Reflecting on Learning

Studying about diversity and equity has really been rewarding for me. I never knew how in depth diversity could go. This course has actually given me the most valuable tools as an early childhood educator. I feel more prepared to continue on my journey of creating positive and strong relationships with children and families from all family structures, cultures, religions, and ethnicities. My most passionate hope for my future as an educator is to be the teacher that families will feel that they can trust. I want to be the educator that makes each family feel like “family” when they enter my classroom. I desire to be the educator that is also a strong advocate for families looking for greater ways at helping children and families achieve academically and also as a family.  

I would like to say “THANK YOU” to each of my colleagues for their expertise and the sharing of their personal lives that have helped me to understand diversity more clearly. I am so looking forward to moving on to our next course and stepping out on faith with implementing the tools that we have gained throughout this course and program. I am sure that we each have something special for each child and family that crosses our paths.

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

The area and region that I chose to research was Latin America and Caribbean. The countries I chose to look more closely into were Jamaica and Haiti. The reason why I chose this region is because a dream of mines has always been to visit the islands and to see how the people lived in their country. Actually when I see vacation advertisements of the islands they look so exciting, fun and, relaxing. Well last year (July 2013) 3 of my girlfriends and I travelled to Jamaica for our summer vacation. We had an awesome time on the resort but our eyes were wide open to “REAL” life of the people in the community. The country is a very poor country. Children and families are living in horrible living conditions. Children and families stand on corners selling small items and foods for small amounts of money in order to survive. When we went on our tours, we witnessed families living in homes without a roof top, walls, or windows. We learned from our tour guide that many of the residents cannot afford home loans due to the high interest, so families work for many years just to complete their homes. Usually it takes fifteen years or longer to earn enough money. The poverty rate is so high that there is one area of the country named Kingston that tour guides prohibited us from visiting. We had seen men riding on the back of pickup trucks with machine guns. I could not believe what I had seen. Most of the countries revenues are brought about from tourist. The people are very friendly and expect tips for just about everything.  

A few of the challenges that children in this region face are diseases, food and shelter, and natural disasters. These are conditions that children have to face on a day-to-day basis and there is little that their parents are able to do to protect their children. AIDS is a disease that has struck Jamaica very heavy. There are many children who have parents who have either died from AIDS or are living with AIDS. These children have to take on adult roles and care for their parents and siblings. This can be emotionally challenging for these children that have to take on adult roles and support their family. These children face enormous challenges- financial uncertainty, the fear of losing their parents, stigma and discrimination from their communities and an uncertain future (UNICEF, 2011). Many children are left with the loss of both parents and are expected to continue with their lives. In 2003, with the support of UNICEF, Jamaica developed a National plan of action for Orphans and other Children made Vulnerable by HIV/AIDS (UNICEF, 2011). UNICEF makes sure that these children are placed in either a shelter or home that will provide the children with a healthy living arraignment.

The children as well as the families have had their share of emotional challenges. One of the most recent challenges was hurricane Sandy. Many families where separated and destroyed from the hurricane. This has to be emotionally straining on children who have lost their parents or have been separated from their families. Although Haiti dodged Sandy’s direct hit, the hurricane triggered heavy rain and severe flooding in the country between 23 and 27 October, and devastated at least 70 out of Haiti’s 140 communes (UNICEF, 2011). With the much overkill of heavy rain and water, disease quickly spreads through the region. Nearly 50 per cent of cases of tetanus in the Caribbean occur in Haiti (UNICEF, 2011). UNICEF along with many volunteers distribute a solution or pill that will help to uncontaminated the water and foods that the people intake. Many young girls and older women are given a series of vaccines to prevent themselves and their future babies from catching tetanus.

Children are simply children. Natural disasters and diseases have their way with the emotions of young children. Children are too young to understand what is taking place in their community or why it is that mom and dad have died and left them all alone. When children are faced with such tragedy, it is very difficult for these children to be emotionally capable to succeed in school. Their young minds are on an over load with the issues that surround their lives. Sometimes these emotions lead children to behavioral issues. Personally that is why I have dedicated my life to advocacy and education. Besides with parents, children spend most of their day with their educators. When disaster or issues arise in these children’s lives, we are to be their support system and advocate assisting with making sure these children and families receive what they need in order to survive.  

This assignment has given me the insight that educators have a great work to be done in the lives of children. We need to be prepared to serve children and families who have emotional distresses in their lives by providing referrals and other health related services to accommodate these children and families.  We also need to actively encourage families to be a part of and involved in their children’s lives during infancy. Children need parental bonding with their parents so that children will have a sense of connection and belonging to their parents. Healthy emotional development is a key essential in a child’s development.      

Reference

UNICEF (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

Wow! The article was very interesting and not very surprising. Today’s children are exposed to way too much sexualization. When my eleven year old son is watching television, I often have to ask him what channel he is viewing due to the language, music, and what the screen is showing. Nine time out of ten, the station is a child friendly channel that has gone way over board. Just the other night I was passing through the living room and a Carls’ Jr hamburger restaurant commercial was playing and there was this half naked woman wearing a bra and panties biting down on a burger. I had to call my husband to come to see the commercial for himself. I thought to myself what is this world coming to. They are tying sex in with food just to sell a burger. How awful!  

I can remember when I was child and television was clean and family orientated. With time, values and beliefs have changed within the media world. Now days on any given channel, sex, violence, and even pornography is displayed before all ages of children. Today’s cultural environment bombards children with inappropriate and harmful messages (Levin Kilbourne, 2009). Today’s dolls have large breast, large butts, lots of make-up, and provocative clothing on. To a young girl, the message that she receives is that in order to be beautiful as a doll she has to have large breast and wear provocative clothing to be considered beautiful. These are not the messages that we want for our children to receive.

