What I Have Learned

One hope that I have when thinking about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that I will be deliberate and respectful in my teaching.

A goal I would like to set for the early childhood field related to issues of diversity, equity and social justice is that anti-biased education will become an essential element of all early childhood curriculum in American education in the very near future.

I wish to thank all of my colleagues who have posted comments and engaged in rich conversations with regard to the many issues we were to address during this course. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Diversity-Creating Art

http://www.slideshare.net/capeery/diversity-creating-art

"We Don't Say Those Words in Class!"

As part of my assignment this week, I am to “remember a time when I 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!”) and include what the child said and what the adult did or said in response. I don’t reprimand or silence children when they point out that someone is different. I simply answer their questions. I have never witnessed a child being reprimanded for asking these kinds of questions, neither has any of my friends or family members.

Children are naturally curious and wonder about many things. I have had many students ask why someone is wearing glasses, why someone is a different color or dresses funny. I teach in an all Hispanic environment. Last year, one of my students seemed overly curious and was constantly asking these kind of questions. One day, he looked up and asked me “why are you so white?” My response was that I am not white. I quickly pulled out a piece of white paper and put it up to my skin to show that my coloring is not white. It started a discussion amongst the students about the different peoples of the world and all the different colors of skin. The students wanted paper, and so I pulled out all colors so they could compare them to their own skin color. They soon began to discover that we are not all the same. Someone then pulled out their crayons and we began comparing crayon colors. It led to a rich discussion of diversity and how we are all different and all alike.  We spent several days investigating books about how people are different and began drawing pictures. The message this kind of discussion sends is just as stated, we are all very much different and all very much alike. If a child is reprimanded for curiosity, it is sending the message that there is truly something wrong with being or looking different.

As an anti-bias educator, it is my job to react with understanding. Having posters in my classroom or reading books that show a rich diversity of all kinds of people sends the message that we are all important, no matter who we are. Children are always going to be curious and ask questions. It is up to the adults in their lives to respond with caring and kindness. The only way to do this is to truly believe what you are telling children. You must know and believe that we are all created for a purpose and that every person is special in his/her own unique way. It is also important to celebrate these differences. If we were all the same, the world would be a very boring place!

Start Seeing Diversity: Gender, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation

For my course this week, I was asked to respond to the following:

Some of the ways you noticed that homophobia and heterosexism permeate the world of young children including books, movies, toys, stores, culture of early childhood centers, and schools. I do not believe in homophobia or heterosexism. I also do not believe that when children look at books, movies, toys or pictures they are thinking of sexuality or sexual orientation. They are simply seeing two people working, playing, sharing or reading. It is important to expose children to pictures of people of different colors and of different cultures, because these visuals are clear depictions that people are different. Many people who are against the homosexual lifestyle have a deep faith and conviction rooted in the belief that God created one man and one woman and that union is the only appropriate sexual, marital relationship. Additionally, heterosexism is the belief that heterosexuals are somehow dominant because of their sexual orientation. I argue that this is absurd. I do not believe I have any privileges in life because of my sexual orientation. It is also absurd to believe that people do not receive certain rights under the law because they are homosexual. While there may be people who are prejudiced against homosexuals, I wasn’t hired for my job because I am heterosexual. I do not receive attention from the bank manager because I am heterosexual. There is not a culture in which homosexuals are consistently denied the right to work, eat, sleep, play, engage in relationships or pursue the American dream because of their sexuality. There may be incidences where people are specifically prejudiced against others, like homosexuals. Like Affirmative Action forced employers to hire Black people over people of other colors who might be more qualified, the Homosexual Agenda is forcing people to look at sexuality as a means for equal rights under the law. The idea that your sexuality should get you any privileges under the law is, as stated above, absurd.

Your response to those who believe that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay or lesbian individuals such as same-sex partnered families.  I completely agree that early childhood centers should avoid the inclusion of books depicting gay and lesbian individuals as parents. God created one man and one woman and intended for this to be the consummated marriage by which the family is created and children are born. While there are many kinds of families, and I would not disrespect a child or his/her family for having homosexual parents, sexuality is the parent’s job and right to discuss with their children. I do not believe in teachers or the federal government usurping the rights of the parents to teach their children about homosexuality or their own sexuality in general. I am against any kind of sexuality teaching in early childhood.

How you would respond to a parent/family member who informed you they did not want anyone who is perceived (or self-reported) homosexual or transgender to be caring for, educating, and/or interacting with their child? If I had homosexuals working as teachers, I would let the parents know that the teacher will interact with their child and if they feel this way, they may want to take their child to a different center. I would stress that all people, adults and teachers have the same rights and responsibilities, no matter their sexual orientation and that we will not work to keep children away from any specific teacher.

I have never used or heard terms such as "fag," “gay,” “homo,” "sissy," "tom boy," or “lesbo” as an insult by a child toward another child. I do not consider these homophobic terms, but rather mean and cruel. Name calling is name calling no matter what, no matter when. It is the job of any teacher to step in and use this as a teachable moment to teach respect for all humans.

