Professional Hopes and Goals

I hope that, as I work with children and families from diverse backgrounds, everyone would end the experience, if they did not begin that way, with the point of view that they are better for having been a part of it.  I want everyone to realize that every person and their unique cultures have something wonderful to offer the world and it is important that we see one another's value and provide welcoming atmospheres and opportunities for those gifts, talents and unique qualities to be shared, exchanged, and celebrated.  I hope to achieve that in my classroom and school.  I believe we can all learn from one another in some way!  We are all important!  We are all valuable!

I also hope to continue to learn and grow (personally and professionally) in understanding as I work to establish and maintain diversity, equity, and social justice in my classroom, workplace, and community. 

One goal that I think that is worth pursuing in the field of early childhood is the recruitment of more male teachers.  I believe this is an issue for the primary grades in general as most male teachers work in the upper grades—middle and high school.  Successfully, recruiting more male teachers would further diversify the early childhood workforce.  I think that many of our young students would benefit from the experience of having male teachers earlier in their educational years.  Teacher-Student relationships can be very powerful.  I think that having positive male role models teaching in quality early childhood programs has the potential to impact many students’ lives in significant ways.

I would like to thank my colleagues for sharing so openly about themselves and their lives.  I have learned a great deal from the content of this class and what has been shared by everyone participating.  I wish you all success in your future endeavors!   

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The following assignment was presented:

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 is coming from the country of Uganda. 

I would prepare for the new child and his family to be a part of our childcare program by determining to what degree the family speaks English.  A translator would be invited to attend the initial meeting to ensure clear and effective communication.  I would also do some research on Ugandan social practices in an effort to engage them in a way that is familiar, and hopefully avoid unintended offense.

Once they have arrived, I would give them a tour of our facility to introduce the child and their family to the learning environment.  The child’s name and space would be prepared and I would acknowledge their language by having “Welcome (child’s name) in English and their native language.  Parents and family would be invited to visit the school and/or classroom to share their skills and cultural information about Uganda when convenient.

During the course of the visit I would listen to any concerns and provide information regarding additional resources they might need-- particularly cultural organizations that may be available to assist in their transition.  Ideally, arrangements would be made to have a tutor, familiar with the child's native language, available for scheduled visits to facilitate instruction as well. 

I hope my preparation would make the family feel welcome, aid in connecting them with community resources that they may need, and initiate a relationship in which they feel valued, respected and an integral part of their child’s learning.  Hopefully, a partnership aimed at developing learning environments that foster their child’s social and academic growth in their new culture while learning about and maintaining their family’s culture would be established.       

The school and its students would benefit by from the increased diversity and the unique skills that the new student’s family brings to the program. 

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

         I remember several incidents that I saw in a movie where the setting was the south around the late 1950s.  The black characters in the movie were discriminated against in numerous ways.  The main characters worked as maids.  They worked in homes where they were not allowed to enter the front door, use the same dishes as their employers and they were forced to use separate bathrooms.  They were constantly, systematically, blatantly told they were less than the white people with which they interacted.  They were treated as second class citizens.     

         The racist attitudes of the white characters resulted in the constant devaluing of the black characters as well as creating an oppressive environment that restricted opportunities and denied equality in every arena in society.  The prejudice was institutionalized, legal and ingrained in the thinking of the majority of white people in the movie.

         As I watched, I felt sadness, anger and wonder that anyone, let alone the majority of a culture, could believe such things and act on those beliefs in such intense and violent ways - particularly when those beliefs are challenged.  While I realize that prejudice began long before this time -- and persists even today – and was born out of economic needs and/or fear of what is different, it amazes me that anyone could continue in that belief system when there is so much proof to the contrary.

         The sadness came from the knowledge, too, that so many black people had come to accept their circumstances and felt so helpless to change.  I understand that those attitudes were the by-product of years of being told that they were second class citizens as well as being told there was nothing they could do to change the situation.  When black people took steps to change they were stopped -- sometimes violently.

         Initially, members of the dominant culture would have to change their attitudes and beliefs to create greater equity.  Those changes would need to manifest in the removal of the systemic barriers that were preventing equal opportunity for black people. 