When my brothers were younger, they played with cars, trucks, army figures, blocks and many other child friendly toys to keep them entertained. Now day’s boys are locked down to computers, ipads, cell phones, and game systems that promote sex, violence, and the killing of others. Boys hardly ever go outside and play anymore for all that technology has to offer them right in the comfort of their homes. Many industries make an obscene amount of money using sex and violence to market their products to children (Levine & Kilbourne, 2009). This even goes for the movie theaters. I’ve heard my husbands friends say that a movie isn’t a movie unless there is some action (violence) involved. This goes to show how confused society is. I believe that these industries are aware of the likes of the people and feed right into it by providing movies, games, commercials, and toys that involve sex and violence.

Again, children are exposed to sex and violence by way of toys, games, television programs, cartoons, and definitely music. I kid you not; just today I had at least four of my students singing this song about the “Base”. I had to ask my daughter about the song and she played it for me and the song is about a girl who is proud of her body size but at the end of her lyrics she says “It’s all about that base”. After hearing this song, I had to wonder how these children were able to listen to the song. As parents, we have to supervise what our children are watching and listening to. There are hidden messages within music, television programs, and games. These messages can be very harmful to children of all ages. Girls and boys constantly encounter sexual messages and images that they cannot understand and that can confuse and even frighten them (Levine & Kilbourne, 2009). Just as the nine year old girl who wrote the letter to the boy, she received a message regarding self that left her in doubt about her appearance. She says, “I know I am not the prettiest girl or the thinnest girl but I love you and I just want you to love me” (Levine & Kilbourne, 2009). This type of confusion leads young girls who have low self-esteem into a world that can be very harmful to their lives. A 2003 Newsweek story on the rapid rise in teen prostitution in the United States reported that girls as young as nine are becoming involved (Levine & Kilbourne, 2009). This is very alarming to my knowledge! Nine year old girls are to be playing with their dolls and friends and not being involved with neither boys nor men.

The messages that children receive can affect them throughout their lives which causes damage to their overall development. She showed how the harmful lessons by the younger children often lead to serious problems in later years, such as increasing objectification of women (by both women and men), eating disorders and depression, and even sexual violence (Levine & Kilbourne, 2009). It can even have children of ages degrading the value of self and excepting whatever comes their way in life. As a mother and educator, I believe that parents have to take a stand against what the world/media is feeding their children. Parents are their children’s first educators and must teach their children right from wrong. I know that at a certain age children do not like to talk with their parents but making sure that there is someone available that the child can trust to help the child process the negativity regarding sex that is displayed. Children have always been curious about sex and sexuality from an early age, and it is good for parents and schools to give them honest and age appropriate information (Levine & Kilbourne, 2009).

This article along with this week’s resources, have only re-opened my eyes to understand how children are influenced with negativity by way of television, media, games, and toys. As an educator, I want to encourage my families to be more involved with what their children are doing. Parents need to be their children’s first educators regarding sex and sexulization. Children should not have to depend on the outside world and their environment to figure what sex is. This is such an intimate subject that should be shared amongst a child’s parents in the most age appropriate way.

Reference

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf

Evaluating Impacts on Professional Practice

As racism and other ism’s effect children and families, educators are not exempt from the harsh effects ism’s have on individuals. Educators are neither exempt from having biases of their own towards other individual either. When I think back over the past few months, I can recall having a certain feeling towards same sex relationships. Due to my upbringing, I had believed that relationships were to be between a man and a woman. Since then, my feelings regarding this issue have changed. I now understand that as an educator, it is my responsibility to support children and families and not try to bring harm to their family structure. If I had those same feelings as before, I am sure that it would be very challenging to work with families especially if they were aware of my bias.

As I think back over my life, there was an incident in my life where other individuals were prejudice towards me because of the color of my skin and culture. I am an African American female and have felt offended at times because of my race. Years ago I worked for the housing authority in a predominantly Caucasian community. Every day when I would take my lunch break, I would have multiple individuals stare at me as they drove pass my vehicle. It was so awful that I was even called a “Nigger” and other numerous names by these individuals. Working in that community was very uncomfortable and I eventually resigned from my job. Even though this incident took place, I do not have any resentful feelings towards Caucasian individuals.

If I were resentful to others of that same race, I do believe that it would not be a good situation. When working within the education field, educators have to work with children and families off all cultures. Educators cannot be prejudice against children and families if they expect to create close relationships and partnership with families. I do believe that if an individual has a bias towards another, it will show through the individual’s words and actions. That is why there is no room for bias remarks or gestures when working with families and especially young children. As in all other areas of learning, young children try to make sense of their world by organizing what they observe and experience into “theories” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). For example, if I were to have a closer relationship with African American children and keep a distance when working with children and families of other cultures, over time I will have created a message regarding the type of relationships I have with certain children and families. These are indirect messages that are like “social trace contaminants”-tiny or unseen messages that accumulate over time to create harm (Pierce 1980).

Reference

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

Observing Communication

This week I had the opportunity to substitute in a preschool classroom. Today the children were finishing up a three day project of building their very own cars out of cardboard boxes. The children had already painted their cars, placed headlights, and license plates. Today the final portion of the project was to decorate the steering wheels, attach it, and take a drive to wherever they’d like.