Any other related situations, thoughts, concerns, questions, and/or areas of discomfort you would like to share related to children, gender, and sexual orientation. I am very clear about my homosexual views. I consider homosexuality a sin. I do not hate homosexuals and do not feel any aversion toward them. I would never treat them any differently than I treat anyone else. I also believe cursing is a sin, but do not treat people differently who curse in my presence. All people are created by God and for a specific purpose and have a role to fulfill in life. The practice of homosexuality, just like many other sins, is putting yourself first and indulging in personal desires over the desires of God or what is best for the family or culture at large. I do not consider myself homophobic and don’t believe in the term. My great aunt was homosexual and she was simply Aunt Jody. I never thought of her in terms of her sexuality. She and her partner, Rita were members of our family. We lived, laughed, loved, played, cooked, fished, sang, joked and spent many years together. It is only in the present American culture that we are being forced to look at people in terms of their sexuality and I think that is absurd and goes against what we are trying to teach in an anti-biased, diverse world – to respect all people no matter who, no matter what.

Farewell and Good Luck

As I come to the end of my course in Communicating and Collaborating in the Early Childhood Field, I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of my colleagues. Thank you for your constructive comments, your interactions and your professionalism. Thank you for your commitment to a higher level of learning. I want to offer a special “thanks” to Kali. Kali and I have forged a long-distance relationship and I hope it continues for many years to come. We seem to be of one heart and one mind. I wish all of my colleagues continued success in their professional and personal endeavors.

I leave you with this thought: Celebrate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUFyY6M

Team Building and Collaboration

For my blog this week, I was to complete the following activity: consider the adjourning phase of several of the groups which I have been involved. I was to think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye and answer the following questions.

Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? Yes, high performing groups are hard to leave because it is such a self-esteem builder to be accomplishing something. Groups with the clearest established norms? Again, it is hardest to leave this group because of the success.

Which of the groups that I participated in was hardest to leave? My first-born daughter was diagnosed with cancer in first grade. I worked for the Oklahoma Children’s Cancer Association for three years. We meet monthly, did fundraising, work with doctors and the hospital while a new children’s wing was being built; started and funded many new projects, gave financial support to the children’s cancer ward, took vacations (like snow skiing trips) together and I was in charge of a Christmas Party for several hundred people each year. I devoted hundreds of hours in service to this organization, to children with cancer and their families. I was the President in my final year. I had considered serving this organization for many years to come, but life circumstances made it such that I needed to quit at the end of my third term. It was very hard to leave, partly because my whole family was involved and partly because we had made such a connection with so many people. However, being surrounded by cancer, hurting families and watching so many children die was very emotionally draining. I often miss the group, the support we received and the level of participation at which I was involved. It will always be with me, in my heart and mind.

What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced? I really didn’t have much of a closing ritual with the Oklahoma Children’s Cancer Association. I was President one day and simply resigned the next. There were no parties or big “good-byes”. My life just continued without the group. I kept in touch with one couple and we are now down to just exchanging Christmas cards each year. I don’t think I would have wanted anything big or special. The way I left the group seems appropriate for that time of life. However, when I was President of my daughters' school PTO, I was given a party, gifts and told I had done a great job by many members of the school. I received a great deal of 'kudos' for the next several years as I saw things that I had started blossom into something big. Even though that was over ten years ago, I occassionally meet someone who will comment about something that my board started or did that made them proud. That closure just evolved over time and took several years to complete.

How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master’s degree in this program? I have already established a close relationship with one person in my master’s degree classes even though this has all been online and we have never met. We are already talking about needing to meet someday and I’m sure we will exchange e-mail addresses upon leaving so that we can stay in touch with one another. We might exchange e-mail, facebook posts or Christmas cards. We will always have the accomplishment of this class in common. I feel that she is a very high functioning student, as am I. It’s funny how you can make these kinds of connections and long-distance friendships without even meeting someone in person. We live hundreds of miles apart and don’t expect that our paths will ever cross again.

Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork? Again, it’s that sense of accomplishment and teamwork. It builds respect and is just courteous. Think about when you are talking to people. If they just get up and walk away, it feels rude and awkward. However, if you have a few pleasantries, comments and good-byes and proper closure, there is a sense of respect and satisfaction in that. Closure says that you did the job you came to do, you accomplished it and now it is time to move on to the next goal, the next phase, the next group. Adjourning, or ending the group, is an essential part of a quality team.

(Adapted from O’Hair and Wiemann, 2009, pp. 254–255)

Nonviolent Communication and Conflict Management

For my assignment this week, I was to: think about any disagreements, or conflicts, you have recently experienced or are currently experiencing at work with a supervisor or colleague, or someone in your personal life. Share at least two strategies you have learned about that might help you manage or resolve the conflict more productively, and why these strategies might be effective.

A disagreement or conflict I have been engaged in recently is with regard to the way our team is teaching first graders to read. There are some practices going on that are not best practices and are not aligned with research. They also do not promote the best way for children to learn to read. I have been participating in these discussions with my team of five other first grade teachers.

Some practices that I am using to communicate with my colleagues are simply being respectful and not making accusations. I am also using research and data to promote some quality professional discussions with regard to ways to teach children to read. For instance, not one person of the other five on my team uses small group instruction, reading groups or literacy centers. I am offering my help and encouragement whenever possible. I want to encourage my colleagues so that they will feel comfortable using small group instruction and successful. I am looking for and suggesting professional development they can attend and sharing books on the subject that I own. I have offered to have teachers come into my room to observe and let me help them make a plan.

