What I Have Learned

What I Have Learned

When I think about working with children and families of diverse background my wish for them is that despite their various diversities that they purse their dreams and accomplish all they desire in life.  Everyone deserve to live a fulfilling life working toward their dreams, accomplishing them and living them out-their diversities shouldn’t stand in the way of their aspiration.

As early childhood educators our primary focus in regards to diversity, equity and social justice should be to learn all that we can about these matters so that we will be better equipped to handle situations pertaining to these issues if they arise.  It should be our ultimate goal to be of service to the child and families that we serve.  And I feel that the most effective way to accomplish this is by continuing our education to learn all we can about these matters-through attending classes, workshops and in service training. This challenge is extended to all my colleagues.

To all my fellow classmates I can truly say I enjoyed this class. I have gained so much valuable information that will definitely benefit myself, colleagues and the children and families I serve.  I would like to wish each of you good lucky in all your future endeavors.  Have a safe and Happy Independence Day.

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: Creating Art

Creating Art

  

My learning experience in this course has truly been an extraordinary journey.  Along this journey I have encountered many bumps in the road that were sometimes unbearable but were smoothed out the more I traveled.   As I rode along on this exceptional excursion I obtained some valuable information.  I picked up that children identities are formed constantly and influenced through multiple social and cultural contexts.   Even though children identities are impacted by multiple sources I feel that family is the most influential of all.  What families cultivate early on makes an indentation into children thoughts, ideas and notions.

Art to me is a representation/expression of ones views or how they feel about something or someone.  I chose to use an image of a family surrounded by books. This image was created by my daughter who is always eager to assist in any way that she can. This family always illustrates that family doesn’t always consist of a mother and father-sometime there’s only a mother or father, two mothers or two fathers. The books are a depiction of life (a child’s life) each book represents a different chapter- each chapter represents the mark the family has left with the child. Some of the impressions made upon the child via the families are morals/values, teachings/lessons, traditions/customs, and confidence/self-respect.

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: "We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

A couple weeks ago my daughter and I were attending a graduation party hosted by my friend for her daughter.  In attendance was this young man whose face was made up beautifully and also wore bracelets, earrings in both eyes and a necklace.  Additionally, he also carried a purse.  My daughter who is ten ask me, “Mom why is that man wearing makeup, jewelry and carrying a purse.”   Instantly I told her to be quiet and not to talk so loud-I told her that because I didn’t want him to hear us and think we were judging him.  Once my daughter got silence I told her we will talk about it when we get home.  I wanted to ensure that I would be able to speak to her without interference and that she would be able to speak freely and ask questions if needed.  The response that I gave may have been received by the daughter as being that this is not okay or that it is a bad thing. 

One goal of the anti-bias educator is for, “each child to express comfort and joy with human diversity; accurate language for human differences; and deep, caring human connections (Derman-Sparks, 2010, p.4).”  And the manner in which they approach this is, “by encouraging children to learn about how they are different from other children and learn about how they are similar go hand in hand. These are never either/or realities because people are simultaneously the same and different from one another. This is at the heart of learning how to treat all people caringly and fairly (Derman-Sparks, 2010, p.4).”  In other words I feel that the anti-bias educator would have first ask my daughter to express how the individual is like her and how is he is different from her. This will in a sense give her some sort of image of that the individual and that he is not that much different than her.    This exercise will enable my daughter to treat everyone that they she sees with love and respect because deep down inside we are not all that different.

Reference:

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children

Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

Society establishes our roles of how girls and boys are expected to behave and how they should act.  They introduce specific roles that are usually associated to their biological sex.  Boys are often associated with more masculine roles such as playing with trucks and getting down and dirty.   Girls are often linked to more feminine roles such as playing with dolls, cooking and cleaning. Young children are very impressionable whatever is presented or imparted upon them they absorb.  Children are influenced by those close around them as well as by the media, toys, movies and book all play a part in defining their roles.  For instance in the movies girls are often seen in roles as princess where they are all dolled up with tiaras, pink gowns and jewelry and boys as super heroes, protecting, fighting and exhibiting extraordinary strength.  I feel that the main goal of early childhood centers are to provide each children with a safe and loving environment that promotes optimal learning.   I feel that the center should reflect the diversity that is found within its community.  Learning about diversity can decrease prejudice and prepare children to live in a multicultural society. It can reduce stereotyping and misconceptions, and can help others develop a more accepting viewpoint.