During my observation, I chose to listen in on the interactions between the aide Ms. Linda and Rashad. Rashad is five years old and has a humorous character. The words that he chooses and says surprised me. As Rashad was decorating his steering wheel, Ms. Linda sat at the table with him and a few other children. While Rashad decorated his steering wheel, Ms. Linda gave Rashad her undivided attention. Rashad kept telling Ms. Linda to look at the steering wheel that he had created for his box car.

Observation:

Rashad- Ms. Linda, imma make my car look like my mommas car.

Ms. Linda- Rashad what does your mom’s car look like?

Rashad- Her car is fast and she has a trunk for my stuff.

Ms. Linda- What kind of stuff do you have in her trunk?

Rashad- My clothes, my toys, my church shoes for grandma’s house.

Ms. Linda- Oh Rashad you go to church with your grandma?

Rashad- Yeah, I go to the brown church “rising star”.

Ms. Linda- What do you like about the brown church?

Rashad- They feed us at that church.

Ms. Linda-Wow that’s great to be able to eat at church.

Rashad- Yeah I know! They give me and my sister breakfast.

Ms. Linda- Rashad are you gonna really drive fast in your car?

Rashad- No, you can get a ticket from the police man.

Ms. Linda- Oh yes it’s not safe to drive very fast.

Rashad- Yeah, you can get hurt and brake your bones.

Rashad- Ms. Linda I’m done with my steering wheel. Can I put it on my car?

Ms. Linda- Yes, where does the steering wheel go?

Rashad- It goes in the front cus you have to see where you going.

Ms. Linda- Oh ok!

What surprised me about this observation was the amount of time Rashad was able to participate in back and forth conversation with Ms. Linda. Earlier today, I noticed that Rashad is not shy in holding conversations with his friends and teachers. During circle time, Rashad was one of the students who asked and answered the most questions of the entire group. His comprehension and language skills are very advanced.

What I did notice during my observation was how both Rashad and Ms. Linda were very comfortable with communicating with one another. Ms. Linda sat at eye level near Rashad and listened closely to all that he had to say about his mom’s car, the trunk, the church, and other things that were on his mind. I noticed that it was Rashad who initiated the conversation. Ms. Linda did not have to ask a question to get the conversation started. She just sat near Rashad and allowed him to take the lead which worked out very well.

The connections that I did notice right away were the fact that Ms. Linda chose her questions to where Rashad would expand his language in the conversation. It’s like she piggy backed off of what Rashad would say and it would lead Rashad’s conversations to expand further. The types of questions and statements teachers use with children can have an effect on children’s thinking (Fowell & Lawton 1992; Massey 2008). I also recognized that Ms. Linda listened to Rashads responses. His responses did not just blow over but she responded to his responses which again lead to further language in his conversation. Listening is paramount (Stephenson, 2009).

I believe that if Ms. Linda had used more statements instead of all questions, the communications between her and Rashad could have been more effective and moved to a different level. Ms. Linda did not really say much about the steering wheel that Rahsd was decorating. She could have made a statement referring to the steering wheel that could have extended or shifted Rashads language in the conversation. Giving children feedback that extends the thinking that leads to more language Rainer Dangei & Durden, 2010).

I believe that the interactions between Rashad and Ms. Linda were positive. Rashad appeared to feel well in his spirit. He was comfortable with converating with Ms. Linda. He was proud to talk about his mom, sister, and church. He shared how he enjoyed eating at church. He was able to share his feelings.

This assignment allowed me to do a self evaluation of the interactions that I have with children. Things that I’d like to change is, not to stand when I am holding conversations with children. My knees are not as strong as they use to be so I find myself either standing or bending over to speak with children. I want to get in the habit of at least sitting in a chair so that I can be at eye level with children. I would like to use more statements in my conversations so that I am able to assist my students with expanding their language in conversations. I find myself using questions to initiate reciprocal communication. One more thing that I did notice is that I do listen to the children when they are speaking or holding conversations. Listening is very important. Stepping back and just listening to a child or children communicate is surely a learning experience. Educators can learn valuable information about the different types of words and language strengths children have.

 

 

Creating Affirming Enviornments

Years ago I owned and operated a large family home childcare. I can say that my environment was nothing compared to the family home childcare of Adriana Castillo. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to tour a portion of her childcare. She has done a very well job with the setting up and arrangement of her childcare. If I were to re-open a family home childcare, I would definitely use some of the very same ideas that Adriana has used in her business.

In my family home childcare setting, I would use the following areas of my home as my childcare. I would use my front and back yard, my patio, my living room, kitchen, my family room, and the main restroom of my home. Just as Adriana, I would clear out any personal items and furniture from the following areas that I’ve chose to utilize in my business. I would want for the children to have the appropriate amount of space to where they are comfortable and able to maneuver around in their learning environment. When I operated my family child care, I had set up my home to look just as a preschool classroom. Therefore, I would create my home to reflect an actual classroom setting with all the necessary furnishings and materials to develop a child friendly and welcoming environment.