I am definitely using the three R’s for communication: being respectful, reciprocal and responsive. I am practicing talking less and listening more. I am focusing on the other person’s thoughts, ideas and obstacles. My colleagues agreed that we are all engaged in respectful conversations with regard to this situation and are working toward a solution and focusing on doing what is best for our students.

(Adapted from O’Hair & Wiemann, 2009, p. 220)

Communication and Culture

For my assignment this week, I took three surveys on communication and listening styles. These were the Communication Anxiety Inventory, Verbal Aggressiveness Scale and the Listening Styles Profile.

After completing the surveys, I found that I scored a 23 on the Communication Anxiety Inventory. Accordingly, I am a level low and this shows that I am comfortable “communicating in most situations and feel confident in anticipating such encounters” (Rubin, Palmgreen & Sypher, 2009).

I scored a 73 on the Verbal Aggressiveness Scale which is considered high. This means that I “often resort to character attacks and ridicule when talking to others who do not share my viewpoints. My aggressiveness may cause anger, hurt feelings, and embarrassment, and will rarely, if ever, persuade the listener to my point of view” (Rubin, Palmgreen & Sypher, 2009). This surprised me since, according to the Listening Styles Profile, I was categorized as being in Group 1.

Group 1 embodies people who are people-oriented. This means that I am “empathetic and concerned with the emotions of others. This listening style helps me to build relationships, but it can interfere with proper judgment because I tend to be very trusting of others” (Rubin & Rubin, et al., 2009).

I was not surprised by the Communication Anxiety Inventory results nor the Listening Styles Profile. I am very comfortable speaking in any situation, enjoy meeting new people and speak in front of large crowds on a regular basis. The Listening Styles Profile was quite accurate in that I do care about the feelings of others and am very trusting of people. I believe like Anne Frank “that people are really good at heart” (2011). However, I was not surprised that I am verbally aggressive, but never imagined that I engage in character attacks.

I was not surprised to find that other sources that I chose to take the survey (a former colleague and my daughter) came to similar conclusions. I was always placed in Group 1 by every person who scored my listening style.My verbal aggressiveness scores ranged from 56-61, which puts me in the low to moderate category. My personal score had placed me in the high category. This shows that I was much harder on myself than my friends and family. The low to moderate category means that I am not engaging in character attacks, as stated by my own results, but that I am “respectful of the viewpoints and intelligence of others” and that I “maintain a good balance between respect and consideration for others’ viewpoints” (Rubin, Palmgreen & Sypher, 2009). This also indicates that I “attempt to change their minds with gentle, inoffensive suggestions that do not attack their self-concept” and that I have “the ability to argue fairly by attacking the facts of a position rather than the person holding that position” (Rubin, Palmgreen & Sypher).

The information I gleaned from these surveys, and the results of others, have helped me develop some communication goals. While I will probably always be comfortable in speaking in crowds and with total strangers, I can focus on not always dominating the conversation. I can work harder to keep my mouth shut and listen more. I can continue to respect others and not attack a person's character when disagreeing. I can also work to focus on people and relationships when listening to others, but focus on the facts and data when I'm communicating information with the parents of my students.

Finally, “self-esteem refers to how one feels about oneself, usually in a particular situation” (O’Hair & Weimann, 2009). According to the results of these surveys, I have a very strong self-esteem and it comes through loud and clear in my speaking, listening and communication styles. It would behoove me to focus less on myself and more on others as I continue to engage in effective communication throughout my lifetime.

In this video, Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street show us that good communication can do a world of good!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0tyDqPPaSM&feature=related

Resources

Brainyquote. (2001-2011). Retrieved October 2, 2011 from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/anne_frank.html

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2009). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Rubin, R. B., Palmgreen, P., & Sypher, H. E. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge. “Communication Anxiety Inventory” and “Verbal Aggressiveness Scale” Copyright 2009 Taylor & Francis Group LLC Books. Used with permission from Routledge via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Rubin, R. B., Rubin, A. M., Graham, E. E., Perse, E. M., & Seibold, D. R. (Eds.) (2009). Communication research measures II: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge. “Listening Styles Profile-16” Copyright 2009 Taylor & Francis Group LLC Books. Used with permission from Taylor & Francis via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Communication

For my assignment this week, I was asked to: think about the cultural diversity you see in your colleagues at school, in your neighborhood, in your workplace, and also, possibly, within your family. Consider all the aspects that make up culture, including race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, varying abilities, and so on.

Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?  I contemplated this question all week and did not think I communicate any differently with my friends, whether Black, Native American or Asian. However, I do communicate differently with people at work and the parents of my students. I don’t speak Spanish and most of my students are Hispanic. I often use my hands to communicate and speak much more succinctly and slowly when communicating. Sometimes I draw pictures or even ask an older sibling to interpret what I am saying to the parents of my first graders. I also lean in and listen much more carefully. Of course, I conduct myself differently in casual social situations using informal communication, than I would say at church or in formal communication with colleagues. I don’t see myself having much informal communication with people at work and have to guard my words carefully, since I am a teacher.

