Tagged With "child care reading"
Blog Post
Expertise
What we know compared to Google isn't much. None of us knows everything. Here are some thoughts on leveraging your expertise. Have a clear mission & focus! Peter Drucker , the great teacher, said you should be able to fit your mission statement on a t-shirt! Reach out & meet the greatest people in the world in your topic area & ask them to be your mentors. Learn from them. Get clarity & make your t-shirt. Parallel Allies! Who are the experts who can help you with your...
Blog Post
RFA: Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching & Engagement (EXCITE) Vaccinate With Confidence for COVID-19 (Activity 1)
Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, Health Innovation Task Force Extension Foundation EXTENSION COLLABORATIVE ON IMMUNIZATION TEACHING AND ENGAGEMENT (EXCITE) VACCINATE WITH CONFIDENCE FOR COVID-19 (ACTIVITY 1) DATES: MAY 1, 2021 - APRIL 30, 2022 ELIGIBILITY: The RFA for EXCITE Activity 1 is open to all Extension professionals at all Land-Grant Universities (1862, 1890, 1994). For Activity 1, one application per institution is eligible to be considered, determined at the...
Blog Post
Navigating the Grocery Store Aisle and Creating a Food Marketing Game: An Extension Project Update
Navigating the grocery store aisle is challenging for many consumers—especially those who want to buy the most nutritious food. Food manufacturers and distributors cover their boxes, cans, and bottles of processed foods with labels like “organic,” “all natural,” and “no sugar added” to suggest that their food has certain health benefits. But these labels are intended to improve product sales, not necessarily help consumers make healthy food choices. And when food marketing labels seem to...
Blog Post
What drives you?
Why do we do the things we do? If we're honest with ourselves, we know our actions are driven by two things: motivation & ability. Ability to do anything is influenced by external help and/or environmental structure. Motivation is connected to our internal belief system, our values. Intrinsic The things we value most in life are our internal motivators. They are our core values. The things we sacrifice for, stand up for and are prepared to die for if it came to that. They're super...
Blog Post
Procrastinate now...don't put it off!
Almost every organization would like to remove delays to unlocking their team's capacity to generate & implement great ideas. If you can identify & develop new opportunities quicker, your business model has a better chance to survive. No answers here just some thoughts on how these might be related. I'll procrastinate tomorrow... Graphic from www.jamesclear.com We've all received & given feedback on this topic. For the proactive person, someone who lags a bit can be maddening.
Blog Post
"Extension’s Role in Disaster Response and Mental Health" Virtual Chat
On Wednesday, May 19 th , over a dozen Cooperative Extension professionals across the nation gathered in a Connect Extension chat to discuss disaster response and mental wellness in our work. The main themes interrogated throughout the hour were: mental wellness, disasters*, disaster recovery, and community interaction within those sectors. In this discussion, we wanted to learn how branches of Extension approach mental wellness in their communities and if they find themselves in disaster...
Blog Post
Using Good Judgement
An iceberg is a great analogy for many individual, team & organization efforts. Perhaps the most familiar model is from Ed Schein in which he uses the visible & invisible to illustrate how a company makes decisions. How it takes action. Above the water (visible) of the iceberg indicates strategic intent. Below the water (invisible) of the iceberg indicates core principles & values. Below the water! Hard Work Failure Doubts Set-Backs Persistence Long Days Sacrifice Courage Action...
Blog Post
Culture puzzle
"Culture" has become such a buzz word surrounding the workplace. People expect to see something on the company's website about it. They ask current employees about it. They ask about it in interviews. The fact is, it's a big deal. It might be THE big deal of any organization. What we've learned about it is that it's much more than flexible work hours & bean bag chairs in the breakroom. It's about " the way we do things around here". The way this is answered can be profoundly revealing.
Blog Post
February Story Lead Contest Winner Published in Farm Journal
Congratulations to Will Hehemann from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluffs for submitting the winning story for February's 2021 Farm Journal Story Lead Contest , which was focused on surfacing stories of 1890 land-grant universities that are making a measurable impact in the lives of farmers or ranchers. Will Hehemann's winning story, Arkansas Family's Farm Legacy Spurs New Era Of Opportunity For Landowners of Color, has been published in Farm Journal and can be read here ! Thanks to...
