Already in our discussion board this week I made note that microaggression was a new term for me. An understanding of this topic is probably the most important thing I am taking away from the course. I find myself much more aware of microaggressions as they occur around me and even find myself pointing them out to certain people (many of which have no idea either!). As I continue in the world of education it is my hope that I can teach the kiddos in my classroom more about differences. The more I talk about them and address issues in the classroom, the less likely they are to fall into the trap of being so influenced by our society and the subliminal messages. I hope that they carry with them an awareness of what it means to be a leader, that it's okay to be different, and a love and respect for everyone around them.
My goal for the entire field of early childhood is this:
To be intentional about educating teachers in the areas of diversity, equity, and social justice.
It is not a good thing that this is the first time I've heard about things such as microaggressions and many of the "-isms". Educators need to learn how to identify these things and how to address issues before they are in the classroom - not after undergrad studies. Not after teaching for a few years. Not after half of their grad work. Professional development opportunities need to exist before this point. Prospective teachers need to be learning more about these things in their undergrad prep work. Then they can greatly influence the lives of their students so that they know from a very young age how to handle differences in a constructive manner.
Thank you so much, colleagues, for your encouragement, support, challenges, and feedback as we worked together these past 8 weeks. You all have helped me to grow tremendously. I look forward to working with you more in the future!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Welcoming Families From Around The World
Scenario: You
are working in an early childhood setting of your choice—a hospital, a
child care center, a social service agency. You receive word that the
child of a family who has recently emigrated from a country you know
nothing about will join your group soon. You want to prepare yourself to
welcome the child and her family. Luckily, you are enrolled in a course
about diversity and have learned that in order to support families who
have immigrated you need to know more than surface facts about their
country of origin.
"My" family's country of origin: Spain
Childcare Setting: Lower Elementary School Age Summer Classroom at a Daycare Center
Ways I plan to be culturally responsive towards this family:
1. Hold a Family Fun Day: At some point during the summer I would organize and set up a day that could involve the entire family of this facility. It would include a carnival-like atmosphere with games, crafts, food, face painting, and a spot for socialization. I would ask for input from any parents/families as far as things they would like to see at the event and also add in of my own that would initiate conversation and interaction. The point of this day is to get families involved in a fun time together. Parents would have the opportunity to interact, help if they wanted to, and feel comfortable in the environment.
2. Family Reports: Each week I would pick a "Star of the Week". This student would do a small presentation about their family or a few presentations throughout the week. This could include anything they wanted but I would give suggestions such as: picture poster, favorite family game, foods, books, movies, etc. We would get to know each family throughout the summer from the child's perspective.
3. Family Interview/Conference: Hopefully before this child started attending the program, or shortly thereafter, I would ask to meet with the family and/or parents/guardians. I would ask questions about their background, religion, beliefs, general lifestyle, and encourage them to tell me as much about their family as they are comfortable doing so. This would give some excellent background on the student and their family and give insight.
4. Classroom Community Activities: I would be very intentional about the language and activities I plan for our classroom. I want to build a strong community of students. I would use a lot of "we" and "our" as I talk about the room (rather than "my" or "I" as teacher). We share ideas, the space, time, materials, food, games, and many other things. The classroom is ours to take care of and share no matter your name, religion, background, or language.
5. Snack: During the family interview I would ask what some common snack items are in their country of origin. I would let the family know that if they ever wanted to make anything (the child's favorite, etc) they may, or they can give me a recipe or give suggestions and I would get that snack sometimes. I would do this with all families - students could take turns bringing in snacks that they like.
"My" family's country of origin: Spain
Childcare Setting: Lower Elementary School Age Summer Classroom at a Daycare Center
Ways I plan to be culturally responsive towards this family:
1. Hold a Family Fun Day: At some point during the summer I would organize and set up a day that could involve the entire family of this facility. It would include a carnival-like atmosphere with games, crafts, food, face painting, and a spot for socialization. I would ask for input from any parents/families as far as things they would like to see at the event and also add in of my own that would initiate conversation and interaction. The point of this day is to get families involved in a fun time together. Parents would have the opportunity to interact, help if they wanted to, and feel comfortable in the environment.
2. Family Reports: Each week I would pick a "Star of the Week". This student would do a small presentation about their family or a few presentations throughout the week. This could include anything they wanted but I would give suggestions such as: picture poster, favorite family game, foods, books, movies, etc. We would get to know each family throughout the summer from the child's perspective.
3. Family Interview/Conference: Hopefully before this child started attending the program, or shortly thereafter, I would ask to meet with the family and/or parents/guardians. I would ask questions about their background, religion, beliefs, general lifestyle, and encourage them to tell me as much about their family as they are comfortable doing so. This would give some excellent background on the student and their family and give insight.
4. Classroom Community Activities: I would be very intentional about the language and activities I plan for our classroom. I want to build a strong community of students. I would use a lot of "we" and "our" as I talk about the room (rather than "my" or "I" as teacher). We share ideas, the space, time, materials, food, games, and many other things. The classroom is ours to take care of and share no matter your name, religion, background, or language.
5. Snack: During the family interview I would ask what some common snack items are in their country of origin. I would let the family know that if they ever wanted to make anything (the child's favorite, etc) they may, or they can give me a recipe or give suggestions and I would get that snack sometimes. I would do this with all families - students could take turns bringing in snacks that they like.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression
I can't recall a time that I experienced bias, prejudice, or oppression first hand... I can, however, think of more than a handful of times when I've see it online, in movies, books, and on TV.
I remember one time when I was watching a movie on TV... it was a special feature... about the first African-American girl to attend a public school... Ruby Bridges was her name. I just had to go look it up quick! This was awhile ago, probably when I was still in middle or high school. Anyway, I remember feeling just awful for the way that others were treating Ruby. She was so young and innocent yet these adults were treating her like garbage. I can remember tearing up at some points in the movie. I didn't understand how anyone could be so cruel to another human being.
Ruby had just as much of a right to attend that school as did any of the other children. The way that people treated her had to make her feel as if she just wasn't worth it. Things did change throughout the course of the movie. I don't remember all the specifics, but do remember reading more recently that Ruby remained in that area of New Orleans and raised her own family there. She stood up for what was right and made a huge difference for everyone.
I remember one time when I was watching a movie on TV... it was a special feature... about the first African-American girl to attend a public school... Ruby Bridges was her name. I just had to go look it up quick! This was awhile ago, probably when I was still in middle or high school. Anyway, I remember feeling just awful for the way that others were treating Ruby. She was so young and innocent yet these adults were treating her like garbage. I can remember tearing up at some points in the movie. I didn't understand how anyone could be so cruel to another human being.
Ruby had just as much of a right to attend that school as did any of the other children. The way that people treated her had to make her feel as if she just wasn't worth it. Things did change throughout the course of the movie. I don't remember all the specifics, but do remember reading more recently that Ruby remained in that area of New Orleans and raised her own family there. She stood up for what was right and made a huge difference for everyone.
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