavior. Preschool teachers found it frustrating that they completed lots of paperwork to receive support. "I mean how are you supposed to teach when you're filling out a behavior referral every 5 seconds?" replied Assistant Teacher 3. When preschool teachers were supported via email, the support came off as disingenuous. Similarly, when mental health specialists came into their room, they offered quick, but not necessarily helpful, advice. Preschool teachers felt that the support they received was superficial, lacking both time and effort by their center directors.

 

Prognosis

            This flyer presented below is what each parent in the program receive when they are invited to the Local Parent Committee Meeting.

 

PROGRAM MEETING

MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2018 AT 3:00 PM UNDER THE TREE

LPC MEETING  (LOCAL PARENT COMMITTEE) (COMITE DE PADRES LOCAL)

COME VOTE!

Hello Families! Please join us at our October LPC meeting. We will be electing new officers and delegates for the 2018/2019 school year. This is a great way to get involved at your school. We will have refreshments available.

           

            The agency has the Pyramid Model Expectations which are listed below, their  expectations are posted in every center. The Pyramid Model Expectations are taught to all the children that attend this program.

 

PYRAMID MODEL EXPECTATIONS

We are Friendly and Kind, We are Respectful, We are Safe and Healthy, We are Responsible.

 

The organization has a family and community service area, the staff members help create a partnership with the families. The people who work in this service area are the first people to come in contact with the families because they begin the application and enrollment process.

 

Family Services/Community Partnerships: Family Services recruits and enrolls children for the program. Enrolled families are encouraged to set goals, volunteer in the classrooms and participate in local parent meetings. Families in need of assistance are referred to the appropriate community resources. Family Engagement: Family Engagement builds on the parents' role as the primary influence in their child's education, providing opportunities for participation in meetings, in the classroom, in outside activities, and in working with their child at home.

 

Ruling Text

            The vision statement for the agency describes what they promise to follow for their agency, community, and to those that they serve.

 

VISION STATEMENT

Our Vision for our Agency. As an entrepreneurial agency, we bridge the gap to self-sufficiency by providing opportunities and resources, as we initiate and partner in shared community efforts to improve the quality of life. Our Vision for Those We Serve: Empowered individuals who thrive as healthy, self-sufficient and contributing members of our communities. Our Vision for our Community:

Healthy communities with equal access to social justice, jobs, education and resources.

           

The agency has their goals in writing and what they are aspiring to achieve in the future.

 

GOALS

The purpose of the program is to provide the economically and socially disadvantaged child and family with a wide range of health, social, and early educational services aimed at improving the quality of family life. This approach is based on the philosophy that: a child can benefit most from a comprehensive program which fosters development and strengthen families through a broad range of services, and the child's entire family and the community must be involved.

           

This organization has a commitment to their employees, and it is given to each employee when they get hired, it is included in the employee handbook.

 

OUR COMMITMENT TO EMPLOYEES:

We believe in mutual trust, respect and dignity on the job. We accept our responsibility to provide a positive work environment, competitive pay and excellent benefits. We want to communicate with employees directly and individually because we believe this is the best way to build our team. This working relationship is what we need to continue as a successful agency and you to attain your goals. We want all employees to become part of the team that makes this program a success!

 

Conclusion

            This was an interesting and eye-opening thing to do. Overall, I didn't think I would've paid much attention to all the things that I noticed if I wasn't for me doing this observation. This organization made me realize that many people have a passion for something, and they stick to it. People don't get tired of working if they love what they do. I am excited to interview these individual and find out more information about themselves and about the program. I know I will begin to notice more theories and roles being played as I interview.  

Overall, doing the research on this specific group made me realize that there is much more information out there that people are not aware about. Even though, I specifically knew so much about this program it was great to find out more and to read about what this organization is doing for many families. I am still surprised by the number of families that this program helps and serves every year. I was glad to read testimonies of families that are grateful and satisfied with this organization.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bibliography

Dillon, Michele. Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and Their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century. John Wiley & Son's, Incorporated, 2013.

Stryker, Sheldon. "Symbolic Interaction Theory." Montgomery, Rhonda J.V. and Edgar F. Borgatta. Encyclopedia of Sociology. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2000. 3095-3100.

Turner, Jonathan H. "Extending the Symbolic Interactionist Theory of Interaction Processes: A Conceptual Outline." Symbolic Interaction. Vol. 34. John Wiley & Son's, 2011. 330-339.

Discovering Qualitative Methods: Ethnography, Interviews, Documents, and Images, Third Edition. 2015. Carol A. B. Warren and Tracy Xavia Karner