Based on what you have learned this week, share at least three strategies you could use to help you communicate more effectively with the people or groups you have identified. Some communication strategies we have learned this week are to look at people when they are talking and really listen to them. I have trouble with this and I justify it by thinking I am multi-tasking. My daughter often accuses me of not listening to her because I am not stopping and looking at her. This is one area that I have been working on. It’s very hard for me to sit still, be quiet and pay attention. I have been told I can do ten things to someone else’s one thing, and I pride myself in that. A second thing I learned was to validate people when they are talking and to keep my mouth shut. I can nod or say things like “uh-huh” to let them know I am really paying attention. A third thing I learned was not to take it so personally when people are texting. I observed a group of young people for an extended period of time. They were all communicating, laughing and talking and all never seemed to put their phones down. I was surprised that they were so comfortable and not offended. I’m definitely living in a different world than I grew up in!

Collaborating and Communicating in the Early Childhood Field - An Experiment

For my course in Collaborating and Communicating in the Early Childhood Field, my assignment this week is to: record an episode of a television show you do not normally watch. Watch the show with the SOUND TURNED OFF and respond to some questions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKWskRDtmRA&feature=relmfu

I chose to watch Melissa and Joey. After watching the show with sound, I learned that Melissa is the youngest councilwoman ever to be elected in her district. Joey is a businessman who lost his job in a scandalous Ponzi scheme being run by his firm. Melissa has a sister who is a convicted felon, and Melissa has custody of her two teenagers. Melissa ends up hiring Joey as a live-in cook and nanny to the children, Rider and Lennox.

What do you think the characters’ relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating? It is clear that Melissa is the boss and Joey works for her. It also looks like they are not happy with the situation. They seem to be arguing all the time. The people who play the children give off a very different message. They have softened facial expressions and seem to enjoy one another’s company. I was surprised by this, because so many television programs reflect teenagers as constantly fighting. They seem to enjoy the adults and don’t roll their eyes when being talked to. They are often smiling. They seem perky and good-natured. Their body language expresses a carefree lifestyle – that of a teenager.

What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing? Based on the ways they are communicating, I would say Melissa and Joey definitely do not like each other. They are self-driven and very animated. They make large gestures often and frown a lot. Their arms are often crossed and they lean in and point in one another’s faces. Their mouths are big and open when they talk and it looks like they are constantly arguing. They walk away while the other is talking and turn their backs on one another. They swing their heads back and roll their eyes while listening to the other person. Melissa’s hands are often on her hips and she is pointing her finger a lot. She seems to treat everyone the same way, Joey, her work colleagues, family and friends. However, Melissa and Joey’s body language also gives off the idea that a lot of sexual tension is going on between them. They use their bodies to flirt and their facial expressions also communicate flirting.

Then, I was to watch the show WITH SOUND respond to these questions:

What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed? Surprisingly my assumptions about the adult characters were very accurate. They are constantly arguing. They are both very bossy, think they are in control and think the other person is always wrong. I was also surprised to find that I could pick up on this sexual tension between them without listening to any sound. However, I misread the teens. While they look happy and weren’t nearly as animated, they did act like typical teens and didn’t get along all that well.

Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well? I’m sure I would have made better assumptions about a show I watch regularly, but again, I was surprised at how I was able to pick up on much of their body language.

You should try this experiment. It was very enlightening.

Communication in the field of Education

I have just begun my course in Communication and Collaboration in the Early Childhood Field at Walden University. For my blog this week, I was asked to think of someone (e.g., family member, celebrity, politician, friend, or professor) who demonstrates competent communication within a particular context and described what behaviors this person exhibits that make him or her effective?

The first person that comes to mind in answering this question is my husband. In 32 years of marriage, he has never once raised his voice to me. He is extremely calm and thoughtful. He conveys respect on every level when communicating with me and with others. He is not quick to speak and listens intently to what others are saying. He often responds slowly, because he is thinking before he speaks. He is professing all the information. He doesn’t spend time in idle talk – talking about nothing. When he speaks, I listen because I know he is going to say something important. I ask for his advice about everything, because he has a deep perspective that I don’t think I’ll ever attain. I believe this is, in part, because he listens to everything and everyone around him. I would definitely want to model my communication behavior after him. You would think that after living together all this time, I would be much more like him, but I’m not. Sad to say! I talk too much and too often about nothing. I don’t really listen to what others are saying and am too quick to judge and to state my opinion, as if it really mattes in the grand scheme of things.

According to the National Communication Association, my husband practices many of their recommendations:

1. We advocate truthfulness, accuracy, honesty and reason as essential to the integrity of communication.
2. We strive to understand and respect other communicators before evaluating and responding to their messages.
3. We promote communication climates of caring and mutual understanding that respect the unique needs and characteristics of individual communicators.
4. We condemn communication that degrades individuals and humanity through distortion, intimidation, coercion, and violence, and through the expression of intolerance and hatred.
5. We are committed to the courageous expression of personal convictions in pursuit of fairness and justice

Just this week, I found myself saying some cruel things to someone and hurting their feelings. I make the excuse that it’s my nature and that I grew up with a parent that was like this, but there really never is any excuse for this kind of communication. If I could do one thing differently, it would be to go and take back all of the hurtful things that I have said to so many people throughout the years. Since I can't do that, I can pay careful attention to what I say, when I say it and how I say from now on.

O'Hair and Wiemann (2009). Real Communication. Beford/St. Martin's. Boston, MA.