Awareness of Microagressions

      I can remember an event I attended where people were dancing and enjoying themselves.  Among those joining our group of black people was a white acquaintance.  We were enjoying the music and talking when someone asked me if I wanted to dance.  I refused and commented that I'm not the best dancer.  An off hand, kind of joking comment was made by our white acquaintance--something to the effect, "Don't be shy.  You know you can dance."  Given the fact that this person did not really know me or anything about my background, I received the comment as implying that I could dance because I am black.  I don't remember being extremely bothered or feeling offended at the moment.  I did, however, let her know that her assumption was not correct. 
      I think microgagressions have occurred often in my life and many have gone unnoted.   I think that has happened because they were presented in a light-hearted or off handed way, or come from people that we would not expect racist behavior to come from.  And, just as Dr. Sue mentions in the video, something will happen and you will ask yourself "Did what I think just happened just happen" and often I have dismissed it.

      Dr. Sue's presentation speaks to the fact that we hold biases that we are often unaware of, but their existence is revealed in these microagressions which are not overt, direct expressions of those biases.  Clearly, people are attacked because of their culture much more frequently than I previously thought and I realize that their thinking about themselves and others is quietly impacted each time.  As an educator, I will have to be alert to the occurrence of microagressions in my own conversation and behaviors and make every effort to eliminate bias that I detect within myself. 
          

Perspectives on Diversity and Culture

I find it interesting that all of the responses to a request to define culture included a reference to family traditions and the way people grow up.  Only one definition included race, ethnicity, values and customs.  Diversity was defined as differences in people.  None of the people I spoke with referred to socioeconomic levels, religious beliefs, abilities, or language.  I got the impression that many people do not really give a great deal of thought to all that culture and diversity encompass beyond surface level issues.

Some of the components of culture included in the definitions received involved a more in depth discussion of family traditions which integrated how people feel about religion, education, politics, or how they celebrate different holidays, marriages, birthdays, and even how they deal with death.  When people talked about the way people grow up they meant their family’s values, religious beliefs, socioeconomic level, where they live, their dress, whether or not they go to school, language, and whether family make up is traditional or a different arrangement. 

Listening to others define culture and diversity has heightened my awareness to the fact that everyone’s thoughts about what these terms mean can be very narrow or broad.  What is included depends on the person being asked.  Now when I think about culture and diversity my definitions are more inclusive of deep culture than prior to me taking this class or discussing the topic with others.  I recognize the importance of understanding, maintaining an awareness, and being respectful of not just surface culture, but also the deep culture components held my students and their families in my role as an early childhood educator.  I think that my level of understanding and awareness regarding culture and diversity will determine my level of success in creating a welcoming environment, establishing positive, effective relationships with students and their families as well as being how effectively I am able to foster attitudes of acceptance and appreciation of differences in people and their cultures.

My Family Culture

            If I imagined that our country's infrastructure has been destroyed and my family and I are being forced to relocate I would be grateful and concerned about what was to come.  If I was further told that I could only bring three items and one change of clothes, I would bring the Bible, a family photo, and an American Flag.  The Bible is important because my relationship with God, my faith is the foundation upon which I build every aspect of my life as well as being an important aspect of most of the lives of my family members.  The family picture serves as a physical, visual representation and reminder of those I love and support and who love and support me –images of people with whom I have built a life.  The American Flag is important because I think that in moving forward we should have something to remind us of where we came from and the wonderful opportunities our country afforded us to grow and increase as individuals and as a family unit.

If I was later told that I am going to have to give up two of the three items I brought with me, I would keep the Bible.  My relationship with God is more important than any thing I possess.  It, my relationship, is alive and ever changing.  A vital part of maintaining and growing as a Christian is spending time reading and meditating on the word of God.  My faith teaches me that as I do those things and spend time in prayer the truths of the bible impart the life and power of God in such a way that I will develop spiritual tools that will impact my temporal life in such a way that I will have what I need to shape a purposeful, good life --- wherever I find myself.  The knowledge and wisdom I can gain from the Bible will impact my life, and potentially the lives of my family and others as well, both temporally and eternally.