Blog Post
Cooperative Extension grant aims to vaccinate NYS’ vulnerable
COVID-19 infection rates in New York state have plummeted in recent months, thanks in large part to the development and deployment of several safe and effective vaccines. But reaching population-wide protection from the virus means getting the vaccine into the arms of as many people as possible – including farmworkers and other traditionally vulnerable, marginalized populations in New York’s cities and rural areas. “Catastrophic health disparities have been a long-standing reality for many...
Blog Post
Healthy Questioning
My Great Uncle gave me a small plaque when I was in Junior High with a powerful quote. It hung in every place I lived until passing it along years later. "The important thing is not to stop questioning!" -Albert Einstein What my Great Uncle encouraged was a healthy curiosity. His wisdom has been & remains valuable to me to this day. In this spirit, let's discover how one question has led to just the right "thing" when it was needed most! "What would have happened if we didn't do what we...
Blog Post
Headed for an energy crisis?
It's just another day in 2007. Stopped to take a few minutes to read a short article. It's my daily "leadership" lesson time. Only this time it really shook me up. Really challenged my thoughts on a concept I thought I had a handle on. Time management. Tony Schwartz & Catherine McCarthy had really made an impact on me! Manage your energy NOT your time ! What? Think about it...time is a finite resource. Energy is renewable. Want to see where you are with your energy? Here's their quiz!
Blog Post
ICYMI: Connect Extension Chat: Adding DEI In Position Descriptions
On Tuesday, June 29 th Extension Professionals took part in a virtual chat to discuss and share how they incorporate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into their position descriptions. The chat was attended by professionals from across the country and facilitated by LeChé McGill, the Human Resource Business Partner at UC ANR. The attendees in this chat were at various levels and stages of incorporating DEI into position descriptions, yet everyone had a strong desire to engage in the...
Blog Post
A Conversation with Dr. Scott Reed, Extension Foundation Catalyst
Scott Reed is an emeritus of Oregon State University (OSU), where he served in various College of Forestry roles. He was a professor, executive associate dean, Extension program leader, and Dean and Director of OSU’s Extension Service. Scott served as the OSU’s Vice Provost for University Outreach and Engagement. He pioneered the innovative Open Campus, linking educational resources to advance college and career readiness, degree completion, and community development. Scott holds BS and MS...
Blog Post
Need more empathy?
Psychology Today says Empathy is... "...the ability to recognize, understand, and share the thoughts and feelings of another person, animal, or fictional character. Developing empathy is crucial for establishing relationships and behaving compassionately. It involves experiencing another person’s point of view, rather than just one’s own, and enables prosocial or helping behaviors that come from within, rather than being forced." We all connect with the concept of empathy in a different way.
Blog Post
NTAE Program Spotlight: Digital Technology in Extension Education ePublication
As we get closer to kicking off a new year of our NTAE Accelerator program , we will catch up with past program teams to share their project stories and outcomes! This week's program spotlight features Dr. Rose Hayden-Smith , the Extension Foundation's 2020 Fellow for Technology in Extension. During Rose's fellowship, she created the first version of the Using Digital Technology in Extension Education ePublication , which provides a digital platform for aggregating content, tools, and...
Blog Post
Invitation for community research equity training study
Please consider participating in this research project for experienced community researchers. Contact Skye Kelty with any questions or to get further information. skye.kelty@rutgers.edu.
Blog Post
Extension in the 21st Century: A Conversation with Chuck Hibberd
Dr. Chuck Hibberd. Image Credit: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Charles "Chuck" Hibberd is an emeritus professor of the University of Nebraska, where he held several academic positions, including Dean of Cooperative Extension. His email tagline reads "Chuck Hibberd, retired Extensi on Director (but not done yet)." He directed the University's Panhandle Research and Extension Center for 13 years. Chuck also served as Extension director, associate dean of agriculture, and assistant vice...
Blog Post
Searching for L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P.
Have you ever Googled "leadership"? The other day I got 2.5 Billion search results in under half a second. That might indicate I've got to get a whole lot better at searching for content on the internet. It also means the real messages of leadership can get buried in all that great information. Here are a few qualities (as verbs) that might resonate with you. L – Listening E – Empathizing A – Acting with awareness D – Dedicating time for others E – Encouraging R – Removing doubts S – Serving...