Professional Hopes and Goals

Well, I’ve come to the end of my 8-week course on anti-bias education and diversity in the classroom. One hope that I have when I think about working with children and families who come from diverse backgrounds is that I will be more sensitive, receptive and responsive to the needs of the children and their families – that I will see each as unique and special individuals and treat them as such. I have already begun addressing issues of cultural diversity in my classroom on a daily basis. I have put up posters and quotes from people of all different ethnicities. I am using pictures and books that reflect a very diverse group of individuals. I am weaving discussions into the curriculum that address our unique differences, whether physical, racial, religious, cultural, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yprbmGHKNg&feature=player_detailpage#t=48s

As a Christian, I believe and honor the tenet that we are all created equal. It is because of this belief that I didn’t think I harbored any real or overt prejudices. Throughout this course, however, I have been made aware of the little things that I do and say that may hurt others who are not like me or not the way I think they should be – who are from different cultures.

One goal I have the early field of childhood related to issues of diversity, equity, and social justice is that cultural diversity, equity and social justice will become part of the coursework for every bachelor’s degree in education on every campus across America. We must recognize that what we are doing, thus far, isn’t bridging the gap of equity and social justice within our educational system. We need more of a focus on anti-biased educational programs.

A brief note of thanks to my colleagues, with whom I have shared the past 8 weeks. I have learned much. I have grown. We have grown together. We have shared some deep insights, discussed many sensitive issues and even touched on some nerves. I am a better person inside for having gone through this course and for having known and worked with each of you. Thanks again and good luck in your future endeavors.

Welcoming Families From Around the World

Fact: about 195 different countries exist in the world today.

Fact: according to the U.S. census bureau, the United States’ population includes individuals and families from 150 different countries

For my assignment this week I am to: choose a country of origin that represents a family who is new to the United States, list five ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards a family and describe ways that I hope these preparations will benefit both me and the family.

I chose China. Ways in which I will prepare myself to be culturally responsive are: research the internet and read about the country; visit local book stores to find books I can use in the classroom; visit the teacher’s store and purchase posters of people from this country to display in the room; plan my lesson plans around cultural holidays from this country, incorporate cultural foods into my science curriculum and cultural clothing or music into my social studies curriculum. I would invite family members in to read books in the native language, share foods, clothing and music. I would even begin to learn bits of the language, attend language classes, or ask the parents to help me learn the language. Being a Christian, I would visit a local church that serves this population of people – to see how they worship and listen to their music and see how families interact with one another. I would seek out cultural events in my community that celebrate these people and their culture. I would visit the family in their home. I would ask friends and relatives if they know people who have traveled to China or have anything that would help me with understanding the culture.

Learning as much as I can about the culture and incorporating this knowledge into the regular classroom setting will show the parents that I am culturally responsive, that every child is important to the program and that their family and culture are not only welcomed, but will be celebrated. Celebrating this cultural diversity at the early childhood level will help to promote the child’s personal, social and cultural identities, as well as promote anti-bias from the group as a whole. The message will be that everyone is equally special and important. Since “young children are naturally curious about their own and others’ physical and cultural characteristics” (Derman-Sparks & Edwards, 2010 p. 12) it will give the students opportunities to have their questions answered in constructive ways. Instead of being singled out by other children, the child from another country will be celebrated. This will lend the much needed encouragement and support and hopefully lessen the culture shock of being in a new country.

Derman-Sparks, L., & Edwards, J. O. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

The Personal Side of Bias, Prejudice, and Oppression

In my master's course, we are talking about prejudice and inequity. We were asked to answer these questions:

What memory do you have of an incident when you experienced bias, prejudice, and/or oppression?

I ended up going to high school in the middle of desegregation and was bussed to the “black” side of town. I was white and grown up in the same neighborhood, with the same friends, going to the neighborhood church and school. My world was very small. The tension was terrible. I remember a lot of fighting, yelling and screaming. A black girl beat me up on the bus one time. I was one of just a handful of whites getting on the all-black bus. I was the last one to get on and had jeers and stares. The black bus driver was no help. On my first day of school, a black teacher looked right and me and yelled “we don’t want you here anymore than you want to be here!” That set the tone for my entire high school career. To put it mildly, high school was “hell”! My brother ended up on drugs and alcohol and my sister ended up dropping out. This happened to other friends of ours. The only reason I completed school was that I knew I had to graduate to go to college and being an elementary teacher was all I ever wanted. I was mostly alone until my junior year, when I met two more white girls feeling the same way I did. I kept to myself and made sure that I didn’t go down the “black” hall or into the “black” bathrooms. On more than one occasion, I was pushed into a wall or locker and propositioned by black basketball players. I genuinely felt threatened every day of my high school life and began to hate black people in general as a result of the prejudice against whites.

In what way(s) did the specific bias, prejudice and/or oppression in that incident diminish equity?

As mentioned above, I was not able to go down certain halls or even certain bathrooms. I wasn’t helped in the library and had no sympathy from teachers or even the school counselors. I was not part of the dominant black culture and was hated. I felt attacked on a daily basis by my Black English teacher. When I would ask her questions, she would answer in demeaning ways and imply that I was stupid. My history teacher used several occasions to openly embarrass me. As a teacher, I now see that the entire culture was against desegregation and adults were taking it out on the students, as well as each other. I only remember two white teachers during my stay at high school.

What feelings did this incident bring up for you?

I was fearful for my life. There were knifings and riots at most football and basketball games. I feared being raped by black boys and was propositioned on many occasions. I felt threatened and was made to feel stupid.

