Professional Hopes and Goals

◦What are the three most significant "lessons" that I have learned from studying issues related to diversity, equity, and social justice in this course—and what makes them significant?

1. Prejudice and discrimination are alive and well.  What is significant about this is that I have realized that there is hidden bias and prejudice displayed in ways that are often unconscious.  I have become more aware of this which will help me overcome my own bias and stand up for equity

2. Being an advocate for anti-bias education will take institutional change starting with the institution that I am a part of.  This is important because I am part of the dominate culture and can influence some of the practices that go on in the work place that are discriminatory

3. Creating a diverse classroom means that I will need to find out about the family culture of each of my students.  This is important and necessary in order to integrate other cultures into my classroom culture.

◦Which of my personal characteristics/dispositions do I consider to be my most valuable asset for my work with children and families from varied backgrounds—and for what reason(s)?

I think in general I am very accepting of others and assume the best of people.  I feel a great deal of compassion for others and this motivates me to move beyond first impressions.  This will be a necessary in making sure I value and include children and families of various backgrounds, beliefs, values and cultures.  Although I know that I still have room to grow in this area, I feel that I have a good foundation from which to work from.

◦Thinking about the statement, made by one of the panelists, "The passion comes from the vision": What is your interpretation of this statement, and in what way(s), if any, can you relate to the connection implied between professional passion and a vision regarding diversity?

Keeping focused on the vision of creating a better future for the next generation that is free from hate and that gives all children the right to reach their full potential will help me in everyday situations.  Noticing when certain actions are effecting that vision creates a sense of hope and determination to keep going.    I like how Derman-sparks sums it up by saying that we need to remember that although we are not perfect change is still possible (2011).

Reference

Laureate Education. (2011) Course Media: Diversity and equity work: Lessons learned.

Five ways to be culturally responsive towards a family living in Russia

Five ways to be culturally responsive towards a family living in Russia

1.  Reading personal blogs:

I went on the internet and read some blogs written by Russian children.  There are also blogs written by teachers in Russia that share their own experiences with the culture and what life is like there.

2.  Consider ways to integrate individual family cultural of children into the curriculum and create opportunities for families to share their individual family culture.  This will take thoughtful planning.

3.  Research the home language and search for pictures and ways to include the home language into the classroom.

3.  Avoid insvisiblity by researching meaningful art, music and books that can be added to the classroom environment. 

4. Make sure to read books, watch movies, and listen to music from Russia to get a better understanding of culture and family life.  Schedule a home visit if possible.

I see this as an opportunity to model by example love and respect for those that are different. The entire class can learn to appreciate others and learn that different is good.  It is an opportunity for me to learn more about the world and try new and different approaches.  The result will be professional growth.   

 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

I recently witnessed prejudice in a hiring situation.  I heard about an opening where my friend worked and so I recommended a young black man that just graduated from high school.  He had the perfect skill set for the job, had a high work ethic and would have been a perfect fit.  After the interview I asked my friend if she heard how it went and she said her boss said there is “No way” she would hire him because she didn’t like his “look.”  I was shocked because I really didn’t realize such racism still existed!  This women supervisor made a judgment based on outward appearance and whatever bias she had attached to that and this young man did not even get an equitable chance.  I really made me angry.  This young man ended up putting twice as many job applications and working twice as hard to get a job then a Caucasian individual would have had to.  It also seems so silly to me and the employer really missed out on a great employee.  In this situation the supervisor who was hiring needed to be reported for the remarks.  The employer(s) needed educating and there needs to be more honest conversation in general about our individual bias and why it is there before beginning to dismantle it.

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.

Course Reflections

Reflecting back on this course I am pleasantly surprised at the growth I have made since the beginning.  I have learned about the details of the research process as well as how to conduct research in a fair and professional manner.  I have learned about different types of research and what context in which they are best applied.

My initial ideas about research were that it would be over my head, boring and not interesting.  As I have studied however I have found it to be understandable, interesting, and a valuable tool in advancing the early childhood landscape.

At the end of the unit I learned that before I even start the planning process I have to keep in mind equity, time, and nature of the study.  I learned that careful planning is a must for a viable research project and that I must carefully design the study to answer a specific question that will ultimately benefit the early childhood field.

One of the challenges that I faced is that the research process is more detailed then I imagined and in the process of identifying essential questions I found that I had to modify the study.  Time was a big factor in this course and I had to make some sacrifices to complete the task assigned.

I have already had an opportunity in a staff meeting with colleagues to argue for implementation of research in our work.  Our education system is in need of revamping and I feel it is vital to me and my team not only to look at past research but also conduct our own research before changes are made.  I appreciate the tools I have gained from this course and I know I will be using them in the future.