Elements that I would like to include in my  childcare that would enhance the development of an anti-bias environment would be child size furnishings, age appropriate toys and materials, multicultural books, music, multicultural dolls, puzzles, dramatic play materials, art supplies, blocks, push cars, legos, posters, photo of children, soft pillows, puppets, bean bags, trikes, climbing structures, crawl through tunnels, and a host of other materials to help with the development and creating of an anti-bias environment. I have chosen these materials because each of them supports children’s development. For example, books as well as multicultural books help children with their language development. Books are a great way for children to develop a love for literacy and recognize the differences in people. These crucial anti-bias tools introduce children to love reading as well as to human differences and similarities (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

Just as in any other childcare setting, welcomes and greetings need to be ever present in family home childcares. I just love the idea of how Adriana uses her patio areas as a greeting area to the children and families. The area is large enough for furnishings, supplies, and learning materials. The area is neat and clean and appears to have an adequate amount of shade to where children and families are comfortable. Adriana explains that it gives both the children and parents time to separate from one another. Yeah, because most of the times the hard part for the children is the separation for the families (Laureate Education, Inc., 2011). The area is furnished with activities, toys, trikes, and other play items to help the child feel comfortable when entering the family home. I would say it’s a great way to keep children’s minds off of having to separate from mommy because there are so many activities and items available to play with during this transitioning time. It also gives parents the opportunity to interact with their child in play before separating from them.

In my home childcare, to assure that parents and children feel welcome and respected, I would be sure to greet the in a warm way each morning. As for the environment, I would create an anti-bias learning environment. I would be sure to display diversity within the home through the use of posters, photos, cultural artifacts, children’s learning material such as dolls, puzzles, book, and other various materials that will help the family feel welcome and recognize their culture within the program. As for interactions between the children and families, I would make sure that all interactions are positive and professional.   

The multimedia along with the chapter reading inspired me on how to create an environment that is anti-bias. After viewing the home of Adriana, I could not help but revisit the way I had my former home daycare. On a scale from 1-10 I would say that I would have scored a 5 compared to Adriana home set up. Her home childcare was well organized, enriched with multiple items that supported diversity and individualized culture. After reading the visual and material environment portion of chapter four, I was influenced that the environment plays a key role in how children and families are influenced that the learning environment is inviting and supports their family and culture. The toys, materials, and equipment you put out for children; the posters, pictures, and art objects you hang on the wall; and the types of furniture and how you arrange them all influence what children learn (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).

Resources

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

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). Strategies for working with diverse children. Baltimore, MD: Author

 

 

What I Have Learned

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds (any format and any length)

 

The one hope that I have when I think about working with children and families is to be the best possible advocate that I could be. I hope to become the teacher that makes the difference in my students and families lives with love, respect, and support. My passion is working with children and families of diverse culture and I want to study diversity more in depth to where I have a clear understanding and knowledge of what best meets the needs of these families as they enter into a new country, city, or learning environment. Not to say that diverse families are in more need than other families but they are the families that are at a greater risk of not achieving or succeeding due to limited resources, language barriers, and other necessities that they may not have access to. I hope to be the link that connects diverse families to success.

 

 

One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice (any format and any length)

 

One goal that I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is to possibly join a local organization that support diversity. By joining an organization, I would be able to collaborate with other educators and professionals in the field of early childhood education and play an active role in my efforts of supporting diversity and anti-bias classroom environments. I would also like to continue to attend diversity workshops so that I can build relationships with like minded individuals and also attend face-to-face groups with families of diverse cultures to learn their thoughts and concerns regarding cultural issues that they make be challenging to their families.

 

 

A brief note of thanks to your colleagues

 

I would like to say THANK YOU to each of my colleagues for sharing their personal stories, thoughts, and insights throughout the course. It has been an absolute pleasure to learn about diversity and biases from each of your perspectives. I can say that what I have learned will not be forgotten but utilized in my field work and interactions with children and families. It has been a rewarding experience to have communicated with you all during our discussion posts. I wish you each best wishes with your future endeavors in working with children and families.  

 

Start Seeing Diversity Blog: Creating Art

My Daughter and her Best Friend Megan

My God Children

My cousin and his children

My Aunt, Step-Grandmother, Sister, and Aunt

Diversity in the classroom

Mother of my Church

My daughter and her high school friends

Diversity in the classroom

Cousins

Husband and youngest son Isaiah

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

It was about a year ago when I was visiting family in the Los Angeles area when my 5 year old cousin Taylor made a remark that embarrassed just about everyone in the store. There was a man who appeared to be a woman. The man had a very long hair weave but he had a full beard and carried himself very feminine. Out of nowhere Taylor said “Why she.. I mean He... why he wearing that long hair like a girl?” By age 3 or 4, children’s comments and interactions reveal the influence of family and societal attitudes about gender behavior, coupled with children’s own developing attempts at understanding the world (Klein et al. 2007). Before I knew it, Taylor's mother had grabbed her by the hand and pulled her closer to her. She also apologized for the remark that her daughter had said. The man was totally fine and seemed to not be offended by the remark. He said “Oh hunny it’s no problem, she’s fine”.

The response of the Taylor's mother may have made Taylor afraid to speak or share her concerns regarding the gender differences in others. Her mother’s response may have even sent the message that it’s not ok to ask questions regarding someone’s gender. Numerous messages could have run through Taylor's mind as she was silenced after her response.

As an anti-bias educator I could have intervened and explained to Taylor that it’s ok to wonder and ask questions about how an individual may look but it’s not ok to verbally hurt others feelings in the process. I would have then explained to Taylor that there are individuals who choose to dress, speak, or even act differently than we may think that they should, but we must remember that they are people who still need to be respected as a person. The early learning of respect for oneself and for others lays a healthy foundation for all (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010). If I were in a classroom setting, I would share pictures or posters of different gender and family lifestyles. I would show the children the many different types of people and individuals that make up a family. I would have an open discussion or role play regarding gender identity and fairness. Look for opportunities to initiate interactions that offer children accurate information and let them try out their ideas about the differences between being male or female and acting like a boy or a girl (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010).  I would like to see where the children’s minds are regarding the topic.