I have often heard young children use those “homophobic” terms.  Children brains are like sponges as I previously stated.  I feel that they don’t often understand what they truly mean but have heard someone else use it.   I think this can have a devastating impact on children if they don’t have the support, protection, love and guidance that they all need.  If they are receiving this same kind of negative feedback at home this can further impact their future negatively.  I feel that if the parents and teachers work together productively they can help diminish the effects that homophobic name calling may have incur on individuals effected.

Professional Hopes and Goals

It is a joy to work with children and families from diverse backgrounds.  It gives you an opportunity to look into the lives of others that are different from you and allows you to compare and contrast as well as learn additional information about their various background, culture and customs.  It also provides the child and family with a foundation for success because of the collaboration among the educator, children and families.  One hope that I have working with children and families with diverse background is to provide for them all the essentials needed in order for them to thrive in their new environment such as making them feel welcome, learning more about their culture prior to their arrival just to name a few.  One significant aspiration I have is to be able to effectively communicate with them and learn their language.

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field as it relates to issues of diversity equity, and social justice is that we all work together as one providing children and families with quality services despite their race, culture, sexual orientation, or religious affiliations.  To be sensitive to one another needs, treat everyone with respect and embrace one another and all the diversities.

To all my colleagues it has been a pleasure sharing these past seven weeks with you. I enjoyed reading all of your post- you all imparted useful information that will be beneficial for future ventures.  As this class comes to a close I wish you all the good luck in your future endeavors.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

My family of origin will be  from Cambodia.  In order to prepare myself for their arrival I would do the following:

·         I would first try and learn all I can about their country of origin.  Gain and access information through community supports, churches and ethnic.

·         I would also become familiar with some of their cultural values.  This will extend my ability to anticipate their reactions, as well as their responses to my actions.

·         I would also try and learn some of their vocabulary especially their greeting.  This will be welcoming to them and can also be used as an icebreaker this will allow them to feel more comfortable.

·         I would also embrace their culture and diversity and respect it as well.

·         I would also research the different foods and attire that they are accustomed to and perhaps prepare a meal representative of their custom and dress in their familiar attire.  This too let them know that I relate to them and is trying to bring some of their familiarities from their country.

Hopefully these things will assist me with being culturally responsive toward this family.

So that we are all able to accept, embrace, respect each other’s diversities and work for the common goal of establishing positive relationships among early childhood educators and children and families.  As a result our support of and response to people that we serve will be more appropriate and successful.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

It’s sad that we still live in a world where bias, prejudice, and/or oppression still exist.  Why can’t we all just get alone and live in peace and harmony.  I cannot recall any other incidents of bias, prejudice and or oppression other than those I previously touched upon. One of the incidents occurred a couple weeks ago in which a Jewish man goes into a Greek restaurant and orders a Greek salad and the man asked him will that be that be the regular size or Jewish size because we all know Jews are cheap.  I was offend by this comment because it revealed that bias, prejudice and oppression is still very much alive. Even though I would like to think that we have made greater advancement in this area, however that isn’t the case.   This incident brought up feelings of despair, angrier and sadness because it took me back to an era in which bias, prejudices and oppression were very much alive.  It gave me a visual image of some of the things my ancestors had to endure but on a much deeper scale.  In order for change to take place it starts from those persons that exhibits behaviors such as bias, prejudices, and/or oppression.  I think we all should accepted one another for who we are and embrace our differences because in our differences is where we find our strength.  I feel that the necessary steps were taken in this particular incident because first of all I feel that we should acknowledge that it occurred.  Secondly, I feel that an apology should be in order.  And thirdly I feel that it is necessary to take responsibility and on up to your actions that were displayed and reflect upon them.  In this particular incident that two parties met and a public apology was issued.