Passionate Hope

My most passionate hope is for teachers to receive anti-bias education and implement anti-bias practices within the classroom environment. I feel this is important because it encourages children to learn to accept people who are different from them and for children to understand themselves. Early childhood is the period of time that they are exploring everything around them, and learning through observation. Children in anti-bias environments understand that other people have different cultures, religions, and views on life. Each of theses factors contributes to thinking patterns, interactions with  others, and responses to different situations. In my experiences, I have seen children be labeled by teachers and parents as slow, sweet, and spacey. These children could be negatively influenced because the child could carry that  label for the rest of their lives. It is very important for teachers and other key adults to support and encourage children to communicate what they are feelings/thinking and be respectfully challenged to see another point of view too.

I want to thank professor Kien and all of my colleagues for sharing your individual perspectives and for your willingness to learn about new perspectives different from your own. I have learned a lot about anti-bias practices through the resources, Professor Kien sharing her knowledge, and interacting with classmates. One of the most thing that I have learned is to never make an assumption about anything or anybody because they may surprise you. It has been an honor working with you all. I wish you all the best in your future.

Salesha

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

            I chose to discuss the challenges and experiences in Haiti because I remember having a conversation with a Haitian woman. She spoke about the Cholera crisis, breastfeeding, education, and lack of hygiene. She was very happy to be in the United States and commented that Americans take the small things for granted. She was grateful for clean water, having a roof over her head, safe food, bathrooms, and resources for breastfeeding mothers.

            The first challenge is poor hygiene and children contracting deadly diseases because of unsanitary conditions. Walthar (2015) states “In areas lacking access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure, children are particularly at risk of waterborne diseases that cause diarrhea and the antibodies by breastmilk can make the difference between life and death” (Walthar, 2015). Due to this challenge, Haitian mother are under a lot of stress to breastfeed because they are worried about the mortality of their children. The unsafe condition has caused about “50 percent” (Walthar, 2015) of children to be exposed to “contaminated water and utensils used to prepare infant formula” (Walthar, 2015). Breastfeeding can be a highly frustrating time in a mother’s life. It is even more stressful when the choice to not breastfeeding could lead to the death of their child. Some mothers have difficulty breastfeeding due to lactation concerns and force the mothers to give their children formula. According to Walthar (2015) “Cholera mostly affects families in communities where access to clean water and sanitation are insufficient and hygiene is poor” (Walthar, 2015).

            The second challenge is a lack of education Marrion (2015) states “Lack of access and the poor quality of education available have been major obstacles to children’s learning” (Marrion, 2015). The Cholera crisis has also negatively influenced school attendance because of “rampant fear of contamination and Cholera” (Marrion, 2015). Unfortunately, the experiences of the Haitians have contributed to negative emotional well-being, physical development, and infant mortality. The children are not receiving adequate education, inappropriate early nutrition, and/or a lack of hygienic environment that promotes healthy development. Emotional well-being has suffered because families have, more than likely, experienced loss of family members due to the Cholera crisis. This topic also causes fear of exposure to contaminated water, contaminated food, and other resources. Physical and cognitive development suffer because the residents and their children are becoming sick. It is hard to concentrate when the families are under the potential concern of death,

            While I was reading the articles on Haitian hardship, I began to realize the many issues that I may be taking for granted. I just stopped breastfeeding my daughter, in January, when my daughter was 13 months. It was hard to breastfeed for 13 months because I had to continue eating specific that produced quality milk, watch what medications that I consumed, and pumped milk when I went to work. I could not imagine feeling that if I didn’t breastfeed that my child may not survive. I think about the women who are having trouble producing enough milk for proper development. It is sad to think, that at no fault of their own, that they are destined to lose their child. Fear of developing Cholera is a real concern.

References

Marrion, M. (2015, January 26). In Haiti, 15 Schools bring better learning to remote areas. Retrieved February 20, 2016, from Unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti_78753.html

Walthar, C. (2015, September 2). In Haiti's Cholera crisis, breastfeeding is the best protection for children. Retrieved February 20, 2016, from Unicef.org/infobycountry/haiti_83065.html

Sexualized society

I feel that society encourages children to grow up too fast and skip age-appropriate developmental activities. According to Levin & Kilbourne (2009) "Children growing up today are bombarded from a very early age with graphic messages about sex and sexiness in the media and popular culture" (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). A few months ago, I started working as a Behavioral Specialist Consultant/ Mobile therapist. Most of my clients are between the ages of 8-10 years of age. I have noticed that the children are much more aware about sex, adult behavior, judgement on gender roles, messages in the music, and television shows. I was talking to one of my friends and we were discussing the constant exposure of adult thought and behavior to children. My friend's daughter is 9 years old and has knowledge of sex, strives to stay cute for boys, and makes decisions based on getting attention from boys. Her mother did not teach her about any of these behaviors. A second factor is music lyrics. In several occasions, I have heard young children singing songs that portray females as sex objects, encourage sexual acts, and teach boys to portray themselves as a dominant figure.