"Start Seeing Diversity Video" Blog: Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

1.      Your response to those who believe that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families.

I can remember as a child growing up in a community that was highly populated by one culture of people. That group of people was Black people. I hardly ever seen, let alone interacted with children and families from other “diverse” backgrounds. With the increasing amount of children and families who are residing in this country, it is imperative that school settings be prepared to teach and educate children and families about the many different types of diverse families. Being an advocate for diverse cultures of families, I support the inclusions of all children and their families. It is so beneficial that children are supported for who they are and where they are from. Children need to see themselves and their families reflected in their learning environments. This will give children a sense of belonging and allow them to feel more comfortable in their learning environments. Helping children and their families develop self-esteem and a sense of belonging in their new school is important for success (Kirmani, 2007). With the use of materials such as books, puzzles, family photos, posters, and multicultural dolls, children and parents are better able to understand families that are very much different from their own. It is essential that teachers help children see that gender, race, culture, and sexual orientation can be expressed in multiple ways and that some of these ways have more power than others (Hyland, 2010). With these differences, there is room for many wonderful learning experiences for children and families.

 

2.      How would you respond to a parent/family member who informed you they did not want anyone who is perceived (or self-reported) homosexual or transgender to be caring for, educating, and/or interacting with their child.

My initial response would probably be in disbelief of what the parent/family member is communicating. As an educator it would be my responsibility to educate and share with the parent about the harmful effects of discrimination and bias against others. This does not only affect the educator but their child as well. Children may receive a harmful message regarding gays and lesbians if parents are not careful of their communications regarding such issues. While families are in a critical place in shaping children’s values on such matters, classroom practices communicate and reinforce strong, subtle, and respected social messages about what is and is not valued (Hyland, 2010).  I would explain to the parent that all educators are highly credentialed educators and regardless of their sexual orientation, they are assigned to support and educate their child as well as the parents. I would them assure the parent that no teacher who is openly or secretly gay or lesbian will be enforcing their sexuality on any child. Their sole responsibility is to educate their child. As the educator, I would share literature regarding equity-based pedagogies. I believe that the parent just may not be aware of equity in the classroom setting. This applies to the staff as well as children. In early childhood programs and in preschool and primary classrooms, it is critical for teachers to address injustice and develop equity-based pedagogies, because children form ideas about families and their own sense of identity within the large world during these early years (Boutte 2008).   

 

References

Hyland, N. E. (2010). Social justice in early childhood classrooms what the research tells us. YC Young Children, 65(1), 82-90. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/197637742?accountid=14872

Kirmani, M. H. (2007). Empowering culturally and linguistically diverse children and families. YC: Young Children, 62(6), 94–98.

Week 8 Blog - Best Wishes

For the past 8 weeks, I have learned a great amount of knowledge from each of my colleagues. My colleagues have supported me with the sharing of their personal stories, thoughts, and beliefs in the many subjects that this course has covered. I have personally enjoyed the weekly discussions. It has been through the discussions that I have learned a great deal about the true educators that my colleagues are. It has only inspired me as an educator to be the best advocate and educator to the children that I teach. I have enjoyed the diversity of the class. My colleagues diversity has given me a clearer view of issues that otherwise I may not have been able to understand.

I believe that I have supported my colleagues in support of their thoughts and beliefs. I have tried not to disrespect any of their personal thoughts, but have encouraged them and supported them to continue in the works that they are a part of. I believe that I have supported my colleagues with my sharing my personal stories and knowledge that I have regarding early child development.

As this course near it's ending, I would like to encourage every one to continue in their studies. There is always something new to learn to better educate young children. There are so many students and future students who need educators such as you all are. What you ALL do in this field makes the difference in many children and families lives. Please stay in touch (cotaticrompton@aol.com). Best wishes!!

Week 6 Blog "Adjourning"

As I think about when I resigned from my past job, a smile comes across my face. I can say that I had some wonderful experiences with many different women who are still very much a part of my life today. Adjourning is the time when a group of individuals separate from one another by choice and sometimes not by choice. In my case, it was my choice. I had just received my BA and was offered a better position within a different agency. It was so sad to leave so many close and dear friendships that were developed over the time frame of 6 years.

Yes, I believe that high-performing groups are definitely hardest to leave. These groups work well together and get the assignment completed with oneness. That was surely the case with myself and my previous co-workers. We each always helped and assisted one another in many different work projects. Not only were we co-workers we formed a sisterhood with one another. Our families spent time together as well.

The closing rituals that I had with my prior-co-workers were a going away celebration while at work. We’d all come together and bring different dishes of foods to share in celebration of our friendships. We would even meet up on a Friday evening and have a ladies night out at a very nice restaurant. We ladies love to celebrate with foods!! J

As I prepare to complete this Masters program, I reflect on the many wonderful friendships that I have built with my professors as well as my classmates. As I adjourn, I would like to stay in contact with many of these ladies. Over the past 2 years, we all have shared many personal stories and experiences with one another. Actually we have formed a sisterhood amongst our different courses. I would love to exchange phone numbers and email addresses to stay in touch with those whom I have had the opportunity to share and collaborate with.

Adjourning is an important essential stage in teamwork. It is through this stage that celebrations of one’s success are shared and best wishes are rendered. When departing from a group, it is great to stay in contact with members to keep abreast of future success and also to network with one another in the near future.    

