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!
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