What and/or who would have to change in order to turn this incident into an opportunity for greater equity?

Desegregation would have had to end and allow me to go back to the white high school on the white side of town with all of the friends I grew up with. My best friend’s parents put her into private school to avoid this process. I guess they knew what was coming politically and socially. We met the first day of kindergarten. Our mothers got to know each other, and my mother took care of her for the rest of my school life, until high school. We were practically sisters and are still friends today. When we talk about this situation, she was able to enjoy her high school life in a private, white school and felt safe, secure and loved. For a long time, I blamed my parents for not being able to send me to another school or for not moving away. I also blamed my mother, who didn’t work, for not getting up and taking me to school so I could avoid being on the bus. So, not only did I have all the fears, nightmares and constant verbal attacks, I grew to resent my own parents. I never went through teenage rebellion and was a model child, according to them. This incident sent me into deep depression, which I have battled to this day. I turned completely inward and withdrew from society in general. I stopped eating and probably was anorexic for some years, even though I wasn’t diagnosed. This moment in time has scarred me and I made sure that my children didn’t attend public school at all. I look at most black people through the eyes of my high school experience, even though one of my best friends is black.

Microaggressions - Everyday Indignities

This week, we have been studying microaggression. I was asked to “Describe at least one example of a microaggression which you detected this week or remember from another time. In what context did the microaggression happen? What did you think and feel when you observed the microaggression or when you found yourself as the target of a microaggression? In what ways did your observation experiences this week affect your perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people.”

Dictionary.com defines the term aggression as “the action of one state violating in force the rights of another state; any offensive action, attack or procedure; an encroachment; the practice of making assaults or attacks; offensive actions in general” (2011). When I look at this definition, it doesn’t really fit with simply asking people questions or being genuinely interested in who they are – thus the prefix “micro”. I think asking people where they are from is simply a courtesy, a first step in getting to know someone, like asking them what the weather is like. I’m not sure where the severe psychological harm comes in. I think we can all allow people to “get under our skin” or “make us feel bad about ourselves”. It is a personal choice to move away from that and know these remarks or comments do not define us as individuals. Self-esteem and those assurances come from knowing who you are in Christ, as a child of God. My value comes from Him, and not from what others say about me, assume or even imply.

I haven’t witnessed any signs of this happening this week that I was consciously aware of. I guess Dr. Sue would say that’s because I’m white! However, according to Dr. Sue, I was guilty of it. I work in a school with almost 700 students, 95% of which are Hispanic. Teachers have full-time, bilingual teaching assistants in each classroom. I was invited to a party by one of the assistants invited me to a party and I attended. There were approximately 100 Hispanics and two whites in the room. While sitting at the table, enjoying the meal, I had been talking to a woman for about five minutes. I asked a woman where she was born. I thought this might be nicer than saying “where are you from?” She laughed and said “Old Mexico. What did you think?” About six months ago, I asked another Hispanic in our building where she was born; she seemed insulted and replied “America. What did you think?” So, when I compare these conversations, it seems that Dr. Sue would say that I was in the wrong both times, when I thought I was simply engaging in conversation – wanting to get to know another person.

I do believe that these kinds of offenses are going to simply alienate people like me and prevent us from attempting to get to know others who are different from us. I was born in Oklahoma and was once asked where I was born. When I replied “Oklahoma” the person gasped and said I didn’t sound like an okie. I wasn’t offended at all! I found it humorous. Would this have been considered microaggression? Can a white American be the recipient of microaggression?

Finally, I like people! I am a people person. I like getting to know other people. I think this is why I am engaging in microaggression and don’t even realize it. I thought it was just a natural curiosity. A few years ago, damali ayo wrote a book entitled How to Rent a Negro. I watched her for an hour on public television explaining what I now understand are these microaggressions. At the time, I remember thinking how absurd she was when someone asked if she washed her dreadlocks like “regular” hair. I just saw it as a cultural curiosity. She was extremely insulted. According to Dr. Sue, I was trivializing her culture and engaging in racial bias, stereotyping, microinsults and microinvalidation just having these thoughts.  I have ordered her book and am going to read it with this new awareness that I have discovered this week.

As a child, I was verbally abused. For many years, I didn’t want to acknowledge that. My family was my family and I didn’t know any other way. Since becoming an adult and mother myself, I see that a member of our family was making a conscious choice to constantly berate and demean me. It was very hurtful and took counseling in adulthood to even identify what had happened and how it made me feel. So, if a person is constantly being asked where they are from, when they were born in America, I can see how that might get under their skin or aggravate them. However, we do live in a pluralistic, melting pot. As humans, we all make assumptions about where people are from based on their skin type, language, accent and dress. I don’t think this is the fault of only “white” Americans. When I travel, people assume that I am American. Is it because I’m white and speak English? I think the assumption that Americans are white, English speakers comes from our origin: pilgrims coming from England to America and establishing a colony. This is not to say that they "discovered" America. This does not imply that Native Americans weren't already here. It's just the way people have thought for the past 200 years about Americans. As white Americans, we must begin to realize that people from all over the world have been coming here to make a new and better life. So, naturalized citizens do all look different and have heritages from all over the world.