Week 5 Blog - Conflict Resolution

This week the subject has been on conflict resolution and non-violent communications. The weekly resources has shared many strategies to assist individuals with resolving conflicts and communicating in a more positive way.

For the past month I have been experience conflict with one of my 3 year old students named Karla. Karla is 3 years old and has had the hardest time adjusting to attending school. From the beginning of the school year Karla seemed to be a little different from the other students. She has never participated in small groups, she is not able to sit during story time, she has unpredictable outburst at any given time during her school day, and she also has screaming tantrums. During the beginning of the year when I first recognized that Karla was having a hard time adjusting to school, I spoke with both of her parents and asked if they had any concerns about Karla's behaviors. Both parents did not see a concern but felt that Karla was simply just spoiled. As the school year has progre3ssed, Karla's behavior has worsened. Karla walks away from the class when the class is walking to the restrooms, she throw her lunch if certain foods are placed onto her tray, Karla throws toys and turns over chairs when she is upset.

The past two weeks have been very difficult for me as the educator. Karla's behaviors are definitely disturbing the entire class. When she yells and screams, the other children plug their ears and are annoyed with Karla. I try to explain to the children that Karla is young but they do not understand. A few months ago I referred Karla to the school nurse for evaluation and the nurse recognized an immediate concern regarding Karla. The nurse contacted Karla's parents and notified them of her evaluation and Karla's parents refused services or a referral for outside assessments. I even spoke with Karla's mother about having Karla attend social skills groups to assist Karla with socializing in an appropriate way and mom denied the social skills group.

Last week Karla had another hard day. Once mom left the school, Karla screamed and yelled for at least 20 minutes. I tried to contact mom and dad but I was unable to reach them. Karla refused to leave the classroom for the restroom break which left me out of ratio while I took the children to the restroom, my aide stayed in the classroom with Karla. When mom arrived to pick up Karla I explained Karla's day in details and explained to mom that I needed more help with Karla. I shared with her that Karla needs one-on-one care and I did not have the staffing to provide one-on-one care for Karla. Mom seemed frustrated and asked if she should drop Karla from the program. I told mom that her and Karla's dad know more so than I if Karla is ready for school. Mom stated that she would speak with Dad first. Well....Karla did not show up to school for the past 2 days. Karla's parents have not contacted me either.

Two strategies that I believe would help me to resolve this conflict would be to cooperatively strategies ways to help Karla with her interactions while at school. I would again ask Karla's parents if they could assist Karla while at school at least one day per week to positively guide her interactions and behaviors while at school. Another strategy would be to ask the parents to reconsider having Karla participate in the social skills groups. In the past, the social skills groups have proven to help children of all ages and different developmental levels socialize in a more positive way.

My last strategy to use is to personally suggest that Karla may not be ready for such a large group at school. My classroom is structured and has 24 children between the ages of 3-5 enrolled. This type of class setting may be overwhelming for Karla which triggers her to scream, yell, throw her foods, and leave the class when walking outdoors. My ultimate goal for Karla is to receive the services and care that she needs. Whether it is social skills groups, one-on-one care, developmental assessments, or new placement, Karla needs special attention right away.

Week 4 Blog

What is the one thing that surprised you the most? Why?

The one thing that surprised me the most was the fact that my communications between my daughter and I were not as positive as they are with my friends, neighbors, and strangers. My daughter shared an eye opener with me. She shared how I am not a good listener to her and answer her questions very quickly so that I can continue with what I am already doing. When she shared this info with me, I was immediately convicted because I often am busy and do give her short and quick answers so that I can continue on assignments or projects that I am in the middle of. After evaluating my daughter’s responses, I did set a goal to speak with my daughter and my family to share how much I do love them and to also come up with a schedule that fits with each of our various work and school schedules so that we can have the time to sit and discuss concerns of ours. I do not want for my family time to be time-oriented but with the busy work and school schedules that my family and I have, we have no choice but to schedule time off or away from school and work so that we can catch up on the important things in our lives.

 

What other insights about communication did you gain this week?

Another insight that I gained was the fact that as a communicator, it is very important that we evaluate our communications or interactions with others. Taking a look from the outside would help us to recognize areas that need improvement. Getting the input from others regarding communication styles, is a great way to start. With the feedback of others, it allows communicators to make the necessary changes to improve their communication skills. This will definitely help me as a mother, wife, and educator to see where I may be missing the mark in my communications with my family, students, and families.

 

 

Blog Assignment 3 - Communications

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures? If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

To be honest, I communicate with all cultures in the same way. In my communications, I am open and a good listener. I understand the importance of the right of others opinions, cultural ways and beliefs, difference in languages and communication styles, and respect all cultures equally. When I communicate with different cultures, I am friendly, speak clearly so that they are able to understand what I am communicating, and do make eye contact to show that I am truly listening to them. What I have noticed is that my communications do differ when I’m in the company of particular people. Nothing negative though! When I am communicating with co-workers or my supervisor, my communications slightly change and are more serious. It’s not that I can only communicate in a serious nature but out of respect and to keep my professional status, I try to keep all communications professional. When I am in communications with my family members, close colleagues, husband and children, I feel more relaxed and comfortable in my conversations/communications. My grammar, style of communicating, and body language may change slightly. Again, it changes only because I am in a more comfortable, personal, and relaxed environment.

