Professional Hopes and Goals

     My hope working with children and families from diverse backgrounds is to play an active role in making the playing field level so every child has an equal opportunity to reach his or her fullest potential.  I hold the vision that every child and family can be empowered to recognize diversity as an enrichment and use opportunities to learn from one another.  Stereotypes, microaggressions, and the “-isms” can and will be recognized as well as the role each person plays to perpetuate these unfair and biased attitudes.  Children and families will be empowered to advocate and work to diminish inequities and become active participants making society more equitable for all children.

     A goal I would like to set for the early childhood field is that awareness of diversity, microaggressions, and the “-isms” becomes common knowledge.  This can be accomplished by targeting awareness on all levels, including early childhood programs, the school systems, and adults.  Education of the general public so that the “-isms, and diversity become common knowledge involves participation of the media and technology used by children and adults.  The media, technology, and education curriculums on all levels will be targeted as instrumental in achieving equity and social justice so that every child may reach their full potential.

     I do not feel I can be brief in expressing my gratitude to my colleagues in this class.  We have shared personal stories and private emotions with each other.  We have touched each other’s lives.  I have grown and become so much more sensitive not only to the pain microaggressions cause but also to the joy of embracing diversity.  My circle of friends has become more diverse and I am able to form deeper and fuller relationships.  Thank you for helping me gain an understanding of the day to day trials and tribulations of implementing diversity in early childhood settings.  Thank you for helping to grow alongside each of you!  

Welcoming Families From Around the World

     I am working for a child care center and we are preparing for a new student whose family just migrated from Benin, Africa and I was informed he will be placed in my room.  I was told that Benin is located in West Africa bordered by Togo and Nigeria.  The climate is tropical and Benin is sub-Saharan.  The main industry is agriculture.  My new student, Claudio will speak French, a language I do not speak.   I immediately begin researching the culture of Benin, the types of schools and family attitudes toward education.  I am also interested in learning about the music and foods of Benin and research if foods can be purchased locally.  Of particular interest is the family structure and religions of the country.

     There is an employee of the child care center that works part-time in the kitchen and speaks French fluently.  I make arrangements for this employee to assist me communicating with Claudio and his family.  I ask her to teach me a few phrases and words that will be helpful in meeting my new student’s needs during his transition into the program. 

     After completing my initial research I schedule a meeting with Claudio, his parents and the interpreter.  I am very careful to ensure Claudio and his parents are comfortable and understand what is spoken.  My goal is to ascertain their goals for Claudio and to explain the child care’s goals so we may work together to combine and incorporate their goals into the curriculum.  We discuss their family culture, their views about education, and their customs and foods, special toys that Claudio may share with classmates or that may be purchased by the center as well as special holidays and religions celebrations. The family shares that Claudio has several favorite books from Benin that he would be willing to share.  With the interpreter’s assistance, we discuss how the family handles discipline and discuss the guidelines used by the center.  We also discuss Claudio’s learning style within the family and the general learning styles that are prominent in the schools in Benin. I ask Claudio and his parents to suggest changes we could make in the classroom to reflect their culture and help Claudio feel more comfortable and at home.  Claudio’s mom agrees to volunteer in the classroom twice a week and his father will volunteer one day a week.

     Claudio’s family provided many suggestions for books, learning materials, and snack foods that reflect their country and customs.  I begin ordering books, including audio books in French and English as well as posters and several new games and toys that Claudio’s parents suggested.  The interpreter helps me add French words to all the items that are labeled around the room.  We plan a snack menu that includes some of Claudio’s favorites.  I schedule a meeting with the center director and other teachers to discuss incorporating suggestions and ideas Claudio’s parents made into our curriculum.  I plan to discuss the differences in the learning styles and discipline and to seek guidance, suggestions, and participation of the staff.  I share that I would like to add music around the world to our plans so that the children can make musical instruments, including some used in Benin.

     Last, I sought permission for the kitchen staff interpreter to spend time in our room, especially Claudio’s first day, to assist with the language barrier.  I shared all the information I gathered and learned with my children and together we planned to make Claudio’s first day a special day for him.

     My hope is that Claudio and his family will have a smooth transition into the culture of the center and our room.  We will assist Claudio to be proud of his heritage and language while learning a new culture and making new friends.  My knowledge of cultural diversity will be broadened and I hope to broaden the students’ views and knowledge of diversity as well. 

Resource

Smidt, S., (2006). The Developing Child in the 21st Century: A Global Perspective on Child Development.

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

     An incident that happened at work reflected classism and brought to light the magnitude of how people that are part of the dominant group are not aware of the hurtfulness of their actions.  Everyone’s favorite employee was forced into retirement due to her medical condition reaching a serious level.  We were all very sad and continue to keep tabs on her by getting updates from her best friend.  During a conversation I was having one of the clerical staff this employee’s condition was mentioned.  I realized that she was totally unaware that the employee’s condition had gone from serious to critical.  While I was updating her she started to cry.  She said, “Oh my, that’s my girl!  Every time I asked her best friend how she was doing I was told that she was fine”.  My heart broke!  I was sad to realize the extent of the hidden biases in an environment I spend the majority of my waking hours!  My friend suffered the result of classism by the dominant group because she is clerical staff.    

    This incident highlighted inequity in my work place based on the hierarchy of class.  Witnessing the devastation my friend felt first because she became aware that someone she obviously loves is in the dying process and second because she was excluded from this information.  The feelings this incident brought to me were anger and a deep feeling of unfairness. 

     There is great power in leading by example.  I am hoping my colleagues will follow my lead and develop relationships at work that are not based on an individual’s place on the totum pole of hierarchy and that this incident will be the beginning of awareness of the inequity the dominant group practices based on class.  My friend left my work area, still crying, and went directly to the sick employee’s best friend.  This time she was updated on the condition of her dying friend.  My friend used the moment as a step toward enlightening the other employee of the effect being excluded from information had on her. 

    In an adult world people are capable of educating and advocating for themselves.  Change occurs with knowledge, awareness, and sensitivity.  People must become knowledgeable about biases, prejudice, and microaggressions.  Next people must become aware of their own biases, prejudices that result in microaggressions.  Finally, people must become sensitive to the feelings of others and the effect biases, prejudice, and microaggressions have on the recipients. Every adult is responsible for this undertaking.  In a child’s world family, teachers, clergy, community members, and institutions are responsible to teach and instill equality and equity.