This microaggression realization is disturbing on some levels and is causing me to look within and re-evaluate who I am in Christ, as a woman, mother, wife, teacher and friend. I do not want to change the way I think on human rights, moral issues or equality, but do not want to absentmindedly offend others. I also wonder if much of this so-called “microaggression” (I don’t even like the word) is really people taking interest in other cultures and people becoming too easily offended. Dr. Sue would say that is microinvalidation or microinsulting. As a woman of God, I know that we are to deem others greater than ourselves. John McArthur (a Christian religious teacher and pastor) speaks on the radio daily. He believes that when we are taking these kinds of “insults” personally, we believe that we have some kind of rights over another that actually none of us has. That is the right to demand our way, to think that we should never be insulted or offended, to believe that it’s all about us. These teachings, again, have caused me to reflect on this microaggression. I’m sure Dr. Sue would say I think this way because I am white.

Finally, my observation experiences this week have not affected my perception of the effects of discrimination, prejudice, and/or stereotypes on people. The research and story from Dr. Sue have made me aware that it does exist. Until this week, I'd never heard of it. So, when I meet a person whom I want to get to know and want to ask where they are from, I might begin the conversation by simply asking generic questions about their family and sharing about my family. I might ask about work, hobbies or other interests instead of starting a conversation with “where are you from?” Maybe in the course of this conversation, my natural curiosity will be abated. Maybe not. Either way, I’m still going to attempt to get to know people because I think that’s the best way to end this cycle of microaggression.

Laureate Education, Inc. (2011). “Microaggressions in Everyday Life” with Dr. Sue.

Dictionary.com (2011). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/aggression

Culture & Diversity

This week, I was supposed to ask people the definition of culture and diversity. Things that people said were:

“culture is the way people live”

“culture is all the ways we live – the differences in say the American way vs. Chinese, Indians, etc.”

“diversity is the differences between people of different cultures including different beliefs, values, traditions that one group of people practice. It includes language, dress, foods we eat, holidays we celebrate and our religion”

“diversity is how we are different”

Aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied included in these answers are that culture is many different things. It is the way we do things, our language, traditions, dress, foods, celebrations, etc.

Before this course, I thought of culture as just the differences in our dress, language, foods and traditions. I’m finding out that it’s much more. Comments that were omitted from all the comments were that culture touches every part of our lives.

Thinking about the way other people define culture and diversity has made me realize that we really don’t give culture and diversity much thought. We just all seem to take it for granted.

My Family Culture

For my master’s degree, I am currently enrolled in a course “Perspectives on Diversity and Equity”. For this assignment I am to imagine the following:

A major catastrophe has almost completely devastated the infrastructure of your country. The emergency government has decided that the surviving citizens will be best served if they are evacuated to other countries willing to take refugees. You and your immediate family are among the survivors of this catastrophic event. However, you have absolutely no input into the final destination or in any other evacuation details. You are told that your host country’s culture is completely different from your own, and that you might have to stay there permanently. You are further told that, in addition to one change of clothes, you can only take 3 small items with you. You decide to take three items that you hold dear and that represent your family culture. Give a description of the three items you would choose. Explain to others what these three items mean to you. Describe your feeling, if upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you.

I had to think long and hard about this assignment. Having only 3 items to take with me, and give up everything I own, was a devastating thought. I immediately thought of my wedding ring. I assume this does not have to be one of the three items, since it is on my finger. I think I would take some kind of textbook or teaching materials if my children were still in school. They are grown and in college, so I don’t think I’d need that. I thought about my recipe card file, because it has recipes from my mother and grandmother that I really don’t want to lose. However, if I were dropped in the middle of the jungle, living off the land, a recipe card file would really serve any useful purpose. I decided that I can live without my make-up, curlers and even my toothbrush and toothpaste. Yuk!

After much thought, and consulting with friends and family, the 3 items that I would choose to take with me are: my Bible, a memory album and my recipe card file. I would choose to take:

1.      the Bible

2.      a family scrapbook album and

3.      a bag of medicine

I would take the Bible because I am a practicing, committed Christian. The Bible holds the truths that I try live by: do not steal, do not kill, do not lie, love one another, forgive others, and be kind to one another. These words are very important to me and I would need the emotional support that these words offer me in times of stress.

I scrapbook my family’s memories, and have many pictures and mementos in scrapbooks from as far back as my great, great grandparents. I would choose to take a book that holds some of our family’s history, photos and mementos. I would hope that taking this item with me would keep our family history alive for many generations to come.

I would take the bag of medicine since I don’t know where we are going or what is going to happen. I would want to be able to keep my family healthy as long as possible. I would want to be able to put Band-aids on cuts and give an aspiring for a fever.

If, upon arrival, I find that I can only have one of these items, I would choose the memory album of my family’s history. I have memorized many of the Bible’s passages and so has my family. We would be able to keep our faith alive by talking about the verses we know by heart and the historical accounts of the Bible. The medicine would be sacrificed in the hopes that there would be medicine to be found, or even indigenous plants and herbs for the support of our health.

The insights I have gained about myself, my family culture, diversity and cultural differences in general as a result of this exercise are that our faith in God is very important to me and my family.  I also see that family history is very, very important to me because I spend countless hours putting our family’s history, pictures and mementos into albums. I talk to my children and share stories of our faith heritage and our family history. I put these things in scrapbook albums so that they will be preserved for future generations. I want my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to know who we are and who we come from and hopefully pass on the faith and good aspects of our family and our heritage.