1. I have noticed that shows on the Disney and Nickelodeon channel are also sexualized. The children are often portrayed as boy or girl crazy, encouraging kissing/intimate behavior, dating at young ages, and a lack of focus on future goals. The audience of most of the shows are preteens or younger. The children are learning that the above behaviors are normal and appropriate. It is hard for parents to protect their children fully because the messages are embedded in everyday cartoons and television shows.

2. I was working with a client, she began to talk about sex and condoms with me. I was completely uncomfortable but asked how sex learned this information. She said that she learned this information from her  peers. 

3. Some of the present day children's clothing is a little too mature. For example, some two piece bikini's are very skimpy and are not appropriate for children. The way that the children are dressing makes them look older than they really are which attracts the wrong attention from boys and, sometimes, men. All of this goes along with an oversexualized society. Children are exposed to situations well before they are fully capable of understanding these situations.

Sexualized environment has detrimental harm on a  child's healthy development because it causes them to skip over their childhood and to engage in activities that aren't age appropriate such as sex, early dating, and dress code. Levin & Kilbourne (2009) state ". Today's cultural environment bombards children with inappropriate and harmful messages. These lessons can seriously harm their ability to grow up to have healthy attitudes a bout themselves and their bodies and to have caring relationships in which sex is an important part" (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). Young girls grow up thinking that they have to dress and act in a specific way to get attention. Young boys grow up thinking that females are objects and aren't people. 

I think that being aware of the nature of a sexualized society gives the parents a chance to try to influence the children from the home and attempt to give rules that cut out the sexualized experiences. Parents can allow their children to wear appropriate clothing, set up parental controls on media that portrays the sexual messages, teaching children to be themselves and not to conform to societal rules. In times like this, I think about the importance of family interactions and  teaching children that they don't have to conform to other people's images.

References

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

Emotional, cognitive, and physical consequences

I would expect children and their families that I work with to experience isms that are related to their mental health. My clients are typically diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, RAD, health problems and many other mental health disorders. These children also take medications that control impulsivity, hyperactivity, emotional outbursts, and inattention. Each of these characteristics contributes to the potential bias opinions of teachers, parents of other students, and peers. While working in the early childhood field, I witnessed children choosing not to play with the children who were labeled as problem children. Even when the children were behaving, the other children were nervous around them and didn’t want to interact with them. These kinds of negative responses can help change their behavior but may also make them feel that they are whatever they have been labeled. I have also seen the same behavior while working with my current elementary school clients. For example, a client that sometimes experiences emotional outbursts within the classroom may experience bias ,even if they are behaving, from a teacher and/or peers. These outbursts could be occurring because of a lapse in a child’s medication. I have noticed that the children were inalienated from interactions with peers due to past behavior. While walking down the hallway, I have heard other children talking about my clients. For example, one of my clients throw a desk a year before but he hasn't done it this year. An another student pointed and said "oh, that's the kid that threw the desk". Then, they moved away from my client. These negative interactions seemed to  strongly influence how the child saw themselves.

Two of the consequences of negative interactions are not fully developing social skill because an individual feels uncomfortable with peers and familiar adults and not regulating emotions appropriately because their teacher's had very low standards for them. For example, I was working with a client in the school environment. I went to ask the one of the teachers about the child’s progress and was told that they didn’t expect much from her. As long as the child was quiet and behaved; they were okay. The teacher did not address paying attention in class nor academic progress.  Children with mental health disorders that have symptoms extending into the school environment. The child knows that the teacher doesn’t expect much from them and takes the label that they are slow and/or unintelligent. The children also treat their peer different due to previous behavior and may judge the peer and not want to be friends with them.

I have also experienced bias as a child due to my conservative personality. I wasn't loud like the other children and preferred to talk when it was necessary. I was belittled by a teacher because I was listening trying to figure out what she wanted me to do. My teacher's behavior caused me to withdrawal even further from social activities that I was around my school peers. Now that I work with children, I don't judge quiet children because of  how the world tries to uplift extroverted people and bring down people who are naturally quieter. In my experiences, quieter people have a few advantages over extroverted people. For example, introverted children are sometimes better listeners because they aren't trying to be the center of attention. I wish that teachers would understand that all children have their own way of communicating and their own personality. 

Effective Communication

I observed the interactions between my mother and my two nieces at my home.  The children were given an option of hot dogs and spaghetti or chicken nuggets and angel hair noodles. They both choose hot dogs and spaghetti. The girls had seen an adult eating ice cream and wanted ice cream. In response, they were told that they could have ice cream when they finished their lunch. The younger girl didn’t want to eat and asked for ice cream for a second time. My mom calmly told her that she had to eat her food to get ice cream. Meanwhile, the other older girl ate her food and received ice cream. When the first little girl saw that her sister had ice cream, she got upset and demanded that she be given ice cream. My mom asked “What she have you eaten?” The younger girl began to tantrum. My mom patiently said for a second time that she had to eat her food to get ice cream. The young child was upset but she ate  her food and she was also given ice cream.