Blog Post
Engaged Communities Make Strides in Addressing the Opioid Epidemic with the SEED Method
The opioid epidemic is a national issue impacting communities across the country. It was declared a public health emergency in October 2017. Communities have mobilized at the national, state, and local level to address the problem, and Cooperative Extension has partnered with them in their efforts. The drivers and impacts of the opioid crisis in communities are complex and require a multi-level response. We employed a stakeholder engagement methodology, the SEED Method , to create...
Blog Post
Virtual and In-Person Volunteer in Trinidad and Tobago
While some travel restrictions are still in effect, there are opportunities for virtual and/or in-person volunteer through USAID’s Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) project in Trinidad and Tobago. During the COVID-19 pandemic, how we implement the F2F program has had to adjust and is temporarily offering virtual/remote assignments that will meet the needs of Trinbagonians. Currently, the borders are open to visitors and they are currently distributing COVID vaccines with the hopes of vaccinating ~70%...
Blog Post
Drought can lead to more than the summertime blues in farmers
Press Release f or Immediate Release: September 17, 2021 Contact: Jenn Patterson, MLitt, GPCAH Center Coordinator Jennifer-j-patterson@uiowa.edu , 319-335-4207 Drought can led to more than the summertime blues in farmers It comes as no surprise to Midwesterners that farmers are vulnerable to extreme weather events, but have you considered additional ways to combat occupational stress when it comes to drought planning for yourself and your ag community? Jesse Berman, Assistant Professor at...
Blog Post
Are you ready?
Life isn’t happening to you it’s happening for you. Are you ready to lean into all the opportunities life brings? When was the last day you felt at your best? What does it mean to be ready ? When you're ready you feel prepared. You feel rested. To be the best we can be, it takes caring for our mental, physical, spiritual and emotional states. Taking care of what it means to be human. When we fail to prepare we're preparing to fail. To be the best we can be means helping others be the best...
Blog Post
Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care
Has anyone worked on a Breastfeeding-Friendly Child Care Designation Program, or created/provided child care training on breastfeeding wellness policy in child care; safe handling of breastmilk; creating lactation space; supporting breastfeeding moms? I'm working on a project in NJ and would love to hear from other Extension Educators. Thanks! Contact me at brill@njaes.rutgers.edu . Michelle Brill, Family & Community Health Sciences Educator, Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
Blog Post
Tips and Tools for Content Creators
Extension educators are content creators. Whether they prepare PowerPoint slides for a webinar, write a blog or social media post, prepare for an interview, or assemble a newsletter, they are constantly striving to create content that is current, relevant, and actionable. At a recent online conference, the Plutus™ Impact Summit, the following eight tips for personal finance content creation were shared: Address “Pain Points” and Goals – Help people by addressing topics that are causing them...
Blog Post
RFA: Vaccine Hesitancy of the Cooperative Extension System
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS Vaccine Hesitancy of the Cooperative Extension System Funded by a Cooperative Agreement with USDA-NIFA and CDC in partnership with the Extension Foundation and the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) Extension Collaborative for Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) October 1, 2021 Released October 31, 2021 November 12th, 2021 Application Deadline ELIGIBILITY: All Land-grant universities (1862, 1890, 1994) are eligible to apply. AWARD AMOUNT:...
Blog Post
ICYMI: Shop Simple with MyPlate and More MyPlate Updates!
Last week, we were joined by the MyPlate team from the USDA Center of Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) for a preview of two MyPlate tools that will help Americans make healthy food choices. Big thanks to @Barbara Jirka from USDA-CNPP for helping to organize this! New to the USDA - Shop Simple with MyPlate , allows individuals to find cost-saving opportunities in their local area and discover new ways to prepare budget-friendly foods. The panelists presented the background on the...
Blog Post
National Family Caregivers Month
November marks National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM), a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the nation. NFCM is an opportunity to raise awareness of caregiving issues, educate our communities, and increase support for families. For individuals who take on the responsibility of caring for another person, it can often be challenging to see beyond the individual experience. Family caregivers—whether they be families of kin or families of choice—are woven into the fabric of...
Blog Post
Update from the First Quarter of the EXCITE Program
At last week's Spotlight session, we took time to recognize and reflect on the progress of the EXCITE projects. The session included seeing data shared by the EXCITE Evaluation team compiled from the projects' previous four months of reporting. We were excited to share what teams accomplished in the first quarter, including how they developed and communicated their messages, innovative ways they reached their audience, and how they have been effective in implementing their immunization...