Doing Early Childhood Research

I am in my final week of Doing Early Childhood Research. My course is about to come to a close and I have a newfound respect for early childhood research and researchers. I have gained many insights into early childhood research as a result of taking this course.

Ways in which my ideas about the nature of doing research have changed are that I realize research is a very involved, complicated process. In the past, I was naïve enough to believe that it was as simple as asking a question, making some observations and coming to some personal conclusions. I learned that there are generally two types of research: deductive research and inductive research. Deductive research is when the researcher develops a hypotheses, tests it and the results are based in data (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford, 2010 pp. 364-365) whereas inductive research is when researchers do not go in with any preconceived ideas and simply make observations and try to explain human behaviors or why we do the things we do, how we relate to one another, etc.

I discovered that research should be: ethical, purposeful, well designed, transparent, contextualized, credible, careful, imaginative and equitable (Mac Naughton, Rolfe & Siraj-Blatchford, p. 10).

The lessons I have learned about planning, designing, and conducting research in early childhood are again, that the process takes a lot of planning and forethought. Personal biases can influence research and results and there are many considerations to take into account. I also learned that my personal interests should guide my research and that most researchers are simply asking questions that they want answers to.

The one thing that made an impression on me was treating children with respect with regard to research. In the past, asking the parent’s permission seemed enough with respect to researching children. This perspective has changed. I feel that I have always shown respect to little children and that is part of the quality teaching of a good early childhood educator. However, asking their permission and thoughts on whether or not they want to participate in the research was a new idea for me.

Some of the challenges I encountered in this course was simply understanding the jargon with regard to research during my course reading. I had to read and re-read material. I had to look up words in the Glossary, Dictionary and Google terms and ideas. I also read additional research that might have related to what I was reading so that I could get a better handle on the text.

Some of the ways my perceptions of an early childhood professional have been modified as a result of this course are that early childhood professionals are not simply babysitters or even just teachers. I also realize that hundreds of early childhood professionals, teachers and researchers have gone before me to help put into place the many ways in which we understand children, relate to them, teach them and learn from them.

Mac Naughton, G., Rolfe, S.A., & Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2010). Doing early childhood

research: International perspectives on theory and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY:McGraw-Hill.

International Early Childhood Research

This week I am investigating international early childhood websites. I chose the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan, Africa website located at http://www.ecdvu.org/index.php

“The ECDVU is committed to promoting ECD in The Majority World through innovative education, networking, publishing and other forms of scholarly activity. For example, the ECDVU has played a key role, with other regional and international partners, in the development of a triennial series of African International ECD Conferences (1999, 2002, 2005, 2009).” http://www.ecdvu.org/welcome.php

“The ECDVU program was founded and is directed by Dr. Alan Pence, UNESCO Chair for Early Childhood Education, Care and Development; Professor, School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada”. http://www.ecdvu.org/welcome.php

Three questions were raised:

1.     What are some of the current international research topics? Some research topics the ECDVU addresses are Understanding Children, Families and Communities Over Time and Across Cultures. They have in-depth research and reports from these countries: Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda and Zambia. This extensive research addresses such topics as: poverty, nutrition, health, child survival, water and sanitation, education indicators, parents’ responsibilities, community’s responsibilities, government’s responsibilities, child abuse, wage earning, religion, demographics, child labor, and enrollment of children in school.

2.     What surprising facts/insights/new ideas about early childhood did you gain from exploring this international early childhood website? I was surprised to find that even in the poorest countries around the world, parents and community leaders are concerned about children’s education. It seems to be common knowledge that education affords one a better life and that the earlier children begin their education, the better. These war-torn, ravaged countries still take their parental, community and governmental responsibilities very seriously with regard to children and early childhood education.

3.     What other noteworthy information did you find on this website? Other noteworthy information I found a plethora of statistics related to poverty and the situation of children and families in Africa. According to http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/Nigeria_Country_Report.pdf “malaria, diarrhea, acute respiratory tract infections (ARI), and the vaccine preventable diseases are the main causes of child morbidity and mortality. Fifty percent (50%) of infant deaths are prenatal deaths caused by neonatal tetanus, low birth weight, and complications during labour and deliver. An emergency threat to young child is HIV/AIDS, which can be transmitted from an infected mother to her child in the womb, at the time of delivery, or through breast milk. The morbidity and mortality patterns already mentioned are determined not only by factors intrinsic to the individual but above all by external factors, including the extent to which adequate health care services are available and accessible. Other external factors, such a poverty, the environment, water supply and sanitation, malnutrition, educational levels, cultural attitudes, and gender relations also have important ramifications for health and survival” (Situation of Women and Early Childhood Development in Nigeria, p. 10). It’s very difficult to acknowledge that children in other parts of the world are dying in large numbers from things like preventable diseases, for which there are vaccines.

*On a personal note, I have sponsored a child through World Vision in Lesotho, Africa for almost 15 years. I was excited to read the report on Lesotho from this website. I felt a very personal connection with the region.

Resources:

Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan, Africa. (August 13, 2007). Retrieved from: http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/creports.php

Situation of women and early childhood development in Nigeria. (2001). Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) Sub-Saharan, Africa. Retrieved from: http://www.ecdvu.org/ssa/documents/Nigeria_Country_Report.pdf