In working with children and families from diverse cultures, I hope:
1. I can create a physical environment where all feel accepted and comfortable.
2. I develop a relationship with children that is respectful, compassionate, and trusting.
3. I can empower parents to play an active role in their children's development and education.
4. I can be a role model for other educators making them aware of the importance of anti-bias education
5. I can be a voice that "stands up" for diversity not only in my classroom, but in the school or broader community.
A goal for the early childhood field related to diversity, equity, and social justice.
The early childhood field will become the voice of diversity, equity and social justice by developing a generation of children that are wiped clean of stereotypes and prejudices, that show respect and acceptance of human dignity, and take action in the fight against social injustice.
This goal is very ambitious, but if we as educators begin with small steps and fix ourselves first and then begin the work in our classrooms, we may be the beginning of something bigger.
Thank You!!!
I would like to thank everyone for their support and responses to my blogs and discussions. Many of us spoke about emotional issues that affected us from childhood. There are some things I discussed with the class that I have never told any one else. I think we all learned how harmful and hurtful stereotypes and prejudices can be. Also it was evident that the hurt was still present in our hearts.
Thank you for your respect and acceptance of all my social identities. I will remember all of you in my future work and all your ideas and experiences. I hope the best for all of you.
Mary Jo
Friday, August 23, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Welcoming Families from Around the World
Guatemala
How do I prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family from Guatemala?
1. Because I do not know much about this country, I would research information about the country's surface culture; language, religion, clothing, food, holidays, etc.
2. Learn a few words or phrases in Spanish in order to communicate with the parents and/or the child.
3. Ask parents or have interpreter ask parents about their child and about the goals they have for their child. I will learn more about this particular family's deep culture.
4. Set up activity centers that reflect familiar items from the child's homeland. Because Guatemala has abundant agriculture, my centers should have books, toys, and foods that reflect this. The science center could have books or items involving earthquakes. The learning in these centers needs to be culturally relevant to the child.
5. Have parents come into the classroom and tell stories or give presentations involving their culture.
I hope each of the above steps will make the child as well as the parents feel respected and valued in my classroom. By allowing the parents to tell me what their goals are for their child, I hope to empower them and let them know that they are an important part of their child's development. The learning in the classroom has to be culturally relevant to the child so I would use items in the centers that are familiar to the child. Hopefully all feel accepted and respected and that the lines of communication are opened up so that if there is an issue, the parents feel comfortable in talking to me.
How do I prepare myself to be culturally responsive towards this family from Guatemala?
1. Because I do not know much about this country, I would research information about the country's surface culture; language, religion, clothing, food, holidays, etc.
2. Learn a few words or phrases in Spanish in order to communicate with the parents and/or the child.
3. Ask parents or have interpreter ask parents about their child and about the goals they have for their child. I will learn more about this particular family's deep culture.
4. Set up activity centers that reflect familiar items from the child's homeland. Because Guatemala has abundant agriculture, my centers should have books, toys, and foods that reflect this. The science center could have books or items involving earthquakes. The learning in these centers needs to be culturally relevant to the child.
5. Have parents come into the classroom and tell stories or give presentations involving their culture.
I hope each of the above steps will make the child as well as the parents feel respected and valued in my classroom. By allowing the parents to tell me what their goals are for their child, I hope to empower them and let them know that they are an important part of their child's development. The learning in the classroom has to be culturally relevant to the child so I would use items in the centers that are familiar to the child. Hopefully all feel accepted and respected and that the lines of communication are opened up so that if there is an issue, the parents feel comfortable in talking to me.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The Personal Side of Bias - Week 6
I work for a Child Care Quality Rating System. I was visiting a center about five years ago when we were just getting the program off the ground. The center was a church owned center. The Director wanted me to meet the Pastor of the church. He came in and not long after, the Director was called out to speak to a parent. The Pastor bent down close to my face and asked me how many black centers have received star ratings. This is the reverse of what one would expect. This was a black man assuming because I was white, that I would not allow this center to succeed in the quality rating system.
The Pastor was obviously acting out of internalized oppressions. In the past, he must have been treated unfairly by white people and stereotyped me as someone that would treat him unfairly. I felt anger and hurt all at the same time. How dare this man assume that I would perform my job incompetently and not allow this center to succeed based on the race of the children. I was angry because he accused me of an act that I would never think of doing.
When this incident occurred, equity was diminished because the Pastor was not concerned about raising quality or what the center needed in order to meet star requirements. In fact, the exchange was not about quality or the program at all. It was about racism. I should have been talking about the components of the program but instead found myself defending my actions as a white person.
I honestly told him that I did not know how many black centers have received stars because I do not categorize my centers by race. Centers are categorized by star levels based on the requirements met.
In order for me to help this center and treat this center with equity, the Pastor would need to unravel his oppressive thoughts and learn to trust that I was a consultant there to truly help them achieve quality the same way I helped every other center I worked with. I am happy to say that this center became a four star center in about two years due to hard work and determination. The same traits that other centers used to meet their star levels.
Now the Pastor is very grateful and a trust has been established. Every time I visit the center, he comes out of his office to speak to me. Neither one of us has ever talked about that first meeting but I can feel his apology and hopefully I helped him to unravel some deep seeded oppression associated with white people.
The Pastor was obviously acting out of internalized oppressions. In the past, he must have been treated unfairly by white people and stereotyped me as someone that would treat him unfairly. I felt anger and hurt all at the same time. How dare this man assume that I would perform my job incompetently and not allow this center to succeed based on the race of the children. I was angry because he accused me of an act that I would never think of doing.
When this incident occurred, equity was diminished because the Pastor was not concerned about raising quality or what the center needed in order to meet star requirements. In fact, the exchange was not about quality or the program at all. It was about racism. I should have been talking about the components of the program but instead found myself defending my actions as a white person.
I honestly told him that I did not know how many black centers have received stars because I do not categorize my centers by race. Centers are categorized by star levels based on the requirements met.
In order for me to help this center and treat this center with equity, the Pastor would need to unravel his oppressive thoughts and learn to trust that I was a consultant there to truly help them achieve quality the same way I helped every other center I worked with. I am happy to say that this center became a four star center in about two years due to hard work and determination. The same traits that other centers used to meet their star levels.
Now the Pastor is very grateful and a trust has been established. Every time I visit the center, he comes out of his office to speak to me. Neither one of us has ever talked about that first meeting but I can feel his apology and hopefully I helped him to unravel some deep seeded oppression associated with white people.
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