Blog Post
Finding Thanks and Practicing Gratitude with Military Youth and Families
Halloween candy is dwindling down if it wasn’t all gobbled up over the trick-or-treat weekend. The spooky season’s pumpkins have now transitioned into full-on fall decor. Families and friends will soon be connecting and coming together to celebrate and find thankfulness in another year with the quickly approaching holidays. The holidays also allow many of us to spend time consciously and prioritize the things that matter most. While celebrating with loved ones is first and foremost...
Blog Post
Upcoming Self-Care Workshop for Military & Veteran TBI Caregivers
The Military Families Learning Network (MFLN) is partnering with the Defense Health Agency’s Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence (TBICoE) at 11:00 AM ET on November 30, 2021 for an interactive self-care workshop for military and veteran traumatic brain injury (TBI) caregivers. RSVP to join at Military and Veteran TBI Caregivers . Presenters will provide education and insight into TBI caregiver resources, common concerns, self-care strategies, research, and best practices to improve...
Blog Post
DISRUPTING ENGAGEMENT OR ENGAGEMENT, THE DISRUPTER?
Dave King, Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University When the analog-to-digital information evolution began in the mid 1990s, Extension and engagement—as functions of higher education—appeared to be likely targets for disruption. Yet, today, fundamental aspects of Extension and engagement appear to be untouched by disruptive competition. Or do they? “The past is prologue,” wrote William Shakespeare. So a quick review of Extension and the digital evolution, and what we can learn from...
Blog Post
Job: Associate Dean for Extension and Diversity at UConn
The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for the position of Associate Dean for Extension and Diversity with appointment as Full Professor with tenure in a CAHNR Department related to the candidate’s academic discipline. We are seeking an inspirational, dynamic, and visionary individual to provide exemplary College-level leadership in two important areas: Extension and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and...
Blog Post
It's Worth Repeating!
For me, leadership comes down to 2 things. It's not about you & it's all about you. It's about how you serve others and how your behaviors provide evidence of your authentic intentions. Inspiration and help for the latter came to me from a friend during a tough time. It has proven to be one of the best gifts I've ever received. Today, this book is one I've gifted to others the most. It's "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz . There are situations every day where at least one of them...
Comment
Re: It's Worth Repeating!
Great book! It is one to read, and then read again as time goes on.
Blog Post
Extension Educators play an important role in helping families and communities recover from the pandemic
by Karen Shirer, Ph.D. A colleague recently shared a CDC report that highlighted a startling and tragic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on families. Researchers found that approximately one in 500 children experienced the death of a primary caregiver due to COVID-19. The authors stated: “ for every four deaths from COVID-19 , one child is left without a parent and/or grandparent who provided the child’s home and basic needs, including love, security, and daily care.” This study examined only...
Blog Post
A Good Night’s Rest is Best
Written By: Andrew Crocker, M.S., Senior Extension Program Specialist, Gerontology and Health, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Way way back in the 1980s (HA!) the dairy industry had a marketing slogan that went, in part, “…it does the body good.” There are probably a lot of things that we can insert into that phrase, right? Vegetables. Seat belts. Exercise. Sleep? We often do not think a lot about sleep – until we cannot do it – but we will spend about a third of our lives asleep,...
Blog Post
Resolutions!
At this time our thoughts are often thrust into pondering meaningful ways to focus the upcoming year. We are bombarded with things others feel we should “value” but these decisions should be personal. A couple of years ago I shared my New Year’s resolutions with my wife & she in turn shared hers. At the top of her list was having more patience but the one that sticks in my mind is this… “I will love myself…..after I lose 5 pounds!” 🤣 Too funny, but telling at the same time. We often...
Blog Post
Job: Associate Dean for Extension & Diversity at UConn (Closes Jan. 23rd)
The College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) at the University of Connecticut (UConn) invites applications for the position of Associate Dean for Extension and Diversity with appointment as Full Professor with tenure in a CAHNR Department related to the candidate’s academic discipline. We are seeking an inspirational, dynamic, and visionary individual to provide exemplary College-level leadership in two important areas: Extension and Justice, Equity, Diversity, and...