 

Blog Assingmnet 2 Communications Verbal/Nonverbal

The program that I chose to record and view was The Real Housewives of Atlanta. I am not that interested in the many reality television programs that have aired. My co-workers and peers are always trying to impel me to watch the program but I had not a chance until this assignment presented the opportunity. When I first began watching the program with no volume it appeared that all of the characters were always in discussion about something of great interest. There were scenes in the program where there was a man and woman sitting and talking then becoming very intimate with one another. There was a scene where there appeared to be some feuding or disagreement between two females.  A totally different scene showed 4 women who met up at a restaurant enjoying their lunch with lots of laughter.  Most of the scenes looked to be very serious with communications and back and forth discussions taking place.

The feelings that I did observe were feelings of disappointment, anger, unhappiness, happiness, and enjoyment. The feeling of disappointment was assumed because of an older woman and a younger woman’s facial expressions while they talked. Their faces were drooped and saddened. The feelings of anger were assumed because there was some sort of back and forth yelling and lots of body language and arm and hand movements. The feelings of happiness and enjoyment were assumed when the man and woman were close and became intimate with one another. Happiness was assumed because one scene shared a group of woman eating together and smiling and laughing with each other. 

Once I re-viewed the program with the volume, my assumptions were exactly as I assumed earlier. There were many arguments and confrontations taking place between the women. Simply stated it was truly a bunch of drama between all of the characters up until the end of the program when the ladies met for a lunch and enjoyed each other’s company. As I viewed the program with volume, I realized why I had not had a great interest in the reality television programs.

If I were watching a more well know program, I believe that my assumptions would have been the same. Body language, facial expressions, eye contact, and hand movements are all ways of reading a person’s message. It’s funny but today my husband and I went to the beach and he noticed how I was observing the people in our passing during lunch and as we walked the pier. He say’s “I notice that you people watch”. My response was that I enjoy watching individuals and trying to figure out what they are thinking, feeling, and how they respond to different situations. As an educator, I have been trained to observe children on a daily basis and it’s kind of stuck with me even outside of the classroom. Again, a world of messages can be relayed without any verbal conversation taking place.

This assignment only has aligned with my prior knowledge of how people communicate with one another. Communications do not always have to be verbal. I often like to play Pictionary with my students. I like to either draw out something or even act out something to see if they are able to guess what the message is. Nine times out of ten, my students are able to figure out the message that I am sending out.  My “aha” moments is the fact that by simply observing a person, one will be able to receive the message from the sender. This was an enjoyable assignment and like I mentioned it clarifies why I “people watch”.

Blog Assignment 1 - Someone Who Demonstrates Competent Communication

When I think of individual who demonstrate competent communications, I can't help but think of two awesome men of God Bishop T.D. Jakes and Joel Osteen. These two men are preachers of the gospel and share the word of God with millions of people on a weekly basis. Often on Sunday mornings or afternoons, I have the opportunity to listen in on the messages that these two men communicate before many different cultures of people.

Of the two men, I chose Joel Osteen. Joel Osteen has a certain way that he delivers his sermons to his audience and home viewers. He speaks in a very soft tone, he always has a smile on his face, and his choice words are always encouraging and uplifting. When Joel Osteen speaks, his body posture is very calm. He normally takes his time if he decides to leave the podium. Mr. Osteen is just a very calm and relaxing speaker. He hardly ever gets very loud or uses many wild hand gestures.

Joel Osteen communication behaviors are effective because of his demeanor. The demeanor he has captures the attention of his listeners to where they have no choice but to tune in to the words that are coming from his mouth. If I were a public speaker in a forum such as a church, I do believe that I would love to model the same communication behaviors as Joel Osteen. I have seen how effective his speaking has been with his calm demeanor and soft tone.

Bishop T.D. Jakes is a very powerful man of God and delivers his sermons and messages in a total different way.  Bishop Jakes uses many different facial expressions, body languages, choice words that also capture the attention of his listeners and viewers.

What I have learned, is the fact that all audiences or listeners are not exactly the same types of group and speakers have to adjust their delivery methods to meet the need of the type of audience they are presented with.  

Professional Hopes and Goals

The one hope that I have when working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is the hope for unity and equality of ALL people regardless of one’s diversity. Often I do witness particular groups of individuals working cohesively with their same group of people and not giving other diverse groups a chance for the same opportunities. As an educator and advocate, I want for each of my students and families to receive the same opportunities as any other person or culture. I believe in togetherness because when the nation works together as one, we are so much stronger as a nation. I believe that we all have special gifts and qualities that will enhance our communities, cities, states, countries, and nations. Togetherness!!!!

One goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is the goal of not forgetting what I have learned during this course. To also apply my learning in my personal life, work life and relationships with my peers. This course was jam-packed with many resources that allowed me to take a good look into myself as an individual, a look at the many different isms and the detriment effects they have on others, and also a look into how I can be a stronger advocate for children and families of diversity. Diversity is my specialized study for this program and I have a sincere passion for working with diverse families. Working with diverse children and families has been so rewarding for me. I have learned so much from my day-to-day interactions with my students and families.

As this course nears to the end, I would like to say THANK YOU to each of my colleagues for sharing their personal diversities, wisdom, expertise, and kindness. Each of your postings, comments, and blogs has only enriched my knowledge of diversity. It has definitely allowed me to understand diversity from a different aspect other than my own. My hope is for each of you to achieve all of your goals and aspirations that you have with your careers and advocacy work.

Cotati Thomas-Crompton

 

Welcoming Families From Around the World

I am a preschool educator and my director has just notified me that I will be receiving a new student who is from the country of Jamaica. The student and her family speak very little English and have never been included in a predominantly all English speaking classroom setting. My director has told me that I have one week to prepare myself and classroom environment to assist with making the child and her family feel welcome and comfortable.