 

                                                               VS. Ice Cream

In this observation I learned that children will try to battle with an adult to get what they want. My niece was refusing to eat because she wanted ice cream. She has to be reminded twice that dessert goes after meals. My mom also maintained an atmosphere of equality and fairness between the two girls. She allowed both girls to express what they wanted for lunch. She said that they could have ice cream when they finished their lunch. My mom followed through with her promise of ice cream to the girls when they ate their food. She remained pleasant throughout the entire process and consistently expected the child to comply with the her directive. In this week’s resources, I read the article called Conversations with a Two year old. Stephenson (2009) states "Children had to make choices" (Stephenson, 2009).  The author discusses  making a chart of likes and dislikes with children.  I think that my mom's strategy of communication was very effective in getting my niece to eat her food after observing an adult consuming ice cream. She offered them ice cream but after they ate their lunch. The children were given the choice of hot dogs and spaghetti or chicken nuggets and angel hair noodles. These were the only options at that time to pick from. One of the things that could have helped the younger child is to make a food chart for her that has pictures of food that she likes and dislikes. Visually showing the child the chart.

I think that requiring that both girls follow a consistent directive made both children feel that they were equal. They understood that they had to eat their food before they received ice cream. My mom did not engage in battling or compromising behavior. It would have been unfair to give one child ice cream for not listening and to make the other child eat to receive ice cream. They were both expected to eat before getting ice cream and it kept them on a even playing field. There was no miscommunication and the children know what they had to do to get what they desired. My mom gave both of them ice cream when they did what they were asked. The child controlled when they got the ice cream.

I have just begun working as an Behavior Specialist Consultant/Mobile Therapist. I am still learning a lot about children and their different family dynamics. In most of my families, I have noticed that their tends to be a lack of communication between family members. For example, I was working with a family that didn't express their emotions in an appropriate manner. The child did not feel comfortable communicating her feelings which lead her to feel misunderstood and act out. I set up a family meeting for the child and her family. They respectfully spoke about both negative and positive situations that were present in the home environment. without the family meeting, the parents would have never known how their child perceived life nor how she felt she fit into the family. I usually observe a child's non-verbal and verbal communication first. Then, piece together how their verbal and non-verbal communication is linked. Encourage the child and/or parent to mutually express themselves to one another. I could work on setting art therapy sessions that can be used to interpret a child's inner most feelings.   

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Resources:

Stephenson, A. (2009). Conversations with a 2-year-old. YC: Young Children, 64(2), 90-95. Retrieved from the Walden Library using the Education Research Complete database. http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=37131016&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Creating Affirming Environments

Goals:

1.       Parents and children to feel welcome in the childcare environment

2.       To promote equality despite religious beliefs, cultural background, and/or ethnicity

3.       To teach children how to respect differences in others and celebrate their own strengths

The most important elements are to develop a relationship with the parents and their children, creating a nurturing environment for the children, having two separate rooms or spaces designated for quiet and active activities, and include elements of diversity throughout the center.  

• Developing a relationship with parents and children can be achieved when caretakers set up consistent routines for the children. Understanding the daily schedule helps parents to feel like they are not in the dark. I would have an open door policy to parents to develop effective communication. Keeping the environment structured, calm, and smooth  helps parents to build a positive repoire with caretakers. Trusting another adult with your child is very difficult for both child and parents.

•  Creating a nurturing environment can be achieved when the caretaker talks to the children in a gentle, respectful, and caring manner. In the media segment, the home daycare provider discusses how she works with the children when they are leaving their parents in the morning. After  the parents leave, she takes the child into the nap room to get them ready to join the other children. She explains that she doesn’t make the children stop crying. She talks to the children and helps them to calm down.

• Setting aside spaces designated for quiet and active activities are beneficial to let the children know when they are expected to calm down and when they can expend energy. Children have different types of activities that they are involved with throughout the day. For example, story time before nap is an quiet activity and gross motor activities are done in a different environment. The different designated spaces allows children to differentiate between active and quiet activities.

• Incorporating elements of diversity are very important to exposing children to individuals that are different. Some ways to include diversity into the classroom would include different skin tone baby dolls, discussing holidays celebrated by certain religions, teaching Spanish to the children, and obtaining classroom materials that emphasize diversity.

What have I learned

One hope that you have when you think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds.

I hope that all early childhood providers will strive to encourage open communication within the home, support families in there times of need, and that they show respect to children and their families. Each of these goals are meant to create a stable and loving family environment. In all of my work experiences with children, I have learned that a child's first socialization comes from home and early caretakers. The experiences in these environments influence how a child thinks, feels, and acts in all settings (home, school, and within the community).

One goal you would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice.

I would challenge individuals in the early childhood field to get to know the families that they serve without bias or judgment. It is too easy to label a child or their parent before acquiring a meaningful understanding of the individual's personality, culture, and/or heritage. Working with families and their children increase the chances of building a positive relationship with individuals that have diverse backgrounds and also improves self confidence in children.

I would like to thank all of my colleagues and Dr. Dartt for making me rethink small bias opinions that I never knew that I had. Conversations in discussion and blogs have offered a wide array of perspectives that made me think differently. I appreciated how all of my colleagues agreed to disagree with others of different opinion. This course has been eye opening due to the different perspectives. Good luck on your next course.