Practicing Awareness

Practicing Awareness

 

This week I had an opportunity to use what I have learned so far in this course.  I am a supervisor so when I was visiting a school one of the teachers told me that she was having problems getting a boy in her class to speak.  She said that his parents told her he speaks English well and she felt he just was selectively mute because he did not want to learn.  I had the opportunity to tell her about being sensitive to family culture and how culture is more than a language but a way of living that may be completely different than what he was experiencing in her class.  I hope that my words provided insight that will help her to think differently about how she can meet his needs and not just make quick assumptions.  Watching the boy sit alone silently in the corner of the classroom made my heart go out to him and I thought about how damaging the assumption that this boy did not want to learn was.  At age four of course he wanted to learn and play with the other children.  This attitude by the teacher would only further the discrimination he might feel and keep her from exploring other options and ways to help him adjust.  As teachers we must be very careful not to jump to conclusions and try to take on multiple perspectives of the children and families in our care. 

 

Interviews About Culture and Diversity

Interviews

The people I interviewed mentioned several of the aspects we have spoken of in this course such as culture being people’s beliefs and traditions and diversity being differences in the way people look and speak.  The thing that stood out to me that was omitted is that they only were mentioning broad definitions of different ethnicities and physical differences and did not mention other aspects of culture such as deep beliefs and values that are particular to each family unit.  No one mentioned sexuality, gender, education or family structure.  Perhaps these are areas that are not often thought about.    These areas may have deep seated attitudes and prejudice that may not even be realized.

 

Reflecting on others answers made me realize that there is a general unawareness of attitudes and beliefs about culture and diversity.  I wonder if anyone ever stops to think about it and how their own beliefs affect the way the view others.   Ideas about what is normal and expected begin to form very early and can lead to oppression if we are not more aware of our differences in these areas.   Sparks & Edwards (2010) State that “The formation of a child’s cultural identity begins at birth and unless adults actively guide them, children can develop negative reactions to those that behave in ways that are unfamiliar” (p. 58)

 

References

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 (NAEYC).My Family Culture

 

My Family Cutlure

It would be very difficult to choose only three items.  We have several family albums, so in order to bring one we would need to go through our pictures and choose the ones that best represent our life together.  Going through pictures would probably create laughter and tears.  It would be difficult to choose.  The second item that we would bring is a bible.  My personal bible is very precious to me.  It is only 4 years old.  I got it when I decided to read it for myself and my family and I have spent time telling the stories and applying them to our lives.  We consider it as a treasure map containing hidden gyms.  We consider it to be more than a story but something that is alive and part of our current story.  The third item is well…our dogs- O.K. that stands for two and I don’t know if they are an “item” but we really don’t have any other materialistic things that we value.  Nothing passed down from grandparents, no artifacts.  Our dogs are our family.  Our love for them is something we all share.  We have been comforted by them and we have been brought to laughter by them.  We fight over who loves them more and who they love more. 

If I were to explain to others what these items mean I would say that they represent all of the memories that we have together and that they are things that hold us and bond us together.  Taking them with us would help us to get through difficult times.  If I was told to choose only one item I would be devastated.  My heart would break because of all of the things in life they are the most valuable.

I realized through this exercise that my family culture really values time spent together above anything else.  Material things are just not a value to us.  I also feel in some ways that our family has had to sort of create its own culture within the culture.  I feel that we have been very fortunate to be able to have a roof over our head and food on the table.  Because my children are grown, at times I wish I could turn the clock back.  If I could pass any cultural traditions down it would be the value and gift of time.