The first way to prepare would be to contact my close friend Tucker who is from Jamaica. I would like to learn from him what to expect and what should I do to make my new student and her family feel comfortable.  I would study the country of Jamaica to learn more about the culture and the characteristics, learning styles, and any other important information that will assist me with the transition of the child and her family.

 The second way to prepare would be to inform my current students and staff of the new student and family. They should also be prepared to welcome the new student and her family. Preparing them will eliminate the need for many questions or stereotypes that may surface when the child arrives. Knowledge of the culture will have already been discussed before hand.  

The third way to prepare would be to make sure that my classroom environment reflects the culture of the child. It is important that the child and her family see that we respect their culture and respect the diversity of their culture.

The fourth way to prepare is to prepare an individualized plan for this student due to her limited experience in a classroom of a different culture and language. If possible, I would ask my director if there are any aides that do speak the child’s home language to assist with the language barrier. If not, I would at least try to learn a few of the basic words in Jamaican from Tucker so that I can be able to communicate with the child and family.

The fifth way to prepare is to review the child’s file to learn more about the child and the child’s family structure. It is important to know if whether or not the child has any special needs, illnesses, disabilities, and whether or not the family is a single family home or if both parents are involved. As an advocate, it is my responsibility to make sure that the child and her family receives the necessary links that will make their transition easier. I can assist with lining up community resources to assist with the family’s transition to the country. Maybe the family can use assistance with employment, medical attention, health insurance, and other referrals.

All the preparations that are made are in hopes that the entire transition of my new student and family is well. In every way I hope that the preparations will help me as the new teacher to be more understanding of the child, her culture, and her family composition. I believe that with the necessary preparations, the transition of the child and family will be smooth, the students and the staff will know what to expect, and I will have a general knowledge of how to be culturally responsive to my new student and her family.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression or witnessed someone else as the target of bias, prejudice, and/or oppression?

Over the years I have seen many slavery movies that share the documentaries of how slaves were treated unjust because of their race and/or culture. The movie “Roots”, written by Alex Haley, is a well know film that shares the life of many African’s who were captured and taken from Africa and sold into slavery. The movie share how African’s were treated as uncivilized humans, torn away from their families, beaten and hanged for not obeying their masters, and woman and young girls raped and abused. Recently, my husband and I watched the newly released movie about Nelson Mandela. The movie shares the life and ministry of Nelson Mandela and how he fought for the native rights of the people of his country. Both movies are very interesting and give the viewer an inside peek of the entire heart ache and pain that people of color had to endure in their lives. It is so awful to know that individuals are disliked, discriminated against, abused, threatened, and tortured for no apparent reason other than they are not the "same" as the majority or have a different color skin tone. The most recent event that I witnessed was of a co-worker who received a bias or prejudice remark from one of the parents at our childcare center. The parent addressed my co-worker as the ‘Mexican Lady” instead of addressing her by her first name. Not only did the parent do it once, but she did it twice without giving it any thought. When the incident was brought to our supervisor’s attention, she asked my co-worker to introduce herself by her first name the next time the parent was to come in contact with her. Well, my co-worker did just that and the parent totally ignored her and again addressed her as the “Mexican Lady”.   

 

In what ways did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

Equity was immediately diminished once the parent addressed my co-worker as the “Mexican Lady”. If the parent did not know the name of the employee, she could have introduced herself and then asked the teacher what her name was. It isn’t fair for anyone to be called a name other than their given name. I am sure that the parent is not called the “Black Lady, or Caucasian Lady, or Chinese Lady in her work settings. What really surprised me in this incident is the fact that the supervisor never spoke with this parent regarding her actions. As the administration, I believe that this patent should have been addressed about what she had said not once but twice. I believe that morals, values, and equity are no longer in many childcare centers. It seems that it is more about childcare spaces being filled and money to be made. Who knows this woman may be still walking around offending other teachers and committing microagressions. This type of mannerism needs to be put to an end. Employees as well as children and families in child care settings should feel safe and secure in their environments. As long as behaviors such as are ignored, more and more people are at risk of becoming the next target or victim of racism and/or microaggressio.

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

When my co-worker mentioned what had happened to her I was speechless. I immediately told her to speak with our supervisor but apparently that led to a dead end. My emotions and feelings were all over the place. Actually I had taken it personal even though I was not a part of the incident. It also made to think about how important it is that during parent orientations, parents should be made aware of how they are to respect the employees just as the employees are to respect the children and their families. Most childcare centers have a notification of parent rights as well as a notification of personal rights as parents. I believe that there should also be a notice of employee rights that parents must adhere to as well. I have worked in many childcare centers were the teachers felt inferior of their students parents. Sometimes parents are rude and treat teachers as babysitters and not as their child educator. This type of misunderstanding or behavior should be stopped.

What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

First of all I believe that it is the responsibility of the centers administration to address these types of incidents as soon as they arise. It is unfair and unjust to have made the teacher or employee deal with the parent on that level. Childcare center should address issues related to rights of employees and respect of employees at the beginning of the school year so that incidents such as won’t happen. A few years ago my son attended a private school. There was many different staff that played different roles in the day-to-day operations of the school. Each parent and their children were taught to address each and any staff as “Coach”. I thought that this was very nice and there was no room for mispronunciation of first or last names. It taught the children to respect their educators when addressing them. I personally like it! All changes to turn opportunities into greater equity must start with leadership within organizations. Once leadership is in order, all else will fall into place accordingly.