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.

Week 7 poem

       

          

    

  Equal but different

We are the world

I am black and you are white                         

We are the same except

my skin is darker

Should I expect less of myself

Should I fear how others see me

Should I not try to achieve higher goals    

I am black and you are white

we both stand tall

side by side

You may think  I am angry

You may think I am lost

You may think I am weak

But you are wrong

I stand as tall as a mountain

I'm as stable as a tree trunk

I'm as strong as a lioness

I'm as wise as an owl

I'm as keen as an eagle

Now that you know me

Let's link hands and cross examine our hearts

we are strongest when we respect each other

despite tone of skin

We are strongest when we say no to discrimination

despite our culture and traditions

We are strongest when we stand together

in unity

Think of these words...

when you see someone who is different

Think of these words...

when someone is hurting

Think of these words...

when you need a new perspective

Last words...stand together

"We don't say those things in class!"

“We don’t say those words in class!”

A time when you witnessed an adult (or yourself) reprimand or silence a child after he or she pointed out someone they saw as different (e.g., "That lady talks funny," " That man only has one leg!" "Why is that man so pretty!"). Include what the child said and what the adult did or said in response. (Note: If you cannot think of a specific time ask a friend or family member.)

A friend of mine was looking back on times when children commented on her physical disability. She had a disease that prevented her from walking without using a wheel chair, crutches, or a walker. Children used to stare at her and ask questions about her why she had a wheel chair, crutches, or a walker. She always smiled and was willing to talk about her handicap. She thought that it allowed children to become more comfortable around people who are different based on being handicap and/or different from them. In most of her encounters with children, the parents used to try to stop their child from talking about the physical disability that my friend suffered from. She didn’t mind talking about her disability but parents tried to hush their child from speaking to my friend about her disability.

What messages might have been communicated to this child by the adult's response

The adults that tried to stop the children were indirectly communicating that there are taboo topics that we don’t talk about. It teaches children that is rude to inquire about individuals that are different. Young children identify and at times, verbally acknowledge that they know that someone is different from them. It is healthy for children to respectfully engage in conversation with someone who is handicap. My friend would prefer for both children and adults to talk with her instead of stare.

An example of how an anti-bias educator might have responded to support the child's (or classroom's ) understanding

An anti-bias educator would have allowed the child to inquire about my friend’s handicap in a respectful manner. He/she would encourage the child to learn about individuals who are different and to learn about others. My friend thinks the same way as an anti-bias educator. She invites others to ask her about her physical condition to share that individuals are different.