Blog Post
Community Resiliency Professional Development Opportunities During the January 2022 Impact Collaborative Summit
Community Resiliency Professional Development Opportunities for Members The January 2022 Summit will focus on Community Resilience. Teams from Extension Foundation member institutions and special guests will: Learn the value of integrating community resilience into planning for collective action. Examine existing power structures, formal and informal social infrastructures through an equity lens. Increase their ability to position Cooperative Extension as an organization that can inform and...
Blog Post
The Changing World of Medicaid: What to Watch for in 2022
Medicaid, the single largest source of health coverage in the United States, is a joint federal and state program that provides health coverage to children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Join the Military Families Learning network at 11:00 a.m. ET on February 23, 2022, as Christopher Plein, Ph.D., Eberly Family Professor for Outstanding Public Service at West Virginia University, discusses Medicaid, new program developments and possibilities for the...
Blog Post
Professional & Amateur gap
Developing our leadership is a lifelong pursuit. It takes constant learning about ourselves and awareness of the influence we have. If you're like me, you enjoy reading, watching, listening to something on leadership most days. It's a good habit for continued growth as we get diverse perspectives from everything we digest. One of the things we can do to help integrate new learnings into our lives is to take notes on what is important to us from these books, videos, articles and podcasts we...
Blog Post
ICYMI: Using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to Promote Healthy Aging
This week, Julia Quam from the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion joined us for a wonderful webinar on Using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to Promote Healthy Aging. For the first time, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 provides nutrition guidance by life stage, including specific guidance for older adults. Older adults have unique nutrition needs, experience changes in body composition, and face increased risks of malnutrition and chronic disease,...
Blog Post
New Leadership Skillsets
The last two years have been filled with despair, uncertainty, frustration and feelings of exhaustion. We are now entering the third year of a global pandemic. Since the world shut down, everything is in a different context now. Leadership feels different. The way we used to lead isn't how we do things anymore. We've had to develop new skills, utilize new tools for communication to create an environment where trust can thrive. In adapting to this dynamic new environment, we carry our...
Blog Post
EXCITE Gets Recognition from the CDC
The Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement, (EXCITE) program received a letter of gratitude from CDC director Samuel F. Posner, and a spotlight on the CDC's Health Equity in Action page for their work. In the letter, Samuel Posner recognizes the value of a partnership with Cooperative Extension, stating "..we’re looking forward to learning from CES and understanding community concerns to develop and deliver effective tailored messaging to increase vaccination in...
Blog Post
Juntos 4-H and Migrant Education Partnership
Read about how a Migrant Ed teacher in North Carolina is taking Juntos 4-H to the Classroom. Click here to catch the Story!
Comment
Re: New Leadership Skillsets
Thank you for sharing this - integrity and courage. 👍 "In adapting to this dynamic new environment, we carry our personal examples of leadership with us. In these examples leaders don't lie, steal or cheat. They have courage to care for others despite the cost to themselves. Great leaders can allow people to fail but won't allow anyone to feel like a failure. These all remain true."
Blog Post
Time for a Relationship Checkup!
by Karen Shirer, Ph.D. Each year we plan to visit our health care provider and dentist for annual checkups in order to catch problems before they become major health issues. As an Extension educator, you often encourage your participants to get preventative health checkups and screenings for health concerns. But how often do we or our participants do a check-up of our intimate relationship health? The Relationship Checkup: Support for Military Couples , a recent webinar by the Military...
Blog Post
Virtual chat recap: Watershed education, outreach, and engagement
In this virtual chat, we discussed opportunities and challenges related to watershed education and outreach, exploring how Extension can support our audiences with resources and programming to build local capacity. As part of a New Technologies for Agricultural Extension Accelerator Program project , University of Minnesota Extension Educators are building a website, called the Watershed Engagement Programming (WEP) Hub, to support local government (e.g. Soil & Water Conservation...
Blog Post
Looking Back: Arkansas Family’s Farm Legacy and a New Era of Opportunities for Landowners Of Color
We are highlighting a story from a Farm Journal Story Lead contest that focused on stories of 1890 Land-Grant Universities who are making a measurable impact in the lives of farmers or ranchers. The contest-winning story was "Landowner Furthers Family Farm Legacy Through Partnership with UAPB Forestry Program," by Will Hehemann of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. The story spotlights Shane Boler, a landowner, and participant in the University's Keeping it in the Family (KIITF)...